The Dating Scene: How to Meet Men and Woman

I can't remember exactly how many times to date I have heard male friends and relatives moan that they can't find the "right woman" to date. My first thought is to ask, "Are you looking? No, are you really actively looking? Or, are you just sitting there waiting for Ms. Right to drop into your lap out of nowhere?"

Now don't get me wrong. I'm certainly not picking on men. I've had my share of female friends who whine and moan about the same thing. I don't mean to sound cantankerous, but if you want something, you know you have to get up off your butt and go after it. And if you're looking for a woman, (or, a man, as the case may be), you have to get up and go out into the world to find who you're looking for.

So, how can you find that special someone in your life? Bars seem to be the most popular places for a man to go to meet a woman, and vice versa. If you're used to being at the bar scene, then maybe that's where you can find someone. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend looking there. Why? Because if you don't ordinarily visit bars, then you'll likely be nervous. You'll probably feel like you're outside of your normal environment. And, the chances of meeting someone you'll "click" with are minimal.

How about checking out coffee shops, church functions, sports games, bookstores, libraries, movie theaters, and concerts? Do you usually visit these places? A friend of mine, Chris, met his future wife at the library. Another friend, Allen, met his wife at a coffee shop they both frequented. A third friend, Greg, found his wife at a place that's not a typical brick-and-mortar building. He went online and signed up at a dating service. Dating services work for a large number of people. There are many sites to choose from, like eHarmony.com, Match.com, Date.com, and Yahoo! Personals. Dating services are designed to match up your personality traits and similar interests with a man or woman. Then, once you are matched up, you two can talk on the phone and/or email back and and forth until you feel comfortable enough to meet face-to-face. Or, if you'd rather not wait, you can make arrangements to meet face-to-face right away.