Category: Dating App Blunders

Impatience Will Get You Nowhere

Published on by Lisa BalthaserLeave a comment

Impatience

Okay, so most folks today have used a dating app at one time or another.  If you are an attractive female, you know how many messages you can get by just signing on for a minute or two.  This is one of the main reasons I NEVER hang out on the apps.  I don’t have the time to be inundated with a dozen or two messages every time I sign in just because it put my profile at the top. Also, if I am talking to someone, I don’t generally sign in to answer other messages.  It is just the respectful thing to do.

The next time I sign in after a week or two, I am always astounded at the nastiness in some of the messages if I did not reply immediately.   Seriously, men, do you think we have nothing better to do than hanging out on a dating app all day?

Impatience is Usually NOT Attractive on Most People

Let’s face it, people are busy! Whether one has a high-stress job or has children to take care of and play taxi for or maybe has a lot of personal things on their plate.  Regardless of the reason, most people have little down time (at least most people I know).

So, the point it – respect that! First off, men, understand that most attractive women are bombarded with numerous emails on dating sites.  If we don;t answer you immediately, there could be a number of reasons, including just being busy.  Many times, this has nothing to do with you, we just did not sign on or get your message yet.

So, on my birthday a guy messaged me.  I was super busy on my birthday weekend and signing into a dating app was not a priority to me (as it is not most days).  The message was sent at 4:40 PM.  By 8:26 AM the following morning I already received a nasty message about not answering him.  The truth is, I had not even seen the message.

When I saw both messages about a week later, I could not help but wonder what would possess someone to send a second nasty message when one did not even see the first message.  My second thought was that I was grateful it played out this way.  Why? Because it sure showed this guy’s true colors, and he was definitely NOT for me. Impatience is NOT attractive on a dating site and there is no place for it there.

Assumptions Do NOT Win You Friends and Lovers

Normally, I would have just deleted his messages, but I felt compelled to message him back and point out the error of his ways (of course, I did). The main thing he did wrong was to make an assumption as to why I did not reply to him.  His assumption was incorrect, which in turn, caused his reaction to be way off base – and totally unattractive in every sense of the word.

I also shared with him some basic facts that I want to also point out to you.

  1. What does it really matter if someone does not reply? Is it going to kill you? Probably not.  As a matter of fact, many times they are just not the one for you, so it is a good thing they did not reply.
  2. Does it really matter is someone replies today, or next week? Really, guys, it doesn’t. The only reason I could see where a guy would think it mattered is if he wanted to get laid – and in that case, I will say shame on you for even thinking that is okay! It really does not matter.  Really, you will survive another day, or week, til you hear back.
  3. Nastiness has no place here.  You do not know the other person.  You have not developed a relationship with them enough to know what their situation is, so the least you can do is respect them.  Just because someone does not do what YOU want them to do does not give you the right to lash out at them or be nasty and insensitive.  If you feel it does, that says a whole lot about you, and not in a good way.

Last Word

I have met many very nice people on dating sites.  Just because I have not met the RIGHT one yet does not mean there are not great people there. Most of the men I have met are kind and decent.  I do tend to weed out guys like this one fairly quickly. That being said, I realize these sites are wading through treacherous waters at times, and not everyone there is honest, or nice, or has good intentions. However, I think the best approach to these sites is to treat the people you meet there with the same respect you would if you met them in person – unless they give you a VERY good reason not to.  If a guys ask your boob size or start getting sexually explicit in the conversation, it is time to block them.  There is no need to play their games.  There is no reason to make assumptions about them or to be nasty.  If this is not your game, then they are not for you.  Simply move on.

I took the time to reply to this guy and I gave him well-thought-out constructive advice. He may have ignored it, but there is a small chance he read my advice and gave it a fleeting thought.  I treated him like someone I could have met on the street who was having a bad day.  You never know what someone is going through.  Maybe next time he will be a little more respectful (or maybe not), but I did my part to help another human being and not treat him as he treated me. I don’t think it took any more energy than the nasty reaction he deserved from me – and that is my point. So, next time you feel someone deserves a nasty reply (and they may well deserve it), step away for a minute and consider they may just be having a bad day and if you reply, reply as if that were the case. you will feel better about yourself, and you will not be harboring anger at someone you don’t even know.

 

I Do What I Want

Published on by Lisa Balthaser4 Comments

I took a break from dating for over a year.  Why? Well, because I was not interested in ANY of the men I was meeting. I was also going through many life challenges from aging parents to building my own social media marketing business.  These two things took so much of my time (and still do). However, I decided to check out my dating apps today to see if the landscape has changed at all.  I was pleasantly surprised to see a few men who look promising.  But then I came across this guy and had to come on here and write about it.

His Introduction

I will say, his introduction DID cause me to actually look deeper into his profile, so it was effective for getting his profile read.  Kudos for that. However, the sentence that got me to read more was “Some people say I am a jerk.” Okay, so this is not exactly how I would ever want to make a good impression, but it did get my attention.

I read on wondering why people think he is a jerk (think ass, as pictured).  As I started reading further, nothing stood out to make me feel like he is a jerk. That is until I came to one line:

“I Do What I Want When I Want”

Wow!  Really? If that was not bad enough, the next sentence sent him straight into the stratosphere of “No. Absolutely Not! Never in this Lifetime to eternity!” Category.

So, what was the next line? I will put it all together for you: “I do what I want when I want.  You will also do what I want when I want.” Wow.  I have never seen such a selfish, self-centered statement on a dating profile – and I have seen a lot of dating profiles over the years. So, let’s take a look at this statement as it pertains to dating and finding a relationship.

Middle Aged Singles Do What They Want

Okay, so once someone has reached what is considered middle age, most have lived a lot and are used to basically doing what they want and many times when they want. Many have children who have already left the home and they have a new found freedom and for some a second adolescence. All of this is great.  It is liberating to have this type of freedom.

However, If one chooses to enter into a relationship they MUST consider the other person and they MUST be willing to actually be in a relationship, not a dictatorship. By stating this is his profile, this guy was clearly claiming his perceived authority over any woman entering into a relationship with him. To me, this is a huge red flag for abuse.

Anyone who needs to state an authority over another is weak.  They are weak in character. It shows they lack compassion for others, and their sole agenda is them. Quite frankly, I don’t see why ANYONE would date someone who would make such a statement. But I am sure there are people out there who either do not read profiles, ignore what is right in front of them or think they will change him.  Doing any of those will more than likely end in disaster.

While this guy (and many others) may be used to doing what they want when they want, if they are truly looking for a relationship, there has to be some give on that.  One MUST consider the other person in the relationship.  They are just as important as you are. Relationships are give and take, and there must be room for compromise and communication if they are to work.

Red Flag Issues

As someone who has endured both physical and emotional abuse in a relationship, I am very attuned to red flags for abuse. If you see red flags in a profile or conversation before you meet someone, please don’t brush it off.  Sometimes these little clues are just a glimpse of a much larger problem.  Once you are emotionally invested in the person it is a lot harder to extract yourself from the situation.

Here are some of the things I look for in profiles and communication prior to meeting someone:

  • Exerting dominance (see above)
  • Sex as one of their interests and can’t live without (this MAY signal an addiction)
  • Someone who is focused only on looks
  • Excessive drinking photos or mostly photos taken in bars (a true indication of lifestyle)
  • Someone who has a problem with your schedule or tries to convince you to see them sooner than you are able (this indicated they want to control or are needy). If they have a problem with your schedule now, imagine what it will be like later.
  • Someone who states in their profile they only want to spend time with you (are they really that needy?).
  • Anyone who asks for additional photos/full body photos if you already have photos on your profile.
  • Anyone who has not taken the time to fill out their profile
  • Anyone who does not have a photo of themselves on their profile (what are they hiding from?)
  • Anyone who states to only call them at work (probably married or in a committed relationship)
  • Anyone who wants to pick you up or for you to pick them up, as opposed to meeting in a public place (be very careful).

While there are many more things to consider, these are just a few of the things to be aware of when dating online.  There are many more that involve the actual date.

The best thing to do is screen well and ask questions prior to meeting someone.  Have a set of questions that you typically ask everyone.  These should be things that are important to you and are nonnegotiables.

Steer clear of this guy (the one in the photo above) and Happy Dating!