I need to see your face before I sit on it.

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The Berenstain Bears and the Illiterate Cheesemonger

Conundrum: An otherwise fine, fairly attractive man on OkCupid sent me a message, but under the "favorite books" prompt in his profile, he just wrote, "I'm not into books."

Ordinarily, immediate grounds for dismissal: "If you go home with somebody and they don't have books, don't fuck them."

BUT...He works with specialty cheeses.

You GUYS. What if he's a cheeseMONGER?!

To his credit, among other things, his message said, "I'll start reading one now if it will help."

Well played, Cheese Guy.

Also, yes, it would help: War and Peace, please. Make it snappy.

Putting the "men" in "entitlement."

A 27-year-old on OkCupid sent me an intro message the other night, and I wasn't interested, so I deleted it without responding.

This morning he sent a followup message: "You're too pretty to give up on. I'm very persistent!"

Sweetie? This brand of "persistence" does not end with you getting the girl. Please don't make me get all J. Lo in Enough -- no one needs to see my midriff, I'm too lazy to learn boxing, and I would look absurd with that haircut. So maybe just quit being a dick.

I've also noticed many profiles that say things like, "If I send you a message, it's rude to just ignore it and leave me wondering. The least you can do is write back to say you're not interested." Um, no, actually. The LEAST I can do is ignore you. It's one click to delete a message. Writing you back adds the effort of keystrokes, so... that's more I'd have to do, not least. See how words work?

And boo hoo, a stranger finds me "rude?" Not polite and acquiescent like a proper lady should be? I'm sad. No, really. This is my sad face.

If a guy doesn't respond to my message within a day or two, I don't wonder -- he's not interested.

Via Body For Wife: She Doesn't Owe You Shit

A vast improvement on the scientific method

One of my OkCupid matches is a guy whose username is 12inchistoobig.* His profile says he chose the name because yes, it IS, and it's been an issue for him sexually when the woman can't take it. So he wants to warn us villagers up front.

He says he'll prove he's actually that big, which I suppose would be a fairly straightforward Exhibit A.

But then he says, before things get too involved, he also wants proof the woman can handle it, and the proof would be "they make toys in that size." I'm not sure how that would go, exactly... Skype? FaceTime? Do you buy the toy, or is it a BYOBC situation?** If I'm comfortable enough to try a toy in your presence, we've gotten pretty close, so I should probably just try your dick, no?

Now, none of MY toys are that big -- standard size gets the job done just fine.

So, no, Dirk Diggler, I don't know if I COULD handle it, but...I mean...I feel like we should try. For research. I like science. Do you like science? We should science.

P.S. I'm...98% sure he's full of shit. I just like to write long penis posts. 

*Not his real username.
** There's a "five-dollar footlong" joke there somewhere, but I'm tired, and Jared ruined all Subway humor.

I've been digitally Naked Manned

First message from a man on OkCupid whose only profile photo is a bathroom mirror selfie... of his butt-naked body with his penis obscured by a Photoshopped flesh-colored oval: "You have really nice photos! Very pretty and cute, and sexy! I just wanted to tell you that and yes I meant what I said. I hope you dont get mad but your photos turn me on so much."

I'm confused. Why would I think you didn't mean it? Of course you meant it -- you're trying to put parts of you into parts of me. It would hurt your cause to be like, "You're hideous and make my dick soft."

Besides, I KNOW my photos are cute -- that's why they're my photos.

Your naked body isn't bad to look at, sir. Thanks for that. Let us retreat to our respective spank banks and call it a day.

I need. To see. Your FACE.

Honestly, I MIGHT have sex with you! But you need to have a face! I can't know if I'll want to kiss your dick if I can't tell if I'd kiss your face.

Get a face.

P.S. I'm a little embarrassed at how long it took me to realize his message could easily be copy/pasted and sent to a million other women. I'll give him credit for that. And for his body, because JAY-sus -- dude has a better curve on his ass than I do on mine.

Congrats, OkCupid Guy: You made a woman cry. RESULT!

FIRST message from a man on OkCupid: "If you change your mind about the kid thing let me know. You do seem like a riot! :D"

*deep breath* A few things...

1. Thanks a bunch for that cheery kick in the uterus. Much appreciated.

2. So your sole criterion for a baby mama is that she's...funny? That's outstanding, I can't wait to see how your kid turns out.

3. Kids are the only thing you'd need me to change my mind about? So no worries that your profile says you "want to settle down with someone who's in it for the long haul!" but my profile says, "I'm not looking for a relationship, just casual dating." I want to know how you arrived at the decision to message me implying I should consider becoming broodmare to a total stranger -- show your work. Or do you mean we'd default to "long haul" once I accepted my role as your cum dumpster?

4. 'Cause surely YOU'RE gonna be the guy to change my deep-seated commitment and trust issues quickly enough to plant your seed before my last, shriveled egg fades to black? Sure, let me change my not-at-all carefully considered decision about growing a PERSON in my body, raising him/her for 18+ years, shaping them into a decent human being, getting them to school by Ass Early a.m., going into MORE debt for their basic needs and education and...Artisanal Self-Actualization camp or whatever the fuck, all so I can...what, exactly? Spend my life forever tethered to a 46-year-old fuckstick in Morgantown, PA, who's grasping at wombs as he stares down the barrel of his spawn-less mortality? Drive 90 minutes and pay Turnpike tolls so you can jam your half-flaccid cock into me and hope one of your sleepy, disoriented sperm has enough energy to sashay its way into my Danger Zone? PASS.

*exhale*

We'll just ignore the fact that reading the message, and writing this post, legitimately upset me, and now I have to go hide in the ladies' room until I can Irish down this ridiculous rush of emotion brought on by some aging dickhead in the boonies.

P.S. There's nothing wrong with 46, and I know that, science-ly, y'all could knock me up just fine. I just went with impotence because I'm an ass and it's an easy target.

Maybe he meant "work in progress" smart

Seeing an "overeducated" and seemingly insufferably cocky man describe himself as "wip smart" in his OkCupid profile makes me far too happy in my petty places.

Are you just too "overeducated" to heed the sage teachings of Stewie Griffin? 'Cause my state school BA and life spent watching cartoons are serving me pretty well right now.

My "craft" is more like Kraft -- cheesy and fun, but of little substance and questionable taste.

A man sent me a first OkCupid message that alternated between asking me out and asking me for writing advice (my profile says I freelance, he's trying to).

Well, your message was 407 words, so I'd start with revisions. People are busy; make it snappy. (This entire post is 100+ words shorter than his message.)

Second, I don't know SHIT about writing. I vomit out whatever's in my brain, then shorten it – that's my “process.” Sometimes I consult a thesaurus. I can't advise you when I don't consider MY writing a skill. I haven't honed any craft -- I write what happens. Anyone can do that. So...do that. Start a blog. Ask to contribute to sites you like. Apply for writing jobs.

His profile says he's starting over, mentions being "codependent and childish" in the past, and now, at age 43, really trying to man up. His message said he probably shouldn't even be dating yet, but his discomfort tells him he should.

Dude… Respect, for sure, but I am also codependent and childish, starting over, trying to man up, and dating when I probably shouldn't be.

I can't date myself when I hate myself.

I'm not posting his whole message because it was honest and took courage, so I can't mock him. But seeing those issues laid bare straight away is, for my own issues, overwhelming. I know he's not asking me to help fix his life, but that's what it feels like. No can do, man -- I'm working on my own. Only one of us can be the fixer-upper.

"No worries. If you miss the O train, it'll come again in 5 minutes or so."

Pro tip: If your OkCupid username is "fun_not_long," my brain goes to the filthiest and most unflattering place possible for you.

Yeah, yeah, "size doesn't matter" -- tell that to the guy I dated who was SO secure in that notion that he brought a compensatory Magic Wand* to our FIRST (and only) sexual encounter.

Digression 1: I was not at all displeased with the Magic Wand -- it's named that for a reason. If I didn't already own two pricey sex toys that get the job done just fine, with a portion of my forthcoming (heh) tax refund earmarked for a third because it looks SUPER fun, I'd be all over (heh) the Magic Wand.

Digression 2: Now my brain is wandering to memories of that Magic Wand experience (my first), during which I learned about orgasm denial, and why it's a thing. A thing that man was impressively skilled at doing to me. A thing I wish he hadn't just decided to DO to me without warning the first time we slept together, because I was ready to murder him, but a thing that worked out incredibly well for me in the end. I have no idea how he could tell when I was JUST about to, or if it was just a lucky guess, but damn. Dude was like the Orgasm Whisperer.

Digression 3: This is not a good train of thought at work. Though my mental image of said train barreling full-speed through a tiny, tense tunnel is a hilarious metaphor.

 

*I linked to the Walmart site only because I am infinitely amused you can buy it there.

Um, no, YOU have a Giles fetish.

Seen in an OkCupid profile: "I am definitely a stereotypical academic in the sense that I love wearing corduroy blazers and holing up in ivory towers."

*blink* OMG. Take me, sir. Take me hard.

The only things we have in common are burritos, mushroom hatred, High Fidelity, and grammar, but let's be honest, I've based relationships on less. I dated a guy for 8 months because we could both quote George Carlin.

Plus, another of his favorite movies is Josie and the Pussycats, so he clearly also enjoys dumb, fluffy things.

Hello, Professor. I will be your dumb, fluffy thing.

Ladies and gentlemen, my soulmate...

First OkCupid message from a man without a profile pic: "hi i am greg lets have dinner"

OMG! Greg! Absolutely, let me accept this invitation from a faceless man! Despite the fact that if you read my profile even a little, you'd see me say I'm sure as fuck not meeting a stranger without messaging and texting until I feel comfortable doing so. Especially one without a face.

Good work, Greg. In fact, forget about dinner -- let's move in together and have 14 babies right now. Do you want, like, a scripty font on the wedding invitations? I always think those are hard to read, so I think we should probably go with something a little more simple, right? I know Times Roman is basic, but I'm SUCH a sucker for it.

And, listen, my flowers are going to be dark purple with pops of white, so make sure the accents on your tux coordinate, OK, sweetie? Luuuv youuu.

Hell no, elbow...

OK, this post is long, but a guy I was kissing after a first date took a timeout to mention the dry skin on my elbows, so I think it merits further analysis...

We're at the end of a decent first date. We're kissing. It's not great, but not bad. I like kissing. I like being against a man, even it wasn't quite the physical fit I enjoy. (Ever just FIT with someone? Isn't that the best? It's like two really dirty puzzle pieces.)

I'm wearing a tank top, so he's been touching my neck and shoulders. His hands go under my shirt (because I put them there), and graze the curve between my ribs and hips. He'd mentioned that's one of his favorite parts of a woman, and it happens to be one of my favorite/best physical features.

Then he runs his hands down my bare arms and says, "Your skin is so soft... Well, except your elbows."

*blink*...Sorry, what?

I pull away from him, gesture up and down at my body, carefully outfitted in form-fitting jeans, low-cut tank top with subtle but effective cleavage, lacy bra peeking out if I shifted the right way (which I did...often), and I say, "Really? Allllll this, and you're gonna heckle my ELBOWS?!"

He's not a moron, so he quickly says he was joking, and we get back to kissing after a few minutes of me being Cool-Girl-pseudo-outraged and teasing. But it stuck in my brain.

I mean, he's not wrong. I could stand to loofah. But...

A. Who the fuck thinks of ELBOWS in ANY situation, particularly THIS one? Is this yet another part of my body I'm supposed to angst over and tend to? Should I add this to the list that already includes more extensive maintenance than my fucking car?

B. That's your choice on a first date? A woman is giving your hands free reign all over her body while she makes little noises near your ear so you feel all manly and virile, and you pause to say that out loud? So if we're ever naked together, are you going to point out that I don't wax? That I have cellulite? That I basically have no ass?

Related: Is every inch of YOU gonna be all Beyoncé "Flawless?"

C. Oh, sorry, I must've left "dry elbow skin" off my OkCupid profile. Much like YOU left out that you're 5'6" only if I don't understand how rulers work -- I'm 5', and when I raised to tiptoe out of habit to kiss you, I noticed I didn't need to. Do you exaggerate size often...?

D. If you have enough blood in your brain to notice and form comments about imperfections while your hands and mouth are roaming a woman's neck, shoulders, and waist -- all of which, by the way, are naturally soft and smooth like a baby's ass -- we have bigger issues.

Too bad, too, because up until that point, you had plenty of moisture where it mattered.

I didn't realize in the moment how much it bugged me, but...no. I mentioned today, briefly and nicely among other topics in my response to his most recent email, that I may have taken it too seriously, so I'll see what he says.

The beauty of this is, I really don't care if some dude I've met once thinks I'm crazy, especially since we seemed kind of "Eh...you'll do for now" about each other.

And I know I'm overreacting, but consider The Elbow Heckle in the grand scheme -- FIRST date, you not only have a negative thought about my body, you tell me? Am I going to have to bring my A++ game EVERY time I see you or you'll point out my "flaws?" (Yes, I did just extrapolate a likely innocuous comment into a portent of future emotional abuse... What, like you've never?)

I'm not Perfect Girl, sir. I DO have dry skin. I use lotion on my hands and legs, but apparently skip my elbows, and my feet. I also have a pudgy belly, enough thigh fat to make another pair of thighs, and if you spank my ass during sex, you'll see reverb. My forehead is showing signs of early-onset Worf syndrome. I have pale, weak eyebrows if don't fill them in with pencil, and you'll know it's time for me to go back to the hair salon when you see glints of gray growing in.

If you're expecting perfection in any aspect, you're not getting it from me. Go hit on Gisele. No, really. I BEG you to let me know how that goes.

In which I equate my vagina with a Slip 'N Slide

There's a "self summary" section at the top of each OkCupid profile. The end of mine says: "I'm attracted to friends and romantic prospects who use their words. I don't know what to do with first messages that only say 'hey' or 'hi,' and will delete them immediately. But getting them at least helps me quickly discern who's reading about me as an actual human, versus who just looks at photos and wants to do naked things to me."

On average, I still get one "hey," "hi," or "hello" each day. Almost always lowercase, no punctuation.

Since no one reads it, anyway, I might as well include the REAL explanation: "I am incredibly turned on by wit and language, and you can transform my ladybits into the world's best/worst Slip 'N Slide just by giving good email. Just 'hi' not only keeps my panties ON, it makes me want to go to JCPenney and buy some of those high-top beige cotton draw's that, on a person as short as I am, can be pulled up far enough to tuck the waistband under my bra and fashion a really upsetting onesie. Use your words, be nice to servers, nibble the back of my neck, tend to my vagina with gusto, know what 'gusto' means, get yourself laid."

I'm really not a difficult puzzle to solve.

Judge not, lest ye be an asshole

One of my OkCupid photos was taken in a pin-up-inspired boutique I went to with friends. I tried on a dress that fit better than any glove, accentuated all my best bits, and looked STUPID-good. But I couldn't rationalize spending $130 on it, so I asked my friends take a photo. 

I added the pic to OKC, captioned: "Taken in a fitting room. I didn't buy the dress. Because I am an idiot." 

Today I get a first OKC message from a guy saying, "Yes you should have bought that dress..." That's the whole message. 

I go to his profile, because he's attractive enough, and his FIRST sentence is, "Only thing that seems to matter is how one looks on here." 

Oh, OK, so you're saying you don't like being judged only on appearance? So despite my completely-filled-in profile with many non-appearance-related conversation starters, you went with...commenting only on my appearance?

You do that math, dearie. I'll wait...

And dammit, I SHOULD have bought that dress. I can't even believe that's my body -- I am cute as fuck.

P.S. He sent a followup message 20 minutes later, saying, "That was a compliment. .. you're gorgeous. ... "

Um, I KNOW it was a compliment, or at least I know that's what you were going for. Do you think I'm too pretty to know how words work? Do I owe you a "thank you?" Go fuck yourself with your ellipses, and why the SHIT are you ALSO using periods? That's not how any of this works! 

*pant* *pant* *pant*

...Ahem. What mood swing?

Mirror mirror...

I see a lot of guys on OkCupid who use selfies as profile pics. Sometimes mirror ones. Often the mirror is dirty.

I have questions.

First, don't you own Windex? Vinegar? A ShamWow? I can't get naked in your home if your mirror is all bedaubed with toothpaste remnants. I'm a lady, dammit. Plus it'll turn into that "Big Bang Theory" episode where Sheldon can't sleep because Penny's apartment is messy: "I couldn't sleep knowing that just outside my bedroom is our living room, and just outside our living room is that hallway, and immediately adjacent to that hallway is...THIS!" And I am damn sure not cleaning while you sleep.

Second, don't you have ANY photos someone else took? Do you have friends? Only two of my six profile pics are selfies: a really cute one taken post-haircut/color, and one mirror one I took after work so I'd have a really recent pic. The caption says: "With apologies for the mirror selfie, this is what I look like after work." (Not at all true -- after work I put on yoga pants and put my hair in a ponytail. But I'll never let any of these dudes see that.)

Some guys have like 10 selfies, but only ONE facial expression, so it's like Flat Stanley or the Twilight chick -- the same face in various settings. "Here I am at home. Here I am at work. Here I am in a bar. Here I am in a PUBLIC restroom mirror, just for a bit of added class. That's right, ladies... Behold."

OkCupid's new fill-in-the-red-flag feature

OK, I'm pretty sure your wife doesn't know she's IN the "open marriage" you list on OkCupid if your profile reads: "Married guy with a Wife that's interested in sex as she is in taking out the trash. Need someone I can connect with."

And then under OKC's fill-in-the-blank prompt of, "I spend a lot of time thinking about," he writes, "I future with someone who appreciates me more."

Wow... Take me, sir. Take me hard.

Jesus, dude. Maybe take four seconds and spin that into something a little less angry and tragic? You need a publicist. And a proofreader.

The limit DOES exist.

I realize I'm ageist, but I think there's an age limit for using the term "friends with benefits." I haven't pinpointed the specifics, but I think it's before age 50.

I'm 40 and only say it jokingly. I also hate it, because at least half the people offering it want ONLY the benefits, but think they'll have better luck with the LADIES if they dress it up with a cute little bow.

Theory: You can't say "FWB" once you're getting mail from the AARP. That's...the rules of abbreviations.

Also, I don't know if anyone said that phrase before Alanis Morissette, but that's not what she meant, shitheel.

This reflection brought to you by a 54-year-old man on OkCupid, username "Just_Discreet_FWB," sending me three messages in less than 24 hours, either not remembering or not caring that he's messaged me twice before. I am clearly memorable. Either that or he's just old and can't keep track.

P.S. I'm not hating on 54. I'd get on 54. But THIS 54-year-old has the ick on him.

Your plagiarism dries my panties.

A guy's OkCupid profile quoted Mitch Hedberg twice without attribution.

I will not send him a message suggesting he cite his source...

I will not send him a message suggesting he cite his source...

I will not send him a message suggesting he cite his source...

His profile says he's "inspired" by comedians. Um, no, dude, you're just stealing shit, and trying way too hard to be clever. I can FEEL the "Aren't I cute and clever?"* desperation emanating from his profile. (I know my own.)

*George Carlin, by the way.

"El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing..."

New addition to my OkCupid profile: "I can't handle text speak. It troubles me when men are that concerned with brevity."

"No offense, but I prefer RED flags."

I'm clearly not the most politically correct person. 

BUT. 

Here are some actual, verbatim things I've seen in OkCupid profiles, and I can't believe anyone wrote them. You can THINK whatever you want, but...you wrote it down. Where people can SEE it. People into whom you are endeavoring to put your penis.

1. "I'm affectionate (alright, maybe a little cuddle friendly...I'm trying not to be too limp wristed here)."

2. "I'm german, irish and native american (indian, but the dreamcatching, raindancing, tomahawk-chopping kind, not hindian)."

3. "I prefer Caucasian women attractive and in shape."

4. "My taste is specific to girls who are described as either thin, petite, or athletic...sorry, but big girls are not within the range of my interest. No offense intended, but only Caucasians or Asians."