So first off thanks for having this forum

So here is the meat and potatoes of me. I'm a pretty decent guy, funny and outgoing but have huge hang ups about rejection. Kinda been that way all my life. My last relationship lasted 12 years, and i was married for the last 4 of those. Been out of that relationship about a year now. let me just say, no bullshit here. My ex was amazing. I honestly do not know what happened. I met her in the strip club, after a few months we were dating..years later it was threesome city but we were tight. we were Inseparable and everything was magic. Then poof, she disappears. No, she did not meet someone else. We have had mild contact over the last year and i know her well enough to know what is going on.

I've picked up many of the broken pieces of my life, but a few are still screwed up. Though i do have a lot going for me. I'm 36, good looking(i think so anyways) need to lose a few lbs though. 6 years in the Army's 82nd airborne, I own my own home, have a little bit of money, ride a motorcycle(great for picking up HB but i need to work it more). Talking to people is relatively easy for me. I'm always chatting up the clerk at the store or random people i meet. But there is a barrier when it comes to someone i am actually interested in knowing beyond the 30 second window of paying for my groceries or opening a door for someone.

When it comes to my motorcycle its far to easy to see a HB near my bike and say "hey im on this forum and they have photo challenges where you need to get beautiful ladies to sit on your bike and take a pic do you mind if i get a pic of you?" Sometimes they are like no way! so i have changed up that game a bit to say something about how awesome it would be to have a hot chick on my bike to tell my friends about or something. Its kind of tricky to get done though...tips here would be appreciated. Since i have my phone out already i normally can follow up with "toss me your number so next time i need a hottie to sit on my my bike i know who to call." or something like that. Like i said getting past the first part is tricky.

Overall I'm a fairly outgoing guy and i know i can take it to the next level with a little effort. I just need to figure out how to burst that bubble of being interested in a woman i find attractive and my game disappears and my brain turns to melted jello. I talk to people all the time, say hi to random strangers just so i can make them wonder how they know me.

I will keep reading this forum and learning as much as i can, but any advice on what i've presented thus far would be stellar!