Not Boy Crazy (Anymore), Just Career Obsessed

Somewhere in early 2012 I stopped being boy crazy. How do I know this? Because I stopped blogging about them. In fact, it was the Spring right before I decided to go steady with my now boyfriend. I called that one Relationship Filibuster. Total cheese ball.

I really do wear my heart on my sleeve. And it isn't exclusive to relationships, I do the same at work. ...I was trying to come up with some sort of metaphor that related promotions to dating, but that would equate to like marriage, and no one stays with a company their whole life anymore. Ironically still (and call me a romantic), I'm a big fan of the married for life philosophy.

As a child of divorce of course I'm careful about taking vows and that's not a bad thing. Patience is a virtual and right now I'm just practicing–ha!  Recently a coworker sent me a link with stats on Millennials (roughly 18-34 year olds) and only 4% of that group are married with children and own their own home. That was suppose to be a shocking stat, but is it really?

Weddings are ridiculously expensive and I don't trust people that own homes in their twenties. What witchcraft are you into?

We are a generation that believes in planning and saving. We discuss stuff like paying off debts, children's college funds and our parent's debt we could potentially assume–before moving in with each other–you know, to our overpriced one bedroom apartment that isn't even in DC proper, le sighhhh. It's the only place that allows dogs over 50lbs. 

In case you haven't picked up on this, I speak in broad generalizations that aren't generalizations at all. It's me. Very specifically me.

It's a constant struggle between third and first person. This is why I don't do Comms. 

So marriage is romantic, but work commitments are a jail sentence? Let me break it down. Weddings are romantic, marriage is hard work. Starting a new job is exciting, staying at your job is hard work. The whole concept of 'settling down' is the sticking point for me and I would venture to assume the same goes for my Millennial counterparts.

I just haven't found The One job that's right for me, but there's the dream of something else*. I feel like every one of my job breakups have amounted to something like this: *https://youtu.be/DKJgj5O0V7w

Cue my You've Got Mail obsession.

This is the part where I point out that I'm not married. My family reminds me every time I go home. When are you going to get married and give me a grand baby? I'm always more excited to talk about my latest project at work or on the side. They could not care less. Yea yea that's nice, so how's Kevin?

They aren't judge-y or anything, just extremely anxious. My 21 year old sister got married this past December, but somehow the lineage questions still falls on my plate? Amy, I love you, if you read this no offense at all just please have a baby. See my sister, is not one of those young brides. She gets it. Her and her hubby are perfect for each other. High school sweethearts. Soul mates if you will. She trusts love and commitment. I on the other hand do not, I only trust myself.


I trust myself not to fuck anything up. Not to cheat. Not to get the client pitch wrong. Not to get screwed over in a business deal. Not to roll over. Not to run out of money. Not to give up on myself. Not to get pregnant.

You see, I have trust issues.

Or, maybe it's control issues, either way I see the worst in people at a higher frequency than the good. I'm a skeptic of life. You want to do something nice for me? What's in it for you? I must read the fine print before committing. Oh I can have a raise 6 months from now? ...Homes, this ain't my first rodeo. 

The good news is by wandering around making a ton of mistakes I've happened upon my constant and the one person that balances me out, Kev. We've been together for 3 1/2 years now for a reason, he embodies everything that I clearly lack: Trust, unconditional love, great taste in music, selflessness and can't-breathe-so-funny-humor. BONUS: completely different than all my other beaus.

I don't have a "type." It's cheap to try to categorize the men I've seen. They generally make me feel good about myself until they don't. I was always moving the goal post. And, as you all know, when the metrics are changed without being clearly communicated process breakdown occurs, people get frustrated and dissatisfied, people want to move on to other opportunities. They quit.

The business of heartache is so stupid. If I could go back and still retain the collective knowledge I've amassed over the years I would have never dated anyone and focused all my time on getting into a better undergraduate program, preferably Ivy League and taken on more jobs.

But what is a life without love? Fucking miserable that's what. I am lucky to have had those experiences over the years. However much I hate them now they made me a better coworker, neighborhood, girlfriend and boss.

I traded in my Cosmo magazines for the Harvard Business Review because I don't care about mastering the 30 technics to pleasuring my man as prescribed by some liberal arts major. I'm confident in me, boo. I've got a liberal arts degree too. SEC baby!

But what makes me stop and appreciate my growth, is that now all my heartache is associated in professional settings. I don't cry about boys anymore and that fact alone is monumental to me. I do cry–Oh my god do I cry–home alone and self shaming-mad-at-myself sobbing that I can't change work place situations or more generally the World. But I don't give up, I double down. It's so easy to break up with someone, it's so easy to quit your job. It is not easy to make a relationship work, a marriage work, a partnership work, a contract work.

I still listen to the same love songs when I write my blog posts. It's just I'm more in love with fulfilling a destiny than finding The One. I find the same inspiration from Maroon 5 now that I did when I was in high school and in love with a boy that never returned the sentiment.

Priorities change ladies. Rejection is good--it prepares you for job interviews, salary negotiations and stakeholder review meetings. I don't know about you, but being rejected made me the strong person I am today. Nothing could possibly shake me as much as the first time a boy broke up with me. I was 16. Not until the time I found out my boyfriend cheated on me when I was 21. Overshadowed still when I realized I was working for a scumbag when I was 23.

So what's waiting for me in the future? I don't know, but come at me bros.

$$

The Relationship Filibuster

The Cherry Blossoms are out, it is Springtime once again in the District of Columbia. I am proud to announce it's my one year anniversary with the city - our relationship is still going strong. We've made it through unemployment, crazy landlords, a break up, the dating scene, 3 moves (yes 3 different addresses), training a puppy, interoffice drama, family weddings, and the holidays. The last year in retrospect has completely flipped my world upside down and for the better. This little South Carolinian is now a resident of (what I refer to as) the capital of the world and I'm loving every minute of it.

Now it's no surprise that in my world of twenty somethings the topic of men monopolize the conversation. This post is dedicated to the women of DC trying to find love, keep love, and make it last.

The following are conversations I've overheard within the past 2 months in the city limits:

Shacking Up
Girl #1, "My boyfriend just said we should move in together because his lease is up next month". Girl #2, "Dude, you just got proposed to... over gchat".

The Lame Duck
Girl #1, "Ugh he's so annoying, but he did just helped me move so I'm in for at least 3 more disappointing sex sessions". Girl #2, "Don't sell yourself short - go for the premature bj then bail".

The Perfect Political Union
Girl # 1, "So he finally proposed just the way she instructed him to". Girl #2, "Yea, he's gay".

One Way Commute
Guy #1, "I'd do anything for sex right now". Guy #2, "Would you go to NoVa"? Guy #1, "Fuck that dude, I don't like girls that much".

Ol' Reliable
Girl to a girl friend, "She's like a Camry, a lot of in-town miles".

Cyber Sex
Guy to a male friend, "You should use OK Cupid because it's like eHarmony with no commitment".

The Magic Number
Guy to male friend, "I'm done with feeling like if I'm not married by the time I'm 26 I'm a failure".

The Great Divide 
Girl to younger girl, "You wouldn't understand because you're 22, but when you're our age [early 30s] the statue of limitation is 3 months. Then you know whether or not you're getting married". Boyfriend of younger girl, "Can we say 6 months"?

Just remind yourself, it could always be worse. Laugh at all the ridiculous moments - it's funny not frightening. Learn from your mistake, brush yourself off and get right back out into the fight. The men are plentiful, just be intuitive to what they are searching for as well. No one wants to be the flavor of the month only to be the last to realize it as he kicks you to the curb. Watch out for the clingers, the piggy-backers, and the scumbags. Yea that's about it...

Seriously, think about it: the dates with politicos downtown, the nights with the perfect tourist in Georgetown, the sex that makes your toes curl - these are the stories that make up your year, the stories that drive your happy hour and the ones that cause you and your roommates to break out into spontaneous dancing and laughter like you just won the lotto. Embrace it, don't fight it, let go lady! So he hasn't asked you out yet, so he hasn't proposed yet, so you haven't met him yet - don't sweat it! If you worry about the technicalities you miss all the little things that make up the big picture. Take each day in one at a time.

As soon as you start to worry about your timeline for being married and having babies you put yourself at a disadvantage. After all, what man will want to a date a crazy woman obsessed with walking down the aisle? I don't care if you're 18 or 38 - enjoy your life and you will naturally attract the right kind of people into your life. I know we are a city full of control freaks, so excuse the partisan rhetoric, but over regulation of your love life can lead to relationship deficits.

It's true, relationships take a back seat to work around here. Don't confuse your man's work ethic with avoiding your relationship. It's easy to place the blame on everyone else, meanwhile you are running your mouth and analyzing everything from his eating habits to his friends. Talk, talk, talk... who's filibustering who? Yield the floor dummy.

Do I Have An Expiration Date?

It's easy to become consumed with your work in this town; After all, it is the cultural norm. Inevitably though, once we finally slow down and have time to think about ourselves we have a slight inclination to panic about the status of our personal lives. I don't care if you are legitimately single or in a four year long committed relationship, we can't help but panic. It's a biological question of the utmost urgency, "Will I find someone to grow old with or am I going to be alone?" We take a gamble with every relationship we enter into, with every day we stay single, and with every person we turn down at the bar.

From my experience speaking with other DC ladies we have a difficult time feeling satisfied and because of that "something better will come along" complex there is no rush to commit... in fact I've noticed it's the opposite. Woman are testing the water with many different guys and pushing anyone away who gives off a monogamous vibe. By that I mean, these poor nice guys are getting the boot for being viewed as wife hunting. Chivalry goes a long way, but I can't tell you how many times I've heard the phrase, "He's just too nice. I'm not attracted to that". It's no surprise to me that this city is filled with two different groups of women as a result: the 28 and under crowd with nothing to lose, and the 28 and over crowd looking to partner up after a decade of dating around.

There's that question of timing. How long is it acceptable to be single? Why does 28 seem to be the arbitrary deadline we give ourselves to be married or at least in a relationship with the man we hope to be our husband? Is there an expiration date on how attractive a candidate we are to men? When do we start worrying about fighting for attention with the next influx of younger, peppy women to the city?

The dynamic is really funny to me, because I've had to sit and console crying girlfriends in their early twenties and reassure them that they won't be alone forever after a fling with a douche bag blows up. All the while, they complain the instant some nice guy they've been seeing inquires about calling her his girlfriend. It's an interesting game we play and it's bound to come full circle sooner or later. We all have the hot streak 21-27, the freak out at 28, then the scramble after that. Before we know it, we'll be married in our thirties and ready to attack the 20 year old bimbo flirting with our husband (even though we did the same thing in our hay day).

Call it a right of passage, but we should do a better job at internalizing these flaws in judgement. Instead of giving that nice guy the run around and only using him for free dinners on the week between pay checks, perhaps you should be honest about your intentions. Who knows maybe you'll leave the window open for a future relationship with him when you really want it to count and he starts to look like everything you want. No one wants to be in a position when you find yourself wondering what could have been. Don't burn bridges and run around playing with men's hearts. Guy code is strong in this city and they do talk about you. Your reputation will follow you to work and down the aisle. Don't forget that. No respectable businessman or politician will associate himself with a woman with a sketchy past.

On the other hand, we are foolish to think the men of this town aren't aware of the intricacies surrounding our dating preferences. It's no wonder there are so many jerks out there, they adapted to the atmosphere we created. It's a simple story of supply and demand. Don't hate the player, hate the game.

We operate in a city where appearances are everything. Every day is an opportunity to define the future we all came here to secure. The only person that can hinder your success is you. Make no mistake there is no separation between our careers and our personal lives. Be smart. We don't have an expiration date, but we can spoil.

Dating Purgatory

I know many friends who would consider themselves in "dating purgatory": A place or state of suffering inhibited by the souls of women who are expiating their past relationship failures by overcompensating in their current role as lady friend in the hopes of going on to a recognizable and more socially accepted relationship. For some this could be as simple as an agreement to become girlfriend-boyfriend, being 'Facebook Official', or for the long term-ers a ring (preferably on her left hand's ring finger).

If you are in dating purgatory no doubt you've asked yourself all of these questions: Are we friends with benefits? Is he seeing anyone else? Does he really like me? How do I introduce him in social situations? Is he purposefully avoiding DTR? Am I avoiding it? Is this a game? How do I bring it up to him? Should I bring it up to him? Am I over thinking this? ...Yes.

Are you single and anxious? Trying desperately to find a man or define a relationship you are already in? One piece of advice: Don't be stupid. I know I'm not surrounded by stupid girls, but the consensus out there leads me to believe otherwise. There happens to be a science behind this and it's super easy, allow me to elaborate: If a man wants you in his life he'll do everything possible to get / keep you there. Don't play games, just be genuine. If someone is really into you they'll tend to mirror your demeanor. So before you go analyzing their every move, you should be aware of the signals you are emitting first. If there is no connection, he will bail. If you scare him, he will run away from you. If you come on too strong, he'll assume you are desperate and will use that to his advantage. Never throw yourself on anyone! If you don't respect yourself he never will. Most importantly don't force a relationship because you think it's convenient, or because you'd rather be dating someone than be single.

Not too long ago I spoke with an older woman in her 80's. She was curious about my job, boyfriend, future - all that jazz. She gave me the best advice about relationships I had ever heard. She asked me if I was going to settle down and get married since I had graduated from college and been together with the same guy for years. I laughed it off and said something to the affect of wanting to wait a couple more years before I go down that road. She delivered the most perfect comeback that I will never forget until the day I die, "You need to shit or get off the pot". She knocked the wind out of me and all I could muster up in a blushed tone was, "What"? "You need to shit or get off the pot. What are you waiting for"? Out of this entire exchange I still can't remember what I said, but I do know what I took away from that conversation: You can't be afraid to cut your losses and you can't be afraid to dive in head first. I will not live my life sitting on the crapper.

Point being: If you like someone tell them, if it blows up in your face then it wasn't meant to be. There are 7 billion people on this planet - to think you're destine to be alone is by far the silliest thought imaginable. Too often do I hear fantastic women cutting themselves down, it perplexes me! I don't care how hot, smart, successful, or rich some guy is because you have just as much to offer in a partnership. If you lose that balance, if you put him or yourself on a higher platform your relationship is destine to fail.

So now ask yourself: Is this guy a good fit for me? Does he respect me? Do I respect him? Is it always fun when we're together? If the answer is yes, then just be honest in moving forward. If you answer no to any of the questions above (or if you're unsure) I'd advice you to get off the pot. Time is something you can't get back.

Happy hunting ladies!

Good Food and Good Sex

It would seem that it's near impossible to find common ground between married life and single life. As a single life aficionado that aspires one day to settle down I feel like it's my duty to bridge the gap between these two feuding factions the modern woman grapples with. Does it not seem like you have to pick sides? 


If you're single you mock your married counterparts as quitters. Likewise, if you're married you shake your head in a disapproving manor as if the debauchery of promiscuity overwhelms your senses. Pretty sure these extremes are both ridiculous and stupid so let's not let our womanly hormones and high tempers run the show.


For the record this posting was completely inspired by this lady's article in the National Review: Suzanne Venkor "Why Marriage Eludes the Modern Woman". I admit I enjoyed the article until about 3 paragraphs in when I felt the sharp dagger of judgement slash through me:

Simply put, married life presupposes a maturity modern women don’t have.

Hold the presses! My first thought was to yell out, "Whatevs I could totes could be married right now if I wanted to"! But you know what, I'm not for a multitude of reasons and none of which have anything to do with anyone other than me so Ms. Venkor has a point - but her conclusion is a half truth. Simply put - I'm astutely aware of the maturity involved in deciding to spend the rest of your life with one person. I also know myself well enough to conclude I'm not ready for that kind of commitment. I don't think that warrants a label quite so harsh. Ah but she goes on to say:

We’ve been hearing a lot lately about young men who fail to grow up and become 

good family men, but video games are not the culprit — women are. Men tend to 

follow women’s lead — and it is women, not men, who fight Mother Nature.

Classic - now I'm a disgrace to the natural order of things. It get's better:

Indeed, feminists assure women they can’t possibly be happily married until men 

change who they are or adapt their nature to accommodate the needs of women.

The needs of women? How exactly would you describe the difference between what's in a man's nature that I would change to be happily married?

“There are two ingredients to a healthy marriage: good food and good sex.”

She makes a point, I despise both.

Naturally, this philosophy will raise the ire of the most strident modern 

woman who’s been taught to believe that cooking for a husband or 

saying yes to sex amounts to indentured servitude.

I'll let Britney take this one.

They refuse to even accept that men have a greater sex drive than 

women. In failing to understand the differences between men and 

women,women have sabotaged their own happiness. 

I feel like that's a battle all couples should take out in the bedroom - guarantee there's a happy ending.  

As for the men, they aren’t so much choosing to be 

immature as they are doing what they’re told. Tell a 

man he’s dispensable, and he’ll quickly prove you right.

So let me get this straight - while the modern woman is immature and fighting natural inclinations at her own choosing her male counterparts are just helpless by design and along for the ride? I smell a fish. 

Personally, this article gives the impression that men are all stupid and modern woman are all power hungry bitches. I have a bit more faith in the dating pool than that. And since when did modern become a substitute for single like it's an alternative lifestyle? "Are you married?" "No, I'm mod." 

Marriage is a serious decision that should be respected and honored. It's a full time job. However, it's appalling that by making the choice to wait you get branded as unnatural and immature as opposed to - oh I don't know - responsible or reasonable? Not all feminists are out to "sabotage" the institution of marriage. Maybe some of us want to go into a life long union debt free, educated, experienced, financially stable, and yes mature. It's kind of hard to work on being a better you if your responsibilities now include an extra head. And let's not forget you can't use a cookie cutter formula to diagnosis a segment of the population you see as "different" de facto "unnatural". That my friends is a road to no where. 

So let's move forward with mutual respect and admiration for one another's gift of choice in the matter. Freedom is a beautiful thing! And I think it's safe to assume that it's okay to pursue a healthy mod lifestyle especially since the last time I checked you do not need a government issued license to enjoy good food or good sex. Meh technicalities. You can't fight Mother Nature.