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The Dating Experiment: I Went on 20 First Dates at 60 — Here’s What Happened
What happens when you mix optimism, arthritis, and 20 strangers from the internet? A hell of a social study. And maybe… closure
Introduction
I turned 60, looked in the mirror, and thought, “Wow. This is either going to be the beginning of a glorious new chapter — or I’m about to accidentally join a cult.” After my divorce finalized (a polite way of saying my ex-husband left me for kombucha and a woman named Sky), I spent three years in a fog of toast crumbs, late-night Netflix crime shows, and aggressively ignoring my vibrator like it owed me money. I wasn’t lonely, per se. I had cats. And a neighbor named Glen who waved too enthusiastically. But I was curious.
Curious enough to conduct an experiment. 20 first dates. One woman. 60 years old. No filters, no ghostwriters, no escape plan. I wanted to know: Is it still possible to spark — really spark — at this age? Or is dating in your 60s just glorified small talk and matching knee surgeries?
I dusted off my Bumble profile (after accidentally uploading a photo of my ceiling fan), set parameters — men aged 55 to 70 who could…
