Mean are all different. For me, I like a woman who is as interested in me as I am in her. People do drift apart. We are taught that women want to get married. I guess women are taught that they should want to be married. When I got married I thought I was doing the right thing and I thought it would show her that I was really there for her. Well, it didn't. It felt like she regretted getting married and needed to take it out on me. I know two other couples that were happy when they were single and they are now divorcing. I think that the bigger issue is what do people expect from marriage.

I think it's hard for each sex to understand the other - we are just wired differently! Funny thing is that as I get older, I understand men much more but now many men my age are interested in younger women. :-) I like(d) (I'm still married and neither of us has filed for divorce) being married, even through the not-so-good times. To me, marriage, like raising kids, is a bittersweet part of life.

Hah, I was waiting for this post. Here's my list:
1) takes care of herself/in good health
2) honest
3) able to show empathy toward others
4) interested/curious about the world
5) team player
6) well liked by people around her
7) enjoys sex
8) loyal
9) has her own interests
10) argues without demeaning the other party.
11) isn't overly materialistic
12) generates her own happiness
13) is the softer/gentler one in a relationship

Things I don't like
1) treachery toward anyone, even her enemies
2) uncontrolled rage during PMS
3) nagging
4) treating people different depending on how much they have.
5) laziness
6) out-of-control career focus
7) lying

I wanted someone who would cherish and respect me and have the committment and fortitude to go down life's roads together, no matter what we faced. Someone I could explore as they explored me. A partner. Someone to pick me up as I picked them up when they stumbled. And of course, wonderful, passionate, intimate, and mind boggling sex!!!

Ok steve that was funny, made me laugh. Gigi I have only been with older wemon I was looking for maturity over youth however looking back I think age makes no difference when it comes to maturity, lesson learned.

What do I look for In a woman, somone I would spend the rest of my life with?

1) Honesty, this is number one and the most important to me. reguardless of the circumstances just being honest gains my respect.

2) Maturity, Very mportant to me. I dont want another child I want somone I can talk to and who can respond without barbs, fits, or the like.

3) Caring, Somone that I can lean on and who leans on me when times are tuff.

4) stability, Someone who sticks it threw the good times and the bad. Someone that I can depend on. Somone that will be there when I need her most.

5) Compassion, Somone that does not spend 1000 a week at there local Wal-Mart and in the end use the excuse I work to much and was not there. Somone that does not send me to work the next day after smashing my ankle hobbling around trying to rebuild engines with one foot.

Loyalty, Somone that has enugh integrity and self respect to keep it in there pantz. Somone that does not jump ship everytime some horney man wants fresh meat.

This is my perfect woman. I am not concerned about looks an ounce of intelligence is worth a pound of beauty. I am not concerned about age, love has no eyes. I enjoy sex like any other but it is most definitly not on my list I would trade sex in a heartbeat for the list above. Altho I am quite sure I have a better chance of winning the lottery than finding somone even close to this.

I think on both parts,it's that you have to forget about your own self and be willing to be a part of a couple.You DON'T have to always have the last word or always be right,everyone needs their own down time...doesn't mean that they don't want to be with you,just that you enjoy separate identities and interest.A loving relationship doesn't have to be a control struggle or a tug of war...but it takes a constant commitment from both parts to make the relationship a priority.Thank you to the men who have posted here,your input has been great.

Companionship without the constant bitching, someone who will stand by my side through thick and thin, someone who will motivate instead of criticise, someone who will try to understand

A nice smile and eyes that speak.

Honesty and the ability to answer a simple question like"what do you want from me" in less than 9 months would be a reasonable quality i'd want from a woman

A friend!

"an ounce of intelligence is worth a pound of beauty."

I love this Mechanic! Reminds me of Judge Judy who says "Beauty fades but dumb is forever."

It's nice to see a man who values intelligence--my stbx never did.

In the past I would speculate that men wanted a lover, companion, and friend. I think in todays world they are willing to adjust without those 3 things simply because divorce is so prevelent and threatening. I think women are happier alone also in todays world. Marriage is becoming history and a game. It has about as much meaning in todays world as going steady used to have in the 60's. Yes, thats a good discription of todays modern marriage. Its just going steady....and more than likely you will end it in a break up...but expensive.

So in answer to your question? In thier heart men want to avoid marriage...even if they say something different.

Hey Noob,

I'd still like to believe that men want a lover, companion, and friend. Those are the things I want. Please don't give up on all women--some of us still believe in committment.

Yes, maybe I'm a hopeful optimist and yes, I also realize that optimist is sometimes spelled fool. I'll take my chances.

Have a good day.

Well, I read Steven's extensive list and it looks like I'm out of the race :( It's the PMS item that does me in... I get very sensitive and cry easily for a few hours :( I can't help it, I'm a woman. But I'm intelligent :)!

Here's a partial description of what I would look for in a woman, if I was in fact looking. Intelligence, more than anything. The ability to think, comprehend, challenge, argue (constructively, not fighting) tear down and build up, use the old noggin. Curiosity, someone who knows about the world, or wants to. Someone who has traveled, or is interested in travel. There is so much to discuss about different places. I've been around, not everywhere certainly, but I do know how to talk about the people and places I've seen and help bring my memories alive in others. And I like hearing what others have to say. I read, so I like discussing books, movies, poetry, anything and everything. Oh yeah, I also like people who smile, like I do, most of the time. Someone who smiles, someone intelligent, to me, that's the beauty I seek.