Reply #51: Yes. (A long-response to a short-post warning)

[Chan790]

I'd concede that. I am full of me. Completely into me, I'm the best. (This is only my internal monologue though.)

I have no self-esteem issues. When I said I tend to dominate other people I wasn't kidding. I am fun, witty, charming, dangerous*, chivalrous, brilliant, an exceptional conversationalist, people gravitate to me, I tend to date out of my league looks-wise.** I'm fearless, liberal, involved. I help old-ladies with their groceries, dance with awkward nieces at weddings, protest for civil (and women's, and gay, and humanitarian, and animal) rights, and hand out muffins to homeless people. Given I'm not the cutest guy in the world but I don't care. Dammit, I deserve to be pursued. I wish more men thought like me. I wish everybody thought like me. People who don't think they are awesome confuse me...if they don't think they are great then why aren't they working on that? Not that this post shows it, but I have a very "gee-aw-shucks" modesty IRL. I hate public recognition.

I hate traditional gender roles. Pre-women's-lib dating-etiquette belongs in the 1950s. You are not an accessory or an object. That's where these conventions come from. Men are supposed to do all the pursuing because you (as a woman) are supposed to be passive, dainty, overwhelmed, and pretty (but dumb and utterly unaware you're flirting); we're supposed to buy dinner because you're incapable of taking care of yourself and need us to make all the money; We're supposed to be the sexual aggressors because you're supposed to not have needs. Does that sound like someone you'd want to be...it's certainly not anybody I'd want to date. Give me bold, intellectual, strong, aggressive women.

BTW, about 99% of women out there want the exact reverse of what you've just posted. They want to flirt and make it apparent they're available, but have the guy ask for the phone number or date.

I'm a realist. I know the difference between what I want and what is realistic. Face it, everybody wants to be the pursued. It's nice to be actively-desired-upon. If she flirts, I'll pursue. I do so frequently. (I'm blessed with a job which allows (and encourages) me to flirt though so I manage to get asked-out as often as I ask-out.) I tried to make this clear...it has to be a two-way street. I have an issue with people who don't flirt and expect that they're entitled that potential partners are going to make that stone-cold approach. It's stuck-up...like "I'm too important to flirt with you, but if you grovel at my feet, I might let you take me out." That is lame. It's also SOP for the craptastic city I live in.

I dream of a world where everybody flirts and everybody pursues. It's time for an intellectual-romantic-sexual liberation.

* - I tend to talk people into things they would never do...such as public nakedness in crowded places to protest fur and animal exploitation. I also didn't get the 0% purity score for being a choir boy.

** - there is a running joke that Cary Grant is my spirit animal.