Men are shameless. If you're not thinking with your weiner, you're thinking directly on its behalf. -Sklyar, Good Will Hunting
Oh the power of the penis. When Novel Girl began to attempt to construct this man chart, she questioned me on the men that have driven me wild. In many ways, she and I are alike. We are both strong women who are very rarely dependent on a man. This whole conversation began this morning after I got off the phone with a close girlfriend who just got her heart broken by a man she thought she could spend her life with. I bbmed Novel Girl, "Love stinks." My heart breaks for her, but like Novel Girl, I have difficulty empathizing. With any meaningful relationship I have had, I have done the ending or the heart breaking. I have dated many men and some still remain in my life as friends. While I may have been bummed and even gone through the internal "what is wrong with me?" questioning when they ended the hook-up, I wouldn't say they had complete power over me. The last relationship I ended was done as a defense mechanism. I knew if I stayed with him, I would never get what I needed. It took me awhile to realize that I had to walk away (something I usually don't have trouble doing when it comes to men). Maybe it was the power of the penis. Maybe it's testoterone. Either way, many women stay and often settle. Loneliness can be palpable. Being happy on your own is no easy feat in this ruthless world we live in. So sometimes... err, often...we give in to the power of the penis and throw our fragile hearts in the hands of a man who may not know how to handle it. Let it be known, I am not a gambler. I'd rather spend my money on Starbucks, champagne and pretty things than throw it in the hands of the dealer. Until I opened my eyes and realized I was 26 and people are starting to get engaged, married and have babies. Maybe it's time to throw in a few chips, because deep down I still share the romantic hopes of every little girl who ever dreamt of white dresses and picket fences.