On my flight to Nashville last month, I watched the movie, Anyone But You (2023), starring Glenn Powell, and Sydney Sweeney. The inciting incident was a meet-cute in a coffee shop. What’s an inciting incident, you ask?How about a meet-cute?

I’ll tell ya.

An inciting incident is the moment, event, or decision that thrusts the main character into the action of a story. Also often known as the catalyst, the inciting incident is crucial for a story arc.
~ Screen Rant

Oh, and that meet-cute word …

Scenario in which two individuals are brought together in some unlikely, zany, destined-to-fall-in-love-and-be-together-forever sort of way (the more unusual, the better).
~ Urban Dictionary

I am convinced that the only way I’ll find love is a manufactured meet-cute that is found in every romantic-comedy ever. I’m serious! I realized my self-imposed one year dating absence expired in March 2024. Every now and again, my brain drifts off to thinking about dating again.

The dating scene in the greater Phoenix area in 2024 is a train-wreck at best. Let alone, eligible age-appropriate women. You know the phrase, “All the good ones are taken”? Yeah, well if you’re single like a Pringle and based on that logic … you’re not a good one, per se.

Otherwise, you would have been coupled up by now, right?

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Why Are You Still Single?

UGH. I loathe this question. I was asked this very question from a MUCH younger, female coworker tonight. I can assure you her intention was pure and innocent, that she didn’t realize what she had said was insulting.

“To start, this question is a back-handed compliment at its finest, with undertones of ‘What’s
wrong with you?’ or ‘Why does no one else want you?'” Ettin said in an email to Business Insider. “This question immediately puts the person at the receiving end on the defensive, when that person has nothing at all to be defensive about.”

Her question was based on the little she does know about me which are all green flags; no red flags while working with me. Not that I am obliged to defend myself, I answered her question, “It’s a matter of choice more than circumstance.”

“Oh, I meant that being lonely isn’t bad,” she stammered. Clearly she’s hearing the words and realizing not what she meant.

“Well, I can assure you I don’t feel lonely. In fact, I say with confidence, that being alone and being lonely are two different situations,” I smiled.

Poor Janelle was struggling to convey that she thinks highly of me, and wanted me to know this … that another woman should agree with her strong opinion about me.

“Goodnight, Janelle. Thank you for the words of encouragement. We’ll see what the future holds.”

I have a few more reasons why I haven’t resumed dating after my self-imposed dating timeout. I wanted to elaborate on Janelle’s question but only for myself.

I still contend that dating is an investment, as I discussed in my blog post, I’d Rather Have Peace Than A Piece (of A$$)

First of all, I live in a house, that I don’t own, with two other bachelors [one of which is the live-in house boss] I assume that a woman wouldn’t feel comfortable either in my bedroom for long periods of time, or in the common areas. So for the most part, IF I dated it would be at public places, or her place. Therefore, prohibitively expensive.

Second, I want to protect my peace.

The dating pool for me would be one or two years older than, and definitely, the minimum age is the Rule of 7 [Half your age, plus 7] In my case, that would be a minimum age of 31. You see, I’m big energy. It can be too much at times. Age appropriate women generally can’t match it.

So … I’m gonna rely on that meet-cute moment for the time being.