I've been dabbling in the world of online dating for years. Some dates have been more successful than others. But until this point, I've always had pleasant encounters. That all changed with my last couple of dates.

I've been shocked to discover how different people can behave in public compared to the persona they project via text. I always imagined people would be more reckless in their text and more personable in real life. Oh, how wrong I was…

My first date was a few months after I moved to town. We video chatted a handful of times before we met, and he seemed like a nice normal guy. The first clue should have been when he told me he had a lawsuit against him related to a business deal. I'm too trusting and gave him the benefit of the doubt.

So…what went wrong? First, he spent the beginning of the date asking me leading judgmental questions. How many guys have I dated/ slept with, etc, etc. He proceeded to tell me I was promiscuous (really? I've dated like 7 people and I'm 35 years old).

Next, he proceeded to discuss pornography and sexual preferences. Then he asked whether I thought people could know each other if they don't live together before getting married, and he told me I was wrong when I said yes.

Next, he insinuated that he didn't believe that I'm a surgeon. Weird, but whatever. He went on to Google me in front of me. Like, legit. Probably spent about 10 minutes staring at his phone while I ate my dinner. A couple times I told him he should probably pay attention to the person who took time out of their day to come to meet him…

Then he decided to tell me he didn't believe I was Hispanic because Hispanic women wear a lot of makeup.  He found a picture from a few years ago when I was applying for a job and told me if I put in some effort, I could look better. I told him I'm so much more than my appearance, and I don't value myself based on looks.

After a complete shitshow for the first half, I told him I'd give him a chance to start over and consider a different approach. I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he was just nervous. Unfortunately, he didn't adjust his approach in the second half.

He then told me more details about his legal issues. Seriously, he spent a year in a work camp for white-collar criminals. He reminisced about the friends he made and the work he did. I had a hard time keeping a straight face.

And the cherry on top of the terrible date? He lied about his height. He wasn't 5'6. I'm 5'3 and he didn't have an inch on me. Note- I'm not against short guys. I AM against guys who lie about their height. Don't be that guy.

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*Note- Grammarly assessed the tone of this post as "sad" and "disapproving". I'm impressed.