Dear John:

You wrote to  me: “Now  that you mention that there was  someone that I did briefly date that  did well for  herself. was very active (did things/trips on weekends) and her child was 17. When I was talking to her, all thoughts of my ex faded out very fast, I got that excitement I did  have  with  my ex when she would text  or whatever… gives me  something to think about”.

Well, this very post I quoted here gives me something to think about. You want that feeling back, well, this is your best bet to get that feeling  back: once you are  single (no longer in a relationship with your current girlfriend), place a  profile on a  dating  site stating  clearly  that you are  looking  for a woman who has no children or no minor age children, a  woman who is very active, does  things, takes trips on weekends and  is interested in  continuing this activity while in a relationship.

That  would be a start, stating  what you  need in a dating  profile, then getting responses and before getting deeply involved with any  woman (as you have with your current girlfriend, unfortunately), make  sure the woman is  indeed compatible  with what you stated in your profile.

anita