Second note to self: don’t send pictures of your junk, women don’t like that. Man, I’m learning a lot! Where has this thread been all my life?!
Just got to add the following key for understanding profiles on dating sites:
- I'm absolutely certain @MeganC is an exception to this, but the majority of women who have in their profile an expression of disgust about men posting or sending dick pics have photos in their own profiles that leave very little to the imagination. If they're not wearing form-fitting yoga pants in a photo, they're revealing majority cleavage and usually doing so standing in front of the bathroom mirror (especially if they complain about men posting bathroom pics).
- I like to travel means they have very little income but expect their suitors to be rich and just dying to take them all over the world.
- Those who state that anyone who voted for Trump need not apply outnumber those who state that anyone who voted for Biden, Obama, Kerry, Gore, either Clinton, Mondale, Carter, McGovern, Humphrey and Johnson need not apply combined. I love how they help me avoid wasting time.
- "Must like dogs" means you must accept the fact that you will always play second fiddle to her dogs but will be expect to foot the veterinary bills.
- Generous means you're basically going to be paying out the nose for sex; very often it's a straight-up euphemism for, "I'm a college girl, and I'm willing to have sex with you on a regular basis for the next 3 years if you'll pay my university tuition, room and board."
- "I'm not high maintenance" means you better have a second income.
- "I don't like drama" means that nothing about you should interfere with her being the center of attention in every realm.
- Open-minded means liberal which means only open to one way of looking at things. This one is highly correlated with Trump Lovers Need Not Apply.
- Extra points go to those who are widows, because 'Divorced' typically means (and is demonstrated in the prose of the profile), "I left him because I thought I could do better, and I'll be leaving you in short order as well and will be bad-mouthing him the way I'm now bad-mouthing my last ex." [By the way, I'm not at all opposed to marrying someone who has been divorced, but even with someone like me who doesn't see it as a strict prohibition, a great deal of caution is in order.]
- The weight categories are rarely accurate. Curvy is most likely to be accurate but usually means at least obese. Average means obese. Fit means heavier than average. Athletic means either, well, seriously athletic or I can lift my fork. Thin means I'm usually not fat. No one likes finding out that they've been misled about their potential mate's weight, in either direction. We were just talking about this late night on Saturday of the Missouri meet-up: I encourage everyone, male or female to be conservative in making that estimate. If you're conflicted between one category and the other, go with the one that's less ideal; all you can do then is provide a pleasant surprise -- instead of a shocking disappointment.
- Religious category listed as Spiritual means, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me!"
- "It's me time" means that it's never going to be you time. She raised someone else's kids, they dumped each other, and now she wants you to fund Fun Time, and your payoff is the privilege of providing her with due benevolence.
I had a female next-door neighbor years back when dating sites were first the vogue who told me she never went out with anyone who didn't send her naked photos. Of course, she wasn't looking for a husband, but my point is that men don't do these supposedly ridiculous things for no good reason at all. Some women respond positively. Most won't, but the men sending the dick pics aren't looking for women who frequent Biblical Families. And, having befriended many women on these sites with whom I was never going to have a romantic relationship, I've ended up learning a great deal about them. The ones with the highest standards simply don't get that they outnumber the Top Flight Guys they're seeking 1000 to 1 on dating sites -- or in the marriage meat market in general, for that matter. They pronounce their impossible-to-meet standards, then wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and then . . . every once in a while . . . out of sheer frustration with no physical contact, they knuckle under to, guess who, one of the dick pics guys,
because they know they can relieve some sexual frustration without getting hooked into anything permanent, get it out of their system for a while, then they wait, and wait, and wait, and then . . . well, yes, you guessed it.
The sensible route would be to assess the marketplace much more honestly, recognize that one isn't Princess Charming oneself, and dial the expectations down a notch or two -- and perhaps find a mate for life.
This, though, is philosophy for the single person. I would love for someone to provide me with some similar insights about plural family dating. I've certainly been striking out in that regard, but, boy, oh, boy, if I ever end up a widower and also decide to limit myself to monogamy, the things I've learned . . .