Do I want them live and in person?

The 2nd Cocktail Party Experiment is this weekend on Saturday night. The first one was surprisingly successful so we thought we'd do it again. I've got a much bigger email list of interested partygoers now so we might have quite a crowd. My life is pretty peaceful lately, but a good party is hard to resist. Especially since I organized it.

The intent was to get the single ladies of WOW off their online dating sites and into the real world. Or into a room with a good band and lots of cool guys our age that are looking for someone like us. Seems like a viable solution to the on-and-on emailing or the parade of coffee dates with men we know immediately on sight that they aren't for us. Hence, the party. Live and in person.

So I thought, just for fun, I'd read a few ads on an online dating site where I'd met a few guys in the past. Thought I'd share a few with you, of course! One guy wrote: I do engineering crap for a major company. On the weekends, I like to goof off on my Harley and work on the house. I like beer, margaritas and cigars once in a while. I consider myself half biker, half tech geek! I know that doesn't add up, but go figure, will ya! Constructive stuff, leemy think...................Crap? Why don't you just say a whole bunch of things that will turn us off right away, fella?!?

And another guys started out strong: I'm an active person up for adventures and learning. But then he slid right into some stuff that we just don't want to hear: Yes, I can be hardheaded, but I WILL ask for directions...and actually listen. Geez, don't you think we've been with enough hard-headed guys to know that we're gonna be the ones that end up asking for directions and that guys like that might listen, but only to get enough from us to make an argument work for them. Or so they think.

And again the next guy starts off good with Creation and design are the driving forces in my life, and I pursue them with all my heart.Things (and people) I love: Disney Hall, Tom Robbins, Monk, tennis, the subway, Tanqueray Ten, Archery Summit, asparagus soup, Oksanna, moguls, Webern, Westridge trail, tennis, green, eucalyptus, maple, San Ysidro...oh yeah, did I say tennis? Golly, I don't know what all those things are! Is it just me?!? And then he redeems himself with what we love to hear: Good: I listen well, communicate well, am loyal, affectionate, handy, supportive and generous. Shoulda stopped right there and not added: Bad: I procrastinate, spend too much on musical stuff, have a difficult time with lesser-of-two-evil choices.If this appeals to you...At least he's honest. I think.

And then: I appreciate affection and smiles and good humor, especially if things do not go as planned. I appreciate sophistication and elegance on occasion, and down to earth practicality when needed. I have always been drawn to strong, independent, intelligent women who love to laugh and enjoy life. Nice, didn't put his foot into his mouth at all. But lots of men say they want a strong, independent, intelligent woman but then they get one and they don't always like it. What's that about?

OK, So what about this guy who titles his ad "Intelligent guy seeks honest woman" and writes: I LOVE ROMANCE,PASSION AND WOMEN.my life is empty without a good smart women toshare it with.Exersice and healthy food is very important to me and i feel much younger and look younger than my age.Love to travel and also am very spontanios, checking into the four seasons for the weekend and get room service and masages.Going to las vegas,i do business there.wine country.THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME IS AN HONEST REALANSHIP,THE ONLY THING I WILL LIE ABOUT IS IF A WOMEN ASKED ME IF HER BUT LOOKS BIG.i ALSO RESPECT WOMEN AND LOVE TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING OK, where do I start? Use spellcheck. Think before you write. Use full sentences. Did I say use spellcheck?

And last but definitely not least: I'M ITELLIGENT, FIT, GOOD LOOKING, WITTY, WORLDLY, WELL TRAVELED,HUMOROUS, RICH, POOR, SEXY, UGLY, THE ULTIMATE PARAMOUR AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU DESIRE. I AM VERY OPEN MINDED AND WOULD LIKE TO FIND A WOMAN WITH THE SAME TRAITS. Spellcheck?!? Geez, after dozens of speakers teaching the Wowettes to take men just as they are and not to try to change them, here is a guy that says he'll become anything we want. Not so sure we'd really want that, after all.

So maybe the internet is a good thing. We can find out things we don't like about guys without having to meet them. In person, we won't know if he can spell or if he lies about our butts. We'll have to figure it out by talking to them and listening to what they say and seeing if there's chemistry all by ourselves, without the aid of a questionaire or a written profile or the prodding of a cold computer program. But in person, we can talk, we can dance, we can flirt, and we can have fun. Show us how terrific you guys really are! I can't wait.

p.s. If you haven't been invited to the Party, let me know and I'll put you on the list. The more the merrier!!!