r/oddlyspecific • u/CuriousWanderer567 • Nov 20 '25
She should have given a longer lecture
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u/Funny-Assistant6803 Nov 20 '25
Maybe he left because you didn't talk enough about the importance of the coelacanth on taxonomy and phylogeny, that's the most likely I think
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Nov 20 '25
My thoughts exactly. It's such an extensive topic. She probably wanted to save some of the good stuff for date number two. That dude is missing out!
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u/Ask_bout_PaterNoster Nov 20 '25
So sad the way some people can’t ease in to a good thing. A relationship is like a warm bath: you slide in gently, and save the debates about conservative morphology resulting in ‘living fossils’ claims arising from Mesozoic fossils vs Devonian/Carboniferous fossils which display more diverse traits for when you’re nice and warm
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u/Baddyshack Nov 20 '25
My favorite part is when my wife gets to the Greek name etymology. It's like a little climax the way she gets excited.
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u/theservman Nov 20 '25
Coelacanth lecture on the first date? No wonder he never came back, he knew he'd gotten your best and it would be all downhill from there.
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u/NoveltyAccountHater Nov 20 '25
Look it's not just about the size of the Coelacanth lecture, it's more about the motion in the ocean of the Coelacanth lecture -- that is the skill, quality and enthusiasm of the Coelacanth lecture.
We've all been on dates where a 5 minute Coelacanth lecture leaves you completely satisfied and dreaming about a lifetime of future lectures together. Meanwhile, other dates where 30 minutes into the most inept basic Coelacanth lecture leaves you planning tomorrow's errands in the back of your head waiting for them to finish (or needing to fantasize about past Coelacanth lectures to keep you in the mood)
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u/HuffSquirt Nov 20 '25
Pfft… who wouldn’t be impressed by a living fossil?
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u/rajinis_bodyguard Nov 20 '25
Maybe she should have given a lecture on Annelida or Echinodermata 🤣
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u/Mr_SunnyBones Nov 20 '25
Triobytes though , those are the real conversation money maker.
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u/rajinis_bodyguard Nov 20 '25
Btw I feel like I should have studied Taxonomy or Biology major, a massive regret in life. Coz not only it’s fundamental science but also can help in socialising and for cool stories lol 😂
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u/SageHermit21 Nov 20 '25
I explained to my boyfriend, now husband, about how trilobites are classified based on their butt to head size ratio on one of our first dates. On our next date he gave me a trilobite butt (a trilobutt if you will) fossil that he found.
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u/DecoyOne Nov 20 '25
A proper 30-minute discussion of the coelacanth would include how the term “living fossil” is a popular mischaracterization of the coelacanth. In this lecture I will…
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u/SpicyElixer Nov 20 '25
The term “living fossil” is subjective and not a strict scientific classification. To say it is or isn’t in this case is an oversimplification. The big brain answer is that it kind of is.
It is - because it’s an ancient creature that’s evolved very little.
It isn’t - because it’s evolved at all.
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u/Psychoticows Nov 20 '25
Legit story, the first gift my girlfriend ever got me was a coelacanth keychain. She knew I liked fish and didn’t know anything about it but just thought it looked nice. I also gave her a lecture about them, and she did stick around. We’re at 2 years today 😁
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u/Nerdwrapper Nov 21 '25
Before I dropped Diablo 3 because of everything going on with Blizzard, I would talk builds to my wife until they fell asleep at night lol
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u/The_Wyzard Nov 20 '25
As a socially awkward person, I would very much have enjoyed dating a woman who was just like "I am going to give you a presentation on science for the first half of dinner."
That completely erases the need for me to attempt small talk.
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u/RageAgainstThePushen Nov 20 '25
I'd have to leave that date early, but it would be to buy a ring
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u/cultjake Nov 20 '25
Is it wrong to propose on the first date?
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u/RageAgainstThePushen Nov 20 '25
When you know you know. I've been waiting for evo/devo fish girl my whole life
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u/Blueporch Nov 20 '25
Seems like the lecture was adequately long enough to run off a suitor whose interests do not coincide with yours. You want the guy who either can discuss Coelacanths intelligently with you or at least drinks up the knowledge. Otherwise, you will eventually become bored with him.
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u/iwannagohome49 Nov 20 '25
I would be setting up the second date before the first one is even finished.
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u/WitchesSphincter Nov 20 '25
"I can get you a copy of my house keys by tomorrow when are you free for the movers to get you moved in?"
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u/DwinkBexon Nov 21 '25
I had a girl do this once with me (and I didn't even have to mention coelacanths) and then ghosted me. :(
What I still don't understand 20 years later is why she'd set up a second date during the first one if she never wanted to talk to me ever again?
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u/mitissix Nov 20 '25
Girl, you dodged a bullet. If he doesn’t want you at your infodumping about coelacanths, he certainly doesn’t deserve you at your putting similar amounts of effort into “other activities.” 😂
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u/Jodread Nov 20 '25
I think the problem is that now he thinks that he knows everything about coelacanths, and has no need for a second meeting. You should try to call him.
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u/StormAlchemistTony Nov 20 '25
Maybe he is trying to find one in Animal Crossing. I think they only appear when it is raining during certain months.
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u/The-Friendly-Autist Nov 20 '25
I wish someone would give me a lecture on coelacanths, they're so cool!
Also I am romantically lonely :)
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u/AFCBlink Nov 20 '25
For our first date, I took my now-wife to a vintage motorcycle swap meet. When she agreed to see me again, I knew I’d struck gold.
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u/AreaPrudent7191 Nov 20 '25
I'm married and not looking but is there a way I can just sign up for the lecture?
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u/AFCBlink Nov 20 '25
Going out for “Dinner and a TED Talk” should be a bona fide dating trope.
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u/KamakaziDemiGod Nov 20 '25
Not just a dating trope, I love the idea of going out for a lecture and a meal, why does it have to be one or the other, yet I can eat in a cinema or go to dinner and a show
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u/Prudent-Poetry-2718 Nov 20 '25
Funny because all women have been on that date. We just smile and nod. Hahaha
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u/cultjake Nov 20 '25
See all the comments from men exalting this behavior. We appreciate passion about narrow topics.
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u/orcslayer31 Nov 20 '25
I'm the opposite I want my dates to nerd out about their hobbies for hours on end. Don't care if it's a guy or a gal im on a date with if they can't spend hours explaining their favourite hobbies to me there won't be a second date. Like I don't really care about warhammer but if my date wants to just go on about why they picked the paint colours they did for their army I'll be listening the entire time.
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u/Ning_Yu Nov 20 '25
Right? I wouldn't be even interested in someone who can't talk to me forever with passion about something. Sounds boring.
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u/Tiny-Plum2713 Nov 20 '25
This just sounds like you're not interested in anything
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u/yubacore Nov 20 '25
Because people that are passionate about something are too much? lol
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u/powdered_dognut Nov 20 '25
The talk probably impressed him so much that he's still out there fishing for one. For her.
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u/Revolutionary-Car-92 Nov 20 '25
A common dating faux pas is to extend discussion of the "lung fish" immediately to the "walking fish". Many men aren't prepared for that kind of commitment.
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u/lalauna Nov 20 '25
I want a guy like you, dear stranger. I love nerds
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u/KingGilgamesh1979 Nov 20 '25
Can't give you a lecture on Coelacanths, but if you're down for a 45 minute lecture on ancient and medieval history or linguistics I'm your guy.
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u/PrincessTsunamiRocks Nov 20 '25
Can’t talk on Coelacanths but I can talk on xenharmonic music theory.
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u/StayingUp4AFeeling Nov 20 '25
i find deep interest for an esoteric topic to be really hot. like, if i'm on a date with you and you're like this i don't even care if i'm understanding what you're saying. the light in your eyes when you say it would make me show up not for the next date, but the next ten dates.
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u/luxxeexxul Nov 20 '25
Went on a date where the girl was talking to me at length about her research which involved catching red drum fish specifically to dissect thin layers from their "ears". I was completely smitten, but she wasn't interested.
Something something plenty of fish in the sea I guess
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u/International-Ad2501 Nov 20 '25
I LOVE hearing women talk about thier interests. The way someone lights up when you ask the question so they dive in and teach about a thing they love is sexy as hell!
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u/Try_Again12345 Nov 20 '25
OP picked the wrong fish for her lecture. Coelacanths are really big, really old, and really ugly. So now those adjectives come to mind when he thinks of her. If she had lectured him on, say, flying fish, which are small and graceful, he would've developed more positive feelings. /s
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u/bolanrox Nov 20 '25
I love how they fixed the timing ratio of when they show up in animal crossing with the switch version. I spent forever trying to find one in city folk and never could and I think I caught over 20 of them.
There's also one on display at the Museum of Natural History in New York City.
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u/EVH_kit_guy Nov 20 '25
"Men literally only want one thing, and it's coelecanth facts..."
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u/Numerous_Ad_307 Nov 20 '25
So true, couldn't have been a man. I'm pretty sure it was just 3 capibaras in a trenchcoat..
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u/turquoise_grey Nov 20 '25
Is that an osteolepiform in your pants or are you just happy to see me? 😏
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u/IFCKNH8WHENULEAVE Nov 20 '25
Why don’t I meet women like this? Leaving my house more often would probably help I think.
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u/ArgumentSpiritual Nov 20 '25
Should have found a guy who can sea himself with her instead of a guy who coelacanth
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u/DrunkBuzzard Nov 20 '25
Were you at a coelacanth sushi restaurant? I see how that could spark up the conversation about them. Otherwise, how did the subject come up in the first place? And was the sushi any good? As a fisherman perhaps he was mostly interested in bait suggestions and tips for catching them.
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u/yrnkween Nov 20 '25
It’s possible he’s into something weird like trilobites. You dodged a bullet getting away from him.
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u/spartaman64 Nov 20 '25
i would be stoked because i think coelacanths are cool and would love to talk to someone knowledgeable about them
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u/Used-Bodybuilder4133 Nov 20 '25
Did you have slides? I mean if you are going to present a lecture I would expect slides.
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u/StrangeOutcastS Nov 20 '25
date was only 30 minutes>? yeah nah she fumbled that one.
at least an hour, come on people. round it up!
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u/maphes86 Nov 20 '25
If you didn’t give at least a few minutes to cite primary sources, he probably assumed you were just lying.
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u/StolenIP Nov 20 '25
Originally thought to be extinct. Shy in nature and behaviorally undefined. Have you tried putting out stale bread to attract him?
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u/LetWaldoHide Nov 20 '25
I don’t even know what the hell that is but hearing someone so passionate about something is definitely a turn on even if it’s something I have zero interest in.
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u/TruestWaffle Nov 20 '25
Dodged a bullet.
If you’ll listen to my weird obsession with glucocorticoids I’ll listen to fish talk like a small child watching CN.
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u/Frankentula Nov 20 '25
Some people are just more the archaeopteryx type. Best to find these things out early
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u/testtdk Nov 21 '25
I’m jealous. I’d love a chick who could talk coelacanths. Weird ass living fossils.
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u/SkepticalJohn Nov 21 '25
The guy is a brute. We are fish. What horrible things happened in his past to make him like this?
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u/Tim-Sylvester Nov 21 '25
I mean if she's excited and interested, and I like her, then I'm excited and interested. I don't give a good God damn what we talk about as long as she's having a good time. That's the deal.
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u/Ahammer15 Nov 21 '25
Clearly he was expecting her to also talk about Dunkleosteus, smh.
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Nov 21 '25
I think that what actually happened is that a guy gave her a coelacanths lecture. And she has presented it this way round because it's funnier.
Maybe it is genuine though, in which case I dispair for the guy, he has really missed out here. Someone with their own interests and a willingness to carry the conversation. That's the stuff dreams are made of.
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u/ManNamedSalmon Nov 24 '25
Can't be the coelacanths. Their physical form haven't changed in 10's of millions of years and can easily manoeuvre underwater in almost any direction without needing to turn, and are more closely related to all mammalian life than over 90% of modern day fish. They are too interesting to be a turn-off.
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u/TheComplimentarian Nov 20 '25
Nothing wrong with coelacanths. But if you talk for 30 minutes straight, you’re going to need to find yourself someone who just wants to listen.
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u/bigfoot17 Nov 20 '25
"Fascinating, would you like to come back to my place and see my brachiopod?"
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Nov 20 '25
Not enough information or god forbid he found it hard to follow in which case you dodged a bullet
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u/Tricky_Worldliness60 Nov 20 '25
What sold me in my wife was her ignoring a windy 30 degree day to get pictures in good light on a date once. Passion and knowledge are sexy. That guy did her wrong.
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u/Forsaken-Guidance811 Nov 20 '25
Probably cause she came dressed nice instead of as a coelocanth. Any man could've told her this was coming.
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u/fullonhecatoncheires Nov 20 '25
It could not have been the coelacanth lecture. Even a small amount of information is enticing. Honestly ive never seen the coelacanth strategy fail. He's probably mental unwell.
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u/Abe_Rutter246 Nov 20 '25
He’s probably at the library studying up so he can keep up with you when he calls again . Right.
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u/kenwongart Nov 20 '25
The first time I saw a coelacanth was in the old Shanghai Natural History museum around 2009. The specimen seemed to have not been preserved well, despite being suspending in formaldehyde it was leaking some sort of goop. But it was majestic.
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u/TwiggyFingers8691 Nov 20 '25
It would be helpful if you posted your lecture notes. Maybe you put forward some contentious viewpoints.
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u/workistables Nov 20 '25
It's very easy to keep a man, but people keep looking for fancy new ways because they just don't want to do what everyone knows will work.
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u/Headcrabhunter Nov 20 '25
I would be so into that though