Match.com Hate E-Mail

Woot! I got my first-ever hate e-mail via Match.com this morning. I received an e-mail from a woman yesterday evening regarding my profile. I've only changed names and her hometown, which I mention in an e-mail.

Here's her e-mail:

From: Hate Mail Gal
To: The Library Guy
Date received: December 18, 2005
Subject: Wow !!!

I loved your headline. I wish I had put as much information on my profile as you did. I was afraid to come off like a major wind bag. How has it worked for you? OK, I'll be nice. We have an incredible amount of common interests. It would be fun to get into each other's head. May I respond to your "about me"by the numbers? 1: I'm laid back also (or lazy) 2: I'm absolutely eclectic in every way ( could be just multiple personalities) 3: love travel, bookstores, music of all kinds and some sports 4 Also a jack of many trades 5: insanely wacky sense of humor (gotta be on your toes) 6: world-class smart-alek 7:can be very deep and serious 8: I don't know about anal anything! 9:often quiet, can be reclusive , loves the quiet and peaceful 10: not into drama 11: rational only when useful 12:not a fan either 13: what's a frickin Hoopy Frood? 14: was that placid of flacid? 15:I'm not competitive, I just naturally win alot cuz I'm better 16: You lost me on that one 17: society as we know it will fall first. Low-tech rebels will rule 18: eventually find a bright-side to every pitiful or calamitous situation (my life) 19: I have a Monty Python soul 20: the first 12 of these were amusing.

She was responding to these points I made in my profile.

About me and who I'd like to meet i am: 1. pretty laid back and easygoing. 2. eclectic. 3. someone who likes travel, bookstores, music, & sporting events. 4. a jack of all trades & a master of two. i have the diplomas to prove it. :-) 5. in possession of a wacky sense of humor. 6. a smartaleck. :-) 7. serious at times. 8. anal-retentive at times, but what do you expect from someone who numbers these descriptions! :-) 9. slightly introverted, but that doesn't mean i'm reclusive. :-) 10. not fond of overly emotional appeals. they turn me off. 11. rational & perhaps too much for my own good! :-) 12. not a fan of e. e. cummings even though i've typed this profile in lowercase. 13. a hoopy frood. 14. normally placid except when i go to music concerts. 15. competitive when i play games. i play to win. if someone else wins, that's good because i've done my best & i congratulate the winner. 16. an istj personality type according to myers-briggs. 17. expecting the spanish inquisition to happen anytime. 18. always looking on the bright side of life. 19. not going to include another monty python joke in my self-description. 20. aware that the ultimate answer is 42.

Anyway, I had noticed a few days previously that she had looked at my profile. I looked at hers and noticed there were some things we didn't have in common-- since I like going to some bars, there was a comment she made about "beer-a-holics" in her profile I found to be troubling.

So I sent her this message:

From: The Library Guy
To: Hate Mail Gal
Date received: December 18, 2005
Subject: RE: Wow !!!

Hi,

Thanks for your response. I'm glad you liked my profile. To answer some of your questions, several women have said that they liked it a lot. I figured that as long as I tried to include some humor, the profile would work & I believe it has.

There's also some references to books in my profile-- hoopy frood, for instance, comes from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It means someone who's really amazingly together.

I saw that you had looked at my profile a few days previously. I looked at your profile too. I think it's interesting, but I believe our differences are too great. I don't believe we'd get along. I like to go out to local bars and nightclubs. I also like to drink a beer or three. Despite the fact you mention that you're a social drinker, your profile had given me a different impression mostly because of your comment concerning "beer-a-holics." So I removed your profile from consideration.

When I moved here to the Jackson area, I went (and still go) to coffee shops and bookstores, but people there didn't seem to be too interested in socializing or in some cases were pretentious. So I went to bars where I've met most of my friends. Bars have always seemed to have a more welcoming environment for me.

I suggest you look for someone else who shares many of your interests. While we certainly have some things in common, I think we're too different.

All the best,

LG

She didn't take the note too kindly. She sent me this brief message:

--- Hate Mail Gal wrote:
---------------------------------
OK never disregard a first impression. (mine was a pretentious windbag!) Ta TA!
---------------------------------

I'm in a good mood and since this the first hate mail I've received via match.com. I was playful and so I responded accordingly:

Hey cool! My first hate mail sent via match.com! Don't worry I'm not going to say nasty things. I'm in an amazingly good mood considering it's a Monday. *grin*

You must not have paid close attention to my profile. I mentioned that I'm introverted. It's pretty hard for an introvert to be a windbag. I will admit at times to being a verbose typist.

As far as my profile is concerned, check out the first definition of pretentious at this website:

http://www.wordreference.com/definition/pretentious

"ostentatious: intended to attract notice and impress others"

I knew I had to be more creative since I decided not to put my photo on match.com. So yeah, I made my profile that way on purpose. It certainly got your attention.

In all seriousness, I can empathize with you. I grew up and used to live in a small town-- a town much, much smaller than XXXXXXX. (Yes, I'm familiar with XXXXXXX. I went to college with people who were from there.) It's difficult being different from a lot of other people in a small town. That's another reason why I like Jackson so much-- it's a larger city and it's easier to find people who share similar interests.

Wishing you the best in your hunt,

LG

After I got off work this evening, I received a response from her:

I don't think I've ever encountered anyone who assumes so much from so little information before. I have lived all around the country including large cities such as Seattle (that's in Washington) Portland (Oregon) San Diego (California) Phoenix (Arizona) and some not so large such as Fayetteville, Arkansas before I moved here. I love the friendly people and have been made to feel at home. Sorry, pretentious was your word, and I just wanted to throw it back at you. I'm not sure what the word is for people who need to flaunt thier education and knowledge of a few big words in an attempt to elevate themselves above the huddled masses and feel better about themselves. Other people I've met like that were usually rejects in school and suffered cruelty at the hands of the usual bullies and snobs, who now need to act better than others to make up for it. Oh, just to set the record straight, I have nothing against going out to a bar and having a good time for whatever reasons. I do sometimes and have fun with friends and enjoy making new ones and meeting guys. To me a beer-aholic is someone who has to drink a six-pack every night to be civil. I'm suspicious of anyone who needs to depend on a chemical to have a good time. One other thing, I believe I was still a teen- ager when I read Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, and have had other things to think about besides "Hoopy Froods" or whatever. Haven't seen the movie but on my list. I am a H/S drop out. I've been on my own since the age of 15. Never been jailed, managed not to get caught doing anything terribly stupid, no illegitimate children, no diseases or defects. I've done everything from training World Champion Horses to selling airplanes. I enjoy people from all walks of life in every socio-economic category there is. I have friends who are also intellectual snobs but I enjoy them anyway. This was not hate mail, nothing as strong as that! Just having a little fun F@%@n' with ya! and it worked....Hate Mail Gal

Here's how I responded:

All you had to was to say: "You caught me, so I'm going to deny everything."

Wishing you a Merry Christmas,

LG