where do you start?

[heybrothers]

when you've never had a relationship, never kissed someone you fancy, never slept with anyone? Where?

33 yo and don't know where to start.

I'm 29 and I feel you. I don't think I felt sexual desire towards a person, never kissed someone I fancied but I do crave companionship. Oddly enough, I did have someone I fancy but even then I never wanted to kiss them. I tried relationship with a different person but he fancied me more & there were many incompatibilities & he wanted to marry me and I felt suffocated. Never slept with him too and felt guilty about it. I want to try slow exploring relationship where I can possibly grow to desire physical intimacy but after that relationship I am afraid I will lead the other person on and waste their time.

It depends on what you want, are we talking asexuality which means you don't want a sexual relationship & are not sexually attracted to others? So the offers have been there but you've rejected them...

Or do you want a relationship but haven't been able to find anyone or don't meet anyone in your day to day life who is boyfriend material?

I have a friend, a lovely lovely guy who is just too shy to chat people up & desperately wants a girlfriend but he works night shifts in a bus garage so is unlikely to meet anyone as he sleeps in the day. He finds women attractive but doesn't know what to do about it & even if he did, is way too shy & self confident to do it.

Can you tell us a little bit about your life? Do you work? Drive? Go out with friends/family? Belong to any social clubs?

(I think I used the wrong word sorry, my friend has no confidence...)

Start with friendship and a good social circle. Friendship is a relationship and, the more friends you have, the more likely that one of them will prove to be special enough to take further.

Thanks, I do have friends, though. I'm not isolated in the sense I lack basic relationships with others.

I work full time. I drive. I don't know of any social clubs for people under the age of 50 I go out with friends when I can.

I've never had any offers.

Forget the dating for now and concentrate on building a busy life you love. There are hundreds of clubs for all age groups - what are your interests?

Don't wait for offers :) Make the offers. Take a few chances, ask for a few dates and take the opportunity to get to know people better. Faint heart never won fair person of either gender

I don't know anybody I could ask on a date.

I do have a busy life thank you, but I just mean intimate relationships not friendships or acquaintances.

Internet dating? Speed dating? Introduction agency?

Would you let them go to school not wearing the school uniform? Let them go to a fancy restaurant in rags? I doubt it - I just can't see why people don't recognise we have societal rules pertaining to clothing and children are not immune to that. It doesn't apply to some clothing - 'gender neutral' - but does to others.

Sorry wrong thread.

If there's no friend that you think could be relationship potential then you either have to put yourself in a situation where you might make new friends & meet new people or you ask others to set you up or you go the route of internet dating. But you have to make a bit of an effort to get out there.

Lol.

I suppose this is what I need, advice on putting myself out there. But I don't honestly know how I can do that! I have an active social life: see friends, shows, cinema, theatre, bars. Book group and other stuff through that. Horse trekking. I don't do those things thinking "oh I will meet someone" but I do keep busy as you can see.

Tried the 'net but it doesn't work for me ...

Honestly I think I may be a hopeless case but I don't know why!

What kind of person do you want to meet? What might they be interested in? T If you're trying to meet straight blokes, for example, don't take a night school course in flower-arranging. So cinema, theatre and book-groups (and I'm assuming you're a women who wants to meet men, correct me if I'm wrong) might be a little too female. My ex-SIL who was a bit of a social climber advised me to take up tennis and hang out in tennis clubs because 'all the rich chaps play tennis'. :)

Animals are a good talking point IME... You mention horse-trekking.

Yes, keep,considering buying one (a horse that is!) but I don't know if I would have the time.

How would you feel about striking up random conversations with a group of blokes on a night out with your mates? Or on your own at the supermarket/bus stop/train station?

Is there anyone you're attracted to in any of your social circles?

I think I'd be laughed at Jean! I definitely don't have that sort of confidence, and plus men on nights out are usually younger than me. We don't tend to do the night out as in pubs and clubs and bars very often at all!

No, no one I'm attracted to or even single.

Do you have a partner-in-crime, a best mate you could go out with who's happy to get chatt

Do you have a partner-in-crime, a best mate you could go out with who's happy to get chatting to randoms? You might need to be prepared to venture outside your comfort zone...

Speed dating?

I have quite a lot of friends in fact but none are single. I can't see speed dating being any more successful than my paltry Internet attempts!

Maybe I do need to face up to 'life alone' - not wanting to sound overly dramatic in any way!

Can I ask how old you are?

32:)

33 Cog.

And do you particularly want an intimate relationship or do you feel any kind of social pressure to conform?