I've read probably too many studies on relationships, on how and when they form, on who attracts who, etc. Some of it is stuff you wouldn't expect, but those are mostly obscure details which are only of major interest to academics.
In terms of the fundamentals, the stuff that's important when you're just plain looking for a partner? Most of it just reinforces certain pieces of common wisdom on the topic. In fact, Maddie's poem is probably the best advice you can take.
One of the biggest drivers of forming relationships is simple proximity. You're very likely to get in a relationship with somebody who lives close to you or who works with you. What does that really speak to? The power of exposure. Those two scenarios are simply the ways in which you meet the most people. That's really what helps the most. Meeting people.
So get yourself out there. And when you are out there, be social. Talk to people. Bars are one option, though not my favorite, mostly because when there's a lot of alcohol around, I usually end up getting too drunk and start acting . . . less discrete than normal, and then my boyfriend gets irritated about how I'm acting. Then again, since I usually go to gay social events, that occasionally makes me really popular with the other guys around. Wow, that was a random tangent.
Really, sometimes all you need is to change your lifestyle to one that is more people-oriented. It can be a dizzying thing to do if you're traditionally introverted, or if you have trouble speaking in public or to strangers. But you know what? There are ways to fix that, and even _those ways_ are themselves a good avenue to meet people.
I'll tell you what. I think you should go to that bar. You don't have to talk to anybody. Just find the address, and just to prove to yourself that you're fine doing this kind of thing, sit there for fifteen minutes and have a drink. Talk to people and stay longer if you want to. Or walk out right after fifteen minutes pass if you want to.
And if you want a little bit of practice learning how to be outgoing (it can be a learned behavior, if your personality isn't inclined to it), try joining a Toastmasters club. These are basically random (sometimes they're a company thing, but most are just area clubs) people from all walks of life who come together to learn how to be better public speakers. There's usually a broad mix of skill level. Some are professional speakers, and some are total amateurs with no particular skill doing it. And generally, members are very courteous to all of them, listening and giving polite feedback to help you get better. There's a structure you can work within too, if you want, a manual which suggests what kind of speeches to write and deliver. I think it would do two things for you. You do have to pay to be a member, but you can actually just walk into a club and sit in during a few of their meetings, just to see if it's the kind of thing you might want to do. They're usually OK with that.
