Hi Burnt Out.

I'm afraid I'm late to the party here, or rather, your thread. I am in the same pickle as you. I tend to be positive and happy when out and about, shoving my insecurities deep down inside, but no matter what I seem to do, I can't for the life of me give off that "I'm single and looking for something more than casual sex" vibe to the single men out there. It seems the men in my area just don't want a curvy, redheaded artsy/geek chic all that much.

Now, I wouldn't try to tone down your manliness. We ladies like a man who knows his way around a garage, etc. At least I do. While I know a few names to car parts, I am clueless as to how they go together to make the car work. I'm more the gets her fingers dirty with painting a picture, rather than engine grease. So, a car savvy boyfriend is very useful in that way. Besides, nothing is hotter to me than a shirtless young man sweating over his car engine on a warm summer day.

Okay, I'm digressing, I know it's beyond frustrating and it seems that all the good single women are taken, or are just too picky to even consider looking your way, but I think it helps to picture what exactly you want from your ideal woman, or whomever you desire, and start looking from there.

I'm still looking, hoping, and praying to anything and everything Divine that will listen to me to bring me my ideal life partner. Maybe I feel absolutely crushed, and like the search will never be fruitful, but that's just when another lead pops up and I get that tiny bit of optimism I need to keep going on.

Maybe you don't believe in anything divine or godly, nor that things work in mysterious ways in our Universe, but I was once told that for every pot, there is a lid. So there is someone out there looking for you, just as there is someone out there looking for me.

Maybe I should follow my own advice.