My Ideal Man Checklist - 6 Revised Versions ...

When I was a teenager, I had this stringent list of what my ideal man should be: handsome, well-off, caring, understanding, God-fearing, intelligent - " I could have gone on and on then about what qualities my partner should have. However, as I grew older, I realized that I could never really find a real person who met all these sterling qualities.

Building a my-ideal-man-list is much like this e-mail that I received which made me laugh out loud, it's entitled "My Ideal Man Checklist". At age 22, the checklist goes much like the list that I had above. Another revised list is made at ages 32, 42, 52, 62 and by the age of 72 there are only a couple of items on the list: that the man should be breathing and not miss the toilet. Well, here's the full version for you to enjoy:
“My Ideal Man Checklist”
What I Want in a Man, Original List (age 22):

1 Handsome

2 Charming

3 Financially Successful

4 A Caring Listener

5 Witty

6 In Good Shape

7 Dresses with Style

8 Appreciates Finer Things

9 Full of Thoughtful Surprises

10 An Imaginative, Romantic Lover

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 32):

1 Nice Looking (prefer Hair on His Head)

2 Opens Car Doors, Holds Chairs

3 Has Enough Money for a Nice Dinner

4 Listens More than Talks

5 Laughs at My Jokes

6 Carries Bags of Groceries with Ease

7 Owns at Least One Tie

8 Appreciates a Good Home-cooked Meal

9 Remembers Birthdays and Anniversaries

10 Seeks Romance at Least Once a Week

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 42):

1 Not Too Ugly (bald Head OK)

2 Doesn’t Drive off until I’m in the Car

3 Works Steady — Splurges on Dinner out Occasionally

4 Nods Head when I’m Talking

5 Usually remembers punch lines of jokes

6 Is in Good Enough Shape to Rearrange the Furniture

7 Wears a Shirt That Covers His Stomach

8 Knows Not to Buy Champagne with Screw-top Lids

9 Remembers to Put the Toilet Seat down

10 Shaves Most Weekends

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 52):

1 Keeps Hair in Nose and Ears Trimmed

2 Doesn’t Belch or Scratch in Public

3 Doesn’t Borrow Money Too Often

4 Doesn’t Nod off to Sleep when I’m Venting

5 Doesn’t Re-tell the Same Joke Too Many Times

6 Is in Good Enough Shape to Get off Couch on Weekends

7 Usually Wears Matching Socks and Fresh Underwear

8 Appreciates a Good TV Dinner

9 Remembers My Name on Occasion

10 Shaves Some Weekends

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 62):

1 Doesn’t Scare Small Children

2 Remembers Where Bathroom is

3 Doesn’t Require Much Money for Upkeep

4 Only Snores Lightly when Asleep

5 Remembers Why He’s Laughing

6 Is in Good Enough Shape to Stand up by Himself

7 Usually Wears Clothes

8 Likes Soft Foods

9 Remembers Where He Left His Teeth

10 Remembers That It’s the Weekend

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 72):

1 Breathing

2 Doesn’t Miss the Toilet!

As funny as the e-mail was, it is true" as you grow more mature, your original list of 'requirements' for an ideal man are revised. Now, all I am looking for in an ideal man is one who can be both a best friend and a partner in life, and someone who will love me as unconditionally as I love him. And what about you? What's your perfect guy checklist?

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Comments

jane mentioned on the post on twitter guiz
karen_o I find this opposite of what I've heard, seen, and er, made myself. At 18 he just had to be cute & like the same music. Now my ideal is much more refined. With age, standards can change, but that doesn't mean lowering them. You tend to just focus on different qualities, less shallow ones often. My 76 yr old gma says she'd be much pickier now. She has never remarried after my gpa's death 10+ years ago because she says no man meets her list, haha. She says has to be handsome, a great dancer, very spiritual and financially well-off. Doesn't sound low to me!
Pearl and check this out.. (via Twitter)
- jane @Pearl Necy Valdez,
mari me gusta la naturaleza soy romantica
farha my ideal man ; should be a responsible man that he love me and never never leave me.
- Denise Hi Farha. I think that most women want the same qualities in a man.... Thank you for your comment!
monawarra interesting, but i still found a charming husband at my age 38 and he is 43
Anonymus haha nice one :) maybe its best to stick with one forever!
SundayMorning Here is my list (23 yrs old)....maybe Im realistic i guess... #1- my best friend #2- Polite #3- Likes animals... the end. hmmm...its actually hard to find all three of those since most guys dont really like the four legged, eating, pooping machines with four hooves, that frequent my back yard. you would think they would since guys were first to ride horses im sure and yet horse back riding is a mostly women now with exclusion of the higher levels or competition, unless of course you are in the sack then they dont mind what kind of riding it is... lol
- Sheila That's weird Sunday Morning, I would expect more men to like horses considering most want to seem macho or whatever :/ Oh well, I'm sure you'll find one that fits the bill.
Xannyyy I loved this post!! Lol @ 72, I think all I would want is my dog and bed!! Haha :)
- Sheila hahaha Xannyyy, I really do hope I'm not one of those bed-bound 72 year olds and that I do have strength left in me then!
rebecca 17. never had a checklist really, so i'm winging this one: 1. funny 2. laughs at my jokes 3. at least as smart as me 4. at least an inch or two taller 5. decent body 6. good listener 7. interesting to listen to
- Sheila hehehhe rebecca, i love the 'atleast as smart as me' - that is important to have!
Michelle Some things i must have in a man are the following: -He MUST be funny, not witty per say like myself, but if he can't make me laugh or have a good sence of humour about things, then whats the point? i like to smile! -He must be intelligent and able to carry conversations, whether they be important or silly (: -He must pay attention and appreciate the small things (because they count too!) -He must always be honest and trustworthy -He must take care of himself and have respect for myself and the people in my life -He must love dogs (:
- Sheila Hey Michelle, that seems like a reasonable list.. i do hope you find your man!
Jenn Sigh, I had such a long list before, but reality hit, and it's getting shorter and shorter...
- Skye Don't sell yourself short hun.. you deserve ALL the above and MORE!! Love isn't about tolerance, it's about not remembering how you ever lived without them! The right guy IS out there.. sometimes they can be right in front of you without you realizing. Good luck!
- Sheila Hehehe Jenn, yeah I think i'm going to revel in my fantasy for a while more before I start shortening my list - though I have had to be a little more realistic and alter my list to be less dreamy :)
Fatima haha!! This is so cool. Here is my list 1. Witty 2. Honest but respectful. 3. Intelligent 4. Ambitious and successful (even if he is not successful at the moment he must be ambitious) 5. Has to be very open minded and willing to experience new things such as other cultures. 6. Must be a very good listener and understanding. 7. Must be tall, and well built. He doesn't have to be the best looking guy but he should know how to carry himself well. 8. Has to have good taste in fashion, art etc. 9. Someone who believes in God. 10. Sort of a dare devil :D
- Sheila woooh fatima! now are you sure you're not looking to bag 3 different guys?? I haven't come across any guy who has all of those (or even more than half) qualities. THough if you DO manage to find not just one but two of them, make sure you let me know :P
Tavia I've RT this post on Twitter.....I can't stop laughing ....:)) it really made me feel good. :)
- Sheila :) Thanks Tavia. It is a fun post indeed!
Ayrton So funny and completely true :)
- Sheila :) Hey Ayrton, glad you like the post. Do keep letting us know of your opinions on our blog
Amy This list was so funny ^^ It's funny how the list gets less specific and less picky LOL funny (:
- Sheila hehe Amy, yeah this list is funny!
Olga I totally agree with you, Cara, the worst part of this is finding out that he is not who you thought he was. I went through exactly the same, and I think, in a way, I still try to justify his vices in my mind, thinking of him as a perfect man who once was in my life...
Cara Christine, I was in the same situation. I was in love with a guy who i thought was perfect, my ideal guy, after being with him for a while, I realised I wasn't in love with him, but with the idea of him. It's a hard situation to go through, even though we broke up in december, I found it very hard to let go because I had thought of him as beign perfect, I geuss I found it hard to believe that he wasn't.
ICe Wow, this is so funny. Funny but it's true. Many women have a lot of qualifications and these change as we grow older. I may create one for my own. =)
Jayhawk's Hi Ice, I think this is the complete list that the writer's referring to. It is pretty funny. :) "My Ideal Man Checklist" What I Want in a Man, Original List (age 22): 1. Handsome 2. Charming 3. Financially successful 4. A caring listener 5. Witty 6. In good shape 7. Dresses with style 8. Appreciates finer things 9. Full of thoughtful surprises 10. An imaginative, romantic lover. What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 32): 1. Nice looking (prefer hair on his head) 2. Opens car doors, holds chairs 3. Has enough money for a nice dinner 4. Listens more than talks 5. Laughs at my jokes 6. Carries bags of groceries with ease 7. Owns at least one tie 8. Appreciates a good home-cooked meal 9. Remembers birthdays and anniversaries 10. Seeks romance at least once a week. What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 42): 1. Not too ugly (bald head OK) 2. Doesn't drive off until I'm in the car 3. Works steady -- splurges on dinner out occasionally 4. Nods head when I'm talking 5. Usually remembers punch lines of jokes 6. Is in good enough shape to rearrange the furniture 7. Wears a shirt that covers his stomach 8. Knows not to buy champagne with screw-top lids 9. Remembers to put the toilet seat down 10. Shaves most weekends. What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 52): 1. Keeps hair in nose and ears trimmed 2. Doesn't belch or scratch in public 3. Doesn't borrow money too often 4. Doesn't nod off to sleep when I'm venting 5. Doesn't re-tell the same joke too many times 6. Is in good enough shape to get off couch on weekends 7. Usually wears matching socks and fresh underwear 8. Appreciates a good TV dinner 9. Remembers my name on occasion 10. Shaves some weekends. What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 62): 1. Doesn't scare small children 2. Remembers where bathroom is 3. Doesn't require much money for upkeep 4. Only snores lightly when asleep 5. Remembers why he's laughing 6. Is in good enough shape to stand up by himself 7. Usually wears clothes 8. Likes soft foods 9. Remembers where he left his teeth 10. Remembers that it's the weekend. What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 72): 1.Breathing 2. Doesn't miss the toilet!
- Sheila Hey Theo, I agree.. that's not much to ask for at all. I really wonder what's wrong with the world!!! :P
- Theo lmao! I hope every lady here finds her ideal man but some of these "ideals" from the list are hilarious mine are simple: tall, dark, handsome and brooding...vampire...who is good with children! is that too much to ask for? sheesh
sweetgermangirl The thought of where that has been really spoils the image.
Ice Oh Christine, someday you'll gonna meet the perfect guy for you.
Christine I don't know my ideal man anymore. Last time I checked, I used to be in love with my ideal guy. The next thing I knew, I was just in love with the idea of him. It's tragic and I'm like a recovering addict.
Ice It must be very funny to see that. =)
Glamourgirl Gives me an idea of doing my own checklist too. When I get older, Ill be able to show it to my husband and kids.
Ave it would be nice to see all those checklists :) in some comparison table it must be funny :)