Over 30 and still single, post here.

Chuck33079

With all your new free time, decorating will be easy. Paint is cheap. Women want to see domestic potential in you.

This is where the gay friend comes in. Every straight man needs a gay friend. Stereotyping heavily, but they're great with decorations and clothes, and they are un-freaking-believable wingmen. Don't be afraid to accompany them to gay bars, either. There are straight women there accompanying their gay friends.

I tried it back in the early 2000s. I got laid a lot, but I didn't meet anyone I wanted to know for any reason but sex. It seems to have changed, though. Two of my best friends are with women they met online, and they're cool chicks.

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2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

kenchan

huh... interesting. *kenchan scratching chin*

yah, i know a few people that mentioned they met online. and they have a nice family and all.

and wat cracked me up was the folks that married their long time gf's pretty much all divorced. ok, not a laughing matter ..but the point is, it seems there's more and more quality people are online and are willing to reach out.

ElVee

Meeting online lets you get past the superficial surface stuff and right down into talking about who you really are deep down. Those are the connections that can last a lifetime, friends or otherwise. Just have to look out for the Crazy and the Damaged.

Chuck33079

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

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2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

Haboob

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

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.

ElVee

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.

Haboob

Yeah, I figured it would be that bad.

Salt water just provided more vibrant colored fish.

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

dtul

Just get out there and be yourself. Like Chuck said it is a numbers game, you'll strike-out with a lot of girls, but one of them will like your offbeat humor or stupid joke and you two will hit it off. Also just do trial and error. If something works keep doing it, if something doesn't try something else. Just repeat that until you have a "method" and then use and abuse it. One thing I don't recommend is to try and be something you're not unless you are just trying to get laid. If you are looking for a relationship and you get into one pretending to be something you're not, then in the long run it will go bad anyway and you will just have wasted your time. Also if you are nervous about trying things out close to where you live and getting embarrassed go to another town near you and work on your game. A buddy of mine at work used to drive to bars in Ft. Worth to try stupid pickup tactics out that he was too embarrassed to try at local spots and now he gets more *** than anyone I have ever seen, because he experimented with some ridiculous things knowing he would most likely never see the people again.

Also regarding the aquarium thing posted earlier, definitely consider that. They are great conversation pieces, especially the high-tech planted ones. People see the saltwater ones all the time in malls and wherever, and they are always more interested in my planted tanks that look just as good, but have a more exotic feel.

Haboob

Yeah. I watch too much HGTV and want my house to look something like what I see on some of those shows.

I have tried it, but no luck. I'm not the type of person to just hook up, I guess. That and I'm not very good at writing about myself or breaking the ice.

Chuck33079

I lucked out. When I bought my house, my mom was a recently retired interior decorator. "Here's my budget, here's my credit card. Go nuts."

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2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

kenchan

i c... hummm... would it help to note that you're not really good writing about yourself and stuff?

not sure, but i feel that there are many people out there that's not good at writing about one's self and also communicating their thoughts... without feeling awkward. perhaps that might be a common ground to start a relation?

Chuck33079

That's how you tell the difference between the real people and the fake ones on dating sites. Real people sound awkward when writing about themselves.

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2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

Haboob

I guess that's true.

Though I don't think I've ever gotten a response back on those sites. I guess it's just me.

Chuck33079

Then stop sending unsolicited wang pics.

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2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

kenchan

hummmm...