"Dating" - how does it work?

[SleepyWitch]

i read some very amusing dating tips in the German edition of GLAMOUR last week..
the idea of "dating" has always been and remains a complete mystery to me.
the situations described in GLAMOUR dealt with random strangers chatting each other up at parties/clubs/pubs and go steady after that.

I've been wondering how wide-spread this pattern actually is, i.e. how many people actually get to know their long-term partners this way.

your votes will be invisible, but feel free to share your stories if they're not too embarrassing :blush:

I met my boyfriend at univ (Geography seminar, :yawn:) and through a mutual friend.. in reversed order :)

[Debrasue]

Dating??? What's that?... Seriously....

[Bakiryu]

Are you really asking that Debra?! :lol: I meet my last boyfriend on detention. at school. He turned out to be into the dark arts (read satanism) so we broke up. end of story.

[Debrasue]

Oooh! Good for you Bakiryu....you really don't need that in your life....and I hope your friend finds a way out of it before it's too late...

Naw...met my ex at a new church I had started going to...few months later got married...18 years later got divorced...no dates...15 years later...no dates....but it's OK...I think I'd rather have a romantic adventure...lots of action,mystery,suspence,strange men wearing masks.... & fun...than a boring date anyway.....it's a good thing I like to read...but if I wrote a book about/for myself...Debrasuzanne in Adventureland?...LOL!

[Shalot]

Dating sucks. I am so glad I don't have to do that anymore.

The first time I saw my husband he was driving in the parking lot of the place we worked and I thought to myself that he looked very nice (as in, he looked like a nice guy)

Then later I was on a smoke break and I was talking to some girl that worked there also --- we were discussing the creep I was seeing at the time we both agreed that I should get out of that situation, and I kind of mentioned to her that I thought my future husband looked good (or whatever it was I said back then --- I am not sure if I referred to him as hot or cute or what). Then this girl went and told him that he should ask me out, and he did, but not after asking me for some plastic gloves (so that he could clean the loo or whatever his little job was) and asking me to used the sink so that he could fill up the cooler. (I sliced meat in the deli and he cleaned and fetched water I think).

And then we "dated" or "went out" although we never really went anywhere. We hung around at his house or mine and watched movies or went to grab food but we never had one of those stupid, awkward dinner/movie dates. We just enjoyed each other's company for about 9-10 years and then decided to get married. And here we are.

[Mortis Anarchy]

My first boyfriend I met at a party for the last day of school...it turned out bad, but hey. I was only there because I had a crush on his friend, who turned out to be a jerk...but I ended up dating him, and he turned out to be a jerk.

Currently, I thought I was in a relationship, but appearantly we are just 'dating'...so I guess that means we are free to see other people at the same time. Whatever that means! Grr...its cool though.

I just hope that once I move, it will be easier to meet new people...everyone already has their friends/groups etc. not only in the dating scene either.

[kilted exile]

I shouldnt give any advice regarding relationships. I have a pretty awful track record regarding relationships, they all end up the same way - complaints about me being one of either: cold/distant/uncaring

[Mortis Anarchy]

I shouldnt give any advice regarding relationships. I have a pretty awful track record regarding relationships, they all end up the same way - complaints about me being one of either: cold/distant/uncaring

Well, its okay...my friends say I should stop...I have a track record of dating Bad guys...no bueno.;)

[Madhuri]

I have no idea how this thing works. But, I was just talking to my brother, who lives in the US now, and he has a friend from there, who has had 30 girl-friends :eek2:, and I was like... WHAT?!!! :eek2: REALLY??!! This guys must be in his early 20's or maybe mid 20's, and he already has had so many relationships. I was thinking..Don't people need time to get over a relation, before starting a new one? I just could not understand his psyche. I have not seen such relations here, atleast. I mean, 30?? I was a bit surprised.

[Mortis Anarchy]

I have no idea how this thing works. But, I was just talking to my brother, who lives in the US now, and he has a friend from there, who has had 30 girl-friends :eek2:, and I was like... WHAT?!!! :eek2: REALLY??!! This guys must be in his early 20's or maybe mid 20's, and he already has had so many relationships. I was thinking..Don't people need time to get over a relation, before starting a new one? I just could not understand his psyche. I have not seen such relations here, atleast. I mean, 30?? I was a bit surprised.

Maybe he doesn't like them? I know that I really didn't like my first boyfriend...or at least I didn't after I broke up with him. I think it was more of a loneliness type thing. My friends were gone or dating each other...blah blah blah. But I didn't really need anytime to get over him. Although I haven't had that many relationships. Or maybe he is just a player...I dunno. But not everyone here has had that many relationships.:p ;)

[Turk]

I have no idea how this thing works. But, I was just talking to my brother, who lives in the US now, and he has a friend from there, who has had 30 girl-friends :eek2:, and I was like... WHAT?!!! :eek2: REALLY??!! This guys must be in his early 20's or maybe mid 20's, and he already has had so many relationships. I was thinking..Don't people need time to get over a relation, before starting a new one? I just could not understand his psyche. I have not seen such relations here, atleast. I mean, 30?? I was a bit surprised.

I had a friend who had around 30 gfs around at the age of 18. Because he was handsome and stupid.

[manolia]

I have no idea how this thing works. But, I was just talking to my brother, who lives in the US now, and he has a friend from there, who has had 30 girl-friends :eek2:, and I was like... WHAT?!!! :eek2: REALLY??!! This guys must be in his early 20's or maybe mid 20's, and he already has had so many relationships. I was thinking..Don't people need time to get over a relation, before starting a new one? I just could not understand his psyche. I have not seen such relations here, atleast. I mean, 30?? I was a bit surprised.

I am not surprised either :lol: :lol: I have two friends (male) who are both handsome and very clever...and naughty. The first of them is about 30 and has dated so many women.. i have stopped the counting :lol: And every time he introduces me to one of his "victims" i don't even pay attention to her name.

[Lily Adams]

Iono?!?!?! D: No experience whatsoever.

I guess you just kind of...meet the right person?

[Granny5]

It's been over 33 years since I dated! I was a single mother and met my husband while I was working at a resturant near the Universary he attended. I was his waitress. When he was leaving he asked if I's like to go to a party with him. Of course, I said no. He continued to come by while I was working and drink coffee and stare at me. He called me at work just about every night I was there. I refused to give him my phone number or tell him where I lived. Since he was doing radio news at the time I had my mother listen to him. She liked his voice and has this picture of what he would look like. She really thought I should go out with him even though she had never met or even seen him. This was very unusual for my mom. Anyway, the two of them wore me down and I finally met him for dinner. I took my 13 month daughter with me. He gave the appearance that this was a normal thing to do, deal with a small child while getting to know someone and having dinner. My daughter took to him like she had known him all her life and she was/is a very good judge of people. Anyway, I allowed him to take us home, well to my mother's home anyway. He kissed me goodnight. I told my mother that I was going to marry him based on that one kiss. It was magic and it still is magic. I don't know if I believe in love at first sight or first kiss, but in my case I knew that he was the life mate for me. Maybe it was preordianed. I don't know. I just know that it was right. I believe that my mother knew somehow that he was the right one. Or maybe she just loved his voice?
Anyway, it was the best decission I ever made. He's a good guy most of the time.

[toni]

I cannot relate I cannot relate! *runs in circles*

[Bakiryu]

How my brother gets girls in 5 easy steps:

Step 1. Stand around
Step 2: Take shirt off
Step three: Be surrounded by girls.

What! do you think there were more?! Dammed male models!

[Debrasue]

Granny5...is that a picture of you?...you look like...me!!! We could almost be sisters!!!No kidding...spooky.....
I love your story...sometimes magic happens!....I'm still hoping...but not holding my breath...I'm only 5'2....and still too much for any man!!! Cowards! LOL!

Bakiryu...I have 4 sons...they all do that....too funny!

[Video Drone]

Eh, this keeps scaring me. How do you get boyfriends??? No idea. I'm sooooo uncommunicative, too... I scare people away.

[SleepyWitch]

It's been over 33 years since I dated! I was a single mother and met my husband while I was working at a resturant near the Universary he attended. I was his waitress. When he was leaving he asked if I's like to go to a party with him. Of course, I said no. He continued to come by while I was working and drink coffee and stare at me. He called me at work just about every night I was there. I refused to give him my phone number or tell him where I lived. Since he was doing radio news at the time I had my mother listen to him. She liked his voice and has this picture of what he would look like. She really thought I should go out with him even though she had never met or even seen him. This was very unusual for my mom. Anyway, the two of them wore me down and I finally met him for dinner. I took my 13 month daughter with me. He gave the appearance that this was a normal thing to do, deal with a small child while getting to know someone and having dinner. My daughter took to him like she had known him all her life and she was/is a very good judge of people. Anyway, I allowed him to take us home, well to my mother's home anyway. He kissed me goodnight. I told my mother that I was going to marry him based on that one kiss. It was magic and it still is magic. I don't know if I believe in love at first sight or first kiss, but in my case I knew that he was the life mate for me. Maybe it was preordianed. I don't know. I just know that it was right. I believe that my mother knew somehow that he was the right one. Or maybe she just loved his voice?
Anyway, it was the best decission I ever made. He's a good guy most of the time.
aaaaw, that's a really sweet story, Granny! I'm glad you gave him a chance and things worked out so well for your :)

[farnoosh]

well i never had a boyfriend ,but some one asked me to be his girlfriend and i dont know what to say???here is his photo:http://ashkan-khatibi.blogfa.com/

[dramasnot6]

How my brother gets girls in 5 easy steps:

Step 1. Stand around
Step 2: Take shirt off
Step three: Be surrounded by girls.

What! do you think there were more?! Dammed male models!

:lol: Hehe, sounds like some guys I know :rolleyes:

[rabid reader]

Dating is fun. Its exciting unpredictible, plus I love meeting new people. Me and my current girlfriend never really dated per say, we lived in dorms and we just mostly watched movies and help each other with homework. Later on we went for dinner and stuff. But we still experinced all the dating stuff, getting to know each other, the laughs and the passion.

PS I suck at flurting. I tried to pick up my current g/f first time we met, I was completely loaded, idd embrassing things, is a mircle I am not alone ;) then the next time we met she tried to pick me up instead, must tell you, that road is much easier to travel.

[applepie]

I'm not a professional on dating, but I can tell you how I met my husband. We simply worked together. I started work when I was 15 and he was 3 years older and working at the same place. We became friends, but I started to date my manager. Now, my manager was 22 years old and really bad news. He was very immature and acted more like my age than anything. Anyway, he got in trouble for sexually harassing girls in another store. We broke things off, and I figure it was a good thing. I had started to have warm fuzzy feelings ;) towards my friend. When my boyfriend and I had broken up, everything became really tense between us. Our mutual friends kept telling us we should hook up, but we kept ignoring the signs for a while. Finally I just walked in to work one day and demanded that we talk when he got off work. I was 16 by this point and we met for dinner. The rest is really just history. We fell into dating, he decided to join the Navy a year or so after we started to date. Then we fought all the time for a while, but we always kept coming back to the other. By the summer after I graduated, we decided to put everyone out of the misery and "make it permanent" as we called it:lol: We were in misery apart and all we did was take it out on the other, so if we couldn't live apart we decided we wouldn't. We were married a month later and have been happily married now for 5 years. Our whole relationship just sort of happened. No one really asked the other to date. We just started hanging out a lot and it turned into more. THere was no real marriage proposal. I know the whole down-on-one-knee thing would have been romantic, but ours was more along the lines of a hurried discussion in the car when he was passing through Ohio on his flight to Washington. We just clicked, I guess, but we've never really made concious decisions about our relationship. It just happened.

[chasestalling]

i'm single and not looking to date but i am looking to admire but certainly not to worship.