Last Saturday, Carlos Xuma and I spent the day with a roomful of 16 midlife single men and women and talked about dating.

How to find someone special. How to connect with them. How to keep them. The question on everyone's mind was "Where do you meet quality people?"

Sad to say, there is no location where all of quality available singles hang out, just waiting to meet that special someone.

And, if there were, you wouldn't be caught dead going there, because you wouldn't want to appear...well, desperate.

The key to meeting new people is to do something different. Get out of the house, change your routine and start talking to strangers.

If you go straight home from work every night, head to a happy hour, a cafe, a class, or a grocery store. Smile and say hello to at least three members of the opposite sex that are fairly close to your age. You can't tell by looking if they are right for you. You don't have to date them. Just say hello. Ask a question about anything. Compliment someone about their taste in jewelry or style. Smile and move on.

Take a class or join an activity--click here for suggestions. The advantage of these groups is that you get to know other participants over time, and have a common topic that you can discuss. Get there a little early and socialize with people as they come in. Be friendly during the break.

The most important thing to remember is that the love of your life is probably a stranger right now. Like discovering a diamond, it will take some exploration and digging to uncover him or her. Enjoy!