Wow, this topic has legs and it's getting up and walking around on them.

I must agree most with Sebbi because he really pared it down to the bare essentials. Men do want a woman who is attractive and a woman wants a man who is able to provide. That's the way it's usually worked. Some people have lucked out and been able to be very attractive and very brilliant (moi!) and been able to find that in another person. It's a really tough combo which is why it seems so often that we are all settling in some way.

Now, I also see what Waffle is saying about American sensibilities, as we can't really comment on the world at large. Here, it sometimes appears as if no matter what you have to be with someone attractive no matter the gender or their accomplishments. Hot people inevitably team up with other hot people. Although

Sfa437, you kind of reinforce what has been said already and contradict yourself a little bit. Men DO need approval from women in order to validate certain, or even all aspects, of themselves. That woman could be your wife, your mother, a whore or even the embassy interns who work the receptionist's desk. The fact that you spent any time talking with this young professional woman who, in your own words, starts out being a "Foggy Bottom hottie" and then ends up being a "vapid twit" when she finds out what your career REALLY entails and is pretty much done talking to you underscores this especially well.

Novesh, it's not about finding perfection because I believe we are all adult enough to realize that there's no such thing as perfection in anyone. We all want more than the average but to say we're looking specifically for an abstract ideal of perfection is a gross generalization. The fact that we are all looking for OUR own version of "perfect" is much more applicable.

Which brings me back to Luman. Luman, perception sometimes is reality. What most guys on this board project about themselves may in fact not be who they are in reality but it speaks a lot more about how they wished to be viewed or could view themselves psychologically.

People think you're a wannabe Lothario teenage mutant ninja turtle. People think I'm a 40 year-old British chick with a penchant for luxury watches, clothes and bags. Accurate? No, not really. But if that's the image YOU give off, then you can't blame people for basing everything they think about you on that. You also have nothing to prove to anyone on here. A man secure in himself doesn't need people to vouch for the content of his character ANYWHERE. His words and deeds will speak for him. It's just a forum to chit chat about faux luxuries and have a good time losing money in the Casino.

And the bad part about people who look really young when they are really young is that they DON'T age well. And if you do not believe me, look at Ricky Schroeder, Mickey Rooney, Neil Patrick Harris, Gary Coleman, Leif Garret and Danny Bonaduce; time has NOT been kind to them. That's your future. Embrace that or embrace Botox now.

Pugwash, that Alexander Dane quote was right on time.