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My interests include veganism and vegetarianism, health, ethics, politics and culture, media, and the environment. I have three kids; I teach college part-time, study piano and attempt to garden. I knit. I blog on just about anything, but many posts are related to my somewhat pathetic quest to eat better, be more mindful of the environment, and be a more responsible news consumer. Sometimes I write about parenting, but, like so many Mommy bloggers, my kids have recently told me not to. :) Thanks for reading.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

I'm SO glad I'm not in the dating world...

My friend sat in my kitchen last night, telling me of her *horrible* experiences in the dating world of 50-somethings.  She's a divorced, intelligent, funny, attractive woman with her child-raising years behind her (she started early).  She'd like an intelligent guy, with liberal politics, a decent career, and an ethical compass.  She also doesn't want to be saddled with child-rearing all over again.

"Are there NO decent men?"

Having been with the same guy since I was 18, I noted that I am *so* not the person to ask about dating.

She recently went to sell an antique church pew (she posted it online) and one guy told her he'd buy it from her if he could spend the night.

Seriously.  What CRAP.  She's supposed to put out in order to liquidate a piece of antique furniture?! (A piece of antique furniture from a church, no less?!)

Since she's been single, she's had dates with guys who:

**are married (but lied about it)
**are involved in long-term relationships (but lied about it)
**have children with special needs and basically want a woman to take care of them (but didn't divulge this information up front)
**have drinking problems (4 martinis in an hour?!)
**cannot be clear about what they *do* or about their past

She's starting to think that being single is for the best.

After watching from afar her experiences over the past year or so, I agree.

So, what do you think?  ARE there decent, single, 50-something men out there with brains, a good career, and an ethical compass?

Or, are the only proverbial fish left not worth catching?

4 comments:

  1. I found this entry from Marlo Thomas' Facebook page. At 27, I'm also wondering if there are any decent, single men out there with brains, a good career, and an ethical compass. This issue isn't age related. I believe there are still men out there who display all of the above attributes. However, as time goes by, they become harder to find, as society has changed.

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  2. Thanks for your comment! I'm sure there are good guys, too, but it seems an awful lot of people of all ages have a hard time finding them.

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  3. Whatever fish are out there can stay out there and I'll wave from the dock, thank you. To me, being on my own is a lot like being vegan. After you get used to it, you might wonder why you lived any other way! I'm delighted to live in an era in which this is perfectly acceptable. My tuppence.

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  4. Lee -- Yes, I am glad we live in these times (and in this place), too, and I'm glad it is, as you say, *perfectly acceptable* to be single. My friend wouldn't disagree with that.

    For people who are looking for a partner, however, it can be a depressing process...

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Politeness is always appreciated.