Is it just me, or is it ridiculous (and kind of disgusting) that they have a dating site specifically for people with STDs? Wow. That is a new low, people. (Why am I always surprised by this stuff?)

So as to the last blog I wrote, I made the mistake of bored-texting him. It's kind of like drunk-dialing, excepting instead of calling when you're drunk, it's texting when you're immensely bored.

And I realized that I was just being overly female (read: overanalyzing stuff that actually didn't mean anything). Sometimes the competition between my estro-tendencies and my better sense is a losing one.

However, our conversation yesterday resulted in me granting myself permission to never think of him again. And that actually feels just fine.  The only problem is he asked me to donate to this thing he's doing, and I feel really guilty for not doing it--but I can't.

Meh.

Back to my regularly scheduled life.

Cute 'n cuddly, or sharp-toothed and dangerous?

So I was reading a post by simplyanna about this book she read called What Men Want. It sounds really interesting, actually. One thing the authors said about men is that they are extremely jealous, so attempting to inflame their jealousy will always backfire (I'm assuming either by them leaving you or by them cheating back).

That got me to thinking back to a recent relationship. See, I love to dance. I used to go salsa dancing every Thursday and most Sundays as well (those were the nights when it was free ). Naturally, since salsa is a partner dance, I made friends with a lot of the guys I danced with who regularly frequented the clubs I went to. Well, I skipped out on a trip to the club one night and stayed in with my guy, which turned out to be a good decision because during a later conversation he informed me that he "would have been mad if I went". I asked him why and he said because he was jealous. We'd only been dating for a short while at the time and I was actually completely shocked to hear him say this. He was jealous? Of some random guys at a club?

And then I thought, how CUTE!  He's jealous! He actually cares that I'm going to be surrounded by other guys who will likely be flirting with me and it bothers him. How adorable

But then I realized that we had a problem. Because when I say I love to dance, I mean that I love to dance (during show season, I danced at practice 2-3 times a week, PLUS 1-2 trips to the club to dance some more). And if I had to skip my weekly trips to the salsa club because my boyfriend was jealous of my dance partners, I wouldn't get to dance anymore. And that would depress me. A lot.

It never came to a head because we aren't together anymore, but this is one of those touchy situations. I can't stop dancing just to pacify his jealousy because then I'm losing out on something that makes me happy. But at the same time, I appreciate the fact that he cares enough to get jealous and I want him to be happy, too.

Where is the limit? When is jealousy okay (or is it ever?), and when does it become a problem?

Where everybody knows your name...

Yesterday I met this guy. I had seen him before, but we'd only spoken to each other in passing, and that was just to say "hi". I met him because I was struggling up the stairs with these two huge tubs of science materials, and he helped me carry them to my classroom. Naturally, we had a polite conversation on the way up. I saw him today and wished him luck on his new job this coming Monday. He apparently saw that as an invitation to come to my room and hand me his phone number, which is exactly what he did.

So here's my biggest problem: I had no idea what his name was. In fact, that's what I told him when he gave it to me: "I don't even know your name!" He didn't see this as a problem, and said "I'm (guy who works here). Nice to meet you." And then he went on about how he hopes I'll call him. Now, a man who picks up on social cues would think, "Hm, this bothers her. Maybe I should ask what her name is." But unless he asked someone else who knew me, he came, gave me his number and left without ever finding out what my name is.

What the heck?!

I realize that we just met yesterday, and that the only reason you're asking me out is because you find me physically attractive. But someone's name is the most basic of things...and to me it's the most basic way to demonstrate interest in getting to know me as a person. When you just hand me your number or ask for mine without even exchanging names, I'm like, really? Cuz that says to me, "I don't care who you are, I just wanna screw you." And if that's the case, I am highly uninterested.

Has this ever happened to you? Does it bug you? How much do you need to know about someone before you'll go out with them?