Word. I've worked too hard to pull myself up out of not knowing where my next meal would come from to get dragged down to that level again. I don't care if my future partner and I never spend a dime on each other. If all we do is frolic in parks and free museums, awesome possum. They just have to be my equal, and for…

Happy alone >>>>> not happy in a relationship. I knows what I likes and I sticks with it.

EVERYONE MUST BE EXACTLY THE SAME ALL THE TIME.

Fuck, dude, no one's better or worse than anyone else in the grand scheme of things (obvious exceptions off the table). I'm not interested in being with someone who doesn't have the drive and ambition required to get a degree and following that a job. I've tried. Doesn't work with my personality. Sorry if that hurts…

*shrug* Glad we're not trying to date, then. It definitely wouldn't work out.

Probably so. But also a hard truth learned through years of heartache and "I know he'll get better, you just wait!"

You are absolutely, 100% correct. I'm not looking for someone to carry my load. Just someone to share it. I'd make a terrible sugarbaby, I guess.

Don't forget the scary brown people. They get HIV more than anyone. Can't have a continent full of heathens healthy and functioning!

Thank you, yes. Unless it's like, you one twue wuv from elementary school whose time on earth is severely limited, it can wait until you can feed yourself. Really and truly it can.

YES. I have a history of dating the type who are all "sometime in the distant future I will accomplish ALL THE THINGS but right now it's too hard." One graduated while we were together with a degree in economics but couldn't find an office-type job. I suggested he sign up with a temp agency for experience and…

I literally could not imagine a more boring life. Even if I never had to work for money I would still do something on a volunteer basis.

You're describing like 4 of my most recent boyfriends.

Exactly. I was chatting up a guy last night who seemed like a decent type. He asked what I do (non-profit administration). I asked what he does (delivers pizzas but his car is broken right now). Needle-off-the-record sound. Thanks, it's been fun, good night! I don't even have the energy to spend on someone with whom…

Ambition is way, way, way important than money.

Oh believe me, I know. It's enough to make me want to leave town for a bigger more diverse city.

I kinda feel like American culture dictates the man should at least offer to pay on a heterosexual first date. I will rarely accept an offer of a date I can't afford, so I'm always prepared to go Dutch and always offer to do so.

Not this woman.

I'm an educated, employed lady who just got back into the dating pool. For me personally this is 100% true. I'm simply not interested in dating someone who doesn't work or is underemployed. That makes me a snob, I realize. But I also realize that dating someone who's so far apart from me in terms of life direction…

Actually it's pretty fast. Any time I have to go higher than 10 I use it, because it's a lot easier than remembering whether I'm on my second or third round of 10s. It can be a little awkward to use 4 in public though. Right middle finger extended, the rest down.

I count in binary. I can get up to 1023 before I have to use my toes.