Champagne taste....

That's not Champagne taste, that's the price of a middle-class house, an Audi R8 and a bottle of Dom Perignon 1963 champagne taste.

Too bad that's a common ideology, especially since the average wage for guys is closer to 30k and only wants to be loved.

I've been passed up by women who make less than me. Doesn't matter what our interests or hobbies are. I'm not a millionaire supermodel sugar daddy.

True love doesn't exist save for the lucky one percent of couples who meet in school and stay together after. Normal guys don't stand a chance anymore. Many of us will live and die lonely... and many are.

Fox, our daughter just went to a wedding and the bride included some very touching comments in her vows. She said she didn't think she would ever marry and had resigned herself to a single life. When she met her now husband, she said she knew that was why she hadn't met anyone as she had been waiting for him.

Please do not lose hope. Have you put yourself out there on social media as we had discussed? There are women who will appreciate you...you just have to find one. Character, honesty, fidelity and being a good husband and lover still ranks right up there for some women.

The type of woman depicted in the gif is the anthesis of what you (or any other man) should be attracted to in a woman. Find a woman who comes up to your standards and reward her by choosing her and committing to her for life.

I don't mean to be offensive when I say this, but it's easy for her to say such a thing when the supply and demand differences for men and women are the way they are these days. Literally millions of guys want a woman like that, but there's only a handful of those women out there and they have their pick. That's the sad reality.

I've become basically a shoulder and a mentor to other guys who're in the same boat as myself, even shook hands with one agreeing that if either of us could ever find one we'd inquire about any friends or sisters they might have and request a referral for each other. We'd be willing to give girls a chance, but none of them have ever given us one.

Also yes, I've put myself out there. I deleted my social media due to the number of insufferable and miserable people I found. I've met women who wanted to have nothing to do with me because I couldn't instantly impress them. I've even met a couple whom I had more in common with than the guys they chose, and those are of the few that'd even speak to me. My character didn't matter, my statuses did.

Unfortunately the woman in the gif is the standard. Maybe the price tag is a bit different, but the ideology is the same for all of them. It's impossible to find a woman who comes up to your standards when the only standard you have is love and she only wants to be pleased.

U.S. Census Bureau: the population sex ratio in U.S. was 98 males per 100 females in 2021, and by 2050, it is expected to be 99. So, it isn't a numbers game so much as it is finding a good match for yourself.

You are apx. 27 as I recall, right? That is a great age for a man or a woman. You know what you want and have enough sense to get out there and get it. If you want to PM me, I will help you write a good synopsis of who you are and your interest in finding a woman who shares your same values. I know what women like cuz I am one, Fox. In the meantime, keep a positive mental attitude. We all like to be around people who lift us up.

You said, "It's impossible to find a woman who comes up to your standards when the only standard you have is love and she only wants to be pleased." That is very telling. It tells me a lot about 'you' that will be extremely attractive to the 'right' woman. A good woman will put you first, Fox, and not be so superficial and selfish.

Population ratio does not coorelate with mentality and loneliness. You can lock a 100 girls in a room with a single, average guy and they can all say "no" because he's not impressive or special enough for them. Plus it's very, very likely that if one of them did hookup, that she can cheat or straight up leave him if she finds something better.

There's a reason why my parents met via referral. She's my dad's second wife.

I will PM you as you suggest though to see what options there are, because if I am everything you say I am and I that really do meet all the qualifications, then something must still be wrong with me.

I agree but also remind you location is everything. Visit areas with strong family values and faith filed communities, in those places it is the soy boys that struggle to find a mate.

Unfortunately I don't know of any places like that, and I can't afford to make the move to such a place if it's what I'm imagining in my head.

Even if I could though, I doubt there'd be any left to choose from except divorced and middle-aged mothers. No one around my age or younger available to have fun and enjoy our youth.

If you happen to live in one of those areas, then may I request a couple of referrals? I know a lot of guys in the same boat, including a friend who's practically a carbon copy of myself with whom we both agreed to get a referral from whoever we met. Referrals are the only way to meet since there's few good ones who put themselves out there, and those that do are quickly snatched up.

Even my own parents met via referral, and that was before the internet entered the household. Now I get my dad constantly apologizing because he looks online and hears the same stories from lots of guys and he feels so bad for me, saying that he can't possibly imagine how hard it is for [my] generation never getting to know what it's like to have someone love you.

I live a pretty isolated life, the only people that I interact with on a regular basis are my own family. I don't know where you are, but the American south would be my recommendation as the first place to move to. There are a few states that I have not visited so I can't speak to them, but I can say the southerners were the most welcoming, and loving people of anywhere I had visited.

I've lived in the north my whole life, as have friends I've talked to and have mentored. I've heard stories of folks in the south, that they value faith and love, but you still have to be someone who's already fairly successful to get approval and respect.

Given that I don't meet the qualifications to even gain the respect from blue collar folks up here, I'm confident that I shouldn't even dream of meeting the qualifications of people that only want the best for themselves but simply in another sense.

Also for the record, I'm not just talking about myself, as there's millions in my shoes, including those I interact with regularly.

It sounds like you have a handle on the problem but need to think outside the box to solve it. Out here men are measured on their skillset not their wealth. Find your passion and follow it, learn a skill that is in demand and cannot be sent overseas, most service industries would qualify. This world is a gold mine for the people willing to get hot, sweaty and dirty doing things others might look down on but can't do for themselves.

You keep telling me that no one respects you and you attribute that to your income. I would ask you to take another look, that sounds more like an excuse than a fact. People have three faces, one they see in the mirror, one they show to others and a hidden one they only show themselves in private. What that means it some people will destroy every chance in life by second guessing everything, every problem, every challenge. Don't fall in that trap, take a hard look at yourself, where are you? Where do you want to be next year? Make a plan, pick a direction and fly.

An old man told me once that even a surgeon calls a plumber. Bonus, those jobs are in high demand making a move to an area with more females easy and also a good idea. Finding your soul mate should never be your only goal, I found mine while shopping and she refused to go out with me the first three times I asked. Before we met, I had already learned real life skills and started looking for a suitable wife when I knew that I could afford it.

Start looking hard at trade school, there is a ton of money for scholarships, focus on learning and the rest will fall in place. People will notice a man holding his head high, a skilled man carries himself differently. I turn down work all the time because I don't like the customer, they need me more than I need them. Once you have a high demand trade you will also find older men that will watch over you, give you advice on everything and will become like family.

Where is "out here?" It wasn't some stupid excuse, I've literally been rejected after learning I wasn't financially to their liking. I've probably had hundreds of old guys try to lecture me about how much of a failure I am because "kids these days" are "stupid and lazy," citing me being single, going to college, being skinny and not having muscles (despite it being genetic) and not making $60k or joining the military.

I'm not entitled and thing I deserve a free ride, but I shouldn't have to meet requirements to qualify for "older men that will watch over you, give you advice on everything and will become like family." The advice I need is the advice to get to that point, not a bunch of old jerks standing aside and talking crap about me.

I've even had family do that, which is why I don't talk to them anymore, because I can't discuss anything without them trying to change the subject so they could criticize me, then once I thoroughly explain my case they all say the same thing, that it's my fault and I have to fix it. How, after a 2-hour conversation explaining why? "I dunno. It's something you have to figure out." Gee, thanks!

Also regarding work, I've tried looking into multiple blue-collar jobs and trades, but every single one of them requires experience and I've been turned down for multiple positions. Before you ask, that includes the ones who said they offered on-the-job training, and I literally can't afford any schooling, and I've been turned down for every scholarship I was elligible for. I know what skills are in-demand, but I can't get into any of them. Jobs here are who-you-know. I was able to land an interview tomorrow at a steel mill only because my dad used to work there. It's doubtful I'll be able to pass the physical requirements, but the only way to get a decent job is to have someone there bring you in. Applications don't mean anything unless you're above the age of 40 and have worked in a construction site. (yes, I've been turned down because of that).

You seem both depressed and angry, not a good combination when applying for jobs. No matter what, always appear positive and let them know you will be on time, every time, ready to do what needs done.

Things to keep in mind. Location is just as important as age, experience and a hundred other things. Based on the historical criteria the USA is in a depression, jobs are scarce and if you live under the thumb of a woke culture that would make things much, much worse. In some areas your ability to fit in is more important than anything else, no one expects a community activist to have a successful job record at anything, you don't sound like a good fit for those jobs anyway. I mentioned it to show you that the other side would have the same types of problems as you do if they moved to a fly over state and showed up late for an interview, demanding to be addressed by some made up pronoun.

Jobs in many areas are as you already pointed out are handed over only to people that fit a very narrow model. You seem to be in an area that can pick and choose who they hire. You can do nothing, stay put and nothing will change. Or you could seek out a trade school and apply, most will help you finds the funds. They also tend to hook you up with a job at graduation.

Moving may be your best option. Find a place that sees young people willing to work hard as a rarity and jobs are everywhere or at least easier to find. My first job was hauling shingles up ladders, I couldn't even carry them without busting the bag and carrying a few at a time, the old men that I mentioned quickly mentored me because I showed them that I was willing to try.

You mentioned the military, I always talk people out of that one because the woke military is a joke, but on the other hand, it is a quick way to get an education.

You have a rough road ahead of you and the only way the people that stand in your way will see you differently is to prove them wrong. Pick a direction and go, believe in yourself and make a plan, where are you now, where do you want to be, how to you get there? All things only you can do. Good luck

Best advice I ever got was from an old man. He told me son do not marry a woman that you can live with, find the one you cannot live without. Someone needs to educate that woman.

Good advice and a saying our daughter believed and quoted when she was dating our great son-in-law.

If she is anything like her mother, he knows he scored big, and they will make it.

That is so nice of you to say and I can unequivocally state "they will make it". They are very much in love after 17 years of marriage and have given us two gorgeous granddaughters.

Speaking of making it, I think you and your wife will definitely be on the longevity list as well, BFF. The longer the marriage, the more one realizes how you really can't live without the other (bringing us full circle to your original comment). :)

Thank you and I agree, I am a realist and I know that I couldn't do better, but she could, so I am not going out of her sight. I tell her that often and she always pretends to be mad. Even when I was in the service and marriages were collapsing all around us, we had no issues, our faith and trust brought us through a lot. Oh, one other game we play is telling each other that if you ever leave you have to take the kids. Our kids are old enough to say not funny Dad. Dad jokes are great.

Too funny re the threat of having to take the kids! GOOD one, lol, and that sealed the deal right there! Great dads are hard to come by (especially these days) and who doesn't like great dad jokes (except the kids)?

Glad you guys weathered the tough times so well when other marriages fell apart...you are in it for the long haul for all the right reasons.