During a family get-together, one of my favorite cousins and I caught up with each other's lives. Andrew works in Washington, DC (By the way, he's 28, single, handsome, and very sweet. Looking for a classy, conservative gal..). We were talking about business and technology when he said, "Mary Rose, you are into so much stuff! You have such a spirit of curiosity. I think that's just great."

I thanked him and said, "Andrew, to me it is the essence of staying young. When you're learning new things, you're growing and I never want to stop growing!" He smiled and agreed with me.

The trait of curiosity is one that can greatly affect a single person's opportunities in finding love. How interested are you in discovering new people, new places, new skills? When was the last time you took a class? Or when was the last time you visited a new group of people, such as a book club or a volunteer service?

I remember when I discovered contra dancing. A friend introduced me to this highly energetic and enormously fun style of dance. Because I loved to dance to anything from Big Band to House music, I quickly became addicted. Not only was this type of dancing very fun, it allowed me to socialize with a wide variety of people and turned out to be an excellent form of exercise! (Seriously the contra dancers I knew all brought at least one change of clothing with them for the night plus a big, fluffy towel. When I say we worked out, I mean it!)

I also started to attend our local art crawls that were held on the last Friday of the month. These type of events happen in many cities. A certain area of town that was filled with art galleries would host these wonderful outdoor parties during the warmer months. There was usually a band (or a drumming circle) that provided music and a few nearby restaurants served food outdoors. It was another way to get out of the familiar and learn something new about my local artist community.

When you're older, it is easier to stay attached to the daily routine. If you have a stressful job, it is understandable that when you arrive home, the last thing you want to do is go out again. But it isn't necessary to always go out. You can learn new things by researching topics on the Internet or viewing a documentary. Whatever you do, use your free time to expand your universe, if even slightly.

If you're with an online dating service, you have given yourself yet another way to build curiosity. When you meet a new person, embrace the opportunity as a way to learn something new. It could be a new way of looking at something or learning about a new restaurant or new hobby. Look for the new in everything around you. Men find such women very intriguing. Women find such men attractive. Ask questions and listen for the nuggets of truth.

Work on filling your "Curiosity Tank." It will take you to some wonderfully, fascinating places!