So I'm a bit of a newcomer. Spent most of my adult life in an LTR. Months of feeling sorry for myself when it ended and decided it's time to turn my life around. Biggest problem has been approach anxiety, but I've been putting myself out there this weekend.

For anyone having doubts, this is for you. (I'm average looking, 6 or 7 maybe, but I stay fit. I can be a little shy and introvert, but I'm working on that.)

Day 1: Went out with a friend to some local bars. Keeping in mind all the things I've read and learned recently. One girl is the obvious target for most of the guys in our group, so I told myself I'm going to be the exception. Went about working the group of mostly guys, smiling, joking, they all seemed to warm to me. One of them tried to put me down and flipped me the bird at one point. I recounted a story I read here in the last few days (link me if anyone else saw it) that talks about how 'I' came across this injured bird on the way here, and I didn't want to leave it abandoned, so I put it in my pocket... at which point you reach into your pocket and pull out 'the bird' (I gave the guy the finger, and everyone laughed, including him). Got my chance to talk to her on her own for a bit then. Didn't push it, 'cause I know we're both attending an event next weekend and she's already got everyone all over her. The next day she's added me on facebook. Sure she knew my name, but she must have gone and looked me up. We've chatted a little, I negged her, we're talking about going salsa dancing next week (effortless kino).

Day 2: I've been talking to this girl on Tinder. It's pretty casual, but I've changed my conversation from interview style to just fun and occasionally negging. I accuse her of flirting with me, I joked about her being older than me (dangerous I know, but i'm 29 and she's 31, so I joke she's on the "wrong side of 30"). I didn't know how to bring up the idea of meeting up, so i decided to ask her "so, when are you going to ask me out already?". She came back and asked "Should we go out" along with some "you're not crazy or anything?" and told her confidently, yes, [where and when] and she'll have to decide for herself if she thinks i'm crazy. Date set up and she moved onto asking about TV shows.

Day 3: Day has barely even begun for me here, but I've been keeping all this stuff in my mind, so when I was walking to work this morning I realised the girl at the lights next to me works in my building. I recognised the opportunity to strike up a conversation; "hey you work at ____". I didn't take it. I was kicking myself as I hurried along down the street, rationalising that I was gonna be late for the shuttle bus (the same bus she was obviously going to be on). As I was standing at another set of lights down the street, She appeared beside me again and I decided I want to get over the AA. I took out my headphones, and said Hi. She was wearing headphones too, and this seems to be a common problem on here. It wasn't a problem at all. I Smiled, said hi, and she popped the earphones out. We talked all the way to the bus and a little on the bus. We already had a lot of situational common ground to work off; The walk to work, the bus, the driver of the bus has uncontrollable rage, the building we work in... Again I didn't push it. We get that bus all the time, and there's a shared canteen, so we'll definitely see more of each other, and now I know her name, so I can strike up a conversation any time. There's also a tonne of good looking woman in her office so I'm expanding my social circle.

I had my doubts at times, but I haven't felt so positive in a long time. It's all fuelling the confidence in me to go out and do it again and again.