Profile Review: Five months of failure, please help!

You're an engineer, so, here's a proposed problem: Answer every Eharmony question in no more than 2 sentences composed of no more than 30 words.

I've been lurking on these forums for a long time, and I've really enjoyed reading everyone's posts.
Welcome to the forums.

Image Captions:
Img1: On Vacation (Feb. 2010)
Img2: My humble abode.
Img3: My sweet ride.
Img4: On Vacation (Feb. 2010)
Img5: (no caption)

Actually the pictures seem pretty good to me.

1. What are you most passionate about?
I'm passionate about my occupation. Back in Miss Greenfield's third grade class, our school got its first computer. I was hooked from the start! I saved my allowance for months, and with some help from my parents, I purchased a tiny computer of my own. It hooked up to the television, and it was very primitive. I loved it! What was a hobby for many years eventually turned into serious study at college, and now I have an awesome job that I really enjoy. I find it so satisfying and fulfilling to fix something that isn't working right, or to make something that's useful for other people.

Parts of this are very engaging. I would shorten it up a bit, making it a bit more conversational perhaps. You've got kind of a stilted style to these entries which makes you seem like you're not being spontaneous at all but carefully presenting me with an idealized version of you. So the antidote I think is to just cut some words. I'm going to give you an example here to show you what I mean ... you don't need to use my words, use yer own please, but it's just to help you see what I'm talking about


When I was a kid I got a tiny computer of my own. It was pretty primitive ,but it hooked up to the television. Wow what a hobby that turned out to be! I am still very passionate about computers and in fact it turned into my career. I really enjoy fixing something that isn't working right or making something useful to others.


I hope you can see what I'm talking about here, the kinds of things that make it seem like you're over-thinking the presentation of yerself.


2. What are the THREE things for which you are MOST thankful?

• You know those mornings when you wake up and feel awesome all day for no good reason? Those days!
• Spiral notebook and mechanical pencil - I take lots of notes!
• Indoor plumbing - Without a doubt the most important invention ever!

This was cute and I liked the sense of humor.
3. Other than your parents, who has been the most influential person in your life and why?
Family, friends, and teachers are at the top of most people's list, but let me dig deeper. When I was in elementary and junior high school, I was in this club for boys where we'd meet weekly to play games and go camping and hiking during the summer (kind of like Boy Scouts). One of the adults who supervised us was named Dave. He grew into a "big brother" type figure for me, and I was always happy to see him. He encouraged me to pursue my interests, gave me good advice, and made me feel important and valuable. Dave was an all-around fantastic person, and he stands out as a major role model for me.
Leave off the first sentence. Of course everyone knows their family comes first. blah blah. It's a waste of words. Otherwise it's not bad, but I would still cut as many words as possible. You don't really need the part where you were always happy to see him for example.


4. The four things your friends say about you are:

• Articulate
• Intelligent
• Easy-Going
• Dependable

fine fine
5. What are three of your BEST life-skills?

• Finding and taking on challenging activities.
• Finding creative solutions to everyday problems.
• Achieving personal goals.

ok ok


6. What is the most important quality that you are looking for in another person?
Gee, only one quality? Well if that's the case, then obviously I want someone I can fall madly, deeply in love with (and her with me) because we are just so perfect for each other, and we can live a happy, blissful life together! Should be easy, right?! I'm sure you'll agree that it can be hard to find someone you have that awesome connection with, but I'm always hopeful and optimistic that she's around the next corner, and I just have to keep looking.
I didn't care for this section at all. No one is perfect for each other, first of all, so it seems very unrealistic. I get yer being facetious here, but well it's facetious in every sense of that word. As in the wrong place for this humor at this time. I know I can't possibly be perfect, so give me some real characteristic that you seek in a mate so I'd know if I have a snowballs' chance in hell of meeting it.


7. Other than your appearance, what is the first thing that people notice about you?
I don't really know what people first notice about me, since I don't ask them (what an odd question to ask someone you just met!) When I meet someone, I try to give a nice smile, warm greeting, and ask for their name if they didn't offer it (and I work really hard to remember it). Hopefully they notice these things. Then again, maybe they notice that piece of broccoli stuck in my teeth or my third eye. Who knows?
Nobody likes the question ... that said ... just don't bring up what an odd question it is. Tell me something distinctive about you that would make me want to meet you. The broccoli thing ... not really doing it for me. Yuck. lol


8. What is the ONE thing that people DON'T notice about you right away that you WISH they WOULD?
Umm... my minty fresh breath? This is a nearly impossible question to answer, since it requires the ability to read minds or something! So let me just tell you a bit more about me. I'm a very verbal person, and I mostly experience the world through words. I love to talk to people. I love to read. I've tried writing, and had some skill with it, but I've fallen out of practice.
Same thing here. Don't argue about the questions. We all had to answer them. Make them work for you. Tell me another thing about you that would make me want to meet you.


9. How do you typically spend your leisure time?
I love reading, watching movies, tinkering with my computer, walking in the park, the occasional video game, and just spending quality time with family and friends.
This seems fine to me.


10. What are five things that you "can't live without?"

• Hugs
• The snooze button - Just 9 more minutes!
• Those little clementine oranges
• Purpose
• Pixar movies

love those clementine oranges myself. This list is fine.


11. Describe the last book that you read and enjoyed. What was it about? What did you like most about it?
I recently read and enjoyed the book "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman. This book is usually described as a modern fairy tale, and I think that fits it perfectly. The book is about a young man who vows to retrieve a fallen star for his sweetheart, but the journey ends up being more perilous and amazing than he could have imagined. It's a totally fanciful book that really gets your imagination going.
I dunno maybe it is just me and I'm a little bit jaded here ... but I got the sense that you picked this book so you could spin me a romantic story. It seems well playerish to me. Did you really like this book?

12. Is there any additional information you would like your matches to know about you?
It's really hard to sum up your personality and character in just a few paragraphs. I have nothing witty or profound to add here, other than to tell you that I'm looking forward to getting to know you better. If you know it's not going to work, save us both some time and click "close". I won't be offended, I promise (my buddies Ben and Jerry will comfort me). But if you don't mind flirting with a stranger on the internet, then go ahead and answer my questions (or send me yours)! We're all here to find someone who's great for us, so let's communicate to see if we're great for each other!
This is your dealbreaker right here. This just screams attitude. If I saw this, I would likely hit close bc it says to me that yer not easygoing, that relationships just don't seem to ever work out for you and you don't know why. And why would you bring up flirting with a stranger on the Internet? The ladies are already a little uncomfortable with the whole yikes random strangers from the Internet thing ... no no no this section absolutely must go. You need to build the comfort level of the woman reading the profile, not destroy it lol. Tell me one last great thing about you that will make me want to click open, not this bs about if I'm comfortable flirting with a stranger on the Internet blah blah. That just makes it sound like you would wanta move way too fast for me!


What's something about you that only your best friends know?
Well, only my friends know about the time in high school when I was sent an invitation to participate in a beauty pageant. I suppose with a name like MYNAME, they just assumed I'd be interested. (And if you're curious, I was second runner-up. It was an honor just to compete! I'm not still bitter about losing. Nope.) (NOTE To Advice Forum Users: MYNAME is much more common among women than men, hence the joke. I prefer to keep it private though, so not posting it here.)