Friday, May 26, 2017

Day 93: Online Dating Suggestions; or How to Get Women to Go Out With You Instead of Running Screaming Into the Night

I've been giving online dating a whirl for about two months, now, and I have to say, it's been an eye opening experience for me.  I had no idea that the world was so full of men willing to make complete asses of themselves in the search for a woman who could tolerate their bullshit.  I mean, seriously, if I'd known what a treasure trove of amazing stories this would yield, I'd have started dating years ago.  I have my doubts that it's going to magically provide me with a worthwhile companion, but at the very least it's super amusing.

However, with all this entertainment coming my way, I can't help but feel sorry for these poor guys, who are clearly trying A LOT harder than I am.  So I thought I'd write them a little guide to help them out, and while I can't guarantee it will work with every woman, I think I feel safe in promising that it will improve your chances immensely.

First:  Know Your Audience

Read her profile.

 My actual, real profile text on OKC.  
Not really too much to ask, that someone read this, is it?

I cannot stress this enough.  I know, I know, she looks SUPER HOT in that profile pic.  Really, just amazingly hot.  So hot, you are thinking to yourself "I need to ask her to a ballgame RIGHT NOW"--

But hold on there, sparky.  That's precisely what I'm talking about.  What if this woman, a mere paragraph into her profile section, says "I cannot stand any form of sports ball.  No, I will not go to a game with you.  No, I won't even watch it on TV.  And, if our relationship goes anywhere, I won't let you watch it on the TV while I'm in the house."

First of all, offering to take her to a game will blow it right off the bat.  But, second, and probably more importantly: DO YOU REALLY WANT A WOMAN YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP SPORTS FOR?

*don't say yes*

The truth is, you don't want a woman that isn't compatible with you.  It doesn't matter how hot she is, if you don't have anything to talk about.  So read her profile!  Even if it's long!  It's worth it, I promise.  Plus, it will give you things to discuss with her when you message her.  Which leads me to...

Second: Message Her Like She's a Person, Not A Blow Up Doll.

Here are some things you should NOT say in your first message:

"Call me Daddy."

"Who's a dirty little slut?"

"I'd like to motorboat those boobs."

"DTF?"

Look, I'm not saying she won't call you Daddy, she isn't a dirty little slut, she wouldn't like to be motorboated, or that she's not DTF.  She might be all those things and more!  But (barring a few very specific people with some very specific kinks) you'll generally get farther with a woman if you do not START with these things.  Most of us (aforementioned kinks excepted) enjoy being spoken to like we're people.  In fact, we'd like to be acknowledged as people BEFORE you zoom in on the erogenous zones. 

 Also, you know, you might get a response like this.

So, reading her profile comes in handy!  Does she have an almost pathological love of Thai food?  Does she want to run away and join the circus?  Has she founded her own cult religion?  Find something she said that you think is interesting, and then ask her about it.  I swear, if she's actually DTF you'll find out eventually.

Third:  Message Her Like She's a Person, Not A Goddess.

I like a good compliment, as almost every human being does.  But there is such a thing as going TOO FAR.  If you tell her that she's gorgeous, and brilliant, and witty, and amazing, you had really better know more than three paragraphs about her to back that up.  Otherwise (particularly if she actually IS brilliant and witty) you are likely to make her suspicious that you're just flattering her.  Which she is not likely to appreciate.  I cannot speak definitively for anyone else, but insincere compliments are way worse, in my book, than no compliments at all. 

 Also, not this.  Just no.  Let's make a rule that any "compliment" that comes 
with a put down of a group she belongs to is a no-go.

If you want to compliment her, pick a thing.  *A* thing.  Preferably a non-physical thing?  This one I'm less sure on.  Some women really, really want to hear that they're beautiful, more than they want to hear that they're witty.  I actually like hearing both, but for an opening gambit, I say when in doubt, start with something that isn't about how she looks.  In fact, the prettier she is, the more she likely hears that way too often.  So, seriously, compliment her on something else. 

Fourth: Complete Sentences Are Your Friends.

Again, profiles are helpful here.  You'll know how casual you can be with your vocabulary and grammar if you bother to see how precise and accurate she is with hers.  But, in general, there's nothing wrong with appearing literate.  So proof what you're writing.  Maybe you're a terrible writer, but still, you can catch some little stuff.  No reason to leave out whole words, or anything.  And I'm not trying to be a punctuation snob, but periods REALLY help in order to make sure you're communicating discrete thoughts.  Just put in a little effort, is all I'm saying. 

 FWIW, I didn't say a thing about this guys grammar.  I sincerely think he didn't know better.
But, for the rest of you, let's all remember that this is not how we English.

Fifth: If She Does Answer You, Pretend You're Talking to a Guy

I mean, don't ask her if she's ever gotten a weird rash on her balls, and what she did about it if she has.  (That's what men talk about, right?)  But, for the purposes of discussion, try to treat her like you would another man.  This means:

*Don't explain things to her unless she's specifically said that she doesn't understand, and then gone on to express an interest in what you're talking about.

*If she asks a question, answer it.  Don't explain that it would be too boring, or too technical for her to understand.

*Don't try to steer everything around to sex.  Feel free to discuss other things, like badminton or ballroom dancing.

*If you disagree with her, be prepared for her to disagree with you right back.  Under no circumstances should you assume that she will accept your word as law.

*I know this is going to make some of you uncomfortable, but keep in mind that it's entirely possible that she's smarter than you.  It is far safer to assume that she is, and be wrong about that, then to assume that she isn't, and be wrong about THAT.

Sixth: Taking it Offline

Okay, so, you found a woman with some basic overlap, and you've managed to converse and you seem to like each other.  Great.  Now, it's time to meet in person.  Maybe you suggest this, maybe she does.  It doesn't really matter.  What DOES matter is the following:

*You need to suggest meeting in a public place.  DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ask her to come to your place or, worse, ask if you can come to hers.  That is creepy. 

*Do not make jokes about raping her, jokes about kidnapping her, or any references to Buffalo Bill whatsoever.  That is CREEPY.


*Do not make any assumptions about getting into her pants during this meeting.  FOR SURE do not make any out loud assumptions about it.  If you can't help getting your hopes up, at the very least you can keep quiet about it.  Talking about how you assume you'll be headed back to her place after dinner is CREEPY.

*Do not suggest she meet you in a parking lot and blow you in your car.  This may or may not be creepy, depending on who you talk to, but it is TACKY for a first date.



Okay, this advice was geared for actually getting the woman to go out with you.  Stay tuned for Day 94: Offline Dating Suggestions, for what to do once she does.




Sunday, May 14, 2017

Day 92: Mrs. Whatsit is Motherhood Goals

"That's what I have to think about. Not about being afraid. Or not being as smart as IT. Mrs. Whatsit loves me. That's quite something, to be loved by someone like Mrs. Whatsit."
-A Wrinkle in Time



I've been thinking a lot, recently, about what my goals for motherhood are.  It's tempting to focus on who or what I hope my kids will grow to be, but the truth is that, while I can influence that, I can't really control it, and even if I could I probably shouldn't.  Instead I think about the kind of mother I want to be, and after reading A Wrinkle in Time to the kids, I think I've finally figured it out.

See, there's this scene at the end of the book, where Meg is scared out of her wits, and going to face a foe that is way, way stronger than she is.   She doesn't know how she's going to fight him, and she's terrified she'll fail to save her little brother, and--all in all--it's a pretty dark hour for her.

But then she remembers that Mrs. Whatsit loves her.  And while that doesn't make the fear go away, or really give her any ideas about what to do, it does help.  Because knowing that someone like Mrs. Whatsit--someone that special and wonderful--loves her, gives Meg the strength to keep going even in the face of her fear.

And that's who I want to be as a mother.  I want to be someone so special and wonderful that just knowing that I love them makes my kids stronger and better people.  It gives them courage in the dark times and helps them carry on when things seem hopeless.  I want the experience of having my love to be "quite something."

I know.  It's a crazy goal.  And maybe even unattainable.  But it seems like a worthy one, and so, on this Mother's Day, I am dedicating myself to this idea.  That Mrs. Whatsit is my new Motherhood Goal, and that someday, even if I don't know it, my children will remember that I love them, and it will be enough to see them through.

Mother's Day kisses to you all!

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Day 91: Everything I Am...

I hate Celine Dion.

Look, I'm sorry, y'all.  She's got an amazing voice.  And yeah, if we're out at Karaoke there's a decent chance I'll do an impassioned rendition of All Coming Back to Me.  But none of that matters.  You know why?

Because of this stupid song:



She wrote this song for a man.  A MAN, PEOPLE.  Let's go ahead and dissect why I'm so angry with it, shall we?  Lemme make sure you've really taken in the lyrics.

I'm everything I am
Because you loved me.

Really?  REALLY CELINE?  EVERYTHING?!?!?!?!  Like, there was no foundation or basis for your being until this man came into your life?  You have no sense of self outside of what he shaped you to be?  YOU'RE EVERYTHING BECAUSE HE LOVED YOU?

It makes me want to foam at the mouth.  Honestly.  If it comes on the radio I start yelling at the speakers.

BUT...
 
I had a sudden epiphany the other day, when this--possibly my least favorite song in the world--came on the radio. If I forget that Celine wrote this for her husband. If I pretend, instead, that it was for her parents, then, suddenly, I don't hate it at all. In fact, it becomes a beautiful song that illustrates a truth that is known to all of us who were lucky enough to be cherished by our parents.

Their love is what made us into the people we are today.

It is the root of who we are.

We are, without a doubt, everything that we are, because they loved us.

So, on this eve before Mother's Day, I am going to forgive Celine, for writing the perfect parental anthem. She did it by accident, but I'm just going to grit my teeth and let that go. Because for every mother, father, step-parent, grandparent--for everyone who raise us, loved us, and helped us grow, this is really, honestly, a great song.




For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in you

I'll be forever thankful baby
You're the one who held me up
Never let me fall, you're the one
Who saw me through, through it all
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand, I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I had your love, I had it all

I'm grateful for each day you gave me
Maybe I don't know that much
But I know this much is true
I was blessed because I was loved by you

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You were always there for me, the tender wind that carried me
The light in the dark shining your love into my life
You've been my inspiration, through the lies you were the truth
My world is a better place because of you

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me



Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Day 90: My Kingdom For a Fighting Woman

Okay, so...

This post kinda came from a mental rabbit hole, but whatever.  It's tech week, I'm tired, and y'all like it when I ramble.  Right?

RIGHT?

I went searching for a picture of a warrior woman.  I wanted to use it to make an image with the word "FORTIFY" emblazoned across it, for a Facebook post.  I thought this would take, maybe, two seconds.

I should know better.

So, let's start with this.  If you search "warrior" on Google Image, this is what you get:


My goodness.  That's a lot of dudes.  A whole-frakkin-boatload of 'em.  Not a lady in the bunch.  Let's just scroll down, shall we?  And see how long it takes us to find a woman?

 Nope
 Nope

AH!  Here we go.  Some women, at last.  But... hold on...




 Original by marko djurdjevic at deviantart.com

Seriously?  That's a thief, and a sorceress, and... Okay, that last one IS kinda cool.  But she's also NAKED.  She's got boots and drawers and then a whole bunch of accessories.  I'm not one to scorn a good accessory, but how is she gonna fight with her boobs flying all over the place?  Not to mention, that just seems impractical in the way of armor.

Okay, I think to myself, clearly this is just a searching problem.  Lemme refine my search.  Here we go.  Warrior WOMEN...

Da Fuq. 

Seriously, we got naked ladies, more naked ladies, and, oh yeah, some naked ladies!  Also, they're all very "oh see how pretty I am, as I stand here with my weapon of choice."  Apparently archers get a little more love.  They're allowed to actually wield their weapon, and not just display it like some geek porn check marker.
"I wanna see a girl with a big axe.  Like, a REALLY big axe.  But make her soft and vulnerable."

UGGGGGGGH!

Wanna see some of my favorites? 

You know you do.


Let's hear it for the mother of crows!  Who doesn't protect her heart, but has some truly stellar NIPPLE armor.  Cause that's the most important part, obviously.

original available from wallpaperup.com

"But, how does that protect your vital organs?"
"Oh, I'm not human.  Everything critical to life support fits neatly behind this chastity belt."
"Oh, well, that's--"
"Also I wax.  In this traditional high fantasy world.  Candles are expensive to melt down just for some grooming, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do."


This one is better!  She's got armor and a sword and everything!  Probably good they have her standing in a traditional sex kitten pose.  OTHERWISE WE MIGHT NOT HAVE NOTICED SHE'S A LADY!!!

original image from spynet.ru

I literally cannot even.
I just can't.

WHERE ARE MY FIGHTING WOMEN?!?!??!!  Not the ones in pretty poses, the ones "accidentally" being gorgeous while they fondle their bo staffs.  Where are the ones streaked with blood, screaming with unbridled battle fury at their opponent? 

I KNOW THEY MUST EXIST SOMEWHERE!

But I cannot find them

So, I'm off.  Leaving you with one final question.

What the hell is THIS shit?

unmarked image available for download at dreamstime.com



*All the image in this post are screenshotted from a google search.  Where I could find the original, I've tagged the source.