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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Dating Thread 220 - where we forget about pensions and get back to dating

988 replies

WeWantTheFinestWines · 08/12/2021 14:39

The Rules:

  1. The first rule about the dating thread is don't talk about it with people you're dating.
  2. Develop a thick skin.
  3. Do not invest emotionally too soon.
  4. It's all BS until it actually happens.
  5. Trust your gut instinct.
  6. People vanishing, lying & being generally weird is not your fault.
  7. Know your worth.
  8. If it's not fun, stop.
  9. Loo update is mandatory.
10. No dating the thread. 11. Treat others as you'd like to be treated 12. Any relationship you have that could get ruined by having a conversation about your feelings, standards and/or expectations wasn't really stable enough to begin with 13. The things you choose to ignore/ tolerate now are the reasons you will break up in the future 14. OLD can get very time consuming. Keep doing other activities you enjoy.

Optional: Please give your irons (potential dates you are talking to) nicknames like Mr Scottish. Initials are allowed (Mr S) when you are an item

OP posts:
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SpringlikeBunk · 17/12/2021 19:56

There's more vaccinators and volunteers than people to be vaccinated!

Twenty minutes in and out - queue was short, time taken because they couldn't find my records though but was told I can get it "put on the system" later on.

(well done NHS and nice local people).

The work I handed in today was a bit sub-par - I know I'm very good but this wasn't.

Made me think about "hiding from uncomfortable feelings" - in the past I'd panic and think I needed A Strong Man or someone to rescue me from anxiety and imposter syndrome.

but now I'll just try to selfcare over the weekend and take ownership and deal with anything that needs to be dealt with in time.

I got all my Xmas drinks in! Last year I had MrC bringing/sending me expensive sailor alcohol goodies (they're still in a cupboard somewhere as the thought was there but he picked stuff that was not 100% my taste)

But as I had my ID on me I went and got all the gear for elderflower gin fizzes so I won't just have a panic dash the day before Xmas.

Must remember not to get pissed and text the Hedgehog asking for some phone "gender traffic" (@Naimee87 knows what this is Grin)

Isitreallyme177 · 17/12/2021 20:22

@Eesha he doesn't know I like him, I've never told him I like him. When we're together we really are just two friends hanging out, drinking coffee and chatting, we've even compared dating stories. In fact on Saturday he was the one that brought up our friendship and how much it means to him. I told him the reason I'm not dating back in September. I don't need to keep getting told he has a girlfriend, I know he won't pick me and i know what we did was wrong but I can't change that.

Eesha · 17/12/2021 20:25

@Isitreallyme177 I doubt you needed to tell him, he knows. I just think you are going to get hurt.

InABetterPlaceNow · 17/12/2021 20:28

@Isitreallyme177 Gently (again from being there) I think he does know you like him otherwise what happened wouldn't have happened. I doubt he'd open himself to rejection when he has someone already.

I have absolutely no moral high ground to say it, just bitter experience. Please, please be careful. I think he needs to do some inner work himself in all honesty which could take some time, if he's even able to do it.

Had me and the previous ended up together I know I'd always have a nagging doubt that he would do the same with someone else. You really do deserve more.

ibelieveinmirrorballs · 17/12/2021 21:09

[quote InABetterPlaceNow]**@Eesha How lovely!! It sounds like you're building a wonderful foundation!!

@Isitreallyme177 Good job keeping busy! He definitely needs to figure stuff out. Just make sure you don't let him go down the "no decision" route. You deserve better than that!

@ibelieveinmirrorballs Yay! Well done for speaking to him about it and I'm so glad he validated you! I don't think it's being needy to state how you're feeling about things (though I'm guilty of thinking the same!) especially if you share the other things that might be playing in to you feeling wobbly that aren't about them. You can't expect someone else to be a mind reader, it's not fair on them, and we all have a different experience. Then hopefully they can meet you half way or at least understand you a little better - I think it's only really "needy" if you're expecting them to drop everything, but we want teamwork, right?!

We had our work zoom Xmas quiz today! Was made extra fun by sharing bits of it with MrT.

I won't go into the details but MrT video called me last night as he needed to vent about something and I was just blown away by how similar we are in the way we think things and also how respectful he is of other peoples thought processes. It was nice to be able to support him a bit and for him to let his vulnerability show. Had I not decided to already shorten his name, I definitely would have after that 😂

Weirdly, now I'm getting used to the non love bomby bit I'm also starting to pick up on the more subtle things that make me feel like actually, I think he might like me about the same as I do him at this point. Also realised I'm quite used to partners low key hating me (or at least seeing me as a miserable cretin who can be controlled) on some level, so that's a new thing to work on![/quote]
Thanks @InABetterPlaceNow. I feel a lot better for having been a bit honest about my feelings and a bit less “super cool yeh everything’s fine”. I wasn’t fine, I was feeling bloody awful . A lot of it wasn’t about him but ultimately after 2 months chatting it was starting to feel very not right to not share any of it, for fear of him running a mile. He was incredibly sweet when he called earlier. During our call on Wednesday I had for the first time shared a couple of stories about my toxic marriage and had said that I get very nervous sharing any details because I feel shame about it, as though I will be judged for having put up with terrible behaviour, as though it’s a sign I’m broken. I’m realising it is very hard for me to trust that other person.

I know what you mean about the ‘low level hate’ - more like simmering resentment in my exH’s case. Mr Mixtape seems to genuinely just like who I am and his feelings towards me so far seem straightforward.

@Isitreallyme177 another one gently warning you here. I’d be gobsmacked if Mr Cricket didn’t know you liked him and agree I doubt he’d have made a move otherwise. Be careful of him saying he values your friendship too… just try to ask yourself questions like “how does it benefit him to say this to me?”. In this case if he wants to keep you sweet and compliant, of course he’ll say that. He wants you not to judge him. He has just been unfaithful and is now seeing his partner. You are becoming triangulated. He has said negative things about her to you (or about his situation) in order for you to feel somehow closer to him - as you must feel “see how much he trusts me to share these thoughts!” - yet he actually gives his intimacy to another woman. You posted the other day that it was very nice he told you he’d arrived safely at his brothers house. Ask yourself, why do you view that as a nice behaviour but overlook his infidelity as a bad behaviour? Did you have unprotected sex with him, if you were concerned about pregnancy? Perhaps worth getting tested.

@Eesha your situation with Mr M sounds very romantic indeed..! Does he have children too? Very in awe of your mutual restraint but very admirable!

InABetterPlaceNow · 17/12/2021 21:26

@ibelieveinmirrorballs He's doing well! I started with sharing some low key details framed in why I react / feel stuff in certain ways and then judged his reaction. A few rounds of that and I started to be able to trust him with a little more stuff. I'd like to think I'm a good judge of character (even with my bad relationships my radar was going off I just ignored it).

He doesn't know 3/4 off what I've gone through but enough. It "helps" he has his own issues and has framed things in the same way. Could be what breaks is in the end if we can't get over it but could also be good for us both.

That said, not everyone is built the same way and these kind of things can be tricky!! I couldn't have begun to think of sharing in the same way with other people I've met, but think a solid relationship could have come out of it. We might both be too thinky / deep to make things work. We seem to be able to come out of it quickly and move on to lighter things...

Sorry. Ramblings.

MizK · 17/12/2021 21:30

I've just caught up on everybody's goings on. Am absolutely wiped out as is last day of term so I do apologise for very general post.
@Isitreallyme177 nothing to add to what's been said except that the responses should remind you that people on here genuinely care about you. I think lots of posters are very protective of you and that's actually really lovely. Make sure you prioritise yourself and protect your feelings if you can.
@Naimee87 I love your enthusiasm for all things magnet man! I've always thought that if you can find dodgy clothes/terrible shoes endearing rather than cringe, it's the real thing!
@SpringlikeBunk if I were a tech person I'd definitely invent a breathalyser app to phones - too many gins and texts would be blocked! Though you never know, your Hedgehog might love it...

I'm currently lying on my sofa, DD1 back from uni and I feel I have my little bestie back! I feel so happy when she's here, think my urge to date is at least 50% wanting someone to hang out with in the evenings.
On dating front, seeing MrTeacher on Monday. Wonder if he can deliver on the absolute sauce he was promising via text 😍

Eesha · 17/12/2021 21:31

@ibelieveinmirrorballs yes he has children too who he absolutely dotes on. I'm definitely enjoying the good times we are having together and hoping it's something real. It certainly feels so.

InABetterPlaceNow · 17/12/2021 22:40

First potential argument. Typical!!

I think we're OK.

A rather shit stirring friend of mine couldn't see his profile (she was the one that got me OLD) so assumed he'd blocked her. Cue me asking him outright (because that's what I do) about it - not judgementally but like.. what's this? As both where FB dating at the time as she was all like "I promise it's not an ex" 🙄

Finally got to the bottom of the story between the two and turns out she dated a friend at 16, cheated on him and she was the one to block all mutual friends 🙄

So have had the poor thing justifying himself (I was quite clear he didn't need to was just trying to figure out the mystery!) and now I feel crap.

Stupid social media. And clearly not someone I'm going to introduce him to (though he says they were kids and it's totally fine)

WeWantTheFinestWines · 17/12/2021 22:46

isitreally I may be opining after a few bevvies but what I'm seeing is someone who's slept with someone else's boyfriend. Don't know if that's what you were aiming for, but I can't see that ending well for you.

OP posts:
Onesmallstep67 · 17/12/2021 23:21

@WeWantTheFinestWines, after your few bevvies are you able to start a new thread ?
@Isitreallyme177, I’ve been trying to think what to say because I don’t want to come across as judgmental. At times I pick up a tone from what you say of almost feeling sorry for Mr Cricket, that this happened and now he has to sort out what he wants? I wouldn’t be feeling sorry for him. He’s the one who has a gf and he’s the one who has been unfaithful. The choices you made that night are for you to decide how they sit with you. I don’t think if you were his gf you might be feeling as generous towards him as you appear to be. What has been consistently offered to you on the thread is support and encouragement to protect your feelings and ultimately find someone who wants you without any other agenda going on in the background. Did you actually have a conversation with him the next morning that addressed what happened and what it meant?

Onesmallstep67 · 17/12/2021 23:28

@InABetterPlaceNow, your friend cheated on someone at 16 ? How many years later is this now ? Why is she trying to find Mr T on FB? I would try to close the circle of trust here for the time being and focus on whether you and he have a solid connection before putting it out there for public consumption.

WeWantTheFinestWines · 18/12/2021 00:19

I have, indeed, started a new thread. I look forward to seeing you all there.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/4429408-Dating-Thread-221-will-this-thread-see-us-through-till-Christmas?watched=1

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