Magic Formula

Men are bad at picking up signals. They resort to time lines and guidelines as a way to navigate the treacherous curve on the road to committed relationships. Unfortunately this results in a lot of cryptic messages and communications in the beginning of any new dating situation. Talking to my guy friends I realize how completely different men think than women. I try to remember this when I am first starting out with a guy, but even though I can manipulate the behaviors I exhibit I cannot control the emotions that naturally accompany the beginning. The butterflies in the stomach, the rush of the new possibilities, and the panic that comes with the uncertainty of intentions on the part of the guy. I have learned over the years how to control my behaviors in order to seem cool and collected, but the reality is that the accompanied emotions are still there. I am a total girl in all of the ways I do not appear at the surface. Ironically I think that I had the same amount of response from guys I was dating regardless of if I played it cool or completely went with my emotions. On some levels it's great to be able to control my outward appearance. On other levels I really am lying to myself, and pushing back emotions that would otherwise come out. I never lost a guy who would have stayed because I was emotional, and I don't think the guys that really want to be with me would leave if I stop playing it cool. I guess I'm just a work in progress.