Where is that man?

Blogging about romantic love is one thing, but actually asking for it clues everyone in on the state of my love life, which for the past four years has been entirely non-existent. While wanting to own a piece of the romance pie isn't exactly worth world news, I sometimes think to myself that it would be nice to have someone again to take my mind and heart on a wild spin, with the trappings of senseless thrills, cloud-nine swooning, sweet nothings, the biting realities and aching disappointments.

My personal romance record isn't that expansive. I've had three relationships thus far, the longest lasting three-plus years and the shortest lasting three weeks. Thus you can say that I'm still a neophyte at this even if I'm past 30. Which is fine by me, really. What's rare in coming is always cherished. Why would I want to have a new guy immediately after a break-up? Having an expensive French dinner every night can get tiresome.

Now that I've rewired my life somewhat after months of soul-searching, I've decided that yes, I'm ready for a new man. Now the more important question is whether there's a man out there who'll be ready for me--granting, of course, that I find him attractive in the first place.

Friends tell me that I have a that I have high standards, and that I possess a "veneer that intimidates." As for the former, my needs are really simple. The man I'd want to be with should:

1) Be attractive. And by this I don't mean "hot and sexy" or extremely handsome. I have been attracted to a wide variety of men, from the towering to the Hobbit-like, from chubby cuties to muscle jocks. I can't pinpoint my exact type, so this is pretty much an open field.

2) Be intelligent and smart. Intelligence is what he knows, and smarts is how he uses what he knows. IQ and EQ. At the end of the day, I'd like someone who I can talk and listen to, who has insight and charisma.

3) Be growth-oriented. He lives life a step at a time, moving up. He doesn't have to be extremely wealthy, but has direction and the determination to succeed.

4) Have a world apart from mine. He doesn't have to share all of my interests. We don't have to have the same set of friends. But he should be willing to share that world with me from time to time, as much as I would with mine. Also, we all need our alone time, and so we'll respect each other's need for that.

5) Be able to keep things interesting. Tedium and monotony are understandable in the long-run, but he should know when and how to spice things up when the drag happens too long. I like to surprise my man from time to time. Courtship never ends.

6) Know that it all starts from trust. A relationship built on trust keeps on going and going and going...

So tell me, is that asking too much?

Now about that "veneer that intimidates." I'll tackle that in another post. Maybe on Valentine's Day.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

image from Florida Photography Mynoot Escapes