How do you date?

I really never "dated". I went out with someone once and never again, or I went out with someone once and then dated them for a couple of years, or married them, or just slept with them for a period of time. 

I do not know how to date. So, I go on lots of first dates and then don't call them back. Or I avoid seeing them very often. But now, in theory, I am "dating" a couple of people. First, lest you judge, I am sleeping with no one. Just not ready for that. It is difficult with online dating because I don't know them very well, and I get them a little mixed up some of the time. Only in my head, they don't know. I am not sure if I have shared the hilarious story about my college roommate or the harrowing details of my divorce. Their names are aso sort of mix-upable: Ben, Mike, Jeff and Steve. Come on! Couldn't one of them have been named by Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner?

I need to remember that they are dating, also. Probably. And I need to remember that dating is okay. No one is required to end up spending holidays together or even sleeping together. New mantra: It's okay to date, It's okay to date, It's okay to date...

The upside of all of this is that for the first time in my life, I am really thinking about what I want as opposed to starting to date someone and then trying to figure out how to change them. Interesting concept...