DEAR HARRIETTE: I am recently single after a 25-year marriage, and I am attempting to get back in the dating scene because I do not want to be alone. My teenage daughters just made fun of me and told me I had the “worst game” they’ve ever seen. I tried to set up a date with one of their friend’s fathers, and it didn’t go over smoothly. I am too old for dating apps, and I lost many friends following the split, so how else can I find someone? I need to get my mind off of ending up alone. -- All By Myself, New Orleans
DEAR ALL BY MYSELF: It is time to put yourself back on the scene in ways that make you comfortable. Enter: extracurricular activities. What do you like to do in your free time? Or what do you think you would like to do? Enroll in a class. Join walking tours in your city. Become a docent at the local museum. Put yourself out there where other people are. Then pay attention. If you notice someone who seems interesting, don’t be shy. Go over and introduce yourself. It may feel like high school, and it’s OK to feel awkward. Everything that makes up who you are will be appealing to someone. Just be yourself and get out there.
Don’t give up on the web apps, though. Many couples have met using the internet as a catalyst.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)