Well friends. . .

. . . it looks like this blog may have run its course.

If you've read my entries you'll realize that many of them germinated when I was in a great deal of turmoil and pain and, frankly, I'm no longer in that kind of space. You see, I'm found my true love. As corny as it sounds it's true and now that she's in in my life, I just don't feel the drive or desire to keep up this blog. In the last year I was in a lot of pain but in she cured me of all that. When I look in her eyes all the shit, all the negativity, all the BS of the human condition disappears and I see life as a beautiful thing filled with endless possibilities.

So KB, thank you. I love you baby and I always will.

The end folks,

- D

A Serendipitous WTF Moment

Two blogs in one day! What gives you ask? Well I'll tell you. I'm sitting up contemplating why I have such horrible luck in my romantic life. Am I throwing myself a pity party? Maybe. Is my frustration justified? Perhaps (I'm not sure, really). What I do know, however, is that it's been a rough year.

In my personal life, I'd be the first to admit that I'm no angel, but sometimes I really have to wonder why things work out they way they do for me.

Last month I briefly spoke with a girl whom I thought was quite cool. However, as it turned out, she was not quite as she seemed. As can be the case in online correspondence, her physical appearance did not match the image she projected on the Internet. Does this make me a shallow A-hole beyond redemption? Perhaps. But from my perspective, if someone misleads through lack of forthright disclosure, it's a giant red flag about there mental model regarding themselves, the nature of subjectivity, and the truth. The whole incident also struck a chord with me in that it reminded me of a very unpleasant episode discussed here and here.

All of this is to say that I sometimes of the huge WTF moments where I wonder why I've been having such a impossible time finding a girlfriend who is not 1) cheating on someone with me 2) a former or current escort, or 3) emotionally more available than a house plant.

Objectively (and at the risk of sounding egotistical) I'm a catch. I'm smart in quantifiable ways; I'm genuinely sweet, compassionate, and one-of-kind in an extraordinary ways (not my words but those of the last girl I was romantically involved with when she shit canned me); I'm financially comfortable and, despite taking a full class load at the graduate level, I do volunteer work at a charity!

So what gives, am I an ugly troll? Are my standards unrealistic? Is there something of putting about me? All these rejections, set-backs, and disappointments are really starting to get to me.

When I examine what I'm looking for in someone is seems to me that my standards are pathetically low.

I'd like to date someone with higher education, but it's not a requirement. I'm usually physically attracted to women who are shorter or lighter than I am, but I've been know to date a tall girl or two in my day. As a matter of fact, the only two hard disqualifiers in my book are stupidity and insincerity.

I suppose that I do look for a certain level of what see as attractiveness in women, but I don't think it's "aesthetic gold digging" as a v-logger I like puts it, but I don't think it is unreasonable to desire attractiveness in a mate.

What I wonder is, am I too picky? Maybe I should just settle because, the loneliness I feel being single, is beginning to be intolerable. . .

Sigh,
- D

Come in out of the draft

If I was going to compare loneliness to a physical sensation I would liken it to cold. Like a winter's chill loneliness is a sensation that can infiltrate past insulation --whether it is of a physical or mental-- and once they penetrates a person's core, they both take hold. Likewise, both sensations persist after the condition that create them have passed.

So do yourself a favor this winter and stay out of the cold.

Mind You P's and Q's. . .

Here's my main observation about online dating, which is important since the vast majority of the dating interplay between men and trans-women takes place in a "e-mantic" context.

People, by and large, do not treat those they meet online the same way they do those they meet "organically." People often seem to take a view that, since the connection was made online, the usual rules of courtesy don't apply and the connection between the two parties is somehow of less value so as to be disposable. After all, it is fairly easy to strike up a conversation with someone online; little real effort actually needs to be put into meeting someone. In this way, meeting someone online is much more akin to meeting someone in a club or bar.

It seems to me that if someone is introduced as a friend of a friend we naturally expect (and show) a certain level of automatic courtesy and respect. After all, if you're super douchey to a friend's friend, you'll likely get called out on it. But, in the social consequence free semi-anonymity of online dating, people often behave terribly to each other.

The fundamental root of this phenomenon, as I see it, is that as with so much in this age of the text message, we are becoming increasingly alienated from, and lacking in empathy for, each other.

So people, don't be d-bags to those you meet online . . . the person on the other end of that text message, IM, email, or dating site PM is a real person too!

- D

High Horses Are Not For Dating. . .

You know what would be nice? If people would just legitimately express their interest in others. It seems to me the whole pretense of playing coy, is really a poor tactical decision. . . it seems like life would just be easier that way anyways.

- D

When In Rome (you'll be fucked over by Romans)

As a follow up to my last entry I'd like to touch on the repercussions of failed romantic adventures. If you've been reading my blog lately you probably realize I recently have had a demoralizing setback in my personal life. Despite all my cynical bravado, at my core, I still seem to foolishly believe in the all encompassing curative power of true love . . . which can translate into serious disappointment in the real word.

Something I have wrestled with is the conflict between idealistic romantic notions and the accompanying disillusionment that follows heartbreaks. One of my worst fears is to loss the ability to genuinely care for another person. More specifically, though, I worry that, with each subsequent amorous letdown, my view of trans-women will take a more and more negative character.

I know, from other blogs and community message boards, that my fear over this internal trend is not unfounded. It seems that, for many reasons (probably well known to what readers I may have), there is often a vicious cycle of trans-women and men hurting and getting hurt by each other in turn. The net result of this can, often times, be quit ugly.

I (sort of) recently read an advice column, however, that really help put this phenomenon into perspective. In a recent Savage Love (syndicated columnist Dan Savage answered, whom you should Google) answered email by a gay women who was questioning why it seemed as if all gay women were jerks. Dan's answer? If you're a woman, who dates women, when you run into a jerk, the jerk'll be a chick!

I know this seems kinda obvious, but when I read that, a light bulb really went off in my head. Now if I can only try and remember to tell myself that next time a t-girl breaks my heart. . .

- D

Death of the Nice Guy

So this is a re-post of a re-post. Whoever originally wrote this, I think, certainly hit the nail on the head*, so I thought I'd put it up for whom it may concern. I find that what is described very much fits the pattern of validation seeking I discussed in an previous blog

* Edit: I wasn't clear here. What I mean by "hit the nail on the head" is, I think, the original author, now lost to the internet ether, is a really good example of the mirror reflection of a jaded mindset I've seen in women who've been mistreated by men. There is certainly a underlining bitter tone to Mr. X's words, but I don't feel that it is fair to dismiss the core sentiment that is expressed.

I see this question posted with some regularity in the personals section, so I thought I'd take a minute to explain things to the ladies out there that haven't figured it out.

What happened to all the nice guys?

The answer is simple: you did.

See, if you think back, really hard, you might vaguely remember a Platonic guy pal who always seemed to want to spend time with you. He'd tag along with you when you went shopping, stop by your place for a movie when you were lonely but didn't feel like going out, or even sit there and hold you while you sobbed and told him about how horribly the (other) guy that you were fucking treated you.

At the time, you probably joked with your girlfriends about how he was a little puppy dog, always following you around, trying to do things to get you to pay attention to him. They probably teased you because they thought he had a crush on you. Given that his behavior was, admittedly, a little pathetic, you vehemently denied having any romantic feelings for him, and buttressed your position by claiming that you were "just friends." Besides, he totally wasn't your type. I mean, he was a little too ____, or not ____ enough, or didn't know how to _____, or basically be or do any of the things that your tall, good-looking, fit, rich, stylish boyfriend at the time pulled off with such ease.

Eventually, your Platonic buddy drifted away, as your relationship with the boyfriend got more serious and spending time with this other guy was, admittedly, a little weird, if you werent dating him. More time passed, and the boyfriend eventually cheated on you, or became boring, or you realized that the things that attracted you to him weren't the kinds of things that make for a good, long-term relationship. So, now, you're single again, and after having tried the bar scene for several months having only encountered players and douche bags, you wonder, "What happened to all the nice guys?"

Well, once again, you did.

You ignored the nice guy. You used him for emotional intimacy without reciprocating, in kind. You laughed at his consideration and subtly resented his devotion. You valued the aloof boyfriend more than the attentive "just-a-" friend. Eventually, he took the hint and moved on with his life. He probably came to realize, one day, that women aren't really attracted to guys who hold doors open; or make dinners just because; or buy you a Christmas gift that you mentioned, in passing, that you really wanted five months ago; or listen when you're upset; or hold you when you cry. He came to realize that, if he wanted a woman like you, he'd have to act more like the boyfriend that you had. He probably cleaned up his look, started making some money, and generally acted like more of an asshole than he ever wanted to be.

Fact is, now, he's probably getting laid, and in a way, your ultimate rejection of him is to thank for that. And I'm sorry that it took the complete absence of "nice guys" in your life for you to realize that you missed them and wanted them. Most women will only have a handful of nice guys stumble into their lives, if that.

So, if you're looking for a nice guy, here's what you do:

1.) Build a time machine.
2.) Go back a few years and pull your head out of your ass.
3.) Take a look at what's right in front of you and grab ahold of it.

I suppose the other possibility is that you STILL don't really want a nice guy, but you feel the social pressure to at least appear to have matured beyond your infantile taste in men. In which case, you might be in luck, because the nice guy you claim to want has, in reality, shed his nice guy mantle and is out there looking to unleash his cynicism and resentment onto someone just like you.

If you were five years younger.

So, please: either stop misrepresenting what you want, or own up to the fact that you've fucked yourself over. You're getting older, after all. It's time to excise the bullshit and deal with reality. You didn't want a nice guy then, and he certainly doesn't fucking want you, now.

Sincerely,

A former Nice Guy now a Bad, Bad Boy!!!