<----- Swipe Right ----->

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Swiper no swiping... rings in the back of my mind, while the first profile pops up.  A man in his 20s holding a fish, the next profile is a man in a suit, another man, and another. The profiles all seem consistent and similar. Their bios are either nonexistent or it's some cheesy pickup line. Each app is similar but different. Tinder in today's age is considered the "hook-up" app, next, we have Bumble where the conversations always seem to crumble before you can manage a date, and lastly, we have Hinge where you get no chance to actually match with your desired man. 

Why did I download it . . . curiosity? boredom? need? Or maybe I downloaded it because I wanted to feed my ego. 

None of the above. I downloaded it because I wanted to play fairytales. 

But to be honest they aren't it. I am bored. The conversations are dry, and I feel like I am wasting my time, but then I match with you, and it begins. The chase, the fire, the want. Maybe it's all in my head, but he gives me the reins. He is ideal, or at least that's how I interpret his profile. He is all things masculine. He is the darkness and the light. He is protective and dominant. He is what I want to know. So I push. I make sure he knows it's him. 

The apps are just a game, of cat and mouse. It's the chase. It's this intricate dance where one must anticipate the other. Don't come on too strong or they run, don't be too shy or they think you are a prude. I want to play, but I have to set the scene. I need to make him think it's his idea. 

In college, I had these apps, and I used them to match. They seemed so simple and innocent at the time. 

Now I am playing with fire and ice. 

Sometimes I swipe on "NOT MY TYPE" just to make it interesting, or maybe I am playing it safe. I want a "nice" guy. HA, I can't even type that without smiling. Who am I kidding, I don't want nice. I want . . .

 What do I want? 

I want someone who balances me, challenges me, and makes me laugh like no other. I want a man who is family-oriented. I want him to be tall so he can reach the top shelf. I want him to have broad shoulders so that when I am feeling blue, he can scoop me up and make me feel safe. I want his eyes to be deep as valleys, and oceans. I want his smile to make me feel warm as a summer day. I want him to be gentle when he speaks to his nieces. I want him to fight, and play. I want him to know that I am not easy, that I am broken and confusing. I want him to stay. I want him to choose me. 

I want him to SWIPE RIGHT ---> 

I have dated a variety of men and some of the negatives and icks I've dealt with are...

 They already act as if we were in a serious relationship like I am already theirs. I feel more like a show pony, than a woman. They try and claim me. Or the compliments that come are like bullets. There is no finesse or flirty banter. God, I miss my freshman year of high school where we worked so hard just to get our crush to smile at us. Or the subtle touches, that made your skin aflame. I liked the mystery. I miss flirting. I want the whole experience. The journey. While some of these guys just want the destination. 

My advice to you my dear. Go read a Nicholas Sparks book. Or watch THE CHOICE, and see how they flirt. Watch any John Hughes film and see how the tension builds. Where is romance, mystery, desire. Where is that? Nowadays everything is so NOW. NOW. NOW. Have patience, and have fun, and by damn, how about you FLIRT!

To my ideal man, be patient, be kind, be spontaneous, and always say yes :)