Don’t Take Away His Dragons

A couple of weeks ago, as Gregg and I were driving to work (at 6:00am), I shared with him the latest on what was going on with ‘the blog girls’ (you). I told him my thoughts on how things have changed in the online dating world.  One thing that I am disturbed about is the lack of mystery with today’s online dating sites and how I believe this can work against you girls.  But, it doesn’t have to and that is what today’s post is about!

Managing Your Online Footprint

Do today’s online sites tempt you to search out, contact and fantasize about the guys on the site?   Do the guys have evidence of your searches, the number of times you view their profile and the amount of time you spend on the site? Could guys be turned off by a sense of desperation coming from the way you conduct yourself online?  Finally, is your online footprint potentially too big?  If so, let’s see how this impacts how you are perceived and what you can do about it.

Okay, so from what I understand, sites such as CatholicMatch.com somehow automatically match the boys to the girls. I assume it is the result of an algorithm built into the system based on how the person answers a series of questions.

Strike #1

This Matchy-Match system is Strike #1 in my book. Why?  Because it significantly reduces the need for the guy to be Resourceful.  Remember my 3 R’s?  In this post, I said that a guy has to be Resourceful, Ready and Realistic.  If the algorithm is doing all the work for him, then it is weakening his Resourcefulness muscle.

I am fine with a guy using filters to find a girl.  For example, he can filter by things like location and age.  But, then I think he needs to do the work associated with the search.  Look at photos, read bios/profiles, etc.  Put some effort into it!

Instead, the system is all matchy.  Okay, fine.

Strike #2

Let’s accept the matchy-match factor and move on to the next strike:  The “See who viewed your profile” function.  Strike # 2. Why?  Because, it gives the guy too much information.  And, it temps the girl to initiate contact with a guy just because he viewed her profile (I get email confessions).  A girl should fight this temptation to contact these guys.  Why?  Because if a guy viewed a girl’s profile and did not initiate contact with her…..we have to consider that he was not interested.  He moved on to check out other girls.

When a guy sees a photo and profile he likes, he contacts her….even if she is out of his league.

Slay dragons

Don’t think like a Girl

It is so easy for us girls to think, “Oh, he viewed my profile and must be intimidated by me.  Let me contact him to let him know that I don’t bite.”  That, my friend, is thinking like a girl.  And, when I presented this line fo thinking to Gregg, he said,

“You need to tell the girls this:  Don’t take away his dragons!

In other words, you girls are thinking like girls.  You are thinking you need to lower the bar and remove imaginary barriers.  Instead what you are doing is removing the mystery, the risk and the conquest.

Mystery, Risk And Conquest

A man likes mystery.  He likes to take risks.  Sure, the girl may be out of his league but that makes it even all the more exciting! It is a dragon to slay.  Don’t take away his dragons by making it too easy.

I know what you are thinking…..“that won’t happen to me.  I am not dragon-worthy. ”  Well, yes you are. But you will never find out who is willing to slay that dragon for you until you manage your online footprint and for this I recommend you think like a guy (mystery, risk, conquest) but behave like a girl.

Behave Like A Girl

  1. If you get the matchy-match notice from the dreaded algorithm…..ignore it.
  2. Only communicate with men who are brave and resourceful enough to contact you first.
  3. Do not view any profiles until the guy contacts you. Then, you may check him out.

Why?

The reasons are simple.  If a guy checks out your profile but does not contact you after the algorithm does all the work for him matches you…….then he is not interested.  If you contact him first, then you are trying to make something happen that isn’t happening naturally. Not good. So, if you wait and only communicate with the guys who contact you first, your chances of success skyrocket.

The problem with checking out the guys profile before he contacts you is that The Fantasy Relationship starts to take off.  You start naming children and this man, who hasn’t even typed a sentence to you, occupies your thoughts.

But Cindy!

I hear your protests.  The biggest protest in your head is “I have to make it happen or else it will never happen naturally for me.  I am just an average girl.”

And that is the dragon I will kill in my next post.

God Love and Bless You!

p.s.s. Check out all my posts listed by category here!

Thank you so much for visiting and reading this post! If you have enjoyed my blog, please “like” my Facebook Page, The Veil and sign up to receive my blog posts automatically by clicking the rectangular “Follow” button. Please check me out and follow me on Twitter too!

7 Quick Takes Friday ~ Vol 109

seven-quick-takes-friday-2

 — 1 —  Last Week’s Post:  Thank you again to Tammy for allowing me to link to her post over at Counter Cultural Catholic!  Looking forward to more from her!

— 2 —  Next Week’s Post:  As promised, I will be sharing my post about managing your online dating ‘footprint’.  The post is titled, “Don’t Take Away His Dragons” which is a direct quote from Gregg after I shared with him your experiences with online dating.

— 3 —    Not Alone Series:  Last Week’s Topic was Qualities in our Husbands.  Such a wise listing by these wise girls! Thank you for the shout-out Katie!

I was impressed that new-comer, Katie, listed RESOURCEFUL as a quality.  Girl, you are a very wise 21 year-old!  I also loved her concluding paragraph and want to say, “Yes, hold on to that hope!”:

“The romantic in me wants to believe that you can have both: passionate love and compatibility. Is that what God has in mind for us single women? I’d like to think so, and unless He shows me otherwise, I’m going to hold on hoping for a man who will check off my list and sweep me off my feet.”

— 4 —    Not Alone Series:  This Week’s Topic was Loneliness.  I was impressed that these post were so honest.  I did not detect any pity parties going on, just the reality of what we experience in the single life.  It helps to know that it is a universal feeling.  And, as Morgan wrote, the whole idea of NAS is ‘solidarity.’  Great job, girls!

— 5 —   Overload:  Remember I wrote that I was feeling overloaded?  Welll, the 7 day fever, headache and fatigue that was heading my way at the time might explain why.  I was out of work this whole week and had 3 visits to different medical professionals. There were days when I didn’t turn a single light on in the house or get off the couch until Gregg arrived home.  I am feeling much better today.  I know some of you were praying for me and I thank you!

— 6 —    Spotlight On:  This week’s spotlight is on you, my beautiful readers. I think you are so brave and healthy.  After reading so much about that stupid movie and book, I realized the pressure you girls are under and how you could be judged for your opinion about the holiness of sex. This article helped me understand the appeal that the book and movie might have for some.  It basically boils down to unresolved Daddy issues.  These women may have never experienced love and acceptance from anyone.

But some of you have bad or even no father at all and you are still able to see the truth.  You are correct if you believe marital love is freeing.  You are correct to want passion that you can trust and leaves you feeling beautiful and safe.  I am so impressed that you are not believing the lie that stands ready to destroy you.  I solute you.

“The virtue of chastity in our culture may be seen as a form of white martyrdom”

(Fr. Dan Pattee, TOR). St. Agatha, pray for us!

  7 —   Lent and a Healing Mass:  Lent starts Wednesday!  We are going to a Healing Mass on Thursday. It is going to be a good week.  I will be praying for you.

God love and bless you!

p.s.s. Check out all my posts listed by category here!

Thank you so much for visiting and reading this post! If you have enjoyed my blog, please “like” my Facebook Page, The Veil and sign up to receive my blog posts automatically by clicking the rectangular “Follow” button. Please check me out and follow me on Twitter too!

For more Quick Takes, visit This Ain’t the Lyceum !

Counter Cultural Catholic

This week I am linking an insightful post from another blogger, Tammy.  I have been a fan of Tammy’s for a while and have been enjoying her new blog, Counter Cultural Catholic.

Tammy

Her post this week, In Pursuit of Something Special, is about her experience with online dating.  Tammy asks and answers these questions and more:

“Do you respond to everyone who contacts you? Is it kinder to email back a “Not Interested” or to simply not respond? Is one more hurtful than the other? When someone piques your interest, should you play hard to get? Can you type too much? Is aloof alluring?”

Next week, I will share my thoughts, specifically on CatholicMatch.com and provide advice on how a girl can manage her online ‘footprint.’

Tammy will be writing additional posts on this subject so head on over to her blog and sign up to receive her future posts!

Thank you, Tammy!

If you are in need of encouragement or advice, my email is theveilofchastity@gmail.com

God love and bless you!

p.s.s. Check out all my posts listed by category here!

Thank you so much for visiting and reading this post! If you have enjoyed my blog, please “like” my Facebook Page, The Veil and sign up to receive my blog posts automatically by clicking the rectangular “Follow” button. Please check me out and follow me on Twitter too!