So a couple of dates seemed to go poorly because you outwitted your opponent? You're the winner so no point in playing any more?

Or, as is so often the case, you've come up with this story to excuse lapsing into asexuality. That's a frequent choice for older women overwhelmed by social congestion. (The problem is men don't get that option except by default.)

Go ahead and study away. Just try to leave behind something that's actually useful to Humanity.

Someone maybe on here told me I'm too much for some people. Smart and educated is very attractive to me. I came on here with high hopes. There are some good candidates, but we live very far apart, at least that is the excuse I was given, and I thought my impossible good looks would cancel any barrier.

Like you, I suspect I’m too much for some people. Too outspoken, to educated, too quick to call people out for misogyny, racism, shaming and for jokes about LGBT folx and non-consensual sexual behavior. And maybe too old and too short-haired and too platinum blond. And that’s ok. I refuse to play dumb and cheerful to attract anyone. I’ve had lovely relationships with people who get me, and I hold out hope that I’ll do so again.

Intelligence is number two on my list when dating. Number One being a nice drama free character. Of course this is leaving out the obvious need for there to be an attraction.

Intelligence is attractive and nessassary for me. An intelligent woman makes a much better partner. More than once a smart partner has stopped me from making a bad decision.

I sympathize. People who never went to college get defensive when I say I want a man with a least a bachelor degree.

To me, well educated men are more interesting and better conversationalists. They have broader interests: literature, art, sculpture, different cultures and the world.

"You need to dumb down your conversation," a man told me within 10 minutes of meeting. "Men are intimidated by your intelligence and class." I was appalled.

"Speak for yourself," I replied crisply. "Obviously, YOU are intimidated by my intelligence. I refuse to act stupid to mollify the insecure ego of a sexist man."

Friends tell me to lower my standards. Two years ago, I met three local men with only a high school diploma. I realize it's a small survey group. But all three were poor conversationalists.

Two of the men were silent and withdrawn. Getting a word out of them was like pulling teeth. The third man was an obsessive fisherman/hunter who droned on-and-on in excruciating detail about fishing trips:

"He didn't pay his share... so I said... and he said... "then I said..."

When I tried to say something, he talked right over me. I barely got to the door with the glaze over my eyes.

There will be men who are intimidated by your intellect but you deserve better than that so thank goodness those men aren't willing to waste your time!

I haven't dated in a while because I got tired of it (the women I kept meeting didn't want a committed relationship). I decided to get away from it before trying again.