Simpler Times – Meeting someone – or as the young say today “hooking up”

When did we get so damn fussy? How did we arrive at this place of "love this"- "hate that"? Can anyone really measure up to that place on our barometer??? 

We use to grow-into each other… by the time you reach your 10^th, 15^th, 20^th year of being together you could  complete each others sentences and thoughts. 

If you have always been single than you have no idea what its like to suddenly have the whole bed to yourself. You can keep the light on when you fall asleep.  Or watch “You’ve Got Mail” for the hundredth time and no one will mind!

As you turn the corner of 3+ years of being alone, you begin to wonder if you will ever be able to share the real personal times with someone else again. Oh you can have a sleep over, that works; you only have to “entertain” for 24 hours or so.  Then they go on with their week, you go on with your week, all is well. The longer you are alone, the harder it becomes to SHARE your space! 

You begin to contemplate if having a relationship could  involve two separate places of residency. I like my sink, both bathroom and kitchen, clean all the time! And don't even get me started on the extra closets and drawer space - summer and winter clothes can co-mingle. 

When you put something away and magically it is still there 6 months later!  No mystery bank activity or ATM transactions! And no apologies for another pair of BLACK shoes that looks just like the other 6 pair...

If 50 is the new 30, and 60 the new 40, does this new math pertain to clock times too? Eleven p.m. is the new 1:00 am, and sleeping-in now means getting up at 7:30 a.m. and not 6!

I think I need a label on my backside, "REFURBISHED"...

And so it begins...

I could start with a lot of background information but it’s not important. The details that following will be from a perspective of a woman now in her glory years (over 50) starting to do something I never mastered when I was younger – YIKES. 

I hope this reaches out to an entire segment of our population; its OK, there is no shame in being at this point in our lives. However, the handbooks on this subject haven’t really been helpful. The common sentiment is to be OK with yourself, be OK being alone, be comfy in your own skin …blah blah blah.

I don’t want to be alone; I want to share my life and daily experiences. How do I do this think called “dating”?

I hope you enjoy our journey through this new phase (maze) with me.  I look forward to posting often as the moments dictate.