Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Finding Love on the World Wide Web (Part 1) Be Careful Out There!

     Computers are great inventions.  You can pay bills, keep current on world events and find long-lost friends all while sitting in the comfort of your own home...and if you believe the hype, you can find true love via computer dating.
     There are success stories.  I know of two couples who ended up at the altar after meeting on-line. I know of several couples in long-term relationships who got their start with a "wink" (if you don't know what I'm referring to - you are not single!)  But these success stories are rare.
     Radiolab had a story about a recently divorced professor who thought he would try computer dating.  Soon he was conversing with an attractive woman.  The woman was intelligent and interesting, but the wise professor sensed something was not quite right.  His lady-love never responded to specific concerns.  So, Mr. Prof decided to do some investigating.  He sent a message that contained key words and was other-wise filled with gibberish.  Sure enough, the attractive match responded in her usual way.  Mr. Professor's match was actually a "chat bot" based in Russia.  Mr. Prof thought he was conversing with a single woman, when in reality, she was neither single, nor a woman!  Just think, if this learned man could be fooled by Ms. Robot, how easily can we single women be fooled!  The message here...Be Careful!  All dating sites have safety guidelines...Read them and Heed them!!!
     Other guidelines of computer dating...
     Post a recent picture.  You don't have to post your driver's license picture but don't post a picture 10 years old and 20 pounds ago.  Guys, wear a shirt!  You would be amazed at how many middle-aged men think we woman want to see a bare-chested guy at the lake with a Bud in his hand.  Also, personal preference here, ...no motorcycles.  I know some woman love guys with Harleys but that's not me...a guy with a "real" bicycle gets my attention.
     When writing your profile paragraph, tell me something I really want to know.  Skip the " I enjoy long walks on the beach" and " I really like to snuggle on rainy afternoon" stories.  Tell me about your typical day.  What do you do in your spare time?  Tell me about your kids.
     And...guys...make sure you are really a guy and make double-sure you are really single!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Dance Class (part 2): What to wear/Where to look?

Okay, so we have established that most people come to dance class "to see and be seen" by the opposite sex.  So, as every woman knows, the next logical thought is..."What should I wear?"
     First of all, as much as it pains me to say this, a woman should wear somewhat sensible, comfortable shoes....and if the shoes have steel toes...all the better (only partially kidding here - Mr. Two-Left Feet can inflict some pain). Spiked heels look great but after 1 1/2 hour of dancing, one's tootsies can be mighty tender.  What if some tall, dark and handsome guy asks you to go out for a drink after class and you have to decline because your feet hurt!
    I once had a dance partner tell me all women should be able to wear sexy heels because a person dances on the ball of the foot, not the heel.  He's just plain wrong...put him in some heels and see if he could walk - let alone dance!  Like the saying goes, "If you haven't walked (danced) a mile in her shoes, keep your opinions to yourself!"  Needless to say, this dance partner never was more than just a dance partner.
     Jeans, slacks or a skirt are all fine.  The trick is to look attractive without looking like a middle-aged hooker.  Try not to look like your mother or your 3rd grade teacher.
    Should you wear something low-cut?  That's a personal decision....do you want the guy to look at your face or your boobs?  BTW, guys tell me the line-of-sight dilemma is quite vexing, so don't be too harsh on the poor fellow; he is facing quite a quandary  here.  I say if the woman wears something low-cut, she probably wants to show off her assets.  She might have paid good money for those assets and wants to know if it was money well spent.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Dance Class...Where's Max?

Hi All, thanks for taking a peek at my blog.  Tonight's topic - Dance Class
    Friday night dance class..it's not Dancing With The Stars, but for us middle-aged suburban gals, it is something to look forward to at the end of the week. Granted, there is no bare-chested Max, but the cast of characters (students) include:

   1. The married couples who actually want to learn how to dance. These are a rare breed.  Although it appears the husband is there to perfect his dance steps, I suspect he might be more interested in placating his wife and thus gain more time on the golf course with his buddies the following day.
   2. Single men and women who want to learn how to dance...also a rare breed...skip to #3
   3. Single men and women who want a legitimate opportunity to touch the opposite sex.                                                                                                                                                                                Mr.Dance Instructor is a no-nonsense, ex-high school teacher who has been around the block more than once and knows exactly who his students are and what they want.  Everyone must rotate dance partners every few minutes. Dance "practice posture" is used so nobody gets too frisky.  Each student is to wear a name-tag. Most guys are truthful and use their real names - but I did date a guy once who always used an alias.  He could have been known as Mr. Two-Left Feet and maybe that's why he concealed his true identity.
   Even if you don't meet Mr. Right, you do learn to dance.  Thanks to my $3 dance class, I can waltz, rumba and swing (both East Coast and West Coast!)  It's fun...put on your dancing shoes and give it a try!