How Many Times . . .?

I've been ignoring my online dating profile and this blog for a while, not for lack of material. The latest is the guy who messaged me a few weeks ago, a decent message. He seemed like he could have some potential, and I had every intention of sending him at least a quick response to be polite. Then 3 days following his first message, I receive his second message, "I guess you're never going to respond to me." Whenever I receive a message like this, my reaction is "Not anymore." 3 days. I don't know you, it's been THREE Days. I wish I had all the time in the world to troll the internet for a future boyfriend. If I did, no doubt about it, I may have (or may not have) found someone by now. I rolled my eyes and decided to forgo a response at this point.

A week later, I receive a 3rd message. This time it simply says, "No reply?" At this, I contemplate several options.

1) "Have you seen one in your in box?"

2) A lengthy diatribe about how the two of us are obviously not meant to be together since his patience level, without even knowing me, is through the stratosphere as far as non-existent, and to apologize for hurting his feelings, but c'mon, really?

3) Block him. Ignore him. Etc. (I have guilt about blocking people.)

I decided to just let it be. I mean, how many times before he gets the hint? It would be nicer of me to just tell him I don't want to talk to him at this point due to his overzealousness, but shouldn't he have figured that out by now? (self-awareness. one of my favorite attributes in any person.)

Today comes Message #4. That's right. FOUR. "When are you going to reply to my message? I guess you easily don't like my profile :-)." The smiley face is a nice touch as if to say "I know I keep bothering you by WHY WON'T YOU TALK TO MEEEEEEE!"

Seriously? I mean. Seriously? Maybe sadly, I did block him this time. And I had guilt while doing it. But again, I say, Seriously?

If this guy can't so much as be patient without knowing me at all, he is going to be in for a bruising when he realizes how consumed by school and my job my life is. I feel like he'd be that child pulling on your leg when you're busy "pay attention to me. pay attention to me." Additionally, this screams to me "I HAVE NO LIFE." He either is completely smitten by me (or rather an idea of me based on my profile), he does NOT like to be ignored or he has nothing better to do than to monitor the girls that do and do not respond to him. The other option is that he is just AMAZING at follow up and follow through.

Lesson #2,302 in online dating: If a girl doesn't quickly respond to you (or a guy, or whoever), maybe give it a little more than 3 days before the follow up. And if you do follow up, one simple message that doesn't say "so I guess you're not speaking to me" should suffice. If that elicits no response, maybe let it go. There are 77,452 online at this moment on this one dating site. That must equal at least one or two more fish in the sea.

Just saying.