yes, not having a childish voice probably helps (no I don't have a childish voice nowadays)

If I were not married I would ask you (imagine a rather childish voice...) "hey Crystal, wanna be my girlfriend?"
oh please don't reply, I know it's a no and you are the type who expect the guy to pay at restaurant, so it wouldn't work anyway

I suggest random coupling, one month trial period, if it works, fine otherwise names back in the bowl

I wonder why blondey has black hair...
but ok winning the america's cup for new Zealand would not be too much of a surprise I think... DO we still have Luna Rossa in the competition?

I've gone through a number of interpretations in time and I'm not sure whci one is the current definition of relationship...
when I was a kid it was clear: one (the boy usually) had to ask the other "do you want to be my girlfriend?") Normally the girl never replied yes immediately, it was either NO or "I need to think about it". And then in a variable time (2 days to 1 week usually) she would let you know and with some luck you were allowed to kiss her. Kissing before being officially in a relationship?? forget it!
Then, later in time the situation changed slightly, with no need to ask, but if two kissed it was assumed, if not otherwise stated, that it was a relationship.
Still relatively simple, although not as clear as before.
Then one day I was kissing a girl in the park, but just for clarity I asked if she wanted to be my girlfriend and she said no. Ok, at least it was still clear? Apparently not, as another girl, classmate of her, got very angry with me because when she asked me if I and her classmete were in a relationship, I said no and she started insulting me because I kissed a girl but did not want a relationship (actually it was the opposite, but ok)... I got rather confused... then after a couple of years the situation became even more fluid, and the habit came, after 3 or for times of going out and kissing, maybe also going a bit furher, to double check if both thought the same, so in general one of the two would ask 'are we together?' (as a couple of course)... giving the wrong answer could be very dangerous... est thing always to say YES and smile, if you didn't really want a relationship you could end it later :-)
Now I think it's always more fluid, a kiss alone meanso nothing, sex alone means nothing, very often a relationship still means nothing. Friends, couple, sex friends, friends with benefits, and many other possibilities.
In my opinion, we should go back to 10years old and ask in advance, just to be clear :-)

well 50 maybe it's a bit early for this thoughts... I mean, I still have roughly 15 years of work in front of me, maybe 17... plenty of space for career moves (in fact just made one), maybe another degree... just bought a house by the sea that I want to enjoy...
what I really want is ability to work without too much pressure, at good pace but also with some time off, attend the kids sport activities, see them grow and get indipendent.
Then, if and when I retire, I want the peace of mind of not having problems economically speaking, a decent health, travel and help my family the best way I can

Well, we were collegues and we had known each other for 3 months before going out together, so it was not like I was going to have a free meal and run off! And I had really forgotten my wallet, I guess she understood how sorry and embarrassed I was!

But what is more interesting is:

Some do not allow the guy to pay (as I said very bad argument when I was young, she tried to throw herself off a cliff as result...)

Some offer to pay their part, but if you allow them, game over

Some want no free meal and offer no free meal, if you forgot your wallet, game over...

Some take it for granted that you THE MAN, have to pay

Some, thank God, I have married!

I'm glad it wasn't you my date! I really forgot and not 'forgot' my wallet the very first time I went out with my wife. She paid for me and that meant that we had to go out again to make it even (no, I did not forget my wallet again, it was embarrassing enough the first time!)
For sure if she had reacted the way you described above, I would never have gone out with her again, and that would have been the end of it. No marriage, no children, end of the story...

I think that if two person go out together it's because they both like to do that, so there is no reason for either one to pay the bill...
This was probably right when women did not work (centuries ago?) but now...
I had a bad argument when very young for paying a bill, she was a real feminist and did not appreciate it! Since then, I usually take out my wallet (actually a couple of times I forgot it!!) but never insist on paying for both.

And would you pay the guy's bill too occasionally?

I would say simply end of love?
Sometimes you still get along reasonably well, don't cheat but love has gone

Interesting topic... may I add a question?
If you consider yourself a feminist and you go out for a date, would you expect / allow the guy to pay for the meal, drinks, cinema etc...?

I am not sure but the way I see it the point of this thread might be that men should learn to leave women alone...
Sometimes offers of drinks, approaches and all that stuff become so frequent and so... I would say aggressive, that a woman, or even a group of women, just can't enjoy the evening and prefer to go home or to some gay bar where they can get less attention.
I think I have learned to leave them alone most of the times, and I only make a move if I receive some sort of signal... or not even in that case really (I said I'm shy)

well if that was not the point, I guess this is just another point...

Maybe I should start posting acronyms in 3-4 different languages...
Thanks Happy Geezer for the explanation...

NotLooking, please do not take too seriously anything I write, but as you can see I never specified it had to be unprotected. otherwise people could just continue chatting and never meet as diseases (as we all should know by now) have several ways of transmission. But still, I'm very rarely serious in what I write, I should take the habit to raise a flag :-)

I am sorry NotLooking I do not always understand acronyms, if you expand the concept a bit I might be able to post a reply

For sure I would never date a woman who is NOT a feminist

well if after long long hours of chatting, you meet and have nothing to say... a good idea could be to shut up and have sex! Apparently it's much better for health than sitting in front of a pc!

should have tried football... I mean the real one... foot ball and the size of your hand wouldn't have been a problem

In my opinion it's not good at all, we should go out more and meet people face to face... if possibly and in my case if I was less shy

we have some around Sardinia, where my family is originally from and where I always go in the summer... Probably none where I live now as apparently this place lacks sea...

P.S. I have dated only a woman taller than me, but not because it would be a problem, just because they are not easy to find. But I don't mind 180cm tall ladies to wear heels if we have to go out. I find this need to be taller, earn more and be better than the women we go out with (and women's expectations that we are just that way) so 15th century...