My first post on this blog was called “Love in a Pandemic.”  I wrote about using online dating sites to meet women.  For a while, things did not look promising at all.  On one dating site I was dealing with women who would not give me the time of day (the site I referred to as the “Snobby Women” web site).  I checked out another online dating site.  I was a little more successful on that one.  I met a few other women that I began chatting with online (I’m reminded of the movie Napoleon Dynamite when Napoleon’s brother says he has been chatting with “babes” online all day).

I even went on a couple of dates with one of them.  After a short while she decided that she did not want to see me anymore.  At first, I was devastated.  But then I started chatting with a few other women that I had met on the second web site.  All of these women were kind and willing to get to know me online.  My devastation soon dissipated.  I truly feel I have made some good friends, even though I have never met any of them in person.

More recently, things in my life have changed quite dramatically and very quickly.  A friend of mine read my first blog, “Love in a Pandemic.”  After reading it, she decided she wanted to introduce me to her aunt.  She asked her husband to send me a text message and ask if I was interested in meeting her.  I said yes. I thought it was a great idea. 

Our introduction was a picnic in the park.  I mean that literally, not figuratively.  We each brought our own lunch.  We ate.  Then we played dominoes.  It was a lot of fun.  When we were finished, I asked the aunt if I could call her sometime.  She gave me her number, which I thought was a good sign, and we started talking and chatting.

On our first date, we went to dinner and spent about three hours talking (yes, we wore masks).  It was so unbelievable how much we had in common.  For example, she is a widow.  Her husband died about five years ago.  I am a widower.  My wife died about two years ago.  We had that in common.  As we talked, we discovered we had many other things in common.  It has been four weeks and during that time we have been seeing each other quite frequently.

Having gone through all of that, I would not change a thing about my online dating experience.  I learned a lot about online dating and how things work in today’s dating environment. However, I would suggest trying alternatives to online dating sites such as social media sites that have specific groups created for meeting others and the potential for dating.  The one I joined was specifically for people over 50.  There are a lot of really nice people in this group and when I joined, I received a warm welcome.

If I end up dating again (I hope not), I will primarily use these social media sites to meet others.

I have also learned there are a lot of single women out there and not very many respectable single men.  In the state where I live there is a predominate religion.  I have heard that there are quite a few single women affiliated with this denomination and very few men.

Another thing I learned is if you meet someone online that you like, do not wait too long to meet them.  Someone else may swoop in and snatch them up.  I have learned a great deal about myself through these online dating experiences.  I have learned that if women do not want to talk to me or take the opportunity to get to know me, it is not me.  It is them.  I have also learned not to place my self-worth in the hands of a few who do not want to know me for who I am.

Now that I am “seeing” someone exclusively, this part of my adventure (I guess you could call it Phase I) is coming to an end.  Now it is time for Phase II.  I do not know how many phases there will be, but I will continue writing this blog as long as I feel like I am learning and have something to share with all of you.

Since dipping my toe into the dating scene, it feels like my life has become difficult and somewhat complicated.  I appreciate the love and support my friends and family have extended to me over the past several months.  It really has made things much easier having the support of so many.  I am especially grateful for my friend who introduced me to her aunt.  Although, it does feel like I somehow circumvented the whole dating thing and cheated my way into Phase II.