Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Dating Interferes with Sleep - Is It Worth It?

Once or twice a year, I might go on a date.
I thought by my age I'd be either comfortably settled with someone or too old to care. Neither is the case.
In fact, I have a couple of online personal ads posted. They are old and dusty, lying unused save for the occasional update when my weight or hair (amount or color) changes.
Once in a while an ad gets answered by an impossibly good looking 25 year old in someplace like Nigeria who needs me to send him some money so he can escape persecution... you get the idea.
So personal ads don't work for me. Problem is, I don't know what would work. I'm too old to go clubbing - I'm asleep by 9:00 and bars don't heat up until 11:00, or so I'm told. I don't meet potential dates at work - everyone there is way too young, straight, or married. I used to meet boyfriends at church, but I've been going to the early service lately which is mostly the domain of senior citizens, for the moment just a little too old for me.
Gay men my age don't seem to be available. Like me, they have busy lives and limited time. Careers are in full swing. Many have elderly parents, or children and grandchildren to care for. Most have dogs and cats which take priority, as well they should. They, and I, are not interested in wasting time on someone with whom we know it won't work.
I'd rather be alone than tolerate someone who I discover on the third date is, for example, a Republican. And face it: I'd rather get a good night's sleep than stay up late getting to know someone who turns out to be allergic to my cats.
Why should I even try at all? While I'm happy and well-adjusted as single, I don't want to be alone all of the time. I occasionally desire human companionship - someone to share experiences with.
Is the effort to find such a relationship worth it? When it's 8:30 and I'm sleepy and the cats are curling around me on the bed, I'm not sure it is.
I don't need a boyfriend or husband to be complete. But it might be nice to find someone who could squeeze in alongside the cats.