As a great majority of the baby boomers enter their golden years (myself included), many of us will find ourselves in the dating arena once again, most often due to divorce and widowhood. Clearly, dating is not what it was when we were in our teens or early twenties. This time around, the dating pool has shrunk considerably and the pickings are slim. In fact, statistically, a woman over fifty probably has a better chance of being named to man the next space flight to Mars, as she does of finding Mr. Right.

Here’s a short “When Sally met Harry” story. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Sally and Harry worked together in an office setting. Sally was married when they initially met. Harry was single. Sally had no particular interest in Harry and he had none in her. Sally left the job and took another position. Sally and Harry had not seen each other in several years and then they discovered that they rode the same Metra train home. Sally and Harry soon rediscovered each other and found that a lot had changed. Sally was now separated from her husband and Harry was about to get married. They talked on the train about their lives. Harry, who had been a confirmed bachelor, was now constantly talking about his new love. Sally was constantly talking about her soon to be ex-husband. Eventually, Sally fell madly in love with Harry and well, Harry just fell. Unfortunately, Sally threw caution to the wind (even against her better judgment, Harry was 12 years her junior) and after about six-months, the relationship ended. To this day, Sally was never been able to trust her heart, although hope springs eternal. Harry went on to get married. The moral to this story is that the heart of an older woman is a tender thing and should be treated with much care. Don’t give your heart to someone until you’re sure the feeling is being returned. Here’s a list of dating do’s and dont’s:
Do be careful with your heart, there’s no fool like an old.
Do explore the promise of each new day, because tomorrow is not promised.
Don’t give up on love, because “love don’t love no one”.
Don’t let your age stand in the way of real love, after all age is just a number.
Even if your heart has led you astray, don’t give up. The promise of each new day remains a constant in this life. Love might be just around the corner.

Online dating is a term that generally refers to the many ways that people have come to use the technology of the Internet as a way to meet people and find romance.

Since its inception, the Internet has proven to be a unique way to initiate human contact. The invention of the “chat-room” allowed people to socialize with other PC-savvy individuals, and a means of making friends across great physical distances. Even as people are coming to realize both the power and the inherent limitations of building interpersonal relationships remotely, the concept of match-making services and online personal ads has sparked the birth and growth of a new industry centered around social interaction using your PC. The services offered range everywhere from online personal advertisement posting similar to comparable “personals ads” in newspapers and other periodicals, to personal ads combined with an email address and instant messenger functions, to heavily-structured and architected systems for matching people with their “ideal mate”. Companies like Match.com and eHarmony.com have used the power of Internet technology to give people yet another option in our search for everything from a dinner companion to a lifetime romantic partner.

The benefits of using the Internet as a tool for finding dates and meeting people are obvious; posting an ad in a local paper might reach a few hundred or a few thousand prospects, while posting an ad online can literally reach millions. Quantity does not necessarily translate into quality, but the sheer volume of options can’t be denied. Additionally, since everyone has different skills and talents, and because some people are less confident and comfortable in social atmospheres like bars, night-clubs, and other “singles” meeting places, the Internet affords many people with the means to present themselves as available and consider prospects in a lower-pressure system, where they have a bit more control over the way that the relationship progresses. On the other hand, letting the entire Internet population know that you are looking for love has its downsides. The increased number of prospects also inherently means an increased number of less-than-desirable contacts. Good online dating services have learned quickly that a certain amount of anonymity is necessary for their customers, adjustable by the customer based on their own comfort levels.

At the end of the day, the Internet is just one more way of meeting people, and while it isn’t a perfect tool that generates perfect results, it has become a part of our culture as the web continues to become a seemingly essential part of our everyday lives.

Dating used to be for teenagers, but with a rise in divorces, the dating scene is for anybody of any age. People who have been married for years usually don’t have a clue on how to date once single again. This is contributed to nothing more then fear. You have become accustomed to a partnership that is no longer there, and have grown used to one person’s wants and needs and they knew what interested you as well. This is the fun part about starting over. Meeting people that share your interests, and getting to know new people. Many singles have lost touch with most of their friends from back in their pre-marriage days, but there are a lot of people out there also looking to date again. The first step in dating again is asking yourself if you are definitely ready to meet someone new. Being on the rebound is not good for a new relationship, and its not healthy for you as a person. Newspaper ads can be a great way to meet someone and most cities have this service. There are also telephone dating services available in most cities, and larger cities offer singles groups and clubs. Once you have found Mr. or Ms. Right you have to set up a meeting. One of the worst places for a first date is at a bar. You have to shout over the music and will have very little chance to really get to know each other. The movie’s restrict you from talking to each other, and for a first date this can become slightly uncomfortable. A quiet dinner is the best way to talk and find out if the two of you have mutual interests. Day time dates are also popular, like picnics or a park gathering where mutual friends can barbecue and mingle. These types of dates are also great for meeting new acquaintances. Not everyone enjoys the great outdoors so it is best to get a feel for what both of you enjoy doing. If you can’t even agree on something you both like, then how can you expect the relationship to advance past the first date. Chances are high that you are not going to change someone, so its best to find someone with your similar interests from the beginning. By doing this your relationship will have a greater chance of surviving.