The air is crisp, pumpkins are appearing on neighborhood stoops, and it's football season.
Ah, football season. Even if you don't know a tight end from a quarterback, you gotta love football. Especially if you want to meet men.
It's time to scope out a bar where the people dress the way you do (in other words, where you feel comfortable; all bars are not the same!) and start hanging out there when the place is packed with guys watching football games.
The trick is not to show up once and bag a man. Instead, show up regularly (preferably with a cheerful friend), have a couple of drinks (but don't get drunk!), and become a familiar face. Get the lay of the land: Without staring, check out the regulars. Who's friendly? Who drinks responsibly? Who tips the bartender well?
Speaking of the bartender, treat him kindly. Tip him, respect him. Be friendly, but don't be overly flirtatious. Make him your ally. You never know when he'll mention what a great girl you are to one of his favorite male customers.
Here's another tip: While you're in a bar, keep your attention on your friend (and on the game, if you're into it). Men can smell a woman on the make from a mile away, and you're so much more attractive when you're having a great time with a friend. Try not to look like you're out to lasso a live one.
If you can't stomach beer and football, head to one of the coffee houses that are popping up all over the universe. My neighborhood recently sprouted two of them, both of which offer delicious salads and sandwiches and live music on weekends. There's an open mic night at one, which attracts hordes of people from miles around. Make a point of showing up at your soon-to-be-favorite coffee house at least once a week. Different nights tend to attract different crowds, so figure out which night will be yours.
The man of your dreams is not going to walk through your front door (unless he's an exterminator), so get out of the house! And not just on weekends!
Final tip: Before you put on your earrings and leave the house, write a list of what you do not want in a man (roaring drunk, habitually unemployed, aversion to telling the truth, and so on). Then turn it around and write a list of what you do want (I'm partial to fun and faithful myself).
When you know what you want, it makes attracting it (and recognizing it!), much easier. This technique has worked for me in attracting the right man, the right friends, the right house, and the right dress.
Go for it.
Terry Hernon MacDonald is the happily married author of "How to Attract and Marry the Man of Your Dreams." Sign up for her f*ree dating tips at http://www.marrysmart.com . Check out her blog at http://happygirlmusing.blogspot.com .