As 2006 comes to a close, the Hookup is taking a break from the dating problems of the masses. Instead of offering insight on how, when, where and with whom to ring in the new year, we want to reflect on what we learned in 2006:
1. Men and women want the same things. Yes, it's true, and we are serious.
2. The double standard is alive and well. There are just some things women can do that men can't, and vice versa. An example: We can buy ourselves granny panties, but woe befalls the man who buys them for us. Of course it's wrong and unfair, but life's like that sometimes.
3. Neuroses, psychoses, issues and drama are the stuff all relationships are made of. Look at it like this: Your TiVo has been known to disregard your directions. Your cat may decide to avoid you completely, and your car is prone to being a pain in the butt out of the blue. Every relationship you have with everything in your life has a little bit of drama. You have no right to expect your relationship with your significant other to be any different.
4. There's a commitment-phobe inside us all. No one, male or female, wants to get hurt. No one wants to take a chance on someone only to have things go directly to hell. Your blind date, your boyfriend and the chick you met at College Night are as afraid of rejection as you are. We need to remember that and be excellent to each other.
5. Waste not, want not. The fewer dates you waste, the less lonely you'll be. So the next time someone asks you out, think before saying no, regardless of whether your best friend or the guy next door is doing the asking. We're not suggesting you say yes to every questionable character who comes along. Just don't waste the attention when it comes your way. You might miss it later.
6. What you see isn't always what you get. One look through the Hookup's mailbag will show you people think all sorts of crazy things based on little or no remotely intelligent information. Sigh. Singles should learn to go a few levels below the surface when meeting potential mates. The best boyfriend you ever had may be someone you started out hating on sight.
Now, you've got exactly six days to put our lessons from 2006 to good use. Good luck with that.
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