Sunday, 14 June 2009

  • My Top 5 Dating Rules

    Everyone has their own set of "rules," or lack thereof, when it comes to dating. These are my Top Five Rules, a list from someone who's already married and whose rules worked out. Enjoy!

    1. The Ex Factor
    There is no "Friends With Exes" here. Not me, not my SO. Sorry, once a breakup has occurred, all contact with said person is discontinued. I warned any potential boyfriends of this before we got into a relationship, just to be clear. This means no calls, no texts, no e-mails, not even any Facebook comments. In fact, delete them from your friends list AND your phone. Don't talk to them in person, either. Don't hold on to any "memories" of your relationship. It's over, get over it.

    2. The Porn Factor
    I don't care what you do when you're single, but when you're in a relationship - at least if it is with me - pornography should be left alone. Sorry, but I'd rather be single and alone than in a relationship with someone I clearly don't satisfy. I never said I wouldn't put US on tape if you are so worried about needing to get off, but if it's not me on that tape, I don't think you should be watching it.

    3. The Phone Factor
    "I don't call boys, boys call me." <-- A quote I was known for saying when I was on the market. I don't call the guy in the beginning of the relationship.  It's pretty simple. If he wants to hang out with me or talk to me, he can call me. If not, fine. I'm not waiting by the phone. I will keep this up for at least 6 months of a relationship. After that, I will only call when it is important. I know this rule will probably stir some stuff about about it not being the 1800s or something, but I'd rather be the girl that doesn't call boys than the girl that calls boys too much.

    4. The "I Love You" Factor
    In all good relationships, this is bound to come up. If you think you love someone, what are you supposed to do? Say it? Not say it? Wait for them to say it?... Well, you can do whatever you want, but I'm playing the waiting game, here. This is kind of related to "The Phone Factor." I'm not just gonna come out and spill my guts for a guy if I don't know where he stands. At least not on this issue. Again, I think it's better to be the girl that doesn't say "I love you" first than the girl that says it and is sorry because he doesn't reciprocate and makes things awkward. You can also do what I did and not say it back if he says it to you for a couple of days. This depends on HOW he said it the first time. If he was kind of shy about it and said it accidentally or said it in the heat of the moment, waiting for him to say it again instead of saying it back and putting pressure on the situation is a good way to see if he meant it or is sorry he said it. If he really was spilling his heart to you, a test like this is being a heartless maneater. Use at your own risk.

    5. The Other Plans Factor
    You shouldn't be available EVERY SINGLE TIME they call or want to get together. Have your own life and live it. Don't put everything you are into this relationship with the other person. It is much healthier to have your own self - your own goals and dreams that you are following and not giving up because of your relationship - and lose a relationship than to give up your life to have an "our life" situation. Your lives will one day become "our life together" if it's meant to be, and if not, there's no use crying over spilled milk.

    What do you think? Do you have your own rules, or do you fly by the seat of your pants? Hate these rules? Love them? Don't care?....

    Oh, and always remember this: When it doesn't work out, know that there are other fish in the sea. Bigger, tastier, prettier fish. Fish that know how big, tasty, and pretty you are, too!

Comments (201)

  • Epinephrine

    There is no way you can get a guy to like you. NO WAY whatsoever.
    @lar
     - I agree. Honestly, who would want to date you? I personally dislike high maintenance girls. @deepcreekkid@xanga - agreed.
    @englishpearl@xanga - strongly agreed.
    @charmed_by_u327@xanga - Haha, it is clearly a game for her.
    @XAngelExpress31X@xanga - Indeed.
    @spanz@xanga - Thank you for putting out the word "psyco." I was looking for a perfect word to describe her.
    @graywolf0@xanga - HAHAHA true.
    @TheKiwiIntoxication@xanga - High maintenance? I think she is a super high maintenance girl.

  • xthread@xanga

    @cd867@xanga - You know, it took me rereading that first paragraph three times to catch that you wrote this post from experience.  It first read to me like you had adopted someone else's list and felt it was a valuable set of standards since the individual is married (and omgz success!).  But now I see that you are that married individual.  Okay.  Well in that case, I'm glad these guidelines have worked out successfully for you.  But I still stand by my comment.  To recommend these guidelines for others is ridiculous.  I do, in fact, find one through four to be entirely, well, excessive.

    @Epinephrine - She's married.

    @Purrty_Pink@xanga - Great comment.  Except, I mean, the person who wrote this is married.  But still, you have a good perspective. :)

  • anonymous

    I don't care if I go out with someone and they watch porn, heck I'll watch it with them. I'd rather it be porn than a real person they get with if I'm not available. :)

  • k8tthelate@xanga

    Looking back over the last 50 years of my life, I would say you are on the right track. There is nothing insecure about you. Friends with the ex thing can work if there are children involved, but only in a very limited way (unless you're bruce and demi).  Stick by your rules and you'll be a happy girl.

    I just wish others would figure it out.
  • jessietam@xanga

    it sounds extreme and harsh...

  • doubleordie@xanga

    i got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one. You would be worse than that 99.

  • Mangonese@xanga

    @natashasmells@xanga - She's married.

    And she said these are their rules that they agreed on. I think calling her controlling is unnecessary.

  • Mangonese@xanga

    I don't care what anyone does, really. As long as there's innate respect and love.

    Peoples' actions when not applying directly to you don't prove any amount of respect, whether it's there or not.

  • EarthsAzureLight@xanga
  • mywordsx@xanga

    Lol, I sorta agree... But my standards are lower than yours.


    The phone factor seems abit too harsh. Six months? Dang, girl. :P

  • EccentricSiren@xanga

    I have a few rules for myself, but they are pretty basic: no married men, no men who are otherwise taken, no sex until both of us feel ready to start that aspect of the relationship (and I am not ready until I feel the other aspects of the relationship are established), no staying with someone who doesn't respect my feelings. As to who calls first or who says I love you first, it doesn't matter. The person who goes first is risking rejection no matter what gender they are. Why is it so much worse if the woman is rejected than if the man is rejected? It hurts both just as much, I'm sure. If a person of either gender expects to be successful in a relationship, they have to be strong enough to know that rejection might suck, but it's not going to kill them.

  • niez_cho@xanga

    Dating is completely different from settling down into a long-term relationship, that's all I can say.

  • aCe_KeiAnar@xanga

    @xthread@xanga - I actually think #4 comes off as more of a control and power issue. As if the first three didn't. 

  • mewithoutu77@xanga

    i only agree to a certain extent.  the ex one i disagree with just because my ex and i are over, there's never gonna be anything between us, but he's basically my best friend in the whole world and pretty much my confidant.  i think it's ok to be friends with an ex when you know it's over and there's nothing left for you two.  i don't like to just dismiss people out of my life just because we can't be lovers.  some people are just meant to be friends.  i don't care about if his exes are his friends either as long as they're just friends.  


    the porn factor, whether you allow it or not, it's gonna happen.  it's human nature.  i wouldn't want to be one on that tape just because i never want to get it leaked out plus, if he wants to jerk off, he can jerk off on me.
    i'm pretty oldfashioned when it comes to a guy calling a girl, asking a girl out, but i still call him up to just say hello, see how he's doing, if he has any plans because what if he did plan something special for me but i'm playing the waiting game?  wtf?  we're not 12 anymore, we're adults.  why are we still playing the game?
    saying "i love you" to someone for me is really important and very special.  if i feel it and i say it to him and he doesn't say back, i think i would be ok with that.  at least it's me letting him know how i feel.  i've had a guy tell me that he loved me and i couldn't say it back to him because honestly i didn't feel it at the time and i explained that to him.  if you feel something, what good does it do if you just hold it inside?
    the other plans factor, of course you never want to be always available but that gets complicated when you're in a long term relationship or you live together.  don't get me wrong, i still make plans and tell him that i'm gonna go with the girls and he can go with the boys.  i guess you also have to know when to draw the line of when to be together and when not too.  when i'm in a relationship that's long term and we're really into each other, i like to spend time with that person as much as i can just because if i want to marry this person, i want to know their habits and daily rituals so i'm not surprise when i move in or we get married.
  • photse@xanga

    I totally used to have those rules, and the guys that passed these rules treated me nicely. I recently got out of a relationship and I think the next time around though I think I'll be a little nicer, a little more easygoing. I'll have these rules for myself but be really nice about them, a little more flexible. Remember, relationships are supposed to be fun and add value to both of your lives..if he feels like he's got a million rules he's going to stop enjoying the relationship. 

  • CanadianReflection@xanga

    1 and 2 are ridiculous - my exs are some of my best friends and my boyfriend has every right to talk to whomever he pleases. it's called trust. I say this after having been cheated on by my ex with his ex, yet I still maintain that my current boyfriend has the right to his own life and own friends and I trust him fully. 

    2 is also ridiculous, mostly because I'm not giving up porn anytime soon so why should he. 
    @melllyyy@xanga - bahahahaha it would explain alot eh? 
  • GaMeGurLsH@xanga

    Isn't it one's rightful wish to want what she wants in her life?

  • KristineBoBean@xanga

    those are really harsh rules for me to live by.  you're not a bitch, you're not high maintenance, they're just your rules, and that's fine.  but...


    just don't be afraid to be vulnerable...that's what love is.  when you love someone, you give them all of your heart in an open hand.  not your heart in a box, and you give them the key, but you give all of your heart.  and it can be scary...but when there's love involved, trust is also important.  do you love them enough to trust they won't break your heart?
    love doesn't always have to be a two-way street.  when you love someone no matter what, whether or not they have already said it to you first, that's unconditional love.  learn to do that...it may end in pain, but that's what makes love so rare and beautiful.
    don't hold back from the world...offer it all of your love and maybe you'll find even more happiness
    also..if you never call him, how is he supposed to know you actually like being in his presence?  typically, when you date someone, you spend a whole lot of time with him/her...well, at least more than anyone else in the world.
  • cantblinktilligo@xanga

    I agree with all of them except number 4. To me this I-love-you thing is so exaggerated.

  • joycemiles@xanga

    my boyfriend is friends with almost all of his exes. haha. I kinda used to be jealous... but seriously, if he broke up with the person= doesn't like her in that way any more. I was pretty happy when my boyfriend chose me- it was just a little getting used to with the "being friends with ex" stuff. I kinda agree with the porn though.... it would just make me feel insecure because he is looking at women with huge chests (which I would not even be able to compare!). I just don't think it would make me happy. And good thing: he doesn't!

  • FireYourBoss@xanga

    1. The Ex Factor
    I'm the same way, except that I haven't imposed it on my current romantic interest yet, but I might soon. She was emotionally cheating on me recently.

    3. The Phone Factor
    6 months, hmm. I think by that time, most couples are intimate with each other to some degree so I'm not sure what you would gain by holding out on the phone calls...

  • pawnshop_heart@xanga

    You know what, I agree with every single thing on this list. All of it. 100%.


    It's nice to know there is someone like me out there. Thanks!

  • erahslover@xanga

    1 the ex factor -- you're fucked up in the head to think that long time personal relationships are just going to have to stop because someone is dating you. if im dating someone whose to say it will last? will i have just ruined a possible lifetime friendship with an amazing person by cutting off ties with them just because you say so? this has many variables... me being controlled like that is a no-no. You're looking for someone who'll be hen packed you're going to be lonely for a long time. I have exgfs from high school that i still talk to to this day and that was like 7 years ago. I could see if i were still banging them, then itd be a no-brainer. But after marriage this is semi plausible.. but during the dating process.. fuck you.

    2 the porn factor -- ahahah, you're clearly sore about being verbally curb stomped in the LAST conversation about porn. its ok baby, lick those wounds. as long as you're handling YOUR business by handling HIM then he wont even want to LOOK at anything BUT you. Marinate on THAT :D

    3 the phone factor -- you want him to NOT look at porn, NOT talk to exes whom might be his closest friends, but you're not going to even meet him half way and make him do ALL of the calling? you're a real piece of work, and I doubt you're hot/smart enough to pull that off with anyone much less convince someone who's genuinely into you to dehumanize themselves by being your lap dog.

    4 the "<3U" factor -- ehhhh, depends on the girl. but from reading your other "rules" i can imagine a dude, putting up with YOU, confusing love with obedience/obsession from going insane by your conditioning.

    5 the other plans factor -- so if you're not available that's fine, but if you ARE, fake like you AREN'T? You haven't been in many successful relationships have you. The way you "play the game" will just make the guy go into stealth mode and get what he needs elsewhere and just look at you as a challenge and he'll start to play your same game back at you harder... check your man, he might already be doing this. Maybe he goes to a dungeon once a month and plays dominatrix with some young philly to get his frustrations from you out. (edit)...wow, that was harsh, I apologize.

    Be it from him being tired of you and your games, or him dating other people while youre pretending you're too busy to go out, don't love him, not calling him, forbidding him from watching porn, and not talking to his exes in any way shape form or fashion.

    Seems you werent even looking for love -- seems you were looking for a man-sized dog that you're training so not to get your heart broken when all those rules fly out of the window. ...your rules aren't how one finds love, its how they push love away allowing people to adore/worship THEM, but little mutual sharing of love at all.

    And the fact that there are people here agree with you...  Its like you all WANT to control every aspect of another person's life as if you're this AMAZING PRIZE to be had writing that other person off as being YOUR prize. And someone who adhered to your rules MARRIED you? Now im depressed. Poor castrated husband.

  • suttone2@xanga

    I don't know where you meet your SOs, but I could never institute the exes policy - I'm friends with parents, grandparents, siblings, mutual friends, etc of enough of my exes that it's not an option to cut ties - I have to be at least cordial.  

  • MonkeyQuack@xanga

    Except for the "other plans" factor, i really disagree. I'm friends with some exes because I grew and learned something valuable from them. Porn is not necessarily about watching a person in the act, but more about the act and fantasy itself. (on that note, I would thank porn for those moves that your man - or woman - might throw out of left field). I somewhat agree about the phone factor, however, everybody enjoys a self esteem boosting text message from now on. When it comes to phone calls, it is not about quantity, but quality. Whereas women tend to just want to hear that a man wants to call them and listen to them, men prefer phone calls that don't begin with "so...what are you doing". When it comes to saying I love you, there comes a time when the bond is so strong, that the words are inevitable. If you question the opposite sex's reaction to that statement, and fear the repercussions, it is probably not love - Love needs to be comfortable enough to where emotions can exchange freely.

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