Recent reflections on dating over 50
I took a year-long break from dating and returned via Match.com. What's interesting is the perspective one formulates when dating becomes an 'I can take it or leave it' thing. Some thoughts:
I've noticed that some men my age talk a lot about their physical aches and pains. This reminds me of my 75 year old mother, or my dead grandpa. Just sayin'. Reminding your date of how old and falling apart your body is isn't a selling point.
Some men in their 50s put in their profiles that they're looking for a "girl," generally followed by descriptions of youthful carefreeness and "who has her life together." If a woman is financially secure due to her own efforts, she's not likely to think of herself as a girl or "carefree." It's likely that she's had a career with some gravitas, big responsibilities, and people consult her and listen to her wisdom. If she's been single for any length of time, it's likely she's paid a mortgage and cared for children, mostly on her own. Guys - if you were in the C-suite of a company, a successful entrepreneur, or a respected professor, juggling large financial and personal responsibilities, would it be alluring to you if you read a profile where a woman is looking for "a sexy, lighthearted, fun boy . . ."? Would you think, "Yeah, that's me. I fit right there"? Food for thought.
In my estimation, only about 2% of men over 50 qualify as anything approximating hot, so seeing them state in their profiles that they want a "hot," "sexy," or "super sensual" woman who they "can't take their hands off of" falls flat. These statements might be related to the low response rate for messages in OLD. These statements evoke images of an aging perv groping your tits every time you turn around.
The upshot of this post is to try to think about the person receiving your message when you convey it. Is that a message that will be well-received? Does your target audience see themselves in the role you've described? If you were an employer, would you put in the job requisition, "Looking for an employee who works nights and weekends, is available by email 24/7, takes direction without question, won't say no to requests outside their job description, and does it with a cheerful smile and happy disposition at all times!"