Why don't you have a partner?

I tend to be shy at first.

I am much more interested in a long-term committed relationship than a short-term sexual one.

Difficult to find someone I click with. Psychologically I operate in a different gear than most. I am an identical twin and although many people find that interesting, very few actually can understand what this kind of very close relationship really is like. Also I am a divergent creative thinking with a near-photographic memory. I find unless I dumb myself down many people are intimidated by my smarts. Dumbing myself down is something I am not willing to do anymore.
(I'm glad to find in this discussion group there is intelligent life in the Universe)

I have been told in the past by certain women I am "too nice" and they prefer more of the "bad boy" type.

I wouldn't want someone I love to be subject to the destructive crap some of my family members can pull at times. This has become much less of an issue over time as I have set very firm limits on what is acceptable to me.

Most importantly, I don't want to get hurt again. I would prefer to be on my own than to invest in a relationship which I know will end up in a painful way. Loss of someone I love is something I have experienced and this kind of tragedy is painful for me.

Enough said. I remain an optimist, open to finding a woman with spirit and passion for living life fully will challenge me as Lincoln put it towards "the better angels of our nature."

Mike

Honestly, I'm not sure. I've had people tell me I'm intimidating at 1st impression. Don't judge a book by it's cover.

I have been told in the past by certain women I am "too nice" and they prefer more of the "bad boy" type.

Most importantly, I don't want to get hurt again. I would prefer to be on my own than to invest in a relationship which I know will end up in a painful way.

I said before I think it's quite fair to judge books (people) by their covers (dress and behavior) and an article in Psychology Today (new issue) backs me on that. They have two images of a woman and detail what traits are most common to each style.

And to that end I said in another thread (and group) that I think a big reason, maybe the biggest, for people to get tattoos is because they're angry (but rationalized as 'independent' which I also call a 'rebel' attitude).

No No No!! Oh, Mike never "dumb" yourself down for anyone. Be understanding and considerate but never be less than you truly are.

Now if there is a pattern or multiple items pointing the toward the same type of personality, your probablility of a correct guess increases dramatically.

It's not an angry tattoo, it is a tribute to women like myself that have had to "step up to the plate" and do work traditionally done by men. More of a Pride kind of thing.

As for the the tattoo... Yes... that's exactly what I call under the umbrella of anger/rebellion. (Pride, unity, and justice, are three words people use to rationalize anger. And there was even another topic where people who refuse to use the word anger as they rationalized it as rage. They were upset, perturbed, bothered, but never angry.)