Dad in hostel and advice "guys think with their dicks"

All's set for my return to San Francisco for my friend's wedding.  Interestingly enough, my dad would also be there at the same time as I found out in my last call to him and he mentioned he would be there to renew his visa.  More incredulous to me was rather than sticking with his normal adventurous airbnb arrangement, he said he had reserved a San Francisco hostel, sharing with five others.

I have to say that I was rather embarrassed by this again.  Somehow my family is just not normal enough to join the normal world that I live in, no matter how I try to look at it.  I worried that he would not like the rough environment there and who knows what kind of weirdo he would meet there.  A search on the internet said the hostel as one of the worst experiences the people who stayed there had.  As expected, there were drugs, piss etc. The conversation to convince him to switch did not go well.  I said it very bluntly that our family is better than being beggar-like like that.  He simply hung up and did not pick up again.  I shall just let things be I think.  It is good that he is being adventurous and I have to admit that part of my motivation of him being has to come from my own vanity.  This is no different than a chapter from the novel "The Glass Castle."  

On the other hand, besides totally much more than the 27 single female friends beyond the normal marriage age (even by educated liberal today's standard), I did receive an important advice from my ex in SF.  He said that the best thing I could do for myself is to look my best in the next year.  I need to make sacrifices and not eat the stuff that I normally eat.  I need to lose 10 to 15 pounds and I need to dress my best.  Guys are visual animals and think with their dicks.  When I am successful in losing weight and looking good, I would feel and act attractive, and that attracts people.  I agree.  Nothing is easy in life and we just have to try.  There is also no better way to spend money than looking better.

I do have more time and energy to feel womanly now that I have more control over my work hours I have to say.  And indeed, I can probably make money in the long-run if I just invest better rather than killing myself.  I do realize that there are so many more interesting things in life than making money (which is also important to me, just more fun doing it passively than actively).  I like reading about a lot of different things and I like developing long and meaningful relationships.  I'd like to experience being a mother.  I'd like to live a full life.

That said, despite the fact that there are very few guys that I feel attracted to, and I'm not sure how this looking good can really improve my chances.  My feeling for my Chinese coworker kind of backfired.  I think he is nice enough and kind enough to befriend, but my ego has been hurt and I really have ignored him completely for the past three weeks.  Even when I wanted to be nicer and talk, I found myself mostly silent (also being sick and coughing didn't help).  When he found me alone at lunch on Friday, he struck up a conversation saying how quiet it is.  I looked at him blankly and did not respond.  Before he went to lunch, he deliberately walked to the girl sitting next to me asking if she wants to have lunch.  When she said she already has plans, he walked by me without saying anything and then went and got his sandwich all by himself.   I have no more interest to hurt myself either now or in the future and it really isn't worthwhile to build up a relationship with him even if he could be such a great friend in my imaginary mind.

I'm attaching a picture here which I don't fully get.  But I take the advice from my ex graciously.