Three Strikes and You. Are. Out.

So to continue on from my last post.  I've officially retired from eHarmony and now am just on PoF and Match.

I've had dates with four different guys in the last two months. 

Date #1 - We shall call him Mitch*.  Mitch and I met on eHarmony and talked for about two weeks before we met.  We met at a little Irish place for drinks one week night.  When I got to the restaurant, he was already sitting down and didn't bother to get up to give me a hug or a handshake - strike 1.  Referencing the last post about not lying on your profile - I come to realize that Mitch posted pictures that were about 5-7 years old.  He sort of looked like his picture, but add about 50 pounds, less hair and a little weathered look - strike 2.  Conversation over dinner was primarily dominated by him and talking about his work/school.  That is fine, but he was mainly talking about people he works with and things he had to get done that week.  If I worked with him, that would be fine, but since I didn't  I had no clue what he was talking about - we'll give that 1/2 of a strike.  Now I'm a pretty firm believer that if you ask someone out on a date, you should be the person to pay (that goes the same if I ask someone out - I should pay).  So the bill comes and he doesn't really do anything with it and since he asked, I wasn't going to get out my wallet.  After a few minutes, he realizes that I wasn't planning to contribute, so he ends up paying - this makes up for the 1/2 strike.  The bill is paid and we go to leave the restaurant.  Then I notice STRIKE 3...  He lied about another thing in his profile - his height.  His profile says he was 5'8" and when he stood up, he was no taller than me (5'2").  I thanked him for the date and we went our separate ways.  I DID, however, email him the next day, thank him again, but told him that I was not interested in another date. 

Date #2: He'll be called Gary*.  Gary and I met at a Town Center.  We started talking on PoF and conversation had been spotty.  I got a little lost on the way there, but he was very nice to help me find my way.  He shows me around and we end up at one of the restaurants to order drinks (mine = alcoholic, his = not).  Conversation went well so we ordered a few appetizers.  Bill came and he said we should split it - Strike 1.  I was a little urked by this b/c we met close to his house AND he asked for the date, but I'm trying to be more open minded.  We walk around after dinner and then sit and talk.  During the conversation I find out that he is going to go away for the next 7 months starting in mid-June - Strike 2.  Now why start going out on dates with people if you know you are leaving soon?  Especially when the first two months you are away, the only way you can communicate is by hand written letters?  Ok, still trying to be open minded.  Then he drops the religion bomb on me.  Not only is he religious, but he comes from a faith that does not believe in medicine.  AND, he believes that prayer is enough to cure cancer.  I felt bad, because I really had to try not to laugh.  Whereas I respect people's beliefs, I can also respectfully think that their beliefs are crazy.  - Strike 3
I was pretty intrigued by the whole religion thing, so we did go out a second time.  I then realized that although he is religious and everything, he had one thing on his mind and unfortunately didn't get what he wanted from me.

Date #3 - This was on my birthday with Aaron*.  Aaron and I met at a local restaurant that just so happened to be both of our favorite.  I was excited b/c I was going to have my favorite meal and had had fun talking to Aaron over the last few weeks.  My first impression of him was that he was kind of preppy and had a pretty good smile.  Lunch went rather well and I still had some time before my dinner plans, so we decided to go see a movie.  He offered to drive over there.  The weather on this day was about 100 degrees out and I believe I did see an egg frying on a sidewalk.  We walk over to his car and it was this Honda sports car.  I don't really know much about cars, but apparently it was expensive and fast.  We drive over to the theater and he pulls up to the theater and parks in the back.  Then he has to lock everything down so it doesn't get stolen - meanwhile I'm melting in the sun.  Since he paid for lunch, I offered to pay for the movie and a bucket of soda for each of us (seriously the smalls were about bucket size).  For the first half of the movie, he was a little touchy-feely.  He would put his hand on my leg and rub it a little or hold my hand.  Now people who know me well, know that I am not a touchy-feely person and have to be VERY comfortable with someone to let them touch me.  So I was a little uncomfortable with this, but I was trying to get over myself.  Then he starts to go higher and higher on my leg.  I was trying to look nice and stay cool, so I had worn a sundress to the date.  Needless to say, he got up to the undies, I took his hand away, gave him this look like "what the F are you doing" and playfully punched his arm.  Then during a pretty good part of the movie, he grabs my hand and proceeds to put it on his exposed "unit".  WTF?!?!?!?  I looked at him and said "WTF are you thinking?  Put that thing away".  God, did I want to just get up and leave.  However, he drove over there and it was either stick it out or get a cab.  I decided to stick it out.  He ended up trying the move again.  I told him to grow up.  Luckily the movie was over not long after that.  He drove me back to my car and asked if he could see me again.  I politely said that he made me extremly uncomfortable and wished him good luck on his search.  Even now, a few days after the fact, I still am shaking my head and asking myself "who does that"...

Guy #4 - this post is long enough and I have a second date with Guy #4, so I will wait to write more about him another time.

*Names were changed to protect the guity...