h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So today was interesting. I wittnessed one of my oldest friend get married. I then got the full court press from my folks about my marital status. I guess that they are starting to feel like it is time for me to get hitched, but there is no canidate for Mrs Marv. It was very strange, as they have stayed out of my private life for the most part.

I just don't like dating. It is nearly as stressfull as a day in TAC, but with fringe benifits. All the women I have had any attraction to are either married/dating or just not workable. So I am in a dating slump rivaling no other. I don't really like finding girls in the bar, and I don't know where else to look. It is somewhat sad, but also morbidly entertaining. I tend to laugh at my failures in relationships.

My ex really screwed me up, but I would think that after 8 months apart, I could move on. I think that I am ready to, but still can't figure out where to look for a new lady friend.

So I guess that I am accepting applications. Interviews start this weekend.

I've never been married - but my younger brother is married and has two kids, which is a relief to me, because it took off some of the pressure my mother has put on me... 'I'd *love* to have grandchildren'

Where to look? How about the place for your new career? Where ever that will be!

From personal experience, I would say stop looking and hoping, find a way to increase your circle of friends and get to know some new people of both genders.

You never know when, where or through whom you will meet some one you can start a relationship with, so don't refuse invitations even if they may be to something you would normally avoid.

I didn't think H was a 'potential' until I went to a Blues club with him and a few others. It is not somewhere I would have normally have gone and look where it got me

I would second the above. Just hang out with people, be sociable, make friends with whom so ever comes along and suddenly one day you will get a clip round the ear and a "Go and talk to them, they are interested". Well, that's how it works for me, although it is more hit with a cricket bat in my case.
Oh, and I live in fear of the day my parents have that conversation with me.

I agree with all of the above. Just take your life as it comes. Enjoy each day and don't worry about meeting someone. It will happen when it happens. Don't be pressured into making a bad choice.

All the omens point to you not being in SLC in the somewhat future.

so you say... It is wearing on the soul to stick around, but as Lil has pointed out in teh past, I am in the thrall of inertia. It is a powerfull force.

Well, but now your inertia has been overpowered by reality, right? You are actually forced to do something, or you'll end up with nothing at all

I've been there, done that, Marv. At least they're not whispering behind your back about whether you might be gay.

Are they?

Inertia is a powerful force, but now you're a body in motion. You should stay in motion.

So far I have not heard anything about being gay, though I rather suspect that my dad might think things like that when i dye my hair or pierce an ear...

I do know that I am taking some time off for myself. It will likely involve a trip to SoCal to see friends and relax. Perhaps a bit of personal time at the beach or something... From there I am going to investigate jobs in that region as well as cooking school in SLC. We actually have one, I am amazed to find.

Yay!

When No2 son died his hair and pierced his ear we all fell about . We have probably scarred his mental well being for life now!

The thing about change is that it seems so overwhelming, but taken in chunks it isn't so bad.

For the moment, put changes in your social life on the back burner, still keep seeing your regular friends but concentrate on the job thing. With a new work circle will come a group of new friends anyway.

If the new job is in a new area, then the next step will be new accommodation, but that doesn't have to be worried about until you have the job.

Just keep breaking each new thing down into stages and it all seems a lot less scary.

... and of course, the other benefit of going to cooking school is that you are likely to meet people who share your interests, and it will all pop into place.

Inertia is a terrible thing. Sometimes it takes something extreme to get you out of it. And it won't be more stressful than your current situation: stress from doing something positive and forward looking is somewhat easier to bear than stress from being trapped, which I get the impresssion is part of the problem with your current job and such?

Grate news about cooking school.

Please don't give up hope and trying. My life has changed for the better considerably in the last couple of years.
I nearly didn't do anything to improve my lot, as nothing was the easier route. (mind you Munchkin's Cricket Bat helped alot )

Now I look back and am much happier for doing something about it.

I also agree that someone will grab your attention when you least expect it