Is OLD harder in your 40's? Let's here it LSer's

[TheBladeRunner]

Is it me or is it harder now than ever? I have been away from my EX for 16 months, we are divorced and we have become friends again. There is no money arrangements I am obligated to and we are waaaaay past ANY drama. We parent our daughter together (50/50 custody) and all the anger has passed. What's my point? No baggage or Oscar winning drama.

 

I figure I'm at the point where I'm 46, I have a business, no ex-hex drama, and I have my daughter 50% of the time so not only would I like to meet someone but I have time for someone else as well. I am really in a good place personally and it would be nice to see someone that has a good outlook and no major drama. Are there any mentally healthy people out there for me to date? The following story is why I ask.

 

I am very selective when it comes to messaging and texting and I try to screen them out as best I can, but all I keep getting is dates and short lived relationships with woman (I Know ladies, men have it too) that have their lives so riddled with problems and EX drama that I just can't deal with it. Don't get me wrong, the relationship I have with my EX isn't perfect, but I don't even discuss my EX, what happened, or how it is now until I get to know someone. And even then, although we are not together anymore, I can talk about her in a positive light.

 

I see people on this sight complaining that they have no luck getting dates on OLD; my problem is not getting the dates, it's dealing with all the baggage. Is it me or is OLD a lot like going to the airport and standing around the carousel waiting for "the best looking baggage" and then hoping what's inside will be wonderful?

 

I am not perfect, nor am I looking for perfect, but is it too much too ask to meet a nice woman that actually looks like her profile picture, that has a positive outlook on life, and doesn't sit there at our first meeting complaining about what a bast#$d her ex is? I always ask before meeting how that relationship is and if they say it's good it's actually bad, if they say it's bad, I don't even bother now.

 

A friend introduced me to a friend of hers and she was divorced with no baggage, but I wasn't even remotely attracted to her. Blind dates, ya' gotta' love em'.

 

I really thought the drama and the games (don't get me started on the games) would have calmed down in my age bracket, unfortunately it's worse than high school. Thanks for listening to me rant, please share your over 40 experiences, I hope they have been better than mine.

 

I guess in a nutshell I waited for all my "heavy lifting" to be done before I dated, I wish others would do the same or at least stop hiding it when I screen them with messages or the phone.