1. It's not that I'm nosy...

No -- I probably pay too little attention to what other people talk about, and I certainly don't stick my nose in if my attention isn't wanted.

It's just that here and there, good friends and close family members have shared tales of frustration, woe, and willful misrepresentation about their dating experiences -- both online and offline.

What prompted me to take an active role?  It may be that:

   1.  I would love to see my talented, hard-working, kind and generous friends and family members get into happy and lasting relationships.

   2.  Having been in a happy relationship myself for over two decades, I might have something useful to share.

   3.  I'm bossy and big-headed enough to believe that I can rig up a better mousetrap than what's already out there.

Whatever the true reason(s) may be, I certainly can't make the world any worse by blogging about dating with the goal of helping others find true love.  Nevertheless, I do have shortcomings, including:

   1.  No new dating experience since 1990.

   2.  Limited dating experience prior to 1990:  Technically, I dated only two people (see definition of "dating":  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dating) because the other two people never deigned to go out in public with me.

   3.  My husband has told me that in some ways, I behave and think like a man -- and hearing this didn't even offend me.

Being a practical person, however, I believe that these drawbacks might actually be advantages because my observations, critiques, analyses, and ideas will not be tainted by:

   1.  The personal need to find a partner (many people out there giving advice are themselves single and looking)

   2.  Bias from multiple and/or fresh wounds from a string of dating disasters

   3.  Unwillingness or utter inability to imagine how the other sex may feel and behave

Best of all, I can offer a longer-term perspective on aspects of dating and relationship-building that have significantly contributed to, in my case, a quarter-century (so far) of fun, mutual trust and love with another person.  This blogging thing will also allow me to fulfill a deep-seated need to create lists in threes.

Until the next post, then!