"...said the gal who has sworn off dating..."

LOL

Wolfman - I am not tryin' to be a hypocrite here - but I have found that taking the focus away from 'having to date' is not a bad thing. I didn't know I was ALLOWED to just be single after my last relationship ended - and now that I don't focus on having to be with someone, it isn't so freaky to be alone for a while. It also spares me from the 'look like a fool' part if I am not working on the next 'pick up line.' lol

:)

Wolfman/Wounded Wolf,

I don't think you need to do anything. You sound pretty normal to me - just going through the 'loss' stage after a broken relationship!

Sounds like you've spend a lot of your life doing stuff for others and trying to be responsible - you sound like a nice guy.

Just take some time for yourself - 33 is a great age - enjoy it as a single guy for a while. Find out more about who YOU are instead of being 'the husband of so-and-so' or the 'son of so-and so.'

If your relationship ended, it was a 2-person deal - it was never up to you, solely, to make sure that relationship survived, so cut yourself some slack. Look back on the parts of the relationship that were 'working' - if you still speak to your ex - ask her 'what parts did work?' and toss away the rest.

Who is pressuring you to date? You? Is it to gain a long-term relationship - or just get out in the dating world? If you really find that you want to date, don't resort to 'scripting' yourself - just be yourself.....asking someone out for a coffee if you feel you'd like to know them a little better is always acceptable - and will never be considered and 'step over the line' invitation, but use the words that work for you.

Naturally, I'm opinionated, as you've seen - and I'm being very windy at the moment...but I hope you will know how GREAT you must have been already to have had several years of SUCCESSFUL Marriage with someone! Just because THAT ended recently - it doesn't mean marriage wasn't a success for you or that you weren't a good catch to begin with. Things 'go wrong' because of the pairing not working out down the road - not because of 1 person's inherent, everlasting faults at the beginning.

Take care

Number 12 is cute - I can't see why anyone would be offended by it lol