Background: Weeks ago when Aaron was creating his e-harmony profile, I joined him and began creating one too. The process of just creating the account and taking the personality test, however, wore me out, and I stopped there. Plus it's really expensive--like $50 or $60 for one month. As a result of creating an account, I've received a few e-mails and became aware of the fact that e-harmony offers a free seven day trial. And I am a sucker for free stuff. In fact, my only exposure to online dating has been from free three day trials with Match. Three days is long enough to remind me that online dating isn't for me.
Present day: So I finished my profile that include 29 magical points on which they would match me with...guys with photos on motorcycles, men as far aways as Knoxville, TN, and one or two men who mentioned their cats. There were also a lot of men with children. Long story short, I only "opened communication" with two of the provided matches. I have e-mailed and briefly talked to one of them, and he seems nice. Although when one of his first e-mails detailed his back pain, I wondered if perhaps 38 is too old.
So e-harmony bachelor #2 is 30, a pilot, from the same area of Georgia as me, and also shared the delight of having his father (my step-father) as high school principal and mother as his counselor. He was also raised Presbyterian (whatever that means....maybe not to smile during church or to believe in predestination?). So we've e-mailed some but a bit erratically given his job, and in the last e-mail, which I haven't responded to yet, he wrote something about being on myspace depite it being geeky as a way to keep up with friends. So, of course, I checked out his myspace page, and here's what I found:
(1) His primary photo features him in camouflage hunting clothing with his face painted. It's good camo because I can barely distinguish him from his surroundings.
(2) He has one of those quizzes on his page....and it has questions like "rifle or bow?" (his answer: both AND a pistol), "mossy oak or real tree?," and "Ford or Chevy?"
(3) His other photos include a deer hanging from the ceiling (obviously about to be gutted and accompanied by the line that "PETA could kiss his ass"), deer heads on the wall of a lodge, him holding a dead snake, him holding a fish, and well, you get the idea.
I don't have a problem with hunting, but his page reeked of immaturity and obsession with hunting. I need to write him back but don't really want to anymore. I am tempted to write "I saw your myspace page, and I now think we're not compatible. Good luck in your search. Remove the camo, and the One will have an easier time finding you." Again, I feel like I should keep an open mind, but....
24 comments:
I would never date someone who owns a gun, just a personal thing. I realize that rules out a whole lot of people, but so what.
Dating a man in camoflauge would be really frustrating. You would never be able to find him, or you would think he kept losing limbs. "Hey, where are your legs?...Oh...camoflauge pants...I get it."
This reminds me of a bumper sticker I once saw that said "I love animals. They are delicious."
AM: Ha. Well if I ever meet this guy, I'll have to give him said bumper sticker.
Wouldn't you want a guy that had activities to get him out of the house? I mean, you want your own personal space, right? How are you to keep your quiet Friday nights to yourself if he doesn't go out camping with the guys on the weekend?
You seem to want a manly-man. I'm pretty sure a guy that's this interested in hunting isn't worried about shaving his legs. :P
I think you need to post some pictures in camo. that would be hot.
While I love the concept of a filtering system that does not actually involve meeting in person, I can't see online dating as a serious method for finding "the one" or even number two or three for that matter.
It would be ok for meaningless hookups, but honestly, I think your criteria is much, much, much, much too high for this.
But i always believe that old guy on the eharmony ads.
If you aren't feeling it, don't force it and move on :)
Girl I was married to a game warden for almost 9 years. The camo gets OLD!!!
omg Ally, I hope there are more fishes out there besides this guy! ;)
Trixie: There are definitely plenty of fish out there; it's just a matter of finding just the right fish. And I don't mean the one this guy is holding in his photo.
FC&F: Yeah, my family used to be REALLY into hunting, and it definitely got old (especially the waking up at 5:30).
Carmen: Good point.
Billy: So Dr. Warren really hits it home with you? And I'm not sure exactly what FOUR muches means...but I'm guessing you think I'm super picky. Fair enough.
Ivy: I'll see what I can do.
Aaron: While I don't want a metrosexual, I wouldn't characterize the guys I'm drawn to as "manly men." And I think separate interests are good, although hunters and golfers and their seeming obsession is a bit of a put off, especially when it involves putting deer heads on the wall and whatnot. After I reread his last email, I realized the lack of depth in it combined with the over-the-top myspace page = disinterest.
Did you notice a banjo in any of his pictures?
I swear, all I hear about with online dating is how many normal girls there are on it and how many odd guys. Maybe there's still something to be said for meeting the old fashioned way... at church.
Still Just Me: No banjo but there is a Merle Haggard song playing on his page.
GLB: It does seem like an odd ratio with online dating, but then again, I'd say the same about the church single stuff I've been to while living here. The ratio didn't seem to be as significant when I lived in Atlanta though.
Don't waste any more time. You will know when this person clicks. You already know to have an open mind - and it has told you that camo/hunting/crazy man 'aint the one for you. Now what you need to do is keep on hunting, for a better man.
Oh my goodness Ally. I'd be just as turned off by you. I mean, I love a man in uniform, but I'd be a little disheartened by the camo + the hunted animals, hanging deer, snakes, etc. I don't blame you for kind of not wanting to write back. Why does it have to be that the emails prior to the pictures are good, and then this happens? Oh well, there are other fish in the sea, and like eb said, just keep on hunting.
Oh dearie me. Does he eat what he hunts or did you not get that far down the path of discovery...
I can't for the life of me think why he's single though, not at all :)
And 38's not old :) I should know...
Peej
x
Presbyterians DO smile in church! In fact we don't take ourselves all that seriously and most of our sermons at some point have a hysterical anecdote.
As for predestination, I'm still trying to figure that out.
And as for meeting guys at Church, I think our singles group is a bit dysfunctional. But I suppose I shouldn't give up just yet.
I'm sure one of your degrees of compatibility involved liking animal and you being such the party animal.
Get to posting those pics!
Let me make you a martini...
I have a problem with grown men who are on myspace. 9 times of 10, there is a deep rooted problem there....IMO!
MySpace reveals all. It's a blessing in disguise.
What DCVita said - the last three people arrested for dodgy serial killing type stuff over here had myspace pages...bleugh :)
Peej
x
e.b.: I love the "keep on hunting."
brookem: I know no one is perfect as I certainly am not--so I'm glad I'm not alone is being off-put by all the dead animals:)
Peej: He actually did mention in that same email that he enjoys grilling out. And I agree that 38 isn't old; it's more about how you act/carry yourself--if that includes incessant complaints about ailments, you're aging yourself.
Ella: You can join my converstaion with Billy re: predestination (I actually agree with you Presbyterians on this one:)
Ivy: Good call. This weekend I'll be in Calhoun where my family has plenty of camo; I'll see what I can.
Ruby: An appletini would be delicious!
DCVita: Despite having a myspace page myself, I find a guy having one to be more of a turn off than a turn on. And yes, that makes me a hypocrite.
thethinker: I'd never thought of Myspace as a blessing in disguise, but you have a point.
peej: Haha. Thanks for the heads up.
well I think we can even that ratio out by talking to some men who online date... I've heard so many 'psycho woman' and 'weird chick' stories, and that's just the guys that dated me. Just kidding. Guys have no problem telling you about their experiences on dating sites, and I've heard some strange ones.
camo and guns though... not my type.
Jordan: More boys need to blog, so I can read their crazy chick stories!
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