Athena Bradford

Athena Bradford
Location
Atlanta, Georgia, US
Birthday
November 07
Bio
Athena Bradford is a writer, explorer, researcher, and the author of “The Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Vibrators.” She suffers from delusions of candor and longs for days when there is no embargo on pleasure.

MY RECENT POSTS

AUGUST 3, 2009 11:12AM

The Intimacy Test: Would You Date Him?

Rate: 5 Flag
intteststockxpertcom_id31976711_jpg_58c6cd0e25761150cea3c55fb937ceccSeveral weeks ago, I posted  a piece on the nightmare experiences that transpired after I placed a personal ad in the New York Review of Books.  I wrote of one man who sent me his "Intimacy Test;" since then, I've received numerous questions about the exact specifics of this correspondence.  I'm afraid that any attempt at paraphrasing just cannot capture the staccato tone and the  stark revelations of the letter; therefore, I've decided to share the test with you.  It was very long so I've deleted paragraphs, but the excerpts that follow (all of which are faithful to the original) should provide you with more than enough information to evaluate this potential prospect.  My response?  I read it, immediately called my three closest friends, and then filed it under "You can't make this shit up."

Hello, I’m a 47-year-old, straight, financially secure academic.  Once married and divorced, once cohabited and separated—no kids.  After my writing and teaching, my deepest interests lie in opera, cycling, art, horse racing, the stock market, and some movies and travel.  I am not interested in cold rotten weather, or casual sex. I would be more contented, make that ecstatic, if I were to find a feminine soulmate wrestling and questing with the mysterious synopses of the personal ads.

I am 5’10”, 150 lbs. and balding.  I wear glasses, a short salt-and-peeper beard, and have sometimes have been mistaken for the late Peter Sellers.I smoke and drink moderately and my health is superb.  On the physical downside, I have impossible teeth, mediocre coordination, and no manual skills whatsoever.  My mental-emotional health is not superb. I am firmly plugged into reality, but I have been vulnerable to fierce depressions when severely frustrated.  I now have a therapist on call as-needed.

I had a rough and raggedy trip up from the working class, the scars and vestigial anxieties are very noticeable.  I like small spaces and own few possessions. I live and work in shorts, swimsuits, sandals and headbands.  I used to be a night person but unexpectedly became a day person in my thirties.  My faith is an unchurched and ultraliberal Protestantism that is unconnected to sect, doctrine or observances, and follows solely from my apprehension and unquestioning acceptance of the cultural foundations of First World civilization.

My sexuality is entirely defined by my needs or emotional expression and my capacity to evoke and engage the varied selves of another. I like structure in music, coherence in literature, and I split quick from aesthetic creations which offend or bore me.  I am prone to sudden bouts of eczema.  My poker, bridge, and chess are so mediocre that I no  longer bother with them.

And finally a note of caution. I have weathered two previous intimacy failures, and these failures occurred primarily because each partner did not understand my strengths and limitations until long after she became involved with me.  So I now ask that any prospective lover/companion/spouse understand exactly who I am before she gets involved, and I hope the most thoughtful and deliberate consideration of these disclosures will inform your decision to make or not to make contact.

Consumer Advisory

This nonstandard product is offered in good faith but carries no guarantees.  It satisfies and endures best when applied firm and often to the deepest emotional needs of an autonomous, experienced, and knowledgeable used.  All complaints will be negotiated promptly, but since payment is strictly in kind, no refunds can be given.

J.

Your tags:

TIP:

Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
Recipient's email address:
Personal message (optional):

Your email address:

Comments

Type your comment below:
I'll give the guy credit for a thoughtful, complete response, but DAMN!

Makes me wonder if he's gotten any play from anyone with that approach . . .
Well, if it weren't for the weight/height, I'd wonder if this is an Ex of mine.

;-)

Where's the actual Intimacy Test? Could you link? I scrolled back into your archives but couldn't immediately locate it while trying to frantically scroll past the vibrator images and BDSM headlines, hoping nobody was looking at my screen in passing...

:-P
@Verbal Remedy, you can now click on the the word piece in the first sentence and it take you to the first blog. This is the actual intimacy test, so labeled by its author. I mentioned it as one the misadventures that occurred when I tried placing a personal ad. Never again, at least not in the NYROB
Yikes! It's amazing the human race is able to reproduce.
OIC. Silly me, I heard "test" and got my pencil sharpened, ready to answer some questions. But no...just a laundry list of quirks? Oh, goodness.

Best advice a friend ever gave me was, "If he says 'I'm crazy' or 'don't fall in love with me,' BELIEVE HIM."
I found it hard to get past "mediocre coordination."
Your statement at the end of the first paragraph said it all. You *can't* make this shit up. It's a pity, though. He's not a bad writer.... ;)
To much information. We are never totally honest with ourselves about ourselves. A major part of any relationship is the wonder of getting to know someone and allow them to see us as they see us not how we see ourselves.