Now that I have decided to at least help Mr. Right find me or go out and find him myself, I realize that I am still wasting opportunities. I am at work most of the day (and I’ve mentioned here before that the dating potential there is just very, very small), and I have already crossed my gym off my list of potential hang-outs for Mr. Right, but there are other opportunities that I just don’t take advantage of. What about shopping?! I mean even nice guys need to go to a store at some point, right?

So here is my next step:

Dating Strategy #3

• I will keep my eyes open when I go shopping.

Of course, Dating Strategy #3 provides various possibilities, which depend on what I am shopping for, where I go shopping, who I go shopping with, if I really go shopping or just pretend to be going shopping. Well, let’s see.

#3a. Grocery shopping
Grocery shopping is the best start, as this is something that I do frequently. Most of my groceries I get once a week, and then sometimes I go twice a week to get some more fresh stuff, like fruit or veggies.
Here are some reassuring facts:

• Guys need to eat too.
• That’s why they need to buy food, too.
  (I’m pretty sure the I-eat-out-every-day type would not be a good match for me.)
• Now I just need to be in the same store at the same time AND somehow get their attention, probably actually talk to them.

Now the questions are:

• How do I find out where Mr. Right goes shopping?
• What can the contents of his shopping cart tell me about a guy?
  (How likely is it that he is single if he buys those flowers?
  Can one guy really it that much peanut butter, or does he have a family of 5?
  Are there really no good men’s razor blades for sensitive skin, or why is he buying those in the pink glittery pack that says “for all curves”?
  Does he not care about the high-fructose corn sirup in that juice?
  Are the two bottles of vodka and 5 bags of chips indicating that he’s an alcoholic, or is he just having a birthday party?
  Is the fact that he’s getting stuff from the “ethnic food” aisle a sign that he loves to travel and see the world as much as I do?)
• What will I say to Mr. Right when he’s in the same store?
• Is running into him with my cart a good idea?
• Is it too obvious if I pretend not to be able to reach something in the top shelf with my 5’9”?

#3b. Bookstores
I was also wondering about where I would like to meet a guy. And the first thing that came to mind was a bookstore. This might be the more romantic approach, I admit, but there’s nothing wrong with that, if it’s just one of many options. When you think about your Mr. Right, you probably can think of some things that would be nice about him.

I know we 30-something single women are rumored to have long lists of must-haves for Mr. Right, but I really don’t think I am like that. Although if you asked me, I would like someone who reads rather than someone who doesn’t. Someone who can make a meal rather than someone who can’t. A bookstore is a good place to check out guys, because whomever you meet there will at least be able to read or consider a book a nice gift. That’s a good start.

#3c. Going shopping in guys’ territory
I could, of course, go shopping in stores that have a higher guy frequency. Car stuff, all kinds of tech stuff, music, movies, etc. The thing is, in those kinds of stores, I’m usually done shopping in five minutes. Sure, I’ve bought new windshield wipers, blank DVDs, a USB stick or a phone, and if it is something like a phone, I do take my time because I care about the functionality and what it looks like. But, in contrast to guys, I don’t look at stuff that I don’t need, like “ginormous” plasma TVs if I have a working TV at home. But maybe I should…

I guess I’ll be doing a lot of shopping from now on. Too bad I can’t go shopping for Mr. Right, literally, I mean, if a store had a “men aisle” between the bread aisle and the laundry detergent aisle. No, just kidding, that wouldn’t be good, especially since I can only go to the store between 7 pm and 9 pm, and by then all the fresh ones would be gone…

… to be continued …

[Picture: © Katherine Squier, flickr.com, katherinesquier.com]