Dating in Denver

Way back in 2005 Forbes.com listed the Denver-Boulder as the #1 spot for singles. Times have changed my friend. By 2009 Denver-Aurora had fallen 12 spots to #13 and in 2010, it's feeling like the Mile High City should be closer to #40 on that list.

Dating anywhere is difficult, but dating in Denver has its own unique challenges.

(1) No one is from Denver, or Colorado for that matter. So if you do get serious with someone chances are pretty high they'll want to return to their hometown and be near their family.

(2) No one is ready to make a commitment. There are more Peter Pans running the streets of Denver than anywhere I've lived before.

(3) Quirky is confused for trendy. It's not trendy to be a freak, it's just freaky. Some days I feel like I'm living episode 15 of Sex and the City, The Freak Show:

Oh how I miss my weekly dates with Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte & Miranda, they rarely let me down unlike my recent outings.

Lately, I've been out with a man who in his mid-30's couldn't hold his liquor which lead to multiple embarrassing texting mistakes only one day after we met, a man who thinks recreational drug use is cool, a man who makes and breaks more plans than I can count so we really have yet to meet for a second time and a man who made future plans with me on our first date but hasn't called to let me know when we're doing all that fun stuff.

Judge for yourself, but for now, I agree with Carrie.

What's wrong with just wanting to be friends?

What's so bad about just wanting to be friends? I'm certainly not talking about being friends with exes but instead, with people you've just met. I attended a young professionals event not too long ago and met some great people! I gave my business card out like it was on fire all the while thinking to myself what a great networking event I was attending.

Next came the emails asking me out. There are so many things wrong, on so many levels, with asking someone out via their work email.

1. My phone number is also on my business card, call me


2. I use my work email for work and my personal email for personal business


3. Get to know me, then ask me out

You may be asking yourself, how can I get to know someone if they won't go out with me? Well, I suggest happy hour invites. They're less pressure and definitely not a date. I'm not opposed to dating, but there are so many weirdos out there that I prefer to know the men I'm going out with rather than jumping at the first invite. Asking people you just met out makes things awkward and you can, well I can, never go back to being just casual friends.

I'm also not wanting to date at this point in my life. Truly, honestly, from the heart not wanting to date anyone. But when I tell a man this, I can tell they're thinking is a total crock and I'm feeding them some BS line.

There's a fine line separating friendship and dating, but what's so wrong with starting out being friends?!