The best guys I ever met and dated were ones I was introduced to by friends, JD1sTimer. That's how I met my husband. His cousin and I were friends in college, and for many weeks the cousin had been telling me I ought to meet his cousin Dave because he thought we had lots in common and would like each other. I kept saying "Yeah, yeah, right" and changing the subject. Then one weekend in the fall, Dave came down to Austin to see his cousin and go to the UT football game. His cousin introduced me at lunch that day, and I realized I should have listened to his cousin earlier. Dave was tall and smart and funny and CUTE. The rest is history.

Setups from friends are a great way to find people with whom you have a lot in common because your friends know more about you than strangers and have more insight into your likes and dislikes than you might realize.

My sister met her husband through online dating, which wasn't even a possibility back in the dark ages of 1980 when I met Dave. But I do think online dating can work well, too, because it helps you find people with backgrounds and interests that are similar to yours. Volunteering and church groups are also good ways to meet others with common interests. Bars strike me as being less than ideal, but that's because I think it's easier to really meet and get to know someone in quieter, more sober circumstances. For a one-night hookup, a bar is great. I just haven't known of that many long-term relationships that got their start in bars.