And you met each other HOW?

I remember years ago, I met guys at school (Clyde Whitaker), at church( MIke Weaver- the #1 boyfriend), or through friends- somehow meeting people wasn’t such a challenge. Today- I don’t ‘go’ to school, and don’t look at church as a place I set my sights to meet a significant other. Being semi new in town I don’t have many friends to ask for referrals either. 

Which leaves a girl to ask- HOW are you supposed to meet someone?

Gone are the days of meeting a nice guy in the grocery store, an introduction at church or a neighborhood outing, and bar scene- totally out - Life has become too busy- and those that know what they want can put all the particulars into and advanced search and find their supposed ‘perfect mate’. Thats what match.com, eharmony and zoosk seem to offer.

I don’t think I could ever divulge enough about myself to be a compatible match for anyone- I think that is part of the process to getting to know someone- I like to think of myself as a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key- and for right now I am lucky enough not to really have to put myself out there.

Hats off to Martha Stewart

I have never been a Martha Stewart fan- well I lie. I watched her make a really cool Thanksgiving turkey one time, and I thought that was pretty neat, but then she became so condescending and rude to her viewers that I quit watching. But my opinion changed about her greatly after she talked to Matt Lauer on the Today show.

This totally intact, ‘young’ elderly female announced to the world she would like to have breakfast with someone- (okay so would I - does before golf count?) , She would like to go to bed with somebody, she would like to sleep with somebody. AT 71 YEARS OLD she wants to be intimate, and have that incredible 1 on 1 time with a suitable man.  Here is the link to the interview- http://www.today.com/news/martha-stewart-date-online-seeks-man-bed-breakfast-6C9659426

I can barely ask a guy out to go do something benign, much less announce to anyone I want to meet a man to have sex.  Inviting a man out to me seems so taboo- I guess it was the generation I was raised up in. To this day, I expect a man to court me- not necessarily spend a lot of money- but make me feel like I am the only female in the world- and he can’t live without me. 

I would give anything to be like Samantha on ‘Sex and the City’- free spirited, and able to put myself out there- but instead I am more like Carrie, who was ‘ looking for love.Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love’. Just once in my life I think I deserve that.

But for right now- I would like to find a great guy, develop a friendship, and see where it goes( and I do know some great guys- just don’t know what they think of me)- and if that does not work, I may have to take Martha’s lead- but my parents will roll over in their graves if I announce I want a man to sleep with...... so I am content for a dinner, a walk, a kiss......and go from there.

Oh, and eventually, I would love to have a guy for bed and breakfast........

On baggage-

So last night had a very interesting conversation about what those of us over 50 experience when we date someone- we all bring experiences and baggage- but how much you bring and what you do with it....well thats another thing- 

Carry on baggage is the easiest - It fits nice and tidy in to a small wheeled bag and can be stowed over head for the duration. It is easy to move around, can fit neatly in a trunk or a closet and can stay hidden out of sight pretty easy. 

Then there is the the checked baggage- Larger and heavier, requiring payment to haul it from one place to the other. Sometimes you pray it gets lost on the journey- and just when you think it is gone forever-  it shows up at your door , along with a ton of dirty laundry- 

The worst is when you have so much baggage, you have to call PODS to store it all, and it sits in your front yard like a glaring giant neon billboard, announcing to the world you have more drama going on in your life than you can possibly handle- this is best observed as a warning sign- to run like hell- 

In reality- we all have it, because our ‘baggage’ has helped shape who we are- and helps us on our journeys- 

I have decided that dating at 50, hell dating at 40 is hard. Meeting people is hard. And finding that one special person who makes you smile is like finding a perfect pearl in an oyster bed. 

But along the way there are stories, and experiences, highs and lows, laughter and tears- and I hope to catch some great stories here~~~~ ones that make me and my friends always ask, I shaved my legs for that? So enjoy the stories and the trials and tribulations-