Dogma,

I admit...she's probably deranged, but I seriously doubt that until she knows the real me that she could possibly resist my charms. It really did feel good to have a conversation with someone that seemed interested in getting to know me. And I was interested to.

Since there is nothing to lose, tell her the truth, tell her you may be interested, but you still have strong feelings for your X. If she is still interested, great, if not, there was not too much emotional damage wrought.

In this instance I'm not sure that honesty is the best policy. That may sound wrong, but should I go on a date I want to see how it goes without talking about this baggage. There is something I need to know about myself....whether I have been honest with myself about devoting myself exclusively to my ex-W.

G, it always surprises me when you drop in, but I'm glad you keep up on my situation. You probably get dizzy just watching this rollercoaster. What happens is we spend so much energy trying to meet the emotional needs of someone else that we have nothing left for ourselves. It's natural to want some of that for ourselves. I'm sure if this friend of yours provides even 1/10th of what you have given of yourself to your H that you should be flying high. I appreciate your honest opinion. I badly wanted to ask her out, but I felt selfish.

Bruce, I'm actually surprised. I thought you'd say "don't bother". But it is just a date. A chance to have fun, meet someone new. Gabe, UD, Kevin....??

In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln

It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.
Theodore Roosevelt