Feminist Rulebook

     We shared many cryptic conversations over the course of our work together. Was it insulting when I asked her to dinner before she could ask? Had she been waiting for the right time or completely disinterested? I felt I knew where she stood, a confident and accomplished woman who's contempt for men never seemed to eliminate her desire to be with one. Pitiful at recognizing signals, I was drawn by the common grass envy of wanting what I couldn't have only to find my conflicting feelings were reciprocated. She claimed to know me and her unfavorable comparisons to previous relationships highlighted our inability to see eye to eye.

     Seeking the advice of married men is useless. They find themselves miles from the subtleties of dating and how it's changed since their non-HD wedding videos were the most expensive DVD they'd ever purchased. When they come out with practical applications it can be difficult to sort out which are mysoginist attempts at humor and which are the sordid yet effective means to manipulate the societally-inflicted insecurities many women carry. There are however, plenty of well knotted gentlemen with helpful advice, advice related to maintaining a relationship I've struggled to find a beginning to. When it comes to the magic that led to their marriage though, they seem to have a loss for words. 

     A married woman's advice is not much better unfortunately. If anyone could shed light on the new rules you'd expect a working woman with her husband home buried beneath Cheerios and dryer sheets. Likely she saw what she wanted and took it, leaving my efforts up to chance. She spends the opportunity describing how I can be more like her ideal man, even beyond the qualities of her own husband. This would be helpful in cross-reference with millions of American married women. She encourages me to improve my radar but she'll never understand what it takes to distinguish flirting from trying to get a good tip. We'll see a time where our parents encourage us to do as they did and find love online. Unfortunately by then the rules will have changed and the advisers may have no idea what you're talking about.