What's your excuse for not being in a relationship?

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Online Porn TBH.

My goodness, you're barely 15! Stop!

[Simfan34]

Online Porn TBH.

See what I mean, pho? (Also, pho is great. Vermicelli rolls are even better, though. )

[Mr. Smith]

Oy Simmy, Tony, she's not a newbie here...she's been here a while, or at least long enough to switch PM scores.

A shame she switched to the dark side though.

@pho: Blondies represent!


And now to draw from that hat for another "Wall of Text" response

~draws from hat~


REASON #3: CROSS-FAITH COMPATIBILITY ISSUES

Because of Reason #1, I have often drifted almost by impulse to those of other faiths...maybe it's a vain hope to escape fanaticism and dogma, I dunno for sure. The point is, even this side has issues that I'm just not willing to risk right now.

In the past, because of my own cynical and left-leanings, it has been atheists and agnostics who have been the easiest to click with. But this lends itself to two huge risks. Very rarely have I encountered any one of those types of people that will actually listen seriously to the doctrines and consider them. Usually the attitudes are that of "well it's all BS anyway, but keep talking", or worse...the HockeyDude-esque dogmatism against all religion in general. Neither are conducive to the spiritual stimulation I need out of a relationship.

As for those of other faiths, I risk either running into all the same problems as Reason #1 except without the familiarity of the little things, or I risk other cultural and doctrinal blocks. While it would probably be easier to get some spiritual stimulation this way, the rest is unpredictable.

And in cases of both, it's just exhausting having to explain over and over again why I don't drink coffee or do weed or get tipsy for shiggles. There's also the mess that is the afterlife to reckon with unless they convert in this life. It is also easier to know where other Mormons are coming from even if the odds of them not being far-right nutters is almost nil.

All these dissonances once again tie into struggles to maintain the humor, decipher the right moments for sincerity and sarcasm at a moment, and keep both me and whoever both satisfied intellectually and spiritually to maintain the intimacy for a good relationship.

Like Reason #1, if something happens, I'm nurturing one, but the risks aren't worth it to me right now.

[pho]

I enjoy the perks of being an attractive, young, single blonde woman.

I am 0/19 on getting a ticket when pulled over.
I haven't paid a bar tab since the Bush administration.
I have never had to call a cab or pay for a ride.
I have never had to lift heavy furniture or move out on my own.

There are probably more benefits that I don't even realize are benefits because I have never gone without them, why would I want to give it all up to watch television with some goober every night?

You are a woman? Welcome to the forum! I hope you can ignore the extreme creepiness and crass sexism of some of our specimens, and focus on the few good things about it (maps, mostly).

Thank you! I used to be a model of sorts, so I have an immunity to extreme creepiness and crass sexism.

Oh dear. This will not be fun for you. May God have mercy upon your soul... because this is the Atlas Forum. I can empathize, because I am "a black"-- by convention, the only one here.

Welcome. And good luck.

to touch on an issue that reared its head in this thread: I do not believe Atlas 'suffers' from a lack of women because of the attitudes of its male posters towards women, but rather the attitudes being aired is a product of a lack of women, of a "gentlemen's club" environment.  the idea that women are scanning the Forum and deciding not to register because of the content of discussions is patently absurd.

Also see this thread.

The quote is partially true.

That I am apparently the first woman here in some time is not an indictment of this forum's collective attitude toward women, it's an indictment of internet forums in general as communities for socially awkward, nerdy men. It's the same reason that there aren't many women who religiously play video games, or eat at sports bars, or vote Libertarian...because most women just aren't into it. There are men who are very into these things, so much so that they resent women for their complete lack of interest and blame said lack of interest on stupidity and inferiority. These people are just lonely neurotics who would probably get over it instantly if any woman showed an interest in them.

Online Porn TBH.

See what I mean, pho? (Also, pho is great. Vermicelli rolls are even better, though. )

Nothing wrong with porn, or vermicelli rolls.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

First cis woman anyway.

Tbh this is a thread I regret in retrospect. Rather depressing tbh fe something I intendef as light hearted.

[Mr. Smith]

First cis woman anyway.

Tbh this is a thread I regret in retrospect. Rather depressing tbh fe something I intendef as light hearted.

Bah, that's only if you're not happy with being single. If you're at peace with it and not remotely crushing on anyone, what's the worry?

Perhaps it is disheartening to read so many who cannot reconcile being single, but there seem to be enough who can (or are happily married) to make it okay in the end.

[Cassius]

I think these things usually boil down to pure luck and chance, rather than underlying flaws of character on the part of the individual (except in the case of truly unabashed obnoxious dickheads, and, well, there aren't that many of them). I mean, you know, I've been in a relationship for the last few months, and I'm not an extremely attractive, charismatic or interesting individual - I'm really your stereotypical dull guy who's pretty average in most respects. I just happened to get lucky via a very fortuitous sequence of events (involving a kebab shop, a lost phone and a uni chaplaincy) that enabled me to meet and get to know my girlfriend, and I firmly believe that the stars may well align in a similar fashion for many of those in this thread who have not been so lucky.

[Antonio the Sixth]

You are a woman? Welcome to the forum!

Very smooth.

The fact that this is what came to your mind says more about you than it does about me.

[Torie]

Oh, over the decades I had so many excuses I lost count. But there is always hope for you loners out there, who don't like that much. I mean I found a partner, after about a 40 year hiatus. And he just told me that I am the best partner that he has ever had. Not bad for a newbie at the relationship thing. I cried when Dan said that to me.  Anyway, it's never too late!

[Alcon]

I enjoy the perks of being an attractive, young, single blonde woman.

I am 0/19 on getting a ticket when pulled over.
I haven't paid a bar tab since the Bush administration.
I have never had to call a cab or pay for a ride.
I have never had to lift heavy furniture or move out on my own.

There are probably more benefits that I don't even realize are benefits because I have never gone without them, why would I want to give it all up to watch television with some goober every night?

You are a woman? Welcome to the forum! I hope you can ignore the extreme creepiness and crass sexism of some of our specimens, and focus on the few good things about it (maps, mostly).

Thank you! I used to be a model of sorts, so I have an immunity to extreme creepiness and crass sexism.

You're 26 and haven't paid for a drink since the Bush Administration?  Were you part of a high school service club that paid bar tabs for chronic alcoholics?

[bgwah]

I enjoy the perks of being an attractive, young, single blonde woman.

I am 0/19 on getting a ticket when pulled over.
I haven't paid a bar tab since the Bush administration.
I have never had to call a cab or pay for a ride.
I have never had to lift heavy furniture or move out on my own.

There are probably more benefits that I don't even realize are benefits because I have never gone without them, why would I want to give it all up to watch television with some goober every night?

You are a woman? Welcome to the forum! I hope you can ignore the extreme creepiness and crass sexism of some of our specimens, and focus on the few good things about it (maps, mostly).

Thank you! I used to be a model of sorts, so I have an immunity to extreme creepiness and crass sexism.

You're 26 and haven't paid for a drink since the Bush Administration?  Were you part of a high school service club that paid bar tabs for chronic alcoholics?

Don't crush Tony's dreams...

[Oakvale]

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

[YaBoyNY]

Have you ever read a thread that probably wasn't meant to be sad but ends up being one of the sadder threads you've read on a forum?

This thread is that.

[SWE]

You are a woman? Welcome to the forum!

Very smooth.

The fact that this is what came to your mind says more about you than it does about me.

No it doesn't.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

'Kay, bros, as the Mod here, I'm obligated to be an adult despite the creepier forum members having like a 3/4 chance of being older than me. Let's stop any creeping right now.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

'Kay, bros, as the Mod here, I'm obligated to be an adult despite the creepier forum members having like a 3/4 chance of being older than me. Let's stop any creeping right now.

Tony's posts here are the creepiest, Rathcon.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

'Kay, bros, as the Mod here, I'm obligated to be an adult despite the creepier forum members having like a 3/4 chance of being older than me. Let's stop any creeping right now.

Tony's posts here are the creepiest, Rathcon.

Well yeah. This is the verbal warning.

[Gustaf]

Lol, Atlas. I'd imagine that maybe treating women as normal human beings might be the most reasonable thing if you want to not look creepy.

My excuse would be having a hard time to settle down for one person. It ain't easy in the world of relationships.

[DINGO Joe]

My wife would frown on it.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I enjoy the perks of being an attractive, young, single blonde woman.

I am 0/19 on getting a ticket when pulled over.
I haven't paid a bar tab since the Bush administration.
I have never had to call a cab or pay for a ride.
I have never had to lift heavy furniture or move out on my own.

There are probably more benefits that I don't even realize are benefits because I have never gone without them, why would I want to give it all up to watch television with some goober every night?

You are a woman? Welcome to the forum! I hope you can ignore the extreme creepiness and crass sexism of some of our specimens, and focus on the few good things about it (maps, mostly).

Your'e an asshole.

[Bojack Horseman]

Being an Aspie.

[The Dowager Mod]

Well alrighty then. LOL.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Thank you! I used to be a model of sorts, so I have an immunity to extreme creepiness and crass sexism.

[Mr. Smith]

~draws out of hat~

Reason #6: KINSEY SCORE AND WHAT IT MEANS

I'll say it again, my score was an X...though I usually answer for heterosexual on all the demographics polls. This translates out to meaning that while I do once in a blue moon find myself attracted, I am functionally more like an asexual. Not too different from Harry S. Truman's single-target attraction to Bess and Bess alone actually. Since my last relationship ended, I could very well go the rest of my life not caring at all for a partner, or it could be ten years, or so on. In the mean time, I'm just gonna chillax.

Ergo, the better question with all due respect is (I know this is a joke poll in intent, but on some level it validates something very insidious anyway) what's your excuse for being in a relationship? What makes this person so great? And what makes her (or him) worth showing things for? Why do all these silly things that you'll come to regret?

And until, if ever again that I find someone that I can answer these questions, virtually no drive of any kind for romance or lust is my default.

Naturally, I find dar's answer baffling. Good luck, anyway.