So life is going great. You’re doing the flirting, meeting the people, and enjoying your dates. Then SMACK!..You find a guy that you’re crazy about and your world comes crashing down, but in a kind of good way. You can’t stop thinking about him and the fairytale romance you see in the movies might just be a possibility.
Yep you’re in lust. Some people call it love. I call it rose tinted wonderland or being on drugs. Whatever floats your boat.
Now let me explain the problem here. Being in this state of lust can cause a little delusion, insanity and insomnia. Being in this state of lust usually stops us from seeing what is really going on.
We are too busy daydreaming about how fantastic a relationship with this person will be, that we cant even see that this guy doesn’t know what he wants to eat for lunch, let alone think about anything in regards to a relationship.
But don’t worry; there is hope. Because right now I’m going to give you some tips and hints so that you’ll be equipped with ammunition for when its time to shoot down any potential ideas about this guy and ditch him.
Hey my name is only Hot Alpha Female. What do I know about ditching right? Now I’m not saying that you drop-kick people to the curb for the fun of it but there are some things that guys do that we really shouldn’t tolerate, and girls, sometimes I don’t know why you put yourself through all that emotional abuse.
Its time to wake up and smell the roses which you just found out were FAKE and made in CHINA.
Ok ok so in my heading I say the ultimate guide to ditching someone. Well the ditching part really isn’t that hard. You basically dump their sorry ass. No more time, effort, or attention should be spent on them. I know it’s harsh, but trust me, you’ll thank me later.
What’s more important is actually gauging when someone is treating you bad. It’s about being savvy and smart to what is really going on.
So what constitutes ditching material?
He doesn’t make the effort to contact you regularly. Now if your ideal relationship involves a guy who is only willing to put 10% effort into it, then by all means go for it. But if you are looking for someone that will give you a little more than just the time of day then I would suggest that you reconsider.
Now you just might think that this is a little harsh to ditch someone for but the deceptive thing about this problem is that we don’t make a big deal out of it. We tend to make excuses for the guy, that he is busy, that something big has come up, that he doesn’t have 20 cents to make a simple PHONE CALL TO YOU.
There are a number of reason why he isn’t contacting you. The first one, is simply he isn’t interested in talking to you all the time. It’s only when he is in the mood.
Secondly he is acting up so that you don’t get your hopes up too high. He doesn’t want to be on his best behavior because then he figures you will end up liking him too much ( the ironic thing is that this actually works in his favour).
Thirdly he doesn’t want to have frequent conversations with you because he is afraid you are going to bring up the ‘where is the relationship going conversation’, and quite frankly, it would be less painful to jump off a bridge into shark infested waters!
So here it is girls. Don’t excuse someone’s bad behavior! I have found that if a guy isn’t contacting you regularly and consistently, that he just isn’t that INTO you. I know it sucks and it’s hard to hear but your time is better spent on someone else, more deserving of your love and attention.
Distant and emotionally absent. I hear you guys talk a lot about EUM a.k.a emotionally unavailable men. Well I don’t give them that much credit. I prefer to call them emotionally retarded man-boys. I find it takes them off that pedestal….
I know I could write a whole other article about these guys, especially since they royally screw us up, but here is the thing: When a guy doesn’t talk about doing things with you in the future, or doesn’t introduce you to his friends, or include you in his life after you have been seeing him for at least 3-4 months, there is something not right about him.
I am very cautious around these types of guys because you can become very emotionally invested in them. Its something about their unpredictable nature and their ability to constantly be a challenge that keeps you hooked. Don’t fall for it girls. Because you will lose every single time. Guaranteed.
With that said I am going to leave you guys with this thought. While the dating game is about meeting a variety of different people and getting to know them, ironically the one person that you have to know the most is yourself.
It’s important to remember what we deserve and how we should be treated.
It’s important to remember our dignity and value our self-worth.
It’s important to remember that we should not settle for anything less than the best.
With that in mind, remember the criteria, know what you want and deserve and go get-em!
Hot Alpha Female is a new weekly contributor to Baggage Reclaim. She’s a vibrant twenty-something that loves talking about dating and relationships, as well as skiing and laughing uncontrollably.
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I totally agree with everything you are saying, Hot Alpha Female! One thing I have noticed in reading a lot of the comments written about the EUM is that we spend way too much time and effort talking about what our EUM has done to us, how we feel about them, even going into extreme detail about each encounter we have with them, what they said, what we said, how we felt about what they said, etc. etc., Ladies, we need to stop re-living each and every little detail about our involvement with EUMs! I think it is counter-productive to our ability to move on and get these men out of our system once and for all. And, it kind of gives the message that we aren’t really over them like we think we are! I believe in processing emotions and all that, but when we are writing volumes about how “they did this, and they did that” it makes me wonder if we are really moving on….It seems like at some point, the healthy thing to do is FOCUS ON OURSELVES, figure out how to break unhealthy relationship patterns, how to take care of ourselves and our emotional well-being, just enjoy life and find things to do that give us joy and passion–and then, when we least expect it, we may meet someone that sees us for the wonderful women we are. Stay strong, ladies!
Emotionally retard manboys! I love it! HAF, I’m liking you better with every post. Where do you live again?
I’m big on lust….but, yeah, when we don’t call and stuff it’s because we’re not that into you. Don’t fall for the line, “Well, I just don’t like talking on the phone.” Smokescreen. Ditch and go find yourself another boyfriend. Or three.
FinallyItsOver: Girl I totally hear what you are saying. That’s why im in love with this term emotionally retarded man boys.
Coz it just makes you laugh at yourself and wonder why you spend so much time and attention on these guys which really have nothing to offer.
Hey, I’m all about kicking butt. And I would happily kick an ERM ( Emotionally retarded Manboy) to the curb anytime anywhere. But maybe that’s just me. And hopefully after people read this post, they will too!
Emotionally Retarded Man Boy a.k.a lance: Where do I live.? Good old Australia mate. Got the Aussie accent and everything. LoL
I think its really important for chicks to wake up and figure it out sooner rather than later if a guy isn’t that into her.
That way you can save yourself time and spent that with someone way more interesting and more importantly way more into you =)
Hot Alpha Female
http://www.hotalphafemale.blogspot.com
A to the MEN. So to speak 🙂
This is what the last emo-tard did to me. He talked about the future, then decided he’d stop calling. Like an idiot I chased after him.
I realised he was wasting my time, but still held out hope when he threw me a crumb here and there… then I dumped his ass. The joke is, he seems to think he ended it, by the power of sheer mind-to-mind communication.
I agree that endlessly dissecting every interaction we ever had with the EUM is counter-productive to our own growth… and it’s this we should focus on.
Good post, HAF.
Hey China Blue,
Haha thats the thing with man boys … we start getting used to taking the leftover fruit from the floor. Where really if we just looked up and we could have ripe fruit from the tree.
Yeh i really hope that didnt sound too lame. But its late .. and when its this time at night i start talking in cliches. LoL
I think what im trying to say China Blue is that when we are with ERMs then we get used the breadcrumbs they give us .. and soon thats all we expect.
Its good at these times, to take a step back and see how you are really being treated. Then and only then do you have the power to see what you truly deserve
Hot Alpha Female
http://www.hotalphafemale.blogspot.com
This is so funny, I love these retards, well not really. But, I am in the process of out processing my EUM and yes, he is such a child. I only get 10% of his time and it is only to talk about decorating his house and what I think (Oh, when we are together it’s what “we” are going to be doing to the house). Whateves. I am tired of picking out paint colors and picking out furniture. I went from girlfriend, hesitantly, to interior designer, personal dresser. What kind of girl spends 8 hours at IKEA looking at stuff with her EUM, and I was asked to make most of the decisions cause he couldn’t. Thanks, but no thanks for the demotion. I have all my stuff back now so I can finally make the break…..wish me luck, and balls of steel!!
OMG! I have just seen my past and it absolutely scared the hell outta me! I honestly feel like you got a hold of my diary and called me out for being an idiot! And you so should have.
I actually spent a year with a guy who did all of these things. All the while I had this stupid dialog with myself about how I’d be alone if I dumped him. Good Lord I was alone most of the time anyway.
Sometimes it’s good to have someone remind you of what an idiot you were in the past so you don’t repeat it.
To alicia1973…Hope your not in CT girl! That was a replica to my previous relationship with a man. It’s when you step outside of the box, only to realize what’s going on…just as outsiders looking in. Boy, have I felt like an idiot …quite a few times. Having the strength to bounce back is important.
I LOVE the comment about the roses being fake and made in China…. lol, as I go through NC it is my mantra.
Alicia1973, your story made me laugh because, although I wasn’t my EUM’s interior designer (that probably would have been more fun), I was his “work therapist.” We worked together, so he would show up at my house (usually unannounced) and I would pour him a glass of wine and listen to all of his problems at work. These conversations would also include his lamenting about his sad life, and how he didn’t know if he should have bought a house, if this job was right for him, etc., etc. And I would look at him wide-eyed and hang on every word he said. Then, I started thinking, “When is he going to ask me about my life? I sure do a lot of listening to him about his problems, but….what about me? Will I ever have a chance to share my hopes and dreams with him?” Well, it never happened (big surprise). So, after coming to the epithany that I was A CONVERSATION BOOTY CALL for him, I finally kicked him to the curb. He even said to me one time, “I just come over here, talk about work, and then go home.” How could I have justified this behavior? Oh well, lessons have been learned, and I’m moving on.
These EUMs are such strange, funny little men.
Hi Girls,
Well i think that you are all doing really great at recognizing when a guy is not right for you.
I wrote this article not to remind you that you are an idiots .. but rather to build your awareness so that you can make better decisions with your current and future relationships.
All the best girls, be blogging with you soon =)
Hot Alpha Female
http://www.hotalphafemale.blogspot.com
China blue, this is too funny. What happenend
that makes him think that he broke it off??
Would love to hear the details 🙂
Alicia, sure he is not gay? My EUM couldn’t wait
once to show me his new bedspread!
Not sure, friends tell me, a “real” man doesn’t go
shopping for bed spreads, they go shopping for
electronics and tools!!
Not sure what to think…
Hi Astelle,
Umm Yeah, I asked him if he was gay and he said no but I think he is standing in the closet with the door open. But, I think he may be gay and he is quite attractive and has a lot of gay friends. Why the hell would he want to be intimate with me?? Weird. Thanks for the comment, I laughed my booty off, well part of it.
Astelle: basically, I noticed he was down and withdrawn. I asked him what was wrong, and he told me… and we went back and forth like this until I said that him not coming to me and telling me (as opposed to me beating it out of him) had made me more upset than the situation.
To which he replied, ‘Do you think that’s actually how it happened?’ As if to say he’d been honest and truthful without needing to be prompted. I hope one day he grows the balls he thinks he has.
If it was possible to punch someone in the head over the phone, he’d have been in trouble.
Hey girls – I have a question. I didnt seek my eum out. He emailed me long distance. We dated back in college. Can a man be EU to just one woman if he doesnt think she is the one or will he be that way with all women. He looked me up, promised me the world, hid me for a yr. (he was newly separated) then dumped me & a week later introduced his new girl to his mom & kids. I was crushed. Will he be EUM to her or was it just me? I know it shouldnt matter. He didnt give me what I needed but I wonder if he is giving her more?
I have to write something here. I was one of those women who fell for emotionally retarded man boy and I can tell you that the pain was excruciating. It dragged on for 4 years and pretty much destroyed my sense of self, I was completely lost and it ended in violence. The person I was when I met him and the person I was by the end of it was poles apart. It took me a very very long time to recover from this deeply damaging relationship. I struggle to forgive myself for not being “smart” as you put it but believe me when you are in the throes of something like this it is like you are another person and you totally lose yourself. It has been the most devastating experience of my adult life and I would not wish it on my worst enemy. Dating a commitment phobic man is deadly.
Kim: A man can be EU to a certain woman. It is possible. There may have been something that was holding him back to commit to you. N he doesnt have that same problem when committing to another woman.
With that you have to realise that wateva his deal is, its HIS problem. SO you dont need to take them on. Do not let his problems affect your life.
Instead of focusing on him so much. Ask yourself what do you want? What kind of relationship do you deserve?
Once you put the focus back on you and how you feel and what you want to do, then you take back your own control and can control your own thoughts and emotions much better.
D: Thanks so much for sharing that with us. I’m sorry that you had to go through that. And im glad that you took that experience, learned as much as you could from it and grew as a person.
I think what you have to say about commitment phobes is very serious and should not be taken lighty.
There are some men out there .. that we are definately stay away from
HAF
http://www.hotalphafemale.blogspot.com
Thanks for that, HAF. It is incredibly difficult to pull away from someone you are head over heals in love with. You keep hoping that one day they are going to love you back, but they never do. Had I known where it would take me I would have walked away much sooner, when I still felt intact. You don’t realise the damage until its far too late. A serious warning to anyone reading this, if you are with someone who you suspect is a commitment phobe, then you’re probably right. Don’t for a second believe your love is strong enough to change them or that you can handle whatever happens. I am a strong woman and I thought I could handle whatever happened. I learned the hard way that I absolutely could not. Walk away while you’re still strong enough and never look back. Never torment yourself with “if only’s” or “what if’s”. You’ll be doing the smartest thing you’ve ever done.
Hot Alpha Female !
I wish I read your article 6 months ago…YOU are right!
Thanks GOD it all pass me and now I can clearly “see” who is who:-)
Hi Regina, 6 years is a long time. I am older also , 40 ,and should know better by now. I really didn’t start to understand EUM’s until I found this website about a year ago.
If you don’t mind me asking, how did you finally end it and get away from him? Mine seems perfectly content and will not break it off with me, I would have to do it and I am having trouble.
SuzieQ
Wow. Is there anyway we can teach this stuff in junior high school, before we mess up our heads on ERM’s???? We are now working on two generations of women who have been conditioned to this BS. This will have broad whole-culture damaging effects if we don’t put an end to it.
I thought I was pretty smart, hot, got a whole lot going for me, but I Just. Ended. A. Six. Year. Relationship. With. An EUM.
Six years down the drain!!!
46 and no better informed than a high school girl about love and relationships. Being smart is no good if you don’t have the information.
There were signs early on, but I was uneducated about these jerks, and I got hooked. From those first three years of blowing pretty hot, good sex, good times, he gradually withdrew from me.
You know the tale about how if you put a frog in a pot of cold water and gradually heat it up they don’t notice the change and in the end you have boiled the frog and they never jumped out of the pot??? With the long-term operator EUM it is just like that but opposite, you are lucky to get out of the pot before it freezes over!
Hot baths help.
Hi SuzieQ,
It was our custom to visit every year on our anniversary and discuss the relationship. This year he asked me about a plan he was thinking of: He would move out of his apartment, sofa-surf for awhile to save on rent, in order to save up enough money to buy a condo for himself. My response? Dude, you just wrote a story for your life that does not include me. I have a hard time seeing this as an oversight. He would never live with me because I’m messy and besides he would never live with anyone. He required a whole lot of “alone time,” and I thought the relationship had been on starvation rations with him being in charge of the rations. Two more conversations, and BOTH of us reading Mr. Unavailable and the Fallback Girl (!!!!can you believe that???) and we called it off. I will publish our ritual of parting on my (mostly neglected) blog. Thanks for asking, SuzieQ. This place is a refuge for my sanity.
I have just discovered this site and it is a Godsend-I know I’m echoing many posters out there…My sob story is also that I’m now 50!! and have been doing the EUM thing for EIGHT (count them) years-3 of just being infatuated and basking in the glow of HIM-and 5 when I was a glorified booty call. Well, not even glorified….I just saw him last week and am slowly realising that the Thrill is Gone. He is on vacation in Rio right now, and I know that while I have been disecting our last enounter under my mental microscope, he will not have been giving a NANOSECOND to anything concerning me. Sad and painful-I have to detach from the drama and to stop feeding the Beast,because there’s nothing there and there probably hasn’t been for a while. Yet, though he’s emotionally retarded, he’s smarter than I was, because Im fairly certain he’s known this for a long time….And yes, like other posters, I am VERY suspicious about his sexual orientation. Vehemently denies any homosexual tendencies, but to me they are screaming out, in hot pink, to be acknowledged. Sigh.
My gut told me about 4 months into my involment with Mr. EUM to bail out. His never making any real effort to contact me/spend time with me was my first and biggest red flag. Of course he had obstacles and was under stress. Why couldn’t I just relax a bit and let the “relationship” develop? Couldn’t I see he was extremely busy?
I have paid dearly by not listening to my instincts. I wasted a year out of my life. I began to doubt myself and question my worth. The hurt and disappointment from this “relationship” was awful. I’m out (and trying to stay out), meanwhile kicking myself for staying with him for so long.
If your man isn’t acting right, ditch him to the curb! And do not, I repeat, do NOT, go back to the curb and pick him back up either. Leave his sorry, emotionally unavailable as$ right there!
Cynnie, I am right there with you, except that I began to get my clue somewhere between 2 and 3 months in. If I had listened to my gut I would be a lot better off today instead of physically ill over my break up with my EUM 13 days ago. It is killing me and I keep fighting the urge to get my relationship crack. And boy the number they do on your head – while my self esteem wasn’t all that great to begin with, I’m now sitting here thinking “if only if I were….” and “what’s wrong with me?” “why not me?”
I can sit and tick off on page after page of paper why he is EU and the way he treated me and yet I’m still wanting desperately to have contact with him – as if that will somehow validate me. I have read Natalie’s book over and over – you’d think it would sink in, huh?
Hello Everyone:
Im wondering if the above Post relates to women who are emotionally unavailable? Can I be an EUW? Well.. here is the story: So I met this guy online, exchanged a couple of emails through the dating site, then proceeded to a phone call. Ive been taking the “im taking my time approach” getting to know you… It turns out the same week that we JUST starting talking on the phone..he was going away on vacation. It was very nice of him to call me from vacation but I also mentioned to him to have a good time and not to worry about calling me… to call when he could and whenever he got settled in from his day trips etc…. (I really just wanted him to enjoy himself) We had agreed to meet in person when he got back after the 5 day vacation. Not sure if I said something wrong but not for anything– I haven’t even met you in person to really determine whether or not you are someone I want to even date. I have learned a lot from this site and I am being cautious when meeting new men. I don’t think I did anything wrong but little by little after I made that comment— he sort of stopped calling and texting. So Im not going to pursue it any further on my end but Im curious to know…….if anyone thinks that I was seeming “uninterested” or just because I wasnt calling him often or texting all the time that I was seeming “unavailable” as this post indicates. I did call him and I left a message if his vmail picked up during his vacation but they were light (as i think they should be in the beginning) I wasnt like: Hi baby i miss you– hope you are enjoying your time — cant wait to meet you when you get back!– not for anything– but that seemed to be a little too much for someone who I havent even yet met! But do you think to him I was “not worth his time” because I wasnt calling and texting and seeming more interested? I dont think I was……… but perhaps an outside perspective sees it differently? It was less than a week that I was talking to this person and we hadn’t even met in person yet. I just felt that neither he nor I should be “EXPECTING” a phone call or anything this early in the game for that matter. TO me it should be light, friendly, meeting the person Face to face… going on some dates……before deciding…..hey– you are someone I am really interested in pursuing a relationship with further. Needless to say yesterday was his bday and I called to say happy bday let me know if you are still interested in meeting up one day this week. And he responded: My family and sisters want to take me out is that cool? And I answered… ofcourse… happy birthday and have a great day. Havent heard back from him and im taking that as “hint”. Not sure what happened here though.
Karen,
You didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t see how your actions make you an EUW????? I think too much energy is being put into this situation.
You haven’t met the guy and know nothing of his character , and yet you’re internalizing and throwing his lack of response back on yourself, maybe he’s just a flake/assclown. Hon, why are you ptting the blame on yourself??? Let it go!
I know your right Gaynor—im putting too much energy into this situation. I guess I just thought that we would atleast “MEET” before he or I decided that we weren’t interested. I can say the same about him— he hardly even got to know me or my character to decide… this person isnt for me. Well, I guess I can tell Im still a little vulnerable and perhaps not ready for dating yet if im internalizing all of this and not ready to take rejection so soon after leaving the A**clown.
Also– I guess I was asking if I was acting like an EUW because here is a guy that was calling me every day. Calling me baby and sweety… and I sort of wasnt recipricating the same in return— BUT ONLY because I barely know him!!! Is this a red flag as well… if you havent even met someone in person yet, only talked on the phone for a total of like 5 days and he’s already calling you baby and sweety? I dont know— it sort of made me think that that was a red flag? Or am I just a woman who has been with too many A**clowns that doesnt even know what a GOOD MAN or relationship feels like anymore and anytime a “NICE GUY” comes along— I question it or see it as a “RED FLAG”??? But then again If he didnt call me or text me back I would be saying that he is an EUM!!! This is confusing…..
Karen,
How long has it been since the breakup?
I think NML recommends a 3-6 month break from dating to get on track. We’ve got to heal ourselves before moving onto to others or we will repeat all the bad patterns, like self-blame.
it will be 3 months March 1st. I guess im just confused. If a guy is too nice its a red flag——- if a guy isnt nice/doesnt call you back or text back right away— that is a red flag too… or falls under posssibly being an “EUM”. So what is the happy medium?
Karen,
I think a guy who is calling you baby and sweety prior to a meeting is waaaaaaaaaaaay to familiar and disrespectful. This is strange and screams of an EUM to me. Big red flag!!!!
ok good. because i was beginning to think i was going crazy! Like I said– being on this site has made me realize that I need to be more “AWARE” when I meet men. Just also don’t want to be analyzing things too much to the point that I drive a good man away because im being too cautious.. thought I might be doing that but I have also realized that I need to listen to my gut more. Thank you!
Karen—
I think we all go through this where we have to learn to trust ourselves including myself. Not only was the Baby/Sweetheart too much, the fact he was keeping in touch on his vacation was a bit much considering you two never met in person. A healthy man would probably just say he will get in touch when he returns to meet for a date… I attracted all sorts of crazies to me when I wasn’t preparred to date…
Karen—
I think we all go through this where we have to learn to trust ourselves including myself. Not only was the Baby/Sweetheart too much, the fact he was keeping in touch on his vacation was a bit much considering you two never met in person. A healthy man would probably just say he will get in touch when he returns to meet for a date… I attracted all sorts of crazies to me when I wasn’t preparred to date…
An affirmation that helped me is:
I accept and trust you no matter what people think or how unacceptable it may be to others, in knowledge that “the only difference between a weed and a flower is judgement”… xo
Karen,
I too agree that the communication over the vacation was weird.
If something seems off, it means it usually is. Follow your gut!!!
I think a lot of what’s going on is limerent attachment, intense romantic feelings and as well, these guys remind us of our parents and how we were treated as babies (did we have a secure or insecure attachment, did we get enough consistent attention etc). So it’s a lot more complicated than just a guy treating you badly. I like that boiling frog analogy. I feel too it’s as though we’re an animal that’s being fed inconsistently and we are treated very well when we are fed but we’re starving the rest of the time. Yet we look forward to being fed because it feels so good.
I think a lot of us have also been dealing with emotional and psychological abuse. Shelters for women who’ve experienced domestic violence will tell you that even if a woman is being beaten she will focus on the honeymoon period when her guy apologizes and promises her the world. She’ll take the nice treatment that she gets 3 or 5 per cent of the time and ignore the way he is 97 per cent of the time. But in terms of the effects on a woman’s belief in herself, verbal abuse or neglect or push/pull behavior or outright hostility isn’t much different than getting slapped across the face or beaten. It’s a soul destroying experience.
It’s been nearly two weeks since I finally broke off with an EUM. I blew up over the phone. He’d been yelling and curt and downright hostile. It dawned on me that my child’s father (I left him nearly 11 years ago) had treated me exactly the same way and what was I doing repeating that pattern. So I was sad and grieved for a relationship I’d hoped I’d have with a loving, sweet man who I discovered does not actually exist. Then I wrote down all the times in these past eight months he’d made me cry and criticized me and acted inconsistent and unreliable. I though of the times when he stuck me with the bill (I’m a single mother!) and the times we could not get together because it was not convenient for him (it was always about him). His words nearly never matched his actions and he broke many promises. It helps to read what actually happened. I’m nearly 40 but I’d rather be alone than with a man who makes me miserable.
We “broke up” many times in the eight months we were together. This time he’s not calling me or e-mailing. A good thing because even though my gut screamed “Run, run,” he was good at apologizing and charming me. He will definitely be out of my system after a month.
The next time I get involved with a guy I will ask myself continually – is he adding joy or stress to my life. If it’s stress it’s time to go. I just need to learn how to end a go-nowhere situation. I find I’m not that great at breaking things off when I need to.
I’ve been reading this blog for some weeks to help me get rid of a toxic “friendship” with a ERM. I had been on NC for about a week, but he had some things of mine I needed back so I met with him today. Although i was interested in him romantically when he told me he was not available for a romantic relationship oh three months ago–I thought fine–I can be friends. However he never acted like a friend and would remind me that I was interested in him. After a e-mail exchange where he didn’t understand a joke I sent but tried to turn it into a drama, I realized I had to cut ties.
So the meeting today was ostensibly about a project we had worked on together, as well as getting my stuff, and he brought up the joke e-mail. I should say here that I asked for my stuff pretty early on so I could scoot–but he had left it at his office across the street from where we were meeting. I thought–yeah, you planned that so you parade me around your office as another vagina you know. So I agreed to get my stuff after he ate, but I was not going into his office. Anyway, he brought up the joke e-mail and I told him I thought he had been mean and wanted to create drama. Of course he said that he didn’t mean to and wanted to apologize. So I told him he didn’t need to apologize, that I’m over it–it’s water under the bridge. He continue to talk about the e-mail because he says he doesn’t understand–so I tell him that he needs to work that out himself–it doesn’t involve me and I don’t want to talk about it. Then he tell me we need to talk because my feelings are important to him. So I say well it doesn’t sound like my feelings are important if I tell you I don’t want to talk about it and you continue to talk about. Then he say he has to because I’m confused. That’s it, I think. I get up and tell him, I am going to my car across the street. When he’s done eating he can get my things from his office and bring them to me in my car. And I leave. Soon he brings my things to me, I say thank you and leave.
Our ‘friendship’ lasted about six months. I have not wanted to be in contact with him, since the joke e-mail because I finally realized how manipulative he is. He presents himself as a ‘nice’ guy and very spiritual, and is pretty smart. This site has been great to get insight on what i was dealing with and my own willingness to be part of the craziness. I don’t plan on dating for a few months until I get a handle on why I ignored BIG RED FLAGS and settled for crumbs. FWIW, I’m 52, never been married and have had ERMS in the past–so I want to change that pattern big time. Thanks to HAF and NML for posts and the many others who have made helpful comments. This site helped me kick him to the curb without guilt as well as give me some direction on how to change old-old destructive patterns. Thank you, again.
Oh, one last point, this ERM would ask how me how I was, and act like he was really listening/interested but the way I figured out he wasn’t is that he never asked specific questions about how I was doing, like referencing something i had told him earlier, except in the most general way. Friends and people who are really listening will ask about specific things and make specific comments when you talk later or in the conversation. He almost never did this.
Emotionally-Retarded Men: sounds good to me! lol
It’s true that it takes the drama away. Well thought!
I just finished reading this book called Living with the Passive-Aggressive Man, by Scott Wetzler. It made me understand the psychology of Emotionally-Retarded MenBoys.
I wasted 3 years of my life with such an ass, braking up every 6 months and then coming back “for the potential”. Well, the potential has to happen NOW or it’s like no potential at all.
He never introduced me as his girlfriend, never took me to his parents, never mentioned the word “we” when talking about the future, and all the while being insensitive “by accident”.
I argued, fought, gave ultimatums, suggested seeing a counsellor. He always agreed with me, saying I was so right, and then went his business as usual.
Some said that we are better investing in ou own lives investing time with our families and friends, developing our self-esteem by taking on challenges such as the career we always dreamed about, the trips we’d like to make, the charity we’d like to contribute to, the schooling we want to complete. This does more for self-esteem than waiting for crumbs from an imbecile.
I have signed an “Abstinence Agreement” with myself in which I promise not to relate to men who are not interested in me, and wrote several other clauses not to act so stupidly.
HOt Alpha Female: could you draft an “Abstinence Agreement” for us to read? You are one wise bird.
Exactly! What do you do that makes you proud of yourself? Are you helpful to your neighbours? Do you get invoved in your community? Do you develop your special talent? Do you plan to go back to school? Do you look after yourself properly?
That will build you more self-esteem than any outward approval or ego-striking from “him” or anybody.
It takes more courage to challenge yourself to become a fully-actualized person than to “win” a man’s love.
Okay, I hope someone can help me. I had been set up with this guy about 3 months ago. Two weeks into it and after already being intimate with him he tells me that he is not looking for a relationship. I know, I know. I should have gotten out then but I didnt because I honestly thought I would be able to handle things and just take it day by day. Well cut to two weeks ago when after having a few drinks he brings up a whole bunch of stuff. Asks me if I want him to be my bf or if I was happy with how things were. Then he says he has feelings for me but doesnt want to hurt me. Wants to be friends. Blah Blah.
Well last week he asks me what he said that night bc he did not remember. I tell him all but the feelings part and he tells me again that he is not looking for a relationship and he cannot give me one. He said that he sensed that was what I wanted and wanted me to know that he does not want anything to distract him from his job or other interest right now. He said that he was okay with how things were now with us but wnated me to be the one to end things. He also told me that if a guy asks me out I should say yes and go out.
I asked him if there was someone else and he asked me what I would do if there was. I asked him to tell me and he asked again what I would do if there was. Then he finally said I did not need to worry there was no one else.
Cut to two nights ago. I texted him. Yep not doing the NC thing and he did not respond back at all. This happened on another Sunday back in July. So I drove by his house (he lives 3 minutes from me) and his car was not there. I drove by again 2 hours later, car still not there. The next morning I drove by again at 5 and carr was still not there. He texted at around 9 and told me “phone was dead yesterday and asked how my weekend was”. I so wanted to call him out on his not being home and how lame an excuse as the phone being dead was. But I didnt. Should I? Or should I just drop him? I texted back which now I wish I had not done. I want to stop talking to him cold turkey but I just hurt so much right now because I know he was with someone Sunday night and he stayd over at her house. This just confirms to me that the only reason why he said I could go out with other guys is to make himself feel less guilt for being with another girl.
Help!!!
Lostgurl:
I know this is hard but you are going to have to do what you can to drop him cold turkey– i think for you– that would be the best thing. This guy is playing games with you. Unfortunately for many of us on here, it is easy for guys to pull the wool over our eyes and make it seem as if there is nothing else going on. We are quick to want to give, please, be understanding, patient etc…. After visiting this site for quite some time now, I have realized that any man that makes me feel insecure, unwanted, unappreciated or hurls me back into wanting to do a drive by or check his phone/email etc…. is a sign for me to start backing out… not to begin to psychoanalyze the guy and what he is doing or what is it going to take to make him change and come my way. These are indications that something isn’t right in the relationship and that instead of driving yourself mad… you should instantly see this as “This man is not worth my time!” Because any man who truly cares for you will not make you feel this way and any relationship that is healthy and on a good starting ground isn’t going to make you want to run to his house 3 times to “check” on him. Believe me, I understand the reasons WHY you are doing it but the most important thing here is that its really not worth it. He does not deserve you especially when and if he has already told you that you should in fact be dating other people. Quite frankly Lostgurl the minute i would have heard that i would have walked away simply because in more words than others i would have simply heard “I dont really care that much about you”. I dont know about you— but I know that i am certainly worth caring for. I am certainly worth more than “if a guy asks you out– you should go out with him”. And if i am a woman who is looking to be in relationship– this is obviously not the right guy. I know you have some feelings for this guy but I think its best to bail out now when its still early rather than months from now when you have become more emotionally attached. The way things are going this guy is already telling you that he doesn’t want a relationship and to not expect one from him. You have to listen to those words right now more so than any feelings you may have towards him. The other thing and most important thing to remember is, like NML says in this post:
It’s important to remember what we deserve and how we should be treated.
It’s important to remember our dignity and value our self-worth.
It’s important to remember that we should not settle for anything less than the best.
You are worth so much more and I truly hope you spend sometime thinking about all the reasons why this guy DOESN’T deserve you rather than all the reasons why you would want him! Pump yourself up a little more right now because you are so much more than what you are giving yourself credit for right now! Don’t let him bring you down, don’t let him be able to do as he pleases when its clear you want so much more!!!
Goodluck! 😉
@Karen
Thank you so much for responding to my post. I am usually not the type of person to drive by someone’s house. The only reason I can think of that I did it was to hurt myself more? Maybe? Or to justify the thoughts in my head that he was with someone else even though I may still be wrong about that.
The funny thing is about a month into this “relationship” I started questioning a lot of things that he did and if I really liked them. But I went full speed ahead thinking give it 3 months and see what happens. I should have heeded the warnings earlier. But like this site has said in a blog I was letting him fill a void that I had in myself. So that is why I stuck around.
I want to cut him off cold turkey. But I feel like I need to get a text from him to do this. I want him to text so i can ignore it. I know not texting him at all is good enough to show that I have no interest in talking to him at all anymore. For some reason I want him to reach out with a hello and then I can ignore him. If only to give myself a little bit of confidence. The thing I do worry about if he texts me is if I will be strong enough to not respond. I have a tendency to feel bad when I am rude to other people and worry about their feelings when I should not. Clearly he has no concern for mine.