DEAR ABBY: I'm a 29-year-old single man who is hard of hearing. I have a steady job and plans for a good future, but I'm having trouble in the dating world.
I would love to have a special someone in my life, but I'm shy. I have a hard time talking with the girls who live in my area. I can hear people pretty well unless they mumble or talk quietly, or face away from me when they speak.
I have asked people to repeat what they say (I try not to do it often) if I missed something. They get frustrated and so do I, and then they say, "Never mind!"
I try so hard to hear people. But it seems the harder I try, the less it seems worth it to find a relationship. Any tips on dealing with impatient and non-understanding people? -- FRUSTRATED IN WISCONSIN
DEAR FRUSTRATED: As people age, many of them encounter the problem you are trying to cope with now at your young age. Hearing loss is difficult because it is often subtle and can be extremely isolating for the person who has it.
My first tip would be to avoid noisy places for meeting women, if you can. My second would be to be upfront about your hearing loss right off the bat. If a woman finds you attractive, she will find ways to accommodate the problem. And if she doesn't, then she wasn't the right candidate for a relationship in the first place.