Introduction to Dating: A New Scene after 20 + Years

I must confess, I'm a serial monogamer.

This is not my quote, but a friend's who found herself, like me, single after several years in a long-term relationship. When I heard her say that, I thought, "Wow, me too. I am a serial monogamer."

I live and have lived for long-term relationships. I love the feeling, the idea and the comfort of being with someone. I love the idea of being a "we" instead of "me". With my significant other, we used to scoff at the singles in the area nearby, trying to hook up at a bar on a Saturday night.

Now, one of those singles is me.

I'm newly single. Yes, newly single after what seems like an eternity.

You see, I was married very young and when I got divorced, I found my boyfriend shortly thereafter and was in a long-term relationship for 4 years. When that relationship abruptly ended at the beginning of this year, I found myself lost, not knowing how to begin dating again.

I began by taking on the 21st century of dating by joining some online dating sites. But I quickly realized that at age 42, the selection is not only sparse but also, um, how should I say this? Unattractive?

I then joined some groups through Meetup and have been attending. And by this humbling experience, I've noticed many people in their 40s still act like they're 18, when it comes to dating. And I still didn't know how to date, even then.

My decision to start this blog came out of desperation for feedback from others in my boat. As I'm driving this ship called "dating" and know nothing on how to navigate it. You will hear about my experiences, my thoughts, my rantings and oh, yeah, my obsessions in the process. I promise not to mention any real names of actual people I meet. They will all be changed to protect the innocent and well, not so innocent.

If you are experiencing any of the same, please comment, give advice or post. My only request is that you keep it clean please.

Let the dating begin!