SWF: On Meeting Men

As part of a reader outreach program I dubbed the Typical Asian Male Mutual Interest Enterprise (or TAMMIE for short) I asked several readers if they would like to contribute to this blog and received a surprising level of interest. So thus the writer becomes the editor and I present to you SWF, single white female, the author of what I hope will become a series of entries that will run parallel to my own and inject insight from the opposite end of the spectrum.
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SWF: On meeting men.

Personal ads. Most of us are probably too young to remember a time when the Desperate turned to the awkward, cryptic, acronym-ridden Penis Wanted ads in the local newspaper.

“S/W/F looking for S/W/M, employed, likes long walks on beach, romantic getaways. Oh yea, must love dogs.” Early 90’s throw-back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krzCeKZxfQ8... yea you girls remember this song!

I’ve always wondered, how much those ads cost. They couldn't have been any more expensive than joining Match.com. (Which btw, Glamour Magazine described as “Baskin-Robbins’ 31 flavors: blondes, redheads, Egyptians and probably a set of Siamese twins if you were to search long enough.”) These days, it’s all about SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Don't lie... you know you've Googled yourself! There are blogs all over the net providing hot tips and tricks to increase your twitter traffic (even.. dare I say it, blog traffic?), to ensure that you’re getting your message out about who you are, what you stand for, and… what you had for dinner last night. Let's face it ladies, social media branding isn’t just for entrepreneurs. While branding yourself may have initially seemed like it was career-oriented, nothing is ever quite so simple. I, for one, have had enough with the endless void of shameless self-promotion and cyber dating space.

Most recently, my girlfriends and I have been discussing the more traditional ways in which we meet men--and that goes beyond the bar. There's nothing tackier, or riskier than meeting a guy in a bar or at a club. No one is really there to meet someone worth starting a lasting, serious relationship. Your TAM said it best, we're there to dance and score free drinks. So where are the best spots to meet "The One?" Here are my top 5 alternative real world hotspots for women to meet men.

1. Probably the best place is Home Depot... or any hardware store. You just walk up to the cutest guy you see and say "Do you know where I get nailed? I mean nails? Pardon me, I've been drinking all afternoon." And that way he knows: one, you're easy, and two, you like to drink.

2. The grocery store. TIP: Ladies, you see a man walking around with a list in his hands. Move on. He’s most likely married, or gay if you’re in SF. Instead, you'll catch the one with a basket in the frozen food aisle. Accidentally bump into him while reaching for a bag of frozen margarita mix and BAM--Instant conversation starter! Personally, I like to hang out by the fruits and vegetables, there's a better chance of getting a guy who's health-conscious.

3. The Gym. This piggy-backs on the fruits and veggies guy. You know he’s healthy, or at least active, as well as how much he sweats. Just start a conversation by asking him to help you with your form.

4. A Concert in the park. This is particularly true for women in San Francisco. You’ll know right away if you share a love for the same music group/genre, as well as whether or not he showers regularly.

5. The Office. Ok… so, tons of people say don’t dip your pen in company ink. But, the fact of the matter is that we spend more time with folks on the job than with anyone else. (See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9JGq-q63rU). And while I don't recommend starting anything too serious with a co-worker, I wouldn’t frown upon meeting your cube-mate's hottie roommate.

So what's the bottom line? It's all about your approach. Reserve the hooker boots/heels for the club. Save beer pong for Cal Game days. And most of all, be open to the possibility that maybe, just maybe, the cute guy squeezing peaches a couple feet away could be your next boyfriend.

What are your favorite unconventional places to meet men?