I don't believe in fate or destiny or a prearranged time at which anything will 'come' to me. Nothing has ever happened in my life that I did not make happen. All my life has been a struggle, and I'm better for it. The bullying I endured as a child gave me the fighting skills that led to an almost perfect boxing record. Actually, my only 'loss' was a technicality; the accident that ended my career took place less than 24 hours before the fight was scheduled, and it was too close to cancel, so it went down as a loss by forfeit. I started my business because I had struggled to find work spent years un- or under-employed.

Really? Two years of nothing but rejection? Most people I know barely go a month between relationships unless they are actively avoiding them. This is another reason advice is hard to come by. It's not a common experience.

I have tried this. Of my three friends, one says he's as clueless as I am, although he is getting married next month. Another says part of my problem is aspergers/ not knowing how to read people or flirt, and another part of the problem is I am very damaged from past relationships, though when I asked her how I could overcome this, she said, "considering what you've been through, I don't know if you can. I seriously hate all the women that have messed you up this bad; you don't deserve it." And the last one, who I actually dated for a while, said the problem is not me; it's everyone else. I said, 'Thanks, but tell me the truth." Then she started listing my good traits and said, "Honestly, it's a little too much. No woman could live up to all that. The reason you can't find anyone is no one is good enough for you. I'm not. I can't think of any woman who is."[/quote]

I actually don't do things I don't enjoy. I don't really have to. I enjoy my work. I enjoy the volunteer work I do (of course, it's closely related to my work). I not only enjoy my hobbies (building custom furniture, green energy technology, etc.), but they tend to spring from my 'special interests' and also end up being lucrative. But this does tend to backfire. I have been called a workaholic, and told that this can be unattractive.