The Dating Gloom & Doom Bandwagon
October 6, 2009 by Cathy Meyer
Filed under Dating & Sex, From The Dating Trenches, NoMore
Submitted by Delaine
During a 24-hour period last week, I heard three gloomy outlooks on dating from three different women in their late thirties or early forties.
The first was a doctor, never married, no kids. She said the men in her age bracket all seemed to want a woman to “look after them.” And male doctors and successful businessmen didn’t seemingly like the fact she wasn’t dazzled by their career accomplishments or in need of their financial support. “I highly doubt I’ll ever get married,” she said. “It feels like it would be more trouble than it’s worth.”
My two other girlfriends’ outlooks were as equally dismal. They claimed that all the men they met either carried some kind of ‘wound’ or there wasn’t enough mental or physical chemistry to make them a romantic interest.
I’m not writing this to invalidate these women’s experiences; they’re obviously real to them. But listening to their stories as a divorced mom now two years single, I can’t help but wonder: Is it REALLY that bad out there? Have the lines between men and women become so divisive, that the dating arena has become somewhat of a farce?
I can already relate to these women’s stories. I can offer up my own tales of shock, horror, scandal, and disappointment. But instead of remaining on the ‘Dating Gloom and Doom Bandwagon’, I cautiously admit I’m trying to get off of it. You can call me an idealist. Heck, you can me a romantic fool. But I still like to think that there are AT LEAST a few wonderful men out there that I might partner with some day soon.
Does anyone else besides me wonder if we’ve gotten so used to talking about all the bad stuff and bad men out there that that’s all that we attract and see around us? I simply can NOT believe that out of the billions of men on this planet, there isn’t a special one out there for me.
I don’t know – maybe I’m still too naive. Maybe I should revisit this issue in a year or two - maybe at that point I’ll be DRIVING that Gloom & Doom Bandwagon. But right now…right now, I’m still choosing to have hope; one little word that holds tremendous possibilities.
Delaine – www.iamdivorcednotdead.com
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Personally, I think GLOOM and DOOM are highly underrated!! Along with being realistic, seemingly omnipotent, and ever dragging us along through the fog, they serve one wonderful purpose: they make those amazing surprises in life – and there are plenty – all the more fantastic!
I’ve got many a gloom-and-doom story myself. But also, the light-when-least-expected stories. And they really do pop up, when least expected.
I heard from my 75-year old (widowed) aunt not so long ago, who had met someone and fallen in love, after a 40-year marriage to my uncle, 4 years after his passing. I’d say that’s pretty cool. Another friend, a single mom in her 40s, met someone about a year ago, is head-over-heels and soon to be off the market.
My own dad found the love of his life later in his life – about 50. Just being around that particular duo was enough to convince me that cotton candy had zero calories and deserved to be a major food group!
Tell yourself, tell your friends (and I’ll be lecturing MOI, shortly, in the mirror) – good stuff happens. And there are GOOD MEN out there, along with surprises in store that chase away the doom-and-gloom, even on a misty day in autumn.
I’ve heard some wonderful stories too Big Little Wolf, stories that are so romantic and sweet that they keep my hope alive. Even my best friend Hali, who divorced only three years ago, has already met and moved in with another man and she is spectacularly happy. So yeah, the man of our dreams may not appear today as we walk up the street, but I’m going to keep on beleiving that he’s out there biding his time to find me too.
I love this post and have to say that I too hold out hope, but also find myself delving into the doom and gloom a bit at times. I have a wonderful son, but still want the companionship and romance of a long-term relationship. I’m torn at times because I see so many of my friends in unhappy marriages, and I got out of one nearly 4 years ago, and sometimes wonder to myself, why do I still seek a long term relationship, when it means that ultimately, my happiness will be intertwined with someone who may turn out to be unreliable, as has happened in the past? Regardless, I find myself still seeking companionship. It’s human nature, my nature at least, so I will continue to hope that someone is looking for ME. One thing I’ve been struggling with lately has been simply having the time and place to meet new people, esp. datable men.
The time and logistics factors can be daunting when it comes to dating Karen, I hear ya. Especially for single parents with primary care. Sometimes I worry that when my life responsiblities finally ‘slow down’ enough for me to meet someone, ten years will have already passed, and I don’t want to wait that long. I see unhappily married couples around me too, and I’m glad I chose to exit mine. Overall, I still think my marriage was my ‘warm up’ for what is to come – next time I’m going to do it right and with the right man for me!
I do think in a way what we put out there is what we get. I do remember that I had to make a conscious decision to stop attracting bad men. I had to change my thought process and the way I perceive things. I had to change the negative with good and positive and yes Delaine just like you I had hope! Hope that I will find a good man again……and I did.
I think it’s ok to be romantic and silly because all of that is good for you, however in the light of what the world are today we need to remain realistic too. Maybe he doesnt look like Brad Pitt or his a multi-millionaire but if his got a good heart, what more do we want? We get so romaticised by the Hollywood version of what a relationship might be and it’s not really like that. I mean come on, after all we do live in the real world here.
All I’m saying is yes, do have hope, do want to fall madly and passionately inlove again, it’s good for you!! Trust me!
I can empathize with your friends about dating. I’m still very hopeful (like yourself) that I will meet the right person and never have to get back into the dating world again LOL. One thing I have found about the dating world is you have to have thick skin. If you don’t, it will be very hard and trying. Recently I have had a couple of dates where there was great chemistry but after a follow up call for a 2nd date, I never heard back from them (and no I didn’t stalk them LOL).
I had this conversation with a friend just the other day about how I feel like the men who find interest in me are just not fitting what I’m looking for in life and those that I find interest in have little interest in me, hence how I feel I will be single forever. But then again I am not looking for anything serious at this moment either as I have many things going on and more than someone to curl up with at home, I want a diversified friend base and time away from the home.
I am a firm believer in things happening when they should and so I know that right now my life is simply not aligned to allow that someone to come into my life and be there with me and with the thought it has helped me avoid the gloom and doom attitude, well most of the time anyhow. Til then I will continue to do my thing, enjoy my life, learn what I can and have fun.
People expect too much out of the first few dates and conversations. Almost every long term friendship I have is with someone I didn’t like much when I first met or saw them. We all tend to not like what we see of ourselves in other people but ultimately that’s exactly what we are most comfortable with over time. Chemistry is gone after 12-18 months, it’s a scientific fact then you are left with… yourself. Dating doesn’t suck, people suck. But there are great people out there we just have to put ourselves out there over time in places we want to be with people who ‘get’ us. Places lie churches, social clubs, fellowships, hobbie groups, classes and on and on. Bars and dating sites are for training exercises, if you think that they are going to bear fruit you are setting yourself up for dissapointment. I know because I did it for a long time before I decided to just not give a shit and be myself.
My beef is with being a single custodial father of autistic kids… I have lots of friends today, but these kids as much as I love them, they scare away every woman I meet. And they all tell me what a great guy I am what a great father I am. I wish you the best of luck in your search, you deserve a wonderful woman, it’s just not me. My God I hope this country doesn’t implode, our population is weak and undiciplined. Nobody can think past the end of their nose. I find it very sad and discourageing. Even single women who work with special needs kids and proclaim that it’s their “Passion in life” run for the hills. I can run 30K a week, drive a new car, have a great job, be honest, confident, good looking, a big fat trust fund blah blah blah… “My twins have autism” …. crickets ….
When most people date they are hoping for something long term. Men still want someone well feminine. Whether we women like this thought or not it is a fact.
I have learned just as we women need to be apprecated so do men. A small amount of ego stroking and praise can go a long way.
Don having autism in the house is not fair.
Shannon, a friend of mine once said that “we meet the right one as soon as we stop looking” – like you said, it’s like there’s a timing element that can’t be forced or rushed. I’ll put my hand up and say I find that frustrating sometimes though. It’s not that I need someone – I have wonderful gfs and a lovely social network (online and corporeal), but I’m finally getting to the point where I WANT a partner again.
@Don: from my past experiences of rejecting ‘Dads with kids’, it was not the kids that bothered me, it was the dad’s attitude, they seem to want to dump their kids on me and have me bear all the responsibility while being judged along the way. I love children, but the fathers showed the signs of wanting a service provider for them and their kids. They did not seem to understand, family is a place where everybody’s needs are taken into consideration. I am not saying you are one of those guys, I just wanted to let you know this in case you are unknowingly sending those vibes. Also, autism is a HUGE responsibility, you may want to send very strong signals that you understand that and that you will do whatever needs to be done to make the transition easier for the woman and also will meet the woman’s needs. Women, once they reach the divorced or early thirties stage, are tired of being the selfless givers – they dont want to sign up to the selfless giver AGAIN!