Today I received this message on OK Cupid:
"Miss Kathleen, you I would like to meet. You seem to be really full of life.
"I am a lot like you. Although of late my energy has been focused on side stepping depression. Divorce is very draining, but I look so forward to walking out of the frustration and shame and breathing once again.
"I think I would enjoy being infected with your energy. Doug"
Not again. Recently I rejected a man who is deeply depressed and wants me to rescue him. He appears to have clinical depression and dependent personality disorder. Gary wanted me to make him happy, get up off the couch and hike. Although he claims to love hiking, he hasn't hiked in years.
Gary asked me to move in with him during our first (and only) meet. Yikes.
The last straw was when he posted two hiking photos I took of Minotaur Lake and surrounding mountains on his photography website. He posted my photos without my permission, and without crediting me as the photographer. I was appalled.
"It is unethical to pass off my photos as your own," I said. "My intentions were honorable," he replied. What is honorable about plagiarism?
Gary's ego is so fragile, he immediately cancelled his Facebook profile, Fitness Singles membership and photography website. Apparently, he put all of his emotional eggs in one basket.
Wow. I've had more, "Want to hook-up?" messages more than rescue me messages on dating apps.