Schuetz

If you want to meet a great woman, and you're sick of the bar scene, there definitely are alternatives. Here are four of my favorites:

Your neighborhood coffee shop. I just came back from Panera Bread, a hotspot for working professionals and their laptops during the weekday morning hours. The place brings in lots of attractive women for lunch, as well. Become a regular; there's a real community there. Be sure to avoid it on weekends, though, when couples with kids take over. If you don't have a Panera Bread in your neighborhood, try a mom-and-pop haunt. The Huntington Street Caf in my area draws real estate agents, attorneys, hairdressers, and entrepreneurs until it closes at 6PM. The key is to find a venue that offers free WIFI, which tends to attract dynamic women with lives.

A pottery class. Dont laugh. My very attractive and soon-to-be divorced friend is a regular at a local pottery class that is loaded with women. Several weeks ago, a straight and good-looking man joined the group and hit it off with everybody. Granted, if you join a pottery class (or another course that tends to draw a high percentage of females), you could be stuck with a bunch of mothers who want a break from their screaming children, but no matter: Chances are, each one of them knows a lovely single woman who wants to meet a guy just like you.

The Irish Penpals Program. It's free, and you don't have to be Irish. You don't even have to write to an Irishwoman if you don't like Irish people (I once heard a guy in the Huntington Street Caf ramble on about how Irishwomen are the least attractive females in the world. Nice head, Buddy: I'm Irish). You can make French, German, and English friends through Irish Pen Pals program, as well. The organizers recently received a testimonial from an American guy who corresponded with a German woman and married her. He wrote, I met the love of my life through your website. Check out www.irishpenpals.com.

Singles' Travel. Whether you head to a San Francisco B&B on your own or join a singles group for a cruise, you're going to meet women. The great thing about staying in a B&B? Youre forced to mingle with other guests at breakfast, as opposed to remaining anonymous in some hotel. The great thing about traveling with a singles' group? Every woman you meet will be unattached, and youre guaranteed to spend enough time together to actually develop some sort of relationship. Singles' cruises are also perfect for shy people; they tend to be crammed with activities, making conversation less important.

If you're serious about meeting a fantastic woman, take action. Remove your baseball cap and get off the couch. Stop relying on the same old friends to introduce you to whatever new female they scratch up. There' s a woman out there whos dying to meet you.

What are you going to do about it?