Do You Need Dating To Be Dramatic?

Name: melisabless
Comment: I started somehow a relationship with a guy (we are working in the same place but i’m just a part-time and he’s a full-time). I got to know him the last few months. First I thought he was in me and he was trying to create some occasions to get together along with other coworkers. Then he told he was separating with his-ex with whom he is still sharing the house (he says she will leave soon? when she finds a place but i don’t know when, or even it’s true). But he continued. He was trying to spend time with me and he seemed really interested and nice. I also liked to spend time with him. and we started somewhat a relationship after spending at most to weeks texting and seeing each other frequently but in a friendly basis. Then he told me that he likes me and we kissed the same day. We are kissing a lot in public areas, like high school kids. At the end of the first week, in a day he was sure that his ex wouldn’t come to home (which was also his last night before he left for a one moth work travel), i went to his flat and we had sex and i stayed there at the night.

Now things are quite confusing,
1. he introduced himself at a time that later understood he was in a relationship.
2. before the time we kissed for the first time he was so interested in me and was trying to spent as much time as possible with me; it change within 2 days, he put somewhat a distance, acted confusing. when i asked he said he’s confused because of the situation he’s in; and he knew it’s strange for us but it’s just a kind of weird ‘beginning’.
3. one night i visited him outside his apartment and he didn’t want us to be seen together by his ex, saying he didn’t want any drama. (His ex has a new relationship for almost 2 months by the way).
4. when i went his flat i saw their photos together still hanging on the board, which i couldn’t get but didn’t make an issue. When i simply mentioned the photos he acted neutral, with no reaction.
5. He waited to become alone to demand a skype talk with me. Before that he was on a conference with a coworker for one week. In that one week he was not trying to have a mutual contact. this made me uncomfortable. (You might think that i am expecting too much too soon, it’s true but he made me felt like that. because the second day of our ‘thing’ he told me that would miss me so much and he didn’t want to go…)

Positive signs:
- He’s texting me just before and after his flights and when he got his hotels.
- This week on skype or on any chatting medium he told me that he’s missing me several times.

for the completeness:
- While we were seeing each other friendly, i asked him i he wanted to get back together with his ex. He said no way. and that relationship ended. But again it’s what he says.
- I already told him that complication and confusion are the last things i need i my life right now. and even decided to end this issue that day but continued somehow.
- he’s around the same age with me.

So there is not a specific question: but the questions in my mind are “did i move too fast by  allowing him getting close in his first trial?” “should i slow down the things, but how?” i even logically think that i should suggest him “to move 2 steps backward to the friendship position and get to know each other better because things seem too complicated”.

As you see there is no clear question, but i liked your comments on other issues so i wanted to hear your opinion.

Thanks in advance
Age: 32
City: den haag
State: NL

 

I know you’re hoping that I’ll analyze this story from every angle, but I honestly don’t see the point. What I hear in this letter is drama. Drama, drama, drama. The first clue was the passive role you took in this scenario. You didn’t “somehow” get involved with this guy. You made a conscious choice to do so. You have continued to pursue this relationship despite all the hurdles and challenges. I honestly don’t think anything I say will affect how you approach this issue.

No, you shouldn’t try to go back to the point  before you and this guy hooked up. The conflict that has erupted in these scenario has nothing to do with his lack of familiarity with you. It has everything to do with the fact that he has a messy living situation and doesn’t want to tie up those loose ends. Also contributing to this is your willingness to stand by and wait as he figures out what to do next. He doesn’t want drama? That’s adorable. You don’t want confusion? How cute. Weird how you both managed to find the exact things you claim you wish to avoid. His ex has moved on and now he’s trying to do so, too. I won’t slag on him for still living with her, as many people choose to do that for financial reasons or because the timing isn’t right to move. That said, a mature person would realize that bringing somebody else into this mess probably isn’t wise. That’s the opposite of wanting to avoid drama. Remember what I said earlier: the red flags are in the inconsistencies.

My opinion is that this guy is not available and that you’re wasting your time.

As I was saying to a friend over the weekend, I really haven’t had much dating drama in my life in the past couple of years. Hence my increasing impatience with some of these letters. The way to avoid all of this wailing and gnashing of teeth is to simply decide, once and for all, that you’ve had enough and stay resolved to that. I don’t need to investigate particular arrangements, nor do I let my curiosity get the better of me and proceed when all signs point to chaos. I just say no. If a red flag is waving, I turn around and go the other way. It simply isn’t worth the emotional bandwidth that it sucks up to engage in settings like this. Making that easier is that I’ve all but curbed my need to complain or brag- publicly or privately – about my difficulties or successes. While my inner attention-whore cries out from time to time, for the most part she has been sated.

I honestly believe that many of the troubles we encounter in dating are driven by our need to be recognized and acknowledged.  That’s it. We don’t really want the people we claim to be chasing or pining for.  We just want something to announce and use as a bid for attention.  Something about these dating-related farces give people a false sense of importance. They’re black hole fillers and nothing more. In place of the intimacy we seek, we create drama for ourselves.

Try and find that spotlight somewhere other than through dating. All you will end up achieving is depleting yourself of the energy you’ll need to find and hold on to a healthy relationship. Instead of fearing that emptiness, embrace it. It’s the need to run away from that void and pretend that it doesn’t exist that leads us to jump at any opportunity to fill it.

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Why Do People Stay In Unsatisfying Relationships?

Name: Alicefrustrated-woman
Comment: I’ve been in a long distance relationship for nearly two years. We get along really well, but have some issues to work through like lack of communication and some sexual incompatibilities (he’s less experienced and isn’t familiar with foreplay, as a result he hasn’t been able to make me orgasm yet). He isn’t good with communicating when we are apart and doesn’t call or text to check in. As a result I feel like he’s completely out of my life when we are apart. He’s the same way with most of his friends and family, so I know it’s not just me: and he shows that he cares about me in many other ways when we are together. I’ve brought up both issues but he always falls back into old habits within a few days, and it’s hard for me to bring up the sex issues when we only spend a few days together at a time.

Whenever I brought up the future of our relationship he says that he’s interested in the long term, but he still hasn’t made any definitive commitments. I can’t move to where he lives because it’s a smaller city and I wouldn’t find work there: but I am willing to move anywhere else. His job allows him to work remotely, so he could move anywhere.

I’m getting to the point where I’m frustrated with the distance, and because of the lack of communication between visits I don’t think I can do the on-and-off thing much longer. It feels like I have an amazing relationship for one week a month and that I’m single and sexually frustrated the rest of the time (without the option of dating or having casual sex, something that I’ve been quite accustomed to when I was single). I also don’t want to put on too much pressure and sometimes wonder if I’m being too selfish and impatient. I’m interested in a long-term commitment and eventually starting a family: he’s expressed that he’s not adverse to kids but that it’s not something he thinks about often. I haven’t been able to get a “yes” or “no”, but I’m feeling that we’ve been together long enough that I need to either move forward or move on.
Age: 28
City: Vancouver
State: BC

 

Is this relationship really worth it? You don’t see each other that often and he doesn’t communicate or keep in touch on a regular basis. Even worse, he doesn’t satisfy you sexually. I don’t get it. What are you clinging to?

It sounds like you know this isn’t working but you’re just afraid to cut the chord. Maybe you don’t want to let go unless you know you have a soft place to land, so to speak? You seem to be choosing to stay in this holding pattern, maybe out of obligation, maybe out of fear. I’m not sure of the exact reason. I think you need to have a very blunt talk with this guy about where you stand and what you need. But then, you’ve done that. And things haven’t changed.

You’re delaying the inevitable. Stop doing that.

 

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Who You Date At 21 Probably Isn’t Who You Will Date At 31

Name: Jensingle-mom-dating-615x265
Comment: During my third year of undergrad, I became pregnant by my fiancée. We moved in together before we were married, but I’m glad that we did because he revealed his true colors. He became physically abusive, so I left him and no longer have contact with him. I am finishing undergrad and working toward becoming a medical doctor. I am an attractive, intelligent, African American woman who is very open-minded. Though I am young, I consider myself to be mature and wise beyond my years due to my life experiences. I prefer to date older men and would like a chivalrous Christian man who is successful in his career and shares some commonalities with me but also has some differences as I believe that some differences make for a more interesting relationship. I’ve read on here before that many men prefer not to date women with (a) child(ren) because they feel that it would hinder her spontaneity. I don’t feel that that is true for me. Another question that I commonly see asked of the OP is “what makes you different?” I feel that what makes me different is the fact that I am very open-minded and love to experience and enjoy life. Due to my open-mindedness and love of people, I have found it very easy to find common ground with a wide range of people of many backgrounds and walks of life. My child is eight months young but very low maintenance. Although I don’t plan to date until I finished med school (at the age of 28), I would like to know how you think my situation affects my date-ability.
Age: 21
City: Richmond
State: VA

Answering this question now seems a little pointless. By the time you reach 28, you’re probably going to be a significantly different person. As will your I have no doubt totally low maintenance eight year-old child.

The problem I’m seeing here is that you think nothing applies to you. Not only are you different, but you’re baby is different. That speaks to a) you’re lack of self-awareness and b) your lack of maturity. Not that I’m expecting you to be fully actualized. I don’t. You’re 21. You’re supposed to be figuring out who you are.

There are certain things we can think about ourselves that are acceptable up until the point where we say them out loud. Anybody who identifies or describes themselves as “wise beyond their years” typically isn’t. Yes, you have some experiences under your belt that other people your age don’t. And those tribulations will absolutely affect how you see yourself, men, relationships etc. But you are discounting the actual process of maturity and the important role it plays in shaping our identities. Self-awareness and self-actualization aren’t things that develop over the course of a few months or even a couple years. Our emotional evolution is a constant operation. It doesn’t just stop when we reach a particular milestone. It might slow down once we get older, but at this point in your life it is a 24/7 procedure.

Right now you wish to find an older, chivalrous man. Do you really think that your desire for someone older isn’t related to your past trials? Of course it is. Older men represent security and responsibility, something you didn’t and possibly don’t have. Give that a few years and you might very well have it, seeing as though you’re pursuing a medical career. Or maybe you won’t. Who knows? My point is that you need to get a stronger hold on who you are and what you want before you even consider bringing someone into the lives of you and your child.

At 21, we all think we’re different. Hell, there are men and women out there now who, at 35, still think that way. Few of us actually are. There’s a certain level of presumptuousness in believing that we are unique in some way. Your story, OP, is not original. This will read as an insult, but it’s not. The tone and voice of the woman who wrote this letter is a young one. You sound like a 21 year old. We were all precocious at 21 or 22. You are no better or worse than other people your age.

I want you to change because not changing, to me, would be the true tragedy. I can’t imagine staying forever stuck at 21-25. I would never want to be that stunted. That makes me shudder.

As for having a child while trying to date, I think being as young as you are will make a difference. However,  I do tend to believe that most men will want their own child and not wish to deal with an disgruntled exes. A 27 or 28 year old can effortlessly find someone your age without a child. While you still have some wiggle room with the never-married men in your age range, you might – when you’re ready – wish to focus on the divorced Dad crowd. If you seek someone Christian, than I would avoid online dating completely and join your church. My 23 (?!) niece just married her husband, whom she met through her church community. The only reason why I feel as though that pairing will work out long term is because they both come from the same kind of background (no divorce/parents still together), have matching life experiences (college educated/working full time in their respective fields) and share many similar values in regards to faith and family.

 

Good luck.

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How Old Is Too Old?

Name: KrisSchoolgirl
Comment: How old is too old?

I have a crush on a 45-year-old man.  I am 28.  We have spent time together in group settings a few times, are friends on social media and in real life and we always have fun and lighthearted conversation, make each other laugh and seemingly just plain enjoy each other’s company.  Can’t tell if there’s any flirting going on as I’ve been pretty laid-back and slow to make any flirtatious advances myself.  (I read your blog and do my best to take your advice about observing the situation before making any rash conclusions.)

I guess what I’m looking for is some advice about how to take the next step, or even if I should.  I’m not particularly concerned about the age difference, though it could very well be an issue for him.  It’s too soon to tell what he thinks though and I am happy taking things one day at a time.  First thing’s finding out if he’s interested in hanging out on a level that’s not just as friends.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Age: 28
City: Austin
State: Texas

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Would You Date a Smoker?

Name: john smoker
Comment: Hey, 33 year old guy here.  Been following your blog for a while now and liking it. I have a question about smokers.

I don’t smoke and never have.  But I find that many NYC women I meet are consistently smokers.   For me, being born borderline-asthmatic with allergies pretty much nixed that vice before it could ever get started. From the perspective of a non-smoker, one of the biggest issues for me is I would never be able to commit to a smoker.

There can be attraction on many levels but as someone who as a kid had to put up with constant chain smoking neighbors whose smoke got through the thin walls and vents I never got used to it.  It makes me physically ill, gives me chronic headaches, and is a health risk in general.   (I can remember all those sick days after going out clubbing back before Bloomberg’s ban kicked in).

I’ll meet someone that says they smoke once in a while, which really means ….. I smoke a pack a day!  I always state up front that smoking is a deal breaker.  Most women will understand but occasionally I have met others who became visibly upset when I laid that out as a deal breaker.  Other times I’ve discovered they are smokers by tasting the ash in their mouth on a kiss – which was really an unpleasant surprise.

So, I guess my question is how do I better screen for non-smokers?  I am not talking about internet dating where it is easier to identify through filters.  Is it rude to ask someone (say in a speed dating event or a cocktail happy hour event) if they are smokers?   I’ve done that before and usually the women will respond nonchalantly yes or no.  But occasionally I will meet someone who reacts negatively and becomes upset.  I don’t think I was being judgmental (not consciously anyway) but hearing from co-workers who are smokers they often view the world as an us vs them mentality in terms of their habit.

I’m just wondering if there is a more discreet way of approaching this issue.  Thank you.
Age: 33
City: nyc
State: ny

 

I’m taking a short hiatus from writing responses to these letters. I have other things I need to focus on and have some personal matters I need to tend to for now. If I can fit in a response or post here and there, I will. Enjoy.

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How Do You Deal With a Guy Who Is Too Needy?

Name: Devenannoying-e1356637300485
Comment: Guy Who’s Too Needy!!!

Hi there,

So I have gone on five dates with an attorney who I met through work. He made a good impression initially but after the first date he started calling every day, then complaining that I didn’t talk to him long enough; e.g., more than fifteen minutes. Then he wanted to see me three days later; I agreed because the first date had been positive and suggested that we go to a local eatery…but he showed up with a bottle of wine. I told him I wanted to take things slow but he proceeded to question me about how long I thought it appropriate before being exclusive. He then began to email me, call me, and text me in addition to calling me everyday. I again told him to slow down.
I’ve also noted some odd behaviors which makes me think he may have Asperger’s Disorder. He seems emotionally immature for a 44 year old attorney, will stroke my hand for fifteen minutes while avoiding eye contact, and likes to stick his tongue in my ear (which I don’t mind, except that he missed my ear completely and left one side of my head wet). Those are just a few examples. He seems to be pushing for intimacy after only five dates, and he’s already making plans for us to do things together two months in advance…I can’t seem to get him to slow down.
Does this sound normal to people? Should I run for the hills?
Age: 43
City: NYC
State: New York

 

 

I’m taking a short hiatus from writing responses to these letters. I have other things I need to focus on and have some personal matters I need to tend to for now. If I can fit in a response or post here and there, I will. Enjoy.

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Are You The Catch That You Think You Are?

Name: Sarahwonka
Comment: i’m 30, attractive, independent, confident, and have a successful job. I am the total package, but I can’t seem to attract the right guy for me. It seems that the guys I’m interested in aren’t interested in me and the ones I’m not interested in, like me. I’m actually trying to get over someone that I’m infatuated with, but I often find myself comparing every other guy I meet to him. The truth is I really want to be with him and no one else, but I’m several years older than him and I don’t know how he feels about me. Thusly, I’ve been trying to meet other guys in hopes  to get over the one I’m infatuated with. However, I just haven’t met someone worth my time. I want nothing to do with them and so far none of them have been my type. I am willing to give different guys a chance, but I typically leave the date at the end of the night relieved that it’s over and that I never want to see them again. I’ve tried speed dating, online dating, going out with friends, etc. But haven’t met anyone and it’s frustrating. I don’t know what to do or what I’m doing wrong. I feel like I’m being picky,  but I refuse to settle. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Age: 30
City: Boston
State: Ma

 

I don’t think you’re being picky. I think you’re fixated on someone that you can’t have and refuse to let him go. That’s what is holding you back. You’re not coming across as available.

You can put yourself out there in a multitude of ways, but if you’re not truly willing to give someone a chance, then you’re wasting everybody’s time. This guy you’re infatuated with? If he wanted to be with you, he would be. It’s that simple. Sitting around pining for something that will never come to fruition is counter-productive.

There’s nothing I can say that will get you un-stuck. You’re going to have to get there on your own. The last thing you want to do is continue to tell yourself how you’re trying and you’re being flexible, etc etc. You’re not. The solution to your non-problem is to finally confront and accept that you’re never going to have this younger guy. Ever. Time to start the grieving process of this relationship that never was.

You’re delaying the inevitable because you’d rather hold on to the idea of a relationship – no matter how fictitious – that actually have one.

i’m 30, attractive, independent, confident, and have a successful job. I am the total package

That so? By whose standards? Because other than the attractive part, men don’t care much about these components you believe make you “the total package.”

We briefly touched on this in yesterday’s post. I have a feeling that most people are in the dark as to just how appealing and attractive the opposite sex finds them. I also think people are clueless as to the impressions they make on people that they meet. Independent, confident and successful, you say? I tend to ascribe to the “if you have to say it, you aren’t” philosophy. You might think you’re independent, but I’d bet many people see you as aloof, and that your confidence is regularly construed as abrasiveness. If you’re doing all these things trying to meet someone, and you’re such a catch, and you’re not meeting anybody, there’s a problem.

I am willing to give different guys a chance,

Well, that’s might gracious of you. What would you say if I told you that I bet some of those men are thinking the exact thing about you? You’re quite taken with yourself, and it shows. You’re not doing these men favors by agreeing to let them spend money on you. You realize that, don’t you?

However, I just haven’t met someone worth my time.

Slow down, Princess Grace. Worth your time? Orly? Do go on and explain to the class why your time is more valuable than another person’s time. I’ll wait here with my imaginary boyfriend Jeremy Renner.

jeremy-renner-on-aussie-tv

There’s a great saying that I like and have uploaded as my Gmail avatar:

 

What screws us up most in life is the picture in our heads of how it’s supposed to be.

 

Nothing will impede someone’s ability to find a partner more than inordinate expectations, because usually those expectations are derived from a bunch of false ideas.  They’ve created this image in their head of what it is all supposed to look like, all based on distorted perceptions and understandings of themselves and relationships.

The OP sees herself with someone specific, someone she considers to be on her level. The problem, of course, is that she’s probably not on that level.Few of us ever correctly assign ourselves an accurate desirability rating. Objectivity is often lacking. We completely exclude the most important part of the equation: how other people see us. Until someone accepts and understands that, they will struggle.

Somebody asked the other day how a person could determine their audience. I happen to think that this is an understanding that we develop over time and is based upon experience. The people who provide the least resistance and who actively and consistently demonstrate their interest is typically your audience.

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Are You Too Difficult To Date?

Name: Jennacouple2
Comment: I’ve been doing online dating for roughly 4 years (which seems like an eternity, actually). I’m 28, and I live in NYC (Manhattan).

While I’ve had a fairly typical online dating experience in some regards (I’ve gone on a very large number of terrible first dates), I’ve also met a number of guys that I’d actually like something long-term with. There have been six guys that I’ve dated for periods of ~3-4 months. Yet, I have not been able to convert a single one into an actual committed, exclusive relationship.

I know I’m doing something wrong, because several of these guys have subsequently entered into committed relationships (with other woman), one is now engaged, and one is now even married. So, I don’t think I’m picking commitment phobic guys.

My relationship pattern pretty much looks like this – at first, the guy plans dates (dinner, concerts, etc.) and asks me out in advance. After about a month, that largely stops, and he’d rather have me meet him and his friends at a bar. We’ll still have regular contact and do things during daytime hours (so, I know the relationship isn’t entirely sex focused), but the actual dates either largely or completely stop.

I’ve tried various things to remedy this – calling the guy out on it, suggesting dates on my own, etc. Nothing really seems to work. I confronted my last boyfriend about it on multiple occasions, which led to him breaking up with me and telling me I was putting too much pressure on him. He’s now seriously dating someone else, so I’m wondering what she did differently.

So, here’s my question. Given the age range of men I’m dating (27 – 33), is this typical behavior? Should I not expect to be eating romantic one-on-one dinners with these guys? Should I just “go with the flow” and meet him and his friends at a bar? I guess I’ve just heard from way too many people that if you accept this kind of behavior, the guy won’t take you seriously.

I should also add in that the guys I look to date are generally pretty attractive, successful guys around my age or within 5 years of my age. While I think I’m attractive, in shape, and successful myself, I’m well aware of the dating inbalance in NYC, and that the guys I’m dating definitely have a lot of other options.

Thanks,
Jenna
Age: 28
City: New York
State: NY

 

The first thing I want to point out is that sometimes it’s as simple as an issue of timing. When some of these guys dated you they weren’t ready for anything serious. Then they met someone else a little while later and either were sick of dating around or just felt they met someone with whom they felt comfortable. It isn’t always that there was something inherently wrong with you.

That being said, if one of your Exes came out and told you you were putting too much pressure on him, then that’s a pretty good indication that you were and that you need to lighten up a bit. Most guys won’t even bother with an explanation. They’ll offer some weak excuse and leave. For a man to express exactly why he’s dumping, he’d have to be pretty pushed to the limit, I think.

I’d also like to suggest that these relationship you had all sound like they pretty much dried up after a month or so. I appears as though the guy just kept you around until he found someone else. If after a month of dating, a guy considers hanging with him and his brahs at a bar a date, then the relationship is in trouble. Once? Okay. Not a problem. Regularly? He doesn’t want to be alone with you. They gave it some time, figured out you weren’t girlfriend material, but kept you on the roster while they explored their options. Or they saw that you were developing expectations, ones they weren’t ready to meet, and didn’t want to end the relationship entirely but did want to create some breathing room for themselves.

We’ll still have regular contact and do things during daytime hours (so, I know the relationship isn’t entirely sex focused)

Well, I wouldn’t go that far. My guess is arrangements like this are largely sex focused. The main reason why men date at all is for the consistent sex. The smart ones know they have to make a certain amount of effort in order to maintain it. Don’t automatically assume that none of these guys were just in it for the sex along, because I’m sure at least one or two were.

I’m going to suggest something kind of daring here, so brace yourself. It’s possible that you’re what many men consider B or C-list. Cute enough, fun enough,  but not exactly Varsity material if you catch my drift. You’re a pit stop of sorts on their way to Boyfriendville. The way to avoid this is by dating guys who don’t have as many options. I don’t know if this is what’s going on with you, but I know it happens. I read about it every day. At any given time we are on somebody’s C-list. If it happens more than a few of times, that’s a clue that you might be batting way out of your league and need to scale it back to what you can feasibly pull for a relationship. Just something to chew on.

The other suggestion is to do what you suggested and go with the flow for a bit longer than you do. You don’t have to  accept blatantly disrespectful treatment. But it wouldn’t hurt to bite your tongue here and there. That doesn’t make you weak or mean you’re compromising your integrity. You’re just going along to get along, and that’s a necessary skill when it comes to dating and relationships. Diplomacy is crucial, as is picking and choosing your battles. If there’s one thing that men take to, it’s simplicity. Which is not the same as being docile or submissive. It means not being difficult. If everything requires a conversation or explanation, then you’re difficult. Nobody wants to deal with people like that. Sometimes you just have to suck it up as you wait for things to progress. If that’s not something you can do, that’s your problem. You can’t constantly be shaking your head and wagging your finger at everything that strays from what you believe to be “real” relationship behavior, you know?

I guess I’ve just heard from way too many people that if you accept this kind of behavior, the guy won’t take you seriously.

By people, do you mean girlfriends? If so, take what they say with a grain of salt. We get an awful lot of ideas about how relationships should and shouldn’t progress from tall tales told to us by our gal pals. Here’s a secret: many of them lie or stretch the truth. They want you to think they have their man wrapped around their little finger. They don’t. They’re often white knuckling it, too, and keeping their mouths shut until it’s all systems go and they’re in Girlfriend territory. Stop listening to them.

While there are some men who are terrified of dealing with a woman who speaks her mind or has demand, most men aren’t. They know many of us have dealt with jerks and hear warped stories from our friends and so they cut us some slack. A few here and there will run screaming from a woman who speaks up, but most just hunker down and pray for daylight. That is, unless she just becomes so difficult to deal with and keep happy that they need to preserve their own sanity. That’s when they bail.

You can be easy going without being a doormat. Don’t let other people fill your head with false information. Asking for something and demanding it are two different things. As hard as it might be to do, I think you need to be a little less confrontational and see where that gets you.

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The Realities of Dating Over 40

Hi Moxie:childless-couple-parents.thumb
Referencing back to NB’s question from a few days ago, I have a follow-up question. Basically, what would a relationship look like between two childless adults in their 40′s?
Am I right in thinking that there isn’t going to be a wedding, there isn’t going to be a marriage? For guys, I think marriage is like the military; any guy can do it, but you have to start young to convince yourself that you are enjoying it.
As a guy in my low 40′s, I have watched too many of my friends – even my childless friends – go broke as a result of divorce.
So if we go over the 4 basics of marriage (in no particular order):
1) Attraction/sexuality
2) Common mission
3) Friendship
4) Negotiated priorities
For almost every breeding pair I have ever met, #2 is the kids. This will probably open a can of worms, but biologically speaking two childless adults in their 40′s have no chance at kids.
Which leads me back to the original question: what would a relationship look like between two childless adults in their 40′s? More like two roommates in love?
-Michael, 42, NYC

 

I think there comes a point where women begin to accept the real possibility that getting married or finding someone to settle down with long term might not happen. By forty, most people have worked years to create a stable life for themselves and aren’t eager to give it up. They’ve also developed habits and tendencies that make it difficult to just jump into commitment casually.
I spoke the other day about preferring to date men that are my equal. In the comments of that post I tried to explain why I preferred to be with someone who understood why I wouldn’t want to host them at my apartment multiple times a week. I guess I’m selfish, as I need alone time. Only someone who also lived alone would get that. It’s not something that can be quantified. I want to be with someone who has also worked hard for what they have and who values the effort and sacrifice it took to build that. By forty or so, you want to be with someone that understands you in various ways. It’s not just about physical attraction or sexual compatibility. You don’t want to feel like you have to explain yourself. By forty-four, emotional and social compatibility is right up there with sexual compatibility. That combination is hard to find. Once someone is in their forties, there is more at stake. More money, more freedom, more independence. When you become comfortable being alone, finding the right fit  becomes the priority and it’s easier to day no.
I’ll use Michael’s letter as a spring board to discuss something else. Everybody is free to comment on either.
When I read letters like NB’s from the other day, there is a part of me that gets a little annoyed at how people like her appear to feel entitled to an endless string of relationship opportunities. What I hear in those letters is Denial, which we all know is the first stage of the grieving process. These men and women convince themselves that, because they believe that they look a certain way, they should still be able to those in a particular league. Sidenote: That’s why I don’t bother with men who write in their profiles about how youthful they are or how they believe they look ten years younger. They’re building up their defense when they come up against rejection from their desired, and much younger, target market. They’re not creeps, they say. They just better identify with younger women.
It’s difficult to come to terms with the fact that you’re no longer in high demand or that the men or women you seek don’t consider you a viable option. It can take some people years of banging their head against a wall to get it. But by that time they’ve crossed over into Anger. Men are shallow and ageist, women are all after their money or too picky, etc. Another chunk of time and energy is taken up by complaining. Meanwhile, perfectly good possibilities waltz right by them. No, they think, I refuse to settle. I’m going to be that exception to the rule.
Next comes Bargaining. This is where people start to address, although not fully, their contribution to their current state of opportunities. They try to rectify the bad choices by telling themselves that they’ll make better ones. They’ll be less shallow, they’ll be smarter, they’ll heed certain warnings, etc. They try to do everything “right” hoping that will set them on a different course. But by that time, many of them have aged out of their desired market. They either don’t know it or refuse to accept it.
By the time the Depression stage begins, the wear and tear on their hearts and minds have become apparent. Their patience has worn thin. They give up for awhile. They take dating detoxes or swear off the opposite sex. Secretly, they hope to encourage others to do so along with them. They don’t want to believe that the solution to their “problem” lied within them all along.
That answer, of course, is to lower your standards. They’ve been doing that anyway, of course. They just can’t admit that out loud, let alone to themselves.
“Oh, I knew he/she was probably a player. But I played along, too.” Uh, no. You didn’t. That’s a lie. Also a complete untruth is how you chose to meet someone “out of curiosity” or how you didn’t get attached and knew the score the whole time. All those break-ups you think you initiated never happened. You didn’t stand your ground as much as you just took your toys and what remained of your dignity and left.
Acceptance doesn’t come easy. For some it takes many, many years or disappointments and confusion. For others, people arrive rather quickly, determined not to grow angry or despondent. They make the most of what they have and alter their expectations. They don’t want to date in the dark anymore.
It’s not easy to face up to the fact that those dreams or goals you had at 25 or 35 might not come to fruition. But accepting that fact is a hell of a lot easier (and more enjoyable) than waiting for lightening to strike again. Or ever.
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Are You Jealous of The Attention Other People Get From the Opposite Sex?

Name: Lucyjealous-friends

Comment: One of my best friends appears to be a serial dater and I haven’t seen her single for long. But I love her and don’t want to butt in trying to ‘remake’ her life or act holier-than-thou (I have my own dating problems) but I have observed her making mistakes and I don’t know whether it is a good idea to get involved.

The issue is that she is always seeking attention from men, even if in a relationship (and she’s not in an open one). Her current boyfriend is feeling pretty insecure because she is meeting up with men, though she says they are friends. On nights out, I see her flirt with men, one she gave her number to. A few of the guys are obviously only looking for sex and are sometimes too touchy. They put a hand on her thigh or give her a light kiss on the lips and I wonder what her boyfriend would think if he saw this.

There are men she meets on internet chat rooms. She told me recently that one of them was moving to our area. As it turned out, he traveled here thinking that he could start something with her and she told him to go back home. Even if she is in a long-term relationship, she’ll keep lots of male friends, and they are friends she calls and texts with daily. Maybe I am over-thinking this but I haven’t ever seen her start an online friendship with any women. She has shown me texts and it is clear that these men develop feelings for her.

How do I convey to her that what she is doing is bordering on inappropriate? And, in general, where do you draw the line with male friends if you are in a long-term relationship? (besides the obvious).

Thanks
Age: 23
City: Edinburgh
State: United Kingdom

 

I’m not really sure it’s your place to educate your friend on this issue. She’s a flirt. She likes attention. She’s probably deeply insecure. I’m sure she knows what she’s doing is inappropriate. She doesn’t care.If she is able to justify it, you’re not going to be able to convince her otherwise.

I’m not sure how you know that her boyfriend is feeling insecure. If he’s pouring his heart out to you, then you need to distance yourself from that. He very well may be right and justified, but she’s your friend.  Your loyalty is with her, even if you disagree with her behavior. You need to remove yourself from this aspect of their relationship and encourage him to talk to her.

If you’re the one feeling him out about how he feels, stop that. Like, pronto. You should also cease telling yourself that you’re concerned for her and start acknowledging that you’re jealous of all the attention she gets and the kind of attention she gets. There’s nothing complimentary about guys pawing you in a bar and trying to get you into bed. If she is desperate for attention, that’s what they’re attracted to. If you feel she might be getting herself into a physically dangerous situation, then and only then do you pull her aside and tell her to shape up. It’s better to have a friend be mad at you for a time than to watch her walk into something that could be unsafe.

Rather than judge her behavior, try to look deeper. Someone who isn’t satisfied with the affection or attention they receive from a partner probably has some bigger challenges emotionally and psychologically. Anybody who appears to seek out approval and attention from the opposite sex on the regs is profoundly insecure. Also questionable are people who compulsively have to let you know that they have a boyfriend or girlfriend or are dating someone. These are people who fear that society/friends/peers see them as undesirable in some way. I can tell you that the majority of people who write or blog about dating or who coach do so for the attention. They also do it so they can passive aggressively compete with or sabotage their male or female peers.

There’s a line between gushing because you’re happy and bragging. If you have to find ways to shoehorn in the fact that you’re dating someone, you’re doing it for the benefit of your audience. Similarly, if you you have to troll bars for men or women while out with friends, you’re doing it for their benefit.  You are trying to rub it in the faces of your friends. And I’d guess 75% of the time, when they do finally get a mate, they wear them down to a nub with their bottomless need for attention. They don’t just get dumped, they get erased from that person’s life.

If you do feel compelled to talk to your friend, first make sure you’re not coming at her from a place of competitiveness. You need to see her for who she is, which is probably someone desperately in need of validation. Keep in mind that people like this don’t see themselves that way. They’ll immediately go the “hater” route. So prepare yourself for that. I don’t see this conversation ending well strictly because someone who exhibits the behavior that you’ve described lives in a defensive place. Be ready for things to get ugly.

 

 

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