Monday, April 24, 2006

A (un)scientific experiment

I had written before on how I was giving up on the whole internet dating thing, and I have. I don't need any help meeting nutty women. Besides I have better things to do with my time. I had deleted all of my profiles on several dating sites months ago but I had forgotten one site that my profile was till up and active on. The above picture is the one I used, because it's the best one of me I have, because I'm not all that photogenic, and two, it shows the warm, sensitive side of Ranger Tom... Cute, warm puppies and a nice smile.
In the profile I listed the normal stuff, like height and weight, age and likes, desires, hopes and dreams. All that bullshit because I thought maybe, just maybe there was one woman out there who'd take the time and read my profile, see something she likes and drop me a line.
After months, do you think I'd get one reply? Nope. I did send some 'winks' to some women and did meet a few and only one I met was really compatible with me, and we didn't last long because we met at the wrong time, for both of us. That was about two years ago and I still think about her and wonder if things could have been different.
Anyway, back to my experiment. So I had this profile up. Listing everything about me. Educated, employed, sensitive, funny, likes to cook, outdoorsy...
No responses and only rejections... So this got me thinking. I looked at my profile and didn't see a thing wrong with it. Where did I go wrong?
It's got to be the way I look.
I'm not THAT ugly. Granted, I'm wearing a ball cap. But EVERYBODY wears ball caps now. I've got a full head of hair, not going bald. I shave daily and have good personal hygiene. I'm not a porker, I'm 6' 2" and 195 pounds. Definitely weight-proportioned to my height.
So last week I changed my picture to the one below just to see what would happen. And guess what? Over the last week I've had over 75 replies to my ad. Some from women who've rejected me before... Remember, I didn't change ONE thing in my profile, just the photograph.

If you don't know who the other guy is yet, it's none other than Russell Crowe...

And I STILL keep hearing that guys are assholes and shallow.

Copyright 2006 Thomas J Wolfenden

20 comments:

cmk said...

What can I say!? People are idiots--and being an idiot is an equal opportunity thing! Hang in there, RT, you just KNOW things have got to get better. (Don't you just HATE these RAH! RAH! posts? :))

phlegmfatale said...

Maybe if you'd been holding a kitten instead of a puppy! *grin* I think you look nice. You should have posted the photo of you, the upturned coke truck and the coke - at least then you'd have a good chance of finding an intelligent woman with a sense of humor. Good luck on the search - you're a good guy and there's some woman out there who deserves you, of that I'm sure!

Sherri Sanders said...

Russel Crowe, and nobody noticed?? LOL!

Those women don't deserve you RT. :)

tsduff said...

Pictures are nice, but reality is better. You'll find her - I know it.

bevy said...

Yeah, that's one of the first things we learned in advertising: If you want to appear sensitive, use a baby or a puppy. Works every time. I'm kidding. I hope you realize that.

Also, ball caps are a gamble, 'cause women might assume you're hiding a bald head.

Yeah, women are shallow assholes too. I apologize on behalf of my gender.

Dirk said...

He is so not Australian anymore. We've rescinded the comtract and punted him back to the Un Zudders.

Thomas J Wolfenden said...

RS: Thanks for stopping by!

cmk: Not people are idiots, it just proves that women are just (if not more) shallow than men. Something I've known for some time.

Phlegm: I don't think that I had been photographed with a whole littler of puppies or kittens it would have done any good. Women say one thing and mean something completely different.

SherrI: Yeah, no one noticed. They just saw a hunk, which I'm obviously not.

Tsduff: I'm NOT looking. I've given up a while ago. Women are worse than men in every regard, and only say men are assholes to deflect the guilt away from them.

Bev: Next time I'll hold a baby wombat.

Dirk: Didn't you guys do that with Paul Hogan a while ago too?

Outdoorsy Girl said...

You don't want any of these idiot women anyway. Even before I finished reading your last line I was asking myself, "Isn't that Russell Crowe?"

Yep, women are shallow, too.

Cheryl said...

Neither men nor women are assholes...people are. Well, some people are. And shallow.

Interesting experiment. Maybe I have to change my picture...

Crazy Me said...

Good experiment you ran there. Just goes to show that women are just as bad as men! I don't get the whole internet dating thing, anyway. Does anyone actually post anything that's true?

Lisa said...

Did you SERIOUSLY change the photo to RC? Or are you just f*cking with us?

Lisa said...

I will be the first to admit that alot of women are shallow.

Next time try a pic of you in your police or fire fighter uniform. Chicks totally dig that.

Thomas J Wolfenden said...

ODG: Your right, I don't need any of them

Cheryl: It was an eye opener changing the picture I'll say that much

Crazy Me: What I posted was true... But for the most part all I've had was people bullshitting me

Lisa: Yes, I SERIOUSLY changed my picture to Rusell Crowe's. And BTW, you can say "fuck" here, I won't get offended!

Mrs. S. said...

Your picture is kind of bright, and maybe no one said anything because the puppy is ugly.

By the way, I find Russell Crowe disgusting. I may be the only woman on the planet who does though.. He always looks like he needs a shower, so does Brad Pitt for that matter... It was a good idea though.

I think abandoning the net search is the best idea anyway. I've never heard of anyone finding someone worthwhile that way, only horror stories.

Best of luck here in the real world!

Courtney O. said...

Women are bitches. End of story :)

Thomas J Wolfenden said...

Red: The puppy is NOT ugly! And I have to agree with you about Crowe ans Pitt... What's with the 'unbathed' look now?

Courtney: Yep.

Kat_womanx2 said...

I had no clue that was Russell Crowe...LOL..he's not my type anyway. I do have to agree with some of the others though....put more than one photo on the ad...what you may think is appealing, might not appear exactly so to someone else..not saying it was a bad pic..I always liked the puppy one, but a variety of photos lets someone see other sides of you...especially that sense of humor !!!

Rebecca said...

I have tried the internet dating thing too. Doesn't work.
Just a thought but the wedding ring may have thrown them. Even though you are divorced. Also every article that you read about what to look for on while internet dating says that men who have animals in their pictures are trying to show something they aren't. So maybe that is why.
Everyone always says that you will find that person when you aren't looking so good luck.

Thomas J Wolfenden said...

Kat: I don't think I have any pics of me showing my sense of humor... That might not be a good thing!

RS: Look forward to reading the rest of the story!

Reba: You know, I never even thought about that. The picture was taken when I was still maried and never even thought about the ring... D'oh! But even though it's a few years old, maybe three years, I still pretty much look the same, only a little grayer!

dasi said...

I hate to say it, but this post cracked me up. You are a great guy, anyone who reads your writing can tell that, and good-looking too. The fact that you got all those responses as RC is a riot. I've given up on the whole online thing as well. I guess I'm just leaving it to fate. Que sera, sera. Shallowness is BS, and belive me, I see a lot of it as well. But chin up, buddy, maybe there's still hope for good people like us!!