The Perfect Age?

Many, many moons ago, I went on my first true self inflicted blind date by posting an ad on CraigsList with tickets to a concert asking potential dates to tell me why they'd be the most fun. I was not looking for anything serious, definitely nothing long term. Which is exactly what I found. I was pleasantly surprised by this 27 year old's ability to have interesting conversations, quirky intellectualism and his fantastic kissing abilities. We dated on and off for a few months. I affectionately refer to him as the Happy Meal Toy in conversations with girlfriends over wine. He was, exactly that, a toy to play with for awhile with no real use or long term necessity. It ended because it was time for it to end.

My pendulum swung the opposite way and I then dated a man old enough to be the Happy Meal Toy's father. I'd like to say the age thing doesn't matter, but it does.

As a 34 year old woman, I'm firmly entrenched in Generation X. I don't understand much of the lackadaisical approach to life of anyone younger than about 30 and I don't appreciate much of the baby boomer approach to living. So, when filling out online dating profiles, I always put 30 - 45, but know that really, it's probably narrower (34 - 39).

Though, if I do date outside the range again, I'm definitely going younger. There's a reason happy meal toys are so popular.

Niche Dating

So, I've gone to more a niche online dating experience. I'm on a site just for single parents. I figured I'd be matched with people in my area that are going through the same thing I am and that understand my ridiculous schedule. And, for the most part, they're less like the guy blogged about last week and more like what I'm looking for. I'm in the midst of some fun email conversations, but due to my back to school schedule have yet to have free time to meet any of them. And they all seem to understand. Guys without kids don't get it.

I've been contacted though by people not even in the same state as me. Which seems weird. As a single mom, I hardly have time to even look at travel magazines, let alone travel for a relationship. This guy is from California. And, while maybe I shouldn't judge, what is this photo trying to say...."I really am a bargain hunter and I have a phone that I got in 1999."

So, while I doubt I'm going to run into Mr. Mug Shot from below on the Single Parent site, I'm thinking I'm still going to run into a few complete dorks.

Run Away

Oh yes, it's probably a joke profile, but this is the picture that greeted me in my online dating mailbox this evening.

Seriously? I realize I have a tattoo on my clavicle and he has a tattoo on his neck, so maybe we're soul mates, but somehow I doubt it.

<<<>>>> I completely love the responses I got to my post regarding this fellow on Facebook. Cut and pasted below: