I dated for about 6 months and i met quite a few ladies. It took me one or two dates to get and idea of them and maybe three to see the 'real' them. I tended to have a meal on the first date and then do something different on the second ( off road driving , a day at the seaside , boating, etc) this gave me an idea of their personality.
I very aware that im no looker but i put up my pictures and they were current , i was genuinely shocked at how some looked compared to their pictures , on a couple of occasions it wasn't even funny !!!
I was very open and honest because that's what i wanted but again I was taken back by some of the things I was told that were obvious lies.
From all the dates i met two very nice ladies that i felt suited me , one lived far away and the other i have been with for about 9 months now.
I suppose the dating pool is like the rest of the world , very mixed so tread carefully and enjoy the experiance. Put yourself out there and see what happens. It's always nice to meet people and we all have very interesting stories, so even hearing those can be entertaining.
As for advice , RUN from people who have , never got the breaks , should have had promotion BUT, people who live on that negative road, those with lots of regrets, this may sound harsh but there are positive people out there and they are great to be around. I made that priority because for me thats very important.
Lastly , don't settle, there is someone out there for you and he will be valuable addition to your life.
