time for romance ?

actually two questions in one, depending on the emphasis.

I'm starting to feel like I can reliably be as human as I get. So is it time to stretch the comfort zone and start thinking about



dating ?

as in meeting people who aren't already in my life for some other reason, for no other reason that being social ?

I'm not suddenly or quickly going to roll back the years, lose two stone, and forget the past - this is probably almost as good as I get. I'm thinking of trying contact lenses again - but for running, riding, stuff like that where glasses can be a problem. I'm trying to be a bit braver and less neutral/safe in what I wear. But I;m not figuring on any major changes

So...

time to step over the precipice and see what happens ?

But then I get on to the second version of the question. How do I find the time for romance ? I was trying to work out how I had time when I was last "dating". At the time I was working in London during the week, and travelling out into the east of England at weekends as that is where the horses were.

Hmmm - lets go further back than that. Before London I was living in the north of England. But just as I started work, my boyfriend (who also lived in the north but in the neighbouring city) and I split up. Mutual decision, different paths and journeys. We are still great friends :D There were a bunch of other single, similar age people. So there was a ready made social life - romance-free but social. When there was a hint of romance, it was with someone who lived some way away who I had known previously (i.e. not work related). So we met up quite infrequently. Pretty poor excuse for a romance in hindsight - another of my great choices in men !

Then I moved down south and was commuting out of London for weekends. The work social scene was a different deal as everyone lived in different places - there was a bit of a clique that were all central London. I wasn't one of them. There were regular courses which had a bit of a reputation for people getting together - but I never did. So the romances were weekend-based. And the LCT was the second of those.

Well thats not entirely true. There was midweek romance - someone I worked with. We're just about talking these days... It probably ruined what had a chance of being a good friendship. Sometimes my heels are too round for my own good :(

Present day - I spend 3-4 hours travelling every day midweek. And need to get back home after work to catch up with horses and home. And weekends are catching up on everything else.

I was watching a sitcom this evening where the male character writes a personal ad - "wanted female for friendship and more...like ironing" !! I always joked I needed a kept man - I think I got my fingers well and truly burnt on that idea. What are the odds of finding a decent single guy, with more than half a brain, of the right kind of age (not too old, not too young), who actually has any spare time at weekends himself ? :sigh:

If the perfect man is anywhere out there, send him in my direction ? But then I could never live up to him anyway....

I know I've been muttering about this for a while. I just have to work out how to turn it from mutter into reality ! That and save the world in 14 hours - no problem :D