Single male adoption

Hi, gang. I just stumbled on to this forum. Looks like a great resource for adoption information. I am a single male (37 years old). Unfortunately, I have not been blessed to find someone to settle down with and raise a family. Sometimes I feel like I've been robbed of that, as most people my age are married and have families of their own by this age. I long to have that, and sometimes it seems as if I've "missed the boat." I especially long for the experience of fatherhood. I've been told constantly by friends, colleagues and associates that I would make a great dad. Adoption never even crossed my mind, until a friend suggested that as an option. After some basic research, I would definitely like to consider adoption, as ther are so many kids in foster care waiting for permanent homes. I guess the big question is if single males have a fair shot at becoming adotive parents. Some of the research I've done indicate that there are lots of scrutiny and roadblocks for single males looking into adoption. Nevertheless, I still want to look into this. I just don't know where to start. Any advice to point me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. I live in California. Thanks!