Aliasalpha: Anyone got any? I could really use some about now. I've pretty well just given up on my one and only chance of happiness (can't go into the details but it involves a woman).
What works for you guys/girls/weclock?
Dude, it's hard and I feel for you. I've had a lot of experience with what you're going through (not strictly the issues with females, but the negative thought patterns that follow.) Allow yourself time to grieve, but don't let yourself get drawn into that vicious cycle that can easily develop where the feelings of hopelessness build. Easier said than done I know, but don't start by looking at "the big picture," rather, start small and do those little things that usually put a smile on your face... I'm guessing gaming is one of them.. ;-)
When you start feeling a little better emotionally, you need to try and get out of your comfort zone to try and break those negative patterns by trying something different or new. If you're looking to meet more women, a casual dance class is a good place to start. You may not be into dancing, but a traditional dance class (like ballroom or something similar) is pretty non-confronting and easy to get a grasp on. (Avoid modern dance classes, they're usually full of heroes and wanna-be's.) A beginners casual class for adults is ideal as you usually pay by the session (so if it's not for you, you haven't lost much,) and the ratio of women to men is awesome. Usually there's about 8-10 women to every guy. Plus on a social level, it's an good way to ease yourself into meeting new people. Everyone's on the same sort of skill level and because you're not going to be the only one there that's getting out of their comfort zone, conversations are easy to start as people start to joke around with each other about how bad they are at it! Plus you get to dance closely with a lot of different women! If you don't have anything like that in Wagga, make a night out of it and travel to somewhere nearby (I know Wagga's kind of remote though) and get a meal or a coffee, take a buddy if it makes you feel a little more comfortable. If you don't have a buddy that's into it, the promise of being horribly outnumbered by women usually hooks them in!!! :-)
As for working in an indusrty that's a complete sausage-fest, I can relate. Enjoy your work, but try to augment it with something totally different (like the aforementioned dance classes.) Lastly, embrace your nerdy side. Believe me, there's a lot of women out there like that and even the one's that aren't nerdy themselves appreciate an intellectual guy that can carry a conversation that's not constructed from one syllable words. So many women that go for guys based on looks get tired of posers in their fucking Ed Hardy shirts and popped collars that spend more time on their hair than they do, and look to a more intellectual guy like yourself. Looks fade, eventually everyone realises that, but your intellect will remain appealing to others for the rest of your life.
Stay strong brother.