How To Even Meet Someone?

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tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,584
17,051
113
69
Tennessee
#41
You see, women are programmed to immediately start thinking of a guy they just met in terms of what kind of husband he'd be.
Don't really know if I am programed or not but I would immediately start thinking in terms of what kind of wife she would be. My policy is to not waste time dating a woman that I would not consider marrying.
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,450
5,402
113
#42
You see, women are programmed to immediately start thinking of a guy they just met in terms of what kind of husband he'd be.
Apparently, Steve has me on Ignore because in another thread, he asked someone what they were talking about when they were replying to me, so I know Steve won't see this post.

But I just wanted to add that his posts get me thinking about how his general summaries of women would work in my life, in case anyone was curious as to how his advice might work out in real life.

There have indeed been many times when I've met guys and pondered about what kind of husbands they would be.

But I'm often thinking about who I know and how they would make wonderful husbands for THEM, and not me.

It's because I'm trying to be realistic in my assessment (knowing I'm probably not right for him,) but know that other women I know could be a much better match.
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,450
5,402
113
#43
That sounds like a lot of w*rk and very stressful. If you deliberately make me compete for your heart with a lot of other guys, I don't want your heart. Let some other guy have it. I'll wait for someone with a less cynically enterprising heart.
When I was on the dating sites, this was the number-one turn-off was when women were talking to several guys at once.

And who could blame them?

No one wants to feel like a number in a crowd. And there was also a sense of bitterness and assumption that women were often being pursued by several men at once, but the men couldn't even get a simple "hi" back on the dating sites.

I understand this.

It does indeed get very complicated, unfortunately.

Because in cases where it was flipped... Some guys were perfectly fine talking to several women at once, but saw a woman who was doing the same as (a derogatory term.)

This is just me, but if a man was pursuing several women at once, I wouldn't be interested either. I'd feel like a pack of deli meat just waiting for her number to be called out at the counter.
 
Aug 2, 2009
24,645
4,305
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#44
When I was on the dating sites, this was the number-one turn-off was when women were talking to several guys at once.

And who could blame them?

No one wants to feel like a number in a crowd. And there was also a sense of bitterness and assumption that women were often being pursued by several men at once, but the men couldn't even get a simple "hi" back on the dating sites.

I understand this.

It does indeed get very complicated, unfortunately.

Because in cases where it was flipped... Some guys were perfectly fine talking to several women at once, but saw a woman who was doing the same as (a derogatory term.)

This is just me, but if a man was pursuing several women at once, I wouldn't be interested either. I'd feel like a pack of deli meat just waiting for her number to be called out at the counter.
That sounds just like those reality shows like The Bachelor. Can't stand them.
 

melita916

Senior Member
Aug 12, 2011
10,464
2,692
113
#45
I confess that when I met a new guy at church, I wondered if he was going to be more than a friend lol.
 

icequeen

Active member
Nov 8, 2019
211
134
43
#46
I am getting more in favor of arranged marriages as time passes. That would have saved me a lot of time and heartache. My sad advice is stop looking and enjoy life as it is. If Mr Right shows up, good for you. If not you are content with the life you are living
 

SteveEpperson

Junior Member
May 12, 2018
552
221
43
#49
Don't really know if I am programed or not but I would immediately start thinking in terms of what kind of wife she would be. My policy is to not waste time dating a woman that I would not consider marrying.
I think this is a mistake, and it tells me you are making judgments about her before getting to know her at all.
 

SteveEpperson

Junior Member
May 12, 2018
552
221
43
#50
I am getting more in favor of arranged marriages as time passes.
They don't exist anymore.

My sad advice is stop looking and enjoy life as it is
Dating and romance is a journey that can be a lot of fun if you let it. You, like a lot of others on this site, are letting a few past failures dictate the outcome for the rest of your life. Celebrate each victory along the way. For example:

  • A successful "hello" or other greeting
  • A successful conversation
  • A successful first date
  • A successful second date
  • A successful first kiss
  • A successful engagement
  • A successful wedding!
 

17Bees

Senior Member
Oct 14, 2016
1,380
813
113
#51
I knew a kid in high school who was a year younger than me and had the heart of a lion. As fate has it, he was short, maybe 5'6 and his thick hair accounted for the extra inch. Plus he was a bit homely and would get hung up on a lisp in his speech. But he was a good kidd I liked him.

He had this big time crush on a very pretty girl at school. He knew her and was friends with her but he was sure she needed just a little nudge to win her heart. So he picked a fight with her boyfriend. His heart was noble, but his brains were near sighted.

Her boyfriend was tall, muscular, and good looking and really, a nice guy. I liked him too. He was my age. However, my little buddy with a lion's heart thought all he had to do was win a fight with the guy and steal his girlfriend's heart.

The fight never occurred. They were going to fight after school but the girl caught wind of the whole thing and talked to her little lion and spoke to him like a man. I didn't know what she said but it worked. He called the fight off and told his foe he was lucky. I thought her boyfriend handled it well. He just said "OK".

Later, he told me what the girl had said. She said "I know you would fight for me. There was never a doubt you'd fight like a poet. But it won't win my heart." He was sad for a bit, but he carried what she said like a dagger of steel on his side.
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
7,155
2,174
113
#52
Has nobody thought of following the Fonz' example, yet?

 

icequeen

Active member
Nov 8, 2019
211
134
43
#53
They don't exist anymore.



Dating and romance is a journey that can be a lot of fun if you let it. You, like a lot of others on this site, are letting a few past failures dictate the outcome for the rest of your life. Celebrate each victory along the way. For example:

  • A successful "hello" or other greeting
  • A successful conversation
  • A successful first date
  • A successful second date
  • A successful first kiss
  • A successful engagement
  • A successful wedding!
You do have a point, but the recipe, or one size fits all, doesn't work for everyone. Both Christ and Paul were single. The art of living for me, is to expect nothing and be happy with little. Envy or trying to have another cards than is given, leads to misery. Believe me, I have lived most of my life miserable, and being content (or telling myself I am and should be) is so much better than waiting for a miracle to happen or meeting Mr. Right.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,302
9,343
113
#54
They don't exist anymore.



Dating and romance is a journey that can be a lot of fun if you let it. You, like a lot of others on this site, are letting a few past failures dictate the outcome for the rest of your life. Celebrate each victory along the way. For example:

  • A successful "hello" or other greeting
  • A successful conversation
  • A successful first date
  • A successful second date
  • A successful first kiss
  • A successful engagement
  • A successful wedding!
Once there was a lion who fought with a bull elephant. The lion killed the elephant and ate well of his kill.

When the lion was done eating he was so proud of killing the bull elephant that he roared his might throughout the jungle. Long and loud did he roar, and all animals trembled at the sound.

A big game hunter followed the sound of the roaring and shot the lion.

Moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,584
17,051
113
69
Tennessee
#56
I think this is a mistake, and it tells me you are making judgments about her before getting to know her at all.
I believe, based on my own experience, that the first date is critical in deciding whether to pursue a potential relationship that may lead to marriage. If you did not enjoy the company of a first date, then there is no reason for a second one.

You can have a lot of fun during the dating process but if the one that you are dating will not have your back and be by your side when tough times enviably come than why waste time in such a relationship?

Two or three dates is sufficient time, at least in my experience, to determine whether a prospect is worth the risks of heartbreak or disappointment, or possibly causing irreparable harm in all areas of your life.

Of course, the guidance of God is key in this process. Much prayer and contemplation is required. You reach a point in your life where you either know what you want, or you don't.
 

melita916

Senior Member
Aug 12, 2011
10,464
2,692
113
#57
My husband and I were friends for months before we went out on a date. Granted we lived 2 hrs away from each other, so the dates were a month apart lol. Once we became an official couple, a month into it, he said he was gonna marry me. Did it scare me? Not at all. It let me know he wasn’t wasting my time.
 

SteveEpperson

Junior Member
May 12, 2018
552
221
43
#58
You do have a point, but the recipe, or one size fits all, doesn't work for everyone.
Oh, but I'm here to tell you from experience, that what I've laid out in my posts really does work, especially if the woman is willing to take the first risk. I realize that I've been directing my coaching toward men, but if a woman were to initiate the first contact, it's nearly guaranteed to work.

You see, we men are born clueless about approaching a woman, getting the first date, and building the romance. Yet we are assigned this task by society and are expected to somehow be proficient at it.

If YOU were to assign yourself this task, YOU would guarantee your success by:

1. Letting some poor, clueless fellow off the hook

2. Teaching this clueless dude what you want

3. Taking responsibility for the outcomes

The problem is that most women don't want to take the first risk in a relationship. They rightly assume there will be rejection along the way, so they want it to fall on the man's shoulders.

The problem is that you cannot sit back and let the man do all the work if you are upset with the outcomes.

The art of living for me, is to expect nothing and be happy with little
If this is working for you, fine. But I have to ask, are you simply taking the easy way out here? Are you letting negativity and martyrdom work for you? If so, being miserable is not the most God-honoring way to live. I know this from experience.

It could be that you're also afraid of success just as much as failure. It's this fear of success that can hold people back, just as much as being rejected.

For example, a woman's thought process during a successful encounter with a man might look something like this:

"Oh my goodness, he's coming over here to talk to me! What do I do now? Oh my, he's soooooo good-looking!"

He says hi and you say hi back. He also dares to introduce himself. You suddenly can't remember your name, but somehow, you get it out there to him.

You continue with your internal dialogue. "Oh, I just don't know about this. Why would such a handsome guy want to talk to me, anyway? What's he up to? I bet he's NOT a Christian. If he asks me out, what will I do? I have no clothes to wear, and besides, I certainly don't want to compete with THAT!"

He tries to continue the conversation, but you've decided that, since having any success with this guy would be waaaaaaay too risky, you politely tell him you have to go.

I'm not saying this is you, but if there is any hint of this sort of dialog going on in your head during the courting process, it could derail your efforts rather quickly. :)
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,584
17,051
113
69
Tennessee
#59
My husband and I were friends for months before we went out on a date. Granted we lived 2 hrs away from each other, so the dates were a month apart lol. Once we became an official couple, a month into it, he said he was gonna marry me. Did it scare me? Not at all. It let me know he wasn’t wasting my time.
For sure. Apparently, you both knew what you wanted. It all worked out for the glory of God. Now you have a family that loves you and you love back with all of your heart.
 

cinder

Senior Member
Mar 26, 2014
4,427
2,417
113
#60
Oh, but I'm here to tell you from experience, that what I've laid out in my posts really does work, especially if the woman is willing to take the first risk. I realize that I've been directing my coaching toward men, but if a woman were to initiate the first contact, it's nearly guaranteed to work.

You see, we men are born clueless about approaching a woman, getting the first date, and building the romance. Yet we are assigned this task by society and are expected to somehow be proficient at it.

If YOU were to assign yourself this task, YOU would guarantee your success by:

1. Letting some poor, clueless fellow off the hook

2. Teaching this clueless dude what you want

3. Taking responsibility for the outcomes

The problem is that most women don't want to take the first risk in a relationship. They rightly assume there will be rejection along the way, so they want it to fall on the man's shoulders.

The problem is that you cannot sit back and let the man do all the work if you are upset with the outcomes.



If this is working for you, fine. But I have to ask, are you simply taking the easy way out here? Are you letting negativity and martyrdom work for you? If so, being miserable is not the most God-honoring way to live. I know this from experience.

It could be that you're also afraid of success just as much as failure. It's this fear of success that can hold people back, just as much as being rejected.

For example, a woman's thought process during a successful encounter with a man might look something like this:

"Oh my goodness, he's coming over here to talk to me! What do I do now? Oh my, he's soooooo good-looking!"

He says hi and you say hi back. He also dares to introduce himself. You suddenly can't remember your name, but somehow, you get it out there to him.

You continue with your internal dialogue. "Oh, I just don't know about this. Why would such a handsome guy want to talk to me, anyway? What's he up to? I bet he's NOT a Christian. If he asks me out, what will I do? I have no clothes to wear, and besides, I certainly don't want to compete with THAT!"

He tries to continue the conversation, but you've decided that, since having any success with this guy would be waaaaaaay too risky, you politely tell him you have to go.

I'm not saying this is you, but if there is any hint of this sort of dialog going on in your head during the courting process, it could derail your efforts rather quickly. :)
Who died and made you the expert in what goes on in women's heads? Also who made it your job to push everyone into pursuing relationships even after they say they've learned to be content single? Did you tear 1 Cor 7 out of your Bible?