Well first of all I got the three books I ordered. I read the Tough Love one in an hour - it wasn't very big or tough to get through. Just a lot of advice about what a woman can do to make sure she snags a guy (pretty good advice, I thought). It occurred to me that all of these dating books are telling a woman how she can change her behaviors to attract men, but there is nothing out there telling guys how they can change their behavior to attract women. I wonder why that is.

I got an email from a guy this weekend. Thinking about it, I am not even sure what his real name is, though we've exchanged several messages since first contact. Hmmm. Well, for the purpose of this blog, we'll call him Punctuation Paul. :-)

Well, Paul seems nice enough. He is a 21 year old, which is normally not an age I'd go for. I mean, three years isn't a lot in general, but it sort of is when you are just 21. He also hasn't been to college, which is something I always thought I'd want my guy to have done...but remember, I'm lowering expectations and idealizations about guys (in some areas, definitely not in others). There are two other things...one is that he has no license (due to a public intoxication ticket), which I'm not loving (obviously because he can't transport himself places and also because of the drinking - though he swears he wasn't drunk). I could probably look past both things if he is a truly awesome guy.

No, my biggest thing is the subject of this blog. Punctuation. I am sure you are all going huh? So let me elaborate.

His emails are like this no punctuation at all just one big run on sentence that lasts the entire email every answer to my questions and questions of his own have nothing no periods commas lots of ands and no capital letters its so hard for me to write like this right now i cant imagine doing it all the time yet every email he has written has been this way it is crazy hard to read also

Whew!

Occasionally he does use a period, so I know he knows where they are on the keyboard. I am truly baffled as to why he doesn't use them all the time. What is with the run-on sentences?

Most girls want a well educated men. Sorry guys, but it's true. They want an articulate man as well. Punctuation Paul's email have neither of these qualities. Now, it's not exactly enough for me to say adios....but it is sort of annoying.

In any case - men, do yourself a favor... if you are going to write an email it would be worthwhile to use correct punctuation. I mean, otherwise a woman might view it as the guy being so lazy he can't put in a period, comma or capitalize properly? And if he is that lazy now (when you've just met), it's possible he is always that lazy, even when you are dating. Definitely not a guy any girl would want to date. So, like I said, its worth taking some time and effort to make sure the message is readable.

Paul's emails are interesting for other reasons. He says I am beautiful and cool. Well, unfortunaltey online, you cant really judge beauty because you are looking at pictures...and pictures can be altered or not even current. Lighting can make a big difference too. I guess my point is pictures are a poor way to really know what a person really looks like. So to me, any compliments of beauty from an email aren't really worth the keyboard they are written with. I think a lot of girls feel this way. Paul also thinks I'm really cool. Which is a great compliment except that he doesn't really know me. Of course I seem cool - I wrote my profile to make it appear that I am. And I think I am cool. My friends think I am cool (geeky, but cool)...but how can he comment on my coolness. All he knows is what I've written him (which hasnt been much, as with most guys, he appears to have issues asking questions) and what what is written in my profile. Not that I don't appreciate a compliment (and in his mind it may very well be sincere)...but again, I gotta take it with a grain of salt cause he really doesn't know me, like at all.

Well, Paul wants to have a celebratory drink. I got into grad school, he got a new job...what a perfect excuse for a date. So I said alright. I'm not a big drinker, but I have to succumb to the fact that getting to know each other over drinks is a popular way to do it. We haven't set a specific time. More like a abstract, in the future, sort of thing (this is usually about the time they cease to talk to me, so Im skeptical that it'll happen). Oh, and get this, he was talking about how he was inspired by the Golden Gate bridge in San Fransisco...and I told him I'd never been. His response, if I played my cards right, he'd take me there. I laughed at this. If I played my cards right. Is this some weird version of poker that I've never heard of? :-) I'm just kidding...sort of. But seriously. If I play my cards right? No, it still makes me laugh. :-)

How about if he plays his cards right he just may get a date from me ;-)

-PJ