And the ones who clearly misunderstand what an "athletic" build is. Listen bitch, sumo doesn't count. :rofl2:

Ugh, alright. Y'all are gonna make me go research house stuff again. Maybe this time I'll pull the trigger. :icon17:

Oh! I thought that was a good way to break the ice...

:rofl2: I really do want a salt-water fish tank, but I'm not sure of pricing and maintenance costs.

100% agree. How do you mess this up? Lying SOBs.

Since I butted into this thread, let me justify it. :) I'm about 35 (beyond 30 it's a math effort to know my age) and single myself. Quite enjoying the life. Have friends with families and you can see the envy on their face when you get to enjoy your freedom!

hummmm...

:bowrofl:

You've got a year or two on me, but I'm in the same boat for the most part. It's a good gig. Loving the unmarried/no kids life. :rofl2:

and that's all fine too. :tup: one of my closest buddies is single (40's) and he's like an uncle to my kids. :) to me he seems to be enjoying his life.

I don't want the kids, at the moment, but being that all of my friends are married and most with kids, I'd like to not be the third wheel when I go out with those w/o kids.

Salt-water is the deep end of fish tanks. You'll want to befriend a local pet or fish seller, particularly any that have amazing saltwater displays, because they know what they're doing. Maintenance is high, and initial buy-in can be expensive since you need to maintain a very specific water chemistry, decor, and fish population. Sadly, while they can look amazing, only other hobbyists will truly appreciate the effort of saltwater tank. Not that I want to discourage anyone, but it is the deep end. But if you have the money and interest, definitely start asking around local shops and do research on the Internet. There are tons of forums and sites dedicated to saltwater and they absolutely love sharing. And it is hard to beat the eventual beauty you can achieve in a saltwater tank.

If you want to go easier, a freshwater tank is far, far easier and cheaper. The initial buy-in can still be a bit spendy depending on what you want, and the learning curve will still spike for the first month, but once it gets going and things live for more than a month or two, it becomes minimal maintenance (food, some water cycling, some vacuuming of the substrate to get the excess poop out, changing filters, and getting rid of sick/dead fish). Definitely do research, since the start is critical, but otherwise it can be a great little hobby.

If you want to add live plants in your tank, prepare for more maintenance and a higher learning curve. But if you get past the first 6 months with a good-looking tank, you've made it and you'll have a beautiful tank with happy fish.

That's a good thing to be. You need to be around them. That way, you'll be the "single guy friend" who gets set up with all of their single friend and coworkers. Tell them to bring along one of her friends so you're not the third wheel.

Yeah, I figured it would be that bad. :(

Salt water just provided more vibrant colored fish.

Maybe I'll just pass. :icon17: It's a great idea I have, but meh.

that's a great plan. :tup:

The only thing I question is the attractiveness of their friends. Everyone's taste is different, they say she's good looking and then I'm like... ehh, not really?

Plus, they seem to only know Mexican girls, which I'm not really attracted to and tell them (always exceptions though ;) ).

I guess it's part of my pickiness (or pickyness? **** spelling)...

It's like you're going in after being vetted ahead of time. You start ahead of the curve.

So? Go meet them. If there's nothing there, you still had a nice night out. It's a numbers game. The more you meet, the better the odds of meeting someone special.

It all depends on the money, really. Saltwater is not cheap, and you can contract in people to help build it initially. It *can* be a great way to meet some people and can definitely be a conversation starter as well. But much like cars, you're going to appeal to more guys than women. :) But it does make a great way to meet people at the local pet stores/fish stores! Eventually, you'll be the one teaching others how to do it!

Just definitely do the research online before you decide to do it or not do it, there are many years of knowledge posted out by newbies and experienced persons, and none of it really changes all the much as time goes on. Fish are fish!

You guys are also "asking for help" from women at the supermarket, right? This works across all ages, but is especially potent for cougar hunting. Breaks the ice and shows them you're willing to cook.

:icon17:

No, but that's because I haven't been to a grocery store in... 4 months? I don't cook, because I don't want to clean (not that I won't clean).

Though this tactic may work better if I lived in a younger part of town - my mistake and I have to wait until home values come up so I can break even and sell my house. :mad:

Dude, learn to cook three meals. It'll go a long way. You don't have to be Emeril, just know a few dishes. Date one- coffee or drinks at a place you're a regular at. Date two, moderately priced dinner out. Date three, you cook.

Nothing says you have to shop near home. Yuppie grocery stores work best.

Haha... one of my friends met and married someone on eHarmony. I don't think it's something I'd like to do. A coworker plays with dating apps and has gone on several dates. He's 38 and thinks marriage is overrated, so he has absolutely no plans to settle with anyone.

That's right, it's just practice for the night.

Not to pile on, but definitely cook something. You don't need to be good at it or have a huge variety, but there are some good reasons to keep at it (note: I need to lecture myself on this, as I can always cook more as well):

- You'll naturally acquire the kitchen tools and misc ingredients (spices, sugar, etc) you need so you're not SOL when you do have a girl over and she wants a snack or it's for a meal. You'll also know your way around your own kitchen.
- It's healthier, generally.
- Learn just a few main dishes and maybe just pick up a few tools and learn how to really use them for multiple things (grill, indoor grill, wok, slow cooker, souls vide, blender, steamer, etc). You don't need to know how to make 30 things for month-long-variety. Just enough to build upon it.
- Always have some go-to things to cook for breakfast, even things as simple as bacon, eggs, and english muffins/bread. This is especially important if anyone ever stays the night, even one-nighters. Being provided a breakfast before being booted out the door is the difference between a good experience and a bad one. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, oatmeal, fresh fruit, or whatever. If you're making it before she's up and she smells it: bonus points. Served in bed? Creep points until it's a serious relationship. ;)
- Tons of youtube vids are available for people learning to cook of all levels. I absolutely love learning something new and simple via youtube.
- Simple cookbooks are always discounted at book stores like Barnes & Noble; college cookbooks, 3-5 ingredient stuff, pictures, you name it.

Even if you don't cook for someone else, cook for yourself for overall health and happiness. I prefer to strive for a nice mix of going out, take-out, and cooking. Lately, I've been failing on the cooking...must improve! :)

All of this is good advice. ;)

I'm butting in this conversation...I'm 36, single and very happy. No hurry for a relationship. Enjoy being single while you can!

I used this recipe below:
Slow Cooker Meaty Italian Spaghetti Sauce recipe from Betty Crocker

Makes awesome marinara meat sauce. Yum! I've treated several girls to dinner at my place with it.

Another idea... grilling! :D

I am one of the few idiots who still talks to his ex.

Then again, we were best friends for years, then tried to go out. It failed miserably, spent the better part of the year away from each other, and only recently started to try and repair things mutually.

Weirdly enough, she is now actively pushing me along and talking to me a lot about the dates I've gone on since.

Again...weird.

Recipe stolen. :tup:

Grilling works too. Plus, it lets you weed out any vegitarians or vegans.

Speaking as a man who was single from 28-35 all I have to say is:

You guys worried about being single in your 30s don't know how good you've got it!

Think about it. In your 30s you are likely stable in your career or profession. Financially stable enough to get the things you need but not waste time on things you just "want". You're still young enough to be extremely physically fit with only 6 months to 1 year of dedicated working out. You're experienced enough to know how to treat a woman right, how not to embarrass her in front of her fiends, when to back off and when to stand your ground. And you're at a point where you don't have to waste your time chasing tail that you don't really want - unless good tail is all you want.

For the first time in your life you have all the power. You are the ones being sought after and are in a position to make all the choices. You have older post-divorce women available to you, and younger women looking for a good husband in an ever shrinking field of eligible bachelors. Now is the time to flip the script, make the women work for you. Have them convince you why you should go out with them, not the other way around as it has been the previous 30 years. This works. You know why? Cause all of the above is true AND women want what they can't have. If you don't just give yourself to them like every other guy does they begin to wonder why. And they start chasing after you.

So go out, have fun, date and do your thing. Live you life the way you want to and don't settle. When you're ready, find the right person for you.

Speaking of that, as the former creative director for Match.com north america (and Chemistry.com) I can tell you that online dating does work. But you have to think of it like a big bar. There are all sorts of people you could meet there. Some are there looking for a free meal, some a good time and some a long term partner. No matter what you are looking for there are a ton of potentials for you there.

Some pointers for the single over 30 online daters out there:
- the highest rated test profile picture for men over 30 was an upper body, smiling with a pet picture. Dogs rated highest, cats next, then farm animals and reptiles last.
- Men over 30 shouldn't have any shirtless pictures. This was deemed immature by women seeking men over 30
- Your profile write up should be short and sweet. Turns out most people don't read profiles looking for commonalities. Instead they look through profiles for anything that could be used to EXCLUDE someone as a potential partner. With such a large group of options it's easy to pass on someone and move on the the next one. So keep your written profile short and sweet to limit the opportunities for exclusion.
- Women get thousands of emails their first week on a site like Match, and hundreds pretty much every week after. Yours needs to stand out. You can't just compliment a woman anymore. What I liked to do was send a girl a note inviting them to play a game of "2 truths and a lie" I would tell them three things about myself and one would be false. They could pretty much guess the answers by reading my profile. This gave them an opportunity to learn about me and respond if interested. It helped weed out the girls who wouldn't be, and thus not waste my time, and put me in a good position to engage in future conversation. It also starts the mentality of them having to work for me, they have to actively engage in conversation and actually read my profile to be able to have anything to say to me. This works about 90% of the time. Go ahead and try it.

And I am a testament to how well match.com works. I met my wife there and we've been together 3 years, married two, with a beautiful baby daughter. At the time we met she was a model and singer (work-safe pics in the Asian thread). She now owns her own boutique salon. So there are some smart and beautiful ones out there.

Best of luck to you all and remember this could be the best time of your life.

:tup: I just don't know that I have the patience to cook. Possibly due to me waiting until the last minute when I'm starving to even think about eating.

I'm a wreck, I know. And being a picky eater is tough too, and embarrassing, but there's nothing I can do to change it.

:iagree: :icon17: I can grill, I don't often, but I have in the past.

But, if you've been single your whole life it's different. I'm sick of being alone, I'm bored off of my *** anymore.

:iagree: Whole lotta truth in there.

Dude... I'm a make it short and sweet. Here's some relationship advice.

In a relationship... You can be a good guy, but never be the nice guy, nice guys finish last in relationships. Females get bored fast with nice guys.

Think about what I'm saying bruh.

Then do something about it. If what you have been doing your whole life isn't getting you the results you're looking for then change what you are doing. You can't expect a different result if you're only willing to put in the same effort.

If you are looking for dates and to get laid then go do it. Change your game. Instead of coffee or drinks but some effort into dinner. Bring her some flowers. Not something huge that she has to carry around all night, just a small hand held bundle that says you put in some extra effort 90% of other guys won't. Spend some time researching new restaurants in your area and take her to one. Or find a great one that not many people know about. Not someplace like Olive Garden - after you are married you'll have plenty of time for that. And no movie dates, ever. Again, once you have kids that is all you'll have time for.

Do you have a beater car? the first two dates drive that. Then bring out the Z on the 3rd. When the girl asks you if you got a new car you just tell them that you've always had it but only bring it out to people who deserve it. Immediately makes them feel special.

Plan out something to do that they like. Yeah it means you actually have to listen to what they say, and maybe spend a few hours doing something outside your comfort zone. But you'll put them in a position to enjoy what they are doing with someone they like, who they feel actually cares about making them happy.

And do some things for yourself. Not the best looking guy? hit the gym for 6 months. Not the most fashionable? Pick up a GQ and buy some new clothes. Don't have a killer place to bring girls home to? take some time to get your house in order so it feels like a place they could live - so you become something they can't live without.

Again, you just need to elevate your game and increase your effort if what you have been doing hasn't been working.

Put down that XBOX controller and go out with your single friends! Haha! I'm kidding.

Fun read, everyone. I think I lost a lot of productivity today from this thread. Unfortunately I think I'm catching the bug :(

If I feel well enough this weekend, I'm thinking about a small house party. Hopefully I can up the girl to guy ratio. Basically social events are fun, and it is good practice to have a few drinks to loosen up and talk to random girls. Don't go out with expectations and be spontaneous!

Haha, I haven't really touched an Xbox stuff in a while!

And, that's the problem: I don't have any single friends anymore, or the one or two I do have don't do anything, but go out and drink etc. or we just go golfing.

I don't drink. I don't babysit (be a DD at the bar) either, because that never ends well.

Everything y'all are saying may be easy for an extroverted person, to just go out and start up a conversation with people, but it really isn't that easy. It's not a switch that can be turned on or off. I have tried, and it only works if it's sports - sports (talking and mainly participating) is the only thing I can turn on the "I don't care" factor for. If I could find a way to bleed that over into social situations, I would be ecstatic.



And apparently when people get married, they lose all of their single female friends. :icon17: Also, it's partly how I grew up. It's difficult to relate to people my age. Older people (my parents age) I don't have a problem with at all, since that's whom I grew up with.

:iagree:

Grilling is my forte, learn to grill veggies, it is easy, and some Italian dishes, homemade sauce is easier than people think, but seriously, crock pot meals are not only tasty but take no effort. Get one.

Im not quite at the 30 year old mark, got burnt a few years back so I said screw women, I like the single life, sure its lonely sometimes, but I have my Z, I have my guns, I have my freedom...PA is a horrible state for everything, after my Z is boosted I am moving south, and will get myself in better shape and hope to settle downish around 35 years old... Women hate me anyway, Im tallish and fat, what can I say, I love food, bu really a nice guy, Im the literal mean of nice guys finish last, unless Im racing a civic ;)

Haha, man my bud's fiancee had several cute friends who went to school with her. Now all of them are either married or getting married in their early 20s. There's one left over that hangs out with her often. She's a bit cute and nice, but she would drive me nuts. She's frugal to the extreme. When I mean extreme I'm talking no A/C at her place. Supposedly gets paper towels from school and tears them to individual pieces. When we used it to wipe down some spilled beer, she reused it to continue wiping the table. Bottled water? Heated up from the kettle and re-used 1 gallon milk containers. I'm told she was raised that way. [shrugs]

A couple of weeks ago I hit up the Toyota dealership to redeem a scratch ticket to see if I can get a gas voucher to give it to someone in need. I ended up with a lottery ticket. Anyhow, I saw this cute Asian girl working there. So I asked the guy working there about her. He introduced us and said "This gentleman needs help, and he doesn't speak a word of English." She turned to me and spoke lots of Vietnamese. She asked if I saw any cars of interest, and I said "no." She asked me what I was looking at, and I replied "A person." She cracked up and we had a good talk. I drove the Accord and she thought I was trading it in, and I told her I didn't have any interest. Then I talked to her about lunch the next day, and she handed me her card and number. The next morning I called I got shot down hard. She didn't remember who I was, and when I said "lunch" she told me she wasn't working and that she was leaving town. She quickly hung up afterwards.

She spared me grief. My friends knew her, and said she was bad news anyhow. In fact, she's cousins with the girl who is a nurse. Small world. See thread below:
http://www.the370z.com/lounge-off-to...-schedule.html

After all this, I'm just a flat out failure... :icon17:

FML, oh well.

There *is* some psychological stuff going on here that makes this somewhat true. But it's also not true half the time.

Sometimes you have to qualify this a bit: When having sex, females get bored fast with nice guys. You can be nice otherwise, but go wild at some point.

And don't be nice at the expense of behind honest. If someone is a jerk, say they're a jerk; don't nice it up. Just as an example.

Pen pals? :happydance: