Unfortunately, it's hard to mastermind things in such a way that a long-term partner slots into your life at precisely the moment you're ready for him - good blokes have this strange habit of scuttling under rocks just when a gal feels at her most eager to ensnare them. But what you can do is set up your life in such a way that your chances of meeting a selection of suitable candidates are at their highest. In other words, you need to get your social life off the ground so that you're meeting heaps of interesting men. And from here you can make your selection.
If you're fairly shy, or lacking in confidence, the best way to do this is through hobbies and leisure activities (it takes an exceedingly gutsy woman to storm into a pub and barge her way into the first circle of friends she finds there). So have a think about what you might be interested in pursuing (Photography? Mountain biking? Poetry appreciation?) and then find a group near you that meets regularly.
Be sure only to sign up with an organisation with a strong social component - this shouldn't be difficult, as many leisure activities are feeble excuses to meet like-minded people and have a laugh. And of course, a shared activity is a fantastic ice-breaker...a conversation on digital photography will quickly evolve from the general to the particular (what camera do you own? What do you like taking pictures of?), and before you know it, you will find yourself swapping life stories with an intriguing man you'd never have met at a bar. Next thing you know, you'll be casually inviting him home to examine the collection on your bedroom wall.
Good luck! (For information on part-time classes and evening courses, pick up a copy of Floodlight from any good newsagent, or click on: www.floodlight.co.uk).