I like the idea of neutral ground for first dates and separate checks.
Save the heavy questions and details for later. Personality first.

I'll pay you $100 if you film yourself asking her what her gender is.

rjp

LOL! What pronouns would you like me to use for you?

FIFY .... and we don't need pics for this social experiment either :D

You can "farm" on your home turf. Just play this as a little "Mood Music". She'll get the hint.......

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Cooking for someone is a big deal Craig, at least for me. And intimate. You have to be a keeper too... 5th date earliest. :D

:D

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Interesting thread.

As I mentioned in another thread, my wife passed away in February after a long illness. We had time to plan for many things, but she was clear that she wanted me to do three things after she was gone. They are:

1. Stop working so hard. I had been working 60 to 70 hours a week for years. I retired in March.
2. Meet new people.
3. Have fun.

As per her direction, I stopped wearing my wedding ring after I scattered her ashes in May. It may be coincidental, but that seemed to open u the floodgates. Five times since then I have been approached by women while shopping in Trader Joe's asking me if I was single. If I described a couple of them, this group would be asking me to post pictures.

I agree with Shawn that women have gotten more aggressive. It had been 42 years since I had been exposed to the dating scene, so I expect that some changes should be anticipated.

That is really nice to hear Paul, I'm very happy for you. I'm in the same boat except working 80+ hour weeks and recently realized 55 is just 6 months away so have been making changes.

Another fantastic 5 hour date last night. I think the best part of dating is meeting such interesting and accomplished women over good food, cocktails and ice cream all outside on a beautiful night. What a great summer we are having.

The hard part will be dating more than one woman until you find the right one.

I may have to drive over to the Newton Trader Joes, the ones close to me are college kids for the most part. :)

Shoot for the stars! See if you can snag a cougar from Nantucket! No more working!

That's my backup plan B in the event things go south with my marriage.

Already had one but didn't fall in love so we are just friends now. She loves when I make her dinner.

Well, if things go south for me, toss me her name when the time comes! :D

LOL! You got it Nick! You have to ski, she has a third home in VT and spends December through April there.

I've only been skiing once in my life. But if she's rich enough, I'll figure it out. Maybe just to be safe, I'll start hitting Mad River in Bellefontaine each winter.

Was going to mention it earlier but now that the subject has come up - I have found that grocery stores are the best way to meet potential dates.

Very casual atmosphere.

You get an opportunity to check the person out fairly thoroughly from a physical aspect.

There's pretty much always an easy way to initiate a convo - because at some point they are stopping to look at given food items - of which you no doubt have an opinion of yourself. In a grocery store - EVERYONE is a consumer at the end of the day. And as such - WE are always interested in input.

As long as you are not a jerk and know how to play it cool - the possibilities are endless.....

First of all, what a wonderful relationship you must have had with your wife...the parts I snipped are really remarkable.

I have written about this here before, but after my Mother passed away in 1990, they were both 60, women attacked my father like the The Trung Sisters laid into the Chinese.

The age range was 35 to 75, all modes and codes.

He literally left town to get away from the maelstrom. He stayed with my wife while I was in the Gulf, figured it out and was happy for over 20 years with a fine woman; both of them, as I wrote in an earlier post, phenomenal Grandparents.

All the best to everyone back in the mix.

I saw the same with my mother and the other women in her community competing (as if it were life or death) for the same little old guy in the neighborhood who was not really much of a "catch." All the women (widows/divorced) were more educated, more worldly, and much better off financially...but would have likely killed each other to land him. He was a retired painter that had never left his hometown and was in his late 70s (with some equally unaccomplished kids and grandkids). The only TV he watched was the RFD channel and raised a few chickens for eggs. He was quite unaccomplished and really not well informed...although seemed a fairly decent guy. Not even much of a physical specimen (about 5'5" and 120 lbs). Once married, he did not last long.

Best of luck out there. I was single from my early 40's to 52. I dated quite a bit during that time. I found women to be incredibly aggressive. Some assuming we were practically engaged after a date or two. I was introduced to my wife by mutual friends in 2014 and that was it. I had enough experience with many personalities and folks with a lot of baggage that her wonderful outlook on life and generally happy disposition were so refreshing. It doesn't hurt that she is beautiful and her kids are terrific. I feel very lucky!

lol!