Excepting reciprocal interest in you

  • andrewta@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Haven’t dated in years.

    If I did: someone that would accept that in my spare time I like to video game (and won’t beat up on me for doing that).

    Someone that doesn’t smoke or vape

    Someone that will not get mad that I have a 5.1 theater on the main TV, or that I use a TiVo to record my shows.

    Someone that isn’t ugly. Sorry but if I don’t find you attractive then the answer is no.

    You don’t need large breasts but you need something there.

    Also someone that can handle that I like sci-fi and fantasy movies.

    And you need to make about what I make a year. It can be more, but not less. If you make less then that means financially you can’t pay your monthly bills. I can support myself but on my income I can’t support two people.

    • YappyMonotheist@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Unless you’re barely scraping by, I don’t understand how not making the exact amount of money you’re making at least means they can’t pay their monthly bills. 🤔

      • andrewta@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        That’s basically what it means. I get my monthly bills paid and have enough left over to put into a retirement fund, with a little more for a trip every 2 or 3 years.

        If she is making less then that then which of those three do I give up? Retirement? Life (doing something other than working)? Monthly bills?

        • s@piefed.worldOP
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          9 months ago

          A shared life is probably cheaper than two separate lives. Two people paying for one home tends to be cheaper per person than one person paying for one home. If you both are going to an event, then you only pay for the gas that goes into one car instead of two cars. Insurances and taxation might vary from place to place as to if they are cheaper per person as a couple.

          She might also have a different lifestyle that is overall less expensive (ex. more frequently cooking at home instead of eating out, shopping at cheaper stores).

          • andrewta@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            So please explain to me why it is bad for me to say that I do not want to lose one of those three?

            • Randomgal@lemmy.ca
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              9 months ago

              It’s not. It is just short-sighted and misses the point of relationships.

              Jobs change, tomorrow it might be you unemployed. A relationship is about working together as a team, over time and through changes, and about the valuable experience of sharing those experiences with another person.

              Otherwise why bother. Just get a hooker or find causal sex partners.

              • andrewta@lemmy.world
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                9 months ago

                Yeah, times changed and things change. And yes, relationships are good. But why would I date somebody who makes so little money that they can barely feed themselves? All that does at the end of the day means I’m basically Support them and not really be able to add to my retirement fund or any of the other things that I’ve listed.

                Maybe in your country, the government supports you when you stop working. In the United States they don’t. You don’t have enough money to retire on and you are well and truly fucked. Please don’t even try to say oh but you have Social Security, Social Security with the way it’s going probably won’t exist by the time I go to retire. Even if it does exist, it’ll have so little money in there would be pointless anyways.

                Here’s a good question for you. Would you date somebody if you knew that you’re dating them would cause them serious financial hardship.?

                • Randomgal@lemmy.ca
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                  9 months ago

                  So you would be okay with being dumped the moment you lose your job or don’t make ‘enough’ money for the other person’s tastes? Happy even, for the other person?

                  It’s just incredibly naive to believe that relationships work like that. What is going to make it or break it is the every day interaction and how you relate to each other as humans. Not only what you are but what you can be, jobs come and go. You are selecting a person to share your days, your time outside work.

                  But sure, I hope your ‘if you’re poor you’re not enough for me’ sigma grindset mentality finds you happiness.

  • ReverendIrreverence@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Has an offroad-capable vehicle so she can meet/follow me to those gorgeous, quiet, unpopulated, un/less-polluted, green places I like to hang out in as much as possible.

    • s@piefed.worldOP
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      9 months ago

      Maybe carpool after getting to know each other and feeling comfortable/safe together?

  • RBWells@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    This thread has been interesting to read.

    I don’t worry about guys starting out with preconceptions about women, most of them do (as we do about men) but also recognize people are individual. it always has settled out for me over time, but maybe the guys I attract are not looking for traditional “femininity” as I don’t really ooze with it in looks or behavior. I’m delighted to be a woman for sure, but was not raised very differently from my brothers, my mom just treated us all the same.

    And the first two responses in the list when I look at it:

    “Having a sex drive as high as mine and not being bipolar.”

    And

    “Someone that is okay with not being able to engage in coitus with me.”

    Shows how different we are, really that gives me hope.

  • Sparkles@fedia.io
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    9 months ago

    Similar educational and economic status and close in age. Essentially, financially independent and intelligent. However, my “single parent” status quite fairly keeps most people away. So I have given up.

  • Krudler@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    I’m gender fluid, I describe myself as 70% male, 30% female gender identity. I’m straight.

    I am exhausted by women continually declaring what they want in men, but not really wanting that. I simply cannot act obsessive, possessive, or dominant. I want a woman to approach me on an equal footing. It continually shocks me how women demand toxic behavior in a dating context.

    • Ceedoestrees@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      I was like this when I started dating. Popular media and family impacted how I viewed love and relationships, so accustomed to living with controlling narcissists I didn’t understand what healthy affection looked like.

      My first relationships were nightmares with similar people who reinforced those ideas. If I was approached by someone with a healthy, balanced mindset, I wouldn’t know what to do with them.

      Which is not to provide a solution, but rather some insight. In a sense it’s a good thing you recognize a toxic situation before it begins, in another sense it can be lonely and frustrating, and I can commiserate from the other side

      • Krudler@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        I completely agree and I can validate many women I’ve met have been in very toxic relationships, and as much as they hate them, they do not know how to function in a healthy one

    • s@piefed.worldOP
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      9 months ago

      women continually declaring what they want in men, but not really wanting that.

      That’s something I’ve noticed sometimes as well, and I hoped that there’d be women (or even some confused men or nonbinaries) answering this post and a discussion would follow which would help both them and others understand what they’re really after.

      demand toxic behavior in a dating context

      This is something I’ve seen as well, but I think of it as a separate issue as the previous one. If somebody wants a sugar daddy/mommy/whatever, that’s entirely different than an actual relationship.

      • TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        women who are more healthy tend to be in relationships that are stable and long term. they aren’t single going in and out of relationships. also true of men. healthy people seeking out healthy people and who have good priorities.

        all my best female friends over the years married young and never divorced. they chose the right people and valued other people for the things that actually matter, not the shallow bullshit that most people chase.

        a big thing is that most singletons want their partner to fix their lives for them. they are unhappy in their middle class office job and think a partner to elevate them to the luxury travel lifestyle they see on social media. That expecation is entirely unrealistic, but they don’t care about realism, so they shut themselves off from realistic partners and chase fantasies in their head or short term relationships.

        in short, healthy people don’t chase romantic fantasies, unhealthy people do, an are forever unfufilled.

    • TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      what women are emotionally attracted to is often anti-social and abusive behaviors.

      and they are actively disgusted by the behaviors they claim they want in a partner. caring, kindness, emotional openless etc.

      esp single women.

      • Krudler@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        It’s not a battle of the sexes thing. Both men and women are often attracted to the traits they outwardly disdain.

  • AA5B@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Opportunity? Losing my baggage? Admittedly not in a hurry until my kids graduate but it would probably be wise to start laying the groundwork.

    Currently my hobbies and activities tend to be home oriented so I really don’t meet anyone. I’ve always been introverted and most of my adult friends were couple friends or her friends. The few times I’ve looked into dating apps I’m immediately horrified by the personal information they collect

    My ex has been amicable and reasonable and we’ve done a decent job of co-parenting but it’s tough to get past dedicating your life to someone for so many years. I wouldn’t take her back since things got toxic but I’m having a hard time leaving completely. At the same time I’d feel like I need to protect myself from anyone new, both in not opening myself to attack and not risking what little I have left for supporting my kids and retirement

    I’m a real catch, right?

    • RBWells@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      For someone you will be. When I went through my breakup I thought I’d just try to find a couple casual guys but not relationship with anyone - 4 kids, a job, digging out financially but not quickly, and I’d never considered myself ‘sexy’ though I’ve always had a high sex drive, because I was skinny without much in the way of T&A - like even when I was nursing kids my boobs didn’t get big at all! And my ex (and I thought all guys) was into curvy plush built women, liked me despite my build not because of it.

      Anyway - met my husband in the course of trying to find my casual guys and he had kids, more than I did actually because he’d gotten custody of all the kids, including his stepkids when he split from his ex. Well, who’s not afraid of a lady with 4 kids? A guy who raised 5 as a single dad, that’s who. Finally down to just 2 at home, one finishing college the other just finished high school.

      Believe me, there are women out there who will consider you a perfect fit.

      Oh and I also found out there are plenty of guys who like skinny, though I now have more weight still look more athletic than curvy.

  • BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    I still have to live with my vicious manipulative abusive ex for now until I can safely escape financially/logistically, and while we are very much NOT together, that’s not an appealing situation for a potential date and I get that. I would also not want someone to feel like they had to help me get out, or like I was monkey branching into a new relationship, which is what my ex had done to me, which I didn’t find out for some time, because that felt really bad for me when I found out, and while I don’t think my ex deserves any considerate behaviour after the way he’s treated me, I wouldn’t feel good about myself for doing it.

    It also feels really crappy to be middle aged and start all over with this, have to weed out the ones who aren’t suitable, make an effort about the whole thing, and have to navigate a physical relationship with someone new, or find someone that shares my values.

    Also sneaking around my ex would be potentially explosive.

    Not going to lie though, having someone that makes me feel loved, tingly, excited, etc, and isn’t a damnable monster would really be nice.

    • MissJinx@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Totally agree but, as a successfull woman, with my own house, car, etc I don’t NEED anyone. I would like it but it would have to be someone in my level in life, financially, mentally and emotionally, otherwise why?! My life is awesome and peaceful. I only wan’t a man that would improve it in some way, not downgrade my life.

      I say that because there is a LOT of shit out there nowdays, male and female, and if you are really into looking you’re gonna have to be specific and driven lol

  • Ceedoestrees@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Creative, fun and encouraging. Emotionally mature, respectful, and commited to ongoing self improvement. Everything else is peripheral, but bonus points for writers and artists who are into pc gaming and technology.

    My biggest issue has been men socialized with some kind of bias against women, who don’t examine their need to protect and try to make decisions for me. I’m pansexual but lean toward people with dicks.

    I learned how to use power tools when I was seven, I’m mechanically inclined, and built my own PC at eighteen. There are an unfortunate number of men who will start a conversation with me from a place of condescension. The last date I went on, he showed me his chainsaw, I asked to try it out and what he said started with “Okay, well it can be a little scary at first because it’s loud…” Another guy told me I was cracking eggs wrong when I made breakfast. I used to be a head chef.

    • s@piefed.worldOP
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      9 months ago

      The condescension and man-splaining thing is difficult and is definitely a trained part of a male-dominated culture/sub-culture if it is based on prejudice. The chainsaw incident might have come from a genuine place of concern and caution since power tools can be dangerous, even variants of tools somebody has experience with. I personally struggle with gauging my expectations of how familiar any random person would be with something I’m bringing up, especially if it’s something I’ve had other people confused by in the past. I usually say “Have you heard of X?” or “How familiar are you with X?” to try to avoid either scenario of my audience thinking that I’m condescending them or them being lost about a subject they know nothing about.

      • Ceedoestrees@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        I know and understand where it comes from, but I don’t want to deal with it in a partner.

        The chainsaw thing was absolutely because I’m a chick and representative of his overall attitude toward me that evening. Asking if I’d used a chainsaw would have been appropriate, or a quick rundown on starting/stopping would have been fine.

        Basically, I ask myself if he would have said the same thing in the same way to a man. I’ve worked on enough jobsites to know that no, that doesn’t happen.

    • TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      My biggest issue has been men socialized with some kind of bias against women, who don’t examine their need to protect and try to make decisions for me. I’m pansexual but lean toward people with dicks.

      This is because the vast majority of women are actively seeking these things from men. They often want to be infantalized. FWIW it’s why most of my relationships fail, because I don’t treat women like children and they want that.

        • TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          just look around you next time you go out to a bar or other social situation. observe it for yourself.

          or maybe ask yourself why is it that you are attracted to men who treat you that way?

          • Ceedoestrees@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            What, lol.

            My post was about how I’m not attracted to it.

            You might want to stop conducting gender studies at bars.

  • Squirliss@piefed.social
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    9 months ago

    Authenticity, depth and integrity. Someone who isnt performative to please me and who I dont have to perform to please either. They wont force me into a role or idolize me yet we should still be able to like and appreciate each other as people of our own. Plus someone who I genuinely find physically attractive because I rarely find men who are attractive to me by my standards so until I find someone like that I dont even wanna try dating.

    • TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Yeah I am with you. Incredibly hard to find.

      99% of my social interactions are someone trying to please me to get something out of me. And I hate it. It is so hard to find people who are just… doing their thing and respect you doing yours. It’s so rare, but it’s so nice when you do meet people like that.

      I feel like social media has supercharged it. I definitely used to meet more authentic people 10 years ago than I do now.

    • Kissaki@feddit.org
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      9 months ago

      Would you accept fish scale?

      Is puking blobs that are on fire acceptable? Without distance propulsion.