Mar 27, 2006

growing pains, a.k.a. learning how to date casually

I have a love/hate relationship with dating. I hate the process of finding someone to date. I love the excitement and butterflies that always accompany a date with someone new. Most of all I hate the part where I have to start navigating negotiations with prospective partner. I have somewhat entered that stage with a particular man in my life. Ew, have I mentioned that I hate it? Last night we had an hour long phone conversation that went something like this:
me: where are you coming from with this, I'm just curious
him: I want to date you, but not exclusively
me: just so you know I don't sleep around, I'm monogamous
him: and that's a good way to be
me: thanks for humoring me
him: baby, I'm not humoring you
me: well thanks for doing this over the phone then
him: sweet dreams
A little background: I never learned how to date casually. All my relationships (save about three) started in a drunken stupor. I usually ended up with a boyfriend after spending two weeks drinking the garcon du jour under the table. I'm seriously stunted in this area and walk around feeling like a 12-year-old which is pretty scary when negotiating sexual relations with a 43-year-old man. I get all freaked out about nothing, like I'm at the 7th grade dance and he won't dance to Careless Whisper with me so I run off to the bathroom to bawl my eyes out.
Yup, that's how I feel. Doesn't it sound like fun?

1 comment:

Ruthie said...

I have a retarted level of maturity when it comes to the mens too. I hate looking for someone to date so much that I am not doing it anymore. I gave up.

I love that you refer to him as "garcon du jour." That is classic!