truth

I spent a good part of the day today feeling duped. I'd mistaken for truth words that, as it turns out, were spoken for effect. I went into an online dating situation that looked promising, believing that it was appropriate to take this guy at his word. The words (in the form of emails, msn chats, phone calls) were great-- witty, intelligent, enticing, charming, flirtatious, flattering. I ate it up. It seems I lack whatever mechanism allows women to see through this sort of thing. I think they call this mechanism "cynicism" or "heart of stone". When the angels were distributing dating gear, I must have stood in the wrong line, picking up generous servings of "optimism" and "heart on sleeve" instead. It has not served me well. Or has it? However much it hurts sometimes, I have to admit that I think I prefer an existence defined by optimism over one with cynicism as its starting point. The former may lead to disappointment, but the latter ensures it. So, I think I'll lick my wounds (again) and hope for the best. Though I think I'll reserve my optimism for something other than the game-playing freakishness of online dating.