Mi Media Naranja

In Spanish, the term "media naranja" (half orange) means the same thing as your soul mate (or your other half).

I honestly don't know how anyone can find their other half. I've been in this dating life for a bit now, and it seems impossible. So many variables and questions.

My recent dating woes arise from some unwanted attention. Sometimes I think I'm a terrible person because I say things that are snarky and rude, but then, at other times, I think I'm too nice. I honestly try to be kind to everyone and want to get to know everyone personally. I really do. I like people in general.

Unfortunately, that is my downfall. Why do I have to be so nice? And why is it so hard to reject someone? I have been recently pursued by a man in my ward who seems nice enough. I'm not interested in him romantically, but I think he's a nice person. So in order to avoid the date, I agreed to go to a group activity at a restaurant with him and some of his friends thinking it would be sufficient and I could just shrug off the solo dinner invitations.

Well, I was wrong. I went, and now I get daily text messages. I even declined the dinner invitations. Apparently saying no is not sufficient. He thinks I'm just really busy (which is true), but if I was interested in dating you, I would make time for dinner. I mean a girl's gotta eat...

I legitimately am of the camp that if I see no point - no possible relationship, there is no need for even a first date. I know in LDS culture, the first date is basically required. But if I feel no connection and only dread, I don't think it's fair to him (OR ME ... mostly me?) to endure a dinner when I don't want to be there. I think that if I don't really know the guy or have any opinion, I'll definitely give him a first date. But if it's clear to me, I see no problem refusing the first date.

Do you guys turn down first dates? Or do you always give a guy a chance with a first date?