313 : The Art of Dating

Back in the old days, dating was oh so very different.  You used to actually meet someone first and feel an attraction.  Perhaps the conversation was stimulating, the person was good looking or sometimes (and my favorite) there was just something about that person.  It usually started by meeting somehow and then you went out on a date or began to hang out in some capacity.  Dating nowadays was very different.  At least it was for this 37 year old single mom.  It's not like I had a lot of time to just go out and meet people at the bars like I could in my 20s.  And if I did attempt to do that the men I met were most likely in their 20s anyways.  I had tried the online thing but after the creepy cat guy (see post # 187) decided I would retire that option.  Then there was my most recent attempt to be open: Tinder.  This, however, was the complete opposite of what dating should be.  It was essentially a blind date.  You agreed to meet a total stranger and then you decided if there was any interest, which seemed rather backwards compared to how it was in the old days.  I had gone on a date the other evening with someone and had a good time.  In fact, we planned to meet for a drink and ended up grabbing dinner in addition.  It was surprisingly fun and pleasant considering how blindly I had entered.  He asked me to go out again, and I said yes right away.  So there would be another date.  I had a friend reach out to me the following morning inquiring about how my date went.  I told her I had a good time and we would be going out again, which then prompted her to ask a slew of questions.  She was so happy for me.  She wanted to know details.  She knew I deserved the world.  But I had to admit, her excitement made me nervous.  I didn't know why exactly, but perhaps it was just because it caused me to feel the tiniest bit of pressure even though I knew that was not at all her intention.  I caught myself getting an uncomfortable/nervous feeling in response to her inquiry and reminded myself that her questions and excitement simply came from a place of good.  I had fun on my date the other night.  We seemed to have a lot to talk about and I felt comfortable around him.  I didn't know anything beyond the fact that I had fun and that I wanted to go out with him again.  And that was really all I needed to know right now.