Some of us just take longer to season, no doubt. I wish you well on Monday. Hope it goes well, you seem like a decent guy. Most everyone barring sociopaths and psychopaths are worthy of love in general. Even some of them are. But finding someone you fit well with is hard for a lot of us. Again, I sympathize.

Seems to me like a lot of men are cracking under the strain of being under constant scrutiny. Until recently, they haven’t experienced in the way women have. No doubt, it will shred your self esteem if you let it. Men are even starting to develop eating disorders like women do. Of course, suicide is also on the rise. Most of that messaging is propaganda though, and not based on reality. On the whole, men and women want the same things. Always have. Always will.

I wish I could give you an easy formula for countering the effects on your self image of all that messaging but there’s not one. It’s hard. It’s work. It’s trial and error. Success and failure. It’s picking yourself up again and again and again. It never ends. People and companies who make money out of destroying the self image and self worth of others don’t care about the damage it does. They care about making bank. That’s not likely to change any time soon so the only option any of us have is to resist it, Atlas like. Sorry I can’t give you better and I wish somebody could give me better too. It gets easier, with time.

I wanted someone who is what I would call average. Somebody who knows how to have fun, adventurous, willing to try something new, generous with his time, physically affectionate but private about it, passionate, has something he loves and has his own friends, isn’t a control freak, doesn’t have to try to take over everything, doesn’t police, playful, can carry a conversation, a good story teller, outdoorsy but can also carry himself decently in a more cultured environment, can share, competent, doesn’t have to be carried emotionally or is just dead weight, not a chronic whiner and complainer, and isn’t a constant let down. Physically, someone around my own height within a coupla few of inches either way, medium built and toned but not a gym rat, reasonably attractive and knows how to smile. Arresting eyes. I don’t really have a preference on coloring. You know. Average.

Turns out average is a hard get. Who would have thought?

Anyways, like I said, I’m done. My daughter just turned 18 and I have more fun and less drama with a teenage girl and a beagle. A fact that is not a ringing endorsement of the male fare around here and pretty much says it all. Seriously! Jupiter is less annoying when she’s trying to steal my coffee than my last several dates or attempts. And she knows no bounds with the coffee thievery. None. Then we have a beagle jacked up on caffeine parquoring off all the furniture for hours on end, pouncing on anything that moves just in case of blanket bunnies, and having to be taken out every 15 minutes. Still better than dating.