The Guy’s Perspective

© 2012 Charlotte Pescale  ”All rights reserved”

Contact Charlotte at: charlottepescale@gmail.com

To start from the beginning Read/or Read entire story: 

Introduction

Chapter One: Darryl- Part 1

Chapter One: Darryl – Part 3 (Scroll up)

Chapter One: Darryl – Part 4 (Scroll up)

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Chapter One: Darryl – Part 2

I roll out of bed at 8am and the first thing I think is, what the fuck am I going to wear? Shit!

Do I go jeans and a sweater? No, it’s too hot for that. What if I wear shorts? Would that be inappropriate? It’s probably fine I think, but I decide against it anyway. I don’t want to give him a show of my legs right off the bat. I consider a cute skirt that drops down just below my knees but then decide it’s a bit too much for the first date. Finally after about thirty minutes of throwing my clothes all over my bedroom, I decide to wear jeans after all, and I pair them with a cute red blouse that has gold buttons running from top to bottom. (Sounds odd, but trust me, it’s cute.)

I take so long to figure out what to wear that I don’t even have time to dry my hair after washing it. It looks like I’m going with the windblown look today. I just have to keep telling myself, who cares? It’s one date. If it doesn’t go well, I won’t be any worse off than I was yesterday, or the day before, or last month.

I arrive at the coffee shop ten minutes early and Darryl’s not there. So I pick a table kind of out of the way so we can have some privacy. Not because I care if anyone listens to our conversation, but because if the date turns out to be a disaster I want to be able to make a quick and inconspicuous getaway.

Twenty minutes go by and Darryl still hasn’t arrived, which means he’s about ten minutes late, and I’m starting to get pissed. I look around at all the faces and everyone seems to be happy, content, fulfilled. A good cup of coffee will sometimes do that to you, but I can’t help feeling sorry for myself. I’m getting sick of being alone. Why can’t I find someone to be happy with? With that thought I look up to find a guy smiling down at me.

“Hi, I’m Darryl,” he says with a big grin on his face.

“Hi” I barely manage to say, forgetting that I was pissed off a second ago.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Rebecca.”

Just the way he says it immediately puts me at ease. But I’m still not sure what to say so I just smile, and start to get up so we can go order together. I figure we should probably go dutch even if it’s just coffee. Rules are rules you know. But he tells me to sit down.

“What would you like?” he says still beaming at me.

“Why don’t we order together?”

“Don’t be silly. It’s just coffee. And I promise you won’t be indebted to me in any way.”

He says the right thing—I hate feeling like the guy’s going to want sex just because he bought me dinner— so I tell him I’d like a large black. He smiles even wider, almost laughs. Shit, what did I say? No, I didn’t mean it like that? Darryl isn’t really black, but he’s sure brown enough to misinterpret my order. God I am such an idiot. I want to tell him that that wasn’t some Freudian slip, and that I’m not that kind of girl—even though I might be— but he’s already at the counter ordering.

I watch him. Darryl fills out his clothes well. He’s also wearing jeans, and they’re tight. But not too tight, just tight enough so I can see he’s got an ass. Guys with flat asses just don’t do it for me. One check mark for Darryl. On top he’s wearing a tan sweater with a zipper just at the top, which he’s chosen to keep open. He’s pushed his sleeves up and I can see his arms are well defined, but not crazy muscular like those ridiculous guys at the gym. Overall Darryl seems very comfortable in his skin and what’s even scarier: he’s probably even hotter than his profile picture, which spells trouble for me.

Darryl sits down, hands me my coffee and starts asking me all sorts of questions. How long have I lived in town? What side of town do I live on? What kinds of things do I like to do on the weekends besides what I wrote in my profile? It goes on for a while and I think I must be boring him to tears, but there he is, head nodding, seemingly attentive and interested.

“So what do you do for work Rebecca?”

“I teach elementary school,” I say waiting for the response I typically get. Oh that must be so fun. But he surprises me.

“That must be really challenging and difficult,” he says with a serious look in his eyes. “Working with kids is probably the most important job anyone could do.”

Is he serious? I look at him closely and wonder if he’s playing with me. But he seems very serious. And after he goes on and on about how much he loves kids and that he has a brother who’s fifteen years younger than he is, and how he feels responsible for him since his father passed away a few years ago, I feel my mind leave my body to get some space to think near the ceiling. And as my mind levitates in the quiet expanse of the open beamed ceiling I realize I really like this guy.

“That’s a pretty blouse you have on,” he says.

My mind is still floating above me and has yet to reenter my body so I don’t respond.

“I said that’s a pretty blouse you’re wearing.”

I look at him blankly and then I wake up startled and say thanks.

“Will you excuse me for one second. I need to use the ladies room. I think the coffee is running right through me,” I say.

“Sure”

I get up from the table and I feel self-conscious walking through the maze of tables to get to the restroom—why did I pick the table so far from the bathroom? Idiot—because I know he must be watching me.

I’m finally able to breathe as I look in the mirror. I wonder if the date’s going well for Darryl. I know it is for me. I splash some water on my face and close my eyes for a moment. I’m tired. Darryl has tired me out but in a good way. I’m satisfied tired. I slowly open my eyes to check my makeup before I head back out to the table.

As I look at myself, do a double take, and then I gasp. Oh no! In the frenzy of getting out of the house on time this morning, I apparently forgot to check all the buttons on my blouse. Because in the mirror, clear as day, I have a great view of my left breast, poking it’s firm little head right through my shirt. You’ve got to be kidding me?! My face turns lipstick red and I start sweating. How fucking embarrassing? I clutch the countertop to keep from falling down. What must he think of me? Now I actually think my legs are going to give out so I squeeze the countertop harder. The last thing I want to do is go back out and face him. What a disaster.

I text my friend Kathy to tell what’s happened but she’s not answering. So I text my friend Julie. She sends back three letters: LOL!!!! Yeah, real fuckin’ funny I text back. She tells me to calm down and that it will be okay. I tell her I’ll talk to her later.

I think about my breasts for a moment. And I think about Darryl, and then I realize that not once did I see him staring at them. In fact he was very good about maintaining eye contact the whole time we were talking. Maybe he didn’t notice? Or even better, he did notice but was able to maintain control of himself even with my left breast sticking out of my shirt. Maybe he’s actually interested in what I have to say. Maybe he’s really interested in me. That would be a nice change from some of the other guys I’ve dated. I mull this over for a bit, gather myself, and walk back to the table.

He smiles. God, I love his smile.

We finish the date with me asking the questions, mainly because I don’t want the conversation to get redirected back on me. I find out he works in the clean tech industry, specifically with solar power. He seems passionate about it, although most of what he says is more technical than I’m interested in. But I do hear that he travels to China frequently for business. I make a mental note to think about that later. Somehow business trips don’t sit that well with me.

Before we get up to go he asks for my number. I give it to him. Then we hug goodbye. And that’s that.

Later I’m processing the date with my friend Kathy.

“I got your text. Sorry I missed you. So how was it?” she says.

“It was much better than expected,” I say casually, not wanting to give away how much I’m into Darryl.

“So basically, you’ve already decided he’s the one, right?”

“Damn, Kathy. Am I that transparent?”

“I can see it in your eyes honey. Remember, we were roommates in college? I’ve seen that look before.”

“But this is different. This is special. I just know it.” I pause. “Well, except for the two red flags.”

“And those would be?”

“Well, he was about 15 minutes late. Kind of seems disrespectful, especially for a first date. Although after he got there I almost didn’t care. God he’s gorgeous.”

“Well, that’s not so bad. What’s the other?”

“He travels a lot.”

“And? What’s wrong with that besides that he’s away?”

“Well, you know. Who knows what he’ll be doing when he’s away? Who he’ll be seeing? That’s a lot of time he’ll be unaccounted for.”

“Okay, but let’s not jump the gun here. You’ve only had coffee together. Why don’t we wait to see how the second date goes?”

“You’re right. I need to be patient.”

But I’m hardly that. I’m impulsive, impetuous, hasty, and rash, probably more so than some of the eight year old boys in my class this year. So I’m thrilled when Darryl texts me a few hours later to tell me he had a great time. And to ask me out for the very next night.

Next Up: Chapter Three: The Planets Align

For the Full Story Read: The Introduction and Chapter One. (Scroll Down)

© 2012 Charlotte Pescale “All rights reserved”

Contact Charlotte at: charlottepescale@gmail.com

Read the whole story: 

 Introduction

Chapter One: Darryl – Part 2 (Scroll Up)

Chapter One: Darryl – Part 3 (Scroll Up)

Chapter One: Darryl – Part 4 (Scroll Up)

______________________________

Chapter One: Darryl – Part 1

I meet Darryl online.

It takes a lot of prompting from friends for me to actually join one of those online dating sites. But I have no plausible argument against it. I’m not having much luck at the bars. Taking adult education classes at night is a waste of time. I’m certainly not meeting anyone at the elementary school I teach at. And the guys I meet at the gym are either losers or muscle heads, or both. So I figure, why not? What do I really have to lose? I already feel like a dating loser anyway.

Once I decide to try online dating I then have to figure out which service to use. Did you know there are literally hundreds of sites and services to choose from, all spouting some unique reason to join? You can pretty much meet any kind of person you want to meet. If you want to cheat on your partner, well, there are sites for that. If you want a threesome, no problem. If you’re looking to date people who are your same religion or ethnicity, that’s easy. And if you have some kind of fetish—a foot fetish perhaps, or an adult lactation fetish—well there are sites for you as well. For me, I just want the ordinary, “gal meets guy,” type of site.

I finally pick one and figure the hard part is over. But no, actually the hard part is just beginning. Now I have to put up a profile and write a description about myself. Ugh. I hate writing bios. And I suck at it. I guess everyone kind of sucks at writing about themselves. You either sound like you’re bragging, or you sound boring as hell. Finding the right balance takes me a long time.

I start with my goals. I have only one: To make sure my inbox doesn’t get flooded by a bunch of guys who I will never be interested in. So I start off a bit negatively.

My first profile: 

If you’re a loser please don’t contact me. I’ve had my fill of losers over the past few years, and I’m trying to turn over a new leaf.

You can see from my picture what I look like so I won’t get into that. But I think I look better in person than I do in pictures.

I teach third grade. I like reading. I enjoy the outdoors and any kind of exercise frankly. Hiking. Biking. Tennis. Basketball. It’s all good.

I despise arrogance and cheesy pick up lines, so please don’t contact me if you’re one of those guys. I appreciate honesty, kindness, and certainly a guy with a good sense of humor.

If you’ve gotten this far maybe you’re still interested. If so, drop me a note and I’ll get back to you.

Yours,

Rebecca

Well, I get five responses with my first profile attempt. The first three are from male elementary school teachers who try to use their vocation as a way to show me how in touch they are with their feminine side. Yuck. I want a guy’s guy, not some male version of me. The next response I get is from some singer songwriter who writes stale lyrics about unrequited love. No thank you. And finally I get a note from a guy who just broke up with his girlfriend and is looking for a woman with an edge, maybe a woman with a tinge of anger. Yikes. Time to get back to the drawing board.

Before I make a second attempt I consult a few guy friends and they say I need to be more positive.

“Rebecca, you’ve got to give the guys a chance,” my friend Ted says. “Your profile is too threatening.”

“But all I said was I didn’t want losers contacting me.”

“I understand. But YOU have to understand that even though guys might act all confident, that doesn’t mean they are. In fact, most of the guys scouring these sites will probably think you’re speaking directly to them, and will think it’s not worth the effort.”

“Really?” I say.

I’m not certain whether to believe Ted or not. He never seems to lack any confidence himself, or for that matter have any problem dating very attractive women. But I know he has my best interests in mind since we’ve been kind of friends since childhood. There was even a time when I thought I might be interested in Ted. He is pretty cute and all, but now I just see him as the older brother I never had. So I listen to him.

“Yes really,” he continues. “I wouldn’t personally respond to your profile. I’d be scared.”

“Seriously? C’mon Ted, you’re fucking with me.”

“No, really, your profile description is intimidating.”

“Okay fine, I’ll change it.”

“Good idea.”

So I take a deep breath and try to be positive, for which I have no stomach for really. I spend all day, every day, being positive at work. I’m a teacher and it’s my job to try and boost my students’ self-esteem. “Oh Ben what a wonderful story that is. Kayla, you did such a great job on your math test. Molly, you are a talented artist. I love your new picture. And Colin, those are pretty cool shoes.” And on and on. I love teaching kids, but after giving them so much during the day, I’ve got no positive energy left to give when I get home.

But still, I try hard to be positive with my second profile attempt and I think I come up with something pretty good. At least it’s as good as it’s going to get.

My second profile: 

Hi, I’m Rebecca. I’m new here so go easy on me.

I’m looking for an honest and kind guy, but still with a bit of an edge. I don’t mind a little bad boy as long as you’re a good guy. Does that make sense? If it does, we’re halfway there.

I play tennis and basketball. But I don’t necessarily need for a guy to be a jock. As long as you like to exercise and are into the outdoors I’m cool with that. Hiking, biking, and rollerblading are great too. I like to stay in shape and hope you care about that sort of thing too.

I’m an elementary school teacher, so I guess I like kids. But that doesn’t mean I’m looking for an insta-family. I’m looking for a guy who wants to have some fun but is still open to possibilities, if things progress. Also, I work hard to speak appropriately to my  students, so when I’m able to let my hair down I actually have a bit of a potty mouth. Sorry.

You can see from my profile picture what I look like. But what you can’t see is that I have a lot of energy too, kind of like a bunny. No, that’s not an invitation.

If you think you fit what I’m looking for I’d be interested in learning more about you.

Rebecca

This second profile description gets the okay from Ted even though he doesn’t love the bunny comment. But hey, a girl’s gotta be who she’s gotta be. Apparently my profile also gets the okay from a lot of other guys too, because I receive about 50 responses on the first day and about 250 in the first week. What I learn later is that being positive AND being a newbie gives me a decided advantage. Apparently some guys scour these sites continuously and when they see fresh meat, they pounce. So most of the responses I get are from “lifers.” Guys who have profiles on about 20 online dating sites. Serial daters. Guys looking for nothing other than a good time. And this is a big waste of time for me. It takes me hours to sort through all the crap and get down to the few guys who are actually legit. Darryl is one of them.

Darryl’s note is sweet.

Hey Rebecca,

I’m glad to see your profile here. You’re a very attractive woman. And kind of funny too.

Anyway, I think I’m a good guy—at least that’s what I’ve been told— but I’ll let you be the judge. I never like to assume.

Would you like to get together for coffee? Or do you want to get crazy and go roller-blading or biking or something?

I hope to hear from you.

Yours,

Darryl

I like his note well enough so I check out his profile. And when I do, it’s a done deal. Darryl is gorgeous. His skin is the shade of newly lacquered maple floors. (Which immediately brings back memories of my father splitting logs in our backyard for some reason.) Darryl’s hair is curly and closely cropped, providing a dark and contrasting backdrop to a smile that’s as unassuming as it is sexy. But it’s his eyes that have me. They’re green I think. But they seem to change colors every time I view his profile. At first I think it’s my computer, but I soon realize it’s not. His eyes are coral green, the color of the ever-changing ocean floor viewed through a rippling, watery lens.

I write back:

Hi Darryl,

Thanks for getting in touch with me. I like your profile as well.

Coffee sounds good. What did you have in mind?

Rebecca

His response:

R,

How about Sunday at 10am.

Are you a DD fan or Starbucks? Or something else?

D

I think to myself, “We’re already doing initials? Hmmm……”

I write back:

Darryl,

How about Starbucks at 10am this Sunday?

Rebecca

His response:

Sure. See you then.

I think it’s a bit quick to go from full names to initials, and then to no names in a matter of an hour. Who does this guy think he is?

Now I’m nervous. What did I do? Do I really want to meet this guy? I’ve never done this before. This is going to be weird. I don’t do blind dates. Maybe I should forget the whole thing?

But my friend Julie talks me off the ledge.

“It’s going to be fine. It’s just coffee. And the guy is gorgeous.” (I share Darryl’s profile with all my friends.)

“I know, but what the hell am I going to say to him? What if it’s just too awkward?”

“Well it might be, but what have you got to lose really? An hour out of your week?”

“But I’ll probably ending up saying a bunch of stupid things and embarrass myself.”

“Oh stop Rebecca. You’ll be fine. You’re good at talking. And you’re good at listening. One of them will work.”

“Okay, I guess so.”

Ted is also giving me pep talks and I somehow make it through the week. Which makes me wonder why Sunday? Why did Darryl schedule it on Sunday instead of Saturday? Does he have some big plans with someone else from the site too? Maybe I’m his backup plan?

You see, this is me. I’m always second guessing myself, driving myself crazy, and all my friends too. In every relationship I’ve ever been in I constantly question what’s going on: Why did he say that? Is he trying to tell me something? What did he mean by that? Is there something about him I’m missing? Is he the right guy for me? Maybe he’s the one? I wonder what he thinks of me? Maybe I shouldn’t have told him how I felt? I wonder if he’s dating other girls? Is he cheating on me? Is he going to leave me? Damn, what’s my problem. On and on, my thoughts spin over and over. And even after my friends share their positive opinions with me, as soon as I’m alone again, my mind goes right back to its endless cycle of doubt and worry.

The good thing is that this kind of thinking tires me out. And so after my Saturday workout—nothing like the treadmill to provide a perfect tempo to obsess with—I sleep my way through the rest of Saturday.

And then Sunday finally rolls around. And I’m scared shitless.

Next up: Chapter One: Part 2 (The Date)

THE GUYS have worked hard to be fair, honest and thoughtful when writing all of our posts. That’s been our trademark since we launched this site. And that’s what has attracted our readers to us.

But we also don’t believe difficult topics should be ignored, as you read in our three posts about “Cheating.” We offered three different perspectives coming from three different sets of experiences. A tough topic indeed, but one that invited positive dialogue and resulted in many questions submitted to us.

This is what we’re about. Creating a forum for discussion that lends itself to growth and understanding. But it doesn’t always work out that way based on the comments section in our most recent post. (We pulled it. A business decision, not an editorial one.)

Differing opinions, even when direct, harsh, strong or unadulterated are part of all of us. We don’t have to look further than Washington to witness this in  its full blown glory. If you turn on the TV or radio, or pick up a paper or magazine, you’ll see it. It’s everywhere. It’s part of us. We have opinions, strong opinions and we all want to voice them.

We stand behind our guest writers. They brought a topic to our attention that we thought might be interesting to explore, so we gave our opinion and offered space for our two guests to give their opinions. Their opinions were different than ours, but we felt it was a good thing for our readers to get a taste of varying perspectives. Isn’t it better to be in the know, than not?

The last thing we’ll say is, guys in general have been called every name in the book. Meathead, bozo, dickhead, asshole, etc. We’ve been stereotyped in every sitcom as lazy, not very good at listening and not in touch with our feelings. We laugh right along with these jokes because even though we’re guys, that’s NOT US! Somehow we always have the sense it’s the other guy they’re making fun of.

THE GUYS

Here are two good blogging friends who wear The Guys.

Who are these mystery people?

Please check out their sites to discover their identities and read their work. But…..before you do, leave us your guess on who they might be. They are both regular “commenters” on our site.

Guest Number One

Guest Number Two

Check out the Guy’s store for more cool merchandise. Anyone that sends us a picture wearing THE GUYS will be featured on our site. Thanks.

Today is part two of our miniseries, where we not only stroll down memory lane, but also give props to many of the sites we’ve grown to love over this past  year. These Blogs in particular, focus on dating, relationships and other related topics such as self-esteem self-actualization and self-motivation. Hope you’ll explore and enjoy them.

Part three will be coming soon.

From: “One of The Guys”

Where I went to school, there were only two proms; a junior high prom (7th-9th grade) and a senior prom. Expectations were huge for both proms, but I can only speak for the guys. It was the night where we hoped inhibitions might be cast aside, at least for one special night, and maybe we’d somehow convince our date, usually our girlfriend, to go where she had never gone before.

But it wasn’t like that for me. Far from it.

In 9th grade I started dating a very nice girl probably around May. So it was a “no brainer” that I would be going with her to the Prom……Well, ah.., NO!! She had already committed to a friend of hers, not a boyfriend, and she felt that she should keep that commitment. She was a lot more mature that most of the people at the school and she probably did the right thing, but not necessarily something that most 9th graders would have done. And to me, it was a drag.

So I ended up going with a close friend of mine who also didn’t have a date and we had a good time. But it was awkward seeing my girlfriend dancing to “Stairway to Heaven” and “Freebird” with another guy. And the night, while fun, never turned into that magical night that I had dreamed about.

My junior year in high school I started dating a senior in the spring. I have no idea why she liked me because her previous boyfriend had been the captain of the football team, but she did. So we started dating.

At this point, I was still pretty green, but she wasn’t, which made the whole thing even more baffling to me. I was like a human playing with a vampire, which honestly scared the crap out of me, even though I liked it too.  We were still together in June, so she asked me to go to the senior prom. Wow! All THE GUYS thought I was THE MAN! (If they only knew.)

Once again the anticipation grew and grew. However, I wasn’t steering this ship. It was clear she was in charge, picking the color of my tux,  the restaurant we ate at and the after hour party we attended. I was like a stick adrift on a river, just merrily floating to and fro. But this is where it gets blurry for me. Somehow the night just went from bad to worse and we ended up breaking up. Seriously!! We broke up on Prom night! And looking back on it, I’m sure she was still in love with this former captain of the football team who had arrived home from college the week before. I found out later, he had been wooing her since he arrived. Who could resist, right? (Sarcasm)

But I rebounded fast  from that traumatic evening. And of course, I still had my senior prom to go to. That was going to be great!

Well the spring came around and I was single, having broken up with a girl in February. But as luck would have it, I started dating a great girl in May and now I had a date. Phew, close one!!

Ahhh….NO!!!…………Deja vu……my girlfriend had already committed to going with someone else and once again she felt she should honor that commitment. What is up with these girls!!!???

So now I had no date………Well…….. (And you’re gonna love this)

My 9th grade prom date, as I mentioned before had moved away to Texas in 10th grade. However, she kept in touch with a lot of people from our high school still, and her girlfriends told me she would be back in town during our prom. They said I should ask her because she would love to go. And since I didn’t have a date, I thought it sounded like a good idea.

I don’t need to go into details. We had fun. And I was glad I went. But really, let’s be honest. I’m pretty sure I’m the only guy on the planet that this happened to…….. TWICE!

We’d love to hear about your prom expectations and experiences!
Please share!

And take some time to browse through some of these great sites.

Adventures of Starting Over

Date Girl Diaries

Beaming Balance

I Should a Been a Stripper

Luvem or Leavem

The Lola Vibe

Kelly Seal

It’s all a matter of Perspective

Love Skeptic

LionSlinger

Naughtie Scribe

Self-Esteem Blog for Women

Symphony of Love

Self-Help Wellness

The Life of Annie

Without Dash

Advice Goddess

Chaotically Calm

The Blogess

At My Soiree

Next Post: In our third installment of this miniseries we’ll be covering…..well, it will be a surprise…..and of course we’ll be highlighting our last group of great sites.

Here is a guest comic strip we wrote for Decaffeinated Coffee. The comic strip  is drawn by the very talented Chuck Harrison. Today’s post is our recent collaboration.
Check out more of Chuck’s great work on his website, DC Strip.

THE GUYS want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

“ONE of THE GUYS” wrote a poem in remembrance of his grandfather. Yes it’s a bit melancholy, but it’s a reminder to us all to try and enjoy every moment in our lives. Sure we have good days and bad days, but when it comes down to it, what we do is so much less important than whom we do it with. So this poem is a reminder to remember the people in our lives who are no longer with us. But also a reminder  to enjoy the people who are with us today.

Have a great turkey day!

THE GUYS

We asked a dear friend of ours to illustrate this poem for us. Her talent and generosity graces us. For more work by TJ Lubrano, please go to her site. We understand she creates unique birthday cards, holiday cards and other illustrations.

Grandpa and Holidays

Holidays are supposed to be
The finest time of year
With everyone a smiling
And singing loud and clear

Cheerful faces giggling
Best friends holding hands
Giving and receiving
All throughout the lands

But holidays are hard for me
They remind me of the past
When my Grandpa was alive
Blessing us with laughs

So when everyone is glad
Or for now at least pretending
I am feeling really blue
‘Cause my heart is still a mending

We want to thank Askcherlock for giving us a Best Blogger award. We are honored and thrilled to receive this. If you’re looking for intelligent, honest and biting commentary on politics definitely check them out! We read them everyday!

So the idea is, in accepting this award we also need to pass it on to some of our favorite bloggers. And of course they in turn will pass it on to some of their favorite bloggers. And so on!! Fifteen seems to be the number that everyone is agreeing on, so here are fifteen of our favorite blogs, in no particular order, that we’d like to bestow the Best Blogger award to.

Sugar Snow Music

Footsteps Travel

Bluzdude

Stuperhero Extraordinaire

The Madness of Me

Obscure Labyrinth

Out of context: Pieces of a Life

TJ Lubrano

Adventures of Starting Over

Superficial Gallery

Luvem or Leavem

Naughtie Scribe

Self Esteem Blog for Women

I should be napping

Date Girl Diaries

If you’ve received this award from THE GUYS, we hope you’ll link to us and pass it along!

Enjoy!!

Since we had so many comments about these great sites last week, we're posting them again with a few new ones.

These are in random order!!

AskCherlock  (Biting, smart, political commentary and news!)

Selfesteemblogforwomen(Insightful, sensitive, straight-forward thoughts on relationships! Always something new and different.)

Luvemorleavem (Smart advice for women AND men on dating and relationships. Hip!)

BadGal (The truth! Badgal says it like it is. Watch out!)

JenniferWrites (Just as advertised! Jennifer writes. And writes well!)

Bluz Dude (Experience the funny and wacky adventures right along with him! Good storytelling!)

Everythingbikiniblog (Sexy, cute and fun!)(Yes, we're GUYS!)

Fibromyalgiaisnotmylife.com (The story of positive thinking. Thoughts from a friend)

HeatherDugan  (The coolest travel entries and pictures. Well written!)

Abitofhappy  (This is the place to feel good!)

TJLubrano (The cutest drawings on the planet. She's talented all around.)

thinkingoutloudblog (Funny and clever! Always something new and different)

Charityjoybell (Beautiful poetry. Uplifting writing)

NaughtieScribe (Intense, passionate, erotic, well crafted. Great writing!)

Justbloggled (Funny and interesting stories on life. Because life IS baffling!)

DecaffeinatedCoffee (Hip comics from a hipster! Funny as hell!)

AristryInfaux (No other way to describe it. Cool and stylish!)

Funkkeejooce (Creative, inspirational, honest and fun!)

Sugarsnow (Intelligent writing and commentary! And funny!)

RamblingBrooke (Creative travel log from one of our free spirited friends. Interesting and informative)

Adventuresofstartingover (Newly single friend blogs about her life. Interesting and insightful opinions)

Withoutdash (Relationships explored from a woman's point of view. Very thorough and thoughtful!)

Nothingprofound (This guy makes you think. Aphorisms at their best!)

ObscureLabyrinth (This site takes you in, squeezes you and bites you on the way out. Lots of fun to read)

Madofme (Go on a wild ride!)

Stugod (Our bud from across the ocean. Welding and tools and more)

Astronomyforeveryone (Interesting and smart! Explore the universe!)

Theabsurdstranger (Philosophy that makes sense. And that's not easy to do!)

Thelifeofannie (Big city girl living in a small town world. Hot and fresh!)

Alittlegirltalk (Just like the title says. Relationships, humor, quotes and more. A great read)

Stuperheroextraordinaire (Funny and honest stream of consciousness!)

NannyGoatsinPanties (One word: FUNNY!)

TheAdventuresofFredandEthel (Small town. Big voice!)

Grammology (Our fave grandma tells it like it is!)

Superficialgallery (Celebrity pics and very funny commentary!)

Applause4aCause (The site with a good heart and good cause)

Mommyslittlecorner (All things mommy. A little bit of everything! Cool pics too!)

Dategirldiaries  (Sweet and honest thoughts about relationships from one of our fave 20 something)

Women's Wit (And yes, it's quite funny. Well worth a read!)

Victoria Hart (Some serious, some fun, some cooking….a little bit of everything. Enjoyable!)

Zpoet (Intelligent and inspiring storytelling. Great writing!)

NOTE:
If you weren't included on this list today please contact us. It's not
because we don't think your site is great. We just don't know you as
well as we'd like to. YET!!

We like to spread the love as much as possible. So comment away! We'll take notice for sure!!

THE GUYS

We hope you are all having a great weekend. THE GUYS have been adjusting to our fall schedules so we've been a bit distracted around here. We THINK we have it together now, so we'll be resuming our normal correspondence with our friends in the blogging community and beyond. But today we're still piecing things together. So we recommend you visit some of these great blogs while we iron out the kinks.

We're also responding in our way to the few awards we've received from friends. We're not the best at the technology aspect of things, so we'll just put links with our comments.

We will post this again next week. 

These are in random order!!

AskCherlock  (Biting, smart, political commentary and news!)

Selfesteemblogforwomen (Insightful, sensitive, straight-forward thoughts on relationships! Always something new and different.)

Luvemorleavem (Smart advice for women AND men on dating and relationships. Hip!)

BadGal (The truth! Badgal says it like it is. Watch out!)

Everythingbikiniblog (Sexy, cute and fun!)(Yes, we're GUYS!)

Fibromyalgiaisnotmylife.com (The story of positive thinking. Thoughts from a friend)

HeatherDugan  (The coolest travel entries and pictures. Well written!)

Abitofhappy  (This is the place to feel good!)

TJLubrano (The cutest drawings on the planet. She's talented all around.)

thinkingoutloudblog (Funny and clever! Always something new and different)

Charityjoybell (Beautiful poetry. Uplifting writing)

NaughtieScribe (Intense, passionate, erotic, well crafted. Great writing!)

Justbloggled (Funny and interesting stories on life. Because life IS baffling!)

DecaffeinatedCoffee (Hip comics from a hipster! Funny as hell!)

AristryInfaux (No other way to describe it. Cool and stylish!)

Funkkeejooce (Creative, inspirational, honest and fun!)

Sugarsnow (Intelligent writing and commentary! And funny!)

RamblingBrooke (Creative travel log from one of our free spirited friends. Interesting and informative)

Adventuresofstartingover (Newly single friend blogs about her life. Interesting and insightful opinions)

Withoutdash (Relationships explored from a woman's point of view. Very thorough and thoughtful!)

Nothingprofound (This guy makes you think. Aphorisms at their best!)

ObscureLabyrinth (This site takes you in, squeezes you and bites you on the way out. Lots of fun to read)

Madofme (Go on a wild ride!)

Stugod (Our bud from across the ocean. Welding and tools and more)

Astronomyforeveryone (Interesting and smart! Explore the universe!)

Theabsurdstranger (Philosophy that makes sense. And that's not easy to do!)

Thelifeofannie (Big city girl living in a small town world. Hot and fresh!)

Alittlegirltalk (Just like the title says. Relationships, humor, quotes and more. A great read)

Stuperheroextraordinaire (Funny and honest stream of consciousness!)

NannyGoatsinPanties (One word: FUNNY!)

TheAdventuresofFredandEthel (Small town. Big voice!)

Grammology (Our fave grandma tells it like it is!)

Superficialgallery (Celebrity pics and very funny commentary!)

Applause4aCause (The site with a good heart and good cause)

Mommyslittlecorner (All things mommy. A little bit of everything! Cool pics too!)

Dategirldiaries  (Sweet and honest thoughts about relationships from one of our fave 20 something)

NOTE: If you weren't included on this list today please contact us. It's not because we don't think your site is great. We just don't know you as well as we'd like to. YET!!

We like to spread the love as much as possible. So comment away! We'll take notice for sure!!

THE GUYS

Dear Readers,

Here are four more definitions of "Boyfriend" that you may not have seen. Click on the individual links to read more great posts by each guest. 

THE GUYS

BOYFRIEND DEFINED:

The term
boyfriend can have many different meanings – the common denominator
involves dating a male who you are romantically involved with to
varying degrees. Sometimes the accent may be on the word 'boy' -as in
the fact that he's not mature enough to consider for anything more
serious than fun dating. In other cases the relationship may be
monogamous and a step towards a different role (fiance, life partner,
husband. etc). Some people have lived with a guy for 25 years, have
children with them, share property ownership – and still refer to them
as their 'boyfriend'.

Posted by: www.ishouldbenapping.com

THE GUYS RESPOND: We shall always be boys at heart. But hopefully we'll grow up at some point. Or maybe not!!

Almost
every gal takes a chance with a bad guy until we realize they really
are BAD, as in not good for us, as in yes they will hurt your soul and
break your heart. But then, don't many guys like those trashy girls and
then get surprised when they cheat?

Posted by: www.askcherlock.com

THE GUYS RESPOND: Ouch! That hurts!! But so true!

boyfriend – someone I'm testing driving, but haven't decided if i want to put a down payment on for purchase.

Posted by: www.thinkingoutloudblog.com

THE GUYS RESPOND: We'll ride anywhere with you!

A Guy who is a friend first, and then is all about understanding, the need for space, privacy and equal respect.

Without these qualities there is no boyfriend, at least in the romantic sense. 

Posted by: www.selfesteemblogforwomen.blogspot.com

THE GUYS RESPOND: To actually be friends with your partner is so key. And this often stems from respect. And of course having lots of fun together!!

 Dear Friends,

Welcome to our BLOG CARNIVAL, focusing on Relationship Humor!! 

THE GUYS are true believers in humor and the healing nature of laughter. It's a necessary tool to survive the complexities of the modern romance.

So we hope you'll laugh along with us today. And enjoy our guests.

Feel free to leave us a comment and let us know what you liked. And also when you visit each guest author, feel free to let them know how much you appreciate their efforts. We certainly do.

And so without further delay, enjoy!

THE GUYS

Measure of All Things (
http://ameasureofthings.blogspot.com/)

"Why Ladies go to the Bathroom in Pairs?"

Permalink: http://ameasureofthings.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-ladies-go-to-bathroom-in-pairs.html

The Ominous Comma ( http://brentdiggs.com/blog )

"Hormone Poisoning"

Permalink: http://brentdiggs.com/blog/hormone-poisoning/

Trackback: http://brentdiggs.com/blog/hormone-poisoning/trackback/

Stuff-About.com ( http://www.stuff-about.com/)

"10 signs she's JUST not into you"

Permalink:
http://www.stuff-about.com/2009/07/10-signs-shes-just-not-into-you.html

Catch Spouse Cheating:  http://www.catchspousecheating.co.uk 

"Dating Your Spouse to prevent Infidelity"

Permalink: http://www.catchspousecheating.co.uk/dating-your-spouse-to-prevent-infidelity/

Trackback: http://disability-blog.com/2009/07/senate-mulls-social-security-reform-ideas/trackback/

Madkane's Humor Blog: http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog

"Is it Safe to go Shopping with your Mate?"

Permalink: http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/2006/12/19/is-it-safe-to-go-shopping-with-your-mate-humorous-quiz/

Trackback: http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/2006/12/19/is-it-safe-to-go-shopping-with-your-mate-humorous-quiz/trackback/

The World's Strongest Librarian ( http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com)

"The Night I discovered Time Travel"

Permalink:
http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/3021/the-night-i-discovered-time-travel/

Trackback URL:
http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/3021/the-night-i-discovered-time-travel/trackback/

Chris Hoke Blog dot com: http://www.chrishokeblog.com/

"A Phantom Injury"

Permalink: http://www.chrishokeblog.com/2009/03/a-blanket-statement-a-phantom-injury-and-a-bedroom-scene/

Rambling Brooke: http://ramblingbrooke.com/

"A Romantic Tale of Drunken Escapades"

Permalink: http://ramblingbrooke.com/?p=989

Call Return: (Edgier Rating on this Blog)  http://callreturn.blogspot.com/

"Where did all the egg boxes go?"

Permalink: http://callreturn.blogspot.com/2009/07/where-did-all-egg-boxes-go.html

Dear Friends,

Last week we defined "Girlfriend" for you. And we asked you to submit your own definition of girlfriend and boyfriend.

Scroll down to last week's post to read our definitions.

Well today we are posting the most complete definition of boyfriend yet. Our guest today is Ethel Mae Potter, one of our friends in the blogging community. Her definition of boyfriend is so emasculating we had to post it for you. Ladies enjoy it. Men, brace yourselves. 

THE GUYS

Check out her BLOG:

http://ethelmaepotterweneverforgother.blogspot.com/