The Million-Dollar Question

I had lunch the other day with a former fling who currently reads my blog.  Apart from the original "so when/what are you going to write about me/us?" question I get ALL the time now... he posed another interesting question:

"K, you write about all of these dates that you go on.... and how they never go right, etc... With all due respect, have you ever thought the problem might be you?"

Gee... thanks.  That thought has NEVER crossed my mind.

If I had a nickel for every time someone threw that line at me, I'd be rich.  So, ok, I'll bite.  What's my problem?  Is it that I have such low standards that I go out with pretty much anyone?  I will sadly admit that I have a very Anne-Frank-like mindset most of the time (deep down everyone is good at heart) and I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt (however naive that may be).  Or is it that I make bad choices?  (Oh to reform a bad-boy... Isn't that every girl's secret dream?)  Am I "too picky" with my bad choices and low standards that I never get past the first couple of dates?  Or am I afraid of commitment?  Or is it something else?  A combination of the above?

I like to think that there's no right answer and he was asking more rhetorically.  (Delusion is a wonderful thing)  :-)

To answer the question, would be a little too much self-insight for this gal.

I just throw it out to slim-pickings.  Being my late-20s now, dating is kind of like second-round draft picks.  Most guys in my dating-pool age-range now are either taken, divorced, single fathers, or are toting some other kind of baggage.  And let's be honest, much older means waaaay more of the aforementioned.  And much younger... well, I just won't go there... again.

So... yeah.... is the problem me?  Or is the problem just dating in general?

I don't think my stories or experiences are all that different from anyone else... 

Are they?