The Rules I Like & the Rules I Like To Break

I've been reading Books 1 & 2 of The Rules. Have you ever read them? Do you have an opinion of the concept of using rules to lure a man into marriage or a committed relationship?


After reading Book 1, I've decided that Book 2 will not be required reading for me. It's not that I think they've got it wrong. On the contrary, they have a good point - Men are hunters by nature. They want to win you after performing some sort of impressive feat to attain you.

My issues with the books can be boiled down to this:

They make it too complicated. There are too many rules. No one can keep that going forever.... and they do recommend doing it forever.

I've come up with my own Rules:

*Be yourself- I can only play by any sort of Rules for a short length of time. In the end, I'm going to be me. I don't know how to be anyone else.

*Don't be too available, because as silly as it sounds, men do enjoy a bit of a chase. They are hunters deep down. Men accuse women of being complicated, but they are pretty complicated themselves. They want to have to work for you. If you are too easy to "get" then you don't appear valuable enough or some such nonsense. Whatever. It's easy, don't look like you are waiting around for them to call/text/visit.

*Live a full life. Have lots of friends, interests, work, fun, whatever. Don't make your life all about any man. That's too much responsibility for any person and it will only lead to disappointment.

Isn't that an easy set of rules? It boils down to value yourself and others will value you, as well. 

Another thing,....I have a friend who keeps saying he's too emotional and I have a female friend who says she gives too many chances to people. These are not failings. They show a strong heart, not a weak one. I have struggled with the same sort of thoughts, felt that I was somehow "wrong" in some way. I'm not wrong. He's not wrong. She's not wrong.

You can't change who you are, but you can change the way you will allow yourself to be treated. I strongly believe that the main reason my male friend is unique, the reason that people are drawn to him, is directly related to how emotional he is, how much he loves or hurts or feels. Sure some people aren't going to like it, but that's fine - not everybody has to get you. Same with my female friend and me. Not everybody is going to mesh with our personality, but that's fine.

Rule # 1: No Diving in.