How would you respond to this guy?

Question

I posted an online personals ad, and here's the e-mail he copy/pasted to me:

My name is James. Ohio born, Idaho raised. I'm a single man, reputedly intelligent, with unusual interests in everything irrelevant. I think overall you will find that I am a really outgoing person. I have always been able to make friends under any circumstances. Although I am not well traveled, I am very open minded. I have a sarcastic quality to my personality and I love to smile and make others laugh. Unfortunately on of my major personality defects is that I can't help but laugh when people fall down in public. I have falledn down many times and I always laugh. My favorite word is 'dubious'. I was a bit wild when I was younger and I have a story for everything. I am a black belt in Judo and most likely I can choke you out or break your arm, your choice ;). I keep in shape. I drink beer but never shots. I do not smoke and never have. I have a great job that I love. I worked really hard to get to where I am

and because of this my career is very important to me. I make a good money but I am in no way rich. I have a brand new 'naked' bike, if you know what that means. I am an avid snowboarder and always have a pass to Bogus Basin. Lets go boarding. I am a voracious reader of largely irrelevant materials. When it comes to trivia, you want to be my partner, unless it is on expert level because I only know enoungh to get by. However, U have great conversation skills. My last girlfriend used to tell me that the reason why I am so good in groups is because I know a little about a lot of things which helps create and sustain interesting conversation. I have never been married and I have no kids. I do enjoy kids though and have often thought I might want one. Just not in the immediate future. I am not adverse to marriage, just not right now. I don't have baggage, unless you include my adorable boxer puppies. I love them more than anything. I don't have any annoying habits that I am aware of, but I

but I am by no means perfect. I don't have weird hangups. I consider myself to be a guys guy. I love all contact sports but hate baseball. The Cleveland Browns are my favorite football team. I take people for what they are and I try not to judge even though I do recognize that I do have some prejudices that come out from time to time. I believe in giving people a second chance. I equally believe in giving people a first chance. I like helping people when I can. I have a family with high expectation. I have two sisters, and I am the middle child. Both of my sisters are very pretty - so it pretty much sucked being their brother. Although my name is James my immediate family sometimes calls me Jamie. I think Jim is an old man name. I am starting to get grey hairs and I think it looks distinguished. I am smooth shaven. I groom more than my face. I appreciate personal hygiene. My eyes change color from blue to green depending on what I am wearing. I wear contacts. I am afraid of hieghts, bu

t I have balls. I have a fun little BMW. I am very proud to be a Vandal in a city that is all about BSU. I have secretly rooted for BSU's football team, but not more than once ;). I have been arrested once and I spent two nights in a jail on an Indian reservation. It was a minor offense, I promise. I am a type A personality in terms of the goals I set for myself and how I go about my job. I don't take my work issues home with me. I like pulling up to my law firm blasting rap, because the looks I get are funny. There are times I miss running naked through the streets of Moscow (I was in a fraternity and was hazed just like everyone else). Although I still talk to many of my friends from highschool I keep them at arms length because some of their recreational habits are a liability. I don't smoke weed. I am loyal to a fault. I wear a big watch and I call it the 'man watch.' I am addicted to ebay and craigslist. I like to sell my junk to people who like to collect it. I currently live in

a huge empty house in west Boise. I am looking for a roommate. I have high expectations for people that I surround myself with. I often believe people are capable of far greater things than they imagine. I like pubic displays of affection- a lot. I don't feel 29 except after a night downtown. I dress nice. I like nice things. I don't really like watching TV, which doesn't really explain my 50' plasma. I love live comedy shows. I have been to the opera and didn't hate it. I have also been to a broadway show (the Lion King) and thought it was bizzare. No matter how old I get I still love the zoo. I used to hate cats until I had one. Jen got the cats in the split. I have a humidor for my cigars. I only have cigars because lawyers smoke cigars and I like to fit in. I have two tatoos, one on my ribs (a phoenix) and a design on my back shoulder blade. I have no plans on getting any more and probably would not have gotten them if I had things to do over. My My favorite fast food chain is Taco

Time. My favorite beer is Sierra Nevada or Natural Light depending on how much money I have in my wallet. My favorite movies are ones that make you think. Please rent Moholland Drive and give me your thoughts. I have not been able to figure it out. I like to daydream about what I would do if I won the lotto. I bought a ticket Yesterday. I just checked the paper, no love. At some point I would like to own a log cabin style home in Robie Creek and commute to work. I am not a slob. I have a very clean house and I hate clutter. I have ADD, which might explain why this personal explanation is all over the place:).

Answer 1

I didn't read all of this. If it were me, I'd be completely freaked out by how open he is to someone he's never met. So my response to him would be... nothing.

(Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with people being open and honest... but I don't think someone should be THAT open in their first e-mail exchange.)

Answer 2

WOW. He sure thinks a lot of himself. I get the feeling that if you went out with him he would monopolize the whole conversation talking about himself. I don't like the part where he talks about choking someone or breaking an arm (makes me wonder) Personally seems a little too long winded for me. He may be a nice guy but honestly I would not give him much of a chance after reading all that.

Answer 3

I'm not sure. The part about Judo and being able to choke someone or breaking an arm is a bit, as he would say, dubious. It would have sounded better if he'd just left it at a black belt in Judo.

Answer 4

He is trying to be funny. He has a caustic sense of humor, which most people don't get - it doesn't translate well in writing. He sounds just like the attorney I work for. And I could have told you he was an attorney even if he had not said so, lol. He's offbeat, but worth getting to know a little better if it was me and I was still single. At this stage, it's just online, so if you engage him further and decide he's not your type, it's no big deal.

Answer 5

I found it him interesting--- he certainly is not boring I managed to read the long letter without any problems. The judo reference was a bit over the top but hey if your that good I guess it's a way of showing off and it is good to know that you have better than average protection. By all means go for it ! Life is too short to be lonely !

Answer 6

Wow... i agree, the whole "choke you out or break your arm, your choice" totally freaked me out. he also wrote WAY WAY WAY toooo much! you think, if this is just a follow up email, it should be short with enough open ended topics, so that you can ask him questions back... he practically told you his whole life...

As to how would you respond to him... can't you just say "Sorry, It doesn't look like we are a match, but good luck with your search!" and then don't respond to his emails....

unless you want to I guess.....

=) good luck

Answer 7

Hmm... i agree with the comments about his claim to being a blackbelt in Judo... would have been belivable if he left it at "have a blackbelt in Judo".

Personaly he sounds desperate, alone and very confused.
Why do i say this?.. because alot of his statements about himself, contradict themselves later on.
If I were a woman i would say "Nah!!!"

Answer 8

I wouldn't. The minute I read the part about he could choke you out or break your arm all kinds of red flags went up.

Answer 9

I was going to say it looks like he has ADD but then saw he pointed it out himself. I'd give this one a miss, hon.

Answer 10

I guess if his personality seems attractive to you then talk to him and see what comes but I do not recommend meeting him anytime soon.