Sunday, July 31, 2011

Calm Down


My husband says that I gave him a hard time when he first pursued me. I don't quite remember it that way but if I did...

It must not have been too bad because he was ready to put a ring on it 6 months after we met. :-)

I will admit that I was relatively calm, cool and collected in the beginning. I didn't relinquish my guard this time until I knew that my heart was safe.

And I would not change a thing!

Women get too excited, too fast about a lot of nothing.

We gas ourselves up when men do the most basic things instead of expecting to be treated well. Then, we jump the gun instead of letting the relationship run its natural course - which sometimes means letting it run right on out the door. This is how we end up hurt, analyzing every, little behavior wondering, Oh my gosh! What does this mean...? when sometimes "this" means absolutely nothing.

For example...

"He takes me out."
Any man with a decent job can take you to dinner and a movie (although the latter does cost a grip these days). Men already know that they may have to spend a little to get a little, so while the candlelit tacos may send you over the moon, his feet are still firmly planted on the ground. Yes, dinner is nice. So is breakfast and lunch but it doesn't mean he wants to be your man or that he isn't eating a meal or two with somebody else. Say gracias for the tacos but don't starting choosing bridesmaids yet. 

"He gives me flowers."
They sell flowers on the side of the road. While it's a nice gesture and could mean that he was genuinely thinking about you, it doesn't mean THAT much. It is romantic but breathe. Express your gratitude, put 'em in water and relax.

"He wants to go away with me." 
Have you ever had vacation sex? It's totally awesome. Who doesn't like to get away from it all?  If his pockets are thick or if he just got his tax refund, he may even pay your way, but that doesn't mean homeboy wants to be your man. It could just mean that he thinks he can have some out-of-town fun with you. Traveling with a man can be a big step, so choose wisely before you get on the road or in the air. And please don't sleep with the guy just because he paid for your plane ticket to the Bahamas.

"He brings me around his family and friends."
For some men this is a huge step, for others it doesn't mean a thing. I've seen men bring women in and out of their circle without batting an eye. Meeting Momma and 'em doesn't mean that he's preparing to propose. If you really want to know the deal, find one of his boys with loose lips and ask when was the last time boo boo brought a woman around - he may tell you that it was just yesterday.

"He says that he can see a future with me." 
For some men "the future" could mean the next day or the end of the week. They can spot a hungry woman right away and know when you're feeling vulnerable or desperate. If a man knows that it takes a commitment to get you, then he'll say what you want to hear - whether he means it or not. If he's already talking about "the future" before he even knows you, then he's running game.

I didn't write this post to be a Debbie Downer. I'm not advising women to eye every guy suspiciously, never having fun or cracking a smile. BUT don't get too excited, too soon and don't read more into a situation than you should. Until you've had sufficient time to gauge a man's character and until you've both made decisions about what you would like from each other, take every action with a grain of salt.

He may be sweet and nice and all may be lovely but for real...calm down.

Love openly but wisely,
Alonna

Monday, July 11, 2011

The Single Girl's Bucket List

I'm two weeks into married life and although I can't give much insight into this new "club" I now belong to, I can definitely share some things I learned while being single for 32 years and 9 months. :-)

Remaining single into my 30s was a blessing that I didn't fully appreciate until a couple of years ago.  I learned a lot about myself, about men and about relationships. There's no magic number for when a woman should marry - so stop putting pressure on yourself - but I definitely think that every woman should do these things before jumping the broom!

1. Get educated
Whether it's your BA, MA, or PhD, cosmetology school or classes at the local community college...find something that interests you and become better at it. I read that women with more years of higher education have a lower chance of getting divorced than women without. One "expert" also said that educated women are more confident about who they are and are less likely to settle for a man who doesn't meet their standards. Now, I don't know how accurate these statistics are because I've made plenty of bad relationship decisions since graduating from college but I do know that you'll definitely feel a sense of accomplishment that no man can take away from you - no matter how bad the break up!

2. See the world
If you don't have a passport, go to the State Department's website and apply for one as soon as you're finished reading this post :-). Then, grab a map, call a few of your girls and make plans to get out of town ASAP!  I'd never advise anyone to take on debt but one credit card worth having is the "travel credit card". If you can't get out of the country, travel within it - go on a picnic in Central Park, take in the sights from the top floor of the Hancock building, dance the night away on Ocean Drive - just go! And if you have no idea where any of those places I just mentioned are, then you really need to get to steppin'! 

3. Live alone
One of the best decisions I ever made was purchasing a house by myself.  It doesn't matter if you rent or own, living alone is something every woman should do before getting married. You learn valuable lessons about financial responsibility and best of all, you learn to appreciate your own company.  

4. Eat alone - and often
With most of my friends a 40-minute drive away, I don't always have someone readily available when I'm craving pork empanadas or when I want to treat myself to more than a drive-through meal or curbside take away. Should I wait until someone else's schedule aligns with mine just so I can eat? Heck no! Sometimes I bring a book or magazine, sometimes I just sit and relish the fact that no matter how many couples or families surround me, I'm perfectly okay with eating a meal by myself. I don't feel like a loser because I'm not one and I know that with one call, I could probably find someone to join me...but the best part is that I don't have to. :-)

5. Go to the movies alone - and often
As a teacher, I have a lot of free time in the summer. Sometimes I'll decide in the middle of the afternoon that I want to see a movie when everyone is at work. Soooo what do I do? I go anyway. One ticket, one bucket of popcorn, one large Icee and I am good to go. I even saw "Slumdog Millionaire" on a Saturday night...which some people wouldn't dare to do alone!

6. Date a lot of boys, kiss a lot of frogs
Society has brainwashed women into believing that if we date around, we are just as bad as the players who have broken our hearts.  Newsflash: Being single is all about dating! I always tell women to accept a date with just about any man who asks, so long as he doesn't seem mentally unstable or is a fugitive. Who cares if he isn't your "type"? You don't have to marry him, you're just having dinner or drinks. It won't hurt to spend a few hours of your time with someone new. At the very least, you'll learn one more thing that you want (or don't want) in a partner.


The single life comes with so many freedoms and blessings. Enjoy them all because your life WILL change once you say "I do"!

Have fun!!

Alonna :-)