Delicious and Unpretentious

So it's been about two months now since I've joined this organization known as For Men Only
based right here in Dallas, TX. I was fresh out of a relationship that ended suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving me wandering aimlessly amongst the shadows. On a tip from a co-worker, I found this organization on Meetup.com and decided to see what they were about.

The concept is very interesting, actually. Here we have hundreds of gay men that have a common goal of meeting new people for friendships and/or relationships. The environment is non-pretentious, and they opt to host social gatherings at locations other than the dark, ominous, meat racks known as gay bars. Yes, they really have my attention now! So, I gave it a shot.

Once I joined FMO, I browsed their calendar and noticed a martini social at a restaurant in Uptown Dallas known as the Margarita Ranch. I picked up the pieces of my heart and tucked them in my back pocket... slipped into a pair of jeans, dress shirt, and vest... and made my way over to the location in hopes of finding friendship and support. When I arrived that night, I was greeted warmly by the organization's founder and helpers. These were everyday men -- postal workers, bankers, techies, businessmen -- dressed not intimidating, but delectably casual. There were no sprites or fairies to be found; no glow sticks and tight jeans that left thighs and ass cheeks crying for air.

I found myself loosening up quickly, so I put on a name tag with a little green dot on it, which essentially tagged me as a "newbie". The restaurant staff provided us with chips/salsa and a menu of delicious $3 martinis to choose from. I opted for a mango martini to wet my lips. Within minutes, I was chatting with several gentlemen who had very interesting stories to tell. It was the most unpretentious setting I've ever encountered in the Gay Realm, and I left the event without the feelings of loneliness that I entered with.

It feels like I've found a much better way to interact with gay men. Technology has definitely altered the landscape of gay society and its dating dynamics... whether in a good or bad way, I'm not certain. Surfing popular chat sites tends to get so discouraging at times -- and more often than not, I'm left wishing the ESCAPE, BACKSPACE, and DELETE keys had much more functionality.

Rest assured, I'm constantly watching FMO's calendar for even more events such as bowling, happy hours, dinners, and especially outdoor events like camping. I feel so much more in a comfort zone knowing that I'm not going to be greeted with naked photos; questions about penis size; top or bottom; your place or mine. Not that I shun naked photos, but I ask myself, how am I expecting things to develop with someone if that's the FIRST thing aired out? What priorities are being advertised? Does that kind of "interaction" have anything to do with getting to know or everything to do with getting to blow? I'm interested in knowing the statistical success of long-term relationships that start online, versus the ones that don't.

For some reason, I wouldn't mind a different approach... bumping into a guy in a grocery store, knocking over his basket, helping him pick up his cucumbers, squash, and bananas, and then striking up a conversation leading to a date. It sounds so much more natural to me. At least you have already learned that the guy is okay with you screwing up from time to time... especially if you still leave with a phone number that doesn't start with area code 911 or prefix 555.