An Open Letter to Men in My Dating Age Range
07 Feb 2010 1 Comment
in Dating
Dear Men in My Dating Age Range*,
Have we met?
I don’t think so. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Whitney, I’m thirty, and I’m single.
I’d like to give you the 411, if that’s cool.
Let’s be honest: Contrary to all the water cooler rumors you might have heard, single girls above the age of 25 are decidedly not snobby, prudish, high maintenance, or gold diggers (at least, not me or my friends). Now that we’ve cleared the air, here’s a little bit about who we really are: We like to hang out with friends, sometimes we challenge each other to try new things, like learning a new craft or kayaking down a new river. Sometimes we just prefer to lay on the couch and watch a movie. We’re game for watching sports on TV, cheering on the home team in person, or even learning how to play. We’re partial to Big 12 South ball, tennis, running, swimming, and NASCAR, but we’re open to all the others, too. Maybe not competitive badminton, but we’ve never been known to say no without trying it at least once. (Disclaimer: I’m still working on rock climbing.)
Personally, I’d do anything for my family, and I want my own someday. I believe in God, and I want the time I spend, the relationships I invest in, and the money I give to have purpose in my life. I’m hopelessly in love with my home state, Texas, but that doesn’t keep me from my other love–traveling to the beach. I like to lay on the sand and play in the waves. I should tell you now that I’m addicted to Sonic ice.
And while I’d really like to meet you, have you ask me out, maybe even date you exclusively, I’m not lying on my couch watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding, making my way through a 9×13 pan of brownies, in two-day-old pajamas, with the lights dimmed, one hand on my cell phone, one eye on the land line caller ID. No, instead, I’m working hard at work, hanging out with my friends, busting my bum around Town Lake because I intend to run The Big One next April. I’m busy writing fiction and reading new books. I’m checking out the newest shipment at my favorite clothing stores and dishing on bad reality TV. I’m living my life, and I think it’d be pretty cool if you were interested in rockin’ it with me.
The foundation of who I am is honesty; what I want most out of a relationship is mutual respect. I want to be with someone I admire:
- A guy who works hard, but knows how to hang out, too.
- A guy who admires my strengths and forgives me for my weaknesses.
- A guy who won’t walk away when life gets rough.
- A guy who is all about sharing inside jokes and finding humor. Life is too damn short not to laugh.
- A guy who shares my values.
- A gentleman who believes in protecting and providing for those he loves.
I’m not perfect, and I don’t expect you to be, either. But, if you’re cool with half-priced Happy Hour drinks from Sonic, well, we’ll at least be friends for life.
The old “I’m concentrating on my career,” line lost its luster a long time ago. I’m on the shy side, so I’ll admit I haven’t been as open with you as I should have been in the past. It’s entirely possible you don’t realize I’m available. Basically, I’m just as afraid of rejection as you are. But here’s the deal: If you give me a chance, no matter what happens, I’ll treat you with respect.
Sincerely,
Whitney
* Older than my younger brother, significantly younger than my dad.
