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Tom knows how to leave Jill wanting more, by being a Challenge and cutting the
conversation first (women always leave first - in everything). He accomplishes this by asking
Jill for her home phone number and once he gets his answer, he leaves - unlike all of the other
men that she is no longer seeing. Jill's response, made up of her enthusiasm, body language
and the tone of her voice, will tell Tom whether or not she has (initial) high Interest Level in
him, or if she deserves an Academy Award for flirting when she is not interested.
The first time you judge her Interest Level , is when you ask her for her home phone number.
Tom sees Caprice at a wedding and he knows he wants to spend the rest of his life with her.
He walks up and says,
- "Hi. Nice wedding!"
- "Yes, it is."
- "What is your name?"
- "My name is Caprice."
A moment of silence follows and then Tom says, "Nice to meet you Caprice", followed by
another moment of silence. Caprice either has zero Interest Level or no class. Tom knows he
should move on, and should not give Caprice his name. Why? He was looking for buying
signals and didn't get any.
If she had any Interest Level , she would have asked Tom for his name. Notice, Tom did not
offer his name like all the other guys who don't know to evaluate her Interest Level or
attitude. Why? They have no "System" to coach them.
If Caprice asked Tom for his name, it would have indicated that she may have had Interest
Level , was simply polite, or both. Tom kids around with Caprice to see if she taps his arm,
stands close to him, asks him some personal questions, gazes into his eyes, or seems
enthusiastic (all buying signals). Compliments are the best. If this were the case, Tom would
read the buying signals and continue socializing.
In the next ten to fifteen minutes, Tom will ask her to dance, get her champagne, gauge her
responses, and ask for her home phone number. He will not spend more time with her after he
asks because he has to get some more numbers and he wants to leave Caprice (before she
leaves him), as opposed to the guys who just wait until she leaves. Tom is a challenge ,
because he knows being a challenge increases the woman's Interest Level .
see her wiggling or squirming, fighting off the "n" word. What a trip!
If Tom gets the number, he will grade her Interest Level . It will be made up of how quickly
she got the number out of her mouth. If she gives him her number on her bank deposit slip,
she has 90% Interest Level . If Caprice gives Tom her home phone number and business
number, she has 85% Interest Level . Women make it easy for you when they like you. (Yes,
it's true! I hope this isn't too heavy for you guys.)
Assuming she is not a professional dater , her Interest Level will probably be in the 65 to 70
percent range. Tom's only job now is to raise it. (Love starts at 90% Interest Level.) Tom
always carries a pen and writes home phone numbers down twice on separate pieces of paper.
One is for his pocket and the other for his wallet; men lose numbers easily.
If there are other women around that Tom wants to meet, Tom will memorize the number and
write it down ASAP, but discreetly. Once he gets the number he says, "Nice talking to you
Caprice," and walks. Tom will be seen with other women, but will never be caught writing
their numbers down -- he wouldn't want Caprice to get the wrong impression, right?
There is a popular myth that says that the female species is more emotional than the male. My
Uncle Jethro would concur and throw in his two cents worth by saying, "The female is
supposed to be more emotional because she has to protect the eggs and change the diapers.
So, I don't see why the Feministas are all riled up."
A casual observer would notice that the female can unleash tears faster than turning on a
faucet. She also hugs and kisses everybody, while the male does not like to get that close - at
least not to other men. So, from watching her body language, she appears to be more
emotional than the male. But I say it is the opposite! I say that when it comes to love and its
manifestations, I say the man is more emotional, especially when it comes to approaching and
handling romantic relationships.
Tom, on the other hand, hasn't a clue as to what is going on because he has no "System".
Let's look at the all the possibilities for which Caprice is going out with "he hasn't got a
chance" Tom. Why doesn't Tom have a prayer? Because Tom, like most men, believes that
only the first scenario from the list of possibilities below applies to him. With his inflated
Interest Level rocketing through the ozone, Tom can't see any other scenario being possible.
The First Date Possibility Factor (as applied to Tom and Caprice):
1. Caprice wants to marry Tom and overpopulate the earth with his offspring
2. Caprice wants Tom to fill in for her boyfriend who is in Hawaii for six weeks
3. Tom's brother is a carpenter and Caprice needs a new roof
4. Caprice cannot stand to be alone
5. Caprice wants to go to a 'Stones concert with Tom - Tom's first and last date
6. Everybody who is anybody will be at the party Tom is taking Caprice
7. Caprice loves trendy restaurants
8. Caprice loves Porsches
9. Tom has the best dope in town
10. Tom's brother is the busiest casting director in Hollywood
11. While she is out with Tom, she might meet someone else she likes with a newer
Porsche
12. Caprice can only have one date with Tom because she just received her Ph.D. in
Loving Relationships and she is moving to New York in three days to start a new
career as a radio talk show host. She will tell him all this after her belly is full of
lobster and Dom Perignon. By the way, the name of her radio show is "Why Do Men
Play Games and Use Women?" - this title sounds fair and objective to a man-hater.
Now we know why Caprice is going out with Tom. But why is Tom going out with Caprice?
Because either he thinks he's in love or it's just his hormones. Aren't men complex creatures?
Here are good topics for Caprice's radio show, (use your imagination; assume hypothetically
that she had one) that would get great ratings. You would never hear them on the airwaves
because the vast majority of radio program directors hate money and cater to women:
"Should the World Court declare that nagging be a crime against humanity?"
"Can a Feminist be sweet and supportive in a relationship with a real man?"
"Do women change the rules once they get married?"
"Why do gigolos go to jail, but never mercenaries?"
"Should we recall judges who always give the kids to the mother after the breakup?"
"Do some women go out when they are not interested in the man?"
"If single women nagged, would it lower the marriage rate in America?"
"What would happen if men asked for the first date, but women had to drive and pay for
everything? (I tell you what, half the restaurants in town would go belly-up)."
"Who is more honest: a user, a Professional Dater, a Feminist, a gold digger - or a hooker?"
why he fails?
Because Tom's Interest Level for Caprice is up in the clouds and he has no "System" guiding
him, Tom's chances of getting a second date are about as good as him making it across the
Autobahn on crutches.
When Tom picks up Caprice for their first date, she reads his posture as: "Thank you for
allowing me the honor of being in your presence, your Highness." He doubles as her
chauffeur, pays for everything, puts on a whole show , tries to make her laugh, does
everything she wants, and then, Tom begs Caprice to give him a second chance to perform for
her: "Please, see me again." Why does he do this? Tom goes all out for her because he is a
member of the species, Wimpus Americanis . Since wimps are scared to death of females
analyzing and evaluating them as dates, they have no game plan - but Princess Caprice does.
Instead of waiting five days to call Caprice after he got her home phone number, as the
"System" says he should have done, Tom called her the next day. Even if Tom knew the Five
to Nine Day Telephone Rule , he couldn't have waited longer if his life depended on it. Why?
Tom was born without a backbone and is controlled by his emotions, unlike Caprice, and is
therefore unfixable ; a lost cause. Tom is analytical when he fixes relationships at his
counseling practice. He does extensive background checks into companies before he invests
for his financial portfolio. He even teaches a night class at UCLA entitled, Being Rational in
an Irrational World . But when it comes to dating Caprice, Tom has no road map - as if he
could follow it! Tom only thinks short-term and hopes Caprice will fall for him. Successful
men know you cannot wing it in business, so why does Tom wing it when it comes to his love
life?
be a challenge to women
If Tom were a Challenge , instead of being like most other guys that have crossed Caprice's
path, Caprice would be going crazy over him. But poor Tommy! His emotions say to him I
got to have her now or I'll go crazy. Tom's ego, (love's enemy ) needs immediate gratification;
a kid at Toys-R-Us has more self-control! The saddest part is that he doesn't see Challenge as
being even a possibility in romantic relationships. His motto is: If it is meant to be, it will be.
My motto is: it doesn't last!
The key is the "System". It is the only vehicle that cares about you, and that can drive her
emotions (and raising her Interest Level ) off the chart! Realize that there is a price to pay for
getting and keeping her, and that no one cares about you unless they love you - except a Good
Samaritan, who loves everybody. You are looking for her high Interest Level , and for to have
a good attitude. You have to learn to out-wait women, and to not allow your emotions to
control you like they have in the past. Most men have been brainwashed into treating women
with undue reverence. Respect is proper, but not necessarily submissiveness. Remember guys,
the reason a woman is going out with you, is not always the same reason you are going out
with her.
Piece of cake guys.
number circled. Now in the passenger seat of Tom's VW Jetta, her body is rigid, her hands are
folded, and her jaw is clenched. You might think that Caprice has less than 50% Interest
Level and is therefore a Professional Dater - in reality though, she has 80% Interest Level and
is covering up her feelings.
Caprice is playing the Reserved Game , or the "I like him so much that I'm afraid I'll expose
my high Interest Level too soon in the love campaign and appear too easy" game. This
exemplifies the first definition of playing games - hiding her true feelings to protect her heart.
Let's fast forward to the next day at work. Caprice says to her girlfriend, Shalondra, "I really
liked Tom before, but during the date, I had to fight to keep my hands to myself and not say
something stupid. He is so easy to be with and we had such a good time. I'm dying for him to
call me again." So can you see what happens when Tom uses The "System"?
At the end of her date with Tom, Caprice's Interest Level went up four points to 84%.
Because Caprice's Interest Level will continue to increase, in less than 60 days she will say to
Tom, "I feel like I have known you all my life," which is woman talk for "Bingo!".
If Miss Right thinks that her Interest Level is too high too soon, her body language will reflect
her feelings of reservation. Tom saw her tenseness and kept his mouth shut about it.
Eight dates later, Caprice is cooking Tom his favorite meal; pork chops, corn on the cob and
homemade blueberry muffins. She laughs at his corniest jokes, seems to stand too close to
him and finds any excuse to touch or brush up against him. This female Homo Sapien went
from being unattached and tired of dating, to hearing wedding bells in her dreams in sixty
days flat! Why? Because Tom used Doctor Love's "System".
less about - the Method of Operation (MO) of the professional dater. The one who plays this
game always keeps a wall up to prevent the man from getting close. Why does she do this?
Because she only has 40% to 49% Interest Level and it won't - and can't - get any higher.
So why does she bother dating? Because she can't stand to face her dismal life by staying
home alone. To you Psych majors, all that a Professional Dater will do for a man is give him
false hopes and run up his Visa bills. She will even give him a token kiss on the forehead once
in while just to keep him in line. Wow, what a giver!
This girl's game will always hurt you.
The third, and saddest definition of playing games is a woman marrying a man she could not
care less about (her Interest level is less than 50%). Why would she suffer the indignity of
going through the motions of loving him for the rest of his life when she has no love for him?
For many reasons: his money, his power, her need to escape boredom or loneliness, her desire
to get out of the house, to help her career, her desire for fame, a green card, a baby, to find a
father for her existing kid(s), her need to have a family, and the worst: her extreme insecurity .
Her motto is: "I will fall in love eventually." The poor sap that married her only thought of his
feelings while dating her, while she faked her high Interest Level . Once the kids are born, she
will not fake it anymore. Can you imagine living with someone who is not deeply in love with
you? Add to that the fact she loves Ricki Lake.
This girl's game is a living hell.
resentment and is repulsed by him?" To you Psych majors, "Do they guarantee that they can
turn hate and disgust back into sweet romantic love?"
2. "When your wife is on The Jerry Springer Show with you, will the counselors teach you
how to beg her to take back her wedding ring, after she moves into your brother's onebedroom trailer park flat?"
Under their watch, the experts have a track record that looks great, with only a 50% divorce
rate in the last thirty years! Even the post office does better than this.
game plan
Successful men know that happiness in romantic relationships is not due to luck - it's due to
using reliable principles and having a plan. Bill Gates didn't "wing it" when deciding which
software market to enter - he had a business plan. If you want to be successful in your longterm romantic relationship, you can't leave things to chance; you need a plan to help you keep
Miss Right mesmerized. The principles that you will get from my column will guide you the
way a Thomas Bros. map guides a U.P.S. driver to his destination. If the things you've tried
with women are only driving your emotions in circles and bringing you pain instead of
ecstasy, allow my principles to be your roadmap to happiness.
The first concept that I will define is what I call The Reality Factor . It states: "Things are the
way they are. If you go against reality, reality works against you, resulting in pain." For
example, let's say that one day you decided that there is no such thing as gravity, so you jump
off the Empire State Building. While in the air, you can believe what you want, but when you
hit the pavement, you will realize that you went against reality, which ultimately resulted in
extreme bodily pain.
Another example: You speed down the 5 Freeway at 120 mph at 2 a.m. with the lights off.
The Reality Factor says you will experience the pain of having to defend yourself in court.
A third example: your female dates ask you to call them back before the date to confirm and
for some strange reason, these call back to confirm dates only end with the dual pains of
frustration and disappointment.
Rejection, man's most despised emotion, is the woman's way of telling a man that he turns her
off. Read this column every week and you will never go through this painful experience again
because from now on, the Reality Factor will be your friend, not your nemesis.
The Reality Factor's cousin is the Bottom Line Factor , which states that "only a woman's
actions truly reflect her feelings for you." Men who are ignorant when it comes to this
powerful concept rationalize a woman's slights and put-downs. For example, let's say Caprice
breaks a date with Tom. That week, Tom thinks up 144 possible rosy scenarios of why she
broke her word. He didn't think of Reason 145, the only one that counts, which states that
Caprice has zero interest in him. Dating Rule No. 1: Women with High Interest always keep
dates.
The Bottom Line Factor also states that if Tom were reflective and had thought about it, he
would have asked himself how many dates he has broken in his life. Answer? (Hint: less than
one.) If, after some psychological detective work, Tom had discovered that Caprice broke the
date because her father did not give her a bicycle on her tenth birthday like he had promised;
it still wouldn't have made a difference. The Bottom Line Factor says that if Caprice breaks a
date with Tom, she is not interested in him. Sadly, most men call back, asking for another
beating, rather than utilizing the Bottom Line Factor .
If you never want to be a guest on the Jerry Springer show, then allow me to protect your
heart. If you are a guy who wants to keep Miss Right forever and not share her with her goodlooking boss or lose her in divorce court, then please allow me to be your relationship coach.
In two weeks from now, I will answer all of your romantic love questions from a man's
perspective. So set your ego aside, learn to laugh at yourself and I will give you snappy
answers to your silly love questions; answers loaded with truth. Do what I say and Miss Right
will be robbing banks for you. When I am done with you, you will need more security than
Julio Iglesias. To protect the anonymity of the guilty, however, I promise to never use your
real name or reveal it. All questions will be answered, but only the best ones will be printed.
Please be specific and don't ramble. In this article, we covered my definitions of the Reality
Factor and the Bottom Line Factor, which belie my approach to successful relationships. In
next week's article, I will cover the three factors that make or break a successful long-term
romantic relationship.
What is a "degree" of love? Let me give you an example. Tom is at a party and he asks two
women, Jill and Caprice, for their home phone numbers. Jill responds, "I'll give you my work
number instead - I just don't know you very well." Caprice, on the other hand, tears a bank
deposit slip from her checkbook, circles the home phone number and hands it to Tom with a
smile saying "Now you'd better call me!"
Interest Level is a scale that ranges from 0 to 100 percent. In the preceding example, I would
place Jill's Interest Level in Tom at 20% and Caprice's at 80%. Now think about this: If Jill
and Caprice were thoroughbreds running in the seventh at the Del Mar racetrack and Tom
were a betting man, whom should he put his money on?
Why is female Interest Level so important? Because the closer the woman's Interest Level
gets to 100%, the more she likes you and the more fun you will have - whether it's on the first
date or your 20th anniversary. In sharp contrast, the further away her Interest Level is from
100%, the less she likes you and the more she will eat, nag, and watch Ricki Lake. To you
Psychology majors: a man should only love a woman who loves him first.
Of the three factors that make or break romantic relationships, the woman's Interest Level is
the single most important factor, not the man's Interest level.
If a woman is normal, you make her like you more or less by the way you treat her, although
you cannot affect her attitude. That's how she comes wired. So it is your job to do the things
that could raise her Interest Level toward 100%. How? By exhibiting the proper male attitude,
made up of confidence, control and Challenge .
Hi Dave,
Great observation, Dave! Jerry Seinfeld, a 45-year-old bachelor with $250 mil, 26 Porsches,
and enough TV residual money to pay off the US National Debt, meets a girl and they
instantly have Interest Levels in the 90s (out of a possible 100%). The good part is that Jerry
is in love. The bad part is that his Interest Level is so high, he doesn't care if he's marrying a
woman who is capable of leaving a husband after only two weeks of marriage.
We all love Jerry, but what was he thinking? Was he under a spell? One of Jerry's best friends
or managers should have pulled him aside and told him; "Jerry, you've got to control yourself
- we know you love her, but she is a married woman," but apparently, no one did. That's okay
- I'll be the one to do it now.
If this woman had been with her husband for seven years (and bored, just like many married
women), I would understand her change of heart, though it still wouldn't be right. But this
woman just got back from her honeymoon, so her Interest Level should have been at the
highest point it could ever be! This is that rare moment in time when the husband can do no
wrong - the moment before the wife's Interest Level takes the big slide downward: resulting in
nagging, resentment and eating too many carbs. So what was going on with her?
I will raise my voice on this subject, even if it is a lone voice. But am I not less of an
American if I sanction Jerry's bad choices with my silence? Keeping quiet is un-American!
qualities we desire
In a long-term relationship, there are two qualities to look for in a woman: her Interest Level
and her attitude. You can change the first one, but not the second. If you are aware of how
these two qualities co-mingle with each other, then all of your confusion about love will
disappear.
When two people decide to marry and stay together forever, it is best if the woman has high
Interest Level in the man, as well as a good attitude, made up of integrity, flexibility, and a
giving nature. The subject of integrity is particularly relevant in the case of Jerry's new wife.
Integrity is made up of honesty, loyalty and trust. When evaluating Miss Right's integrity,
always ask yourself the following question and answer it truthfully: "Would I give her the
combination to my safe?"
How do you think Jerry's new wife would have done on this integrity test? Hint: what was her
integrity with her prior husband? Was she honest, loyal and trustworthy? And what is her
track record for keeping commitments? Even a dummy could get the right answers to these
questions.
Yes, I think there is trouble for sweet Jerry down the road. Alas, the poor guy's Interest Level
is so high that his reasoning powers, common sense and business acumen have gone out the
window. He doesn't consider that what a woman does to one man, she can do to another. At
this moment, Jerry has no thoughts about Divorce Court and bankruptcy, but with his new
wife's track record, he should consider them to be real possibilities.
Hi Doc
I always hear women say that they want sensitive guys who
listen, but I think this is bull. I feel like I'm wasting my time
minding my manners and bending over backwards to show some
respect to the women I go out with because they always seem to
end up with jerks. I think women today are more interested in
bad boys , rather than men with character and class. Just look
how Jennifer Lopez fell for Puffy Combs - isn't that proof?
Should I give up on being a gentleman and start being a bad boy
instead? After all, it seems to have worked for Puffy!
Dominic, who has manners and class
the evening, she keeps asking herself, "Why do I keep thinking of Puff?" They later meet and
the rest is history.
Let's say every other woman at Hef's party thought that Denzel was the best-looking man
there out of five hundred men. Guess what boys and girls? Though Selena thought Denzel
was very handsome and charming, he didn't make her quiver. Once she laid her eyes on Puff,
she was a goner .
programs reported that Ted Turner and his devoted left-wing extremist wife, Jane Fonda, were
getting separated. A statement, supposedly from both, said: "While we continue to be
committed to the long-term success of our marriage, we find ourselves at a juncture where we
must have some personal time for ourselves. Therefore, we have mutually decided to spend
some time apart. We ask that you respect this decision."
As I tried to keep my laughter about the statement down to a small roar, my girlfriend
exclaimed, "Isn't it beautiful that two people can be so much in love that they try to work
things out?"
After she said that, I went crazy. I told her that the separation was a sham - and that when one
person moves out, it's equivalent to divorce. My girlfriend responded that they just needed
"space" to work things out and then questioned how committed I would be to our marriage if
we should ever have similar problems. I said that if things ever got that bad, we would
probably split up. She got upset and started to cry. Needless to say, dinner was not fun that
night because my stomach was in knots.
Tell me Doc, who is right in this debate? And how could two normal people see the same
situation so differently? Could it be that my girlfriend and I don't have what it takes to have a
successful marriage? Help me out.
Jamie, who calls 'em as he sees 'em
Jefferson memorial. During the date we held hands, cuddled and talked about getting together
again on Sunday. I took her home, got a goodnight kiss and a big hug.
I called her the next day, but she wasn't home - so I left a message with her little brother. We
didn't go out on Saturday because I had to go to a wedding, plus it wouldn't have been right to
go out anyway. I called her again on Sunday and left a message; her mother told me that she
wasn't home. Hmmm.
That Sunday afternoon, around 3:00 PM, I sent her an e-mail. She responded fairly quickly,
saying she just woke up and was sick. She said she was sorry, but she had to break our date.
My question is, do you think she likes me? It seemed like she did on our date. I know I like
her a lot - I was planning to send flowers to her work this week. She gave me all the signs that
she liked me when we went out and vice versa. What should I do now?
Help!!!
Larry the Lost from D.C.
this question: does a sick woman with high Interest Level ever break a date? Answer: if she
has high Interest Level , she will show up at your house in an ambulance if necessary - with
an IV sticking out of her arm! At the very least, she would have suggested another day to go
out - not just an overused excuse.
To answer your question straight up; your girl isn't acting like someone with high Interest
Level . She may have been interested before, but she isn't now. Whether her change of heart
was due to your actions or to her true Interest Level finally surfacing isn't your concern - your
objective is to correct your mistakes for the next girl. So, forget sending her flowers, calling
her, or even e-mailing her - you've done enough. Instead, let's focus on improving your dating
performance for future dates.
Your first mistake was making a date on a date. If you had waited until the following week to
ask her out, she would have been wondering if it was you every time the phone rang. This
would intrigue her and thus, raise her Interest Level . By asking her out so soon, you never
gave her a chance to think about you while you were gone.
Cheer up, Larry. Believe it or not, there is hope for you. I am pleased to say you did two
things right and only seven things wrong. The first glimmer of hope was when you said
"Hmmm" after calling Miss Right's house on Sunday. Your stomach was telling you that her
mom, who you thought was helping you - was really helping Miss Right avoid you. Pretty
good, Larry - most guys would have talked to her mom and brother for six weeks, before they
finally got the drift!
The other glimmer of hope came when you chose not to go out Saturday because of your date
on Sunday. You knew instinctively that you would have been doing too much, too soon,
which would have been anti-challenge . Carry that feeling with you when you are with the
next Miss Right - it will serve you well. Remember that Challenge is the key to inspiring
women to want to keep you.
Dear Johnny,
How can someone so rich, good-looking, and with so much experience with women be so off
base? I can see you really do need my help.
You say she lives eight hours away? How do you hope to monitor her Interest Level and
attitude this way? You can't possibly observe her body language and mannerisms over a long
period of time. Plus, over the phone and during the occasional visit, she can always be putting
on her best act.
Another thing: how often does she fly into town? If she isn't traveling to your house 50% of
the time, you're doing too much too soon for her; she'll only end up taking you for granted,
not respecting you, and eventually losing romantic interest in you. Physical distance, Johnny,
is one of your biggest problems, but your spoiling her is even worse.
settling down
The most revealing bit of information, Johnny, is the conversation you had with her about
settling down . First of all, she should have been the one bringing up the subject, not you.
Second, when you have to argue with a woman to settle down, she hears a form of begging ,
which only lowers her Interest Level (The only exception is if you are a guy with a yacht!).
I don't mean to crush you, but women with high Interest Level don't want to go out with lots
of other guys. The fact that you have to convince this girl to settle down, already shows that
she has low Interest Level . Moreover, by mentioning how rich you are and that you spoil her,
my guess is that you've probably tried to win her over with endless gifts (another form of
begging). You can't buy Interest Level . Women do love gifts and there is a time to give them,
but if you constantly give her goodies while she gives nothing in return, she will end up
thinking that you're a wimp trying to bribe her. My guess is that your girl contributes very
little to the relationship.
Now, judging by how long she stayed with her macho ex-boyfriend, the girl you're chasing
loves the outlaw type, not Wimpus Americanis . Why? Because although he is abusive unlike
you, he presents her with a Challenge - albeit a negative one. She loves Harley guys and
you're a tricycle guy. She loves walking on the wild side and you have no idea where to find
it. Your competition, Mr. Outlaw , plays with her mind by being a Challenge, while you beg
on your knees for her to take another trinket from Gucci.
What you don't get, Johnny, is that your girl should be wondering where she stands with youbut you never give her this opportunity. Instead you keep acting like a butler, catering to her
every whim. I'll bet she wonders where she stands with Mr. Outlaw . You may consider this
guy a complete loser - but she stayed with him for two years! Do you see how she prefers a
negative Challenge to you? Now what if you were a positive Challenge?
slow down
So what should you do now? First, save yourself some trouble and find someone closer to
home. If you absolutely must give this girl a shot, ask her to do 50% of the traveling (this will
reveal her Interest Level really fast!). Also, cut out the gift giving and let her be the one to
raise the issue of settling down again. In the meantime, don't stop dating other people. She
hasn't stopped!
In your next relationship, look for a woman who likes you - first. Allow her to express her
love for you by giving to you first. Then, reciprocate in response. Like most guys, you rush
the romantic process. Men have to learn to slow down. If you learn to do this, Johnny, women
will start coming to you . Besides looking at the woman's attitude, you've got to look at her
track record in the race of love. Like a bookie who knows the history of a thoroughbred at Del
Mar and says, She only wins on a dry track , you need to look at Miss Right's track record and
find out whether you are her type of guy or not. Otherwise, she will look at you like Man O'
War facing a muddy track: no Interest Level. From now on Johnny, forget your Interest Level
, pick your women carefully and learn to back off and be a challenge. Remember, the number
one fact of life is, "She has to like you first", so save your love for those who appreciate you.
bonus points
Let me show you how to get some mileage out of the reunion instead - and score so many
points with her that life at home will be blissful for months, perhaps forever. The technique is
this: go to her reunion with a happy face. Why is this important? Because the only reason she
wants you to go is so she can show you off to everybody, especially all the guys who rejected
her, who now all have big wives with wrinkles. In addition, when you look like you're
enjoying yourself on the dance floor with her, she'll believe her female former classmates are
jealous of her. She will then feel lucky to be with such a fun guy, which is good for you. By
merely making the effort to have a good time, she will give you credit for trying.
Having fun at her reunion is, in her eyes, a big deal, because she knows how much you hate
these events. By going to the reunion and being a good sport, she will perceive your act as
giving - and in the future, she will make her slate clear when you want to do something that
she doesn't want to do.
You may ask: "How do I act charming and fun when I'm so 'uptight' around crowds?"
making a movie." The great thing about playing James Bond is that it doesn't matter when you
call Miss Right for the first date!
As for the question of courtesy and manners, I could speak volumes about the rudeness guys
frequently tolerate. For example: broken dates due to her mother's sickness, her parakeet
having a stroke, or her remembering at the last minute that she has to study for the State Bar. I
could go on and on, but I'll save that for another time. Suffice it to say, courtesy and manners
should go both ways. Don't you agree?
The fact is that your seven-day rule would give you many false rudeness readings. Suppose
your new gentleman friend was in the middle of moving his business and didn't even have
time to shave? Or what if he had just started a new job and had to hit the training manuals for
his boss that weekend? Or, what if he had already made two commitments, though he would
rather be with you? Your seven-day rule doesn't provide the possibility of any previously
made obligations. Not very reasonable or flexible, wouldn't you say? You would also fault my
students for not giving you "clear signals", nor showing enough of their Interest Level, yet
you know that those things don't have anything to do with raising your Interest Level. In fact,
they can only lower it.
At the beginning of a relationship, the woman wants to think she is getting a stud and not Mr.
Predictable. Romance and its permutations do fascinate her, but if a man acts like every other
guy, she won't feel that excitement. Why? Because she's looking for someone different and
unique. When a guy fascinates her with a different approach, her Interest Level goes up.
Conversely, when a guy behaves predictably, like begging on her answering machine while
she laughs and drinks a glass of wine with her girlfriends, her Interest Level will drop. Barb,
judging by the way you compare a man with high Interest Level to a starving Rottweiler, I
know you already agree with me on this. What high regard you have for those who would
give you such clear signals!
It's virtually impossible for a woman to know the reasons why a man doesn't call her within
two days, like 90% of guys. But even if she knew you were following The "System", that
would still be okay. Why? Because you are showing her that you understand women, which
makes her respect you more.
You want a woman who either assumes you are busy during the week (Heaven forbid, Miss
Right might think you have other dates!) or says to herself, "Okay, he may be trying to play it
cool, but I can play along" In other words, a woman who views your self-control as part of the
courtship dance, not manipulation. Will a guy get such a response from a woman? Yes, if she
has 51% Interest Level, but preferably a lot higher and she is flexible (one of the required
female strength qualities).
Barb, if you had turned down a date with one of my students while telling him seven days was
too long for you to wait, he would have been relieved. Why? Because he would know you had
saved him time and money! He would have said to himself as he hung up the phone, "I can
only imagine the other rules she's saving for her future boyfriend! How structured can you
get? It's her loss - not mine!"
Men have to learn to court only flexible women, especially if they're not James Bond.
both of them is 75% - a dead heat. The first guy, Mr. Chase, tells her he's attracted to her and
would like to go out. The second man, Mr. Challenge, simply asks for her home phone
number. Her Interest Level in one of these men rises one point to 76%, while her Interest
Level in the other drops one point to 74%. Who do you think gained a point and who lost a
point? Unsure? Read on.
Mr. Chase calls Wanda the very next day and tells her what a good time he had with her at the
party and how much he looks forward to seeing her that Saturday evening. Mr. Challenge
waits until the following Monday to ask her out for Wednesday evening. Wanda's Interest
Level in one of these men rises to 77%, while it drops to 73% for the other.
Mr. Chase calls Wanda four times the following week (in spite of the fact that they already
had a date set for another Saturday) and sends her a dozen roses. Mr. Challenge sends no
gifts. Instead, he calls Wanda once that week, on Tuesday, to ask for a date on Thursday.
Wanda's Interest Level in one of these men rises to 78% while it drops to 72% for the other.
A month later, Wanda asks one of these men: Are you married? She asks the other man
nothing. Now, boys and girls, whom do you think Wanda likes more, Mr. Challenge or Mr.
Chase? I'll give you a hint: she wouldn't ask the above question to a guy who was predictable
and available.
the winner is
As you can see, Wanda chose Mr. Challenge over Mr. Chase. In the long run, she was
happiest with the guy who held back and played it cool. After two months of dating, Wanda's
Interest Level in Mr. Challenge hit 90% and she had no desire to continue dating Mr. Chase
who no longer made her happy. For their two-month anniversary, Mr. Challenge gave Wanda
a single rose. She was ecstatic and considered it, by far, the best gift she had ever received in
her entire life. Mr. Challenge, take a bow!
For you slow guys, let me put it to you simply. If a gentleman did everything by The
"System" the woman would be so gone that her intellect and common sense would fly out the
window. Oh, she might try to mobilize her mental forces, but the gentleman's two-steps
forward and one-step back approach would throw her thinking into a tizzy. In spite of the fact
that women are born detectives when it comes to love, the man's actions would still not
compute. He is there - and then he isn't. Just like a Love Ninja . When a woman ends up
saying to herself in the mirror, "I know he likes me, so why isn't he coming on strong like all
the others?"- it's because this woman has never met a Challenge. Guess what's happening to
her Interest Level when she asks this question...that's right! In fact, it's heading for the moon!
I know Challenge is a tough pill to swallow - especially if you've been brainwashed all your
life to chase the woman, tell her all your hang-ups and make her your mama - but if you keep
reading this column with an open mind, then I guarantee that one day Miss Right will call you
"Daddy."
Your goal is find out if Miss Right has a good attitude (made up of integrity, flexibility, and
generosity). So during the first date, get her to talk about herself. Get the conversation going
by asking her about her likes and where she went to school. Avoid heavy and negative
subjects at all costs. If her eyes light up over a subject, ask her more questions about it. The
biggest complaint that women have about men is that they don't listen - well, here's her
chance to encounter a man who is just the opposite. Why? Because he is very interested in her
answers to his questions.
Most women reach a euphoric state when they talk about their favorite subject - themselves but if a woman starts asking questions about you, answer her and then subtly turn the
conversation back to her. Keep your answers brief, yet fun and light. You will tell the truth,
but just the good parts. Just remember to get her to do most of the talking. After she loves
you, then you can tell her that you're on welfare and live with your parents.
To answer your original questions about the first date: dinner is good, but a movie is not (you
spend too much time sitting in silence staring at a screen). Try a restaurant with a dance floor
instead. Art galleries make for dull first dates. Clubs are good, but concerts should be reserved
for those lucky angels who make it past three dates.
Get the weekend section of your newspaper for ideas on where to go for your first date. You
can also go to Barnes and Noble to find books on fun, free places to go within your area.
Believe it or not, you can even find good advice in the relationship section of the bookstore,
but you must realize that 90% of those books are written by female love doctors (while most
of the other 10% are written by what I wouldn't call the most masculine dudes). Just
remember my guidelines for first dates: keep it fun and light.
If you avoid submitting to the female interview and keep away from spilling your guts, and
keep your conversation positive and uplifting, I guarantee that your Miss Right will be dying
for you to call her for a second rendezvous. Remember, the key to getting past the first date is
to leave a little mystery for the second one.
Look, I know you're in a lot of pain. The words, But I was always good to her! must be
running through your head. Right now you're asking yourself; If love is supposed to feel so
good, why do I feel like I belong in Intensive Care? You feel this way because you didn't run
a tight ship and now your love boat is at the bottom of the ocean.
time to move on
The real question to ask yourself is: Why did I stay with a woman who knifed me in the back?
Deep down you knew it was over with this girl, but you stayed with her anyway. I'm curious are you a masochist? Because if she had used a real knife, you would have asked her to break
off the blade, like they do at Rikers Island. Am I off base here, Joey?
Before you get too depressed, there's some good news. You may already be on the right track.
You said you haven't called your girlfriend in six months - even after she called you over the
holidays. You did the right thing. She called because she wondered why you stopped
groveling so soon. If you had taken her come-on seriously, she would only have tortured you
some more before eventually dropping you. At this moment, she's responding to you being a
Challenge , but this is only temporary. Why? Because you're pricking her ego, not raising her
Interest Level .
Joey, I know you're thinking of your true love every waking moment, but you need to
remember that she's only thinking about the guy who replaced you! It's time to write her off
and get new home phone numbers.
From now on, Joey, let The "System" be your guide. Go slowly and never forget how bad it
was for you to lose your objectivity. Just remember, when it's over with a woman, it's over because once her Interest Level hits 49%, it ain't never coming back.
successful. I guess I like their intellect level. It's not their money I want - sure money's nice but I'll trade money for a quality woman with a nice attitude anytime. Besides, I've already
been there with the homes and cars; I am happier now with extra time and a more typical level
of income. My point is; after dating many different women, I've concluded that a woman's
desire to have money spent on her does not correlate with her income level. She can clean
nails for a living or own a Fortune 500 Company, in either case, I have to pack a platinum
card when we go out.
So is this the direction things are headed or is my screening process the problem? Am I just
being too cheap? I just can't believe that all the reasonable women were taken in their twenties
and early thirties.
I'm willing to spend some bucks, but only on the keepers - and only if I'm doing the keeping. I
need your coaching, Doc.
Sincerely,
Freddy the frugal
invest wisely
No one's forcing you to spend so much on a date, Freddy. It's painfully obvious that you don't
have a sensible spending plan, but fear not because I will show you the secrets of cutting your
love spending and investing prudently. Though you've lost your heart and your money on
lousy love investments in the past, The "System" will turn you into a regular Peter Lynch of
dating.
Let's say you meet Caprice at a wedding reception and get her home phone number. Your
problem is not where to take her, but how much money to spend. Taking a woman to a nice
restaurant is fine if her Interest Level is at 75% or higher. What if it's below 75% or you're
just not sure? Then, enter the Short Date, or as the mercenaries call it: the cheap date.
The Short Date requires that you call Caprice and ask her to meet for a quick drink after work.
During your conversation at the reception, you should have found out where she works so that
you can have a nice restaurant and bar in mind where you two can meet. Now if this place is
only four doors from her office and she says she cannot give you 45 minutes of her time, then
guess what? Adios, baby! If Caprice accepts however, you will have spent only ten bucks and
read her Interest Level without spending a hundred big ones.
What should Caprice be doing during those 45 minutes? Touching your arm, asking you
questions and laughing at your bad jokes; all the while, her eyes should be bright. What
shouldn't she be doing? How about yawning or looking at the clock on the wall? This isn't
very complicated, Freddy, is it?
In your case, Freddy, all your first dates should be Short Dates. You need to spend more time
with Miss Right for less money until you learn to better read her true Interest Level and
attitude. Fair enough?
If Miss Right passes the Short Date, then she will graduate to the Long Date. If she makes it
past two dates, then you can increase your spending slowly. As a rule, you should still pick
fun places to go to rather than expensive places - how about free concerts in the park or
miniature golfing? "Parks? Miniature golf? How boring!" See? Mercenaries cannot have fun
unless it's expensive.
advance to find out. By you checking your wife's calendar four to five weeks before the date
and having a babysitter already lined up, there can be no reasonable excuse for her to get out
of her appointment. If she does make excuses, then your romantic relationship is over.
Marty, if there is any chance of kick starting your relationship with your wife, then you must
start treating her differently than the way you have in the past. Of the three male strength
qualities I've already mentioned, my guess is that you - like most men - haven't been
practicing Challenge within your heavenly union. Let's change that now.
From now on, back off from your wife, both physically and psychologically. Why should you
do this? So she will choose romantic evenings with you over shopping with her girlfriends.
Instead of begging or arguing with your wife for affection (which never works), let her initiate
contact. In other words: don't touch her unless she touches you first and let her be the one to
bring up sex. During this time, display a happy attitude. After a while - depending on how low
her Interest Level is - your wife should return to her senses and come onto you. If she doesn't,
you have a massive problem.
Marty, if after all this, you're still unsure whether your wife has low Interest Level , then
watch for signs that show she doesn't respect you. These signs include staring at other men
and putting you down in public, in front of her friends, or the worst - in front of your children.
If you determine that your wife's heart is permanently frozen, then, depending on whether or
not your religion forbids it, you may decide that divorce is your only alternative. Of course,
you could choose to live as a martyr for the rest of your life, being used as her punching bag
and sleeping in a deep freeze every night. But ask yourself: is this good for your children? If
you do go down this route, try to make life more bearable by keeping a positive disposition,
especially in front of your kids. The important thing is that you communicate your feelings
wisely and if your not doing your fair share around the house, then maybe you should. By
helping your wife, she'll have more time for you and the relationship.
For me, personally - I will never choose such a life and follow the advice of my cousin Fast
Eddie Love who says: I will not live with a woman who does not love me. Ultimately, Marty,
the decision is yours.
confused with her lack of Interest Level - after all, did she make a date? No. Did she ask him
over for dinner? No. Like most men who are on the road to rejection, you are grabbing for
straws.
never go back
It's true, Art, that a woman won't necessarily take it as a breakup if you drift out of her life,
but what makes you think her Interest Level will be any higher than before? If, while you
were seeing each other, your girl's Interest Level ever dropped below 50%, then it won't rise
again in your absence. The hard truth of The Reality Factor says: when you are out, you are
out. Can you imagine saying that?
Instead John would say, "You guys have learn to be more understanding and learn to grovel
more. You have to buy her gifts from Victoria's Secret to enhance your relationship. And do
not forget the big rock from DeBeers." The problem with the advice is that it overlooks the
"R" word - let me give you an example. She would rather wake up with Arafat and Larry
King than look at you. Resentment, not money, is the biggest factor in killing romantic
relationships. No mistakes, no resentment.
I know it's possible to find the occasional story in The National Enquirer about two famous
celebrities who reunite after a breakup. The stars' handlers say that all the venom is forgotten;
but the truth is, this is just publicist propaganda. They don't mention that the odds of a happy
ending after a nasty breakup are about as good as President Clinton giving up Jenny Craig
dropouts.
If you must follow the stars' examples, then at least learn from their mistakes. Learn from Don
Johnson, who divorced Melanie Griffith - twice; or learn from Richard Burton, who did the
same with Liz.
Art, you really should put your time and energy into studying The "System" so you don't
reinforce old, bad habits. If you really must find things out the hard way - and you have time,
money, and sanity to burn - then test out what I say. Ask her out, but if there is anything - and
I mean anything - other than an enthusiastic yes, then just forget it. Remember, you are better
off with someone new than with a woman who will definitely drop you like a bad habit.
restaurant first. However, I really prefer to call the woman before the first date. Is her
reluctance an example of low Interest Level or of modern times?
Sincerely,
John - who wants to know if what she says is legit?
abusive boyfriends
It's a real shame that some structured women have had abusive boyfriends in their past, but
excuses aren't recipes for success in romantic relationships. Women like this should be pitied,
but never dated. If you fall for one of these sad cases John, you will only end up suffering
instead of getting the love that you so richly deserve.
Women are twice as intuitive as men when it comes to relationships. This is because
relationships are the woman's turf. If this is true, then you may be wondering John, why some
women ignore their intuition and choose abusers for love partners. The answer? Because
sadly, some women consider abuse preferable to being alone.
A woman can read a man's Interest Level within five minutes, but it takes five or six dates for
her to read his attitude. If the man shows any signs of jealousy or possessiveness (the most
common traits of an abuser) during this time, then she has a decision to make. If she is sharp,
she'll walk. If she is a loser, she'll stay.
not your relationship was moving to the next level. This sure beats waiting two months, only
to find out that she never desired a romantic relationship in the first place. I'm sorry to say that
this describes your case, Stan.
Your girl is what I like to call a Telephone Time Waster(TTW), a kissing cousin of the
Professional Dater. This confuser has 40 to 49% Interest Level in you, plus she is structured
to boot. She uses Ma Bell and her answering machine as a means of always keeping men at
arm's length.
When you try to start a relationship with a TTW, she'll tell you, I'm more comfortable getting
to know you better over the phone before we have our first date . The problem is, the first date
never takes place.
is she flexible?
This brings me to the subject of flexibility, or her lack thereof, to be exact. When you waited
three days between phone calls, she threw a fit. This, of course, was an overreaction; after all,
you two aren't even dating. So why the tantrum? Besides withholding her ego's favorite drug
(male attention), you unknowingly broke one of her rules.
A TTW, like all structured women, has rules that her men must follow (rules before a first
date- wow!). She has no qualms about wasting your time on the telephone (or in chat rooms,
like her sister, the Internet Time Waster does) but if you break her rules there is Hell to pay!
Of course, you were wrong to go along with this charade; by doing so, you unwittingly
sanctioned her counterfeit relationship, along with its royal decrees!
Falling into her trap was bad enough, but one part of your story really made me cringe: the
moment where you let yourself get intimidated and manipulated by her angry reaction. You
were so afraid of her leaving you that at her slightest growl, you came back to her
apologizing. I'm sorry to say, Stan: she worked you like a cheap puppet from Toys 'R Us.
You thought incorrectly, that if The "System" screened out your girl then you and The
"System" would be the losers, and not her. The fact of the matter is that you should be thrilled
when a demanding or structured woman is filtered out, because she isn't eligible for dating
anyway.
have been dating for five months now, but within the last month, we have been seeing less
and less of each other, even though we work in the same building.
In the beginning, she used to call me before my break so we could meet outside the building
for a smoke. Now she rarely calls - she just shows up. One could say that I'm getting worried
over nothing, if it weren't for the fact that this is only one of many signs that I've picked up.
I want to know what happened to her 'Interest Level'? At what point did it crash? What were
the other signs that I missed? I know that in the beginning of the relationship, I wasn't much
of a 'Challenge' to her.
If I did not love this woman so much, I would just chuck it all. But I think she's definitely
worth investing whatever it takes to get her high 'Interest Level' back.
Thanks.
George - who wants to know the truth
these behavioral changes, because when a woman is inconsistent, it means her 'Interest Level'
is dropping caused by decrese in interest.
The first change you may notice in the woman is that she stops complimenting you or
laughing at your silly jokes. For some reason, she no longer minds if you go out with the boys
like she did when her 'Interest Level' was in the stratosphere. This is the first stage of 'Interest
Level' drop-off: it has dropped to 75% or perhaps even lower - down to 66% IL (Interest
Level).
Stage Two begins when she doesn't initiate touching like she did in the heated good old days.
Before, she used to grab your arm when crossing the street. Now she just jumps the curb first
and says, "Hurry up, slowpoke." You are between 56% and 65% IL at this point.
Stage Three (51% to 55% IL) is where the arguments and zingers begin. The disagreements
start out as small and infrequent, but later intensify as her IL gets closer and closer to the point
of no return: the 49% IL mark - or the beginning of Stage Four.
prepare yourself
George, based on the information you gave me, I would put your girlfriend's IL at Stage One.
To reverse this downward trend, you must add the 'Challenge' that you've been omitting from
your relationship. Start by skipping half of your cigarette breaks, and only accepting half of
your girlfriend's invitations to meet her outside. Also, let her see you joke around with the
other knockouts in the office. When she confronts you about this, smile sweetly and say, "You
know you are the only one for me."
These love tactics will work, George. If they don't - Heaven forbid - then your girlfriend's
'Interest Level' has already reached Stage Four (49% IL).
Guys, because there are only a few points of 'Interest Level' in Stage Four before a woman
drops you, always be the one to get out first - it hurts a lot less. Remember the words of my
cousin Fast Eddie Love: "In the airplane of love, there's only one parachute."
last call
Before I left, she asked me again if I was coming back to the club the following Friday. I told
her I had to leave town for a month, so I would probably be packing my suitcase. She said I
should give her a call before I left town. I replied that it was her turn to call, but only if she
wanted.
Is there a chance this girl wants to leave her boyfriend for me? Should I call her again?
Should I continue seeing her at the club on Fridays and wait for any opportunities or should I
just give up on her? My female friends have told me to forget her, but my male friends have
told me to be persistent but patient until she let's me know she's ready.
If she isn't interested in me, why would she give me her number and bother talking to me
every Friday, being very friendly? On the other hand, if she won't even go out for cup of
coffee, how could we possibly progress to the next step? Help me resolve this confusion, Doc.
Sergio - who wants to know what's going on
false hope
If your girl only wanted to be friends with you, she would have clearly told you. In fact,
because she knew you had the hots for her, it would have been her obligation to do so.
Instead, she kept you guessing with her puzzling requests for you to meet her at the club.
These invitations only served to make you think she wanted to leave her boyfriend, which in
fact, she never intends to do. How do we know her intentions? Through the fact that you
mentioned: if a woman won't even go out for cup of coffee, the relationship is dead in the
water (By the way, I'm glad to see you read my article on the Short Date: What Could Peter
Lynch Teach Men About Dating?).
So, why would a woman do all of this? Well, rather than stare at the four walls while their
boyfriends are out of town, some women believe it's more fun to play with male hearts. In
your girl's mind, Sergio, you seemed like a safe gentleman to kill time with. Plus, you were
buying all of the drinks (incidentally, this type of woman often says she hates men who play
games in relationships - go figure). Whatever the reason for her behavior, Sergio, The
"System" cuts through all of this confusion with one maxim: if the girl is inconsistent about
accepting dates, she has a low Interest Level. Period.
Sergio, chasing a girl like this means accepting a mayorship to Stoogeville; so don't waste
your time. You put the ball in her court with your last remark to her, so forget her - or if you
prefer: continue dancing with her on Fridays until one of the other women at the club takes
notice of you. Using the user - how about that!
When given love questionnaires, women list "sensitivity" and "caring" as the most important
male qualities, but they don't mention looks or money -- even though they are equally
important to them. Why this omission? Because women want to believe that they are big
supporters of "fairness" and they would give every guy carrying a bouquet of roses a chance.
The reality is: they are only saying what's politically correct. The so-called love experts make
the mistake of taking women's answers at face value.
How could these trained experts have overlooked the possibility that women might only be
telling them what they want to hear? Are they afraid of second-guessing women and
appearing sexist? Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: when men follow the experts'
advice, they get slaughtered.
Thanks to the other love doctors, men have all but given up on understanding women. After
enduring constant beatings in the dating world, they often (wrongly) conclude: "Women are
illogical and inconsistent by nature - why else would they not follow their own wish lists?" At
this point, men should doubt the credentials of the noted love authorities, but sadly, these men
doubt themselves instead.
understanding women
Enter The "System" [a program created by Doc Love to help men understand women]. In
1965, I wanted to answer the question "What does a woman want?" once and for all, so I
started interviewing women. When I did so, I never took the first answer I got; instead I
would probe like an Internal Affairs guy looking for dirty cops. Whenever a woman gave me
a stock answer, I would smile politely, then dig deeper, tossing out follow-up questions like
Columbo. I did this until I finally came up with the best question possible: "Describe the man
you actually stayed with." This was how The "System" was born.
Investigating successful relationships, not wishes -- what a concept! Unbelievable as it may
sound, this is what those trained experts missed. I, Doc Love -- who got a D in college
Psychology -- turned out to be the true scientist simply by asking the right question. I became
the first (and to this day, the only) love doctor to actually study women's choices -- not their
words -- and develop a system based on these facts. That's how I received the distinction "The
First Man in 6000 Years to Understand Women."
Nowadays, men need my tactics more than ever. With so many men giving up on advice, only
women populate the relationship aisles of the bookstores. Imagine: women -- who already
understand men -- are the ones buying advice books while the people who need help the most
-- the men -- are getting their hearts stomped on! In the Battle of the Sexes, this is not what I
would call a fair fight!
Male silence in the marketplace of love advice -- coupled with Feminist intimidation -- also
prevents T.V. and radio Program Directors from airing any love programs that genuinely
benefit men. Their rationale: if men aren't buying advice books, why should we hire someone
to help them?
But in spite of this gloom, there is hope for men. The recent success of men's magazines like
Stuff prove that targeting a male market is a lucrative proposition. Even though these
magazines deal mostly with such burning issues as how to choose a beer or what is Heidi
Klum's bra size, it shows that things are changing.
The success of my own column is further proof that the trend of male apathy toward love
advice is reversing -- I've gotten hundreds of letters like Sam's that show there is a real need in
this world for quality men's advice. I intend to fulfill that need by shouting on the rooftops
about the power of The "System". Amen.
the spending side of the equation), while the other guy was a happy, relaxed free spirit who
made her feel young again!
So, now I'm out and he's in -- and I'm about to get raked over the coals by the divorce courts;
it seems that my money and his personality are the perfect combination for her. Throughout
the six months that this thing unwound, my confidence and inner-strength slowly evaporated
until I could see nothing in her eyes but contempt for me. Nevertheless, I still expect her to
come back one day. Am I just dreaming?
Al - who wants to know if he is a total dope.
Hi Al,
First of all, I want to compliment you for putting your ego aside and writing your letter.
Except for Country and Western singers, men find it difficult to admit ever being hoodwinked
by a woman. Your story, Al, is yet another example of the most underreported crime in
America: Marital Fraud.
professional drifters
Your wife is a Drifter -- a woman bereft of integrity that floats from man to man, showing
loyalty to none. Some Drifters drift from date to date, others from husband to husband, but the
pattern is always the same: when a man no longer serves a Drifter's purposes, she sails away
until she washes up on some other man's beach. Six years ago, Al, you were the lucky man -now it's time for some other guy to get lucky.
Al, it's true that, like many men with too much Interest Level, you didn't use the 'N' word
(No). Instead, you let her get away with murder by agreeing to her outrageous requests (Al,
when a woman says, "Please leave the house so I can decide whether I love you" it's Classic
Womanese for "Adios, amigo!"). It's also true that your lack of backbone dissolved whatever
crumbs of respect and Interest Level your wife had for you. But short of drugging her with
tranquilizers, there was nothing you could have done to prevent your wife from bailing;
drifters respect no rules and honor no commitments.
Apparently I also spent about ten minutes in the bathroom (I don't even remember this).
I sent her flowers and apologized. She said she forgave me, but was sensitive about this
because her ex was an alcoholic. I mentioned going to a concert of her choice, but she
immediately said, "I think they're sold out" and that she needed time to "sort things out" and
that before the drinking incident, she thought I was "cool".
What can you read into this?
Mike - who wants to know if he should let her go.
And if keeping a clear head is important on a normal date, Mike, how much truer is this when
you meet a girl's parents for the first time? Think! You were obviously doing well to have
made it to that stage -- why blow it by showing up to her parents' house drunk?
decided to e-mail her to ask her how her machine was working and to find out what kind of
music she liked. That night, I bought her a CD and wrapped it for her (at this time, my
relationship with my girlfriend was really on the outs). I spent that night rehearsing what I
was going to say when I gave her the present.
i made my move
The next day I waited until she was back from lunch. Finally, at 1:30pm, I got up the nerve to
knock on her office door. She was on the phone, so I waited until she hung up. When she did,
I told her that I came across something at the music store, which made me think of her. When
I handed her the CD, she said "Thank you" and seemed to like it.
I returned to her office a few days later to ask her how her weekend went and how she
enjoyed her CD. Then I asked her to have lunch with me. She replied that she didn't eat lunch
and that she always runs errands during her lunch break. As I left her office, I felt like a jerk.
My supervisor later told me that she wasn't seeing anyone as he had a long personal talk with
her about three months earlier, but I had my suspicions that she was.
What do you think, Doc?
Carl - who wants to know if he misread her signals
Carl, it's true that you lost points when you constantly went out of your way to talk with this
girl and when you bought her a present. You were too available and therefore not a
Challenge* [term used by Doc Love to represent the "challenge" of a man when he goes after
a woman]. Nevertheless, I suspect that her change of demeanor had more to do with her
integrity deficit than with your mistakes. After all, the amount of female Interest Level* [the
level of interest that the woman has towards a man] required to give an acquaintance a
wrapped gift is too high to be wiped away by a couple of mistakes. My guess is that this
woman never had high Interest Level in you to begin with. It's a good thing you found this out
sooner rather than later.
In spite of the way you may feel, Carl, you got off very lucky. Things could have been much,
much worse. In today's legal climate, it is very risky for men to date their coworkers. Men are
extremely vulnerable to baseless accusations (remember what Anita The Hun did to Judge
Clarence Thomas?). After you asked your coworker to lunch -- if she wanted to -- she could
have put a serious crimp in your career simply by whispering the words "unwelcome
advances" into your supervisor's ear (it's amazing how differently men and women define
sexual harassment: if a guy gets hit on, he feels lucky, but if a woman gets hit on, she sees a
lawyer!).
It sounds like you're saying that men should play games in order to keep a woman's interest. I
know I've been a fool in the past, but it's hard for me to think that I can't just relax and be
myself on a date.
Isn't there some point in the relationship where I can be completely honest with a woman and
share all of my secrets with her -- both the good and the bad? Isn't this a sign of true intimacy?
Bob, who is learning from scratch
behave accordingly
Bob, I'm not saying you should play games with Miss Right -- I'm saying that you should treat
her in a manner appropriate to the relationship and to her nature. Just as you treat your
drinking buddy differently from your female boss, and your female boss differently from a
traffic cop; you need to treat Miss Right differently from all your other relationships.
You should be honest with Miss Right, but you should always put your best foot forward. For
instance, if you were out of a job for six months and Miss Right asked what you did for a
living, you wouldn't say "During the day I either wait in line at the liquor store to cash my
unemployment check or I'm at home watching Jenny Jones ." Instead, you would tell her, "I'm
between careers."
Bob, I know it's tempting to hurry a romance by preemptively revealing the intimate details of
your life, but you must resist. It's true that in America we frequently hear aphorisms such as:
"The early bird gets the worm," "Hit the bricks running," "Strike while the fire is hot," and
"Procrastination is the key to failure" -- but you must understand that these slogans, while
they apply to business and to nearly every other area of life, do not apply to romantic love.
Patience, not haste, is the key to women.
Hi Doc,
I need help on how to approach a woman at my college. Her name is Elizabeth and I wish to
ask her out to dinner, but I am worried that she will say no. Why? Because some man at her
church prophesized to her that she would marry a preacher some day and travel the world
with him, and she believes it. The problem is I don't fit either of these qualifications.
I also go to a church that accepts prophecy, but I also believe that you shouldn't limit yourself
to what another human has told you because in the end, no one, except for God, really knows
what will happen to us in the future. Nevertheless, I'm sure that Elizabeth is only looking for
someone who fits the preacher and world traveler categories.
On the bright side, Elizabeth has invited me to go to church with her numerous times. When
she does though, I am always unable to go -- that is, until last Sunday, when I showed up at
her church without telling her.
When she saw me there in the pews, she ran to me while the choir was singing and laid a big
hug on me. I know it's possible that I'm confusing her love for God for feelings toward me,
but this seems like a strong sign. What do you think, Doc?
You've got to help me with this one, Doc. This girl is definitely wife and mother material and
I would never forgive myself if I screwed this up.
Thanks for all your help.
Warren - who wants to know if love is in his future
This beauty of this approach is its ability to cut through the smokescreen. By being so direct,
97% of the woman cannot wiggle out of confessing their true Interest Level [the level of
interest that the woman has towards a man] to you (the exceptions are beautiful women -they have so much experience with guys coming onto them that many have learned how to
fake high interest, even when being cross-examined).
Warren, taking the direct approach saves you time and money (not to mention, it makes you
look confident). I know you are worried that Elizabeth would say no if you were direct with
her, but if she had low Interest Level, isn't it better to find out now rather than after paying for
her expensive dinners? Of course it is.
You had another opportunity to discover Elizabeth's true intentions when she asked you to go
to church with her. You could have countered her offer with, "Sure, and after that I'll take you
out to lunch and a movie."
If she went along with your counteroffer, there would be hope, but if she had stammered or
said no, then she considers you a "friend" -- the worst name any woman could call you!
Who knows, if Elizabeth keeps chasing you, she might even consider you more important
than prophecies. Yes, guys, some religious women with high Interest Level would actually do
this!
Warren, your girl's invitations to church were strong by themselves, but when you add the fact
that she nearly trampled the congregation in order to give you a hug -- Hallelujah! It's rare for
women to be the aggressors in relationships (it is even rarer in church!), so you've got a very
strong Buying Signal.
True -- some churchgoers hug each other out of their love for God, but I don't think that's
what happened in your case. I think you've got an angel with 80% Interest Level.
Warren, you've done a good job so far, but keep utilizing the principles of The "System"
[program created by Doc Love to help men understand women] -- if you do, you will raise her
Interest Level to high heaven, until she might just ask you to tie the holy knot till death do us
part!
kiss of death
Her news upset me very much and I let her know how much it hurt me. She tried to assure me
with: "The whole time I was thinking about you," and "I'll never see him again," but at that
point, I wasn't listening to a word she said because I was so enraged.
Later, while we were making out, she said, "You're so much better than Nick" and "He doesn't
kiss like you at all." This was definitely not what I wanted to hear, so I gave her a look of
death -- which upset her, so she started to leave.
I stopped her and told her that it just bothered me when she talked about how another guy
kisses. She said she understood, and that eventually we would work things out and that we
should think about our relationship over the next few days.
Now comes my dilemma. Should I trust her? Is she having second thoughts about us because
of Nick? I really love this girl and I want to be with her, but I'm so bothered by what she did.
I'm just feeling really insecure right now and I'm unsure of what to do.
Please help.
Thanks,
Kevin - who wants to know if he's being too uptight
with another guy, you had a great opportunity to exercise your self-control and find out how
much she really cared about you.
Instead of putting her "friend" down and appearing weak, this was the perfect time to stay
silent, smile...and go out with other women!
Then, when she called you on the carpet for dishonoring the relationship, you could have told
her that they were only "friends"!
girlfriend's no friend
If your girlfriend had sufficient Interest Level* [the level of interest that the woman has
towards a man] in you, she would have proposed new rules about spending time with friends
at this point. Just think of it: she tells the bird dog to take a hike and believes it's her idea -and you don't even have to say a word! How great is that? (Really great -- but make sure that
her new rules are reasonable and bilateral !).
In spite of this missed opportunity, Kevin, you were still able to find out some good
information about your girlfriend. You discovered that she's more interested in attacking you
for your perceptions than in giving up her other boy toys -- so much for caring and loyalty!
Kevin, allow me to make sense out of the other bits of Womanese that your girl threw at you.
First, it is possible for a woman to get "too close emotionally and physically" with a man -but only when she has low Interest Level (your girl made quite an admission!).
Second, taking time to "think about the relationship" only gives a woman time to research the
most convenient ways for her to dump a guy (so why stick around?).
Third, after a relationship has been destroyed by disloyalty, there's nothing left to "work out."
Get the idea, Kevin?
her think you were "playing it cool," which drove her crazy! This demonstrates that
Challenge* [term used by Doc Love to represent the "challenge" of a man when he goes after
a woman] works, even when you are sweating bullets inside!
Guys, when your feelings prevent you from seeing Miss Right's faults, only The "System"
[program created by Doc Love to help men understand women] can cure your blindness.
Experiment with this elixir of relationships, and you too can become Love Doctors -- without
having to spend years in Med School!
just a gigolo
In spite of his profession's dubious reputation, the gigolo of the past was much more
honorable than today's gigolo. At least when the former sold himself, he stated his prices up
front -- the latter is merely a con artist who deserves ostracism, and in some cases, jail time.
Leaving aside his sociopathic features -- the modern day gigolo can still teach nice guys
something about romancing women. After all, his ability to work a woman's heart the way a
virtuoso works the strings of a violin is a skill we could all use in our love lives. So, what's his
secret? It comes down to following three steps:
The gigolo doesn't allow his emotions to cloud his perceptions and actions; he always keeps
his eye on the prize.
turn it around
Guys, the gigolo's three steps for gaining a woman's money can be used to help you gain a
long-term, loving, and mutually beneficial relationship. How? Simply replace the gigolo's
actions with actions recommended by The "System" [a body of principles that guarantee your
success with a woman that you love].
So -- instead of looking for women with no self-esteem, look for women with high Interest
Level* [a degree of love], integrity, flexibility, and giving dispositions. Instead of strokes and
hard luck stories, you will offer women self-control, confidence, and Challenge* [allowing
the woman to chase you].
Like the gigolo, you will force yourself to stay objective to see whether or not you are
reaching your goal -- but unlike the gigolo, you can always refer back to The "System"
whenever you are confused.
Tony, although it would be possible to learn some things from your buddy, you should realize
that he's a lowlife who should not be emulated. Instead of hoping to gain a pair of shoes from
a relationship, raise your sights a little higher, my man -- women have a lot more to offer.
hands.
Unfortunately, when I kissed her, she became quite withdrawn.
The next day, she called to tell me that she wanted to stop seeing me. She said that she still
had feelings for her ex-boyfriend and was confused. After talking to her a while, I talked her
into going out with me again.
It took two calls to reach her after that. When I finally did reach her, she sounded genuinely
happy to speak to me. She told me that she would call me that weekend to arrange a meeting.
She never called.
What's your advice?
Marcus - who just wants another date
In contrast, women with low Interest Level give mixed signals. They may give you their
phone number, but they will tell you that sometimes the phone doesn't work. They may tell
you how much they want to see you, but when you call them, they never seem to be home.
Or, if you are lucky enough to get them on the phone, they always have a busy schedule.
Then, if you somehow manage to get a date, something always seems to come up to prevent
you from meeting. This last scenario describes yours, Marcus.
The moment this girl canceled your second date over your answering machine (rejecting you
to a machine instead of to your face -- what a classy lady!), it was clear that she was ineligible
for your time.
lack of desire
In spite of her cajoling words and the token lunch date she gave you, her broken date betrayed
the lack of desire in her heart.
Women with low Interest Level are consistent only about one thing: breaking dates. This fact
should make your course of action obvious: If a woman breaks a date, tear up her phone
number and flush it down the toilet.
Using this strategy, Marcus, can help you quickly cut through the confusion arising from a
woman's mixed signals. If you had used this tactic on your girl, there would have been no
need to talk her into seeing you instead of her ex-boyfriend (by the way, if she had liked you,
she would have forgotten all about him).
Although we never saw each other outside of school, we would always talk and have a good
time in class.
During our senior year, I tried desperately to ask her out -- not on a "date-date" but just to
hang out -- but I could never find the right opportunity. Finally, that year I asked her to the
prom, but she already had a date (doh!).
Later, I told her how I felt about her, but her response wasn't very enthusiastic. This was
confusing to me because whenever we went somewhere together, we always had a terrific
time.
When you asked Miss Right to the prom, and she didn't counteroffer with an encouraging
suggestion like "Let's go out next Friday, for sure," it meant that the two of you had no future
together.
If the significance of this event was lost on you at that moment, then her subsequent
indifference about your crush should have driven the point home. I'm sorry it didn't.
often, I see this attractive woman who is always with a new guy that she doesn't seem to be
involved with.
One night, while I was on the dance floor, she gave me a "buying signal" by (accidentally)
touching my hand. I looked over and smiled at her and started to talk to her. I got her phone
number with no hesitation at all.
When I got back to my group of friends, they told me that she was bad news and I shouldn't
bother with her because they all had bad experiences with her.
is she interested?
"But wait," you might ask me, "why do we need to do that?" Because your girl might actually
have low Interest Level* [degree of love], a bad attitude, or is a Psycho and you don't even
know it! We want to avoid users and wackos -- don't we, guys? Of course! Even guys who
have never had a date in their life know that much.
Yes, Alex, this girl did give you some good Buying Signals and you played the situation well,
but now you must ask yourself about the significance of your words: "always with a new
guy." After all, you wrote these words; unfortunately, you missed their bigger meaning.
Why does a girl spend so much time with guys she's not interested in? Could it just be bad
luck that she always chooses the wrong guy or does it reflect her attitude? For instance, could
she have an integrity deficit? If she does, you can bet her eyes will wander when she's out
with you the same way they do when she's with those other guys.
she's unsure
But unfortunately, Alex, you already got some signs that she is playing with your heart. When
she "wasn't sure" if she could go out, and she didn't counteroffer, you had confirmation of low
Interest Level (40 to 49%).
This means that, in spite of her initial Buying Signals, you can't be sure she ever had high
Interest Level in you. Much like those other guys, you may have never been "in" with her to
begin with.
It's a shocking reality that some women give their phone numbers to men even when they're
not interested (it shocked me when I first discovered this phenomenon!).
You may have wanted to go out with her before, but her behavior tells you where you stand
with her -- so, don't phone her again. Just think: you will be the first one in her life to do this
Charlie, your girl's feeble overtures to a relationship are about as authentic as O.J. Simpson's
plans to find the "real killers". You would be more likely to win the lottery!
Like the married man who promises his mistress that someday he will leave his wife, your girl
is filling your head with dreams. Consequently, you believe that one day she will get over her
feelings for her ex-boyfriend and start dating you.
useless romanticism
Charlie, your drawings and roses are romantic gestures -- fit only for someone who has
demonstrated her high Interest Level in you through her actions. Your girl clearly doesn't
qualify. Of course, this hasn't stopped her from accepting your gifts and your valuable time
and attention.
Your girl wants you to play the stooge for her, but nothing more. She doesn't mind your
advances, as long as she doesn't have to lift a finger to reciprocate.
In short: she's more concerned about making her fragile ego feel good and not about treating
you properly. Want to prove this to yourself? Stop giving her gifts and see how long she
sticks around.
she's unavailable
Charlie, if your girl truly liked you, she would have been the one asking to take the
relationship to the next level (wouldn't that have been better?). So next time, let the woman be
the one to come on strong.
You're right, Charlie -- you can't keep up your current course of action for much longer -- and
thank goodness for that! Why? Because the longer you ignore reality and run after love
mirages, the more ripped up your poor heart will become (not to mention all the money you
would waste in the meantime).
Just think of all the home phone numbers you could have gotten while you were busy chasing
this unavailable woman. Thank goodness you now have The "System" [a body of principles
that guarantee your success with a woman that you love] to guide your love choices.
Men think that women can be coaxed into romantic relationships through gifts and kind
words, but when they push and push this way, they always get the same results: they get
played for suckers. Which reinforces the theory that Nice Guys Finish Last.
If anything, constantly giving yourself to a romantic deadbeat only makes the woman more
complacent, more disrespectful and even less likely to take the next step.
Guys, when it comes to love, a woman with high Interest Level would gladly meet your
advances halfway. If she doesn't, then it's time to move on to someone with better taste!
As is true with most dates, Brad, everything appeared to be going smoothly for you in the
beginning -- that is, until your girl threw you a curve ball.
Because you're a rational being, you asked yourself, "Why is she talking to me about another
guy when we are sitting together on her couch? Couches aren't made for that!" That's where I
come in: I can interpret this inconsistent female behavior for the billions of confused men who
inhabit planet Earth!
category one
The woman likes you, but feels the need to test you. In this instance, it's not her intention to
humiliate you -- she just wants to find out what you are made of.
For instance, are you the type of guy who gets uptight when you find out you're not the only
sprinter in the race for her heart, or do you smile nonchalantly because you know you're
dating other people yourself?
Unlike the male, the female knows that dating is a power struggle. This is why she tries to
determine ASAP who's wearing the pants in the relationship.
By besetting the man with numerous uncomfortable situations, a woman can determine
whether or not he can "take the heat" (sorry to say -- most men can't), which shows her
whether or not he has a backbone.
In short, testing gives the woman very useful information: how far a man can be pushed
before he walks out of her life.
category two
The woman likes you, but feels the need to cleanse her soul. In this scenario, she has only
gone out with you one or two times, but she already feels guilty about dating other guys. In
her mind, she has given herself to you, so any time spent out with another man is a type of
infidelity, which makes her want to confess.
Of course, her self-imposed guilt is unnecessary since no one can be expected to stop going
out with other people after only a couple of dates -- but it's a good sign nevertheless: it shows
you that she has integrity and has fallen hard for you.
From the start, I sensed that she had a small thing for me, but I acted like I never noticed it,
which, I think, made her feelings for me even stronger. I knew in my gut that things wouldn't
work out between her and my buddy due to the fact that she met him right after her divorce.
Having been through a divorce myself, I understood what one goes through and how one
thinks, so I could just tell that her Interest Level for him wasn't where it should be. I was
correct.
Well, the other night, she broke down on the phone and told me how she felt about me. She is
soooo into me -- I would say she has 99% Interest Level. She would do anything I wanted her
to do (within reason, of course). She is beautiful, flexible, loyal, giving, and affectionate with
me (she was never affectionate with my buddy), and I am attracted to her.
I like this girl and think we could be good together, but on the other hand, I don't want to do
anything against the guy who was the best man at my wedding. Help!
Thanks,
Roy - who honestly doesn't know what to do
Even if she felt justified in her flirting due to your buddy neglecting or mistreating her, you
still have to ask yourself why she stayed so long with a guy that she didn't even like. It's
highly possible that she belongs to that club comprised of users and women who cannot stand
to be alone: Professional Daters. These women frequently go with guys when they only have
40% to 49% Interest Level. Is that the type of girl you want over the long haul? I don't think
so.
The truth is, Roy, she might consider you a rebound relationship like she did with your best
buddy. As my Uncle Jethro Love would say, "She could be just passing through with you too,
cowboy." In short: this girl's not a good love choice for you, so forget it.
If you had gone through with your plan, Roy, what odds would Vegas give you that your
buddy would remain your closest friend? Try one in a hundred.
As I frequently say -- marriage is tough, even under the best of circumstances. When you run
into financial hard times, it's more important than ever that the woman you're with stands by
you. Smart men use tough times to find this out. Now, Don -- let's see how your girl measures
up.
her measurements
While you were struggling to move your business out of Intensive Care -- the business that
would soon support the two of you -- what was she doing to help out? (Eating bonbons and
watching Rosie O'Donnell doesn't count!).
Did she offer to type or stuff envelopes, or bring you lemonade -- if not out of the goodness of
her heart, then at least out of the desire to save half of the business that would soon be hers?
No.
While you were busting your butt 16 hours a day trying to keep the financial boat afloat, your
fiance -- instead of being there beside you to help bail you out of the water -- jumped ship!
Why?
to dinner very much during your period of financial crisis, but you really didn't have much of
a choice.
Under normal circumstances, the man practices respect, romance and affection to maintain a
relationship. While the man should always be respectful and affectionate as long as the
woman reciprocates -- the romantic nights out on the town would obviously have to be
suspended until your business recovers from its monetary drain.
A woman with high Interest Level and a good attitude would understand this and would never
hold it against him.
might get tired of me and my gifts, and drift towards another man. Do you have any
recommendations on how to keep a long-distance relationship strong?
Thanks,
Glenn -- who wants to keep the flame burning
enjoyed her company and conversation. I'm not sure what she thought of me, but I would like
to see her again on a friendship basis. My question is: how do I go about doing this without
hurting her feelings or leading her on?
I feel as though I should at least call her and say I had a nice time even though I am not
interested in pursuing a romantic relationship, but there is no easy way to do that.
Is it possible to pursue a friendship after going out on a date or is it better to not call her
again? I married young and I don't have a lot of experience with dating, so any help would be
greatly appreciated.
Chuck - who doesn't want to hurt her feelings
give an inch...
First, let's suppose that your girl has a high Interest Level* [degree of love] in you when you
propose friendship to her. She will most likely accept your offer in hopes of wearing down
your resistance to romance over time. Her effort will be in vain, of course. Why? Because in
your eyes, this girl looks more like Rosie O'Donnell than Caprice the supermodel. Your
Interest Level in her is 49% or lower, but she's trying to raise it to 51% or higher. The
"System" [a body of principles that guarantee your success with a woman that you love] says
this is an impossible feat, by definition.
If she is, things can work out fine, but if she isn't -- you could be opening yourself up to
having your time wasted. So, to screen out any ladies who would take advantage of your offer
of friendship, don't do any labor-intensive favors for them (like moving furniture for her or
waxing her car), and make sure they always pay their own way.
shall we dance?
Chuck, if you are only proposing friendship to this woman in a feeble attempt to spare her
feelings, you should admit it to yourself right now. Why? Because a misleading song and
dance about friendship over the phone hurts a woman more than if you had never called her
again. Your girl would much prefer the truth to being misled (I wish women with low Interest
Level would be this considerate with men they date!). So, what's it gonna be, Chuck? Do you
really want a friend or are you just trying to unload her? Make up your mind, boy!
The most humane way to say goodbye to a woman you're not interested in is to never ask for
her home phone number to begin with. But if you have already gone out with her and have
lost your Interest Level during the date, then the next best thing is to never call her again.
Though women are rarely the ones getting dumped in the relationship, they can quickly pick
up the nonverbal message that a silent telephone delivers (Men, unfortunately, usually aren't
so perceptive!).
Hey Doc,
I have had a platonic relationship with a girl for four years. We have done almost everything
together, even vacations. Things have gone very well -- until about a month ago, shortly after
she met her current boyfriend.
When she first told me about the new man in her life, I told her that I was glad that she had
finally found someone. But since then, every time I've tried to arrange get-togethers with her
over the phone (like I've always done before) she has either given me the silent treatment or
completely ignored my suggestions.
When I persist, she often says, "I'll get back to you." The problem is: she never does!
She says she wants us to stay friends, but that is very hard for me to do when she treats me
like dirt. What's going on, Doc?
Richard -- who wants to know what has changed
a friend in need...
If she were truly your friend, the new boyfriend only would have affected the amount of time
she spent with you, not her respect level. Because the change in her behavior was so abrupt, I
can only conclude one thing: you had unknowingly become her Surrogate Boyfriend .
Some women cannot stand to go it alone. They cannot stand to be seen in public without some
guy walking next to them -- even for a day. If this type of woman has no boyfriend and she is
a user, she will attempt to fill the empty space on her dance card by seeking out an
undemanding social partner who knows his place. Enter The Surrogate Boyfriend (That's you,
Richard).
Why did this happen?
is no friend indeed
The Surrogate Boyfriend is a guy who allows himself to be the puppet of the Lonely Female
User. He has high Interest Level* [degree of love] in her, but instead of asking her out on a
date, he elects to be her friend.
Why? Either because he denies his interest or because he mistakenly believes that the
friendship will later magically transform into a romance. The reality is quite different.
As time passes, this poor schlep comes to resemble the woman's serf more than a friend. Like
a fireman on a perpetual 48-hour shift, he is always on call for her; he's always available for
the next appointment written on her social calendar.
And because he is happy just to be in her presence, he never expects anything back (not that
he would get it!). The shock comes months or years later when she no longer needs him, and
she unceremoniously tosses him out of her life like a used Kleenex.
your girlfriend. Think of it: you spent four long years with this girl and what do you have to
show for it? At least an ex-boyfriend gets kissed.
Richard, chalk this one up to experience and move on to someone who has some
consideration for your time and feelings. If this ex-friend calls again, just tell her you've got a
girlfriend now and you're busy.
From now on, whenever you are interested in a woman, ask her out for a real date. Don't
delude yourself by merely impersonating a boyfriend.
Guys, whenever love is involved, you must be ever vigilant against subjectivity. Don't let
your high Interest Level dupe you into entering unrewarding friendships. Instead, let The
"System" [a body of principles that guarantee your success with a woman that you love] be
the rational voice that guides you through the wilderness of relationships.
Hi Bill,
For someone using The "System" [a body of principles that guarantee your success with a
woman that you love] for the first time, you did a commendable job! You were a Challenge*
[allowing the woman to chase you] to this lady by hanging back, plus, you were observant
when you noticed her Buying Signals* [signs that she's interested]. Nice going!
Most men don't understand that dating, at times, is a waiting game. Unlike those brainwashed
souls, Bill, you understood this. That's why you didn't come on your colleague right out of the
chute (your cautiousness may also help you some day in court -- if she is the vicious type who
likes to slap male coworkers with bogus Sexual Harassment suits!). In this woman's mind,
you were patient and had self-control. Only you and I know that you were scared!
So what happened?
interesting challenge
If there is the tiniest sliver of a chance that you have downplayed your coworker's enthusiasm
for you (and therefore, her Interest Level), Challenge will be your salvation. It will raise Miss
Right's Interest Level from 51% all the way to 99%.
Challenge can even help you if she has a terminal case of low Interest Level (49% or lower);
it prevents you from making a fool of yourself, and thus, allows you to save face. In short,
whether your romance is thriving or on its deathbed, Challenge is always the best medicine.
Bill, though you dropped the ball on the two-yard line, you will do much better in future
dates. In time, you will master more and more of The "System" until one day, women will
claw each other to death just to get next to you!
The good news is: if by some long shot, your sweetheart is the exception to the rule, I can arm
you with the one thing that could make a romance happen: Challenge* [allowing the woman
to chase you], also known as "Superwoman's Kryptonite."
silence is king
Judging by the lack of Buying Signals* [signs that she's interested] mentioned in your letter, I
would assume that the object of your affection is comfortable with the relationship as it is and
doesn't think of you as anything more than a "friend"; the most dreaded word a man can hear
from a woman. But in the small chance that she harbors some romantic feelings for you and is
playing it cool, Challenge will turn up the heat and make her Interest Level* [degree of love]
climb through the roof!
Challenge can even help you out when your female friend has only 49% Interest Level in you.
How? It forces you to keep your trap shut around her and thus preserve your friendship.
Blabbing your amorous feelings to a girl who doesn't feel the same way about you can make
her feel uncomfortable, which can cause a friendship to die a slow death.
Now how can you get her?
asking me out on a date?" She will then answer sheepishly, "Well, sort of." This is when you
know she's seeing you in a whole new light; and that it's now time to go out on your first date!
Isn't Challenge great?
Remember guys, if you want to turn Miss Friend into Miss Right, you have to let her think it's
her idea; you must let her think she's in control (Only you and I know better!).
Be a Challenge around her and she will feel inspired to make positive changes to your
relationship. But if she decides to keep the friendship, then get mileage out of the
arrangement; go to clubs with her and show her off to other women. As my cousin Sal "The
Fish" Love would say: "Whatever it takes!"
Before you think I will only devote space in my column to pick on you, Frederick, let me say
that your girl's record isn't clean either. First, she threw you a curveball when she asked,
"Why me?" It's hard to find a better indicator of low Interest Level than a girl playing dumb
after you ask her out. I'll bet she even fluttered her eyelashes for dramatic effect!
Then she said to you, "I need to think it over very carefully." You only asked her out to the
theatre, not to move to Mongolia! This girl gets an "A" in Women's Stalling Techniques 101.
"Needing to think" about going out on a date is Womanese for: "I've already forgotten about
it!"
Then she added, "Thank you for your understanding," which was Womanese for: "Thank you
for not going berserk on me like the last guys I tricked." First, she waits until the absolute last
minute to tell you she never had high Interest Level in you -- then she thanks you for excusing
her behavior through your words. You made her work so easy! This is a good example of
Women Don't Lie -- Men Don't Listen.
is independence bad?
She's 22 now, but from an early age, she had to be very independent due to the fact that most
of the men in her life (including the father of her son) have been losers. Perhaps this is why
she mentioned to me that she doesn't see herself ever getting married. Now she may just be
bringing this up in passing, but it's obviously on her mind nonetheless.
I want to know how much one can expect from a woman who has become independent due to
a jerk ex-boyfriend? Is a long-term relationship possible? I've never met a girl like her, and
she's made it apparent to me that I'm pretty special to her. Should I wait and let her come to
me? What is your experienced opinion?
I'd appreciate your insight, Doc. Thanks so much for your time.
Mario -- who wants to know if she's a good catch
icy excuses
Your wife blames her medication for her deep-freeze mode, but you said her problem began
years before . Can you see the convenient consistency in her two excuses? In both cases, she
doesn't have to touch you.
Yes Ter, she did place you in a Catch-22 situation. The great thing about her health excuse is
that you become the ogre if you try to be intimate with her. She may even end up saying that
you are the cause of her panic attacks!
In fact, I would venture to say that panic attacks aren't your wife's real problem -- attacks of
low Interest Level [degree of love] are!
frigid feelings
To be sure about her actual degree of feelings for you, here's a test you can use. Ask yourself
if she has ever done any of the following for you:
Put her arms around you and/or kissed you for no reason.
Complimented you on your looks.
Sat very close to you at a restaurant or on the couch at home.
Gave you a massage.
In other words, has she ever been all over you? If she hasn't, you may have married a
Professional Dater; a woman who marries in spite of her low Interest Level.
Apparently, she had a bad relationship with her daughter's father, which ended with her
kicking him out of the house for becoming a drunk, right after her daughter was born. I know
I should have listened to her, but I started spending a lot of time with her -- along with her
daughter and mine, who were always with us. We were just like a family, except there was no
intimacy.
a friend indeed
One day, I finally asked her if we were just friends or if there was a chance that our
relationship could develop into something more. She said there was a chance, but that she was
not ready yet and would like us to be just friends right now.
I know I should move on, but I'm crazy about her. My question is, should I believe that I have
a chance with her and hold on, or should I just move on? Is there anything I can do to win her
over or was the relationship dead when she said the word "friends?" Any advice will be most
appreciated.
Oscar -- who wants to know if he should wait for her
Remember, guys: you are looking for someone to love you, not waste your time -- so choose
accordingly. Don't let dreams of an ideal family life with Miss Right make you overlook her
flaws. As my Uncle Jethro Love would say, "What makes a woman good is her attitude."
they wouldn't have had any effect on her feelings towards you . In fact, nothing can raise or
lower that score; not family arguments at home, not the health of her friends, not her Art
History class, and -- contrary to what you and many other guys think -- not her raging female
hormones. Nothing can cause a drop in a woman's Interest Level except for one thing: the
man's actions.
The problem is that we live about 800 kilometers apart. Fortunately, I planned to be at a
business conference near her hometown a week later. Together, we planned that I would visit
her and we would spend the weekend together.
We had not talked to each other for two weeks (I had been very busy), but I called her this
morning to see if everything was set. In response, she asked me to call her back a half hour
later because she was having breakfast! I know I should have asked her to call me back, but
being a gentleman, I called her. Unfortunately, nobody answered.
I left the following message on her answering machine: "Listen, I don't like playing games.
Call me today so I can make plans for the upcoming weekend." Well, she did not call me, but
about eight hours later, I received an e-mail telling me that she was having the most stressful
period in her job right now, and that she was moving into and renovating a new apartment and
could not make it for the weekend.
She offered to invite me in a few weeks when everything was set in her life, and expressed her
regrets if she were to lose me due to this incident. Strange creature, isn't she?
How should I react, Doc?
Heinz -- who wants to know if he should try again.
Strange creature is an understatement! You asked her out well in advance of the date and she
neglected to mention that she was changing homes that day. How convenient. 99% of the
time, when someone moves, they think about the momentous day months before it arrives.
Your girl apparently forgot all about it until the last minute. What a great opportunity to tell
you a whopper!
of women. One -- the woman who is sincerely looking for a relationship and will thus give
you a fair shot. And two -- the game player, who leads poor schleps on via e-mail messages,
telephone conversations and the Internet. The trick is to find the first type, while avoiding the
second type at all costs.
So how do you avoid those women who play useless games?
no date, no mate
Heinz, you got a few photos and some expensive phone bills, but you never got a date . So
which camp do you think that puts your girl in? As my cousin Rabbi Love would ask: "Is this
such a tough question?"
When a guy works the personals he must get to the Short Date (meeting briefly for coffee)
ASAP. If, after exchanging photos and a phone call, she drags her feet about a face-to-face
meeting, then you are talking to a woman who only loves male attention from afar. As The
Reality Factor says -- when there is reluctance on a woman's part, there is low Interest Level.
Simple, huh?
easy getaway
The best part of your letter was your girl's breakfast stunt. "Call back in half an hour" is
Womanese for, "Call back when I'm sure I will have left the house!" Or worse: "Call back
when I'm sure my boyfriend and I will have left the house!"
By falling for this ruse, you gave up self-control and proved that you weren't as much a
gentleman as you were a weak man. The truth is, if she really had high Interest Level, she
would have tossed her breakfast into the garbage disposal because love is more important to
women than food! She really worked you over on this one, while simultaneously giving you
the kiss of death.
She didn't "regret losing you" -- in fact, she was planning on it! Apparently, someone else
came into her life and since she had gotten tired of playing with you, it was time to move on.
Heinz, you don't really think that this was the first time she has played this game, do you? If
you do, I got some swampland on the Rhine to sell you!
goodbye stranger
This girl has neither the Interest Level nor the consideration to make her worth pursuing.
Consider yourself lucky to have found this out sooner rather than later. If this thought doesn't
console you, then remember this, Heinz: you two didn't even meet, so there is no real reason
to take her rejection personally. As far as you're concerned, she rejected a stranger.
Your experience proves my point, Heinz; spending hours conversing with a woman in
cyberspace or incessantly shooting the bull with her over the phone is a waste of time. You
may think something is going on, but in reality, it means absolutely nothing. Why? Because
until you meet eyeball to eyeball, you are still strangers.
Guys, when using the personals, follow The "System" [a body of principles that guarantee
your success with a woman that you love] and don't let anyone waste your time. Remember
that even with love, the clock is always ticking.
more excuses
I later called her house for another date and her brother said she wasn't home. I left my phone
number and asked him to have her call me back. She never called. She later told me that her
brother told her "someone" had called, but not who. Of course, I didn't know if she was telling
the truth.
When I asked her out for another date she told me that she was very busy and stressed out
about her final exams, and that she couldn't go out until they were over.
After her exams, I saw her again. She told me that she finally had time for our date and was
looking forward to it. I told her I would call the next day with the details, but she said I
couldn't because she moved out of her parents' house and that she now temporarily lives with
a girlfriend; therefore, she would call me. She then asked me for my phone number again
because she left it at her parents' house.
In this way, she could play with her buddies and make a fool of you at the same time (I have
to give you kudos though for showing a backbone and getting the "N" word [no] out.
Obviously, she acted nervous afterward -- she was pouting over the way you busted her on her
brazen act of disrespect!).
she's a fake
Even though your girl acted excited at times, it means nothing. She may be on drugs, or more
likely: she's campaigning for an Academy Award in the "Faking High Interest Level"
category.
Contrary to the way you and many other men have been brainwashed, love is not complicated.
When a woman likes you, she goes out with you -- period. There are no conditions, curve
balls, no need for her to call back -- and most of all, there are no unpleasant surprises.
Consistency is the MO of a woman with a good attitude and high Interest Level. Sadly,
Trevor, the only thing your woman is consistent with is her excuses.
a waste of energy?
So, why would a sane woman spend so much time and energy just to waste your time? Well,
look at it this way: all women are born flirts; but while most of them only enjoy trying to get a
reaction from guys they like, a small sociopathic minority enjoys male strokes so much that
they flirt with all guys, even those that mean absolutely nothing to them.
To them, toying with a man's affections is nothing but pure entertainment. The problem is,
when guys take this game seriously, their hearts get beat up.
Thankfully, The "System" [a body of principles that guarantee your success with a woman
that you love] is there to help. It's a screening process that saves you time and protects your
heart from game players. If you had followed it consistently, Trevor, you would have thrown
this girl out of your life the first time she asked you to e-mail her. That's okay, at least you'll
know for the next time.
Guys, when a woman acts like she likes you half of the time and acts cold the other half (
before you are married!), it's a huge red flag. As my cousin Fast Eddie Love would say:
"Next!"
My girlfriend and I have been dating each other for a little over a year. We are very much in
love and are committed to each other. Recently, she has become more interested in being
"accepted" at school and attending social functions.
Since I cannot usually attend these functions, I am left out of that small portion of her life. I
have no problem with her being with her friends; however, she recently asked me something
that has disturbed me deeply.
She has a formal prom-like dance coming up in December and she wants to go to it "very
badly" so she can be with her friends. I cannot attend; otherwise I would take her in an instant
(and she knows it). She informed me (not asked -- informed) that she is going to go with a
male friend of hers. I immediately objected.
seeing or is it the company that will be there with her? (Answer: she's looking forward to
seeing a guy and he's not you!).
Of course a guy should always try to attend social events like the ones at your girlfriend's
school for the sake of maintaining a loving relationship, but I doubt that romantic neglect is
your problem, Milt. I believe the real problem is that your ladylove plans her social calendar
around your schedule on purpose . No, you're not wrong to be upset.
Let's move on to Exhibit A...
One thing you should not do, under any circumstances, is lose your cool and try to take out
your girl's prom date with a deer rifle! The Bottom Line Factor says that a woman's lack of
Interest Level and integrity are the real culprits in love rip-offs, not "the other guy."
Hi Angelo,
To paraphrase an old adage: "Candy is dandy, but Night Train is quicker!" The problem
comes when your girl tries to pick up the football team in the middle of your date!
Sure, a woman's Interest Level [degree of love] appears to rise with each belt of Thunderbird
you give her, but you cannot keep a woman tipsy all of the time! In a world filled with
females who often give false signals of high Interest Level, you practically need a polygraph
to know whether or not you've got the real thing on your hands.
But to add alcohol to this equation is to make the truth damn near impossible to find out!
That's why a man must discover what a woman's feelings are for him without the three shots
of Red Mountain.
Why was she giving up your seat to other guys?
wrong intoxication
Angelo, it's not youth that's keeping this girl from you, it's her low Interest Level. You would
have seen this right away if you had chosen to intoxicate her with charm rather than with old
grapes. For example, if you had gotten bored expressions during displays of your sparkling
wit, you would have immediately known that your girl was unavailable for future dates.
Conversely, any smiles and touches during your rendezvous would have shown you that she
cared.
From now on, Angelo, let your dates take a straight shot of your male strength qualities of
Self-Control, Confidence and Challenge [allowing the woman to chase you], and if they don't
respond, move on to those who will. Unless a woman likes you at least 51%, not even Ernest
and Julio can help.
Guys, women who like you don't need to get boiled in grape juice in order to show it.
Remember that it is not only cheaper to minimize alcohol use during the date, but there are no
love hangovers in the morning to worry about!
diverse directions
Anyhow, the only downside was that the date seemed to end quickly due to the fact that when
we were leaving, we realized that we were parked in totally opposite directions. I did offer to
walk her to her car, but she said it was late and politely declined. Does this mean anything?
I definitely want to ask this woman out again and I have a couple of questions. Exactly how
long should I wait to call her after the first date and is it too much pressure to suggest that the
next date be a Saturday night dinner date? Also, should I leave her a message if I get her
answering service and wait to see if she calls me back or should I try to get her in person?
Isaiah -- who appreciates any help you can give
housebroken puppy in a newly carpeted living room. It doesn't take long for him to lose
control and when he does, he makes a big mess out of everything.
Unlike those panting pups, you used the most powerful dating strategy available to mankind,
if he has the guts to use it: Challenge [allowing the woman to chase you].
When you give a woman some time to wonder why you haven't called, she's even more
interested in you when you finally do. Holding back makes you more intriguing, mysterious
and way more desirable.
What to do on that first date...
making waves
I also commend you for working hard to keep the conversation focused on your date rather
than yourself. Now here's a tip: When she's peppering you with questions and you find
yourself getting uncomfortable, just ask her the same or a similar question to the one that she's
just asked you. It's often easier than wracking your brain for new things to ask and it keeps
you both on the same wavelength.
Also remember that curiosity is often a sign of high interest, so I'm glad your date was asking
you lots of questions. Compare her behavior to all the women you've met who hardly asked
you one thing about yourself. They make you wonder: "Gee, is this girl totally lacking a
personality or is it just me?"
be gentle, man
Next, let me recommend that from now on, always pick your date up at her home. There are
many reasons for doing this: 1) It's the chivalrous and gentlemanly thing to do; 2) You get to
spend more time getting to know each other while driving together; 3) A woman who won't
allow you to pick her up at her home is either uptight or has low Interest Level [degree of
love].
What you still should have done was to simply start walking your date to her car without
asking her if it was okay. That way you appear to be confident and classy, and you can't be
faulted for being protective of her. If she insists on going it alone, then it's even more clear
that she's not even close to starting to think of you as her hero.
You have to ask yourself: would a woman who likes and respects me not want me to walk her
to her car late at night, in a ballpark parking lot full of beer guzzling crazies? When she
"politely declined" your offer Isaiah, that was a big red flag.
Her excuse for not having you escort her was, "it's late." Wait a minute. It's late? All the more
reason for a lady to want a gentleman to escort her to her car. So obviously, you've gotten
some mixed messages from this gal.
royal flush
Your next step is to flush her out by getting her on the phone (do not leave any messages) and
ask her out for a weeknight. Let her wonder whom you're saving your weekends for. That way
you are seen as... you guessed it, a Challenge. And make sure to ask her for her home address
so you can pick her up.
If she balks, as they say in baseball, it's time for you to bunt and tear up her phone number.
Many women would argue and say, "but she hardly knows him." To those women I say: Have
you ever let a guy pick you up at your house on the first date? Their honest answer would be:
"Well, only when my Interest Level in him was high."
Remember guys, a woman with high Interest Level is consistently positive and never gives
you mixed signals in the game of love.
shifting gears
But guys, don't be deluded by this statistical fluke. Most of the time, once a girl has decided
that you're her friend, getting her to switch tracks and start thinking of you romantically, is
like trying to get Jesse Jackson to vote Republican. What you usually hear when you try to
make the shift from buddy to boyfriend are those 5 words that strike terror in the hearts of
good men: "Can't we just be friends?"
To avoid this discouraging scenario, always let the woman you're interested in know up-front
that you're there to date her, not befriend her.
Butch, I think this girl is a good candidate for the long haul because she has high Interest
Level in you and just as important, she respects you, despite your shortcomings. But before
you two tie the knot, you should ask yourself: If I'm not capable of maintaining a valid
my car is inadequate
Then, as we were driving back to my office, we passed a really cool looking jeep and I
commented on it. Then she came right out and said, "If you had a jeep like that, I would get so
turned on every time I saw you in it, I wouldn't be able to control myself." What the hell?
Okay, she's told me she likes jeeps, but what was that all about? All that did was make me
feel like my Mercury Sable makes me inadequate.
Do you think if I bought a jeep her Interest Level would hit 100 percent or do you think she
was trying to tell me something else? Why did she go out and get a tattoo? She's never wanted
one before. Why is she talking about buying rings, but claiming she doesn't want to get "too
serious" because we're so young? Damned Womanese.
Keith -- who is dazed and confused on a Friday afternoon.
materialistic mama
Next she plays with your head about the ring and then she puts down your car. Why are you
with her? Together your ages are forty, but while you act twenty-five, she acts like she's
fifteen. You sound like an opened-minded guy, but she should be dating someone in a band,
not you. You two are like oil and water.
Keith, you are in denial, and I am not talking about the river in Egypt. Wake up and look at
the huge red warning flags waving in front of your face. If you want to have a successful,
mutually rewarding, long-term relationship with a woman, she must have a good attitude,
while this dudette gets an F on her attitude report card.
She's a walking contradiction. She wants to hang out with the punky tattoo piercing freaks and
also have you drive her around in a $40,000 jeep, plus buy her expensive jewelry. Assuming
she means what she says, it sounds as if she sees you more as a bank than as a boyfriend.
back to basics
Before long I was dating new girls and having a blast being single. Then my ex called me a
couple of weeks ago to tell me that she thought the money would make her happy, but that
she's miserable with her new guy. They do nothing but fight. He's not a Challenge. He's
jealous and possessive and she realizes he's tried to buy her love and that she doesn't respect
him. Now she says that she really only wants me and would give up everything and move
back if I would please give her a second chance.
Tex -- who wants to know what he should do.
for you. She might not be completely aware of it, but deep down, she'd be thinking of you as a
pliable, spineless wuss .
Since I didn't get the token "I love you" back, I am not sure if I should wait for us to get
serious to say it again. She said that she wants to date for a while because she thinks that we
got serious too early. I really don't know what I should do. Should I wait or keep my options
open? I really love her, but I don't want to wait if she's just going to leave me eventually.
Brett - who is not sure about what he should do next
whoa nelly!
During the first sixty days of dating, she doesn't lose points by saying "I love you," but you
do! Yes, that's right. It's politically incorrect and it's called a double standard.
So Brett, when you feel the urge to say it again -- don't. And when she says it, you should
answer humorously with a De Niro impression: "What, you talkin' to me?" If this seems
harsh, remember that this girl is telling you she wants to slow things down after a great start.
So much for language and logic.
Brett, I want to tell you something important that you won't hear from the other relationship
experts: In the early stages of courtship, in order to feel romantically stimulated, men and
women have differing needs. Men primarily need to have the experience of being accepted by
a woman, while women primarily need to have the experience of having to wonder if the guy
whom they are interested in, really likes them or not, and to what degree. Sounds pretty wild,
huh? But it's true.
How do you make her wonder if you like her, and make her crazy about you in the process?
building a mystery
So how do you plan to create that sense of mystery that she requires in order to fall for you, if
you tell her how much you love her right away? You can't. So don't tell her you love her too
soon and she'll love you more and sooner than you think. And by the way, don't attempt to
verify this fact with women because, more often than not, they will deny it and will only
confuse you even more.
Brett, you've got to understand that a sure-fire way to sabotage a potentially great relationship
is to come on heavy verbally. Don't reveal too much about yourself too soon, and don't let her
know that your Interest Level [degree of love] in her is higher than Bill Gates' net worth.
When you do that, you're being the opposite of a Challenge [allowing the woman to chase
you]. And women, above all, want a guy who is a mystery, even though they will never admit
it.
comfort zone
Brett, your problem is that you allowed yourself to get too comfortable way too soon. And
worse, you let her know that you were overjoyed to be with her. But, if her Interest Level is
still above 50%, we can save this relationship by backing off slightly. So no more "I love
yous" for a while; cut down your dates with her to once a week; and don't talk to her on the
phone unless you're making a date. Start thinking like a guy, not a gal, and stop worrying
about where the relationship is going. Instead, relax and allow Challenge to work its magic.
Your job is to always keep it light and fun, and lay off the heavy subjects.
Listen, Brett, two things happen in a relationship; you either break up, or worse, you get
married. The System says that all breakups are never mutual. One person always dumps the
other, and 90% of the time the woman dumps the man or drives him nuts until he dumps her
(she gets him to do her dirty work). Then we hear the excuse, "It didn't work out," which, in
Womanese, means: "He turned me off, lowered my Interest Level, and then I dropped him
like the bad habit that he was."
Remember guys, until she will rob banks for you, do not come on strong. If you cannot learn
to control your mouth, forget women and join a monastery.
striking distance
The rest of that night, she continued to be fairly distant. But then, the "distance" grew each
day, and after a couple days, I went to talk to her, and told her that I had gotten overly
emotional and that even though I meant all that I had said, I'd said it too soon. So I apologized
for that. I told her I didn't want it to make things weird, which I could sense it had. So I asked
if we could just put that behind us and start over. She said, "I don't really know what to say to
that, so I'm not going to say anything."
Ever since then, I've only talked to her once, and she's been acting very distant. I really like
her, and feel totally different about her than I have about anyone else. I don't want things to be
completely ruined because of my one mistake. Is there some way I can communicate this to
her, or is there anything at all I can do to patch things up?
Dershawn - who really needs to be helped out
Hi Dershawn,
Dershawn, my man, I feel for you. It's tough when you really connect with someone and then
they suddenly emotionally withdraw. Most of us men have had similar experiences, but it's
obvious that this gal was a lot more hung up on her ex than she revealed to you.
Was she really homesick?
power of challenge
I don't think she gave you the straight story about why and how they "sort of" broke up. Still,
it doesn't matter what the story was. The Bottom Line Factor [to look at how she treats you,
not what she says] says that she was pretty much emotionally unavailable to begin with.
Although, if her Interest Level [degree of love] in you had been above 50% and you had been
a Challenge [allowing the woman to chase you], you still might have been able to wean her
off her old boyfriend and own her heart, in time.
Challenge is so powerful, it wipes out your competition -- even ex-boyfriends who are barley
hanging on -- but only if the woman has at least 51% Interest Level going in. We don't really
know where her Interest Level in you started, but we do know that now it's lower than the
Titanic. So the bad news is that you made too many fundamental blunders and that you can't
undo what's done, division of "You can't go back."
The good news is that this is a tremendous opportunity for you to learn from your mistakes.
So with a spirit of optimism, let's take a look at how you blew it, knowing that if you follow
The "System" [a body of principles that guarantee your success with a woman that you love]
from now on, you'll never have to experience this kind of pain again.
no upper hand
At this point Dershawn, if you do any more apologizing, you're just going to get more of the
same from her, and you'll just feel worse. So as they say in the Hollywood casting agent's
office: "Next!"
Guys, in a situation like this, cleanup is just not possible. And why not? Because women are
like elephants; they never forget. Once a woman's Interest Level goes below 50%, she may
stay, but her heart is gone forever. So remember, always allow the woman to come on strong
first.
When you hold back and refrain from touching her at all, you are seen as more alluring and
more of a Challenge [allowing the woman to chase you]. If you keep putting your hands on
her, you inhibit her desire to touch you. When you don't touch her, she gives you points for
being distinctly different from the rest of her salivating suitors who invade her space.
Let's not get all touchy here, okay?
errors in judgment
Now let me tell you Parker, you did make two crucial mistakes. First of all, you should have
asked her for her home phone number when you first met her, so you could have judged her
Interest Level. The idea is to watch and see if she hees and haws or not when you ask for it.
So you missed a valuable opportunity because you didn't take control from the get-go.
It amazes me how many men have about as much confidence as a wounded snail when it
comes to being direct and simply saying: "What's your home number?" When you say those
five magic words to her, you not only receive immediate valuable feedback, but it's also the
stronger, more masculine thing to do.
Instead, Parker, you took a weaker approach and went through her girlfriend. Fortunately, in
this rare instance, your girlfriend's friend actually helped you. But more often than not, friends
are undependable, or misconstrue what's really going on.
potential partner, the first thing out of her mouth is usually, "A great sense of humor." Dallas,
I think you know all too well that that's not a complete answer. Laughter is near the top of the
list, but most women place a greater importance on physical appearance than they care to
admit.
If you want to enlist in the Army, you have to pass the Physical. If you want to get a date with
a woman, you also have to pass the Physical; the Physical Attraction Test. The woman gives
this test. It takes place in a split second and the more attractive she is, the fewer the number of
guys who pass the test. Most women will screen a guy in or out instantaneously at first sight,
before he even opens his mouth.
The baldness issue is less problematic. These days you can have a shaved head and be thought
of as sexy. Half the groups on MTV have at least one baldy in the band. And there are plenty
of women who either don't care about a guy's lack of hair, or are actually turned on by a
chrome dome. Remember that baldness is considered to be a masculine trait. So in one sense,
a man is more masculine if he's bald, whereas a bald woman would be considered less
feminine.
Dallas, because you are of less than average height, your pool of available women is smaller
and your odds are less, but by no means are you out of the race. To begin to attract the kind of
woman you desire, first ask yourself: "How am I going to play the cards I've been dealt?" Am
I fun to be with? Is my apartment clean and well decorated? Can a pussycat drink out of my
toilet? Does my car look like wharf rats live inside it? Do I know the crucial dos and don'ts to
follow on a first date? The "System" [a body of principles that guarantee your success with a
woman that you love] will teach you.
for her phone number? Ah, life would be so simple if women never gave men ambiguous
signals. Yet, perhaps, not as interesting.
So what should you do?
monkeying around
Anyway, don't worry Emmett, I will help you to find out what your dancing darling's true
intentions are. First, be aware, that the fact that she has a boyfriend didn't "just come up"
accidentally in your initial conversation with her. Any time a girl brings up her boyfriend, it's
on purpose. Sometimes to let you know that she's popular, or more often to say, "Don't make
any moves, buddy."
The question we need to answer is: If she's happy with her boyfriend, why is she behaving in
a way which could be interpreted that she's romantically interested in you? (To you Psych
majors: if she's already in love, why is she honking your horn and giving you her home phone
number?) Is she just mischievously enjoying making you think that there's hope for you, or is
she trolling for a backup guy to move in once she dumps her current beau? (Perhaps someone
who has it together enough to have his own car?) Remember that many women are like a
chimp in a tree; they won't let go of one branch until they've gotten hold of another one.
If she accepts the lunch date and shows up, keep her laughing as much as you can while
you're out together. Do not touch her or try to kiss her, or tell her how pretty she is. And,
when you end the lunch date, don't mention getting together again. By doing those things,
she'll see you as intriguing and mysterious. After that, let her approach you for the next
rendezvous, and then maintain the same strategy. Don't come on to her.
come on already
If she had authentic romantic Interest Level in you to begin with, at this point, it will have
risen considerably. Soon enough, she'll come on to you in a way that will leave you without
any doubts.
So Emmett, just kick back and be a Challenge, and don't be attached to the outcome. (Don't
make her the center of your life.) Meanwhile, keep getting the home phone numbers of other
girls!
Remember guys; women don't say: "I have low Interest Level in you." If they did, I'd be out
of work.
questions asked. Her natural habitat: urban centers of high finance, fashion, politics, and the
entertainment industry.
Clifford, you're not alone. Beautiful women intimidate most guys. In fact, plenty of guys get
intimidated by average-looking women. But when you find yourself in the presence of a
genetic celebrity of the female gender, the sense of longing and confusion can be
overwhelming.
powerful mamas
Yes, she's heard it all, she's seen it all, and she's felt it all. All the vibes of lust and longing
perpetually projected at her. So she's usually more than a little bit jaded. And the power she
wields is mind-boggling. She's also well aware of the immense power she wields, but she'll
never cop to it.
Not only is she constantly bombarded with male attention, but she's also extremely spoiled.
Men fall all over themselves to try to please her in any way they can. Endless compliments,
outrageous gifts, free shopping sprees on Rodeo Drive, all expense paid trips to the finest
resorts in the world, invitations to parties with the rich, famous and powerful; all these things
and more comprise the cornucopia of delights offered to her on a regular basis. (You don't see
average-looking women at Hef's house, do you?)
To make matters worse, men just don't say "no" to her. She's used to always getting her way.
She's never had anyone break a date with her. (Although she's apt to break a date at the last
minute without a thought if a bigger, better deal comes along.) And, she's never been rejected
in her entire life. Compare her experience to yours Clifford.
Because of all these factors, it is extremely difficult to find a solid "10" who is a flexible,
sweet, giving person. Most of them are quite demanding and also incredibly self-absorbed.
(You would be, too, if you were being worshipped as a virtual deity every day, like, Claudia
Schiffer, for instance.) But also be aware that as we move down the beauty scale into the 8
range or below, the Spoiledness Factor goes down, while giving and flexibility go up.
practice is power
Now Clifford, if all these brutal facts haven't dissuaded you from your quest, let us move
forward, boldly and bravely, keeping in mind that there are some devastatingly gorgeous
women out there who do have heart and soul, and are not total mercenaries or users.
The key to getting comfortable with approaching beautiful women is to practice, practice,
practice on the not-so-beautiful women. Practice on the 6's and 7's, the C's, C pluses and the B
minuses. Find where your threshold is. If you find that you're pretty confident with 7's but not
with 8's, then push the envelope just a taste, and try the same kind of approach on the low 8's.
Don't bite off more than you can chew.
Picture yourself as an athlete in training who is slowly but surely improving his game. Think
of each encounter as practice for the next one. Expect to be rejected over and over and don't
take it personally. You'll begin to notice that once in a while, you will get a positive response.
The more you practice without being attached to the outcome, the more success you will have.
Clifford, think of yourself as a soldier of love on a training mission, honing his skills.
once you're out with your A plus, use The "System" [a body of principles that guarantee your
success with a woman that you love] and be a Challenge [allowing the woman to chase you].
By doing that, you'll be able to win her over and more importantly, keep her.
Remember guys, beautiful women respond to looks, money, power, and celebrity. But there's
one other thing they respond to above all and that's a guy who is a Challenge. A guy who isn't
seeking her approval. A guy who can say "no" to her once in a while without flinching. A guy
who is unpredictable and doesn't let her know if he really likes her or not.
By the way Clifford, all those unattractive guys that you see with the stunningly beautiful
babes? They're either rich and powerful or... they're a Challenge.
quite a slip
Things were great after we got back together, and we communicated more than ever. We had
a great relationship for about 6 more months, when one night we had a really long talk. She
confessed that she had had sex with a guy (someone different from the one she kissed) about 2
months after we started going out. She said she didn't feel emotionally close to me yet at that
time, and felt that I was just going to break up with her soon anyway because that's what
every other guy has done to her. She also said that she didn't really like this other guy either.
She said that having sex with him was her way of hurting me before I had a chance to hurt
her. She said that after a while, when she saw I wasn't like the other guys, she felt bad about
what she had done, but didn't want to lose me by telling me. She said she was telling me now
because she has changed and felt she needed to be completely honest and open with me.
Despite what she said, I couldn't get over the fact that she had cheated on me twice. I broke up
with her a few days later, and now we have been broken up for about a month. She calls me
all the time, telling me to come back, saying she has truly changed and has integrity now. I
have also noticed that she doesn't lie to her friends like she used to. I love her and want to go
back to her, but I don't want to be deceived again. Should I trust her and go back to her, or
should I move on?
Hunter -- who wants to know if she has really changed
i have a confession...
Hunter, I think you made the right decision when you decided to call it quits with this traitor. I
do believe that she has strong feelings for you, but she's just not long-term-committedrelationship material. Why not? Well, she not only went to bed with another guy -- while she
was dating you -- but she did it with a guy whom she didn't even like. To have done that, her
self-esteem has to be pretty low. And if you get emotionally involved with someone with low
self-esteem, you're in for one big train wreck down the line.
I'd like to give her credit for confessing to you, but any woman with an ounce of common
sense would know that even a man with tons of self-confidence would be demolished by such
a revelation. Her compulsion to reveal what she did only verifies that she doesn't know how to
manage a relationship properly.
string of lies
You also mentioned that she has a reputation for distorting the truth. How can you ever tell
when a fibber has changed her ways? It's tough to know for sure. I'd venture to guess that all
her exes got rid of her quickly because her infidelity vibes were so strong.
The System [a body of principles that guarantee your success with a woman that you love]
says that in order to have a successful relationship, not only does the woman's romantic
Interest Level [degree of love] in you have to be extremely high, but she also has to have
integrity. Now this gal passes the Interest Level test, but she gets an F on her Integrity
examination.
Hunter, the mistake that a lot of men make is that they fall for the party girl, marry the party
girl, and then have to divorce the party girl. And who comes out the loser? The man, of
course.
The other love doctors, like Joyce Brothers and her ilk, would tell you to take her back and be
more understanding. "You need counseling," is their mantra.
Hi Francesco,
Sorry that you've had to go through what you've been going through with your divorce. In the
last 30 years, all the psychotherapists and relationship experts haven't been able to make a
dent in the divorce statistics. (50% of all marriages end in divorce, and two thirds of the time,
it's the woman who files first.)
Regardless of the statistics, keep in mind Francesco, that divorce is hard on the woman too. I
think we all need to have compassion for poor Nicole Kidman. Remember, she will miss
getting half of Tom Cruise's $250 million. Luckily, he filed 3 days before the 10th year of
their marriage (California recognizes 10 years as a long-term marriage -- if each is to get half
of the joint property.)
Francesco, the truth is: It is a jungle out there. And that jungle is inhabited by an infinite
number of feminine creatures who will think nothing of misleading you, leading you on,
stroking you, and using you. Your buddies don't have to exaggerate to frighten you; the truth
is disturbing enough. But fear not, Francesco, because The System [a body of principles that
guarantee your success with a woman that you love] that I'll use to coach you will be your
guiding beacon through the darkness and deception.
look fine
Check your personal hygiene. Make sure that you always smell good and that your fingernails
are always clean and trim. Get a good buddy to give you feedback about the overall state of
your breath because halitosis is an immediate turnoff to women, and you can easily have it
without a clue that you do.
Also, be sure to dress appropriately for the situation, whether it is casual or dressy. And
always wear nice shiny shoes. Even your gym shoes should be sharp and new. Women have a
thing about shoes and they often make snap judgments about you according to the state of
your footwear.
singles parties
When attending any party or dance that is designed for "singles," be aware that the Bow Wow
Factor at these places is often quite high, and that the desirable girls who do attend, frequently
have their defenses way up. That's because it's usually overstocked with guys who look and
act like they haven't had a date since the Civil War.
So if you're going to go to singles events, try to get 2 or 3 of them lined up in one night. Get
in and get out if it's not happening at one, and move onto the next. With all the disadvantages
to "singles" events, people still do hook up at these places. So go ahead and check them out
for yourself.
If you're the kind of guy who feels comfortable scouting for dates at nightclubs, be sure to
always go with a buddy, preferably someone who is very upbeat and animated. You'll look a
lot more appealing if you're rapping and laughing with your pal than you would if you were
standing there by yourself with an anxious look on your face.
with you? If you're honest with yourself, I think you'd have to admit that you wouldn't enjoy it
one bit. Why? Because as they say in Israel, "It ain't Kosher!"
So you and your ex are "just friends"?
her romantic hero and she no longer sees him as mysterious or a Challenge [allowing the
woman to chase you] in any way, although she once did.
What were the warning signs?
just say no
Craig, what you probably do as time goes by, is get too comfortable with your girlfriend and
start to share too much about your personal insecurities. Or you don't take a stand and say the
word "no" when it's appropriate, or maybe you let her think that you can't live without her.
So Craig, when you start out with a woman, don't change your behavior as the months go by.
You must be doing a lot of things right because you're getting past sixty days with all these
gals. Just keep doing all the things that made these women fall in love with you initially, and
don't adopt any of the bad habits that I've described.
Now let me share some of the warning signs that you can use as feedback to let you know that
you're getting off track, and need to correct your course with your next girlfriend. When a
good relationship starts to go south, 90% of the time it goes down something like this:
no longer smitten
First, there is the "Getting That Strange Feeling" stage. This is when a woman's feelings
toward her boyfriend or husband subtly begin to shift. She herself may not even be aware of
such a change, although she does find it curious that she isn't laughing as hard at her man's
jokes any longer. Nor does she touch him in public the way she did in the good old days.
An objective observer would notice that her enthusiasm toward her partner has become
muted. Still, she has warm feelings for him, although she admits to herself she can't quite
understand why she stared so long at the handsome new office manager at work. She even felt
a tingling sensation in her stomach.
These changes are occurring because all the things that her guy has been doing to lower her
Interest Level are finally starting to take their toll. At this point, her romantic Interest Level
toward him is hovering somewhere between 51% and 60%.
no more peace
Second, there is the "Constant Arguing & Making Up" stage. This is when her waning
feelings cause her to start arguments. She will do things that she knows will upset her partner,
hoping that he will do her dirty work for her -- break up the relationship. But like most men,
he doesn't have any idea that this is happening.
She is usually guilt-wracked at this stage and seldom departs for good because pity is the final
vestige of emotion she has left for him. At this point, her romantic Interest Level has sunk to
somewhere between 40% and 49%. Her body is there with him, but her heart is not.
no longer dating
Finally, there is the "Armageddon Blowup" stage. This is when she gets into a bitter,
climactic argument with her man during which she will usually climb up on her soapbox (she
probably instigated the quarrel herself), and act outraged that her man would dare lose his
temper at such a "trivial thing" (she conveniently forgot they had a date for his father's
surprise birthday party and instead went out clubbing with her girlfriends).
With self-righteous indignation, she will inform the unfortunate guy that their relationship is
irrevocably terminated. The guy, of course, is stunned by such a "sudden" breakup. In reality,
it wasn't sudden at all. Her Interest Level started at 95% and sank to below 40% over time -and that's when she leaves.
So, remember guys, always be a Challenge and you'll never get set up to take a fall.
cheater, cheater
I made the biggest mistake I ever when I cheated on him. I got caught, but in a way, I think I
wanted him to catch us, so I wouldn't have to deal with the fears of committing. I know it was
wrong, but of course, the man I cheated with meant nothing to me.
My boyfriend was willing to forgive me and wanted us to stay together. I didn't feel he could
ever forgive the terrible thing I had done and told him to go away and find somebody else. All
my life I have disliked cheaters, and at the time I could not forgive myself for what I had
done.
woof, woof
You mentioned, "of course the man I was cheating with meant nothing." Sounds to me like
you have real high standards. One compliment from someone you don't think much of, and
you do the worst thing you can do to your true love. And Ricki Lake calls men dogs!
Maybe your self-esteem is just so low that you'll do anything to sabotage a good relationship
because you don't believe that you deserve to have a good man in your life.
Let me ask you a question that the other love doctors never would ask. How are you able to
respect a man who would take you back after you've done him dirty like you did? If you're
really honest with yourself, I think you'll have to admit that your level of respect for him has
been irretrievably compromised, and this fact doesn't bode well for the longevity of your
relationship. Why? Because The Reality Factor [see reality for what it is while dating and not
follow your wants or wishes] says that the woman's Interest Level [degree of love] is built on
respect.
shielding himself
You're either going to start becoming interested in guys who you see as more masculine (who
would never put up with such crap), or your guy is going to drop you like a Mad Cow burger,
if and when he grows some brains and realizes what a number you've run on him.
Here's something else no one talks about. Your guy's romantic Interest Level in you can never
go back to where it once was, in the high 90's. Knowing that you are capable of cheating
again, he will instinctively keep his Interest Level lower to protect himself from future pain.
(It hurts less when you're not totally in love with the person who cheats on you -- again.)
I'm 32, and as I look back on my past girlfriends, it seems to me that it always starts out great
and then someone mistreats and dumps the other. I don't want to dump her, Doc, but I think
that I probably have to. Do relationships ever last?
Smitty -- who wants to know why it always has to end
The other category of couples who don't break up: Those who stay together indefinitely, not
because they are happy with each other, but because they "have to" for one reason or another
(i.e. they don't want to damage their kids emotionally, or the breakup would be financially
devastating in some way, etc.)
In the worst version of this type of relationship, the couple is miserable and practically hates
each other. At best, they just live like roommates with no passion or affection for each other.
Remember that about 1 out of 4 guys who are married are with women who never really loved
them to begin with. Another large percentage of married men are with women who once had
high Interest Level in them, but who are now just toughing it out.
(Just ask yourself: How many -- 7 years married or longer -- men out of a hundred have a
loving, romantic relationship with their wives? Get a few beers into your buddy and ask him
what he hates about being married.)
Remember guys: The easy part is getting them. The hard part is keeping them.
Allow me to tell you about a guy I recently met named Barney. Barney is a Macho Boy.
When he takes a woman out on a first date, he intermittently stares at her breasts throughout
the evening.
He also has a habit of complaining about his ex-wife in the middle of the dinner conversation,
and he can't seem to keep himself from touching his date's arm too much. Every woman who
goes out with Barney winds up feeling extremely uncomfortable and never wants to hear from
him again. Yet Barney is baffled as to why he never gets a second date.
Want to know why he's never asked for seconds?
The way I found out what women actually desire in a man was not by asking them what they
"want". (If you ask women what they "want" they come up with misleading doubletalk just as
you have Reva.) The truth is revealed when I quiz them about the character traits of the men
they actually have a relationship with.
In the majority of cases, what I discover is that the man who makes the grade is the man who
made the woman (either naturally or with coaching) feel as if she had to work to win him
over. She had to wait and wonder awhile about where she stood with him, and ultimately
found him mysterious, compelling and worthy of her affections.
I'm not saying that a guy needs to be mysterious when he's been married for ten years. But in
the first 60 days of courtship, it's imperative.
Learn how to take your time and women won't resist you.
Every night, across America, tens of thousands of women are out on dates with men whom
they have absolutely no romantic interest in or physical attraction to. These women are
already 100% confident that they have no intention of ever even exploring the possibility of a
relationship with the poor sap.
Each one, all consumed with her own narcissistic agenda, has no concern whatsoever that she
is misleading her victim, let alone possibly hurting his feelings. Toying with a man's emotions
is a form of recreation for her.
How do you deal with these Professional Daters?
If you're a long time reader, you know that I call this type of woman The Professional Dater.
And yes Jack, the way she behaves isn't right. And it isn't fair either, but it is a reality that all
single guys must learn to deal with, unless you are in a band.
So just what is The Professional Dater's secret agenda? Allow me to clarify this for everyone.
Her agenda is to enjoy as many social, recreational and culinary opportunities as she can, with
no strings attached, while she bides her time, looking for the "real" Mr. Right.
special he is. She thanks him profusely for the lovely evening she had. She even makes very
subtle, ambiguous hints about the possibility of furthering the relationship in the future.
How do you screen out this viscous siren? How do you avoid being played like a
Stradivarius? How do you call her bluff and flush out this emotional vampire? Are you ready
guys? Listen up! Here it is.
doc's doctrine
To others, this suggestion may sound simplistic. Like basic common sense. Well, that's what
it is. It's a simple but profound way to quickly determine where you stand and avoid more
dates with the same woman that will wind up going nowhere. Let's say it another way. There's
no such thing as a woman with high Interest Level who would penalize you for going in for a
nice kiss at the end of the first date.
Jack, the bad news is that the reason these women aren't responding, even though you're doing
everything right, is that they never really liked you to begin with. But the good news is that
you can stop them in their tracks if you don't wait until the third or fourth date to make your
move.
Go for that kiss and bottom-line the woman's Interest Level by the end of the first date. And
simply do not go out again with any woman who fails to respond enthusiastically to your
overtures. Stick with the girl who gave you a great kiss on the first date, and look for more
like her if you need to.
Just remember guys, you never know if a girl might be a Professional Dater or not, until you
go in for that big smooch!
she's a creep
And I'll tell you something else Preston. If you started ragging on women the way Becky has
on men, she'd be telling all her girlfriends what a creep you were. Somehow, women feel that
it is completely legitimate to label the male gender as commitment phobic, terrified of true
intimacy.
But what you never hear about on Sally and Oprah , is that there are just as many women as
men out there who have intimacy and commitment issues -- it's just politically correct to
blame men for all our relationship problems. As every good Feminista tells us: "All men want
to do is use and abuse women."
If Becky were average looking and acted as she has, you would have already gotten rid of her,
Preston. Her beauty mesmerizes you and you are not thinking clearly. One of the worst things
you can do is get involved with a hot looking woman with a bad attitude.
doc's doctrine
Remember guys -- the intelligent woman with high interest and a good attitude says to herself
-- "I'll find out all the things I want to know about this guy's character, over time. No need to
be negative and demanding, it's un-feminine and ungraceful." So pick a sweetheart instead of
a Nazi interrogator.
After I got over the initial shock of my discovery, I started to get really angry. Isn't it women
who are always accusing us men of playing games? What a bunch of hypocrites!
Now I've got to deal with this. I know that if Felice isn't a Rules Girl, then I should just forget
her because if she were interested she would have called back by now. But if she is a Rules
Girl, then she could still be interested and is waiting for me to call back again, so I'll have to
keep calling until I get her in person because she's not going to call me back.
But, I keep getting her answering machine whatever time of day or night I call (I hung up on
the machine every other time I've called, except for 3 messages I left). So it appears that she's
screening her calls and if she is, then I'll always have to talk to her machine to know if she's
home or not. But every time I call her, she never picks up, so I end up leaving another
message on her answering machine. The problems is, that pretty soon, I'll start looking like a
stalker. What do I do? How can I short-circuit this "Rules" craziness? All I want to do is take
her out on another date.
Dan -- who doesn't want to play by "The Rules"
3 -- If she's a Rules Girl who likes to make a man jump through more hoops than a circus
tiger, you've guessed it, then you don't want to be with her.
putting up a screen
Let's put aside the issue of whether or not she's a Rules Girl; if you've called all those times
and have always gotten her answering machine, then it's pretty obvious that she is,
unfortunately, a full-time call screener. That in itself is a bad sign.
Why do most attractive young women who screen their calls on a full-time basis do that?
Well, it's most likely because they are continually giving their phone numbers out to and
flirting with guys whom they never want to talk to again, and in your case, Dan, it sounds as if
you're getting screened out.
unruly behavior
Even though she is a full-time screener, if she had high interest in you Dan, she would at least
temporarily suspend her habit of screening all her calls because she was dying to hear from
you. She'd be worried about what an awkward position her screening would be putting you in.
The Reality Factor [see reality for what it is while dating and not follow your wants or
wishes] says that when women like you, they help you.
At this point Dan, Rules Girl or not, blow her off. You've already gone way beyond the call of
duty. And stop trying to figure out why she's given you mixed messages. You're wasting your
mind, and a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
If this girl somehow resurfaces and calls you, apologizes profusely for her tardiness, and begs
to see you again, you can put her on probation and give her another shot. But whatever you
do, do not call her again and leave another message.
Remember guys -- If she's a Rules Girl or simply a screener, it's best to rule her out.
What she says makes good sense. And I don't want her to think that I'm only interested in sex,
because I'm not. I really like her and I want her to trust me.
So I'm going to give her what she wants and not try to get physical with her in any way. She
already told me that she really appreciates how well I listen to her and how she feels like she
can talk to me about anything. I just wanted your opinion. How long do you think is a
reasonable time to be in friendship mode? And at what point do you think we should start
shifting to more of the boyfriend/girlfriend mode?
Garth -- who wants to know how to pace things
ambiguous promise of intimacy and romance that will ostensibly happen at some unknown
date in the future?
What about your feelings Garth? How are you going to feel as the weeks go by and you start
falling in love with her, and she doesn't want to even kiss and cuddle with you because
"friends don't do that sort of thing"? Brother, all I can say is get ready to experience some
serious frustration and resentment if you continue down this palsy walsy path.
you like him. What do you do when you know that you like him? You plant one on him when
the moment is right. You see Ginny, it is that simple.
like 1,2,3
But, when you "need time to decide how you feel," that means that you are ambivalent, and I
don't want my readers going out on second dates with women who are ambivalent. My boys
deserve a lot better than that. When a woman's romantic Interest Level [degree of love]
toward a man is in that "so so, wishy-washy, iffy, kinda, sorta" category, that just doesn't cut
it.
We don't want mediocrity. We want romance and passion. To continue to go out with a guy
whom you have no passion for is not only unethical, but a waste of his time and yours.
No more beating around the bush...
when your date makes his move. But when you're romantically drawn to a man, the issue of
feeling guilty about not paying for your "fair share" somehow just doesn't seem to come up.
My advice to you, Ginny, is to stop going out with men to whom you're not attracted; because
as you know, whenever you do, it never goes anywhere.
Remember guys, a woman knows when she's attracted to a man. And more importantly, she
knows it when she first meets him, period.
they can be. They'll do anything to get intimate with women as quickly as they possibly can,
whatever they think will work.
What they fail to understand is that what women want more than anything, is the unattainable
guy, the guy who is slightly aloof and enigmatic. To you Psych majors, the guy who's not
trying.
So when do you stop trying?
if it ain't broke...
Be aware, Nate, that as time goes by, your girlfriend will get to know you and your habits,
what bugs you and what makes you happy. You will become less mysterious and more
predictable without doing anything. So there's no need to change your basic love strategy.
Continue to not tell her about painful things in your past. Continue to surprise her in clever
ways. Continue to let her wonder about where she stands with you. Not whether you like her
or not. She wondered about that during the first sixty days. After that, you want her to wonder
whether or not you're really gone over her the way she's gone over you... that's good!
...fix it a little
Now, after you have been with a woman for a couple of months, there are certain Challenge
strategies/behaviors that you can lighten up on. I'll give you a few examples from the many in
"The System":
1) You can go ahead and leave a message on her answering service if you want to.
2) You can also talk to her on the phone just to have a fun chat.
3) You can take her out on a Friday or Saturday night.
Things like that. But, always maintain a ratio of one "I love you" to every five she says to
you. That will keep her on her toes AND keep her Interest Level high.
Remember, guys, never go against the principles that made you a success with women to
begin with.
easy prey
After about an hour and a half, Dr. Dina announced a break. In the back of the ballroom were
several tables piled with all of her books and tapes for sale. So all the women got up and
swarmed around this makeshift bookstore. The point I'm getting at was that it was so
unbelievably easy to talk to these women who were mingling around, checking out the books
and tapes.
They were all chatty and friendly and open. Many of them actually seemed quite pleased and
impressed that any men were there at all. Two different good-looking girls actually came up
to me and asked me how I liked the presentation.
Now, I know that "The System" says how important it is to get a girl's home phone number if
you're interested. But I felt very uncomfortable about asking either of these girls for their
number, even though one of them was touching me a lot.
I just felt like I would be seen as a horny guy who was just trying to scam on chicks while
everybody was there to be "angelic." It would have been so easy to hook up with those girls in
that situation, like shooting fish in a barrel, but it also seemed like it somehow wouldn't be
right to take advantage.
So what do you think Doc? Did I wimp out or did I do the right thing? And what do you think
about these New Age events in general as places to meet women?
Conrad -- who's no angel
feel my feng-shui
The other great thing about New Age/spiritual events is that peace and love and friendly good
vibes are flowing there. And there's usually an atmosphere of sharing and mutual support that
prevails. It's a much friendlier environment than the highly competitive dog-eat-dog
atmosphere of so many nightclubs.
And you will often find that many of the women in attendance are just pleased as punch that a
few guys have shown up. Isn't that refreshing? To you Psych majors: you'll stand out.
Conrad, you were at the right place at the right time, with "closing" on your mind. (For those
of you, who don't know, "closing" is a sales term for asking for what you want -- the order, in
this case, the home phone number.) Your only problem is that you were sabotaging yourself
by seeking approval and caring too much about the opinion of other people. What's the worst
thing that could happen?
Maybe one girl with low Interest Level [degree of love] might blow you off and think you
were being inappropriate for being interested in dating while you're at a "spiritual" event. So
what! Who cares what women with low Interest Level think?
And I guarantee that you wouldn't be insisting on paying your fair share. Why not? Because
you liked the guy! If all women on earth stopped going out with guys that they have no or soso interest in, and instead only accepted dates with guys whom they really liked, half the
restaurants in America would fold.
And Christy, you say that if you're not interested in a fellow, then you pay for the entire
dinner check. I do not believe you. I think you are fibbing. No woman in modern history has
ever paid for the entire dinner bill on a first date -- ever!
Boy, she's gonna get it...
no loosey gooseys
And what's all this about my saying that certain women are sluts? I have never used that word.
I challenge you to show me one sentence in any of my columns in which I even mentioned
that a woman should go to bed with a guy before marriage. Christy, all I've been talking about
is kissing. In fact, I'm the only love doctor who never talks about sex.
You also say that men trap women into relationships. Men don't know how to trap. It's women
who have been trained in the art of trapping since they were adolescents. And "The System"
has nothing to do with trapping anyone. I'm teaching men how to court a woman properly, for
the highest good of all concerned.
And what do you mean a first date isn't meant to be fun? The fun had better begin on the first
date. If it doesn't, why would a girl want to go on a second date with a guy?
Christy, you believe in taking control in your relationships? Whatever happened to the idea of
sharing and caring, working things out, and balanced communication? Besides all of this, you
think that my advice is outdated? "Have manners, class, keep your hands to yourself, and be a
good listener." If you think that those principles are antiquated, well then, call me a dinosaur.
Remember guys, don't listen to what women say, instead, listen to me.
i was ill-advised
One of the guys who works with me told me that I should start reading your weekly column
and that it would help me a lot. So I am, but in the meantime, I thought I'd go straight to the
source and just get some advice from you directly.
Doc, what do you think I could be doing wrong? I'm always real positive. Like on our last
date, I held Esmeralda's hand and told her how beautiful I thought she was, and how attracted
to her I am. She seemed to like that, but I'm not sure because she also seemed a little
distracted at the end of the date. (A female friend of mine recommended that I say those
things -- see how confused I am?)
So, any advice you can give me would be super appreciated.
Branden -- who doesn't want to go down in flames again
If you keep losing these girls, then you are indeed doing something wrong, probably several
things. But take some comfort in knowing that you are not alone in your confusion. Most guys
simply never receive any accurate info on how to relate to women from a place of power and
mastery. Their models for manhood come from a mishmash of sports heroes, rock or rap
musicians, and movie stars, most of whom are living in a fantasy world and have a twisted
sense of values.
Listen to me and you'll get it right...
HER a lot, your actions will backfire. You will inhibit her impulse to touch YOU. She will
begin to feel uncomfortable, and she will withdraw from you. Most guys have absolutely no
understanding of this principle of romantic relationships. Believe it or not, the less you touch
her, the more she will want to touch you.
3) Do not mention or hint at the topic of sex.
Way too many guys have a terrible habit of talking about sex on a date. If you start trying to
get your date turned on by talking about sex, you will turn her off! Yes. I said, you would turn
her off. Even if she makes jokes or hints about sex, don't jump on it like most guys do.
Instead, playfully steer her away from the topic. Trust me, this will work to your advantage.
Branden, if you begin practicing these 3 simple principles from "The System", your love life
will improve immensely and you won't have to go down in flames ever again.
Remember guys, start with the basics.
taking a stand
I must have taken her by surprise because she invited me over to her house (again) to walk
with her and her kids on the beach (one of her kids ALWAYS accompanied us on any type of
activity). So when we got back to her house and the kids went to sleep, I told her that this
"friendship" is ending tonight unless she could think of a solution for how I can remain a
friend and lose my attraction to her. I even reminded her that I was attracted to her from the
very beginning, and she said, "I thought you would grow out of it."
After that I said, "Have a nice life!" and walked out without even looking back. I felt quite
nauseated for the next two days, but I also felt a sense of relief and freedom because I know I
did the right thing and conformed with reality. Now I'm ready to move on and not make the
same mistake again.
I just have one question from all this: Is it even possible for a guy to decrease Interest Level
[degree of love] in a female while at the same time trying to develop a friendship with her?
Chance -- who's grateful for your wisdom
have any self-respect?" They enjoy getting all the perks that go along with having a boyfriend,
without having to commit to being in a real relationship.
Men, please understand this: when you try to be the nice guy "in the name of friendship", you
will only lose. Way too many of you guys convince yourselves that you are somehow being
noble and gentlemanly by taking the Stooge path. Well, there's nothing noble or gentlemanly
about selling yourself down the river.
passive plan
I think that a woman needs to know that you're serious about her before she can fall in love
with you. You seem to be saying that if you just keep her laughing, and hardly tell her
anything about yourself or how you feel, she'll somehow magically start wanting you. I don't
buy it. Your "System" is just too passive. A guy has to take charge and go for what he wants.
Women don't want a guy who just keeps the conversation on a surface level. Women like it
when you're passionate and romantic.
Every serious relationship that I've had in my life has started by me taking action and being
proactive. The way I wooed my last girlfriend was by sweeping her off her feet. That's what
women want. You've got to come on strong, or you'll lose out to some other guy who has the
balls to be brave and lay it on the line.
Quentin -- who thinks that your approach is weak
sinking hearts
But as the weeks go by, the woman's Interest Level [degree of love] begins to sink. She may
stick it out for a couple of months because she thinks that she should be with this guy. He's
"everything she's always wanted" (at least on paper). He's a hunk and he's romantic and
sensitive and expressive.
But deep inside she's saying to herself, "Gee, I'm confused. My Interest Level should be
higher." The truth is that her Interest Level is sinking like a damaged submarine. Why?
Because the game is over. Mr. Romance didn't give her anything to work for. How interested
would you be in playing a poker game in which the players all had to show their hands up
front? No intrigue. No mystery. No fun.
Also Quentin, if you have to ask a girl to spend more time with you, then that means that her
Interest Level is lower than yours and that the relationship is not going to last. You probably
don't see it when that's the case, plus she doesn't tell you that that's what's going on. But, The
Reality Factor [see reality for what it is while dating and not follow your wants or wishes]
says that is what's happening. You've got to start becoming more objective Quentin.
Yes Quentin, your style of courtship is ultimately dooming you to disaster because showering
women with gifts works only with mercenaries. Too many compliments and love poems work
only with girls with low self-esteem. Treating her like a queen works only with women who
want to dominate men. (Man, would I like to do a personality evaluation of all your former
girlfriends!)
Quentin, your tricks may work in the short term, but I coach men for the long haul. So
consider trying to keep it light and be a Challenge for the next 30 days. Then observe what
happens. If you can set your ego aside and give my method an honest try, I know that you'll
begin to experience the power of these principles in a big way.
Remember guys, as the old showbiz adage says: Always leave 'em wanting more.
relationships go downhill
There still are times when we get in a groove and things are more like they were in the good
old days. But it doesn't seem to last long. It doesn't take long for her to go right back to letting
me know that I've done something wrong. And telling her that I don't like the way she acts
doesn't seem to have any impact. Then what happens is we hardly talk to each other for days
at a time. I guess we both have a lot of resentment.
I don't know if I'm being self-centered or not, but it seems like she's the one who's changed,
not me. But I can't figure out why she's changed. Is it because of something that I've been
doing wrong or is this just the normal thing to expect after you've been married a while?
Could you please tell me if there is anything I can do to turn things around?
Thanks Doc.
William -- who longs for the good old days
Hi William,
As the actress Jacqueline Bisset once said: "Marriage is great for children, but it's hell on
romance." In even the best of marriages, maintaining mutual respect and affection over the
long haul takes real determination. Kudos to you William, for asking for advice as you find
yourself in a not-so-great situation. Millions of guys just tough it out in unhappy relationships,
year after year, without seeking any kind of help.
Now William, if your wife's romantic Interest Level [degree of love] in you is still 51% or
higher, then, with time, we can turn things around. If her Interest Level is 49% or lower, then
it won't matter what we do, we're past the point of no return. The best thing you can do right
now is follow my recommendations and see what happens.
Doc's plan of action...
plan of attack
Our two basic goals here are to:
1) Stop her nagging and make her regain her respect for you.
2) Get her to start chasing you for affection and intimacy.
Nagging is the most underreported crime in America. Every guy in a relationship with a
female, even a rich and powerful movie star like, say, Brad Pitt, has to deal with some amount
of pushing, prodding, testing, and criticism from his wife. Even Jennifer Aniston is not always
all sweetness and light. Women like to push, to check if there's anything solid there to push up
against.
The best way to stop a nagger in her tracks is not to react. Remember that, as the man in the
relationship, you can never win an argument with your woman -- any woman. Why? Because
they cheat. Even when you think that you've won, you really have lost. So don't even get into
it. Don't respond. Don't allow her to get into a confrontation or start a debate with you. The
man who passes the test is the man who refuses to be tested.
deteriorate to the point where your wife would rather nag you than make love with you? Well,
the fundamental thing you did wrong is that you stopped being a Challenge [allowing the
woman to chase you]. You gave away your power.
marriage confidential
Making your wife your shrink is a surefire route to having her level of respect for you
plummet. Even after 30 years of marriage, your wife shouldn't know everything about you.
Oprah and Sally are telling men that they have to share "everything" with their spouses, but
there's no law that says that you have to do what they say.
One of the most destructive myths perpetrated in our popular culture is that the only way to
really truly bond with your relationship partner is to share your deepest pain with them. NOT!
Whenever possible, keep it light. Keep it positive.
super-challenging man
Since things with you and your wife have deteriorated so badly, I'm going to recommend that
at this point, you become a SUPER Challenge. Don't initiate ANY touching with her at all.
Don't come on to her physically or verbally in any way.
Even if you're dying for sex and affection, wait. When she feels you backing off, she'll slowly
start coming to you. Once she does, don't automatically respond. Let her work for it. And
when she begins to respond, don't just go back to your old pattern of being the supplicant.
Keep working Challenge. Study "The System" to gain a deeper understanding of how to be a
Challenge in the context of day-to-day life in a relationship. Let her chase you. It's for the
highest good of all concerned.
While you're being a total Challenge, it's also important that you make sure to be respectful,
lighthearted and humorous. Those are things that you should always be doing. In addition, be
sure to withhold all physical affection and compliments or gifts until she starts initiating the
affection herself, on a consistent basis, AND until she also stops the nagging -- the most
unloving act.
Assuming, William, that your wife's Interest Level is above 51%, you should be able to turn
things around within 60 days. Once you do, then you can initiate the romantic behaviors,
which should always be present along with Challenge in a long-term relationship.
never going to call, then why do they even ask for my number in the first place? I know that
one of women's biggest complaints is that guys ask for their number and then never call. Well
I'm here to tell you that women do the same thing!
So what's the deal, Doc? Am I doing something wrong? Is there something I should be saying
when I give them my number that would make them actually follow through and dial my
digits? What do you think?
Lloyd -- who just doesn't get it
the 6 types
1-- Women who give you their number despite the fact that they have no interest in you
whatsoever, and hope that you never will call. They give you the number to placate you and
get rid of you. Why do they do this? Because they can't say the "N" word (No) to your face.
They want to look good. They still want your approval. They don't want you to think that they
are unkind.
They've been taught that the male ego is fragile and that they have to always make nice. So
they'd rather give you the number, and then have you leave 27 messages and turn you down
passively by screening their calls and never returning yours. The Reality Factor [see reality
for what it is while dating and not follow your wants or wishes] says that the answering
machine -- because it screens out the flies -- is their favorite weapon.
2-- Women who get sadistic pleasure out of giving men false hope. They give their number
out to every guy who asks for it. Then they have wine and cheese parties for their girlfriends,
where they all sit around and laugh themselves silly as they play back the messages of the
various "chumps" of the week. These poor guys naively believed in their heart that their
potential date was sincere when she exuberantly said: "Call me!"
Dear Doc, I'm addicted to the show Blind Date . Here in Los Angeles, it's on twice a day,
once at six and then again at eleven. Each show is different and it is absolutely fascinating to
watch, even more so now that I have an understanding of "The System."
One of the things that has really struck me since I've gotten hip to your philosophy is seeing
how many different guys bring up the subject of sex, or make sexual innuendoes on the first
date. I would say that eight out of ten guys do it. And, just about every single time they do,
you can see the girl either cringe or back away, or look disappointed or annoyed, or even get
insulted, depending on the way that the guy brings up the subject.
outcome of the date way before the guy torpedoes the whole deal by making an erotic
innuendo in the first minute and a half.
So I definitely encourage you to continue watching the show. You can learn a great deal from
it. Keep fine-tuning your body language reading skills, and see how early into the segment
you can "call it" as to whether or not the guy is going to get a really nice kiss at the end of the
date. (The host almost always comments on the type of kiss the guy got from the girl, or the
absence of one.)
And, yes indeed, it is absolutely mind-boggling to see how many guys, time after time after
time, sabotage any chance they have with the woman by talkin' trash.
fantasy La La Land, the hero gets away with all kinds of things that would never play in real
life. In rap videos, the music star bumps and grinds and talks trash, while hordes of gorgeous
women do nothing but worship him. It doesn't take much exposure to this kind of craziness to
warp your values.
Hollywood brainwashing, along with a lack of positive mentors and role models for boys, no
fathers in the home, and an overall lack of education about manners, are the other contributing
factors. Donovan, tell all your buddies that they do not gain anything by talking about sex on
a date. When they do, they do not become more interesting or charming or sexy.
months, I noticed she was quite receptive when talking to me, and I had caught her "looking"
a number of times.
three's a crowd
The problem is I'm not sure if I didn't come on heavy enough. Using your principles, I bit my
tongue a lot, stayed very patient, and went against my old instincts of jumping the gun. But I
hope that I haven't played too hard to get.
After our last date, we didn't kiss or touch because her child was with us and I thought it
might be better if I didn't attempt anything. Granted I don't have any experience with dating
mothers or divorcees, so I really can't tell how well a date is going when she brings her child
along. She brought her kid with her on the third and fifth dates.
It seems that during a date with the kid coming along, the attention goes to the child. So, I
cannot clearly tell what is going on between just the two of us. The dinner was good,
conversation was friendly, and I felt the date went fairly well. I left her that night by saying
good night to her and her kid, and offering to give her a call. She said yes and smiled.
schedule.) This seems odd as she was going at least 5 times per week when we first started
dating.
Feeling like maybe I wasn't showing enough interest and maybe turning her off, I left a phone
message on the fifth day to see how things were going, as she is getting ready to move into a
new apartment this weekend.
It's now the sixth day and I haven't heard back from her. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but it
seems like all of a sudden things have "shut off," like she has lost interest. Any help or
strategy would be greatly valued Doc! Thank you.
Leroy -- who is really confused
If a woman kept calling you every week and picked you up at your house and paid for
everything, would you wonder whether she was interested in you? When you do those things
for her, she knows more than enough about your level of interest.
So the "problem" is not that you didn't come on heavy enough. The problem is that SHE didn't
come on heavy enough! You cannot raise a woman's interest level by coming on strong, either
verbally or physically. When and if she decides that you're the one, SHE will start getting
serious.
She'll come on to you. You see Leroy, in a sense, you have nothing to do with whether that
happens or not. The Reality Factor [see reality for what it is while dating and not follow your
wants or wishes] says that the man does the picking but the woman does the choosing. The
way you motivate her to choose you is by being a Challenge -- all the time.
Look like a Challenge while on the phone...
relationship material. You want to avoid this type of woman at all costs because you don't
want her becoming the mother of your children. As soon as any woman whom you're dating
starts telling you stories about how her ex-boyfriend beat her or humiliated her or threatened
her or stalked her, head for the nearest exit.
Why are they bad news?
avoid abuse
So Manny, do women like to be kicked around or do they like to be treated with respect? It's
not a black and white issue. Some women, like your (ex) girlfriend, do like to be "kicked
around." Fortunately, there are plenty out there that don't.
But Manny, you need to look at the role you chose for yourself in this relationship. You're
complaining about how your ex is attracted to abusive men. Well, wait a minute. She was
disrespectful and abusive to you and you stuck it out with her until she dumped you. You
need to ask yourself: "Why did I stay with someone who treated me so badly? And how can I
judge her so harshly for staying with an abusive partner when I did the very same thing?"
In order to explain this phenomenon, I'm going to divide the pool of non-abusive men that a
clinically sane woman has to choose from into three distinct categories. Many men do not
necessarily fit into only one of these categories, but I'm rigidly dividing them for educational
purposes.
Which type are you?
Unfortunately, because so few men are a Positive Challenge, women who would never be
with an outright abusive man are frequently forced to choose between The Wimp and Mr.
Negative Challenge. And when forced to choose between those two, women will take Mr.
Negative Challenge over the Wimp most often. Why? Because they perceive Mr. Negative
Challenge, however problematic he may be, as strong and The Wimp as weak. And women
place an extremely high value on strength qualities in a man.
This is why you hear so many men complaining that women don't appreciate a nice guy and
prefer to be with jerks. Women are drawn to strength qualities in men first. Sensitivity and
sweetness is appealing when added as dessert, but an entire meal of cake frosting is
nauseating.
For instance, you say that after a guy first meets a girl, he should wait a whole week before he
calls her. Well I've tried that now a total of four times in the last month and in every case,
when I waited a full seven days to call the girl, she either seemed annoyed that I waited so
long or she just about forgot who I was.
None of the four girls accepted a date with me, even when I apologized for waiting so long to
call. One of them even said: "When you didn't call, I thought you weren't interested. I'm
seeing someone else now."
quality #1
First of all, she has to have a high level of romantic interest in you (70% or greater) from the
get-go. If she's potentially your soul mate, she will recognize what a great guy you are when
she first meets you. You won't have to try to get her to appreciate you. And by the time you
say goodbye to her, she will already have used her powerful feminine intuition to discern that
you and she have romantic chemistry and she'll be eager to explore the possibilities.
And the second crucial quality...
One of the powerful tools that "The System" provides you with, to make sure that a particular
woman's level of interest is in this higher range, is the "wait a week to call" strategy. If she
really likes you, she will be undaunted by the fact that you waited more than twice as long to
call her than any other guy she's ever met in her life. In fact, she'll be intrigued, which raises
her Interest Level [degree of love].
Now if a woman's Interest Level in you is 49% or lower, she will have forgotten about you
when you call after a week, but we want to weed out women like these. You don't want to be
spending time with a woman who would have forgotten about you after a week because that
means she doesn't dig who you are to begin with! The Reality Factor [see reality for what it is
while dating and not follow your wants or wishes] says that it is impossible for a woman with
high interest to forget about a guy in seven days.
To prove my point, let's reverse the situation. Imagine a world where women were the ones
who asked guys for their phone numbers. In that scenario, if you met a girl who you really
clicked with and then she waited a week to call you, would you blow her off? If Julia Roberts
met you at a party and got your number, and waited seven days before she rang, would you
say to her, "Sorry Julia, I lost interest in you because you waited too long to call"? Of course
not!
quality #2
The second crucial quality that a woman must demonstrate in order to qualify as the future
Ms. Right is that she must be flexible. Why? Because if you become involved with an
inflexible woman, someone who is not lighthearted and easygoing, you're going to wind up
being miserable, like millions of American men.
A girl who is uptight, structured and insecure may come up with a whopper like, "When you
didn't call, I thought you weren't interested, I'm seeing someone else now." As if, in the course
of the last seven days, she went from being completely available, to meeting someone,
arranging a date, going out with him, falling in love, and is now going steady with him. What
are the odds of that?
no "i'm sorry"s
Stanley, can you see now that all four of your potential dates had low interest in you or were
inflexible, or both? But don't let it get you down. Dating is a numbers game. Stay on course. I
guarantee that you will find a woman who has high interest in you if you keep utilizing the
strategies that I recommend. Just make sure if you get any more flack that you don't apologize
again for waiting a week to call. That's not a confident move, plus it makes you look weak.
Remember, guys, to weed out the strokers, wait a week to call.
down boy!
But since it is our job as men to be the aggressors, we should be aware that we have choices
when we're out there in the trenches. When we're approaching a woman, we can come on like
a hungry pit bull, or we can come on with class and confidence.
Yes, Derek, when you as the man take the risk to ask a woman out, you are making it clear
that you want her. There's no mystery in that. But you don't have to let her know that you
haven't had a date in six months while you're asking her out. And believe me, there are plenty
of guys out there who have that kind of desperate air about them when they're approaching
women.
The key to success with women is to reveal the least amount of interest possible while you're
taking action to close the deal. To you Psych majors: keep your mouths shut about your
feelings and insecurities.
For instance, you're the one who has to walk up to the woman and strike up a conversation.
But once you do, you can wait for her to ask you for your name first. You can also refrain
from telling her how hot she looks even if she makes Cindy Crawford seem homely.
sense of humor, according to 43%; 31% value sensitivity first; 19% say intelligence; 6% rank
good looks first; and just 2% say money is most important.
Once the guy gets her phone number, 47% of women expect him to call within 24 hours, and
47% will wait up to three days. Only about 5% are still willing to hear from him after a week.
I'm curious about your take, Doc. What do you think? Which is the truth and which is the
brainwashing, according to "The System"?
Gordon -- who wants to know if women are capable of communicating what they actually
want
In order for a woman to even give a hoot whether you have a sense of humor, she first has to
find you physically attractive. If she's not physically attracted to you, you can be more
hilarious than Robin Williams on speed and you still won't have a chance for romance with
her. The Reality Factor [see reality for what it is while dating and not follow your wants or
wishes] says that you have to pass (her) Physical Attraction Test in order to get to first base.
If a sense of humor were really the trait that women found most important in men, then all the
funny guys who look like Danny DeVito would be as successful with women as all the
handsome hunks.
when to call
So almost half of the women who responded to the poll expect a guy to call within 24 hours?
Yeah, they expect a guy to call within 24 hours because 90% of men can barely even wait that
long before they call. Unfortunately, thousands of guys are going to read those poll results and
will feel even more justified in jumping the gun as they always do.
And according to the poll, only 5% of women are willing to hear from a guy after a week.
False! It would have been much more helpful and revealing if the People pollsters had asked
those women a question like: "Have you ever had a relationship with a guy who waited a
week or longer to call you? If so, why did you date him even though he waited that long?"
Then we would have gotten some valuable information.
of women are gold diggers. How does that jive with your experience? How many women
have asked you, "What do you do?"
Remember: don't get brainwashed by the polltakers' questions and women's answers.
So, go ahead and rip into her for me will ya, Doc? Thanks.
Rufus -- who wants to help spread your wisdom.
strike 2: compliments
Next, let's look at compliments. One compliment per date is okay . That's it. And it certainly
should not have any sexual connotations whatsoever. But I absolutely do not recommend
telling a hot looking woman that she has a pretty face. You gain nothing by it. It does not raise
her romantic Interest Level in you.
She hears that same compliment about fifteen times a day -- every day -- and when you tell
her she's pretty, you automatically get added to the list of salivating suitors who have said the
same thing to her over and over again. Your job is to make her think you are different.
Whoever said it is the man's responsibility to be the one who gives the compliments? Do
female love doctors ever encourage women to give the man a compliment on the first date???
strike 3: gifts
Let's go to the last "tip" about gifts. Here Dr. Lu Lu isn't peddling any half-truths. Her advice
on this subject is totally, miserably deluded. As my Uncle Jethro Love says: "If you're going
to bring a girl a gift on the first date, you might as well just write the word 'Chump' on your
forehead."
When you show up with a gift on a first date, you come off as a lonely loser who is
desperately trying to make a good impression. Gifts can come after sixty days once a
relationship has been established. But gifts should never be used as a ploy to raise Interest
Level. Besides, any gift coming from you has no meaning to her since you are basically a
stranger.
Remember, guys, beware of false love doctors.
Women often complain that their dates or boyfriends talk too much about their former
girlfriends, but many women are equally guilty of the same indiscretion. (Women also hate it
when men look at other women.) A considerable number of gals seem to think that being
honest means being open about everything. But honesty and openness are two different things
-- that's why they're spelled differently.
You can be honest without being open, and it's better not to be open about your former lovers.
Whether you're a man or a woman, sharing all kinds of details about your past relationships
with your current partner is the opposite of romantic -- it's also unloving. It serves no positive
purpose. And most important, it's disrespectful to the other person.
Get her to keep it to herself...
be the joker
Tom, although your girlfriend is nave and is not purposely being unkind to you, she has to
"get it" that her behavior is starting to jeopardize your relationship. So here's what I
recommend:
First, use humor to give her the big hint that what she's doing ain't Kosher. For instance, when
she starts going on and on about what a fantastic singer her ex, Jimmy, is, you say: "Oh yeah?
That's interesting. My ex, Cassandra, used to be a backup singer for Sting until she couldn't
deal with his ego anymore. But you should hear her voice; she makes Christina Aguilera
sound like Phyllis Diller. I think Cassandra is such a great singer because she has an amazing
lung capacity." And then wink at your girlfriend like Dennis Quaid would, and walk out of the
room. Let her wonder whether you were for real or not.
Try the humor strategy up to five times (each time you would use a different silly story), and
then if she still doesn't see the light, you can try simply telling her that her behavior bothers
you and that you'd like her to stop. By doing this, you are still being a Challenge because you
are saying "no," setting limits, and insisting that she be respectful. You can tell her twice to
cool it if you have to, but don't do it a third time because that would make you a nag.
a real man
You see, LeeAnn, in my hypothetical scenario, you already liked him a lot, but when he took
his time to call you, you perceived him as an even more intriguing guy who has a full life and
isn't desperately hoping to find some woman to make him happy. Someone who is a REAL -"real man."
Yes LeeAnn, you'd see him as a Challenge [allowing the woman to chase you]. And whether
you know it or not, that's what you respond to on an emotional level -- a guy who is a
Challenge. Not some needy, eager to please, politically correct nincompoop who is seeking
your approval by calling you the next day.
If I had an opportunity to use my interviewing techniques on you, I'm certain that I'd discover
that the last guy you fell in love with was, in some fundamental way, a Challenge. Hopefully
it wasn't a married man who saw you only twice a month.
Men need to be more conniving...
on guard
You and your girlfriends say that I'm teaching men to be conniving women. Well, I couldn't
have said it better myself. If fathers would teach their sons to be a little more conniving, then
the war of the sexes might be a bit more of a fair fight instead of manslaughter.
But your mothers were wasting their time teaching you to be conniving. As a woman, it's
already built into you. Women have an innate understanding of men, but men don't
understand women at all. Or as Jack Nicholson once said: "Women, they're smarter than us,
they're stronger than us, and they don't play fair." But when my guys use "The System,"
they're finally able to out-game and out-gun you gals.
And you think that my strategies are manipulative? I'll tell you LeeAnn -- if any one of my
guys has the self-sabotaging habit of calling a potential date 24 hours after getting her
number, then I have to break him of that habit. He needs to learn to use a success strategy
rather than a failure strategy, so I give him rules and principles to follow. Call it manipulative
if you like, but you do yourself and all men a great disservice by disparaging my advice.
passive aggression
I'll agree with you on one thing. My philosophy is passive/aggressive but only in a positive
sense. I show men that there is a time to be aggressive and there is a time to be passive. A
man takes aggressive action by, for instance, being sure to always ask a woman whom he's
interested in for her phone number. Then he's passive when he waits a week to call her, and
then he's aggressive again when he calls her for the date. But he doesn't rush in like a dog in
heat.
And LeeAnn, why are you so resentful towards your skinny sisters who have large breasts,
long legs, thick lips, and high cheekbones? I'm sure that many of them are nice people who
deserve love just as much as you do. Taking a kinder and gentler attitude towards all
humankind might serve you well.
Remember, guys, women are dying to chase you, they just don't realize it.
What's going on with her? Was I too cold? Did I suddenly move too fast and scare her? Did I
just read into everything too much and set myself up again for complete heartache? I don't
plan on talking to her for a week or so. What do I do now? How should I make my move, or
did I screw things up too badly?
Geoff -- who is confused
nothing is a waste
The answer she gives might or might not have something to do with the truth (she might not
even know herself well enough to give an accurate answer). But whatever her answer, you'd
still be dealing with a girl that you can't count on.
So at this point, Geoff, I'd say it's time to move on to greener pastures because this gal is
going to continue to be more of a pain in the butt than six hours on a circus bench. Just look at
this whole episode as a learning adventure so that you don't waste so much time next time
around.
Remember guys, every girl is practice for the next.
what is love?
But what's even more depressing is that now I can see that I may not ever have had a
girlfriend who had a truly high level of romantic interest in me. I don't think I even know
what that feels like. Pretty pathetic I guess. But I know I'm going to be more successful in the
future because of the new awareness that I have, thanks to you and "The System."
Could you just clarify something for me? How can you tell when a girl has authentic high
Interest Level? What kinds of behaviors would she be exhibiting? How could I tell that her
Interest Level was really high and that she wasn't just playing the part, using me, and biding
her time until Mr. Jerk comes along? What kinds of things should I be checking for to know
that she's for real?
Stanton -- who wants to know what love is really supposed to feel like
you're my hero!
The primary prerequisite for a woman to qualify as a potential romantic partner is that she
must have high Interest Level, as stated in "The System." This means that she has to have
deep romantic feelings for you. She has to really, really dig you and think of you as her hero - her dream come true.
If her interest in you is not at a high level, then you are not going to be happy being with her.
You're going to have to work hard for little reward, and what good is that? Love should be
light and easy. And only a woman whose Interest Level is in the 90's (on a consistent basis) is
worth being with for the rest of your life.
More often than not, when a woman has strong feelings for a guy, her Interest Level is high
from the get-go. For you Psych majors: she kisses on the first date. Soon after she meets him,
she knows that he's "boyfriend material." A different woman might meet the same guy and
think he was a total dud. But somehow, this one particular guy rings this gal's bell, and since
he does, she lets him know it, both verbally and physically. Why? Because she doesn't want to
confuse him, or abuse him. She wants to make him happy.
is this love?
Okay Stanton, so how does she let him know that she digs him? When a woman has found her
knight in shining armor, how does she treat him? What are the signs of high interest?
Here is a partial list of the kinds of things that she must do on a consistent basis in order for
her to have an authentic high Interest Level in you:
She takes the initiative to stand or sit close to you.
She compliments you frequently.
She touches you.
Her eyes sparkle when she looks at you.
She is curious to know everything about you.
She endeavors to discover what's important to you and what makes you tick, so she asks you a
lot of questions about yourself, but not in an obnoxious, prying or pushy kind of way. (Of
course you give her the absolute minimum amount of info possible.)
More proof that it's true love...
When football is on she knows not to talk and ask dumb questions.
Every girl in town thinks you're ugly as sin, but she thinks you look like Brad Pitt.
She thinks that your beer belly is made of muscle.
When you say, "Honey, tomorrow morning you and I are going to rob the local bank at nine
o'clock." She says, "I'll be ready."
Okay men; let's be honest. How many of these traits does your main squeeze have?
Remember guys, if you want to be happy for the rest of your life, only choose a gal with high
interest to be your wife.
my terms, baby
This means going where he wants to and doing what he wants, and not giving in to her
requests and whims, or trying to make her feel good so that she will like him.
By making the distinction that his attention, affection and compliments are something that he
gives on his own terms, the woman can see that she has not yet won him over and is not able
to control him, so he remains a Challenge and raises her Interest Level [degree of love].
Acting this way has resulted in my having the biggest success with women. Plenty of
attention right away, but on my terms, based on what I want without letting the woman
control me. Waiting to call is a mistake.
Cary -- who thinks you are missing something
She was friendly but what I'm getting at is that she seemed to be extra, extra friendly. She was
really beaming such a radiant smile at me, and her eyes were so sparkly.
I was definitely attracted to her, and I wanted to ask if she'd like to go out with me some time,
but I just wasn't sure if she was really romantically interested in me. I thought that she might
have just finished some customer-relations training where she'd been instructed to be
superfriendly to customers and that's all it was.
The other problem was that there were other people in line behind me. I felt like even if I was
sure that she was interested in me, how could I ask her out in front of all those other people?
So there I was feeling all conflicted and uncomfortable, and then she asked me what my name
was. Now I've never had a checkout girl ask me what my name was. So I thought, wow,
maybe she really is interested in me , even though it just seemed too good to be true.
that market.
What this guy did wrong...
#1 rule of sales
Yes, Delaney, you must begin to familiarize yourself with the concept of "closing." That's a
sales term that means asking for the order, going for it, and striking when the window of
opportunity stands wide open in front of your face.
Now you mentioned that you were thinking about asking if she'd "maybe like to go out" with
you "sometime." Even if you had said this to her, it's a very weak, wishy-washy way to
approach a woman. It's not the kind of thing that a confident guy would say. Although your
choice of words makes you sound like you're begging, a weak "close" is better than no close
at all. But you didn't close at all, and now you're suffering the consequences.
In future situations like this, you should ask yourself: "Which would I rather experience, a
few moments of possible embarrassment, or days and days of throbbing regret?"
audience who will be watching as you put your ego on the line, do not be intimidated by
them! You must go for it anyway.
I don't care if the entire noisy mob at the deli counter becomes strangely silent when you're
about to ask for her number. I don't care if your heart is pounding harder than a ten-ton
jackhammer. I don't care if a CNN news crew is broadcasting your conversation live on
national TV. Close anyway! Life is short, and he who hesitates is lost!
girl power!
I am quite happy and proud to say that I love being a woman and everything that it means to
me. I love being able to create life and nurture it and experience the most incredible pleasure,
all within the same body. I love being able to dress up and look good for my sweetheart, or
just wear no makeup and be casual with him. I love sending him little cards and gifts just to
tell him that I love him, or be there to offer him a glass of wine and a shoulder when he has
had a rough day. I love shopping for beautiful outfits as much for my own pleasure as for his,
and I love the feeling of his warmth next to me at night. And he appreciates it all and shows it
in return.
So, to all the women out there who find my behavior and attitude offensive and weak (and I'm
sure there are a few), all I have to say is that I just don't care. Maybe they need to open up
their minds and hearts and stop denying their feminine sides, and then they will see just how
much they receive in return when they give instead of holding back. Until that time, I really
believe that they are missing out on something truly wonderful.
In the meantime Doc, keep up the good work! Anyone who gives candid and honest advice on
how to improve relationships (both single and married) is doing us all a huge service.
Sincerely,
Karen -- the non-politically correct "girly-girl"
bride site. I just don't believe that you can truly be happy with someone who worships the
ground you walk on.
I have heard that her parents hate this boyfriend and a lot of her friends have stopped talking
to her because of him. I told her that if her dating me was becoming a problem for her, then I
was willing to just be friends. Her reply was that she was confused and didn't know how long
we could last as just friends. Besides that, she would always wonder what it would be like to
be a couple with me.
The last time I saw her she came over to my house after being stood up by the boyfriend and
was all over me, so I know that there is some type of attraction. But lately I feel that I am
being treated as second fiddle to the boyfriend.
It seems that she's calling the shots and will only see me when the boyfriend isn't around, and
it seems like I am the one who does all the calling.
I do think that I screwed up the first few times that I was with her; I told her that I really liked
her and I then sent her flowers, because I was trying to sell myself to her, and prove to her
that I was the better choice. I know that those were mistakes from reading your "System," but
I want to see if I can do something right now to become a Challenge [allowing the woman to
chase you] to her.
I really like her and would like to win her over. Doc, I need some advice right away before I
do something else that's stupid.
Thanks,
Tom -- who is still learning
she's no enigma
But let's back up. This girl is easier to read than a stop sign. Right out of the chute she gave
you a giant red flag. You asked her if she had a boyfriend and she told you that she didn't.
Then when you saw her again she told you that she did have a boyfriend!
So, Tom, before you even had your first date with her she lied to you. She's a liar. That's right,
there is enough to disqualify her as a potential partner.
And here you are now, getting all emotionally psyched up about her. You'd never go into
business with a liar, why would you consider pursuing a romantic relationship with one? Use
some common sense dude!
It's either guys with power, fame and barrels of cash or band members or creepy losers with
too many tattoos, but not an average guy with good looks and a lot to offer. What do you
think?
Terrence -- who wants to know what's going on
They're all rebels in some way. They're not socially acceptable. If a beautiful woman has a lot
of anger toward her father, and many of them do, she can symbolically give "the finger" to
Daddy by choosing, for instance, a drug dealer with a bone through his nose for her boyfriend.
Also, as strange as it sounds, dangerous men make many women feel safe. All women crave
safety and security and a guy who's done "hard time" makes some women feel safe and
protected. She knows that he'll crush any other guy who hassles her, and beautiful women do
get harassed a lot.
The other thing that all these types of guys tend to have in common is a kind of detached,
"don't give a crap," attitude. So these 10s perceive them as extra manly, confident and a
Challenge.
Keep in mind, Terrence, that just because she's beautiful on the outside, it doesn't mean she's
clinically sane on the inside. Just because she has a fantastic body on the outside, it doesn't
mean she has common sense on the inside. Just because she has gorgeous breasts and long
legs on the outside, it doesn't mean she's marriage material.
Remember, guys, beauty is only skin deep but character is to the bone.
telling you that you can't bet on this pony. If her "first love" hadn't dumped her, your twofaced traitor of a girlfriend would still be workin' both of you, and you'd still be clueless.
There's no "working this out with her" Alonzo. It's already all been worked out -- and she's
out!
Remember, guys, if she strays, she pays.
simmer down
Remember that it's the ones who come on heavy from the get-go who burn out quickly. (It
sounds to me as if you're more in love with being romanced than with this guy who you don't
know very well.)
One of the biggest complaints about men that I hear over and over and over again from
women, is that men come on to them both verbally and physically, too intensely and too
quickly. Men are impatient. Most men need to learn to slow down, cool their jets, keep their
mouths shut, and wait for the woman to demonstrate that she is truly interested before they
make any kind of important move.
If the man waits for the woman to say, "I love you" first then he knows he's being chosen by
the woman. If HE says "I love you" first -- even if she says it back to him in response -- he
doesn't know if she would have ever initiated it without his prompting, and so he does not
have certainty about being chosen by her.
Let me ask you Connie, which would be more meaningful to you? A guy telling you that he
loves you on his third date with you, or a guy uttering those words only after trust and true
intimacy has been built?
Remember, guys, keep your lips zipped.
Level want to go alone on a trip without her husband? Of course not, but a woman with 55%
Interest Level would.
Remember, guys: Just because she's married to you, doesn't mean she loves you.
she's a fake
So let's analyze your situation. First of all, you say that your first date with this girl was not a
"real" date. Stefan, whenever you take a woman out for an activity that could be considered a
date, then it's a date.
The only reason any guy tries to downplay the idea that he and his love interest are on what
everyone would call a date is that he's insecure about her Interest Level [degree of love]. He's
afraid that if he says, in effect: "I'm a male, you're a female and I want to take you out -- on a
date ," he's going to spook her. He's afraid that if he makes it clear that they're going to be on
a date (rather than being like two friends just kind of hanging out), she'll know that he's
romantically interested in her and so she'll turn him down.
But that kind of logic is counterproductive because in reality, you don't want to be out on a
"non-date" date with a woman who would turn you down for a real date. You don't want
things to be ambiguous. You want her to know that if you're going to be spending your
valuable time with her, then she should at least consider you as a potential relationship
partner, and that if she doesn't, then she shouldn't go out with you. If she thinks it's just a
palsy-walsy buddy kind of a deal, then you're already starting off on the wrong foot, setting a
bad precedent and making things unclear.
pattern of passivity. Beautiful women can afford to be as passive as they want. She walked
right up to her dreamboat and closed him on the spot. It's that kind of fearless, balls to the
wall attitude that a lot of you guys still need to adopt.
Jennifer, when you were direct, moving like a hungry animal honing in on its prey, you did
great. Any one of your sisters who would have called your behavior cheap and conniving is
way, way out of touch. You knew what you wanted, and you went for it. "Good on ya," as
they say in Australia. It's certainly possible for a woman to take the initiative to ask a guy out
and still maintain her feminine grace. YOU did it.
There's a drop dead gorgeous woman -- who is married -- that I see there often and kid around
with. I let her know from the beginning that I was not coming on to her, so she feels real
comfortable with me and we talk frequently.
The fun thing is that I notice the other women in the place staring when I make her laugh.
(Like you say Doc: keep 'em laughin'.) I know that some of them have become curious about
me. You can almost hear what they're thinking: "Hmm, what's the story with that guy? That
woman who seems to be so charmed by him sure is beautiful."
In fact, there's this other fox there named Kristen who had initiated a conversation with me
after she saw me making the married gal laugh. I wasn't sure if she was just being friendly or
if she had any romantic interest in me. So, as you recommend, when the timing was right I
"closed" her to find out where I stood with her. Here's how it went down:
Me: [Smiling] "So, Kristen, what's your home phone number?"
Kristen: "Why?"
Me: [Smiling, turning to leave] "It's been a pleasure talking to you Kristen. See you next
time." (I knew from what you've taught me that when a girl gives me an answer like that
instead of her phone number, I've already gone down in flames.)
Kristen: "I can't date you because I have a boyfriend. But, like, we could hang out. I don't
have a lot of friends..."
I just didn't know how to respond to that. But I'd like to have a great comeback for if and
when a girl says something like that to me again. I feel like maybe I blew it somehow. If I had
a better comeback, then maybe I'd have gotten her number. So, Doc, any hints or tips about
this particular scenario would be greatly appreciated.
Chad -- who wants to know what he should have said back to her
I also know that I have a lot to learn. I'm very confused about something that keeps happening
to me with women and I'm hoping that you just might be the guy to solve this mystery for me
once and for all.
I am pretty good at meeting women. The place that I do best is at bookstores that have a
coffee house attached, places like Borders or Barnes & Noble. I'll notice a girl reading a book
at a table and then I'll ask her something about the book. Then I might tell her about the really
interesting book that I'm reading, and it just kind of flows from there.
If I'm really conscientious, I can get maybe ten or twelve phone numbers in a week and out of
those, I'll get two or three actual dates, which I figure is a pretty good batting average. (I hear
stories from some guys who get phone numbers but almost no actual dates.)
And of course, never flirt with the waitress when you're on a dinner date with a girl. But,
beyond that Mason, I recommend that you immediately cease and desist with all the checking
in with your date to see if she's comfortable or if she's having a good time or how she thinks
the date is "going." This behavior is sinking your Love Boat before it ever gets out of the
dock.
to me, and while ignoring my two other friends she says, "I want to give you something from
my heart to yours." Then she hands me this exotic looking flower and smiles, and then walks
away.
I was pretty shocked. In fact, I was so surprised that I just stood there kind of frozen and
didn't do or say anything. Then one of my friends, who has been reading your stuff, says to
me, "Hey, she's got high Interest Level. You should go ask her for her phone number." I told
him that I thought that she was probably just flirting.
Then he says, "Dude, those were heavy buying signals, you should have closed her!" Then he
throws some more of your lingo at me and says, "Well maybe it's better that you didn't close
her right then and there. It makes you look like more of a Challenge."
Right after that, my friend had to get going, but he gave me your e-mail address and told me
you could explain all this.
He really made me curious. I have a hunch that he's onto something with your info. So I
would like to understand what all those things mean, and I'd also like to know what you think
I should have done and what I should do now. I'd be one happy guy if I really had a chance
with this girl.
Ulrich -- who wants to learn
her flower fairy dust on you, you became entranced and as mute as an Enron executive at a
Congressional hearing who's been asked, "Where did all the money go?"
Hey Doc,
I met a young lady while I was running. We somehow finished our run at the same time, and a
conversation sprang up. I asked her if she'd like to maybe run together again sometime. She
said, "Yes, let me give you my number." (Right away I'm thinking, high Interest Level ).
We talked on the phone the next night (probably too soon, but I maintained a confident
attitude) and in that phone call she said, "For some reason I'm so attracted to your
personality."
We met to run together that weekend. It was one of the best dates I've ever had and everything
was just flowing.
So when we walked back to our cars, we kind of stood there and I said, "Do you want to sit in
my car and listen to some music?"
She said, "Yeah, I was hoping you would ask." We sat there and talked and looked at each
other very lovingly and kissed for a long time. Also, she told me that she felt like she was 10
years old again.
Now this is important, Dante. I want you to understand that her Interest Level didn't drop
from 90% or higher to almost nothing in one day, although it seems that way to you. Just
about all men who get dumped by a woman think that the woman's Interest Level died
overnight, but the Reality Factor [see reality for what it is while dating and not follow your
wants or wishes] says that it takes time for a woman who's in love to fall out of love.
get a clue
You were "dumbstruck" when she dumped you, Dante, because you failed to pick up on the
signs and clues she was giving you as her Interest Level was diminishing. You didn't really
think much about it, but she began to be less affectionate, a little less passionate, a bit more
argumentative, and more distracted. These are the kinds of things I call "red flags," and Dante,
it sounds to me as if you missed a ton of them.
Maybe in your mind, you two always worked through any big problems, but in your ex's
mind, she kept adding up the penalty points. Of course she never informed you of that.
Although she was exhibiting symptoms of low-interestitis, she was still concealing her true
feelings from you. (You'll never hear a woman say, "Honey, I think you should know that my
romantic Interest Level is starting to slide so could you please do what you used to do that
was keeping it so high?")
Also, Dante, I need to inform you that when you told her that you could "grow and change,"
you were groveling. Never grovel for a woman, unless she has you in a physically threatening
position.
Why women leave...
Realize, Dante, that once a woman's Interest Level sinks below the 50% mark, it's past the
point of no return. You've got to face it dude, you're out and that's it! No Vegas bookmaker
would give you a snowball's chance in Hades for getting it back together with this gal, who no
longer wants your body or your heart.
It's time to get back out there, however discouraged you may feel, and start getting phone
numbers. And if you begin getting pangs of longing for your ex, just make a list of all the
things about her that you didn't like. Then keep reading it -- like a hundred times a day.
Remember, guys, always be on the lookout for those red flags or "you'll be sorry."
is she a stroker?
It's impossible to tell the difference between a stroker and a sweetheart until the pedal hits the
metal. By making a move for a lip-to-lip kiss, (a peck on the cheek doesn't qualify), you can
call a stroker's bluff. (It's also how you can give the sweetheart what she's been hoping and
waiting for.)
Have you ever had the experience, Spencer, of having a blast doing some serious R-rated dirty
dancing with a chick at a nightclub and then winding up with nothing more to show for all
your bumping and grinding than a parting, "Thanks, that was fun" from her? Flirting can be
more thrilling than a full body search at the airport but the only way you can interpret the
meaning and motivations behind it is when you close. Flirting can mean everything or it can
mean absolutely nothing.
You have to ask yourself, Spencer, "Why haven't I made a move? Am I terrified that she'll
reject me if I do? Am I trying to prove to her that I'm not like all those other guys? Am I too
'nice' for my own good?"
Sure, it would be great if guys didn't always have to be the ones who put their egos on the line
and make the first move. Women have the luxury of never having to risk rejection if they
don't want to, and they can still have all the affection and intimacy they could ever want or
need. But like it or not, we're stuck with the sticky and tricky job of taking all the risk.
if only...
In rare instances, the woman will make the first move, but her Interest Level has to be in the
90s ranges and that's not where it usually starts out. Even when it is higher than Darryl
Strawberry on a bad day, the woman still might hold out for quite awhile, waiting for the man
to make the first move.
Actually, you can lower a woman's Interest Level in you by letting too much time go by
without taking the initiative to get more intimate. It demonstrates a lack of confidence, and it
can be a turnoff to women. You weren't able to tell me where this gal's Interest Level in you
started, Spencer, but it's possible that that's what has happened.
When she said, "I'm not interested in any guy," it wasn't exactly something that a woman with
high Interest Level would say. If she really liked you, then I don't think she would say
something like that because she'd be concerned that it would discourage you and turn you off
(which it did). On the other hand, I think her Interest Level started out high and then sank as
she noticed that you lacked courage and were too available to chitchat on the phone (which is
anti-Challenge).
smooch it up
Still, Spencer, we don't know for sure whether her Interest Level in you is high or low. But
there's a simple, easy and effective way to get a read on it.
Call her up, take her out somewhere fun and at the end of the evening, do your best to lay a
lovely smooch on her. If she turns her head and gives you her cheek to kiss instead of her lips,
then you know you're dead meat. If she sucks your tongue out of your head, then you'll know
you've got a live one.
Remember, guys, never end a first date without going for that kiss!
way to go
So what if she said no. You did the right thing. You noticed she was flirting with you. Then
you made your move because you were interested in her and you needed her number to be
able to ask her out. You did exactly what you're supposed to do. You should never feel
insecure or be apologetic about asking a girl for her home phone number. Even if she tries to
shame you after you ask (which they sometimes do).
All right, now let's examine this broken date situation as a detective from "Love and Order"
would. The Reality Factor [see reality for what it is while dating and not follow your wants or
wishes] says that we don't know if Sandy's excuse is completely legitimate or if it's total
fiction.
Usually, even the most compelling story a girl gives you for breaking a date turns out to be
just that -- a story. And she winds up canceling any subsequent date that you arrange with her
as well. Once I had a girl call me as I was walking out the door to pick her up, and tell me that
she had to cancel our date because her pregnant sister was just going into labor and she had to
meet her at the hospital. It turned out she didn't have a sister.
At this point, the strongest thing you can do is call Sandy back on Monday and break the
Tuesday date with her. Make up some convincing whopper of your own. Don't suggest any
day as an alternative. Instead, just say, "So hey, I'm in a rush right now, but let's talk later on."
Do not tell her that you will call her . Keep it ambiguous.
Then, you have to out-wait her. If she never calls back, then you'll know that her Interest
Level [degree of love] in you was never high to begin with, and you will have saved yourself
from more disappointment and another wasted $100 on dinner for two.
In order for the two of you to go out again, she must call you . She must apologize again.
And, she must ask you out. If she does all those things, then you can put her on probation and
give her another chance. But one more red flag from this babe and it's Adios Amiga!
Remember guys, to ask yourselves: "How many dates have I broken in my entire life?"
stick it to her!
Now I know from reading your articles that that was a sign of her having some Interest Level
in me. She didn't have to come over and ask for my advice. It was pretty obvious that it was
an excuse she had created to make contact with me. We joked around for a couple minutes,
and I made her laugh. But she had already seen me with Karen. (Karen touches me a lot so in
this girl's mind, Karen and I were probably boyfriend and girlfriend, or at least out on a date.)
Then Karen came back with the beers. I wanted to ask Randa for her home phone number but
I didn't because, first of all, I didn't feel comfortable doing that right in front of Karen. Even
though we're just friends, I felt like it wouldn't be a classy thing to do. And second, I was
afraid that I would look like a sneaky cheat or a jerk in Randa's eyes if I asked for her phone
number while I was with a girl who she most likely thought was my date.
Still, I'm not sure whether Randa would have cared about that or not. She did come on to me
even though she had already seen me with Karen. Or maybe she came on to me because she
saw me with Karen. Anyway, do you see my problem here? And this situation has come up
more than once.
So Doc, what does "The System" say about dealing with this kind of situation?
Frankie -- who wants to do the right thing
have been your big sister. Anyway, Randa was obviously giving you plenty of buying signals.
She didn't seem to be so concerned about what Karen might think, so why should you?
Also, remember that the only reason you're pitching so many different women is so you can
find the one for you. All you need is one. You only need to keep greeting and meeting new
babes until you find Miss Right (and get past two months with her.)
Remember guys, you never know who's going to like you until you check it out.
silence is key
The point I'm getting at is that one of the most powerful ways to maintain a sense of
Challenge in your long-term relationship is to say "I love you" only occasionally. If you start
overusing those words, or any other form of "love-speak," it will lose its meaning and she'll
think she's on your highest pedestal. The best way to let a woman know that you love her is
through your actions, not your words. Your physical presence tells her that you are committed
while your silence keeps up the Challenge factor -- silence is golden after all.
If you have a good woman who truly loves you, she will tell you that she loves you often. Let
her do it. You can smile and grunt with delight and hug her and hold her when she does, but
it's best that you don't say anything. Even though she may complain that you don't say "I love
you" back, in the grand scheme of things, she'll be happier because her romantic Interest
Level [degree of love] in you will stay much higher than if you were dutifully parroting those
words back to her whenever she said them to you.
unprofessional and three, it could be detrimental to our work environment. Sure she has
caught me looking at her as the overhead projector shines in her face, but hey, I am human.
She has dropped clues that she is interested in me. For instance, she once told me that we
would be great parents as we both have the same style with children. She tells me her plans
for the future and asks for my advice. On one occasion she said she wanted to get her masters
and move to another location. I asked her what her boyfriend thought about that, and she said
she wasn't sure.
She makes little reference to her boyfriend. Though when she does, she says things that make
their relationship seem unimportant. She has gone out of her way to give me rides to work and
offered me her phone number "if anything should come up." I have remained professional, I
have never called her and I keep my compliments secular, telling her how I think she is a
great teacher and how I admire her dedication and professionalism. In the beginning I was just
struck by her beauty, but now that I know her better, I am falling for her.
So here is the conundrum. Do I make a move or not? I know the problems that can arise at
work. She is already in a relationship. What do you think I should do? What do you think her
degree of interest is? Right now it is intriguing and fun, and I sure look forward to going to
work.
Telly -- who wants your insight
messages.
It could easily be that she has no romantic interest in you whatsoever. But, because you're
such a good guy, she gets off on being appreciated by you and acts extra sweet and flirty and
feminine around you to keep getting more of what she enjoys getting from you: appreciation.
After you do this for a while, if she has interest, she'll want to find a way to spend more time
with you and she'll ask you out for a private one-on-one lunch off campus, or even better,
dinner! But she has to suggest it, not you. She has to initiate it. If she never does, that means
there was never anything meaningful going on. But if she does, that means Mr. Backup is
movin' on up!
Remember guys, as Telly said in the beginning of his letter, "Remaining a Challenge and
having women pursue you is a better plan."
Hey Jerome,
What kind of drugs have you been smoking? Or do you live near a glue factory? Your
thinking is about as clear as a teenage boy's complexion.
First of all, realize that you've allowed yourself to fall in love with a woman who has no
integrity. A woman who cheats on her husband is a woman that no man can ever fully trust.
She's a real keeper...
I know this isn't the answer you were looking for Jerome, but I have to call 'em as I see 'em. I
recommend that you start to emotionally disconnect from Mrs. Trouble and start meeting and
dating other women as soon as possible. Even if the idea of meeting other women makes you
only lovesick, do it anyway. It will build character and prepare you for the real thing when it
comes along.
Remember, guys, if she'll do it to him, she'll do it to you.
same issues, at least at some time in their lives. Why? Because good mentors and role models
for proper deportment with women are hard to come by.
Let me be your mentor...
be bold
Don't try to justify your actions with a compliment. Don't try to excuse or explain what you're
about to do. Don't try to motivate her by telling her how much you like her. Don't ask her for
permission to kiss her, which she will perceive as weak and begging (unless her Interest Level
[degree of love] is off the chart from the get-go).
Remember, the classic male archetype of women's romantic fantasies is "The strong silent
type." As my Uncle Jethro Love used to say, "You can't wind up saying something that lowers
her Interest Level or her comfort level if you simply don't speak at all, now can you?" So be
Mr. Nike, and without a word -- just do it.
Sometimes that first kiss happens magically and effortlessly, as if you and your date were
actors in a romantic film with all the elements in perfect alignment. But more often, things
don't flow so perfectly. Many times, going for that first kiss is like trying to change the dust
bag on an old hoover; no matter how careful you are, things can get a bit messy. That's okay.
If the Interest Level is there, she'll be happy that you went for it, regardless of any lack of
elegance in your approach. To you Psych majors: when they like you, they help you and they
give you the benefit of the doubt.
the two of you have finished eating at a restaurant and the check arrives. The odds of her
having high interest in you are much better if she allows you to pay without bringing up the
idea of sharing the cost.
When she lets you be the "sole provider" in this context, it means, on a deeper level, that she's
surrendering to you. (This is all true, unless of course, she's a mercenary, which is a whole
other can of worms.)
How can you make her pay for your dates?
tough love
Let's apply some indirect pressure and see if she becomes more demonstrative in the gratitude
department. Maybe she can be re-trained. So, when she calls, ask her, "Did you forget to do
something?" When she says, "What's that?" say, "Thank me for the nice dinner last
Thursday." Do this kind of thing two or three times and see if she gets the hint. You could
also ask her to massage your shoulders and then observe whether she whines and does it with
reluctance or with enthusiasm.
Additionally, I want you to suspend taking her out on any more expensive dates or trips until
she starts appreciating you on a consistent basis. But be prepared. When you cut down on the
high priced activities, you may see a side of her that you don't like. You may discover that she
has a higher interest in your wallet than she does in your heart. But let's see.
If and when she starts to respond to the new training program, she may hopefully also begin
to reciprocate with more than just verbal acknowledgements. That would be optimal. But the
odds that she will aren't good because giving doesn't seem to be part of her nature. And no, I
don't think her lack of giving has anything to do with her being "traditional." But it does have
a lot to do with the fact that she's a "10."
If she doesn't respond well to the new program, Winston, then you have to make a choice. If
you have tons of money and can overlook her take, then marry her. But I think that would be a
tough row to hoe. There's a high potential for resentment to build and kill all the romance. So
let's hope we get some results from our new game plan.
Remember, guys, givers are more fun than takers.
my savior
When reading "The System," the thing that really hit home for me was what you teach about
the stupid ignorant things men say to women; the lines that we think are going to get us
somewhere, but actually lower women's Interest Level before the first date is even over.
That was me. I was the guy who would say, "So, have you ever had a one-night stand?" to a
woman and then wonder why she didn't want to go out with me again.
As you can tell, I'm walking on air with my newfound wisdom, and if you have any other
examples of dumb things that men tend say to women, and are really a turnoff, it would be
nice to know. I want to learn as much as I can.
Please feel free to use me as a reference anytime. Thank you.
Ted -- who wants to spread the joy
All right, so you'd like some more examples of counterproductive clichs that guys like to use
on women. Stupid lines that are guaranteed to sink your ship of love before you can even get
the sails up.
Okay. But first, let's examine the one that you already mentioned; "So, have you ever had a
one-night stand?" Now is that a classy thing to say to a woman? Is that going to make her feel
comfortable? As they say in Argentina: "No."
When you ask a woman that question, all it does is instantly make her think, "Oh God, here's
another horny dog who just wants to get into my pants." You might as well just say, "So, are
you easy?"
I think that a man asks a woman that question hoping that she'll say something like, "A onenight stand? I love one-night stands. I can't wait to have another!" And how often do you get
that kind of answer? Try never.
When asked the "one night stand" question, a woman usually either just says "No" or at best
she says, "Oh, I used to do that kind of thing, but not anymore." The Bottom Line Factor [the
end result] says that any way you look at it, asking this question is only going to lower a
woman's Interest Level [degree of love]. To you Psych majors: it's a big turnoff.
What else should you avoid telling women at all cost?
Another question that guys will often ask a woman on a first date is: "So what type of guy do
you usually go out with?" Now that's a pitifully weak way of trying to evaluate a woman's
Interest Level in you.
When a guy asks a woman that question, what he's really asking is, "Am I your type?", which
is a wimpy thing to ask. It's just as bad as asking, "Do you like me?" Would a woman ever
have romantic fantasies about a guy who asks her, "Do you like me?" Maybe, but only if she's
a control freak.
Now your actions are going to speak louder than your words. You won't appear controlling or
insecure if you make your point non-verbally.
and a reliable source for accurate information when it comes to dating and relating to women
properly.
I have to say that I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the rethinking and reorienting I'm
having to do, and now that I've become a believer in "The System," I keep discovering more
misconceptions that I was laboring under. So Doc, what you would say are the most important
misconceptions I should be aware of and free myself of? I need to make things simple right
now.
Theo -- who understands the power of simplicity
dispelling myths
Okay. I'll make it real simple for you. Easy as 1, 2, 3. Here are three of the biggest
misconceptions men have about approaching women:
1. "I can raise any woman's Interest Level [degree of love] in me by complimenting
her."
Yes, this thinking has a certain (false) logic to it. Complimenting women sure seems to work
in the movies and on television. A handsome lawyer tells Ally McBeal how smart and
beautiful she is, and she swoons and wants to make babies with him. And all the girls in the
X-rated videos sure seem to respond well to compliments. Extra well. The only problem is
that these are not real-life situations. In real life, with real women, laying on the compliments
only hurts your cause. It's anti-Challenge.
2. "I can raise any woman's Interest Level in me by boasting about myself."
Same thing with boasting. It's certainly true that women respond quite favorably to wealthy,
powerful and successful men. So it seems logical that it would be helpful to tell a woman
things about yourself that would make her think of you as someone who's a major league
player.
But no matter how you play it, boasting only makes a woman feel as if you're trying to
impress her. And the operative word here is trying . Trying is the opposite of Challenge
[allowing the woman to chase you]. A real heavyweight kind of a guy doesn't have to try. He
emanates confidence. It's far better to let her work a little to discover what an amazing guy
you are. To you Psych majors: keep it to yourself.
3. "If I persistently demonstrate to the woman whom I'm courting how high my Interest
Level in her is, it will raise her Interest Level in me."
This one's the real killer. Once again, media brainwashing is a major factor in perpetuating
this myth. How many love stories have you seen or read where the plot line goes like this:
Handsome guy likes beautiful girl, but girl isn't interested in guy. Guy is determined to do
whatever it takes to win girl over. After guy begs, jumps through a dozen hoops and sacrifices
himself for her, girl finally realizes: "Oh gosh, I love him!" As my cousin "Fast Eddie" Love
would say, "Puke!"
hold of a girl on her cell phone. What do you say, Doc? Is it okay to accept a girl's cell phone
number instead of her home phone number?
Marshall -- who wants to know what the difference is
repeat after me
Whenever you "close" a woman for her phone number, you should always say the same five
magic words that I always coach you guys to say: "What's your home phone number?" Don't
be concerned if it feels like you're being abrupt or too direct when you ask her. I want you to
catch her off guard. It's a way of testing her (true) Interest Level.
Once those five magic words have left your lips, be silent. If you notice that she starts to
squirm or fidget or hem and haw, don't help her. Look deeply into her eyes. Stare her down.
Don't crack and speak again before she speaks. This is a test of her Interest Level and a test of
your character. Watch and listen. Her body language will tell a whole story before she even
says a word.
When (and if) she gives you her number, ask her, "Is this your home phone number?" If she
says, "No it's my cell number. It's the easiest way to get hold of me."
Then you should say, "Great, what's your home phone number?" If you never get the home
number out of her, then put her on probation and wait two weeks to call her. But don't expect
her to keep any date that she makes with you. Why? Because she wouldn't give you her home
phone number.
Remember, guys, nothing beats the home phone number.
busted!
I've just run into one glitch. I've been working to get my PhD, and I have about thirty different
books I have to study. When I take a study break I like to review your "Dating Dictionary."
(Every time I read it I get more out of it.)
I usually stash it away in a drawer when I'm done reading it, but the other night I was so
zoned out that I left it out on the top of the pile with all my other books.
I woke up the next morning and rushed off to do a zillion errands. It was my only day off; I
never even looked at my desk before I left. When I came back that evening, my girlfriend was
sitting on the couch (she has a key to my place) with "The Dating Dictionary" in her hand and
with this look on her face that I would describe as a combination of intense curiosity with a
bit of disapproval.
She gave it to me good...
She says to me: "So have you been using these strategies on me? Is this why you waited over
a week to call me after you first met me?" I wasn't sure what to say so I just said, "Honey,
what do you mean by 'strategies'?"
Then she says, "This book is teaching men to play games. I can't believe that you would even
read something like this!"
i created a diversion
Well, I used your advice again and diffused the situation with some humor and changed the
subject. Then I started playfully kissing her neck. One thing led to another and soon enough
she forgot about "The Dating Dictionary" for that night.
But then yesterday when she said, "I love you" to me and I didn't say it back, she then said:
"So are you not telling me you love me because you're trying to be a 'Challenge' like in your
dating book?"
I can see that I'm in for more of this now. I feel like I let the genie out of the bottle. I pulled
the rug out from under myself. She's going to be analyzing and questioning everything now.
What should I do Doc? Can "The System" continue to work even after your woman has found
out what it's all about? Help!
Antoine -- who is kicking himself
To answer your question, Antoine, can "The System" continue to work even after your
woman has found out what it's all about? Yes it will, as long as you don't apologize for using
it.
Remember, guys, keep using The System.
take 2
Seven days later I arranged for supper at a Mexican restaurant and then a movie at the dollar
cinema. I paid for everything.
I tore up her phone number when she refused to kiss me after that second date. Buddies of
mine who had seen her said I was completely nuts for getting rid of her.
I got ragged on so badly that I relented and looked her up in the phone book to call again
except I waited a full month to call her. I figured that if I was a super Challenge, she might
possibly crack.
I suggested that we meet at the free jazz concerts at the city amphitheater for a brown bag
supper and great music. She refused, saying she didn't like "jazz." That was two weeks ago.
so i'm a cheapskate!
But then she started at me again. "On our first date, you spent less than $7 on me. And the
date after that at the Mexican restaurant and the movie? You spent less than $20 on me that
night. I called all my girlfriends and at work the next day, I told all my co-workers how you
insulted me. None of them had heard of such a thing!"
She went on and on with a passion I've never seen. She is attractive enough to only date
hunky alpha males, even though I've never thought of myself as one.
I found it odd that she was so upset yet took the time to bend my ear for over a half an hour. I
seem to have really gotten under her skin.
I thought you'd find all this pretty interesting Doc. Any comments?
Mark -- who is laughing to himself
The only mistake you made was that you gave into pressure from your peers and called her
again after she had disqualified herself from the contest to win your heart. Her horrible
attitude aside, she failed "The Smooch Test" and once a woman fails the "The Smooch Test" - that's it. Over and out. No calling her back, period.
But hey, Mark, overall you did fantastic. And I'm delighted to hear that you got in a couple
zingers before you gave her the big Adios.
Remember guys, don't listen to your friends, listen to me.
Paul, you have to learn what it means to be a Challenge. Right now it appears that you have
no concept of what that is. If you had been a Challenge during the last two months, you'd still
be groovin' with your babe despite the situations she's dealing with.
So, please, start studying The System to make sure that you never get L.J.B.F.'d again.
Remember, guys, she'll never walk away from a Challenge.
instant chemistry
We talked for about five or ten minutes and then I suggested that she meet me at my place. I
told her that I'd make dinner.
She seemed to get nervous and spooked when I did that, so I backed off and made another
coffee date with her.
She showed up right on time, wearing a very short skirt and a low-cut blouse. It was the most
provocative outfit I'd ever seen her wear. She also had a ton of sweet-smelling perfume on.
Besides that, this second coffee date went exactly the same way as the first. We spent an hour
and a half having a great conversation and then we ended up back in the parking lot for
another long make-out session. I tried again to see if she'd come with me to my apartment but
she said that she had to get home because her boyfriend was coming over after his gig (he's a
jazz musician).
Anyway, I really like Samantha but it seems as if this whole thing with her just isn't going
anywhere, like it has stalled. I'm sure that if I called her again, she'd meet me somewhere and
it would be the same scenario for a third time, and that just isn't going work for me.
I'm about ready to just blow her off. But I thought that you might have a clever idea or two,
Doc. What do you think?
P.S. Also, what do you think I should say if she calls again?
Dino -- who is a bit frustrated
"The System" says: if she flirts with you, and you're interested, then keep closing no matter
what tests she throws at you. Let her do her flitty butterfly, waxing and waning routine, but
you, the man, remain consistent and steady as a steam locomotive, slowly but surely chugging
up the hill. That's just what you did Dino. Good work!
All right, so obviously I wouldn't recommend that you take this thing with Samantha
seriously. You've got the right spirit when you say that you're ready to shine the whole thing
on. You're not attached. You're heart's not invested in any way and that's just how you should
keep it in this situation.
But you can still have some fun here. Look at it this way: She's keeping you "on the side."
Okay. So why not do the same thing with her? Don't take her out anywhere special. No
dinners. No concerts. No dancing. She'll just be your Java Joint make-out buddy who you
don't need to spend any more than six bucks on. To you Psych majors: all's fair in love and
war.
who cares?
Remember, guys, it's more fun to date women who are available.
examine yourself
Davin, check this list closely. If you take a real honest look here, then you'll probably see
yourself in some of these examples. (Even men who appear very rugged and macho can still
be suffering from The Nice Guy Syndrome.)
But take heart because now you're beginning to have some understanding as to why you can't
seem to create the kind of romantic relationship that you'd like to have in your life. How do
these conflicts play out for you in real time, Davin? It probably goes something like this:
There you are. You're horny. You're a bit lonely. It's been a while since you've even had a
date with a woman whom you'd consider long-term relationship material.
Ah, but look. This girl who's slightly flaky, yet kind of cute in a way, is showing a whole lot
of interest in you, and she's making it very easy for you to hook up with her. "Hmm, it feels
nice to be wanted," you say to yourself. So you go for it, thinking that you won't have to deal
with the messy details of dropping her when you tire of her, until later. And right now you
just want some intimacy and affection.
lower than it was to begin with, and you now have the unpleasant task of trying to figure out a
way to let her down easy. (As my acupuncturist Dr. Lao would say, "He who thinks with his
dingy dong instead of his brain, makes big mess. Hard to clean up!")
And when it's a woman you like...
A few months ago I went out to a club and met a beautiful girl named Kristine. I ended up
bringing her home that night. We had a great time and hung out a few more times over the
next couple of weeks. I was honest with her and told her about my girlfriend. She told me that
she had just ended a relationship and was very content being 22 and single again.
in too deep
Now I have to bust you on another thing, Jacob. You lied to your girlfriend when you told her
that Kristine was a "former co-worker." Whenever you lie to your partner, you set yourself up
for a slippery slide into some deep doo-doo.
Instead you should have introduced her to your girlfriend by simply saying, "This is Kristine."
If your girlfriend had inquired further about Kristine, you could have told her that you had
previously met and talked with Kristine at a club. Fibbing by omission is passable, but
directly lying is only going to come back to bite you later. Just ask Bill Clinton.
Okay. Now that we've gained some clarity, let's get to the nitty-gritty. The Bottom Line Factor
[the end result] says that you are not committed to your girlfriend. You cheated on her and
didn't think twice about it.
She's got a problem personality, and your romantic Interest Level [degree of love] in her is
mediocre. This unfortunate combination is a lousy foundation to try to build a relationship on.
Once you've made a clean break, you can begin to explore the possibilities with Kristine. But
take it slow. Don't have any further discussions about shackin' up with her until you get
considerably more time in together. Keep your conversations light and non-serious. And find
out if there's more to your relationship with Kristine than just physical attraction.
Overall, Jacob, you need to get more focused and disciplined in your approach to women.
You're too flippy and flighty. You're impatient and you're sloppy. And , you're very foggy
about what's good for you and what's not. Please, please, start studying "The System!"
Remember, guys: If you want to be successful in love, you have to know what's good for you
and what's not.
Okay, here's the thing. Since I've come to understand the difference between a woman who
appears to have high interest in me versus a woman who really has high interest in me, there's
something else I've begun to notice: It's hard to find an attractive, intelligent woman with a
great personality who also has authentic high interest in me.
Over the past four months I've been very busy using the Internet to meet women and set up
dates. I've kept track, and over a four-month period I have had coffee dates with exactly 42
different women. Out of the 42, there have been six or seven that I really thought had
potential. But none of them gave me any buying signals. None of them were choosing me.
I would never even consider going back to my old habits to try to get something going with
any of these girls. But what should I do? This is exhausting. Is there something I'm missing
here? Is there a more effective and efficient way to go about this? I'm really frustrated. Any
advice, Doc?
Al -- who needs to have a "win" soon
women off.
If you're following all my guidelines while out on your coffee dates, then the best explanation
for your lack of success lately is simply that you're in a slump. It happens to the best of us.
heed my advice
I have two recommendations to help you get out of your slump. Number one: I want you to
branch out. Don't focus solely on the Internet. Some guys kick butt on Internet dating sites,
while others do much better at Adult Ed classes or New Age workshops, for instance.
So, as Shakespeare might say, "Get thee to a yoga class young squire." Check out dance
studios or toastmasters meetings. Do something different. There's no use staying on the same
road if it isn't taking you where you want to go.
Number two: Don't give up! It's certainly legitimate to feel discouraged after having nothing
to show for all your work. So go ahead and fully feel all the discouragement that's in your
heart (so that you're not stuffing it), and then dump it all out. Let it go and move on.
As long as you stick with "The System," you're going to succeed. And as my Uncle Jethro
Love used to say, "There ain't no drought that lasts forever. The rain always comes sooner or
later."
Remember, guys: Dating is a numbers game and you only need one.
The height difference is really messing with my mind. When I stand next to her I feel like a
midget and not very manly. I'm trying to imagine the two of us out on a date in public and it
just seems weird to me. I know that I'd be very uncomfortable.
But otherwise she has so many of the qualities that I look for in a girlfriend. When we're both
sitting down together and my mind isn't on the height issue, I very much want to be romantic
with her.
Half of me wants to just make up an excuse to tell her why I can't date her, and the other half
of me feels like I'd be acting weak and foolish if I did that. Do you think there's a way to
overcome my discomfort and feel more confident? Do you think it's a healthy thing for a guy
to date a girl who's half a foot taller than he is? What do you say Doc? Any ideas?
Theron -- who is very confused
There's no way of telling right now if being in a relationship with your statuesque classmate
would work for you over the long haul or not. But you may possibly discover that with time
and a whole lot of sweetness and High Interest from her, her height (or your lack of it in
comparison) will become a non-issue for you. Who knows? You'll only find out if you go out
with her. If you don't go out with her, nothing will happen and that's pretty boring.
model behavior
To give you a little extra inspiration, Theron, allow me to share a brief personal anecdote with
you. A couple of years ago, while waiting for a friend at the bar in the Beverly Hilton Hotel, I
struck up a conversation with a chap of rather diminutive stature. He was an average-looking
guy and was no more than 5'5" tall. He told me that he was a real-estate agent and that he was
dating a model.
At the time I thought that he was giving me more of the usual LA-big-talker hype. But a few
minutes later, lo and behold, his Claudia Schiffer look-alike girlfriend who was taller than a
camel came walking in, sat down in his lap and gave him a long wet kiss right there in front of
me.
He introduced me to her, then said goodbye and walked on out to the lobby with her, arm in
arm. And I've got to tell you that this guy was as cool, comfortable and confident as Vin
Diesel in a tight spot. Plus, he got off on her height.
So Theron, get that cutie out on a date. When the two of you are together, make no remarks
about how tall she is. And if she wants to put her arm around you while you're walking down
the street, go with it. Just make sure that you are the one walking on the outer side of the
sidewalk.
Remember guys: If you go out with a woman who's taller than you, tell her to wear high
heels.
yourselves in a similar situation again. If she says something like, "I can't believe that bitch."
You can jokingly say, "She's not a bitch, she just has good taste."
Or, you could playfully say, "Aw, does my little baby think I'm going to leave her for
someone else?" And then wink at her and give her a quick little kiss.
Remember, guys: Kitty Cats Compete.
proposition. At the tender age of 19, she's got more oats to sow than Quaker.
But John, you've not only been emotionally reckless, you're also pathetically nave. Your "true
love" has been sleeping with two guys in a tent for three months and you're not concerned at
all? Hey, I've got some extra Enron shares that I can sell you at a discounted price!
She didn't bring you along in her backpack...
interrogate her
But you could have avoided having to marinate in a stew of doubt and confusion. You could
have instantly liberated yourself from limbo. How? By asking your girlfriend what she
specifically meant when she said that she's "changed so much." In relationships, there's a time
to lay back and there's a time to get aggressive and do some serious interrogating, like a cop
from Internal Affairs. This was one of those times when you should have pinned your partner
down, John.
Although you didn't get an explanation from your girlfriend, I'll bet you a new pair of hiking
boots that when she told you "I've changed so much," that was Womanese for "One of my tent
mates has shown me what 'The Call of the Wild' really means."
So before you start packin' for your 10-day road trip, you must first get your Alaska lovin'
lassie on the phone and have a truth-telling session with her. You need to find out where her
heart's really at before you hit the road with her. She may indeed end up revealing that her
feelings for you have changed and that she wants to "just be friends" now. Maybe not, but if
that is the case, wouldn't you rather know before you spend 10 days and nights with her?
If she does insist on shifting your relationship to a platonic mode, I don't recommend that you
take that trip with her. Unless you're up for a vacation filled with constant anguish.
Remember, guys: When they throw a zinger at you, you've got to call 'em on it right when it
happens.
enter guy #2
She then started spending a lot of time with another guy that works with us. I later found out
that they were dating and she insisted that they keep it a secret from co-workers.
The funny thing is that you would think she would want to be alone with this guy, however,
she would take the opportunity to invite me to join them and she would never make this offer
to others. Of course, I would politely make up an excuse and decline.
Months have passed and I have watched this other guy do things to lower her Interest Level.
And whenever we talk at work she is extra friendly and she actually seems nervous around
me. She also makes suggestions about having more lunches together, which I haven't taken
her up on yet.
So does she want to be friends or more?
My question to you is; do you have any explanation for her behavior toward me? Usually
when a girl wants to be "just friends," she is just saying that and would not care if the
friendship continued. Also, I have never seen this level of nervousness in a woman that wants
to be "just friends." (If we had been "friends" I could understand this behavior, however, I
only knew her for less than a month before the "incident.")
I still have very strong feelings for her, but I don't feel like setting myself up for rejection
again. I'm pretty sure she thinks of me only as a "friend." But on the other hand, maybe I have
a chance since I've been such a Challenge with her. What do you think Doc?
Monsoor -- who is sold on "The System."
hindsight is 20/20
Looking back, as you know, you should never have spilled your guts to her. And you could
have easily tested her Interest Level and saved yourself a lot of needless confusion by asking
her out for dinner. But asking her out now is pointless. Once you're out, you're out.
Fortunately, you have me as your coach now, and next time around you'll do much better,
Monsoor. Still, you can appreciate the fact that you've learned some valuable lessons from
this experience.
Remember, guys: You only get one shot, so don't blow it.
undaunted by the threat of potential rejection. To you Psych majors: They want a guy who
doesn't care.
I think that it's important to emphasize that it is the fear of rejection that motivates most guys
to take this indirect-passive approach. They think that if they come on in a laid-back, slightly
ambiguous way, they are safe from hearing the dreaded "N" word. But this is no way to live.
No risk, no passion, no fun.
And here's something to contemplate: Would the man of a woman's romantic fantasies ever
say something like, "Yeah, maybe we should hang out sometime"? Is that something that a
powerful, magnetic and charismatic fellow would say? No!
So Doc, why do some guys do that? And can you please suggest that they stop doing it and try
to treat women with respect and authentic friendliness instead?
Charleen -- who is miffed and mystified
be like -- guys who magically get sex, simply by uttering a few nasty words to women.
I'll tell you something else, Charleen. As difficult as you may find this to believe, there is a
small percentage of women out there who think that all men act in this disgusting way. They
think, "Well, that's the way men are," so they go along with it and get involved with these
guys. Of course this only helps to perpetuate the problem.
If all these guys had fathers, teachers or big brothers to educate them about manners and class,
this would be a very different society. Unfortunately they don't, but that's why I'm here.
exercise. Suddenly, her expression changed. I thought that if she was really interested, she
would have come over. So to test her Interest Level, I walked by her a couple of times, but
she didn't say a word.
The next time I saw her, again she didn't speak to me. And because I wasn't able to read her
body language, I never made an attempt to speak with her.
Looking back however, I think I should have walked over, said hello and asked for her phone
number.
So to determine if a woman is really interested, should I wait until she makes the effort to
initiate a conversation or do you think it is okay to use her body language as a signal? My
concern is that if a guy has a very high Interest Level in a woman, he may misinterpret her
non-verbal communication as being highly interested when she really isn't.
Martin -- who is learning
you're up at bat
So Martin, when you're considering approaching a woman you've never been introduced to,
be aware of what her body language is saying. Check out and properly evaluate every nonverbal signal that you can find. Then, if you're getting some kind of buying signals, make an
attempt to strike up a conversation with her. Of course, try to get her to laugh right off the bat
if at all possible.
But do not wait for her to make the first move. And even if she does make the first move, do
not wait for her to ask for your phone number. You must take charge, be assertive and go for
the gold. She'll respect you for it when you do.
Remember, guys: You gotta swing to hit.
Here's my problem: There's an attractive woman that lives in my apartment building and I
have already spoken to her a few times. About a week ago, I stopped over at her apartment
and directly and confidently asked her out for dinner -- in front of her roommate no less. She
said "yes," but there was a pause before she accepted and her enthusiasm seemed lukewarm.
Since I was listening to my gut, I expected her to eventually stop by and give me a run-of-themill excuse, but she didn't. Then, twenty minutes before we were supposed to go out, she
came by my place. She said that she needed to stay home and study for a test that she "just
found out about." I had to laugh. And of course, there was the trite, "I'm sorry."
What I want to know is, what should a guy do when he is 95% sure that a woman is going to
break the date, and is there any way I can have fun with these women -- maybe give 'em a
dose of their own medicine?
Travis -- who wants to know what to do
course something would always "come up" and they'd have to "reschedule."
Sometimes they'd even keep the date because their egos couldn't handle the fact that I had
busted them on their disingenuous behavior. Even though they knew I was right, they'd go out
with me just to prove me wrong. So whatever you say, they just don't have the capacity to
appreciate it and you'll just wind up getting more frustrated.
is she yawning?
But once a few minutes go by, you begin to notice that she doesn't really seem to be very
interested in what you're sharing with her. Even though you're being your usual charming self,
she's just not warming up to you. In fact, now she's not even looking at you while you're
talking to her. You're ready to propose, yet she finds you about as interesting as a
Congressional hearing on farm subsidies.
The next thing you know, she says, "Nice meeting you," as she walks off. Ten minutes later,
you see her laughing with and touching the arm of some other guy that she just met. But for
him, it seems that she's suddenly grown a personality.
Don't worry, there is a way to put her under your spell...
sexual hypnosis
Now, wouldn't it be fantastic if there were a secret super-seduction-technique you could use in
a situation like this; some hypnotic word pattern you could employ to enchant any woman and
raise her Interest Level [degree of love] in you? If such a method existed, however devious, to
control a woman's mind and make her like you, wouldn't you love to know what it was?
And indeed, this is the very kind of thing that some dating coaches claim they can teach you
in a matter of days or weeks. Methods for creating not only an instant rapport with a
disinterested woman, but also techniques to make her have romantic feelings for you within
minutes.
Can it be done? The simple answer is "yes." Using a clever combination of Ericksonian
Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming techniques, it is possible to make a
disinterested woman deeply interested in you, but the level of mastery required to successfully
capture the heart of a woman who has less than 50% Interest Level in you is extraordinary.
it takes a genius
If you had no background in this field and had to start from square one (which is the case for
most guys), it would be about the same as being a non-musician and having to learn how to
play the piano near the level of an orchestral virtuoso.
The promise of being able to quickly teach a guy to have the mastery required to pull off this
kind of maneuver is in itself very seductive. But when you take a scientific poll of the guys
who have spent money on the tapes and manuals to learn these techniques, what you find is
that only a tiny percentage of them have been able to stick with it and gain the level of skill
required. As I mentioned before, the learning curve is steeper than a skyscraper.
Also be aware that all these "win quick" coaches tell you that you have to pre-qualify your
"target" and that their methods don't work with some women because those women just aren't
intelligent enough -- that's their "out" clause. What they're really saying is that she has to have
an Interest Level of at least 65% in order for you to get a significant positive response right
away.
there's no magic to it
The good thing about these techniques is that they place tremendous importance on making
your love interest feel happy, positive feelings, and getting her to associate those feelings with
being with you. They encourage you to make her laugh if you can, and make her feel supercomfortable. They also teach you the importance of emanating an aura of confidence. Of
course, all of that is totally in alignment with what "The System" teaches.
But there's also a downside to these seduction techniques. Even if you are able to raise a
woman's Interest Level from the dead, however sincere you are, there's a tremendous amount
of manipulation involved. If you can live with that, fine. But I'd rather have the woman
choose me first. Why? Because it feels much better and it's a whole hell of a lot less work.
As my acupuncturist, Dr. Lao, would say, "Better to let kitty cat come to you, Grasshopper,
than chase her around yard with bowl of milk."
Remember, guys: Men do the picking, but women do the choosing.
sweetness and generosity of spirit. Men respond emotionally to women who are loving and
giving and who build a man's ego up . The smart woman knows that telling a guy that he's a
failure at love doesn't help her cause.
That's right. Gals who've got it together don't press for commitment as the women who keep
hooking up with Paul do. Instead, they learn to simply enhance a man's life so wonderfully
that he naturally wants to stay with them forever.
And Paul, your current girlfriend should not be whining about how you and she don't spend
enough time together. Whining and nagging are one and the same; and nagging, besides being
the most under-reported crime in America, is a sure-fire way to make a guy want to head for
the hills.
She is a busy, successful realtor and does not respond quickly, if at all, to the occasional
phone call during the week. Since we have agreed to see each other exclusively, I don't
suspect she is cheating on me.
Here's my question: Am I wasting my time when she is so wrapped up in work that by the
time she gets home during the week she is so dead tired that she doesn't want to call anyone,
even me?
My gut says dump her or at least tell her I will keep dating her and other women
simultaneously with the intent on finding someone who is not so wrapped up in work. Is it
unreasonable to expect a couple of phone calls during the week?
Creon -- who needs more attention
Yes, perhaps your real estate wranglin' gal does have some workaholic tendencies. Well,
we've all got a few character flaws. Again, I recommend that you look on the bright side and
try to appreciate the cool deal you've got goin' on here.
Your woman's not some aspiring actress with constant car trouble who barely makes her rent
each month. No, she's a go-getter, a high achiever with a good income. I can tell that this kitty
cat isn't likely to ever expect you to be the sole provider, and that's a groovy thing.
Isabella, then she asked if I ever told Isabella that I loved her, and I confessed that I did. The
point is that the more I tried to explain things, the more upset she became.
Now she says she doesn't want to talk to me for "awhile." So Doc, please help me out here.
What should I do?
Jefferson -- who wishes he had kept his lips zipped
never beg
So of course, Jefferson, I'm not going to recommend that you get on your knees like a dog
who wants his bone back. What you're going to have to do is take the non-proactive approach
and withdraw . You're going to have to live in limbo for a while. Don't call your girlfriend or
go to her house. Why not? Because when she's ready to see you, she'll call you .
Don't try to rush her. She'll let you know when she has processed her upset feelings and is
ready to be with you. Any action you might take at this point would be futile. But you can
control yourself. So lay back for now. And realize that when you control yourself and
withdraw, you come across as strong and not needy, which will serve to enhance your
girlfriend's respect for you in the long run.
If you're lucky, your girlfriend won't decide that what you did has broken the trust bond
between the two of you and she will want to be with you. But the ball is way, way deep in her
court at this point.
Hopefully she'll call you soon and will have gotten past all the upset. Then when you guys get
back together, you've got to suck it up and walk on eggs for a while (I almost never tell guys
to do this, but in this special situation, it's what's required). Don't disagree with anything she
says. If she says that 2 plus 2 equals 5, just say "Yes, Dear." Let her be right about everything
for a while. That's what she'll need to feel secure with you again.
Remember, guys: Unless it's going to raise Interest Level, don't talk about it.
It's admirable that being respectful to women is a high priority for you. But there is also a tone
in your correspondence that makes me suspect that you may be suffering from a case of NiceGuy-itis . Why am I suspicious? Because, in your very first sentence you placed such
importance on disassociating yourself from those men that you label "players."
What you must realize is that those "players," however lacking in integrity they may be, have
a lot of women chasing after them. So even though I wouldn't recommend that you model
your overall behavior after them, they do have certain charismatic qualities that you can
emulate to enhance your success with women. As my bible totin' cousin Brother Love would
say: "Son, you must separate the wheat from the chaff."
don't be a sucker
You need to understand, Boris, that being somewhat unpredictable and unavailable is not
disrespectful to women. On the contrary, women find this behavior alluring, mysterious and
exciting. And since when is giving women what they want and meeting their emotional needs
disrespectful?
Knowing that you are on the sensitive side of the spectrum of the male populace, I'm
concerned that you may attempt to verify or invalidate what I've just told you by soliciting the
opinions of various females that you know. But I feel that I would be remiss not to give you
this admonition: Don't freakin' do it! You'll only become more confused if you do.
One of the most powerful axioms of "The System" is that you cannot determine what women
want by asking them directly. If you do, they will only mislead you. They will talk your ear
off about what qualities they desire in a man, but they are essentially incapable of clearly
communicating what male traits they actually deeply respond to emotionally.
Believe me, I've tried...
What are these three essential C's? No, they're not Cash, Corvettes and Chanel. What women
really want, what they long for whether they know it or not, are the three most powerful
attributes a man can posses:
1- Confidence
2- (Self) Control
3- Challenge
They would constantly say things that would instantly reduce a woman's interest (e.g. they
would talk about their failed marriages or spill their guts about their insecurities and faults).
It seems that divorced men treat a potential date as if they're already married to her. I tried to
help some of them see the error of their ways, but most of them would retort with, "If she
really likes me, we won't have to go through all this dating stuff," or, "I don't play games, I
just ask women straight out if they like me or not." It was a sad sight indeed.
So Doc, please help these divorced men get a clue.
Lester -- who wants to help his fellow man
because they did things to lower their partners' Interest Levels over time. (For an exhaustive
list, refer to "The System.")
One of the major inappropriate things guys do in their marriages is they start treating their
wives and relate to them as if they were their mothers. They get too comfortable and
complacent. They think that they can be as soft, vulnerable, open, weak, and whiney as
they've been able to be with their own moms, without being judged or penalized in any way.
But the love of a wife for her husband is different from the love of a mother for her child. A
woman may be the mother of her husband's children, but she just doesn't have the same
quality of unconditional love for her husband that she has for her children. To you Psych
majors, her kids can get away with stuff that her husband can't.
So then, here's a guy who's blown it, made his wife his mama, gotten the ax, and then is thrust
back into the dating scene without a clue. What chance for success does he have? It would be
tough to find any bookmaker who'd give you decent odds on that one. And to add to this poor
sap's problems, he's also resentful, spoiled and stubborn. "Why should I change anything
about myself? It's the women who need to understand me better and treat me better," he says.
Dear Doc,
There is a woman at my college whom I like very much. Every time I see her, my heart starts
pounding and my mouth drops. It may sound premature, but I think she is "The One."
She is very attractive, no doubt, but it's not her looks that I'm so attracted to. There's just
something about her I can't explain -- she has this glowing radiance.
I see her about twice a week. I don't know if she likes me or even if she has a boyfriend. I
catch her glancing at me every now and again, and I think I saw her ask her mates about me
once.
The problem is that I'm quite shy and don't know what to say to her. But I feel I have to do
something. Can you help me?
Ricardo -- who needs guidance
I guarantee that if this "woman of your dreams" were as heavy as a house and as homely as a
ham sandwich, you would not be waxing poetic about what a wonderful "inner glow" she has.
You wouldn't even care or notice. Now, it's perfectly fine to be powerfully attracted to a
woman you've never met. Just understand that without ever having met her, her looks are the
primary thing that's motivating you. And once you face that, you'll be well on your way to
greater confidence and self-mastery.
Keep in mind that, as of yet, you have no clue about what her personality is like. She could be
as sweet as Mother Teresa or the Mother of all bitches. In order to qualify her in the
personality department, you need to meet her and spend some time with her.
I understand that you're shy, and there's no shame in that. Most men with super-high Interest
Level in a beauty whom they've never met feel shy and rather flustered. Why? Because, as
"The System" reveals; when a woman who could pass for Rosie O'Donnell's twin sister rejects
you, it doesn't hurt the way it hurts when a Victoria's Secret model rejects you.
Needless to say, my jealousy was really frustrating her and our arguments got so intense at
times, that our relationship almost collapsed. She wanted me to change the way I was acting -so I did.
A friend of mine (who is a firm believer in "The System") gave me some advice he thought
would help. He let me know that revealing my jealousy, as well as telling her I love her a few
times a day -- every day (which I did) -- would ultimately lower her Interest Level.
So I've changed my ways. Thing is that, although she's into me like never before, now she's
complaining that I don't love her the way I used to.
What I need to know is, despite cutting down on the "I love yous" and not acting jealous, why
am I still having problems with her? I thought I was doing the right thing, but it hasn't made
much of a positive difference in our relationship. Is it possible that I'm being too much of a
Challenge now?
Russell -- who just can't win
important to me than any other guy." That's what a woman with a flexible, giving attitude
would have said.
When I arrived at the restaurant, she hugged me and introduced me to all her friends (there
were six of them -- three men, three women). We all got along and had a great time. And
when it came time to call it a night, Susan hugged me and kissed me on the cheek.
A few days passed and she left a message asking if I'd like to join her and her friends for a
volleyball game at the beach this weekend.
So Doc, I'm thinking that this woman must have high interest in me because she's making all
the moves. But because it's the second time she's inviting me out with her friends, I'm getting
the impression that she only wants to be friends.
Do you think I should reject her volleyball offer and ask her out on a date to test her Interest
Level, or would it be rude to refuse her invitation?
Lionel -- who's just not sure
impact. If she has high Interest Level in the guy to begin with, it's always higher after he
(temporarily) rejects her.
The warmth turned to ice as he started looking around and backing away from me. He
mumbled "Nice talking with you," and walked off. I felt shocked and hurt. Obviously, since I
didn't know him from Adam, the hurt soon passed. But I was really curious as to what caused
him to shift from engaging interest to chilly withdrawal in a nanosecond.
It later dawned on me that I had mentioned something about "my boyfriend" right before he
ejected from our conversation. Mystery solved.
So Doc, can you shed a little light on this particular form of male rudeness? And while you're
at it, can you send a message to the guys out there on the prowl, that the women they're
scanning for availability are fellow human beings.
Thanks,
Grace -- who believes in common courtesy
until you inform them that you're not interested in their product. Then they turn on you like a
cranky pitbull. That kind of behavior is truly obnoxious and destructive.
build up a mystery
Instead, you'll say "Hello, how ya doin'?" and then go for the jugular and make a date with her
-- badda bing, badda boom. When you do that, you're being direct and decisive, and women
love that. So go ahead, Dale, dial those digits.
Remember guys, you gotta know when to follow the rules, and when to bend them.
they have to do it
In essence, yes Bennet, I think that women do have an innate need to test and push their men.
Why, exactly, must they do it? Ask 50 shrinks and you'll get 50 different answers. But I say
that one of the main reasons they push is to see if there's anything there to push up against.
They need to know that you have a backbone, that you'll set limits, that you'll stand up for
yourself. It makes them feel safe when you won't take any crap. It somehow provides them
with reassurance that you are strong enough and confident enough to fight back when you're
provoked and that you're capable of protecting them from danger.
Trying to check a man's protective capabilities by starting arguments is not totally logical, but
it is bio -logical. It's a drive that goes back to the days when the womenfolk huddled in the
cave while the men fought off a pack of ravenous saber-toothed tigers.
A woman's actual physical survival was dependent on having a strong, brave male at her side
who could hunt and kill dangerous animals, and protect her from hostile tribes. That survivalbased drive for a provider/protector still motivates the modern female.
A couple of days later, I saw her on campus and she asked me if I would take her out again -and if I would buy her a new pair of rather expensive shoes.
My concern is this: Is this woman only interested in my wallet? I'm very confused because I
don't want to spend my money on a woman who is playing me. The big problem is that I still
love her -- and she knows it. Is she trying to take advantage of that? What should I do?
Jules -- who needs help
Bet you're thinking what Doc is thinking...
of manipulative crap because she's so beautiful, but now you're going to be the one to say
"no.")
Jules, stop wallowing in self-defeating lovesickness and self-pity. She's not available, not
interested and a mercenary to boot, a self-serving user who figures she can work you for a few
financial favors. If she were a guy , women would call her "a real creep."
Jules, learn how to be a Challenge, move on and use "The System" to get yourself a
sweetheart who likes you a lot. Once you do, it will be easy to forget Miss Shoeless.
Remember guys, when she's not available, make like a bank teller and just say, "Next!"
For instance, check out the plot line of half the books on Oprah's Book Club list over the last
few years. The main female characters are victims of various forms of abuse, and the main
male characters are the perpetrators. It's an astonishingly predominant theme that runs through
a preponderance of the novels on her list.
So when the most popular and powerful woman on television is peddling this kind of
propaganda, what kind of message does that send to adolescent boys who are struggling to
relate to females? And what is the queen of the tube teaching young women about men?
watched tv lately?
Take a close, objective look at the commercials on television. Men are frequently portrayed as
inept dunces and incompetent losers. In advertising land, men are sloppy and selfish. They're
incapable of taking care of themselves when they're sick. They're forgetful of anniversaries
and birthdays. They're dysfunctionally obsessed with sports. They're untrustworthy creatures
who don't deserve common courtesy. To whom are these ads catering? Women, of course. To
you psych majors: The female controls the purse strings in the home.
The ad that kills me is the one in which the guy is broken down on a desert road, and a hot
chick pulls up in a hot car and taunts him for a few moments and then drives away leaving
him stranded. Yeah. Let him walk 30 miles in the blazing sun to get help. That'll show him.
You go, girl!
But the mother of all feminists gave into a strong man...
Sometimes you'll see a male-bashing mama with a weak and wimpy guy that she can control,
but she won't stay with him for long -- or if she does, he's the punching bag in the relationship
for the rest of his life.
"The System" tells us that one of the qualities that women value most in a man is confidence.
If you're not confident with women, which you're obviously not, Elliot, then you must put
yourself on a confidence-building program. How is that done? Here's the secret: (It's actually
a lot easier than you might think.)
Determine the highest level of beauty a woman can have without engendering one bit of
nervousness or trepidation in you when you contemplate approaching and talking to her. So,
for instance, if you still get the heebie-jeebies at the thought of approaching a 7, take it down
a couple notches to the 5's who never make you uncomfortable at all.
Then, whenever you are out and about in public, say "hello" to and strike up a conversation
with every woman that you encounter who is, in one way or another, a 5 or less in your eyes.
Then, when the next potential soul mate crosses your path, it will be no big deal to say to her,
"Missy, I'd like to take you out. What's your home phone number?" Just avoid using work as
your only resource for meeting women. Get out there and start relating to the abundance of
women who are everywhere else.
Remember guys; don't bite off more than you can chew.
But, as a student of "The System," he should also know that, in order to keep you over the
long haul, he must provide you with respect, affection and romance. Apparently you're getting
plenty of affection and respect from him, but not the exact form of romance that you require
in order to be deliriously happy in your relationship.
Your guy needs to gain a better understanding of what romance means to you. It sounds to me
as if he is consistently demonstrating his love for you with his actions but he might be
deficient in the verbal expression department. He should be complimenting you and verbally
acknowledging you on a regular basis, and you should be doing the same for him.
Remember guys; there's a reason why women swoon over "the strong, silent type."
there, Garth, but I'm going to give you a map to find your way through it and emerge not only
unscathed, but triumphant. That map is called "The System." Get it, and study it diligently. In
the meantime, here are some ideas for you.
Don't head out the door just yet, staying in may be your best bet...
30 is all it takes
And don't spend more than 30 minutes with any woman on your first "meet for coffee" date.
If the two of you aren't hitting it off, a half-hour is just long enough to make it seem as if
you're not eager to get the hell out of there, even if you are. If the two of you are really
clicking and you know that you'd like to meet her again, when you bow out gracefully after
half an hour, you'll be a real Challenge in her eyes, and you will be laying the groundwork for
her to fall for you.
There is something else that divorced dads in particular should keep in mind when they are
out on a date. Whether it's the first informal coffee meeting or the tenth date, the number one
most important rule is this:
Do not, under any circumstances, talk about your ex-wife.
Divorced dads have a terrible habit of pouring their hearts out about how their ex did them
wrong and how it has affected the children, and how their capacity to trust has been lost, etc.,
etc., etc. Doing this only makes you look like a resentful loser who doesn't know how to have
a good relationship.
If you call her too soon, Reed, you'll be indirectly telling her that it's all right to jerk you
around. So for now, put her on the back burner and keep getting more phone numbers. You've
obviously got the level of confidence required. Go get em' Tiger!
Remember guys, you don't know what's what until you get past 60 days with her.
If you had been hanging out with your ex-wife, then your girlfriend would certainly have had
good reason to be troubled. But your desire to remain buddies with your ex's father shouldn't
have been an issue in your relationship. He's simply another guy, a friend. So what?
Your "soul mate" is either incredibly insecure or was just latching on to that particular
situation as a convenient excuse to dump you when her Interest Level had sunk beyond the
point of no return. To you psych majors: It's a rare woman who will tell you what you actually
did to lower her Interest Level.
The key for you, Miles, is not to get seduced by this gal's rhetoric. She says that she loves you
and that she sees no future with her new guy, but guess what? The weeks and months are
flying by, and she's still with him. She's playing both of you, dude. She gets an "F" in the
integrity department. Or as my cousin, Fast Eddie Love, would say, "She should be selling
used cars."
Remember guys, her words mean nothing; only her actions count.
Saturday is the day that you reserve for your number one gal, either your girlfriend or the
woman who's got the top position in your roster. Women know that. So when you're first
getting to know a woman and you ask her out for a Saturday, you are letting her know that
you've got no other prospects. Not good. This is something you'll want to handle properly
with the next woman.
You also should have told her that you would pick her up for the date rather than meet her at
your chosen destination. If she had insisted that you meet her somewhere and didn't want you
to come to her home, then you could have screened her out immediately, before this wild
goose chase ever got started. To you psych majors: women with low Interest Level don't want
you to know where they live.
By the way, you're lucky to have a dad who knows a thing or two about women. It's great that
he advised you with, "The less said the better." It's a rare father who actually passes on any
meaningful wisdom to his son about women.
Now, even though this woman exhibited some initial strong buying signals, she disqualified
herself as a candidate for "Girlfriend of Wayne" when she pulled that little stunt with her gal
pal and then started flirting with other guys. The audacity! She's about as classy and courteous
as a bouncer at a biker bar.
know if your date really said that or not. But even if she did , it's no basis for pursuing further
contact with her. She's out, forever, and "good riddance," I say.
Most women are "territorial" in aerobics classes. As well, the front two rows are usually
reserved for the "inner circle" group (at least the regulars). Therefore, the best location to
work out is usually the center left or center right of the class.
4) Wine tasting clubs: The ratio has always been 3:1, women to men. And as you can
imagine, it's incredibly easy to meet and talk to any woman in this kind of situation.
Hope you and your readers find this helpful. Thank you again for all your advice and
coaching.
Johnny -- who wants to help his fellow man
For example, yoga classes are a great place to meet women where the odds are stacked in
your favor, but you may hate the idea of having to contort yourself into a pretzel on the
chance that you might meet your soul mate. So don't be a victim. Find a different venue that's
overstocked with females, like a Latin dance class for instance, where you can meet babes and
enjoy yourself.
I used to believe anything women told me because I wanted them to like me. I felt like I was
always on the defensive and I would do whatever they requested to prove that I was a "good
guy." But as I look back now with my defogged vision, it's obvious that trying to be nice
never got me anywhere as far as true romance goes.
Even the dating advice I was getting from my well meaning female friends was misleading
and contradictory. I'd follow their advice only to experience more rejection from the women I
was dating.
Now I'm seeing the light, and as the light shines more brightly, anger is growing inside of me.
There's so much hypocrisy out there! Women complain about men who never call, but those
same women regularly give out their phone numbers to men whom they have no intention of
going out with.
Women say they want to be treated as equals yet they expect men to put their egos on the line
and risk rejection. They whine and complain about wanting guys who are "emotionally
available" and "in touch with their feelings," yet they consistently fall for the selfish jerks who
never express any genuine tender feelings.
And as strange as it might sound, do not resist your anger. That's right. I want you to welcome
it, all of it. Your anger and resentment are going to motivate you to stay disciplined and
committed to doing the right thing and keep you from getting seduced back into your old selfdestructive habits.
At the same time, you need to understand that you can't blame women for all your frustration.
You've got to take responsibility for your own experience. There is no law that says, "You
must obey the instructions of all women." You didn't have to buy into the big lie. You had a
choice. So you're probably angry at yourself and at the entire female species. That's okay.
don't be a fool
All right. Onward and upward to a brighter tomorrow. Let's just quickly review and analyze
your major gripes.
In case you haven't totally gotten it by now, Richard, let me emphasize that, for a man,
seeking dating advice from "well meaning" female friends is, as Shakespeare would say, "a
fool's errand." Men tend to think that if they consult a female ally for dating advice, then
they're getting valuable, helpful information. Unfortunately, most of the time, the exact
opposite is true.
A classic scenario comes to mind, where a guy tells his gal pal that he's in love with a woman
whom he's been out with four or five times and wants to find out where he stands with her.
The gal pal says, "Oh, you've got to tell her how you feel. What are you afraid of? Tell her
how you feel about her!"
So the guy follows his female buddy's suggestion, and then, of course, his potential soul
mate's Interest Level in him plummets. Then he wonders what the hell happened. What
happened was that he mistakenly believed that, when it comes to love and romance, women
understand their own motivations. They don't.
again, that's just what a lot of women do. That's reality. And when you argue with reality you
always lose, but only 100% of the time.
And of course women do frequently choose jerks over the nice guys. But the woman who has
the character traits that you want in a mate will want a guy who's tough and strong, and who's
also genuinely sensitive and soulful on the inside. Your job is to just become the best man that
you can be. Then you will magnetize a quality woman into your life.
So, Richard, don't take all the apparent female hypocrisy personally. It's just part of their
social programming and the way the game is set up. So how do you deal with all of it? As my
acupuncturist, Dr. Lao, would say, "The happy man, Grasshopper, lets the cold water roll off
his back like a duck."
Remember guys; don't take women personally.
When I related these symptoms to some of my buddies, they observed that "this sounds like
every woman in the world." It would certainly describe most beautiful women. You see Doc?
Here's scientific data supporting your idea that "The Beautiful Woman is the most dangerous
creature on the planet."
Another site gave hints and tips on how to deal with someone in your life who has this
disorder, and here's the kicker: In many ways "The System" mirrored the tips given on that
psychology site and perfectly describe the best way to deal with someone who has
Narcissistic Personality Disorder!
I just thought that you'd enjoy knowing that the scientific/psychology community validates
your principles and strategies. Pretty interesting, don't ya think?
Ray -- who wants to know how you would call it
doc's discoveries
In the course of my exhaustive research, I learned a lot of things that I never learned in books.
And besides my earthshaking discovery of the principles of Challenge and Interest Level,
there's another thing I discovered: Any woman can have a problem personality, but the more
beautiful a woman is, the more likely she is to be a spoiled, self-centered high-maintenance
head case. As my Uncle Jethro Love would say, "It's the lookers who are all the trouble."
Fortunately, there are beautiful women out there who are loving and giving, and also
clinically sane. My job, as your relationship coach, is to help you weed out the loonies from
the lovelies before you say, "I do." Or as the Bible says, to "separate the wheat from the
chaff."
But before we get to Doc Love's prescription for the week, allow me to rant for a moment.
America has the know-how to crack the DNA code but we don't have the smarts to make a
dent in our 50% divorce rate. The numbers haven't budged in over 30 years!
But one way that men as a gender could make a difference in these disheartening statistics
would be to adopt a healthy selection criterion when choosing a mate. Men are generally not
objective, nor are they discriminating when it comes to affairs of the heart. To you Psych
majors, they leap before they look. But men can learn to play it smart and thereby increase
their chances of success in the game of love.
The idea is that if any particular babe that you're dating has any or all of the destructive
character traits on that list, then you want to determine that as soon as possible, before you get
in too deep (either emotionally, financially or even just in terms of time spent). So while you
are with her during her initial probationary couple of months, you must look for what I call
"Flags."
Check out the four Flags...
6. Have you ever had your heart broken? (The more beautiful she is, the more likely the
answer will be no. It's actually better if the answer is yes. A girl whose heart has been broken
has some humility.)
7. What scares you the most about opening your heart to a man?
8. Were you usually the dumper or the dumpee in your past relationships?
9. Do you feel that you've ever had a truly successful relationship?
10. Why did your last relationship fail? (Note: Does she take any responsibility or was it all
her ex-boyfriend's fault?)
Remember guys; when she puts the pressure on, you've got to fire back.
textbook rules
But, the classroom environment does present a specialized situation where we can creatively
modify the "closing" process. A particular woman you meet in your history class, for instance,
might possibly drop the class or drop out of school entirely before you get her number if you
fail to act quickly. But odds are that that won't happen.
Let's assume, for educational purposes, that 99% of the attendees of a particular class will
make it through the entire semester. That means that, for all intents and purposes, you have
what a Marine Drill Instructor has in his group of recruits: a captive audience. And when you
have a captive audience, you should use the situation to your advantage, or as they say on the
hip-hop dance floor, "You got to work it, baby!"
So Rocky, let's say that there are a couple of different babes in your philosophy class that you
have the hots for. Don't hit on them. Don't come on to them. Don't even talk to them. Instead,
do all you can to be highly visible in the class. Ask really intelligent and interesting questions
and, if you have a knack for it, make clever, humorous comments that make the whole class
crack up. Soon, every woman in the class will be impressed by you and even curious about
you. To you Psych majors, you gotta stand out.
If you follow this plan of action to the best of your abilities, one or both of the women that
you're interested in should approach you and initiate interaction with you within a few weeks
or less.
Once one of them demonstrates some authentic interest in you and gives you some obvious
Buying Signals, then close her by getting her home phone number. Also, make sure to end the
conversation first and move on. Either go and talk with some other woman, or take a seat, or
leave the room if class is over. Yes Rocky, you still leave first -- whatever form of "leaving"
you can create in that environment.
Wait a week, or else...
You will then, as always, wait a week, Rocky, before you call your love interest and ask her
out. As my cousin Sal "The Fish" Love would say, "All the idiots call within 48 hours."
be cool at school
Now here's a powerful concept to shatter all your fear and confusion about seeing her again
before you call her. It is simply this: when you run into her again, before you've called her,
don't put any pressure on yourself to excuse your lack of communication. Relax. Chill out. Be
cool. Don't get all antsy and embarrassed. Realize that any discomfort you feel is selfinflicted. It's totally okay if she sees you again before you call her. Let her see you four or five
times before you call. No big deal.
Don't be afraid that she's going to think that you've rejected her. Why not? Because if she
does think that, then it's only going to raise her Interest Level and make her extra cooperative
when you do call her and ask her out. And once again, when you finally do call, make no
excuses or explanations. Just make a date and then get off the phone. Badda bing, badda
boom.
Remember guys; always ask for the home phone number and always wait a week to call.
lot the action scenes, but I agree with you; the romantic part of the story was not only vapid
and embarrassingly stupid, but it was also filled with dangerous and destructive messages for
men. To you Psych majors, it sucked.
So where did Star Wars fail?
What an incredible opportunity George Lucas wasted, not only to entertain, but also to teach
and inspire young men. All that technology, all that talent and all that money, and they can't
come up with a credible, compelling story and a male lead who commands our respect? It
boggles the mind! Wouldn't it have been wonderful if they actually had given the maledominated hordes of sci-fi fans a real hero as a role model? Hopefully they'll learn from their
mistakes, but don't count on it.
Remember guys; kissing up only works in Hollywood.
first-date don'ts
1- Do not touch your date. Don't grab her knee. Don't try to hold her hand. Don't squeeze her
shoulder and don't put your arm around her. Men mistakenly think that if they initiate
touching, it will somehow "prime the pump" and make the woman want to touch them . The
opposite is true. The more you put your hands on her, the more it inhibits her.
The wise man holds back and lets the woman do all the touching, if she is so inclined. The
only way you can get a clear "read" is if you watch and wait without trying to manipulate her
Interest Level.
Check out the other four first-date don'ts...
2- Do not talk about other women. Don't talk about your ex-wives or ex-girlfriends. Don't
talk about your wonderful platonic buddy "Sally" who is your jogging partner. Think about it.
It's always a turnoff when a woman starts telling you things about some other guy in her life.
Keep the romantic potential of your first date high by keeping other women out of the
conversation.
3- Do not brag. Women have heard it all and they've heard it all a thousand times. Every time
you start overselling yourself, you become less attractive. Let her slowly discover what a
great guy you are. Rather than seeking approval and trying to impress her, allow her to
experience you as an enigmatic Mystery Man whom she can't quite figure out. That will raise
her Interest Level in a way that hearing about your various athletic or monetary
accomplishments never will.
4- Keep the conversation light and positive. So often, men, without thinking and without
even knowing what they're doing, lead the conversation into heavy, negative topics. There is
no constructive reason for doing this. It's a bummer. It's a bring down. It's not romantic! Don't
talk about terrorism or SARS or what a jerk your boss is. Don't recount the details of your last
painful breakup. Lay off the heavy subjects!
5- Do not talk about sex. Women are sick of hearing about it. Every other guy talks about it,
but you're not going to. You're going to be different. You're not going to try to impress her
with what a sexy, sexual guy you are. You're not going to drop hints and make innuendoes in
an attempt to signal to her that you're the greatest lover in the metropolitan Cleveland area.
No. You're going to remain cool and classy. When you talk about sex on a first date, you
attack her comfort level and why the hell would you want to do that?
So there you have it, men. Now go out and field-test these suggestions on your next few dates
and report back to me.
Remember guys; if you do what's right, she can't get rid of you.
The third date is important to me, as it's when men decide whether or not they want to move
forward with a relationship. Since I really wanted a relationship with this guy, considering our
first two dates went so well, I put a lot of effort into getting ready for our third date. You
know how brides get transformed on their wedding day? I went to similar lengths.
My girlfriend spent 45 minutes doing my hair and another 45 minutes applying my makeup. I
wore an outfit that really accentuated my curves without being overtly sexual. I probably went
from a "7" to a "9" in two hours.
My efforts definitely got noticed. My date gave me at least 10 compliments during the course
of the evening, on all aspects of my appearance. He seemed enraptured by me. What's so
ironic is that this was exactly what I was hoping for, and, at the time, I enjoyed the
compliments. Yet it eventually lowered my Interest Level in him and I really don't know why.
Is it low self-esteem on my part?
third date is one of the many junctures where the woman decides whether to go further with
the relationship or not.
The man doesn't decide. He doesn't know where things are going until the woman informs
him either subtly or not so subtly. The man merely shows up, often in a clueless state, and
waits for the woman to give him, however she conveys it, a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Get
it?
And when you put all that preparatory time and effort into maximizing your strike power, it
wasn't because it was your third date with the guy. Third date, shmird date. It was because
your Interest Level in this guy was reaching critical mass. You were enthralled and you
decided it was time to pull out all the stops. Ah, the power and inspiration of High Interest
Level. See, Paula, I got you again.
Remember guys; before you open your mouth, ask yourself, "Is this going to help my cause?"
He didn't understand that I could love him as a person (based upon our hundreds of phone
hours), but not feel "in love" yet. I tried to help him understand. I even sent him links to your
articles to give him some clues about the negative effects of saying "I love you" too much and
being too needy. That backfired big-time. He just got offended and more hurt.
We visited each other every other month. Although I tried my best to fall in love with him,
something was missing. He would talk excitedly about marriage and children with me and I
would try to share that vision, but I just didn't feel it. Finally I could not take it any more and
broke up with him.
He told me that I ruined his life and that I am a horrible person for having led him on. He then
continued to call me every day, begging to get back together. He sent pleading e-mail to my
family. He sent gifts. He even said that if he couldn't be my boyfriend, then he still wanted to
be my best friend and talk to me every day.
He then accused me of wanting a jerk over a "nice guy." That is so untrue. I gave him the
benefit of the doubt so many times because I liked the fact that he was nice. But his
"niceness" turned into desperation. Ugh. I finally had to block him. I feel like I hung in there
much longer than most women would. I really gave him my best shot. What else could I have
done?
Lucinda -- who would love to hear your thoughts, Doc
There is one place where men can go for the intensive training in deportment and courtship
skills necessary to gain mastery in love relationships. That place is known as "Doc Love's
boot camp for seekers of truth -- leave your ego at the door."
female confusion
I asked the one single woman at the office if she would be interested in a man who applied my
courting strategies. She said -- get this -- "Well yeah... but that doesn't mean he should do it."
Say what?!?
Has the "empowerment" of women really blinded them so much? Have Madonna and Oprah
made it so important for a woman to be in control, that a guy is not allowed to do whatever it
takes to make a woman like him more? Simply put: It's their own fault that they can't find a
gentleman. They fall for these cheeseball guys who throw corny line after corny line at them.
Then when the actions of these guys do not measure up to their sappy words, these women get
heartbroken and become more guarded and vow never to let a man control them again.
Women need to be reeducated more than ever. They need to take a look in the mirror and say,
"There's nothing wrong with a man being a man." Only problem is, who's gonna tell them
this? Oprah?
Colin -- who wants your input on this topic
And here's the absurd thing: Those women have no comprehension that they want and need a
man who uses "The System." You see, Colin, women are incredibly intuitive, so much more
than men are, and yet amazingly, a majority of them are in denial about what motivates them
in love.
Most of Oprah's audience would dispute the value of Challenge and debate you on its efficacy
till their last dying breath. Yet those very same women would and will give their hearts to a
man who embodies Challenge. Pretty weird, huh?
discreetly pointed it in her direction, you'd see the number right there: "82%" or "65%" or
"0.3%."
No more wondering, no more waiting. No more confusion, no more second-guessing. Think
of what the human species might be able to accomplish with the time and energy saved. We
could find a way to end starvation, maybe cure diseases or even figure out how Carmen made
it into the top 10 on American Idol .
Bradford, you are asking the perennial question that tens of thousands of guys painfully
ponder every single day: "Does she like me? I know that I like her... She knows that I like her
because I went through all that initiating and risk to get her out on a date. But does she really
like me?"
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a Female Interest Level Readout Monitor. But there is
something that can give you the same information almost as quickly. That something, of
course, is "The System."
On to the five signs of interest...
Obviously you're a new reader, Bradford, and you're not yet able to have an understanding of
the power and the elegance of my principles. So let me give you a few tips that will be
extremely helpful to you and will also begin to give you an appreciation of the treasure trove
of wisdom that you are now beginning to access.
I told my girlfriend that I am her man and that she has nothing to worry about since I am only
a friend to these other women. My girlfriend disagrees, claiming that I am committing a form
of "emotional infidelity" by having lunch with them.
You mentioned, Leandro, that you got into an argument with your girlfriend after going to
lunch with one of these women in particular. Since women are so much more intuitive than
men are, your girlfriend may have tuned into something that you have been oblivious to. To
you Psych majors, she smells a rat.
This one gal may be subtly "working" you, planting seeds that she hopes will sprout in the
future. If so, well, that's a problem, and you have to clean it up. You can't complain about
your girlfriend's jealousy when she has good reason to be.
Now, if the reality is that none of these girls has any romantic designs on you at all and you
wouldn't date any of them under any circumstances, then we must put the responsibility for
the disharmony in your relationship in your girlfriend's lap.
or is she irrational?
Yes, Leandro, if everything here really is kosher, then your girlfriend is being obsessive,
controlling and irrationally jealous; behavior that's based on her own lack of self-esteem.
Also realize, Leandro, that if this is indeed all your girlfriend's problem, then you'll be having
more arguments with her in the future about the same issue. Ask yourself: "If this is the way
she is, can I live with it long term or will she eventually drive me out of my tree?"
So you've got some serious detective work to do here; work that I can't do for you, Leandro.
But if you use all these tools I've given you, you'll get to the truth and you'll know what to do.
Remember guys; if your girlfriends are really just girl friends , then your girlfriend should
keep her mouth shut.
this?" Or, "I think it's best that I tear up your damn phone number now!" I mean, why beat
around the bush? Why not just tell her off? Let her know that you're not buying into her little
shell game. You might add in something more like, "Do you do this with all your dates? No
wonder you're not married!"
Now, I know you're over there saying, "You have to be a gentleman." Well, yeah, sure. But if
you're never going to see her again, why not just let her have it?
What do you say Doc?
Nate -- who wants to tell it like it is
But because the PD has such finely honed flirting skills, it's darn near impossible to tell that
you have one of these deceitful divas on your hands until you've spent three or four hours
with her. Fortunately, by using my principles, you can weed her out by the end of one date.
Normally it might take you three or four dates, or even more before you finally discover that
you have a PD on your hands.
Now, on your quest to find the woman of your dreams, Nate, you're going to have to do a lot
of dating; and if you do a lot of dating, you will have numerous encounters with PDs. They
are not a rare breed. The dating jungle is filled with them. Here's the point: whether you run
into one or 100 different PDs, it's not your job to be their daddy and try to teach them the
error of their ways.
If their own fathers didn't teach them to be respectful toward men, why should you try to take
on the task? It requires too much energy expenditure, and a PD simply does not deserve any
more of your time and energy. What you need to do is keep your own karma clear and clean,
bow out gracefully, and maintain a positive attitude and energy flow. To you Psych majors;
just because she's a low-life, doesn't mean you should be one too.
always be cool
If you're having trouble with this concept of staying cool, Nate, think of it this way: if you
were to run across a rattlesnake on a mountain path that was coiled and ready to strike, you
wouldn't get in its face and tell it that it shouldn't be so hostile. No, you would calmly and
cooly disengage from contact and get out of its way.
And if you need to vent about what a two-faced, no-good scumstress your ex-date is, then do
it with your buddies. Rail and rant and rave to them all you want about how she did you
wrong. Get all the resentment out of your system, release it and move on.
Remember guys; you always want to display class.
They tend to be somewhat guarded and standoffish when guys try to connect with them.
Many of the most attractive women there leave as soon as the service is over rather than stay
for coffee, muffins and socializing, during which they might have to deal with grabby guys
who want a "friendly" post-service hug from them.
Bill was cool, but then Lance came along...
But as every good student of "The System" knows; in order to get to the truth, we look at
people's actions primarily, rather than their words. And in this case, here's the obvious
conclusion that we must arrive at: Women are motivated by looks just as much as men are,
regardless of what they say.
They overlook personality in favor of physical appearance, exactly as men do. Women's
shaming of men for being looks-obsessed is a bunch of hypocritical hogwash.
I've known this woman for a year; I ran into her every so often on campus and we would talk
casually. Then one day, my buddy hands me her phone number. She gave it to him and asked
him to have me call her, so I did. It took awhile, but we finally got in touch.
We talked on the phone quite a bit for a few weeks and then I ran into her at a local pub.
While there, after a few bottles of liquid courage, I asked her, "So do you think we could ever
date?"
She said, "Yeah, I think that's possible." She also said, "I really like you for your mind,"
which surprised me. I've never had a woman tell me that before.
Since then, we've talked a lot more on the phone and have been hanging out together quite a
bit. We've had in-depth conversations about family, growing up, our backgrounds, and our
life goals and dreams. We get along fantastically and laugh a lot whenever we're together.
Anyway, on to the meat of the problem...
no sign of life
Donovan, I regretfully must inform you that, as far as romance goes, your relationship with
your girl friend is DOA. If you just take your head out of the sand and take an objective look
at the facts, you'll understand what I'm talking about.
Look, there you were, offering her unconditional love and support in her time of emotional
stress and at that very moment, she drops a whammy on you! A woman with high Interest
Level would have hugged you warmly and thanked your for your commitment and support.
But what does this woman do? She tells you, in Womanese, that she wants to distance herself
from you. As Shakespeare would say, "Something's rotten in the state of Denmark."
One new dating phenomenon I discovered that actually seems to be working in men's favor is
"speed dating." It's something that appears to be popping up all over the country.
Speed dating gives men and women a quick few minutes to meet potential new romantic
partners. I was skeptical at first, thinking, Oh great! I have to get to know if I like a woman in
less than three minutes and there are surely going to be more men than women there, like
usual.
Well, the reality was far different from my preconceptions. The four different speed dating
events that I participated in were more like 65% women and 35% men. Not bad, huh?
systematic speed
It's tough to get a good read on another person in less than three minutes, but if one applies
your principles in the speed dating situation, Doc, it can be a favorable and enjoyable
experience.
Some of the guys I've seen at these speed dating events are very nervous, wondering how
they're going to make a good impression on that good-looking woman. Little do they know
that all they need to do is study and master "The System".
But anyway, Doc, I think that speed dating, overall, is a fun and easy way to meet and check
out a lot of different women without having to do much work at all. You certainly don't need
to do much driving. I guess what I'm saying is that, as far as time and money go, it's very cost
effective. So what do you think, Doc?
Chad -- who wants to spread the word
Instead, be different. Be clever. Try to work in a taste of the kind of zany and outrageous
things that Jim Carrey might say or do. And then, carefully observe how she responds to your
playfulness and humor. It will tell you a lot about your compatibility and chemistry with her.
And by the way, if she happens to start in with some of those heavy, inappropriately personal
questions (you know the ones: Have you ever been married? Why not? What's your salary?
How many kids do you want to have? What kind of a relationship do you have with your
mother?), don't get flustered, pressured or intimidated. Simply use humor once again to
diffuse the situation. Remember; this isn't a courtroom. It's supposed to be an easy, fun and
leisurely way of getting to know people.
Observe whether she asks questions about you
If she doesn't ask you anything about yourself, you're dead in the water. But don't despair. It's
only three minutes before you move on to the next speed date participant. So if she obviously
has no Interest in you, crack a quick, vaguely facetious joke, or just say anything to get her to
laugh. Make the best of it by asking her something like, "So do you have any girlfriends for
me?"
Make sure you don't fail her test
Some women will wear very revealing, low-cut blouses to test you. They'll want to see if
you'll pant and drool, and lose self-control. Don't fall into this trap. Remain a Challenge. Look
only into her eyes and remember to smile when you do. You'll gain points by not reacting,
especially because every other guy will be ogling her.
Keep track of the ladies
After each speed dating event, keep track of each woman you interacted with and those you
sensed had high Interest Level in you. Also, objectively assess your own level of interest in
each of them.
She may be drop-dead gorgeous and she may ring your bell like a fire alarm. But if it ain't
there, it ain't there. And no trick or hypnotic strategy is going to make the magic happen.
word. She always shows up on time. She's a great cook. I could go on and on about all her
wonderful attributes.
But last week, an hour and a half before I was supposed to pick her up for a dinner date at one
of the nicest new restaurants in town (it took me three weeks to get the reservation), she called
and canceled, or as you'd say, Doc, she "broke the date." This was something she has never
done before. Her excuse? Her dog Fido (yep, that's his real name) began limping in a "strange
way" and she needed to take him to the vet "immediately" to find out what was wrong.
The thing is, Cynthia didn't say she was sorry or suggest another night when we could go for
dinner. She was just very abrupt and said she had to go, and then hung up. This was very
unusual behavior for her and it left me a bit baffled.
So Doc, what happened? Did I do something wrong? I know what a big deal you make out of
broken dates. Did I miss a red flag back in the earlier stages of our relationship? Or, does it
really just mean nothing because we have so much time "in" together? Please help! I need
some perspective.
Ryan -- who is absolutely baffled
But as your experiences in the dating trenches have taught you, Randolph, when it comes to
being in a long-term committed relationship, the attitude of your potential partner is
everything. A couple of weeks of consistent nagging and whining from a 10 and, as my Uncle
Jethro Love would say, "Soon enough, sonny boy, she ain't a 10 no more." In fact, by the time
it gets to that point, you don't even care what her rating is or was. All you want to do is get her
out of your space.
You've got so many opportunities and so much "raw material" to work with that I know I can
upgrade your relationship satisfaction level with just a bit of fine-tuning. But you are going to
have to be committed to straightening up and flying right. No more knowingly doing the
wrong thing just to have a fleeting thrill.
Yup, she's got some serious character problems. So it's best to weed this woman out of your
garden of lovelies as quickly as you can. And I don't care if she looks like an Elle magazine
cover girl. Lose her.
3- She's inflexible
You want to take her to the beach, and she doesn't want to go because the wind might mess up
her new hairdo. Doing anything that takes her out of her comfort zone is threatening to her.
She can't handle any kind of spontaneity. She won't change her agenda to fit in with yours. As
far as she's concerned, you're the one who's supposed to rearrange your plans to fit her needs.
To you Psych majors: she's a control freak.
4- She's a complainer & a nag
You can't seem to do anything right in her eyes. "Why do you always...? Why can't you
ever...?" are two of her favorite questions to ask. She has no concept of the value of building
up a man's ego. She couldn't do it if you paid her 50 grand just to fake it. Deep down she's not
a happy person, and she wants to bring you down to her unhappy level.
Ironically, many of these nagger-type girls think that they are being helpful and constructive
when they do their number and have no clue that they are actually pushing men away. (Of
course, the more beautiful a nagger is, the easier it is to find guys who will tough it out, just to
be around her. Now, you wouldn't want to be one of those kinds of chumps, would you,
Randolph?) Who cares about how she got to be the way she is? Let her work it out with her
therapist. It's not your job to try to fix her.
5- She's not fun to be with
The package looks perfect. She's a knockout, and she knows how to dress to impress. She
doesn't really seem to have any particular troublesome character traits either. But when you're
out with her, you just don't seem to really have fun. You find yourself working too hard to
keep the conversation going. She just doesn't "get" your jokes. This is another losing situation
that can be quickly perceived, evaluated and terminated.
Is E-Mail Anti-Challenge?
Dear Doc Love,
I can't begin to thank you for your advice. Before studying "The System," I never realized
how much women walked all over me. I'm an average-looking guy but I'm now going out
with above-average-looking women, thanks to your coaching.
I'm currently in a graduate school in Boston, which is filled with babes. My graduate program
is 80% female, which definitely works in my favor. For a couple of months, I set myself up to
be a Challenge. I would throw in a funny comment during class discussions every once in a
while.
When the girls were in the hallways during breaks, I would stop, say something funny and
walk away. I could hear them saying how funny I was when I was within earshot. After class,
I would always be the first to leave. After a while, one of my male classmates told me that a
good portion of the women in my program often talked about me in a positive way.
Eventually, I did go in for the kill and asked for home phone numbers, and went out with a
couple of ladies in the program. No big romances, but I had a lot of fun and saw how your
relationship rules were reinforced.
It's summer now, and without class to bring us together, there is less opportunity to meet
women face to face to ask for home numbers. Because we are in a college setting, e-mail is
the popular method of communication. I recently e-mailed a girl in the department, and said
that we should go out sometime and asked for her home number. She e-mailed me back with
her home number, work number, address, work schedule, and even the best times to call her.
Like you always say, Doc, when they're interested, they make it easy.
I'm still going to wait a week before calling her, but how often should I e-mail her? Do
telephone rules apply to e-mail? I am interested in knowing what you think about the use of email.
Dylan -- who is beginning to understand women
build a mystery
Your love interest, Dylan, whoever she may be, is dying for mystery from her potential mate.
Although she's not aware of it, she wants to be wondering about you. Wondering where you
are, who you are with and whether you really like her or not. But most importantly, you want
her to be wondering how many other women you're going out with.
So, the more time you spend communicating with her between dates, the more info you're
giving her about yourself and your activities, which actually inhibits the rise of her Interest
Level.
Dylan, as far as e-mail goes, the same rules apply. If you're doing the online dating thing, then
you can e-mail back and forth three or four times to get acquainted and then set up a "meet for
coffee" date, but once the date is set, that's it; all communication ceases. And before you end
that coffee date, you should ask her for her home phone number.
And if, as in your case, Dylan, you already know the woman but you still don't have her home
phone number, then one e-mail to ask her out is all that is needed. No e-mailing before the
date to tell her how much you're looking forward to seeing her. No e-mailing after the date to
tell her what a great time you had or to let her know that you found a copy of that book she
was looking for. Let everyone else on the planet e-mail each other back and forth 10,000
times. That doesn't need to affect your behavior in any way whatsoever.
Actually, as far as dating goes, e-mailing is much less preferable to the telephone as a means
of communication. Lots of e-mail gets lost in Internet limbo land for hours or even days. You
e-mail her and then you have to wait for a response, which can take hours or even days.
And when you're e-mailing back and forth, not only do you not get any reading of her body
language while communicating with her -- just as on the phone -- but you can't even hear her
voice. You have no sense of the auditory tonality of her communication. E-mailing to get a
date with a woman is filled with pitfalls and several disadvantages.
She tells me she just wants to be friends, but I know her to be quite possessive, violent and a
chronic cheater.
Each time she initiates her campaign, I ignore her and walk away, but she persists. I have
made it clear to her many times that my interest is zero and I honestly feel nothing emotional
toward her. My problem is that I've never had an extremely attractive woman chase me and,
to be quite honest, she still turns me on quite a bit in the physical sense.
I am very tempted to try something simply physical, but my fear is that I am going to bury
myself. I don't want a relationship with her at all. She is Miss Wrong, and I know it.
Doc, the temptation of a beautiful woman is overwhelming. What is the best way for me to
handle this? I will clearly follow whatever you say, as it has always worked in the past.
Kirby -- who is tempted, but not stupid
stop saying no
The reason she's comin' after you like a jungle leopard relentlessly stalking its prey is because
you are the first guy in her life who wouldn't kiss her butt and let her get away with her usual
games and deceptions. As my cousin "Fast Eddie" Love would say, "Rejection is the ultimate
Challenge."
Before we get to the solution here Kirby, I want to commend you on the tremendous strength
of character you have demonstrated so far. When it became clear that this girl was no good for
you, you got rid of her. Most men don't have the guts to do what you did. Doing that took real
courage and conviction. God bless you, my brother, for your commitment to your own
integrity and for not giving in to addictive impulses.
That said, we need to extricate you from this mess, Kirby. Not only has this gal become a
major stress in your life, but you could actually be in physical danger if you don't pull this
poisonous weed out by the roots.
I'm certain that you've wracked your brain and brainstormed with your brothers as to what the
heck you can do, obviously to no avail. Here's the point. You've got to do something different
. Saying "no" to her in new and creative ways is not going to change anything .
I met this cute girl, "Darla," at the campus bookstore. I heard from some of her acquaintances
that she can get any guy to do whatever she wants. Well that's fine, but not me. Knowing in
advance that she might be that type, I still went for it. I figured that if she really was a spoiled
brat, then at least it would be interesting to see how well your theories work on that kind of
woman.
We went out on a first date, which cost me only $15 (I got us a lunch at an Italian takeout
place and we had a picnic on a great summer day). We both had a fantastic time, and this
woman couldn't stop telling me how much she wanted to go out again. She touched my arm
and my leg at least a dozen times. Being fairly proficient in "The System," I didn't respond,
and I could see that it was driving her crazy, in a good way.
i made my move
I waited a week and called her, and tried to set up a date for Thursday, but she told me she
was "working." But she said that we could do it "tonight" since she had "nothing to do." I told
her tonight works out fine and ended the conversation.
About an hour or so before I was to be at her house, she called and canceled, and gave me
some story about why she couldn't go out and that she was "so sorry."
She counter-offered for Saturday, but I politely told her that I was busy. She then explained
that she was going to be out of town on Sunday. I said "okay" and told her that I had to go but
that I'd talk to her "later."
Doc, I'm confused at this point. I've seen some of the things that you've said about waiting
two weeks to call a woman after she gets flaky on you. But I have also read some articles that
say that I should just wait it out and see if she calls me or not, and just judge our
"relationship" off of that.
What should I do, Doc? This chick is fine, but I don't want to waste my time.
Bailey -- who's a bit confused
I'm just wondering; at this point, what's your opinion about all this and are there any
recommendations you would make?
Your loyal follower in Hawaii,
Danner -- who is grateful
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Top 5 Female "Brush-Off" Phrases
Dear Doc,
I recently broke up with a girl that I had been dating for about six weeks. Well, actually, she
broke up with me. When I called her yesterday to make plans for the weekend, she said, "We
need to talk, can you come over?" Having had my fair share of experience in the dating game,
I knew what that meant.
I didn't want to waste time getting together with her in person if she was going to dump me,
so I just said, "Okay, let's talk." Then she went into a long explanation about how she's been
doing a lot of "soul searching" and that she's come to realize that we're "just in different
places in our lives."
Of course I'm thinking to myself, Different places in our lives? What the hell is that supposed
to mean? But I didn't say any of this to her. I knew it was over and that it was useless to try to
make sense out of her verbiage or try to talk her out of it. I told her that I agreed with her and
that it was fun while it lasted.
What I want to know is, why can't women just be honest with you when they're dumping you?
If I'm getting the axe, I'd much rather hear something like "You're boring and you have B.O.
that won't quit" rather than some worn-out, insipid clich.
I'm just curious to read what you have to say about this, Doc.
Roscoe -- who is ticked off
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Can Beautiful Women Be Loyal?
Doc,
I've heard a lot about the effectiveness of "The System" from a friend, but I don't know if
even you can help me out with this one.
I met Kelly when I started working at a large brokerage house in New York. She's gorgeous.
Throw in the fact that half the guys on my floor were after her (which got my competitive
instincts up), and I was a goner not long after we went out for a drink one night.
We got together that weekend for dinner and a movie, and the weekend after for salsa dancing
at a club. Then we started dating during the week as well. It was like I'd found my true soul
mate -- overnight.
She recently came out of a three-year relationship. She told me, "It's definitely over. We want
different things in life. We never get together anymore. We never even talk on the phone."
A month and a half into our relationship, Kelly left me a message canceling our date for that
night. She said she needed to go to Jersey to help her sister move into a new apartment.
i let it go
Stuff happens , I thought, and Kelly had been reliable up until now. But I would have loved to
spend the evening with Kelly; after all, we'd recently started getting quite intimate with each
other.
Anyhow, the next day at work, I went over to her cubicle (she works on the other end of the
floor) and asked how the move went.
"Bill," she said, "I wasn't being completely honest about last night. I wasn't helping my sister.
I got together with Tony [her ex] because we had to work some stuff out. Sorry about
canceling."
Work some stuff out? What the hell was that supposed to mean? Doc, it was like taking a left
to the solar plexus from Mike Tyson!
It's been two days now and I haven't spoken a word to Kelly. She hasn't called me either. I
can't believe she lied to me. Was that the only thing she lied about? All kinds of stuff is
running through my head now.
Maybe she was seeing Tony all along. I could even accept the fact that she had to talk to him - but why lie about it? I'm in love with this girl, Doc, but I don't want to be a fool. What
should I do?
Bill -- who's confused in the Big Apple
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Can The System Save A Marriage?
Hey Doc,
I've heard a lot about "The System" from a few of my single friends. They claim that it works
even when a guy is married, but I have to tell you, I've got my doubts.
Here's my dilemma: Lisa and I have been married for over 10 years. At first our intimate
relationship was great -- she was always affectionate, and so was I. Then, four years ago, my
son Cameron was born. Immediately after that, there was a change in our relationship.
Doc, it was like the difference between night and day. Lisa was no longer interested in
spending romantic time together. I have never had any affairs, always come straight home
after work, and have always provided for my family. (By the way, my wife has quite a
demanding managerial job.) So I don't see how Lisa could have any complaints on any of
those counts.
Well, I tried to be patient, figuring she'd eventually return to the way she used to be, but time
went on and the situation never improved. Lisa is always tired (believable, but then again, I
am too, and we both split the child-minding duties when we're not working), has a headache,
doesn't feel well, etc.
I've come right out more than once and asked her point blank if she's no longer attracted to
me. "No, that's not it," she insists. She's just overwhelmed by having to take care of the kid
and her job. Again, fine and well, but why am I ready to get intimate all the time? (And
incidentally, when we do actually have a romantic interlude once every few weeks, it's very,
very good, so I can't complain about the quality.)
What really keeps me here is my little boy -- I would hate for the three of us to become
sociological statistics, the victims of one more pathetic marital breakup. But my fear is that
once a negative pattern has been established --- me begging for attention and my wife refusing
-- it's impossible to change. What do you think?
Jack -- who's just about to file
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Never Stray From "The System"
Hi Doc,
About three weeks ago, my girlfriend Tina, who is amazingly beautiful, decided that she
needed time away from me. When she told me, it came as a total shock.
To start, I was able to get a woman of this magnitude because of "The System" and the tips on
AskMen.com. But then I got cocky and tossed your book into the corner. I stopped reading
the articles, I stopped practicing the techniques, and I stopped using the principles. In other
words, I kind of got lazy and bit the hand that fed me.
we split up
Two weeks after that, Tina and I broke up. I was devastated and had no idea what to do. Then
I remembered you, Doc, and I knew that you would always provide the right answers and the
true direction.
Well, I got back to your book and the website last week, refreshed myself on your ideas, and
it worked! Now Tina keeps calling me. She wants to hang out with me and do things with me
again, and I'm the one who doesn't really care now. I'm ready to walk away, but, on the other
hand, I want to stay with her.
What do you think I should do, Doc? I do love Tina, but do you think that my opinion of her
should change because she asked for time apart? That's the part that really bothers me. By the
way, breaking up ultimately was my idea -- I learned it from you, Doc. I won't take that crap.
Please advise. Thanks a million.
John -- who's baffled about what he wants to do
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What To Do When She Keeps Her Ex Around
Hi Doc,
I wish I found out about "The System" before entering the relationship I'm in now.
When I met Christie in June, she was just coming out of a five-year relationship with what
you call a Macho Boy, except that he is also very needy and constantly needs her approval.
When we met, she had moved out of his bedroom and into a separate room in his house, and
was actively looking for a way out.
Within four weeks of being together, we both became very emotionally attached to each
other. We both had 95%-plus Interest Level, but by the third week of September, Christie
began to lose interest, and told me she was putting our relationship "on the back burner" while
she figures out what she's going to do and gets her act together. That just about drove me
bonkers.
Since then, she and I have continued to get together. She tells me she loves me, and when
we're together she shows me her love through her actions. Part of the problem she has with
getting out of the other guy's life is due to several factors:
1) He's very wealthy and she's afraid of what things will be like if she's away from that wealth
2) They jointly own property 3) She works for his excavation firm, which does environmental
restoration projects for a tribal reservation in the area.
i was a wimp
I think my problem, now that I've read your dating guide, is that I've been that teddy bear guy
you refer to -- Wimpus Americanus . During the whole time she and I have been together, I've
said "no" maybe three times. Also, when I call her, I tend to leave messages (she bought a cell
phone, but of course the guy whose house she's still in doesn't know about it, though he does
know about me) and when we do talk, she nearly always ends the conversation before I do.
Also, I e-mail her copious amounts of messages, where in turn she'll leave maybe one,
consisting of three lines. And of course, mine always seem to start and end with "I love yous"
and various compliments.
Does this sound familiar yet? Wait, it gets worse...
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When Women Give You Mixed Signals
Doc,
I'm a 23-year-old college student who started seeing Michelle, a coed, in April. The first time
I went out with her was when she invited me out to a bar on a week night. She did lots of
touching and wanted to take me home, but didn't.
The second time we went out it was for dinner. Afterwards she wanted me to meet some of
her friends at the bar and shoot some pool, which I did. (This date was during the week, too.)
All went well and her friends seemed to like me. I shot pool at the bar with her again, and we
went back to her house and made out for an hour, and then she started calling more often and
invited me over to watch a movie on a Monday night. After we finished the movie, I was
going to kiss her goodbye and leave, but she invited me to stay for another movie. (I ended up
playing with her hair for half of it.)
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Should You Trust Her?
Hey Doc,
I've been using your theories for a few months now. I was able to land a Flexible Giver pretty
much right away and she's great! So I have to thank you. I believe Lori's Interest Level is
around 80% to 85%, but I'm new at your techniques, so I don't know exactly how to gauge it.
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How Do You Go From Friendship To More?
Hi Doc,
I'm quite confused and could use your help. I have been trying to practice "The System" more
and more in order to master it. However, one issue still puzzles me, and I hope you will offer
some insight on this one.
I've known and liked Kristen for a year now. She's beautiful, fun and nice. We were in class
and a work group together for a semester at the university we both attend, so the relationship
is more like friendship than anything else. I didn't make any move to ask her out because I'd
heard from another female classmate that she had a boyfriend. I didn't want to cause trouble,
so I declined Kristen's offer when she invited me to spend Thanksgiving with her family.
(Was this a stupid move on my part? I hope not.)
After the semester ended, we went out for lunch twice and that's all. Whenever we were
together, I tried to keep the conversation light and funny, as you've advised. We still keep in
contact, at least sporadically, and recently I learned that she's in the process of breaking up
with her boyfriend. (By the way, I didn't hear this directly from her, but from other sources.)
I'm not sure how all of this is going to turn out, but Doc, I want to stand a chance with Kristen
if she does indeed end up breaking up with her boyfriend. She is a great girl and I miss her. I
know you stress the importance of being a Challenge, so I kept my mouth shut and didn't
contact her after hearing the rumors about her and her boyfriend.
Doc, I've heard that women don't generally jump into new relationships immediately after a
breakup. Is this true, or just a myth? If it's true, what's the turnover time between
relationships? Will Kristen think poorly of me if I make a move on her too soon?
I know from your books that I shouldn't spill my guts and reveal all my feelings to her. So
how should I give her the subtle hint that I like her as more than a friend without ticking her
off? I guess my real question is; how and when should I make my next move? Thanks, Doc.
McQueen -- who is unsure about what to do next
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Never Beg Women For A Second Chance
Hey Doc,
Janet and I have been dating for three years and have been friends for 20. She's 52 and I'm 51.
We've always had passion between us, but she's currently going through menopause and has a
daughter who never liked that we were together.
In the past year I've had some financial problems, and Janet and I broke up once, then got
back together, but she says that I "sucked" her back in. Fights occasionally broke out over
nothing. She would begin raging and always blamed me because eventually I reacted to her
raging and did some of my own.
I gave her a week to cool off, then went to see her again. She ripped my head off. Filled with
anger, she told me it was over. I asked her later if we could get together for a "closure" talk,
and she refused. So I left.
she called me
Two weeks later she called me, and I asked to meet with her. We did. She said she was raw
and needed to be alone. I investigated to see if there was another man, and there isn't. She
cried with me, held me, caressed me, and said she loved me deeply and didn't know what to
do about it. But she needs to be alone for a while. I asked her what I could do for her and she
said, "leave me alone."
Since then (it's been two months) we've talked a few times. She says she loves me, but is
keeping busy. I asked her if she's happy with her decision and she said "no." I asked if she still
loves me, and she said "yes." I asked if she missed me, and she said "yes." So I said, "Why
don't we see each other every two weeks?"
She said, "No, just leave me alone for a while."
This left me entirely confused.
We were so in love and wanted to marry. I have been in pain over this for two months and
don't know what to do. How can I be a Challenge when she won't even call me?
I want Janet back because I can see she is crazed by her hormones and her family is steering
her away from her heart. But she has to feel her own heart and not live through her family.
Does she love me or doesn't she? Will she come back?
Doc, what do you think is going on, and what is the best recourse?
Steve -- who's living under a black cloud
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Can Long-Distance Relationships Work?
Hey Doc,
I've been dating Reva for six months and have always abided by most of the rules of "The
System" and remained a Challenge.
Things were great until two weeks ago.
Reva recently got a new job and she has to move to Baltimore. Since we live in a Third World
country, this is a bit of a problem. I agree that she should take the opportunity because she'll
never get one like it in our country.
I have to stay at my university until I graduate in 2005, so I can't go with her. I figured we'd
travel back and forth to see each other.
Last weekend, Reva told me that she dated (and was intimate with) someone in Baltimore
before she met me. I can't really make an issue of it because we didn't know each other then.
But Doc, Reva tells me that this guy is the only person she knows in Baltimore and she wants
to spend time with him because he can show her around. (Like your principles taught me, this
is Womanese for "I'm insecure.")
I told her that I don't want her seeing the guy if she's going to be with me. She told me she
would do her best not to see him, although that's nearly impossible since they will be working
in the same office. But I maintain that it is entirely possible not to have to date him despite
that fact.
The way I see it, Reva has three options:
1- Stay with me in our country.
2- Refuse that particular opportunity and look for another job in the United States.
3- Stay loyal, forget the other guy, and do as we planned until I'm through with school.
What do you think I should do, Doc?
Anthony -- who doesn't know if he should let her go
Hi Anthony,
Things were going well with Reva until two weeks ago? I'm sorry, but you've had a problem
all along and just began noticing it. And you should have picked up on it a lot sooner,
especially if you read my articles. I've said it again and again: men see things too late . Her
Interest Level is going south fast, and you guys are oblivious!
Reva's planned move to the United States is not just a bit of a problem, guy -- it's a massive
problem. As my cousin Sal "The Fish" Love would say, "If you saw the Grand Canyon, you'd
probably call it a gopher hole!" It goes back to the notion that women don't lie, and men don't
interpret properly .
Her Interest Level is high, just not in you...
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When Should You Get Closure?
Hi Doc,
I've been reading your columns for the past few days and I'm wondering why I never ran into
this expert advice earlier. I could've avoided all my dating blunders.
I met this incredibly beautiful woman, Sheila, a few months ago. We went out a few times
and I noticed that she displayed high Interest Level in me, through gestures like pressing her
leg against mine, or handing me a drawing of a rose, or telling me that she trusted me. She
showered me with compliments and so forth, but I kept my distance by not calling her
incessantly. We shared a lot of common interests and our verbal interactions were lively and
stimulating.
I think that unconsciously I was being a Challenge, but I didn't understand the significance of
it in the grand scheme of things.
Things were great until our last rendezvous when I accidently offended her. Nevertheless, we
went back to my house and she complained about a headache the whole time, while I worked
on a business letter she asked me to help her write. As soon as I finished the letter, she left. I
was always very gentleman-like and never forced the issue of intimacy.
a bad call
A week and a half later I made another blunder by having a male friend dial her number -- as
a prank, I suppose -- and he left a message on her voicemail. To my surprise, she called back
within the minute and left a message asking my friend in a very enthusiastic tone to call her
back immediately. He didn't.
I didn't phone her again until two days later and when she answered, she kept asking about my
friend -- she wanted to meet him -- to which I replied in a lighthearted manner that he was a
busy guy and had no time. The next day I called her up, asked what her plans were, and she
told me she was busy. I told her I wanted some things back that I'd lent her. When I drove
over to her house, we barely exchanged words. I picked up my things and told her that I had
to go, but we could see each other later.
Obviously, after reading your columns, I've come to the realization that this is a losing battle
and I've resigned myself to moving on to the next girl. Yet I feel guilty that toward the end I
wasn't exactly a gentleman and basically shut the door on Sheila. I try to reason that if she
thought of using me as a springboard to her next love interest, then my response to the
situation was justified and I should never call her to "clear things up."
Doc, is it a waste of time to try and clear things up with this girl? Should I try to ease my
guilty conscience and seek proper closure?
Bob -- who wants to know if he should clean up the mess
it wasn't meant to be
It doesn't take a degree in quantum physics to crack this one, Bob. Sheila has low Interest
Level in you -- so there's nothing to clear up. Would it be a waste of time to try, you ask? Go
into your backyard, dig a hole and fill it up again -- that would make better use of your time!
The only thing you should feel guilty about is the stupid mistakes you made to lower this
girl's Interest Level, not the fact that she wrote you off.
One more thing. You weren't living with this girl for 20 years, so there's no reason to seek
closure. Aren't you going a little heavy on the "closure" bit?
So pal, forget about the "mess." What I'd recommend is that you memorize The Dating
Dictionary and start doing things right so the next girl doesn't want to meet your buddy, who
she's never even seen!
Remember guys; they're never too busy to see you when they have high Interest Level.
I'm a nightclub owner and usually have my pick of women. Problems usually arise, however,
when I find one I really want to date.
When I meet a girl I'd like to date, I usually get her number and give her mine, and she'll
usually call me the next day or come to my club to see me. In this instance, Crystal came to
my club the next night. We really hit it off again that second night, and the third night as well.
a mutual friend
When I did finally get to the hospital, she'd left about an hour earlier. That night I went out
with a guy friend who happens to be her friend as well. She called his cell phone around
midnight, and the conversation got around to me.
When this happened, my friend handed me the phone. Crystal and I talked for a while, but she
was a little vague and seemed somewhat uninterested. I figured that maybe she still wasn't
feeling well, or maybe she was detached because of this issue of all the other girls. But I'm
just guessing.
What perplexes me, Doc, is that she called my friend but hasn't called me. She told me she'd
like to go out when she feels better, but I'm not really sure what I should do next.
Do I wait for her to call me, or do I just wait a day or two and call her? Do I try to pursue her,
or wait for her to pursue me? Crystal is the one I really want to be with right now, but I don't
want to set myself up for rejection.
This isn't the first time this has happened to me. There's a pattern here. Any insight would be
greatly appreciated.
Buck -- who's dating too many women, but only wants one
Hi Buck,
First of all, your situation isn't all that unusual. She likes you, you don't like her, and viceversa happens to all guys. It happens to guys like you who meet hundreds of women every
night, and it happens to the guys who barely get one home phone number a year.
Why did Buck bother giving her his number?
What we're looking for in a relationship is equal Interest Level, or, ideally, for her to like you
a little bit more. Your job is to raise her Interest Level during the time you spend together.
Now I'll get out my "Crystal" ball to see why you gave her your number. Ah-ha! Just as I
figured! You goofed. 99% of the time, women don't call .
To boot, giving her your number shows her you're weak. Now if she asks for your number,
then you should definitely give it to her. But you're the man, you're the aggressor, and you're
going to call her -- this should always be your tactic.
One of the reasons you never know what's going on, pal, is because you're talking to way too
many friends -- yours and hers. Get off the friends. They can only hurt you, even if they think
they're doing the opposite. As Rabbi Love says, "The road to hell is paved with good
intentions."
Now, guy, when lots of women love you, all the others are more interested in you, too. This is
a basic law of attraction. Think about it -- does being George Clooney hurt George Clooney
when it comes to women? The corollary of course is that no one loves you when you're down
and out.
When no women want you, no women want you . Now it's great that you're surrounded by
babes, Buck, but you're going out with Crystal. You went out with her two or three times in a
row. You showed her you like her by being with her -- too much.
give it a week
My advice is to wait a week and call her. Ask her out (no group dates) and act like it's your
first date all over again. And don't go to your club. Take her someplace new.
Remember guys; some of her Interest Level is based on the fact that other women love you.
I've known Erica and her ex-boyfriend, Jeff, for exactly the same amount of time (I met them
when they were dating each other). About a month ago, Jeff left her. Then, Erica called and
invited me out. We had a good time and started hanging out more often after that. I was
attracted to her, but since Jeff is a friend of mine and her ex, I felt that I should "ask
permission" before trying to pursue Erica. I did just that. He said "no," so I backed off.
The next day Erica called and said that Jeff called her at 1:30 a.m. and asked whether there
was anything between the two of us. This bothered me. First of all, he should have taken my
word that nothing was going on. Second, after their breakup, he never called Erica once,
except to ask if there was something between us.
Well, she and I continued to hang out and have a good time. Then one day she called and
informed me that we were "just friends," even though I apparently wanted something more
than a friendship. I wanted to know who told her that I was interested in her, and she said that
Jeff had told her things that I never said. I smoothed things out, and she and I hung out again
the next night.
So the moral of the story is, never mess with the other guy's ex , even if he tells you to go
ahead and knock yourself out. It flies in the face of one of the most important things in life -loyalty. And even though the exes protest that it's over forever and they're just good friends
now, there are still emotional ties. And that's what you were messing with here. So unless
you're willing to write your guy friend off, you have to think long and hard about what you're
about to do.
Now I'll let you in on something, Henry. Jeff didn't initiate this breakup -- Erica did. To you
Psych majors, women do the dumping 90% of the time in the dating game. And by the way,
who told you that Jeff was the instigator of the breakup? Were you there to witness it? It
amazes me how a man will suck up any slop that some pretty female throws at him when he's
gone over her. He'll believe two and two equals seven if she tells him it does!
As my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, "When it comes to women, men are complete idiots!"
(Of course your friend's a fool too, for calling his ex at 1:30 in the morning. That's called
begging. He knows nothing -- maybe even less than you do, Henry.)
5- Yep, Erica and Jeff are back together. But you had to turn her off before she went back to
him.
Dear Henry, you've been smoking too much loco weed. Lose two friends? As long as they're
making out, they don't care about you. They're so happy to be back together, you haven't even
made a blip on their radar screen.
Remember guys; women don't lie and men don't listen.
strike three
The third time she stood me up, I felt like garbage. I sent her an e-mail telling her that I liked
her a lot, but if she's not going to make it to a date then I at least deserve a call, and that since
we're only dating I would understand.
She called later and told me she agreed. She explained that at the moment she's not really
looking for a commitment and only wants to be friends, but that maybe in the future that
would change.
She invited me to go out with her and her friends. I went, and again she stayed with me the
whole time, cuddling and kissing and getting more intimate than ever before.
My dilemma is that I like Stacy a lot because she is beautiful and attentive when we're
together. Doc, do you think she could be testing me or teasing me? Do you think she might be
interested in me but expects me to put in more effort?
Help me understand what's going on.
Woody -- who can't seem to rationalize his problem
Next, you tell me that Stacy's Interest Level is 75%. Jeez -- you attribute that level of interest
to a girl who had you running a marathon with a sackful of rocks on your back?
caught red-handed
When I arrived, everyone was quite drunk and Joanna was nowhere to be seen. I was told she
was in the bathroom. I checked, but didn't find her. So I went into one of the bedrooms and
sure enough, there was Joanna on the bed, passed out with Steve all cuddled up with her.
(They were completely dressed.) I tried to wake her, but to no avail. I was angry and left
immediately.
The next day Joanna called and told me how sorry she was, and explained that she'd asked her
friends to wake her up when I arrived. She also swore that when she went into the bedroom
she was alone and that Steve must have come in after she was already asleep.
She professed that she wasn't at all interested in him and that she wanted to make it up to me.
I told her that I couldn't care less about what she does when I'm not around, but if I am
involved, then she would have to show me some respect. I also told her that if it ever
happened again, then she shouldn't even bother calling me. She told me it wouldn't.
Believe it or not, it gets worse...
Now here's my dilemma. Her girlfriend's birthday party is coming up and they've rented a
room at one of the hotels here in Las Vegas. She asked me to go, so I asked if Steve was
going to be there too. She said he would, so I told her I wouldn't be coming considering what
had just happened.
Now I'm wondering if I should have told her that I would go, but it's too late to change my
mind. My question is, how do you think I've handled this so far and what can I do to aid my
cause against Steve? Furthermore, my gut tells me that Joanna has been telling some halftruths and lies of omission in reference to this guy.
But on the other hand, why would she ask me to come pick her up if she was interested in
him? What steps do I need to take to make her more interested in me than Steve or any other
guys?
Allen -- who's not sure what to believe
you're no detective
But unfortunately, we know it gets worse. Of course Steve and your girl were all dressed up
when you walked in on them. They were dressed because they were through doing what
they'd been doing. That way it wouldn't look as if they were doing what they were doing! Get
it? So upon making this shocking discovery, what do you do? You go back for another poke
in the eye.
Afterward, Joanna wants to make up with you. Isn't that wonderful? Allen -- she was sleeping
in bed, in another guy's arms! How is she supposed to make that up to you? Maybe by
handing over the Kimberly Mine? By telling her you couldn't care less about what she does
when you aren't around, you achieved the exact opposite of what you were out to do -- you
showed her you do care because it was important enough for you to bring up! Who do you
think you're talking to, an idiot? Don't ever talk down to a woman. They're smarter than we
are, don't forget.
Guy, respect is earned . But you're too busy begging Joanna to let you chauffeur her all over
town to earn yours. Let's face it -- you're even willing to pick her up when she's in the arms of
another man, in bed! (Oh, but that was all an accident !)
And at the end of this debacle, you tell her that it can never happen again. Wow, I'm
impressed -- you're a regular Mister Tough Guy! Allen, your only dilemma is this: you're 10
years too late to start laying down the law. Forget Vegas. The party's over.
Remember guys; your eyes never lie.
1- Samantha constantly asks me when we are going to get engaged. She says it in a joking
way, but I know that she's serious. My question is, how should I respond? I'm completely in
love with this girl and want to marry her, but what is the correct response to keep her Interest
Level up? (Sometimes I joke that we should go to Las Vegas tomorrow. Other times I'll give
her a more serious answer and say that we're headed in that direction. But I'm not sure that it
would be the best idea to tie the knot so soon.)
2- Samantha cries at least twice a week when we're on the phone about how she wants me to
pretty much drop everything right now and come and live with her. She tells me that I won't
have to pay for anything, and that I can just live in her apartment. This week she took it a step
further and gave me a sort of indirect ultimatum by telling me that she didn't know how she
was going to deal with living apart from me for a whole year. "You need to move down here
right now," she said. I found myself a little panic-stricken at the idea.
Doc, how should I respond to this pressure? Our plans for the future sound fine to me as they
are: Samantha finishes her program and the two of us go to grad school together.
I tell her to relax about what's going on, but she insists that she misses me entirely too much
to even concentrate on her work. I really hope you can help me here, Doc, before I do
something stupid.
Keith -- who doesn't know what he should do with her
It's okay to give in to your girl here, buddy. (But make sure that she understands that she still
has to be a nice girl when she's away at school, otherwise there will be no engagement.
Remember old Pavlov's dog?)
Don't worry about keeping her Interest Level up, pal. You've already pumped it into the
stratosphere like a helium balloon -- she's going crazy for you right now! You're actually
under rating her Interest Level, Keith.
If this girl were any more nuts over you, she'd have to be committed. But don't you go getting
bent out of shape or going gaga over the situation. Hey, you're not tying the knot just yet -you're only buying time by telling your babe you'll get engaged when she gets back.
something here?
It doesn't take a detective to read these clues...
volunteer activities
The atmosphere is much more wholesome and sincere, and you'll do much better at those
places, guaranteed.
Richard is in dreamland...
wake up!
To your claim that Greta was dropping major hints about where she was going to be on
certain nights, my response is -- so what? Even if you weren't just fantasizing that she was
clueing you in, it doesn't amount to anything solid anyway. What you should have been going
after was her home phone number, and if you'd gotten it, you should have called her. Makes
sense, doesn't it?
Now the one thing you did do that I'll give you a little credit for is continuing to talk to Greta
after she blew you off -- it showed some class, and that you weren't completely destroyed by
her rejection. On the other hand, let's be real here, Richard -- that wasn't why you were doing
it. You were merely biding your time until you could go in for another whipping.
And go in for another whipping you did. Richard, Richard, Richard -- why would Greta give
you a "big signal" following a "no"? Don't you get that the odds are already against you,
twice? Of course she knows you like her! Not because you asked her out the first time, but
because after she turned you down, you were ready to ask her for another beating. She'd have
to be blind and dumb to not know you're after her -- the problem is, she has no respect for
you.
And by the way, guy -- how are you assuming this power and position with Greta when you
have absolutely zilch evidence that she gives a farthing for you?
if you'd gotten negative vibes from her and copped her home phone number?
Remember guys; only like somebody if they like you first.
living apart
We are both conservative and would never live together before marriage, so moving in with
Erin was never an issue -- it was always when and if we were going to get married. And
marrying her was something I was mentally preparing to do, but I was just waiting for her
signals to become more clear.
About two months ago, I noticed subtle changes in her behavior. She did a few minor things
that indicated she was losing interest, so I asked her if that was the case. She assured me this
was not so, and being in a state of mind where I heard her say what I wanted to hear, I chose
to believe her.
Well, one day out of nowhere she suggested that she needs "time apart." Not being a total
idiot, I said time apart wasn't for me, and I defined my boundaries quite clearly and said if she
was committed to me, then great, but if she wasn't, then we should stop seeing each other
altogether and just end things like adults.
She did not like me setting my boundaries so strictly because I suspect they were rather
unsettling for her and not convenient for whatever it was she was trying to achieve.
(unannounced) to "visit my family" when she knew I was there, she has called me numerous
times and has sent me a number of e-mails.
Initially I was sucked into these antics. On one occasion, on my deceased mother's birthday,
Erin's sister was giving birth that same day. She called me and was upset, so I took a pizza to
her house to cheer her up.
On another occasion, I accidentally bumped into her when I was out with a (female) friend for
a drink. Every encounter with her is totally awkward and draining, and last week I reiterated
to her that I wanted to stay away from her until she has some clarity about what she wants,
and in the meantime I'm going to get on with my life.
Doc lets Les have it...
Given that I genuinely love this woman and care for her deeply, what would you recommend
that I do? I can't allow her to treat me like a revolving door, but I don't want to entirely shut
her out if she is somehow trying to extend an olive branch without coming right out and
saying it.
As we all know, women are best judged by their actions, and right now hers are rather
inconsistent (which implies low interest). I know I can't do anything to control her, but when
she contacts me again (which she inevitably will, either in person, or by phone or e-mail),
what is the best thing for me to do?
Les -- who is "Mister Confused"
breaking up is hard to do
You went on to tell her that you should break up like adults. Les, exactly how do adults break
up? As far as I know, there are no sweet, mature ways to do it.
When Erin informed you that she needed her space, that was it. Finito . The end. You hit the
magic number: 49%. Of course she'll play with you like a cat plays with a mouse at 40% to
49% and give you a little false hope, but when it hits 39%, she's in the arms of another guy.
In other words, she'll play with your head until she strikes pay dirt with another jerk, another
weakling.
So what happened to all those tight boundaries when Erin showed up at your home? Why
didn't you just duck out? Why didn't you tell her you were going to the kitchen for a second,
then walk straight out the back door and come back at midnight?
Because you wanted the torture. I just hope you haven't answered any of her phone calls or emails. I have a feeling you did, though. Know why? Because you took that pizza with the
works over to her when she didn't even ask you to. A huge, huge mistake. Les -- you're
delivering pizza ? Aren't you a little embarrassed, at your age, to be a delivery boy for a girl
who doesn't want to possess you?
So here's my problem, Doc. Before I started dating Sumino, I was constantly hanging out with
my best friend, Courtney, usually once or twice a week. We would go out for coffee or just
hang out at her house. (Courtney and I used to date when we met at my last job, and after our
relationship was over, we stayed friends.) And if I had a chance to date Courtney again I
wouldn't because she's not girlfriend material (she has many flaws).
Well, after six months of dating, Sumino and I had an intense confrontation. She told me that
she didn't want me to talk to or hang out with Courtney anymore. Sumino says that since
Courtney is my ex-girlfriend, she has a problem with my seeing her. I told Sumino that
Courtney and I dated in the distant past, that our romance was ancient history, and that it
didn't mean anything to me. She countered with, "It doesn't matter. The fact is, she's your ex,"
and she wants me to completely disassociate myself from Courtney. The strange thing is that I
truly consider Courtney my best friend.
So I'm torn in two directions, Doc. I leveled with Sumino about the fact that Courtney is
indeed my closest friend. She got extremely angry. I was surprised at this wildly emotional
reaction because I have never seen that side of her. Frankly, it was a little disturbing.
I can't just let go of Courtney because she means a lot to me, but I don't want to make my
current girlfriend upset because I see a future with her. So what should I do, Doc? Do I stop
hanging out with Courtney and give in to Sumino's demands, or do I just let Sumino stew in
her jealousy?
Paul -- who's stuck in the middle
investigate the ex
By the way, Paul, who dropped whom in your relationship with Courtney? Elementary. As the
great relationship detective Sher"Love" Holmes would conclude, "Apparently you dropped
her, because when a gal drops a guy, the last thing she wants is to stay friends with him!"
Taking it a step further, you say you wouldn't want to date Courtney, but the more interesting
question here is, would she want to date you ?
The answer is 50% yes. The other 50% is that odds are Sumino knows that you were intimate
with this girl. And when a girl's in love, she's like a kitty kat -- territorial. She doesn't want
other pussycats around her man. Don't forget this basic law of dating, Paul -- kitty kats
kompete .
Women were sending me cards, watches and other gifts. When this happened, Meredith's
Interest Level in me began to rise again. I slept in the guest bedroom, and one morning I
caught her sneaking around in there reading the cards and going through my pockets,
checking for women's telephone numbers.
When she realized I was awake, she threw a fit. She said I had the smell of other women on
me, castigated me for being out late, and accused me of being loose. Her Interest Level was
high again. We made up and I took her back.
Now, with predictability and the passage of a little time, her Interest Level is low again. I can't
say anything without her getting offended. Every now and then I do something special for her,
and she doesn't appreciate it at all.
It seems like she actually hates me. Do I have to cheat again to raise her Interest Level?
Should I send myself some flowers to spark her Interest Level?
I refuse to let her see my concern, and act as though I'm not even bothered by her loss of
interest. What do I do? It seems that we can't escape the pattern we established when we first
met as kids.
Lee -- who wants to break the vicious cycle
But let's give you the benefit of the doubt anyway, and examine some of the specifics of your
dilemma.
she's manipulative
First of all, Meredith might have gone after your buddy just because he was your buddy. She
might not really even like the guy, have you thought of that?
There's a strong possibility that she was just rubbing that relationship in your face. After all,
you and she have been good at tormenting each other over the years, right? (And by the way - it's okay for her to run around; even to get it on with one of your old friends, but when you
do the same thing, it's horrible. Whatever happened to "what's good for the goose is good for
the gander"? As my cousin "Fast Eddie" Love would say, "So much for a fair fight!")
Taking Meredith back was basically a mistake, dude. It was okay to make up with her for the
sake of the kids you brought into the world, but you were way too easy.
She will never respect you...
unappreciative woman
Once you do something special for a woman and she doesn't appreciate it -- and this goes for
any woman, not just your wife -- why in the world would you do it again? "If you don't get a
sugar-sweet thank you for your romantic gestures," as Sal "The Fish" Love says, "
fuggedaboutit !"
And forget too about continuing to cheat, Lee. By being a cheat, you wear yourself down, and
in that mode you're being a negative challenge . What you need to be -- and what you've never
been throughout this excruciating process of torture -- is a positive challenge.
You don't have to imitate Hugh Hefner and run around with 10 women to raise Meredith's
interest, but you can keep your hands to yourself and keep the conversation light and funny,
and let her initiate intimacy. If you study my principles, you'll know that that's the way to do
it. This advice applies whether it's your first date or after 18 years of marriage.
You did do one thing right, though, and this might be something you can build on if there's
any hope left for the two of you. It's great that you're not letting Meredith see your concern
over her loss of interest. That's where you should be at all times. (And yes, mail yourself some
flowers once a week for a month, or send yourself some candy and sign the cards with the
names of different girls, with notes like "Your secret admirer" and "I love you for your mind"
and "You're the greatest thing since popcorn!" That sort of thing.)
prognosis negative
So here's the Doctor's prognosis: if Meredith's Interest Level hasn't dropped into the 40s, you
have a shot at salvaging the marriage. You say you love your wife, but Lee, I have to ask you
this question: Are you in love with your wife?
Even though I counsel you guys never to consider your own Interest Level in a woman, in this
case I have to ask: What do you want? You've got to be introspective and brutally honest as
far as what's going on inside your psyche.
Where's your Interest Level in Meredith? Exactly why are you going back and forth with this
gal? That's what needs to be delved into here. That's the question that's begging for an answer,
and at the end of the day only you can provide it, even if you don't like the answer.
But as with anything in life, as my Uncle Jethro Love once wisely observed, "When you're off
on the wrong foot, boy, you're gonna have a hard road ahead of you!"
Remember guys; when you break up, don't waste your time by going back.
However, we remained friends for a short while and then ceased all contact. Neither of us
could take the total separation and we started to talk again and date with the agreement (at her
insistence) that we are still "broken up." However -- again, her idea -- we are exclusive as far
as intimacy goes. She told me that she dated a couple of guys when we were apart, but she
found that their qualities weren't as strong as mine, which brought her closer to me.
We have now been "dating" again for about three months. I have been bending over
backwards to show her how much I love her and that our relationship can work. I give her
cards, flowers and compliments, and have been pretty much at her beck and call. I know that
this can be dangerous (too nice, too sweet, no Challenge, etc.).
am i being paranoid?
I always trusted April 100% throughout our relationship. But now I find myself agonizing
over whether she's lying to me or seeing someone else. I find myself overanalyzing and
obsessing over every little thing she does. I wonder what she's doing on her lunch hour, what
time she's getting home from work, and what she means when she says something fairly
trivial. I know this sounds like the ranting of a madman, but it has been really hard and love
does make you crazy.
I don't ask April questions or pressure her because I know it can make things worse. But I'm
getting to a point where I feel that I have to talk to her about all these things I'm feeling.
Doc, from your experience, do you think I'm a victim of my own imagination and there's
really nothing to worry about? Or do you think she's being dishonest with me and stepping out
behind my back? Is she protecting herself so that if we truly break up, she won't be as hurt? Is
she stringing me along and just waiting to find someone else? Or do you think it's the fact that
I have all those kids?
Help me, Doc.
Spencer -- who can't take this much longer
From what you're reporting, it's obvious that April's both lying to you and seeing someone
else. You're overanalyzing and obsessing because your gut is telling you that everything she
says is a falsehood. And she knows you're so gone over her, so whipped, you'll eat any crap
she throws out.
together and she's extremely affectionate with me. She has hinted many times to friends and
family that she has long-term plans for me.
a drunken mistake
This past New Year's Day, I made the Jack Daniel's-induced blunder of asking if she wanted
to be my girlfriend. She politely said she was not ready, so I quickly switched subjects.
Two days later, we went out again and she told me that now her life is finally settling down
again. (Her divorce finally came through, she bought a car, moved out of her dad's home into
her own place, and got a job.)
Eve shows a lot of interest in me (even all my buddies who've met her agree), but she's
reluctant to commit to being my steady, even after acknowledging that she's not seeing
anyone else and wants us to be more romantically close than ever.
Remember; it's not like the two of you have been together for a year and a half, and she's been
holding out on you for some shady reason. In other words, the point when she told you about
her marital situation was in proportion to the time you've been dating.
Look on the bright side because there is one...
She got rid of her husband and fortunately he's not hanging around causing problems. And
you still get your two days a week together. This one's an ace, buddy.
comes out with this lame stuff before I hardly even know his full name.
When we got to my apartment, I told Angelo not to say that he loves me again and that all I
want is some fun, not get married after knowing him for 14 whole days!
The problem is that he's smart, good-looking, funny, and actually quite independent. To me,
these are the four most important qualities in a guy, and you don't find them very often. I don't
really want to lose him, but I might have no choice but to dump him if he doesn't get himself
under control, and fast.
I was thinking that maybe you could give me the name of your female "love doctor"
equivalent? Otherwise, I could really use any advice you can give me.
Jill -- who's frustrated with weaklings
it's up to us
Now, you and I are going to train these losers. Let's say you go out with two guys, and one of
them is like Angelo -- he really does have a fear of being alone in the dark and he can't stop
emoting about it. But so does the other guy. But guess what? The other guy keeps it fun and
light, and he doesn't bring it up every five minutes. He laughs and is easygoing and doesn't
blab about his emotional vulnerability.
It's Angelo's problem; he's going to have to live with it and he's the only one (with the
exception of Sigmund Freud) who can help him discover the root of his problem and how to
get rid of it. Now my question is this: Which one of these two guys are you going to want to
be with? The one who's fun and light (despite his problem) -- or the one who's filled with
angst and need and wears his heart on his sleeve? Do you want a shrinking violet or a man?
now. She says that we aren't really exclusive even though neither one of us has dated anyone
else since we started our relationship.
She says she's happy with the way things are, and she's not pursuing anyone else because she
likes me and loves my company. But -- she doesn't want to put a "label" on our relationship
right now.
Hi Matt,
You blew a great opportunity to establish yourself as a Challenge to be reckoned with when
Julie told you she didn't want to be exclusive. Right then and there you should have said,
"Know what, honey? Those are exactly my feelings, too!"
Make her wonder and she'll be addicted even more so than before...
Since the woman always sets the tone in the relationship, you really had no choice but to
come right back with that statement, but you didn't.
Furthermore, as Sal "The Fish" Love says, "The best way to get a woman to change her mind
is by agreeing with her!" Remember that the next time Julie tells you how independent she
needs to be.
rhetoric waste
Now, pal, why is it so important to you that Julie use the word "boyfriend" when it doesn't
really matter? It's true, as you yourself said, that you're acting like an insecure woman. (You
further weaken your position by giving Julie "permission" to do whatever she wants -- hey,
who said you had to give permission in the first place?)
Why are you so afraid when she won't use the term "boyfriend," when she treats you exactly
like one? Just chill out, Matt!
Finally, it's impossible that your girl's mind might be elsewhere because your laundry list
proving her Interest Level is about a mile long. This girl's all over you like a cheap suit.
Forget about what she says. Pay attention to what she does.
Remember guys; you don't want to be too rigid.
shop. There we had a little more conversation, though nothing like on the phone. I concluded
the date at 10:30 p.m., citing my long drive back home as the reason. In the parking lot, I
asked her why she never made eye contact; she said that she's a very shy person and
apologized. She thanked me for dinner and asked me to call her after I got out of church the
following day. We shook hands and said our goodbyes.
Shook hands?!? It gets worse for Damon...
On Sunday she called me first, but I was busy and had to cut the conversation short. I phoned
her later, and yet again we had another great talk.
It seems like Cindy is very interested. What should I do at this point to repair the mistakes I've
committed (long phone conversations, weekend date, asking her out too soon), and how can I
make sure she's truly interested in me and not just in getting a daddy for her child?
I haven't known Cindy long, granted, but she seems like a very stable, confident and genuine
person, the sort of person I ought to be spending time with. Any help would be greatly
appreciated.
Damon -- who wishes she would talk face to face.
get tired of talking to them, e-mail me and we'll meet at Starbucks and have coffee." And that
would have been the end of all this smoke-blowing! In other words, you call the shots! Stand
up for yourself! Show her you're a tough guy -- if you can. Because, as you can see, all your
telephone yakking is doing you no good whatsoever.
Damon, you caught on to Cindy's hint all right -- but you caught on and gave her the wrong
response. When you tell me you had nothing to say to each other over dinner, you're really
saying that she gave you the cold, silent treatment. And you sprang for the food! How smart is
that?
Now let me ask you a question. I want you to clear your head here -- and that shouldn't take
too long. Do women with high Interest Level really act that way on a date? At first, she
seemed to have high Interest Level, but the clock is always ticking and things change. Odds
are you didn't pass the Physical Attraction Test when you finally came face to face, but Cindy
was still hungry and she figured, hey, why not have dinner on this chump's tab anyway?
Damon was taken for a ride...
this one.
Remember guys; If Alexander Graham Bell knew what chaos the telephone would cause, he
would never have invented it.
Okay. Now let's look at what you have -- or don't have -- with your two girlfriends. Regarding
Charlize, let me quote my cousin, "Fast Eddie" Love: "She loved you so much, she left town!"
Maybe Charlize did have 51% Interest Level in you at one point, guy, but apparently you
didn't do anything to move it up the scale or even keep it where it was. In fact, you drove her
Interest Level in the opposite direction the more she got to know you. No lady with a growing
Interest Level in a guy buys a one-way ticket out of town, so don't even try to fool yourself
about what was going on there.
That leaves us with your current squeeze, Angelina. Sorry to have to break the news to you,
Christopher, but Challenge doesn't work on three types: Feministas, Mercenaries and Psychos.
And a Psycho is what you've got on your hands here. This girl's a ding-dong. A woman
doesn't go from telling a guy to his face "Not if you're the last man on Earth!" to suddenly
seeing the light of his tremendous desirability out of nowhere.
The Reality Factor says: Beware of inconsistent behavior. Would you call the sweet Angelina
a model of steadiness, or is she more like Norman Bates' sister?
Finally, you asked my opinion. My opinion is this: you didn't read my principles closely
enough.
Remember guys; Doc Love's principles must be memorized.
him for a short time. The icing on the cake was that the good-looking guys were emotionally
remote and looked like they couldn't care less.
What's really funny is all the comments on the Net that crucify the women on the show for
being so shallow. That may be true, but all us average joes want them anyway, right?
What do you think, Doc? Do guys like us really stand a chance with a Beautiful Woman? Is it
even worth the struggle? Or should we stay with our own kind and not risk all that rejection?
Lenny -- who still has his fantasies of scoring a "10"
bathtub you can slip and break your neck. When you climb into your car, you can be killed in
a smashup. You can be asleep in your bed and an airplane engine can come crashing through
the roof and land on your head (don't laugh -- it has happened).
Life is one huge risk. Every time you breathe, you're taking the risk of rejection and pain.
There's no way around it except to stop living. So get out there and have some fun.
As I've said in "The System": practice on the average-looking girls with the huge fannies and
slowly make your way up to the razor-thin beauties. By the time you get there, you'll be
irresistible. The way you're going to get a "10" is to memorize all my principles.
Remember guys; if you want somebody beautiful, you have to practice on somebody average.
about me...
I'm 28 and single. I've never been married, incidentally, and am coming off a broken
relationship with a woman I dated for two and a half years. She dumped me because she
needed to "grow in different directions and we were stagnating."
After a good year of trying to figure out why the relationship went south, I finally gave up.
The whole experience shattered my confidence, and I find myself sort of out of it when it
comes to striking up conversations with women I'd like to get to know. I don't know, maybe
I'm just completely inept.
On the other hand, I do well enough in my job, I move computers successfully, and
sometimes I think that I should be able to "sell" myself to women, too. Or does one not have
anything to do with the other?
Anyway, I've had my eye on Pamela (I found out her name when I checked her mailbox), who
lives three doors from me, ever since I moved in. This babe has it all in the looks department -
- she's at least an 8, maybe even a 9. Aside from flashing a smile when she's coming or going,
we don't have much contact, and I'm at a loss for what to do to get something going.
By the way, I can't really tell if she has any interest in me whatsoever, but I've always been
baffled by how to tell. I've seen friends of both sexes stop by her place, but never the same
guy overnight, so I figure she's up for grabs -- well, at least that's my fantasy.
sell yourself
As Sal "The Fish" Love would say, "Women with high Interest Level never want to hurt you."
I feel sorry for you, Columbo, but you can take some comfort in the fact that you're not
rowing your boat alone. What happened to you happens to millions of American men. They
get clobbered by a woman, they haven't a clue what to do, they try to figure it out, and they
spend money on books by love doctors that don't work. "Your problem," they advise you, "is
that you've got to hit your head faster and harder against that wall!" Their wimpy solution is
buying some overpriced trinket for the woman who tossed you. It's not going to work. It never
has, and it never will.
You want to know if there is any correlation between selling products and selling yourself to
women? My boy, you just asked me life's grand question. The answer is an unequivocal yes :
one has everything to do with the other.
For years countless people with impressive sheepskins have been handing out tons of
erroneous, ineffective information on relationships. While I detest the clichd phrase "think
outside the box," I did just that. I correlated sales to dating . Bingo.
Now, moving on to Pamela. You found out her name from her mailbox? Let's just hope it was
right next to yours, because if she spotted you snooping on her, you're out forever, and the rest
of our game plan means absolutely nothing. I'll tell you why: women hate sneaks .
But do you know what you should say the next time you bump into her? "Let me ask you a
question: what grade are you in?" I don't care if your knees are shaking, guy -- get it out .
Practice in front of the mirror if you have to. The reason I say this is because you don't know
if Pamela has any interest in you .
So we're going to eliminate any doubt by gauging her response. If she comes back and says
"I'm in kindergarten -- is that too young for you?" you know you're in the game.
How to own the girl next door...
neighborly love
But you mention that Pamela flashes a smile at you. She did that for one of three reasons (and
this is where you're going to have to be like a detective on "Love and Order"):
1- She's just a classy lady and you're her neighbor (but that's all there is to it and it's never
going anywhere).
2- She has positive Interest Level in you.
3- She's both classy and has interest.
Now think about this: What if she saw you up on the podium at the microphone giving a
fascinating speech to 100 people who came to see you as the love doctor who understands
women as you stand in for me? You'd have her eating out of your hand .
me. The problem was that I never felt like myself. I always had the sneaking feeling that I was
manipulating the women and "playing games." It just seemed to be plain hard work.
been doing everything wrong all your life. (By your own admission, I might add!) It stands to
reason that revolutionizing yourself is going to feel a little odd, at least at first, until you've
gotten the proper hang of things. To you Psych majors, any time there's change, there's going
to be discomfort. That's just the way it is -- it's the process of life. And nobody likes change.
We all want to just sit on our butts with the TV remote and watch life roll by while we munch
on our cheese curls and potato chips. But in order to go from being a flop to a success with
women, you have to change yourself and make yourself more desirable, and "The System"
does that.
here's my story
I met Hui at a restaurant where I work. She came in to eat, I was very attracted to her, and, as
per your instructions, asked for her home phone number. When she gave it to me, I called and
it turned out to be her cell phone. I didn't leave a message, because it didn't conform to your
rules.
The next time I saw her, I asked for the home phone number again, and she told me that she
didn't have one. (By the way, I verified this with my female cousin, who knows where Hui
lives, so I have to assume that Hui was telling me the truth and not just trying to dodge me
because of low Interest Level.)
One other question, Doc; your book seems to be written to apply to people with a high level
of understanding, like Americans. Does "The System" really apply to women all over the
world?
Thanks for all your advice.
Lawrence -- who wants to know if he should dial again
master of dating strategy. As General Love says, "The guy who ventures onto the battlefield
of dating unprepared is the guy who's setting himself up for disaster."
But it looks like you didn't quite memorize enough. Lawrence -- you're talking to one female
(your cousin) who's giving you advice on another female (Hui)? This is a fundamental error,
and you'd know that if you paid closer attention to what you read in my book.
What if the two gals are tighter than you think (and chances are good they are)? If your
conversation with your cousin gets back to Hui, all it does is show her that you're an insecure
guy and can't do your own dirty work, in addition to the fact that you can't keep a secret. You
just dropped 10 points on the Interest Level scale if your cousin has a big yap, and as my
cousin "Fast Eddie" Love would say, "Show me one who doesn't!"
Never make any assumptions about women...
But what you should have done, Lawrence, like a good love detective on "Love And Order,"
was ask: "Is this your home phone number?" And when she countered with "No, it's my cell
phone number," you should have insisted "I'd like to have your home number too." At that
point she would have said "People from the north are all poor and only have cell phone
numbers," or she would have come up with a whopper. But at least you would have resolved
the issue once and for all.
The point is that you want to come as close as you can to getting that home phone number.
Even in America today, there are over 145 million cell phones. Lots of girls live with their
parents, or they go to school, or they're hard to get hold of and so they rely on their cell
phones. But I would always rather you have both numbers. The more important one is always
the home number.
I'm sure you're sitting there asking yourself, So what's this guy's problem? It's a little
embarrassing, I'll admit, but here it is: my girlfriend, Jessica. She wasn't very pleased with me
ordering your book in the first place, and when she read some of the sections, it caused some
very heated arguments. She thought the chapter about men having to be a Challenge was
particularly ridiculous. It's her opinion that we should not play any head games with each
other. She says we should be completely open and honest with one another, and your
teachings prevent that.
fact, you're so motivated by my columns that you agreed to part with $99 for "The System."
You read it, and you still can't find anything to disagree with! Because it makes perfect sense,
doesn't it? Yes, it does. Furthermore, you seem to need something from me. Now, did Jessica
put a .45 to your head and order you to put the book down? Well, you're acting like she did.
The point is that you yourself are ultimately responsible for what's happening here.
But let's move on to Jessica anyway. Let me ask you a question, pal. Were her arguments
against Doc Love logical? Did she allow you to explain why you were reading "The System"?
The answer in both cases is no. If she had taken the time, she would have understood -assuming she has the capacity -- that Challenge is most definitely not a head game. Challenge
is the love ether in the dating game. And what Challenge does is keep you, as a partner,
always fresh . But what Jessica's proposing and implying -- and of course this stems from the
most popular female love doctor herself, Oprah -- is "Let it all hang out!" Air all your dirty
laundry, your weaknesses, your insecurities -- in other words, every negative thing about you
-- and somehow she's going to want to stick around! Makes sense, right? Wrong !
words, she doesn't want to look like she's diving into another serious relationship so soon after
her divorce. I understand that. She's worked there a long time, knows lots of people, and
wants to save face, but still have me, the love of her life.
what happened?
Doc, I am at a total loss to explain what happened. At worst, if Lynne did see me outside her
apartment that night, she would have at least asked for an explanation as to what was going
on.
Of course, I will pick up my things, but I am leaning toward no contact with her whatsoever.
However, I would love to hear your analysis of the situation. From reading your articles, it's
obvious to me that you always seem to figure out even the toughest of problems. Enlighten
me, please.
Wilson -- who can't figure out what he did wrong
Now, let's start with where you are right now. When a guy is married for 20 years -- in your
case, from the time you were 22 until now -- he's locked in what I call a "time warp."
In a sense, you were forcibly pulled out of society. You haven't the foggiest notion what's
going on out there in the real world. When you re-enter the dating scene, you expect it to be
like it was when you were 21, but baby, it's not. It's a much rougher, much tougher world out
there nowadays. As Sal "The Fish" Love puts it, "Ricky Nelson is dead!" But that's okay -we'll work around it. Stick with me.
They ask me why you guys put up your high school pictures when you're 50 years old. What
you're running into, George, is the same thing -- she's using her cheerleader snapshot from
senior year and she's pushing 45.
People change with time; that's why you always want to post the best current professional
photo of yourself -- it's the first thing she's going to see when she brings up your file.
By the way, George, are you talking to -- interviewing -- these women on the phone before
you make the date to go to Starbucks? Are you finding out whether she's really 5'8", 132
pounds, and not 5'3", 182 pounds? Try to get as much information as possible beforehand -it'll save you lots of time.
i tested her
As a test, I told Melinda on our third date that I needed $5 for highway tolls and that I'd pay
her back the next time I saw her. She handed me a 20 and said, "Just keep it." I do plan on
paying her back, but I guess that, on one level, the whole thing seems too good to be true,
while on another I'm not sure I completely trust her.
Doc, what's your read on Melinda? Should I drop her like a hot potato and move on? I'd really
appreciate your insight here, as I read your column faithfully and find you right on the money.
Thanks.
Harrison -- who's never had it this easy
have told him that they couldn't see each other when he first asked her out. "No, thanks. Soon
as you get divorced, call me." That's what she should have said if she had any class. But she
has no class.
Doc weighs in on Melinda's affair...
here's a newsflash
And just a minute, here -- what do you mean the two of them "can't be carrying on"? Hasn't it
crossed your mind that this married "soul mate" of Melinda's can fly into town and shack up
with her at Motel 6 for a few hours? We have these newfangled contraptions called airplanes
and motels for $55 nowadays, don't forget!
Come on, Harrison -- the reality is that you don't know what Melinda's doing. You are very
nave . But I am glad these little things made you question her Integrity!
That said, I don't think it's suspicious that she has 90% plus Interest Level in you so early in
the game. Lots of women, when they first see a man, declare "I'm going to spend the rest of
my life with that guy." That woman might very well be a keeper, and you might very well
want her. I just want her to keep her pants on and let the relationship unfold slowly .
Hey Doc,
I recently purchased "The System." It's the best information on dating and women that I've
ever encountered. This is why I hope you can help me with the problem I'm currently having.
Gabriela (maybe the most attractive girl I've ever talked to in my life) and I have been getting
to know each other for the past two months. She's in my class at university, so I see her on
campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We have actually become pretty close -- or so I thought.
I let her initiate all the physical contact (such as touching my leg, rubbing my back, or putting
her hand on mine), just as you say to do. She also makes it a point to hug me after every class
and goes out of her way to get me to notice her.
Fortunately for you, Art, "The System" does bring out the worst in women -- the wrong
women -- and that's what's so great about it. The sooner we learn the worst about a girl, the
sooner we can dump her and move on to someone who's not so uptight (the code word for
"jealous" and "possessive" and "controlling").
Here a pretty girl talks to you, and Gabriela loses it? Can you imagine being married to her
and having a couple of kids? If you went out to dinner and the waitress was friendly, she'd
probably demand a divorce!
So don't waste another minute thinking about Gabriela, guy. What you should be doing
instead is thinking about asking that pretty Native American girl for her home phone number.
Remember guys; the sooner you can find out what she's really made of, the sooner you can
leave her.
I told her that I liked the way things were going and that with time, she might get what she
wanted. She asked if I was seeing anyone else and I said no, but she didn't believe me. (In
reality, I wasn't dating anyone else and wanted to date her exclusively also, but I wanted to do
the right thing and not move in too fast.) My question is, how long should a guy wait before
agreeing to date exclusively? I know we should wait for the girl to ask, but what if they ask
relatively early in the dating process?
Diana starts to show some warning signs...
Since then I've seen a few red flags from Diana, indicating inflexibility and lack of trust. She's
also very judgmental and has a quick temper, which she warned me about but I'm just starting
to see now. Most of this stems from the fact that she thinks I'm seeing other people. This
makes me think that she may be a future nag and I'm actually thinking about ending things
before I get too involved, despite my own high Interest Level in her. But I have to wonder if I
brought out these traits in Diana by moving too slow.
I hope you can answer my questions, since it looks like I'll be asking for more home phone
numbers soon.
Rock -- who wants to get it right
The real problem here is Diana herself. I don't mind a girl calling you and sniffing around for
attention after three, four or five months, but this babe's doing it way too fast. She should be
practicing a little Self-Control and saving the conversation for face-to-face dates.
You felt compelled to give her phone time? Like Sal "The Fish" Love says, "Why lay a guilt
trip on yourself?" Don't ever feel forced to do anything when it comes to a female. The
"Dating Dictionary" says: never talk for hours on the phone. When she asked how to go about
capturing your heart, the perfect answer would have been "By not talking for hours on the
phone!"
No, I don't like the fact that this girl is already gone after just three dates. I'm happy that she
has 95% Interest Level, but she should be controlling her tongue. She's pushing it entirely too
hard. So the good part is that she's pushing too hard -- and the bad part is that she's pushing
too hard. She's not giving the relationship any room to breathe.
You did hit the bull's-eye once, though, pal, and that was when you told Diana, "With time
you might get what you want." Perfecto. You get an A+ for that one. Because you remained a
Challenge. You told her that she has to work to get you. Even if you said it half-jokingly, you
got the point across and she should have listened. But when Diana asked if you were seeing
someone else, you missed an opportunity for the perfect retort: "Well, not that many." That's
what you should have said.
This little item should have been brought out before you talked about anything else! Her hissy
fits don't stem from anything you did -- she was a hothead before she met you, so don't lay
another guilt trip on yourself. She'll be a hothead after you get rid of her, too. As Fast Eddie
Love says, "What you see is what you get!" You didn't bring these negative traits out of her,
guy. They were all there before you ever set eyes on her.
The point is this: you can only move too fast with women. You can never move too slowly.
Remember guys; if you want to get it right, follow "The System."
I feel that her Interest Level in me is still moderately high, but she's just having a hard time
letting go of the past. What can I do to raise her Interest Level back to where it was?
I'm afraid that if I make myself unavailable and act as though I don't care, she may look to her
ex for any comfort she might need. What I really want to do is apply some pressure to break
the deadlock, but I don't know if it's the right move. Is there anything I can do about this
situation?
Clarence -- who doesn't know whether to retreat or advance
Your biggest shortcoming in the entire enterprise, Clarence, is that you never gained a
beachhead. Unlike the Americans on D-day, you got knocked back into the water and never
achieved a solid foothold with this babe, and you must have that in order to achieve anything.
You may remember an e-mail I sent you some time back. I told you how "The System"
changed my life, and I also wanted to thank you. I told you about how I'd gotten out of a bad
relationship and found the love of my life, Caitlin, who meets all the key elements of a great
woman (qualities you very insightfully pointed out in past articles). You wrote back and told
me that I was doing great.
Well, now I've run into a problem I can't find an answer to in your book. I've been dating
Caitlin for a year and everything has been great. Lately we've been talking about getting
engaged and moving in together. I recently had to move out of my place and into a new rental,
and neither of us like the increased distance between us. Both of us are willing to relocate to
be with each other. However, we unexpectedly ran into a major stumbling block -- my dog,
Max.
Max is a "house dog" who is my best friend, and I can't bear the thought of parting with him.
Caitlin, on the other hand, does not go for "house dogs." She brought this up before we got
romantically involved, but we both sort of cruised over the subject.
Her point of view is that basically I'm saying it's either her or the dog, and she doesn't like
that. My point of view is that if she cared about my feelings, she would get used to the dog
since she knows what Max means to me. It has become a huge issue.
So my dilemma is whether or not I should stick to my guns and keep Max. If I don't, I'm
afraid that I'll look like a pushover now that Caitlin and I are in love. On the other hand, I'd
hate to lose a great woman and a great relationship because she thinks I love the dog more
than I love her. What do I do? Help, Doc!
Chris -- who is in the doghouse
head!"
You ended up falling for Caitlin, who is great, but you'd have been much better off finding
someone who has common values , because your values when it comes to animals are exactly
the opposite of hers. To you, a dog is man's best friend, while to Caitlin the beasts of the
world belong anywhere but inside a house.
I happen to have a cat myself. Personally, I don't believe in having animals in the house,
either, so I know where your girlfriend's coming from. And lots of other people don't want
animals in the home. With Fido, you have to deal with dog breath, dog slobber, dog hair, dog
dander, and that's just for starters.
And to people who are germ freaks, dogs are carriers of all kinds of goodies. Mutts don't use
handkerchiefs or toilet paper, and they lick certain parts of their bodies that are, um,
unsanitary. So Caitlin has her legitimate reasons for feeling the way she does. And we haven't
even factored in the vet bills.
the solution
So now, bro, you're at an either/or dead-end: either get rid of the dog or get rid of Caitlin. But
there's a way around the impasse.
Here's what I would suggest: find a house with a garage for you and Caitlin. Keep Max in the
backyard during the day, and at night allow the animal into the garage. Arrange it so that Max
feels comfortable out there, and you do too. Set up a chair, go out there every day, spend
quality time with the dog, play with him, take him for a walk, and so forth.
bat, I tend to lose whatever confidence I have, stumble over my words, and end up making a
fool of myself.
what do i say?
So when you get around to reading this, what I'd like to know is what to say in the following
situations (which is where I find myself most of the time when I spot a girl I'd like to take
out):
1. If she is at the bar.
2. If she is with her friends.
3. If she is standing on the outside of the dance floor.
4. If she is waiting to use the restroom.
5. If she is in line at a bank, store or restaurant.
There are more, but if you could help with the above list, I could probably apply them to the
others. By the way, Doc, I'm 29, a college graduate, and have a good job in the
pharmaceuticals field.
You might not even want to deal with something as fundamental as this, but I know I sure
would appreciate the help, and so would all the other losers like me. Thanks in advance for
your tips.
Carney -- who doesn't know how to get into the game
So you shouldn't lose your confidence, pal, because you've had the guts to go up to these girls
in the first place, talk to them, and try and close the deal. These are complete strangers you're
approaching, don't forget, so it's to your credit that you're even trying.
But the more interesting thing is this: they didn't help you . And why not? Because they
weren't interested. "There's a logic to this madness," as my cousin "Fast Eddie" Love would
say.
But you don't have to stumble over your words. Whenever you see a honey you'd like to take
out, look at her and say, with a twinkle in your eye, "I think you're coming on too heavy." Just
like Bogart would.
Remember; always keep it light, funny and easy. When she goes on staring at you, you'll feel
like a fool twice over, but that's okay -- you're just there to have fun anyway. Then ask her,
"Hey, have you got a girlfriend for me?" If she doesn't at least crack a smile, she's got no
sense of humor and you don't want her anyway.
is it inappropriate?
Somehow it doesn't seem proper for me, her teacher, to ask Ariana for her phone number. I'm
wondering if I should just forget about her and be pleasantly surprised if she e-mails me. It
just seems odd for me to be the initiator in this situation.
So what do you think, Doc? I'd hate to let a great opportunity slip away by playing it so
straight. On the other hand, I've got this thorny ethical dilemma. Any help you can offer
would be greatly appreciated. By the way, I'm a faithful reader of "The System" and think you
give great advice.
Thomas -- who doesn't want to kick himself later
have to lose here, since teaching is your job . Do you really want to cross a certain line with
this young chippy and have your reputation -- as a sleaze that hits on his students -- precede
you to your next position?
In that case, you can kiss your sweet tenure goodbye! Next thing you know, you might not get
hired anywhere . And forget the Police songs. You might have the coppers knocking on your
door if you're not careful.
Doc teaches Thomas some important lessons...
at you and you alone? If you're going to be a detective on Love and Order, you've got to be
more specific. That's what I always tell you guys.)
Anyway, as long as she's chasing you, you've got a real shot. So what you're going to do is be
her friend .
But Thomas, telling her you might not be here come August was a big mistake. Why in the
world are you talking to this girl about the future? Like my cousin "Fast Eddie" Love says, "If
you're going to leave, tell her five minutes before you leave! Whatever you do, don't tell her
now!" Because if you tell her now, you can't erase what you've planted in her mind. And the
worst part is she might use it against you. You men out there have to learn to keep your
mouths shut!
so is it hot or not?
The subject of looks is an interesting one in your writings. On the one hand you say that by
being a Challenge, Mister Average can get an A+ babe. In other articles, the Reality Factor
(common sense) dictates that women respond to attractiveness as much as men do, and that
you have to be realistic about what you have as far as looks go.
Other times you say that you can't guess a woman's motivations and therefore never know. Or
you say that the "10s" are really high maintenance (implying that the average guy wouldn't
want one anyway, and thus avoiding the issue).
Often, you ask how many times you see a beautiful babe with a loser/ugly guy, as some form
of encouragement to the average-looking guys, I suspect. (The answer, in reality, is pretty
much never.)
So from where I sit, you kind of dance around this issue of looks. I know Attitude and
Challenge are your central themes, not looks, but it is an important factor in dating
nevertheless, and never won't be (which, to your credit, you do acknowledge -- sometimes).
a 10 is tough to get
You're on target when you suggest that the pursuit of the perfect "10" can be a grueling
marathon. But there is a certain percentage of hardheaded men who will go after her no matter
what.
Like Sal "The Fish" Love says, "Some guys have to have their eye candy whether or not you
warn them that it's going to make them sick." And if they're willing to pay the price, fine. I
just don't want them to find out after they get married how high the price was .
You mention that I encourage guys by citing the loser/uglies who score beauties. This is also a
misconception on your part. What I'm referring to is the "winner"/unattractive guy. The fellow
who "gets handsome" after he opens his mouth because he's got something besides sawdust
between his ears and he's not just pumping iron or running on his looks. Those guys are
capable of scoring "10s" too, but they come at it from a different angle.
You judge her by her Interest Level...
I agree that it's better to stay in the same league as the women you're dating. Because, like my
cousin "Fast Eddie" Love says, "If she's running around with guys who own Lear jets and you
man the pumps at the local Shell station, it's gonna be a little tough to catch her eye!"
But in the end, you still never know. If fate is kind, maybe one day she'll run out of gas in
front of your place.
Remember guys; with "The System," you'll be better-looking.
detectives do in the first half-hour of Law & Order when they're trying to get the skinny on
what's going on. And that means you have to ask yourself the hard questions.
Steve, you have three possible problems. Let's deal with them one by one...
to date and hit if off quite nicely. When we started going out, I told her that I was 35 instead
of my real age, just to shave off a couple of years and bring our ages closer together.
Big mistake. But she said at the time that she didn't care about the age difference and we
ended up dating for over a year.
meryl's full of it
But this is the part I don't like. Here Meryl knows that you're 10 years older than her, and
she's still going out with you . What does that say about her Integrity ? That makes her a bit of
a liar herself when she busted you on your age difference later, right?
But you went ahead and left the evidence of your little white lie lying on the kitchen table
anyway. As General Love says, "Never leave ammunition out -- ever! Because you can bet it's
going to be used on you!"
Her quick fade tells us that she has a new boyfriend -- you just didn't know it. She was just
waiting for an excuse to get out and you gave it to her, pal. I always tell you guys in "The
System" that you have to be like detectives on Love and Order. This is grade-A evidence, my
friend.
there's a catch
But here's the problem: her looks. There are many guys who would find Shelby attractive, but
I'm not totally knocked out by her. She is not my dream girl on the outside . Sure, I could just
move on and try to find a woman who does have everything I want, but the chances of finding
a hot-looking one who is unstructured, has 90% Interest Level in me, shares my faith and all
of my interests, and is a Giver seem pretty darn slim.
In all those areas my Interest Level in Shelby is at least 95%. In the looks department, though,
my Interest Level in her is only in the 60s. I love this girl dearly, but it's difficult when we go
out. It always seems some Beautiful Woman is catching my eye and then I feel very sad that I
am with someone who does not turn my head in that way.
So the question of the hour is this. What is truly more important: looks, or your "big three"
(Giver, Interest Level, unstructured personality)? Should I just forget about the fact that she is
not my ideal of perfection and stay with her because of her other qualities, or should I move
on and try to find someone who I find very physically attractive?
The answer may seem obvious to some, but I am lost! Help!
Wallace -- who wishes he were dating Julia Roberts
anything, and yet end up scoring the best-looking babes left and right?
What is it about the "rock star" that creates such an instant high Interest Level in women? And
are those women usually Flexible Givers, or are they just Mercenaries?
here's my story
Finally, Doc, I have to confess that I've been personally burned, which accounts for my
interest in this phenomenon. Like an idiot -- or should I say Wimpus Americanus -- I courted
Erica for a whole year, including escorting her to fancy restaurants and buying her expensive
jewelry, only to watch her take off like a giddy schoolgirl over some grungy loser in a crappy
band here in Chicago where we live.
In my mind I saw her as a classy woman, but in the end she was nothing but a groupie. Doc, it
was a sobering experience, to say the least.
Anyway, any insight would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure there are other guys out here who,
like me, want to know your thoughts on this. Thanks.
Martin -- who wishes he had the magic himself
Guys like Tommy Lee may get the Pamela Andersons and Heather Locklears, but they don't
keep them. And if they do, they're only going to keep one of them, which means all the others
are going to be out looking for other guys.
No matter what, you should have read Erica quicker. If you would have memorized "The
System," you would have cracked the real Erica a lot faster, and that's the whole idea. My
program is an efficiency program that allows you to cut to the truth fast.
I don't want you wasting valuable, irreplaceable time on a worthless groupie who appears to
be classy on the outside. My techniques encourage you to talk to a girl -- really talk to her -so that you can get to know what makes her tick.
When certain important subjects come up, you'll delve into them. You'll ask, "Gee, what kind
of guys do you dig?" And if she answers, "Well, I dig a filthy guy with long greasy hair who
plays the guitar," you're out of there! Let's dig up that information in the first couple of weeks
-- not after 12 months!
telephone is a no-no in the dating game. But does the same rule apply to instant messaging?
I've been dating Cassandra off and on (at my discretion, let me hasten to add) for more than a
year now. She apparently has high Interest Level in me because she's always asking me out on
dates or asking me to call her. I usually don't because it's a long-distance call and it costs too
much money to waste on simply chatting.
Now here's my problem: instead of spending time on the telephone with Cassandra, we go
online with each other. And when we do, I can't help talking and talking and talking. I
actually feel more comfortable talking to her online than in person, which might say
something about our relationship.
But no matter how interesting the things I "say" might be, I seem to only get brief responses
from Cassandra -- "Yeah" and "Oh" and that sort of thing -- and I don't hear from her again
for up to a week.
I thought this form of communication could loosen both Cassandra and me up and create a
stronger bond, but so far I don't think it's happening.
Am I wrong to instant message Cassandra? Is instant messaging just another form of antiChallenge?
Thanks in advance for your valuable insight. Maybe you can help me decide whether to take
my relationship with Cassandra to another level or let it die.
Ben -- who wants to know if he should be using fewer keystrokes
You tell me that you've been dating Cassandra for more than a year. Let me ask you a
question, Ben. What are you holding on for? Why don't you just cut Cassandra loose? Why
waste the girl's time? It's as obvious as J.Lo's assets that you don't really dig this girl. Face the
facts, dude.
If you don't even want to spare the scratch to phone this babe, then she can't mean that much
to you. (The last time I looked, the long-distance carriers were practically killing each other
over who could offer the lowest price to Norway! Maybe you should get a night job, Ben!)
Nevertheless, you say that you blab, blab, blab to Cassandra when you get on the computer.
Like most guys, you pour your heart out, you spill your guts, you kill off any semblance of
mystery. No wonder your romance is stuck in permanent neutral. You're as far from being a
Challenge as Kirstie Alley is from dropping 55 pounds.
Cassandra's responses when you instant message are "Yeah" and "Oh"? Now what do you
figure that translates to in Womanese? Does it mean she has high Interest Level in you? I
think not, Ben. If she asks you out on dates, it's only because she's lonelier than you are, that's
all.
I don't mind her "Yeah-ing" and "Oh-ing" so much (though it does indicate that she's about as
interested in you as George Clooney is in being married). What bothers me is that you keep
coming back for another beating when she does her impersonation of a wall. Or as my cousin
"Fast Eddie" Love would say, "Let's bury this thing another 20 feet deeper!"
So Ben, I'd suggest that you take that keyboard of yours, open the window and toss it out, and
listen to it as it bangs and crunches and bounces down the steps.
Remember guys; when I say disappear, that means disappear !
I appreciate your help and guidance, and all the time you've put into your philosophy. It's
really stupendous stuff. Thanks a lot!
Tayshaun -- who wants to know if he should protect himself just in case
You can just hear her now: "You think 20 grand a month is excessive ? Honey, you haven't
bought many diapers lately! Get yourself down to the pharmacy!" (Meanwhile, she's dropping
$400 a month getting her nails done!)
I've been faced with similar circumstances in the past with waitresses and barmaids, and have
always found that the transition from the client-server relationship to the man-woman
relationship is rocky due to the possibility that she's only being friendly because it's her job -and because she wants a bigger tip. Then, too, you don't want to put her in a bad position by
pressuring her at her place of business in the event that she has no real interest in you.
Thanks again, Doc, for any tips. You're amazing.
Alex -- who is waking up at last to the truth
what my hobby is?" And when she replies, "No, what?" you'll say, "I'm trying to figure out
what women like. For instance, tell me about the things that you wish you could change about
your boyfriend."
Now this is a set-up question. It's a side shot, because in this type of scenario you never go
directly in for the kill. She'll answer something like, "You know, I've been going out with
John for three years now and he never lets me have any breathing space!"
my mom's a dictator
Now I don't want to bash my mother, but it's obvious that she's in control of their relationship
and I'd just like to see my dad respect himself more.
Personally, I don't let anybody -- inside or outside of my family -- push me around. I'm a
successful artist (I play guitar for a happening rock band) so I've got no problem getting tons
of girls (thanks to you, Doc!), but nothing's rubbing off on the other guys in my family.
Something tells me it wouldn't be prudent to just toss "The System" at my dad, so I don't
know what to do.
Anyway, I just figured I'd throw this your way to hear your thoughts on it. I can't remember
that you've ever addressed this specific dilemma before. Thanks in advance.
Paul -- who's ecstatic the apple fell so far from the tree
universal truths.
You can't make him change...
But now here's the sad part, dude. You can't force other guys to follow "The System." As
Brother Love says, "No amount of arm-twisting will make a man see the light!"
He has to come to you, and he has to beg for help. So I don't want you knocking on doors like
the church folks and missionaries. I appreciate your appeal for help, but the truth is this: a guy
has to be in a lot of pain before he sets his ego aside, I'm sorry to say.
They're contented the way they are. Like I said, a guy has to really want to change. You
wanted to change, and that's what makes your story so great, man. That's what keeps you on
top of your game.
While brushing up on "The System," I've begun to realize that Keira's Interest Level might
have declined beyond recovery. I would like to think this is not the case, but as you say
yourself, sometimes the woman doesn't even realize herself when it's gone.
Keira and I need to talk and resolve some issues. The question I have for you is this: Is it okay
for me to be a man and admit to her that I have been neglecting things, and that I've been
wrong and she's been right? I don't want to pour my heart out and get all sloppy, but rather tell
her that I realize I have not been taking the necessary time to do the things that are important.
Does it compromise me to apologize, Doc? I'm afraid of doing the wrong thing at a critical
time. Help!
Bryant -- who hopes it isn't too late
you have to present me with hard evidence in order to properly work a case?
And by the way, man, how many hours a day are you slumped with your beer and Fritos in
front of the TV set? Remember, as Sal "The Fish" Love says, "It's okay to be a couch potato,
as long as the woman isn't around to see it!"
You say that you fear Keira's Interest Level is lower than Governor McGreevey's political
career. To you Psych majors, this means her romantic interest in you has traveled just south of
the Mason-Dixon Line. It went from 51% to 49%, and as the Reality Factor says, once it hits
the dreaded 49%, she'll stay with you for a while, but it's over and it's never coming back.
Bryant, don't delude yourself into thinking that Keira isn't aware of her own dwindling
Interest Level. Like my cousin "Fast Eddie" Love puts it, "That's the point when women start
having headaches." Better start watching out for those. (Again, to you Psych majors, women
with high Interest Level never need Excedrin.)
Hi Phil,
It's amazing. I've been singing this very tune since 1985, and now everybody's finally
catching up with me! The Feministas tell women that if they're miserable, they should get out
of their marriages.
By the way, the Feministas got into power in 1970 and, since then, the divorce rate has been
50%. So what's the big news story here? I was onto this phenomenon long before any fancy
surveys were ever conducted.
If only more guys knew what it takes to keep her faithful...
But I'm glad those articles scared the crap out of you, Phil. I wish more of you would read
those statistics because that's the problem with lots of men today -- they're not facing reality.
Guys get married without proper preparation, think nothing of popping out a few kids, and
when they end up being trapped with Psycho Cindy, they wonder what the heck happened to
their lives. Believe me, I hear from them in droves. Here's how our conversation runs:
"How long did you know her, Einstein?"
"Well, we had a lot to drink the night we met, and we moved in after three weeks, and then I
guess we got a little sloppy -- now we have three kids. Doc, how in the world did I get myself
into this mess?"
1- Men are expected to cheat and it's their fault. This is part of the brainwashing our
society -- especially the men -- is subjected to. Turn on Oprah if you don't believe me. She's
the queen of the victims and she perpetuates this myth. Look at what she peddles. Check out
the newspapers and magazines. All you see are stories about husbands murdering wives. They
forget to tell you that one-third of the women who off their husbands don't go to jail! What
about that side of the story? What about the men who are being raped in prison? Nothing, not
a word do you hear! Why? Because the woman is the victim in America, and all men are bad
by nature. The Feministas run things! Don't you guys get it?
2- If the woman cheats, it's because the man isn't meeting her needs. In America, only
men have to take responsibility for their actions. Feministas believe in rights, but no
responsibility.
3- Women are proud of their cheating. They're proud because they're wallowing in their
resentment toward the poor slobs they're betraying.
It's not fair, so here's how you even out the playing field...
So dude, you think the whole thing isn't fair. Tell me about it! Here's something to think
about. If it weren't for the Internet, you wouldn't even be able to send me your questions. My
columns have been turned down by every major men's magazine in the country and by every
newspaper in the five western states because the powers that be don't want to hear what I'm
saying.
I can't get arrested, and I'm the only one singing this song about the imbalance of power
between the sexes in this country!
Remember guys; if she knows you're a Challenge, and that you'll always be a Challenge, she'll
never look at another guy.
a bumpy ride
Alicia hasn't badgered me about it, though after our talk this past weekend, I made it clear that
I didn't want to hear any more about other men in her life. Today, on the phone, she ended up
briefly talking about her arrangements when she leaves. I told her I didn't want to talk about it
anymore and the call -- which had been light and bubbly -- ended on a bumpy note.
I would greatly appreciate your thoughts on this one.
Scott -- who wishes he'd laid down the law earlier
Scott's a wimp, but will he lose his woman to the sailor? Find out...
your new and loyal readers that the best way to handle the situation is to just act cool and,
perhaps, even ignore it altogether.
self-control is key
When you say it's no wonder he has the girl, you're exactly right -- it's no wonder at all.
Because the traffic gal's boyfriend couldn't have said or done anything better than he did. It
was a remarkable display of Self-Control on his part. Even if the celebrity or host deserved it,
losing it could only have diminished him in the eyes of his girlfriend. Good for him. He's got
a firm hold of Doc Love's "System." Macho Boy, on the other hand, would have snarled, "I'm
gonna come right down there and wrap that microphone cord around your neck!"
By the way, Jackson, the reason the Macho Boys act like prison guards is because, like
Neanderthal men, they haven't figured out that their women can think for themselves. Plus the
fact that they have no Self-Control whatsoever.
What you did with your Ashlee was great, but it would have been even better had you not said
anything and waited to see what her reaction to the compliment was first. If she was obviously
with you (and she was) when she thanked this player in the bar for noticing her, it was
Womanese for "Hey, I like the new guy!" In fact, once she told him "Thanks," you were out.
And here's another thing: her Interest Level in you wasn't all that high to begin with. Pal, you
were actually taking out and spending your hard-earned dough on a girl who had no Interest
Level in you -- or one that was well short of the 50-yard line.
Did Jane Fonda Listen To The Angels When She Dumped Ted Turner?
Hey Doc,
Last week, my girlfriend of one year decided to break up with me. After a romantic date,
Sarah woke up the next morning and said, "In a moment of clarity, the angels told me that it is
best we work out our own paths separately." Well, I was floored and asked for an explanation.
She said that our spirituality is not the same and this would be a permanent barrier to
intimacy. I'm still in shock. We rarely argued and got along well as a team, so well that people
By the way, William, if this young sister of Shirley MacLaine is so open and good and into
the angels, why didn't she tell you that her Interest Level was heading south? If her whole gig
is being up on this elevated, spiritual and open plane, why didn't she actually come out and
say, "You know what you're doing? You're making me mama. You're spending way too much
time with me. You're not a Challenge. We need a break." Where was all her honesty then?
Why couldn't she cut you a break? Before you go and commit hari-kari over Sarah, that's
something to think about.
When Sarah revealed to you the secrets of the spirits, you should have gotten right down on
your knees, made the sign of the cross, looked to the heavens and said, "Thank you, Lord, for
pointing out the fact that I'm with a loony tune -- before we decided to spend the rest of our
lives together in holy matrimony and had kids! Thank you, Lord!
Because you should be ecstatic that you found out earlier rather than later, dude. And that's
what I'm trying to teach you guys about dating: if you use the proper screening techniques,
there won't be any surprises . Too many guys get surprised after they're married. If you don't
believe me, just interview your buddies at work!
William, women just don't drop guys. There had to be at least some turnoff signals prior to
when Sarah dropped her big, holy bomb. But like most men with brainwashed minds and
super-huge egos, you refused to pick up on them. "Well, she's just in one of her moods," you
guys say. Meanwhile her Interest Level is going 88... 86... 77... 46... etc.
You two were perfectly matched, huh? Isn't it interesting that when a woman's Interest Level
is 100%, she decides to walk? The Reality Factor says she walks when it's 39%. This is the
hardest decision she's ever had to make? She lied like a rug -- it's a real easy decision when
her Interest Level is in the 40s. On top of it all, you say that you're heartbroken? Well, I'm
heartbroken that you believed anything she said!
You're right when you say that your friends are clueless. (Especially when you try to explain
"The System" to them -- they'll think you're a real nutcase, just like you know and I know that
Sarah's a real nutcase.) If she's all these things -- delusional, quirky, cracked -- how can she be
so great? Maybe she's got a hot bod, but this girl's more of a psycho than Madonna! (She talks
to the angels, too.) Your problem is that you should have seen it all coming a lot sooner.
Buying her crystals? Come on, guy! I'd join the Communist Party first.
I've got another piece of news for you, William. Sarah was listening to her heart. Her Interest
Level dropped below 50% -- that's why she left! It wasn't because of the cosmos and the New
Age movement. And that's what you guys don't get. "Oh, it's not me, it's some outside factor,"
you rationalize. Uh-uh. It's you .
Remember guys; only the man -- not some silly philosophy -- can lower Interest Level.
What I'm discovering is that the more physically attractive a woman is, the more boring and
brainless she is. One is dumber than the next, Doc. I recently dated one who believed that
New Jersey was a city. Another one thought Ernest Hemingway played for the Los Angeles
Lakers. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
This makes it extraordinarily difficult to carry on a conversation, go on a long trip, or even
think of entering into a real partnership with them. I hate to say this, but unless we are being
intimate, I can't stand to be around them. I try everything I can think of to stimulate intelligent
give and take, but since they are brainless, they can't talk about current events, goals, their
jobs -- nothing.
let it go
I know you must still be thinking, "What the heck is this guy kvetching about," but believe
me; it's a real problem when you're in the market for someone to get serious with.
Doc, should I forget about the "10s" and just date average-looking but intelligent girls? Or is
it possible to find an Einstein on the catwalk?
Thanks for any ideas you might have.
Pat -- who's sick of gorgeous idiots
Still, if you want to do Beautiful Women, buddy, this is what you're going to have to put up
with. It stands to reason that most of them are going to spend more time on their looks than on
their personalities or boning up on the relativity theories of Stephen Hawking. Why? Because
they don't have to. They're attracting the attention of men without having to work for it.
beauty is a gamble
Dating Beautiful Women is like walking through a romantic minefield. If they're not getting
hit on by every guy around, they're emptying your wallet. Remember; as my cousin Rabbi
Love says, "Every beautiful item comes with a heavy price tag."
Nevertheless, Pat, I think it's great that you've graduated to the league of Beautiful Women,
but before you met me, maybe you wouldn't have realized how stupid they can be, so that's
one more good thing that's come out of following my principles. With "The System," you're
always moving closer to reality -- and that's a good thing, especially when it comes to women.
The more important thing to remember here is that you only need one smart Beautiful
Woman. Maybe you'll have to go through 104 supermodels to get to her, but you'll have your
fun along the way, right?
When you hit number 105, guess what? She's studying to be a lawyer! And then you've finally
got somebody with some brains. (If you don't believe me about babes who happen to be
lawyers, check out some of the prosecutors and defense attorneys-turned-commentators on
Court TV!)
One night recently, I dressed up and went to a dance club with a don't give a damn about
meeting anyone attitude. I ran out of cigarettes and asked a lady I was standing next to if I
could have one of hers. She obliged and initiated a conversation with me.
I found out that Michelle had been divorced from a mentally abusive husband and that she
was out having fun for the first time in a long time. We danced, and afterwards she
commented that we danced great together and that she should give me her phone number so
we could do it again sometime. Using what I had learned in "The System," I gauged her
Interest Level as very high, maybe 90%.
I called her the next day, talked for two hours and found out that she was busy that week
getting her son ready to go back to college, but that she was available for a date the following
week. We agreed to have dinner.
I took her to a really nice place and we had a great time. She was touching me, and
commenting on my cologne and the fact that it was wowing her. We closed the place down
and she invited herself for a date the next night. When we got back to her place, her daughter
was there so we went out on her deck and talked. When she walked me to my car, I moved in
to kiss her and she not only allowed it, but also kissed me again. By now I gauged her Interest
Level at 90% plus.
Hi Jon,
Well buddy, I can tell from your letter that you've made it all the way to page three of The
Dating Dictionary. As my Uncle Jethro Love says, "You better get your butt back in the study
hall. You've got a long way to go, Cowboy!"
But you did start off on the right foot with Michelle. Your don't give a damn attitude was
perfect. Every guy should have this fantastic attitude when it comes to life, and especially
women. So you get an "A" for that one.
Now the next part is just as great. I always tell you guys that you have to ask for the home
phone number -- but in this case, Michelle offered it. For a change, the woman faced the
possibility of rejection. For a change, the offer was incoming . That you didn't have to beg her
is a huge deal! Hallelujah!
When Michelle kissed you at your car, that was great, too -- you closed. Most guys don't have
the guts to close. But since this girl likes you so much, you might have even thought about not
kissing her as a possibility. Hold back a little. Make yourself more of a Challenge rather than
a desperate pushover who acts like he just got out of Rikers Island. (That's the greatest thing
about my principles -- I give you guys options. There isn't just one way to do this stuff.) So
now her Interest Level is 90% plus -- for eight hours! (Still two months to go!)
you lost
I hate to break this to you, Jon, but the vibe you were picking up was strictly between
Michelle and her friend.
So, she talks about lovely future dates. A little Womanese, huh? Kind of like when actress
Minnie Driver says that "just because you're not with someone doesn't mean you don't love
him." Bull-flop! (By the way, would it be okay if Michelle brought her other boyfriend along
the next time you went to the movies?)
You're not losing your grip on the situation, guy. Actually Michelle's Interest Level went from
91% to 49%. That's what really happened.
So what you did wrong was not getting The Dating Dictionary earlier. And I think the guy she
brought on your date is actually more than a boyfriend. She went cold on you because she
found someone a whole lot better.
Remember guys; you can't just read it -- you've got to memorize it and then internalize it.
no ring, no line
Well, she wasn't wearing a ring and there was no tan line on the designated finger. When I
pointed this out with a laugh, she said that she lost her ring when it went down the kitchen
drain.
Now Doc, had she been wearing a wedding ring I would've respected her union and chalked
up the banter to nothing but friendly conversation. But due to the fact that she appeared
otherwise unattached (i.e. no ring) and displayed buying signals, I made the move. Wouldn't
anyone in my position have done the same thing?
Is this girl just a liar with low Interest Level? Or married with 40% to 49% Interest Level in
her hubby? I can't quite figure it out. And Doc, it's not the first time something like this has
happened to me. Is this a phenomenon that's growing or something?
I look forward to your usual brilliant insights.
Smith -- who feels taken for a ride
Hi Smith,
First of all, when you're dealing with a married woman who doesn't wear a wedding ring, you
have to think in terms of her Interest Level. If a woman were married -- happily married -wouldn't she want to keep all the wolves away from the door by wearing her wedding band?
She wouldn't want to get into confrontations with undesirable guys, right? She wouldn't want
to needlessly upset her husband by drawing all kinds of unwanted attention, would she?
Of course there's always the possibility that this one may have lost her ring, but why wasn't it
replaced ? Like I always tell you guys, you have to be like detectives on Love and Order to
figure out what the heck's really going on.
Here's what might be going on with Eva...
When you got Eva's name, you forgot to mention something -- did she ask you for yours ?
And when she told you she was married, you should have asked, as my cousin "Fast Eddie"
Love would have, "By any chance, you got a sister?"
There are only a few possibilities regarding what happened at the cleaners, pal:
1- Eva lied because she had low Interest Level -- in you.
2- She told the truth, but she had low Interest Level -- in you. (But when a woman gives you
so many buying signals -- when they overdo it like Eva did -- something's not right at home.
When she told you her ring went swirling down the kitchen drain, you should have asked,
"How long ago?" If she said "Yesterday!" it would have told you one thing. If she said "14
years ago!" it would have told you something entirely different. And the answer would have
said a lot about the state of her marriage. Which leads us to the next possibilities.)
3- She's not getting any love and affection at home.
4- Her husband does give her lots of love and affection, but she just doesn't dig the guy
anymore.
5- For some reason she's just trying to find out whether she's still got market value -- in other
words, she needs to see if guys are still interested in her.
But thanks to "The System," you had guts, and that was fantastic. Most wimps would have
hemmed and hawed, asked Eva if she had a boyfriend or mumbled something like, "Can I
take you out sometime between now and Armageddon?"
That said, married women losing their wedding bands is a phenomenon only in your life. But
this babe flirted, she wasn't wearing a ring, and you went ahead and asked for the home phone
number -- that's all that counts.
What's even worse is that now I find myself not even bothering to call some of the girls who
give me their numbers because I'm thinking about how bad it will be before I even get to
know them!
It seems to me that this age of celebrity, beauty and wealth we're living in today has changed
women a lot. Almost every girl out there has low self-esteem -- even the beautiful ones -thanks to magazines and entertainment shows. And they show you how insecure they are right
off the bat. I use "The System" in my favor to get these women to chase me, and that's the
beauty of it. But do I want some insecure girl as my potential wife? So here's my question,
Doc: Is there a way to date a woman and help her feel good about herself without having to
kiss her butt and constantly reinforce her with positive feedback?
don't give up
I mean, think about it. Out of three billion women on the face of the planet, there isn't one
good one? Of course there is! You're over-generalizing. Like Brother Love says, "You're
bitter about something and you're throwing in the towel!" Don't let my principles hurt you . If
nothing else, you should be happy that your awareness level is a lot higher as a result of
studying my rules.
Now, let me straighten you out about something else here. Just because you're going out with
a girl, doesn't mean you're going to marry her. Slow down, cowboy! Don't go worrying about
a "potential wife" before you get the horse out of the starting gate. Nevertheless, you need to
practice on these girls, which will reinforce the axioms of "The System."
Be a gentleman, not a suck-up...
never kiss up
Vince, I don't ever tell you to kiss a girl's butt. You show me where in "The System" I've ever
asked you to do anything remotely like that and I'll kiss Roseanne's butt! What I tell you to do
is be a gentleman, and to show manners and class, and to keep it light and funny. Please don't
misinterpret my words.
Is it all right if the girl has some problems? Of course it is! If you find one who's 100%
perfect, tell me who she is! I've got a hundred bucks that says it's not going to happen. Of
course her problems are a matter of degree and quantity. If her only hang-up is that she's shy
at a wedding, but other than that, she's a great person, I'll put up with the shyness. (Hey, if
she's a little bashful, just ask her to dance!)
What you guys have to do is determine the part that you can live with. To you Psych majors,
you have to figure out what you want in a woman . If being outgoing at a social gathering is
your number one priority, you have to factor that in, obviously. But don't forget; lots of
people are shy until they get to know someone, so I'd cut her a break there. But again, it
depends completely on what you value.
We started dating and, for a couple of months, everything was great. We have lots of things in
common aside from flying planes -- we're of the same religion, have similar political points of
view, and share many of the same desires for what we want to do in the long run with our
lives.
Hi James,
It's a real shame you're having problems with Melinda because your relationship started off on
the best foot possible. And you got a bonus, pal, in that you two have pretty much everything
in common.
You are so, so lucky because just look at how many people in this world get married with
nothing in common, and they don't spend any time finding the things that they'd like to do
together.
You and Melinda are fortunate to have something good -- but like most things in life, it won't
last...
On the other hand, it might not be your salary, or the way you look, or the car you drive that
he objects to. It might just be that he likes his daughter more than he digs his old lady.
In the event of a serious problem, you ask, what if she runs off to papa? As Brother Love
would say, "Hallelujah, bro, you said a mouthful there!" Unfortunately for you, you got it
dead on. When the bad stuff comes down -- and it always does sooner or later -- Melinda will
be out on the golf course with her dad.
Well, after work on Brittany's birthday, we met and I walked her to the Sprint store, told her
to pick out a phone and said, "Happy Birthday!" Her reaction was not what I expected. She
said, "Oh, you didn't have to do this. I was just complaining. And I don't want you to spend
money for a phone because these companies all annoy me."
I was crushed and in a funk for the rest of the night. I kept thinking that she should have just
sucked it up and pretended to like the phone. But part of me wanted her to have a gift she
likes, too. We never did buy the phone and now she's kind of backtracked and says we should
get it because it was my idea and that makes it special. But I know she doesn't really want it
and now I don't want to buy it.
Now up to this point, Brittany's always been affectionate and still has her hands all over me. I
don't know if she used the phone incident as a distancing technique or what. I'm also an
emotional guy (I've learned a lot from you about Self-Control) so I don't quite know how to
react. It's several days later and I'm still bummed and acting a little cold toward her, and I
know I shouldn't do that. Do I need to loosen up? What would you suggest as a next move?
Thanks a lot, Doc. You're always a tremendous help.
Carmelo -- who feels like he got slapped in the face
listen closer
You say that you heard about how much Brittany hated her phone every day. Every single day
. Then you tell me she's Flexible . As Sal "The Fish" Love says, "Hey, baby -- ain't that a
contradiction in terms?" Because it sounds to me like she's as structured as the U.S. tax
system! Beating you over the head again and again and again with the same thing -- isn't that
the very definition of nagging ? Jeez, pal; maybe you better clean the potatoes out of your
ears!
So my question to you is this: are you really reading "The System?" I think you've got the
wrong book!
Which leads me to my next question. If she responds, what should you do then? Should it be
something simple like asking her to meet you at Starbucks, or something more elaborate like
dinner and a movie? (I figure if you get her to meet you at Starbucks, you can tell right off the
bat whether you have any interest in seeing her again, right?)
Well, Doc, I know these are a lot of questions, but I hope you can give me some good
guidance here. I'm sort of afraid to contact any one of the girls I'm interested in for fear of
making a mistake. I've made enough of those with the opposite sex to be wary, believe me.
Thanks in advance for any tips.
Mike -- who's clueless at the terminal
So that's all you need to do at first: "Hi. I find you interesting. Mike." (Okay, you can even go
one step further: "I find your expertise in the latest computer technology captivating.")
does and she passes the "physical," and she saw your picture and you guys are now
conversing by keyboard, well then, you're on your way.
no dinner, no movies
Fella, we don't do dinners and movies. You're going to suggest that you meet at Starbucks.
We're going to do 30 or 40 minutes there with our cafe lattes. Then, at the end of our little
date, we're going to ask her for the home phone number. And what we're interested in at that
point is her Interest Level -- not yours.
Remember guys; when you're with her at Starbucks, keep it light and funny.
uncomfortable position in front of other people. On the other hand, I know I've let some
amazing prospects slip away because I wasn't quite sure how to attack them.
The way my job works is they come in for lunch or dinner, then, while waiting to be seated,
they often make their way up to the bar to order a drink or appetizer. The lobby/waiting area
is also the bar area, so I can make eye contact, or if you think it's appropriate, I could walk
around into the lobby for a quick chat. (And no, my employers wouldn't mind this since it's a
very laid-back atmosphere.)
I hope this isn't too specific for you to reply to, but I know that everyone who works at any
job will sooner or later encounter possible dating prospects. I feel like a kid in a candy store
who's not allowed to buy anything. Thanks and keep up the good work!
Byron -- who feels like his hands are cuffed
use comedy
So you're not going to ask for the home phone number, Byron. There are lots of other things
you can do, but the main thing -- the key to getting any woman -- is to make her laugh . Like a
comic working out his act at the Improv, you're going to try different lines on them until you
find out which one works for you. One of the best around is, "What's a nice girl like you
doing in a place like this?" It gets the point across subtly and with a sense of humor. "You got
a girlfriend for me?" is another good one.
The point is that you're not going to go straight at it like a bull in a china shop; that way you
can't get into hot water on the job. Like a butterfly flitting from flower to flower, you're going
to get in and get out. You can't appear as if you're hustling these honeys, even though you -and they -- know that you are.
You're the man behind the bar, dude. You're the guy who gets to put on a little show. If I were
you, I'd have these girls cracking up all over the place.
To use your own words, you're standing in the middle of the candy store -- but maybe you
aren't handling these sweets properly.
Remember guys; unless you're ready to quit next week, don't ask for the home phone number.
practice my techniques
Working on your moves is an excellent idea, pal. You should always be doing that anyway.
Your problem right now is that you're walking into the Mercedes-Benz dealership, but you've
only got money for a broken-down 10-year-old Chevy.
My gut feeling tells me that you haven't really taken my principles completely to heart yet.
You haven't practiced enough or put in the time. I've heard miracle stories from the guys who
have, including incredible tales of marriages that have been saved. That's the kind of power
my techniques carry.
So, Chrissie offered to pay for you? Whoa, dude, this has to be the first time in the last 6,000
years that a woman ever offered to cover a guy! This is truly unbelievable! But she shouldn't
be paying. You -- the man -- are the one who should be paying.
that you're stuck in a rut. It's our job to shake you out of that rut . What you have to do, buddy,
is figure out how you can meet the highest quantity of women. Then go and do it.
was hoping that maybe I could save him some of the agony and torture that I went through
until I figured out which end was up. But Doc, it doesn't seem to be working. In the first
place, he doesn't want to listen to his old man, and secondly, he's already acting like a
complete fool when he's around the opposite sex.
trial by fire
Now come on, Carter, your kid shouldn't know what to do with girls -- he's only 14! He's not
24, so lighten up on him! Like Sal "The Fish" Love says, "Even Warren Beatty wasn't Warren
Beatty when he was a kid!" And although your heart is in the right place, and as much as you
don't want to see him make the mistakes that have to be made and that you no doubt made
yourself, you can't save him from the inevitable agony and torture that results from the
battlefield of dating. Until the boy is ready, you have to keep your mouth shut until he asks
you a question -- then you slip him The Dating Dictionary. But before you do that, you need
to study it yourself in order to properly feed him the correct information. And there's a bonus
in it for you -- it will help with Mom!
If Robbie's not ready to listen to his old man, it means he's just not ready. The sad truth,
Carter, is that he'll have to come to you when he's in enough pain . So you're going to have to
let him go out there and get brutalized. Like my cousin "Fast Eddie" Love says, "Don't worry
-- the American female will take good care of him. When she hands him his head enough
times, then maybe you'll be able to do something for him!"
women and hates rejection -- the most despised emotion. Do the younger ones have the
capacity to understand it? Well, you've got to spoon-feed it to them when they ask for advice - dole it out a little bit at a time. Do they have the self-control to practice it? Depends on the
individual and how much pain he's in.
As long as you're breathing and have $99, "The System" is good for you, and that's the beauty
of it. Buy it for yourself, dude, and read it, so you're ready for anything Robbie throws at you.
When he turns 18, present "The System" to him. But until then, you'll just have to play the
part of Doc Love.
Remember guys; you've got to be ready to handle the truth.
that something happened between them and told her so. I requested some time to myself to
think about all this and she began to cry, but she really didn't put up much of a fight after I
basically accused her of being a cheater. But she told me that I took everything the wrong way
because she just wanted to know how I felt about cheating. She then told me to take as much
time as I needed.
Doc, do you think I overreacted? Should I call Parker back? And the most important question
of all: Do you think she cheated?
Aaron -- who can't figure out what she was trying to say
learn to investigate
That said, I don't think you overreacted to what she told you. I think you handled the situation
decently, but next time you should be more specific in your accusations and questioning.
Should you call Parker back? What for? Are you two going to go and live on the psycho farm
together and have little baby psychos? I don't think so. This broad is off in la-la land! You
won't make it 40 years with this girl in a cabin in the snow up in Anchorage. Like Sal "The
Fish" Love says, "It ain't gonna fly!"
Do I think Parker cheated, Aaron? Let me ask you this: Does Donald Trump have pretty hair?
Remember guys; when you've got a nutcase on your hands, please move on.
What's more, Amber also communicates with several other guys she's met and dated over the
years, some from as far back as college, and is flirty with all of them. Considering that she
lives with me, I feel that this shows a deep lack of Integrity.
What do you think, Doc? Is she using me while keeping her options open, or is this just how
24-year-old girls act nowadays? Or does Amber have a serious character flaw that would
warrant me ending this relationship?
Martin -- who is seriously confused by her facade and starting to feel used
Nevertheless, sounds like you're made in the shade, pal. You've got a real sweet deal going.
Amber cooks, cleans and follows you around. Does she wag her tail, too? Well, so far
everything is fabulous -- so far.
But she's communicating with her ex. Before she moved in and told you about all the old
boyfriends, it was an indication right then and there that something was off. It was a huge red
flag . Why would you want to get closer to a broad who still has her exes on her mind? Think
about it.
Amber told you she ended this thing a year ago? No, she didn't. That's just the Womanese
talking. That's the big lie . The truth is, it's still going on. She's still playing with this sucker's
head!
So you caught on to Amber a little too late. But when it comes to your computer tracking
equipment, I have to say, you're the greatest! Fantastic! Like my cousin "Fast Eddie" Love
would say, "Now you're cooking with gas!" You're thinking like a real love detective on
"Love And Order." That's what I want from you guys -- the hard evidence. With hard
evidence, we can crack a case.
It's one thing to investigate; it's another to know what you're looking for...
low Interest Level from Amber as you are something else. We can call it a character
deficiency, or something like that.
Still, like Sal "The Fish" Love says, "I don't care if she loves 50 guys -- she's not in their
apartment. She's in yours." So it all depends on how you're built. It depends on what you're
capable of putting up with. If it were me, I wouldn't want her talking to other guys. It has
nothing to do with jealousy. It has to do with respect .
Remember guys; when they have low Self-Esteem, one guy isn't enough.
because that can only mean further problems down the road.
What's your take, Doc? I always trust your insight and I hope you can help me to see the light.
Mitch -- who suddenly isn't so sure he wants to go through with it
you're never going to see them in public -- or anywhere else, for that matter. So make sure
you look at all the possibilities. Remember; you always have to be a love detective.
You were smart to joke away Josie's demand to talk longer. But apparently she didn't get the
message. When she dropped that caustic remark about your overloaded schedule, you should
have come back with "Fine, honey. I know that down deep you're into Challenge, and that's
why I can't call you. But I'll see you at Starbucks at six. Just hold on for three more days. You
can do it." And then hung up. And left it that way.
Wanna know why she really hung up?
You don't have to talk anymore. And you don't have to accept Josie's calls if she phones you.
If you show up at Starbucks on Wednesday at six and she's not there, fine. Look on the
positive side -- you found out the truth about her sooner instead of later, and you wasted very
little time or money in the process.
charmers in India who plays the flute to lure the snake out of its basket, and make it spread its
hood and dance without getting bitten. Because once you get bitten, you're dead. And it won't
take long.
Remember guys; never turn your back on a cobra.
Hi Davis,
You're asking me for advice, right? How can you expect me to give it to you when you're so
vague about the particulars? You say you've been with Shakira for about three years. What
does "about" mean? Is it "about" 26 months or 38 months? I need to know exactly what we're
dealing with here. Does a prosecutor ever go to trial without all the evidence? No. Remember
that. Having all the pieces of the puzzle makes a big difference.
You waited too long...
Hey Doc,
I've been wanting to write you and thank you for "The System." My buddies think I'm crazy
for listening to your advice, but here we go.
Several weeks ago my coworker Angela left the company we worked for and got another job.
After a few weeks, she e-mailed me with her new work phone number and her home phone
number and suggested we get together.
I didn't set up a date for about two months and then called Angela on a Friday night for
coffee. Bad move on my part, I now realize, but I was feeling desperate.
Sounds like you forced Angela into that first kiss, Stevie. Jeez, was that ever politically
incorrect! A girl tells you no, and you plow ahead anyway? And a smooch , no less! Pretty
heavy, man. If Angela were a doctoral candidate in women's studies or the history of
feminism at some hoity-toity ladies' college, you would have gotten 20 years in the slammer.
Count yourself lucky, man!
But she still went out with you again...
What did you do wrong, you ask? This might sound real strange, but you actually lowered
Angela's Interest Level by your deportment. It's not possible to blow a relationship on one
conversation, but that's what your ego wants you to believe.
Should you ask Angela out again? Tell you what -- you'd have better luck buying a Powerball
ticket.
Remember guys; it's a series of mistakes that takes you out of the game.
you ever reveal to a girl that she really hurt you, as well as all your weaknesses? Should you
ever break down, leap on the roof of her car and confess undying love like he did? Whenever
I've done that stuff, the girl made me feel like even more of an idiot and blew me off. But
maybe I just didn't say the right things. Is it true that we only get one shot with a woman?
what is a loser?
Burton, when you use the word "loser" here, it's a bit loaded. Let's say there are 100 keys to
handling women. And let's say most guys know how to use 66%, or two-thirds, of them, but
that most of these fellas don't know that 34% of their ammo is Challenge.
If a guy comes to me knowing a little bit about women -- even, say, 20 to 25 things out of the
100 -- I can build on that with time. And under the right circumstances, he can win that "10."
Like I said, the problem is that he has to run in their crowd. If you knew my techniques and
Trump invited you over to his party, well, you'd have a shot.
But if a guy's not Confident and he has no Self-Control, then he is a loser. And there are
certain guys you're just not going to be able to help, no matter what, because they won't take
coaching.
my cash flow
So, you want to know what's in my bank account, huh? I do phone coaching, and if I wanted
to, I could run the bill up for 10 hours. But I don't. That's not me. I'm a straight shooter.
"That's all I can give you," I tell a guy, and I cut it. When it's over, it's over.
I don't believe in bleeding a man to death. That's what divorce lawyers are for -- it's to their
advantage to stretch the whole process out. And that's what I'm here to help you guys avoid at
all costs -- divorce, and the need for those sharks in the expensive suits.
Unfortunately, pal, there are some women who hate my guts -- they're called Feministas,
Mercenaries, Gold Diggers, and women who can't carry their own weight. It's my job to help
you avoid falling into their clutches, too.
Remember guys; you must use "The System" as your basis for judging any information out
there regarding dating and love, and if you don't, may the good Lord protect you.
But see, Doc, I'm a little concerned that if I say something like, "Hey, how about dinner and a
movie," she might say no and then there I am, the loser neighbor across the street, know what
I mean?
Just the same, it seems a complete shame for a gorgeous available woman to go to waste
when I'm in the market.
Any suggestions as to how I might make my move?
Grant -- who's never been faced with something like this
know what the stars always say: "We'll always remain the best of friends, and we're really
committed to each other." (Yeah, sure. That's why they're already dating other people and
living 3,000 miles apart! Ask Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt how that whole scene works.)
present a challenge
Now dude, the thing you don't want to get across to Alexis is that you're interested in her as
more than a neighbor. What you want to get across is that you might be interested in her as
more than a neighbor. That's what Challenge is. I want you to confuse her.
Guys, the No. 1 rule in relationships is that you have to figure out the woman's Interest Level.
So just smile and ask for the home phone number, and you'll find out.
Grant, there's nothing wrong with asking for a date. You'd just be closing too soon if you ran
straight across the street and asked her out, that's all. Because you're going to wait a week to
call -- intrigue her, like I said. So don't go pulling the trigger too soon.
don't be so insecure
And you're not a loser. Far from it. You're a winner for putting yourself forward in the first
place. In the long run, it's not whether Alexis goes out with you.
You had the guts to ask for the order, that's what counts here. And if Alexis says no because,
say, she doesn't care for the way you look or your personality, well then, you two are just
neighbors and that's the end of it.
And from then on you act like nothing whatsoever happened. You smile, and you're always
cordial, and that's that. No harm done. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Remember guys; after you're through telling her your corny jokes, remember to ask for the
home phone number.
here's my problem
But Doc, suddenly I am worried. I don't want to risk losing either of these two wonderful
women, and so I am afraid of telling one about the other. If my relationship with Cassandra
looked like it was becoming deeper, I would not be morally able to handle both of them
simultaneously.
So my question is this -- how much should I tell one woman about the other? This might seem
to be something of an old-fashioned question to ask, but it's important to me. I thank you for
your consideration and hope you can help.
Andy -- who can't believe he's in the position at his age
I always tell you guys that you have to find something you're good at if you want to meet
women , and my man, you're the master of the tour buses. Congratulations to you. You've
found what works for you. That's one of the keys to becoming a winner with the girls -- and
much older girls, too.
Now, let's get to the heart of the matter. Buddy, you don't have to risk losing either of these
two wonderful messengers of love from above. And you know what? We're going to help you
snag woman No. 3 and No. 4! Because you need the practice. And you have to exhaust all the
possibilities before you get the right one.
So why in the world would you tell one about the other? Like my cousin "Fast Eddie" Love
says, "Do you think James Bond would ever do that in one of his movies?" You know the
answer as well as I do. Then why would you even think about doing it? (And remember, you
and Sean Connery are the same age!)
If I gave you a million bucks, would you be able to handle two women at the same time then?
To you Psych majors, you tell one woman zero about the other. Yours isn't an old-fashioned
question, Andy -- it's a brainwashed question.
Turn off Oprah and all the other female love doctors who don't have men's best interests at
heart. I'm the only love doctor out there who's looking out for the boys .
Obviously these are two very highly regarded Hollywood stars. They seemed to be on the
verge of overcoming the odds and doing the unthinkable, which is to be one of those rare
couples making it through the busy schedules and distractions and pressures that come with
being in the spotlight.
But as we've seen, it wasn't meant to be, although they've been together almost five long
years. Unfortunately their romance is officially over, which isn't, I guess, much of a surprise,
since this is a common occurrence in the lives of actors and actresses.
Hi Bruce,
Not only did Brad and Jennifer's separation make headlines, but Us Weekly and People
magazines' circulation was up over 40% that week. All of which shows the level of interest
we have in the personal lives of celebrities.
Why did Jen really leave?
But let me tell you something. All the trappings of fame -- schedules, career demands, public
appearances, etc. -- is heavy stuff to have working against you when you're trying to make a
go of something as fragile as a marriage.
So what you're pointing out here, Bruce, is very important. Judging by the amount of time
Brad and Jen actually spent together on account of all the pressures, maybe they had almost
five very short years together!
When you mention this "source" who knows all about Jennifer and Brad's marital woes,
remember what Judge Joe Brown says about hearsay -- it doesn't cut it. Sure, maybe there's a
little something to the various reasons cited for the breakup.
It all comes down to one thing...
Like, for instance, Jennifer didn't fancy having a baby on the set with her and having to mess
with dirty diapers (not that she'd actually do the nappy-changing). But the only reason that
really counts is, like the Reality Factor says, that the woman's Interest Level is the single most
important element in a relationship -- period.
And it may be hard to believe that Brad Pitt could be dumped, but at the end of the day his
underwear is dirty too, just like every other guy's out there. His alleged fling with Angelina
Jolie came long after Jennifer had had it with him.
The reason that Peter Jennings got married four times, and let's not forgot our pill-popping
Rush Limbaugh, who's about to get hitched for a fourth time, is because they don't have "The
System" to guide them.
Remember guys; the movie star and the girl behind the register at the supermarket both leave
you for the same reason -- low Interest Level.
a different concept
They also have an interesting philosophy. They tell you that you should already be married or
re-married (in the event that you're divorced), and they believe that people should stay within
their "tribes" for a mate. It's a very traditional approach and almost Old-World. I suppose at
this stage of my life, I find that somewhat appealing.
To be honest with you, I haven't had the best luck with women in my life, Doc, and, at 40
years old, I often wonder why I haven't been able to find the right one. There is something
very enticing about the idea of putting myself into a matchmaker's hands after all the futility
of trying to do it by myself.
What do you think? Should I go for it? Do you see any downside, aside from the lightning of
my bank account?
Cummings -- who doesn't want to be a desperado
Now guy, if a high-priced matchmaker can get you hitched to a good one, it's worth every
penny she takes from you -- in fact, she's under paid. But remember my caveat -- if she
produces . And remember this, too: success is not getting and marrying a girl. Anybody can
do that; even Mini Me. Success is keeping her in high Interest Level heaven . Otherwise, it
doesn't matter what the matchmaker comes up with.
Of course these matchmakers do a good job of getting you dates, Cummings! Because the guy
-- the guy like you -- doesn't know his butt from his BlackBerry about women and he has to
keep coming back for more. After the breakup or divorce, he's crawling back to Ms. Marriage
Broker to find him another girl.
It's called built-in repeat business. If you're going to drop all your hard-earned dough on this
thing, you better know what you're doing going in. Check out the equipment our boys are
carrying in Iraq today -- they have to know how to use the gadgets before they actually use
them, right? Because like General Love would say, "Dating is war!"
So, she's going to fix you up with the "right woman." But just who is the right woman in
reality? She's a Flexible Giver . That's what you're supposed to ask the matchmaker for, not
some fantasy girl. But you're not going to know enough to do this because you haven't
memorized The Dating Dictionary.
Accepting the matchmaker's choice for you is okay, as far as it goes. It's like a guarantee that
she'll get you to the 50-yard line. But she's not necessarily looking for a good girl with a
Flexible attitude. So, buyer, beware .
You should know everything about her, even what her back account looks like...
Can a matchmaker truly guarantee that certain spark that floats your boat? And, more
importantly, the woman's ? To you Psych majors, only if the woman's Interest Level is 51%
does it have the potential to rise. And remember too that it's only her Interest Level that really
counts.
Dating A Coworker
Hey Doc,
I've read "The System," become acquainted with all your principles, and been an avid
follower of your columns for more than a year now. The least that I can say is that you've
changed my life!
You have completely turned me around from being a wussy, pushover, over-complimenting
boyfriend to a man with a backbone. You have taught me to truly be more like a man and
have the same confidence with women that I have in every other part of my life, as well as
shown me what women are actually attracted to.
But in my journey through your work, I don't think you have ever really covered the
following case, which happens to be mine.
First of all, thanks for the compliments. It's always nice to know that I've brought out the best
in a fellow. I'm happy that I've made you more manly, and like you said, a guy can be Donald
Trump or Larry King in other areas of his life, but when it comes to women, if he's not hitting,
or if he can't figure out why they're always dumping him, then he doesn't really know what's
going on. Like my cousin "Fast Eddie" Love says, "Men who really understand women never
get rejected, because they always leave first."
Build yourself up before making the move...
The reason all the other love doctors try and teach you how to deal with gals you've just met
is because that happens to be the case 98% of the time.
don't be a fool
Now, as to your fears that Aisha might be nursing preconceived notions about you, remember
that it's still just guesswork on her part. But whoa, guy, hold on here. Going from "working
acquaintance to boyfriend" is a big leap.
Like Sal "The Fish" Love says, "It's like you're in a high school stage play and now all of a
sudden you want to be shooting a movie with Angelina Jolie!" So what you're going to do
instead is go from colleague to clown. Because like my Uncle Jethro Love likes to put it, "If
you ain't actin' the clown, you're gonna be the fool!"
So you're going to make this girl laugh every time she sees you, and you're going to do it over
a two- to three-month period. I want this girl trying to get next to you because she just can't
resist your sparkling humor. I want her touching your arm and gently bumping into you.
But the most important thing to remember is this; you've got to look for buying signals.
You've got to check whether Aisha's eyes light up like bulbs on a Christmas tree when she
sees you as time goes on.
two-word breakdown
If you were to ask me if I could distill all my writings -- books, CDs, columns (I've never
once missed a Thursday in all the years I've been writing it!) -- down to two words, which
sounds impossible, they would be Challenge and Humor .
If you guys could remember those words, you'd hold the two main keys to women. And every
time you say or do anything when it comes to the opposite sex, those two words better be
operating, otherwise you're going to be lowering Interest Level.
I don't know why you keep saying Aisha wouldn't suspect that you're interested in her.
Instead, what we want is for her to be guessing, "I wonder if he likes me or not?"
Because don't forget that it's the woman's Interest Level we have to pay attention to -- not
yours. Yours doesn't matter worth a damn. Are you sure you read "The System"? Maybe you
need to read it a few more times.
giving any out about yourself, unless it's very general, as in "I like Bill O'Reilly and I like to
breathe!"
have indicated to her that we might be hitched by the end of 2006, based on our mutual goal
of moving to another city. Which means I'll be getting down on one knee this coming fall.
But what I want to know is this: Do you have any suggestions for one last creative test I might
be able to apply -- mostly for fun -- but also as a last-second check, so to speak, to make sure
my judgment is on target with this girl?
The way I see it, a guy can never be too sure about whom he's marrying, right, Doc? You do
research on a car before you buy it, right? I hope you see my point here. Anyway, thanks for
any suggestion you might be able to give me.
Kyle -- who'll sleep better at night once he's 100% sure
you scored
But I can understand why these skin hounds are all over Sharon, my man. If she can converse
intelligently about Shaq and Tom Brady and Tiger Woods, she's got to be phenomenal! And
the smart thing that you do -- that I've trained you to do -- is that you don't blow a cork when
other guys come on to Sharon, like Macho Boy would. Congratulations on keeping your cool,
pal. Keeping your cool is one of the fundamental requirements for keeping your woman.
So, you've been dating this babe for one and a half years now. This is very, very good. It
means you're taking your time. It means you're not in a rush to make a mistake, like Billy Bob
Thornton, who's been married five times and counting. It means that with the aid of "The
System," you've been evaluating your situation through Doc Love's eyes. Most guys don't
know what the correct tests to give a woman are. Heck, most guys don't even know that you
have to test her! Good for you, guy.
As far as dropping the "L" bomb goes, you can tell Sharon how much you adore her when
you've been married maybe 28 or 29 years -- that's of course if she hasn't butchered her hair
and put on 40 pounds, and doesn't sit around watching Oprah !
When Sharon started with the marriage hints, you should have asked her, "Why do you want
to get married?" If she said, "Well, I want to be with you," you then should have asked, "Well,
why do you want to be with me?" The point is to press the issue! Rub it in her face a little,
see? Make her feel the heat. Have some fun with it.
It's essential to not only listen to women, but to question them about what they're actually
saying . Then, when she answers your questions, ask her more questions . I guarantee you;
you'll be the first guy in 6,000 years to listen so closely to a female!
And remember, Kyle; it's not Sharon who "deserves" it -- it's you who deserves it! Because
you've done everything right (almost). Because you met a good one and you've been able to
keep her. Most guys can't do that.
But Kyle went wrong in one area...
What you want to see is whether Sharon understands that we're living in an economic society
where every dollar counts. You want to see whether she's going to blow your earnings or get
all stressed out over money. So here's one more beauty to put to her, "Darling, how do you
feel about keeping six months' worth of our salaries stashed in the bank in the event that we
both happen to get fired from our jobs on the same day?"
she's a grinder
You see, Doc, Parker does a form of dancing that's called "grinding." I don't think I have to
explain in great detail what type of dancing this is -- you can probably picture it for yourself.
When Parker does this kind of dancing it makes me feel uncomfortable and I would like it
very much if she stopped. She claims that it doesn't mean anything and that she only likes to
dance because it's fun and she is into the music. She also says it is much different when she
dances with me. We've discussed it several times, but it becomes quite heated and Parker
seems to be disappointed with my lack of understanding.
My question to you is this: what is your viewpoint on a guy's girlfriend going out to clubs and
dancing with other men? Could you please tell me what kind of dancing would be acceptable
for her to do with somebody else? Where do I draw the line?
Am I crazy to be bothered by this, Doc? Am I just getting carried away by nothing?
I don't want to start thinking that maybe Parker isn't the girl for me, since aside from this
dance issue, she's Flexible, Giving, and a real head turner.
Francis -- who can't help picturing what she's up to when he's not there
So we got problems with this girl, buddy. But my question to you is: why in the world did it
take you two and a half years to write me? Because I'm sure Parker was grinding within the
first 60 days of your relationship. Ever try making a tiger change its stripes? It ain't gonna
happen.
But hey, man, I'm sure that Parker is Flexible and a Giver, just like you said. The bad part is
that she's Flexible and a Giver with every Tony Manero who boogies through the disco door.
You might not be able to imagine what Parker's doing when you're not there, but I can -- and I
haven't even met her yet!
Remember guys; if they want to grind strangers, it's a deal breaker.
notion that it's very much the other way around. According to the authors, if a guy doesn't
basically throw himself at a girl's feet within hours of meeting her, he should be on the
garbage heap.
Doc, I'm concerned that all the women who shell out good money for this book will really be
buying a pack of lies. I don't see it helping the American male whatsoever -- do you? In fact, I
see the book as only creating more friction in the war between the sexes.
I don't know if you'll print this e-mail, and I don't know if you're familiar with the book, but
I'm really curious to hear your evaluation of it. It's my opinion that more guys and girls should
be listening to you, since you've got it right.
Jacques -- who's not into what he read
then, as the closer, I have to ask the toughest of all questions: "Caprice, what's your home
phone number?" Hey -- since when does the guy doing all the work have any power? Not
where I come from.
Yeah, men are in the dominant position, all right. That's why there are so many magazines
like Cosmopolitan giving women advice -- like how to control a man, how to get what you
want from a man, and how to make a man whimper. (Of course when they do it, it's "selfimprovement." When you do it, you're playing a head game.) As my cousin "Fast Eddie"
Love would say, "So much for a fair fight!"
So in the end, this "no excuses truth to understanding guys" book is just more brainwashing.
The powers that be want to keep women and men separated.
I'm proud to print your e-mail, guy. It reinforces some very important points. You'll notice in
that book that the concept of Interest Level is never mentioned. And, especially, the authors
never once bring up the word Challenge.
So keep it light and funny and cool when you're getting to know a woman, Jacques, and never
give away your dignity and Self-Control just because someone else thinks or says you should.
There's no faster way of driving a woman away from you than throwing yourself on her like a
JCPenney suit.
Remember guys; the mark of a false love doctor is that he'll never use the word Challenge -and if he does, he's a thief.
Could you please address this issue? I am not sure if this is a deal breaker for me, but it is
certainly causing my Interest Level in Ben to drop. The more I read about the subject of smut,
the more I'm wondering if I have an addict on my hands. I don't need a "project" to work on -I want a man. How does one shake this garbage out of a guy's head?
Doc, Ben wouldn't want me drooling over the Chippendales dancers -- so why the double
standard?
I know you don't generally answer women's letters, but I truly hope you answer mine. If you
do, I sincerely thank you in advance.
Damara -- who doesn't think he should have it both ways
going straight to hell in a hand basket. Everybody else in America is on middle ground on this
issue.
guy.
Still, it's hard to say whether this cybersex predilection of Ben's means he's truly hooked.
There are just as many people on the other side of the coin who say that looking at the stuff is
not addictive. (Of course they're lobbyists for the porn industry, so take it with a grain of salt.)
But we're not here to debate this; it's not what I do as a dating coach. Like I said before, when
a guy's in love with a woman, he shouldn't be lusting after other women.
So here's my current situation. I have a relatively isolated job, as a public relations freelance
writer for firms here in the suburbs of New York City, so I don't really meet a whole lot of
women. In fact, I don't meet very many women at all.
I have absolutely no clue where to go to meet them, either. I belong to the local YMCA,
where I ride the exercise bike and occasionally attend a yoga class, but the women are mostly
elderly and unattractive, or show no interest in me whatsoever.
("Okay" shape usually means that you really look like a cross between Alec Baldwin before a
diet and the Pillsbury Doughboy.) "Okay" shape doesn't cut it when you're 50 and a member
of AARP.
You have to be in perfect shape when you're as old as you are. Make sure you shave every
day, use deodorant, shine your shoes, and have a premium membership to the health club (and
use it). You've got to look like you've stepped out of Esquire or GQ just to have a fighting
chance.
By the way -- what do you mean you attend a yoga class "occasionally"? When you're in any
kind of exercise class, you have to go all the time -- it's called a routine. You don't drop in and
out of a class. Right there it shows me you have no discipline and no real interest in taking
good care of your body.
you can do it
Here's the doctor's prescription. First you're going to study "The System" for four straight
weekends at the library wired on coffee and with your cell phone turned off. Then you're
going to join Toastmasters.
When you're not at your job or sleeping or sweating at the gym, you're going to be at
Toastmasters. You're going to do this for six months. And the reason you're going to do it for
so long is because you're so far in the hole.
You're going to introduce yourself as a love doctor. When someone in the audience asks what
you mean by that, you say that you study women. You have a great job, but studying the
opposite sex is your hobby. And that you give guys advice; you don't charge anything, and
now you want to give speeches on it.
You're going to give talks on topics like "Closing the Deal" and "How to Handle the Woman's
Counteroffer." As you talk about these things, you're going to find yourself getting better and
better at my techniques.
By then you'll be speaking in the next town over from yours, and then the next town over
from that. Half your audience will be women. One day you're going to notice a nice-looking
49-year-old who just had plastic surgery on her fanny staring at you. And that's how it's all
going to start.
Remember guys; when you go out for a fight, you gotta go out packin'.
Here's what you do. Whenever a girl asks you a hard question about anything, go right into
your Jim Carrey or Robin Williams shtick. You want to come back with a snappy answer to
every silly love question a babe throws at you. Fast Eddie and Sal are masters of the comical
comeback, so pay attention.
One more thing on the topic of humor. Why do you think I have you studying Cary Grant
movies? Didn't he have the greatest romantic comedy writers of the 20th Century doing his
scripts? (By the way, that advice happens to be in "The System". Hello again?)
Finally, yes, I've written volumes on the subject of relationships. But if you want more, while
you're sitting doing nothing at your pool this summer, why don't come up with a list of what
I've missed, dress it up nice, tell me where you want it to fit in, and if it makes my books
better, I'll cut you in for 3%.
Here's an example of what I perceive as a mind game. Jade used to jokingly put me down by
saying things like "You're skinny" or "You look horrible in sunglasses," but just yesterday I
gave her a taste of her own medicine by calling her "lazy" for not making the bed. She
definitely didn't like it and we had a fight over it. She asks for a goodnight kiss every night,
but last night, after the fight, I didn't do it and she didn't ask for it either.
I'm not sure if I'm playing this the right way, and if I'm not, how do I go about it and beat her
at her own game (to get her to realize she needs to change)? I like Jade, but I'm at the point
where I wouldn't mind ending the relationship if she suggested it first.
On the other hand, I want things to work out between us, but I am trying to get her to respect
me the way I used to respect her, stop taking me for granted and start showing me her love
instead of picking on me. And if it doesn't work, we'd probably have to go our separate ways.
Thanks for any help you might be able to give me.
Norris -- who doesn't want to spend his life fighting
and you're scared of losing her. This is what most lily-livered guys do. Rather than take a
stand, they think short-term and give in.
Remember guys; if she doesn't think you have a backbone, you will be the punching bag in
the relationship.
reader's question
Hey Doc,
I've had "The System" for over a year and have been practicing it ever since. Being able to
weed out the Feministas, Gold Diggers, and ungiving has been a blessing.
I met Ashley through eHarmony.com. She's 95% of what I've been looking for. To be honest,
the only thing I'd change is to open her mind to different kinds of food -- this girl can eat
chicken and steamed vegetables every day and not get bored because that's all she likes.
She's 26, a knockout, educated, has a good job and her own place, and lives a good life. I'm
26, make a great living, almost have my own place (I share with my brother since he's broke),
and am looking to find a wonderful girl I can go the distance with.
So here's where I got confused. On the way back to her place, Ashley got really tired -- she
was yawning and almost fell asleep in the car. I walked her up to her apartment door, and we
went inside and sat down on her couch. I could see in her face that she was ready to pass out,
so I said, "I'm leaving."
I went in for a short kiss. After all of our earlier dates, we always had a great time -- we would
have a short, fun conversation at her place and I got the impression that she didn't want me to
leave. This time however, the energy just wasn't there.
Her playful comment at that point irked me: "Since it's only nine o'clock, what are you going
to do -- go home and go to sleep?" I laughed it off, but I was a little offended since she gave
me the impression that she thought I had no life. I should have said that I was going to call my
friends and go have fun with them, but I didn't.
Doc, am I thinking about this too much? Would you have done anything different? Should I
be worried about Ashley's Interest Level, or is a girl entitled to one off night in six?
Josh -- who wonders if he played it too cool
Then again, maybe you're reading too much into her words. Maybe she was just teasing you.
Maybe she was just being cute. Like Doctor Freud said, "It's hard to tell what she intended
when she's groggy and one eye is closed!"
stop analyzing
Are you thinking too much about Ashley? Absolutely. You should be thinking about all the
mistakes you're making in the dating game, not about her.
Guy, you might have bought "The System," but are you sure you actually read it? I suggest
that you sit down and memorize it word for word before you make any more costly blunders.
Yes, Josh, you should be worried about Ashley's Interest Level, but her being tired has
nothing to do with anything. To you Psych majors, I'm going to say it again: when she's about
to drop with fatigue and you hear funny sounds coming out of her mouth, that's the end of the
date -- you're out of there.
Yeah, you played it too cool, Josh -- about as cool as a hot Weber grill.
Remember guys; if they start to yawn, it's time to cut the date.
Everybody knows about Confidence. Everybody knows you have to have a sparkling sense of
humor and be clean-cut and shine your shoes to be a hit with the girls. But most guys don't
know how to have a balanced relationship.
With the man being forced into the position of "aggressor," Challenge balances the
relationship out so you don't go overboard.
says. Her true intentions will come out in her actions. Guys, you have to follow "The
System."
Paul, you've just got it popping on all cylinders, don't you? (And by the way, if her old man
has such control issues, what is she doing slow dancing with every guy in sight at a
nightclub?)
So, you and Morgan get along really well, huh? You call all this inconsistent behavior getting
along really well? Heck, you'd have better luck with J.Lo.
Remember guys; when the girl is a mess, move on to a new adventure.
were good enough for her, why did you ask her for her phone number in the first place?"
Hello? Are you there, Stefano?
Okay, so she happens to be standing next to some bozo. What's the big deal? She's a Beautiful
Woman, it's been known to happen. And you don't know the nature of their relationship.
Maybe he's going to be best man at Elton John's upcoming wedding. Or he might be her
cousin. You don't know if he's on his way in, on his way out, or if Madison has any interest in
him whatsoever. Maybe they were discussing a school assignment, did you ever think of that?
So what do you do? You walk around throwing a hissy fit! You toss her number away just
because you saw her in someone else's proximity. Dude, you don't have any relationship with
this girl. She doesn't owe you anything. How can you say she was "probably" involved with
someone else? We don't go by "probably." We operate only by black and white -- in other
words, by the hard facts. We're detectives on "Love & Order," don't forget. We have to know
exactly what's what before we jump to any conclusions.
been shocked that Madison was interested in you. Instead, you should have been waiting a
week to call her. Get your head on straight here.
Why would you try to stay somewhere you weren't wanted? Wow -- you're as bad as the
runaway bride's jilted fianc who still wants her. Heck, you shouldn't have even kissed Haley
good night! Like my cousin Sal "The Fish" Love says, "This is war, amigo!"
You should've headed out a while back...
She'll yo-yo you and toss you her scraps, and then it'll end. And then you'll go on to the next
one. And you'll repeat your mistakes with another dream girl.
Haley was right about waiting until a year goes by for marriage. I say you have to wait for
two. All you did was verify that she has low Interest Level. And you reinforced that low
Interest Level by popping the question.
Remember guys; once the girl loses respect -- which is the foundation of Interest Level -- for
you, you can never get her back.
i went for it
We both went over, made some small talk, and then I asked for her number. Surprisingly, she
gave it to me, but frankly, I'm still questioning why she did. I figure she must be playing me
since I can sometimes be nave on the uptake in social situations. She lives about an hour
away, and it's been a few days and I haven't called her yet.
The reason I'm writing you is that I feel that I know myself and usually pick up on girls' lack
of signals, but my friend is always after me for not taking opportunities that supposedly
present themselves. I hate feeling pressured to have to do something when I don't think it's
going to succeed. Am I being too down on myself? Any advice you could give me on this
conflict would be deeply appreciated.
Walker -- who doesn't like to go against his instincts
down for a home phone number, you can't get all sensitive. Like my cousin General Love
says, "Do you have any idea how far you have to go in this war, soldier? You better buck up!"
My friend, you're being way, way too down on yourself. Are you sure you read my book?
You have to stop being so scared of women, that's your main problem, and the first step in
overcoming your fear is committing "The System" to memory so that you're armed and ready
for anything. (And again, let me remind you that you were wrong about the girl in the pub
because she gave you her number. So much for your negative instincts.)
Remember guys; until you do your homework, nothing's going to happen.
P.S. I have a question about the answering machine. I know it's a mistake to leave a message
on a woman's machine asking for a date. Should I say, "Please give me a call back," or should
I hang up as soon as her angelic voice says she "can't be reached right now"?
Thanks. Always a pleasure.
Gary -- who's trying to make sense of it all
And your other love doctor is off target on the topic of unreturned phone calls, too. Here my
rule is simple: you shouldn't be leaving messages to return in the first place -- period.
If you're such a smart fellow, Gary, why are you leaving voice mails when my book says not
to? To you Psych majors, you do not want to appear to be a clueless desperado.
You, a novice in the area of romance, Gary? Gosh, you're kidding! I would never have known!
Wow, you had me fooled! But seriously, the other love doctor struck a chord in you because
you wanted to believe him.
It's your ego reacting here, and as you guys know, you have to set your ego aside when it
comes to the opposite sex. You might want to think that you can win Angelina Jolie over, but
without the required Interest Level, it's not happening.
The Reality Factor says that once your ego is involved, you can't see clearly, and that's
because you want to see things your way.
difference. But it is the moment of truth, and you don't need any more in the way of tactics or
strategies to figure out where you stand.
If Caprice coughs up some lame excuse, anything other than the seven digits you asked for,
it's "Nice talking to you, Caprice." You smile, shake her hand, and walk off into the sunset.
me to my request.
I watch many of my friends blow it with women they really want. Sadly, I had to place myself
in this same category, until, as I said, I discovered "The System" and transformed myself from
a loser with women into a winner. And I've seen my buddies do it all -- call their women too
often, indulge their whims with expensive gifts and dinners, and then kiss their lovely butts
after the women treated them like crap and rejected them for other, less worthy guys. It's been
an ugly sight to behold, Doc.
dating trouble
But yes, you're right, the torture that guys are subjected to at the hands of the ladies is ugly to
behold, buddy. But isn't it funny that when you finally get hip to what's really going on, it all
becomes as clear as day?
You go out to a club and you notice that the girls are yawning and looking around the room
with absolutely no Interest Level, and the guys hitting on them are making fools of
themselves, and they don't even see it even though their faces are a mere 18 inches apart. But
you see it, dude. Amazing, isn't it?
possible: guys fling the horse manure. And here's the problem with BS -- she's got built-in
radar. She knows when you're telling the truth. She knows how to perceive sincerity. She
knows that you weren't really an all-state first-team quarterback and that you're not writing
best-selling novels under a pseudonym.
4- You talk about sex. It's a turnoff. It might work in Hollywood movies, but it turns out that
the girl you're taking out is conservative. She actually goes to church and she's a nice girl. The
last thing she wants to hear from you is bad dialogue out of a porn flick. Yet you insist on
doing your worst imitation of Ron Jeremy. Drop it.
5- You don't walk erect. Don't laugh. This falls under the heading of personal grooming.
Some guys don't walk -- or look -- like human beings. It might have worked for Keith
Richards when he snagged his hot young model wife, but then again, you don't have his
zillions in the bank. And don't forget to get a haircut, take a good shower (and use soap), and
make sure you don't have holes in your wardrobe. It's basic, but lots of men forget the basics.
It's like trying to play basketball without knowing how to dribble or shoot. On the other hand,
if you're in a band, it doesn't matter -- the dirtier the better.
Above all, keep your mouth shut unless it's light and funny. For more tips, check out "The
System."
Remember guys; unless it lifts her Interest Level, why are you talking about it?
knockouts that grow out in the Golden State, but they are a lot more grounded and are the
kind of women whose company I enjoy more often.
De Niro, or Jackie Chan, then the answer will pop into your head and you'll know the right
course of action. The reason you get into a pinch is because out of nowhere babes are going to
throw you a verbal curveball, and you have to know how to come back on a dime without
mumbling or going completely dumb -- like most guys do.
Asking "What's your home phone number?" is the exact thing you should do when there's
nothing left to say. Beautiful, man, good for you. Because when there's no more to say, that is
the best time to blurt out that all-important question. When you're through with your sales
pitch, you close and ask for the order. Period. Now let me address how you handled that
bombshell behind the counter on Sunset Boulevard. You were great, pal, nothing short of
fantastic. Most guys would keep hanging around like hungry dogs, and they'd ask her out four
or five more times until they were totally humiliated and were ordered to hit the bricks. But
you moved on first. Unlike you, most guys would beat a dead horse. Like my cousin Jethro
Love says, "When you're at a fishin' hole and the fish ain't bitin', don't sit around there waitin'
for 20 years, boy. Get yourself off to another fishin' hole!"
You've gotta move on to the next woman...
No, Stromile, you don't want to throw away everything I've taught you. But you've got to get
over your sympathy syndrome. Let me repeat what I said before: never feel sorry for the
enemy. You're not being a player by looking out for yourself. If you feel bad about dropping
girls, you don't understand "The System" yet. Go back and study.
Remember guys; when they drop you, they smile.
Here's another, more devious problem you have and don't even know it: when Interest Level
starts heading south, women fake it. When Stephanie's Interest Level was tumbling from a
lofty 95% to 85%, she only pretended it was 85%, but it was really 75%.
And when she got tired of faking it, all of a sudden it appeared to drop from 75% to 45%. But
that was an illusion too, because it really didn't drop that fast. It was falling slowly and
steadily, like a mountain stream, and in your case, it could have been falling as far back as a
year, even a year and a half ago.
You never let her chase you...
Don't think for a minute that the guy chased her in vain...
rejection hurts
And I'm also truly sorry you're going through such pain, guy. There's no worse torture in life
than being rejected by a woman you worship. But as I pointed out before, a lot of guys love
my advice, brag about how smart I am, and then don't follow my advice. I can give you a
helpful hint, and then a certain sticky situation will arise and you won't follow it. So, guys,
memorize "The System" or forget women.
Swiftie, your perfect relationship wasn't wrecked overnight. But on the other side of the coin,
you have to remember that Time is mankind's greatest healer.
Remember guys; romantic love takes constant vigilance.
Mick -- who got himself into a mess and doesn't know how to get out
compromise is important
Secondly, you mentioned that June wanted to do things that you didn't. So how did you
handle it? You compromised a little. You gave some ground to her, but to the rest of her
demands you said no. So I want to thank you for writing that sentence.
Most guys would just read it and not give it a second thought, but there is a lot of power in it,
and like Fast Eddie Love would say, "Dude, you showed that you have some real cojones."
Mick, there doesn't have to be any guessing on your part about why you two stayed together.
Your ability to take a stand and say no is definitely the reason.
When a woman moves for you -- in your case, across the South China Sea -- that indicates
high Interest Level. What you have to do is keep the Interest Level high -- that's the hard part.
But at the same time, you have to have something to work with. And sadly, you don't have
that here. I'll explain a little later.
When you left the restaurant, Mick, did you tell June why? Did you say, "Honey, let's go find
a place that's a little more quiet?" Apparently you didn't explain it to her, or she didn't hear it.
She pouted when you left, though, and that's the most problematic thing here.
This "mature" woman that you're in love with acts like a 7-year-old. And like my cousin Sal
"The Fish" Love says, "When they act like 7-year-olds and you live with them, that means
they're high maintenance, baby!" And of course that means you have to put up with lots of
stuff. Oh, it'll be cute for a couple of months, but then you know what happens? It becomes a
real drag. The celebrity news is full of high maintenance babes. Think J.Lo. Think Liz Taylor.
Think Raquel Welch. That's 15 marriages among them -- and counting. Think those three
beauties are easy to keep satisfied? To you Psych majors, think again.
tell it like it is
So, she has even bigger expectations of your relationship? Tough! You don't care about her
expectations -- and you're not going to meet them. It's time for her to grow up or pack her
bags.
When June gets all insecure and sniveling, and asks you where you've been, tell her, "I've
been out on a date with another woman." If she bitches that she doesn't like that kind of talk
from you, you then say, "Well, don't bring it up, babe! It's time for you to grow up. I'm sick
and tired of you acting like a second-grader!"
And when she tosses a hissy fit and terminates the relationship, tell her, "Honey, every time
you leave, you come back. Don't you feel a little funny pulling that lame act, huh?"
Mick, what it boils down to is that this girl is a mess, and how she got her hooks into you I'll
never understand. Remember what I've told you guys again and again about making sure she's
clinically sane before you get involved. You'd be surprised how many girls out there aren't.
To you Psych majors, you have to be very, very careful from the get-go, and not let her
luscious bee-stung lips and legs that go on forever obscure what you're really seeing.
the silver screen. Because you're not going to play along with it. You're not going to cater to
her.
You're going to do what's right. Because like my Uncle Jethro Love puts it, "Golly! You ain't
even got married yet! Once you tie that knot, it's really going to be fun, boy!"
So the answer to your question, pal, is yes, using Challenge on June did work. It showed you
that she's no good for you. Challenge always works when it comes to women. Always.
Remember guys; begging only lowers Interest Level.
I told her "That's great," but inside I'm thinking that this dude is trying to move in on my girl,
know what I mean? Samantha's actions show that she loves me, but I can't help but think
maybe I'm being hoodwinked here. I mean, how would I really know, right?
So Doc, am I just overanalyzing the situation? Am I being too paranoid? Am I worried over
nothing, or am I letting myself get taken for a ride?
Joey -- who feels uneasy about those dinner dates
Does it hold water? Or is your BS detector turning somersaults? How many times have you
attended a class or social function and found that literally every one of the people in
attendance have an attitude of some sort? None, right? (Of course we do have to discount
fashion week in New York when the place is overrun by the likes of Naomi Campbell and
Heidi Klum!) It doesn't make sense, does it?
See what they do here, guys? When they shovel it, you eat, like dopes. To you Psych majors,
you buy into their Womanese, which means they say one thing but mean something else, and
that something else is far, far different from the actual truth. Check out the very last chapter of
"The System." It's all explained right there.
needed. Then you should have asked, "By the way, how many dates have you had with this
fellow?"
And her answer would have gone something like this: "Well, actually, we've been having
dinner both nights since the second seminar, and this last one was the eighth seminar. So that
makes a total of 14 dinners now that I've had with this guy. Everyone else there is arrogant,
but not him! (And oh, by the way -- he just happens to look like Mel Gibson!)"
And, my friend, at that point you would have realized you had a massive problem. And the
problem may be that her Interest Level in you has skidded from 95% to 60%. This other guy
is new and cool, using your girl's own words, so he's more attractive than you. So you have to
ask yourself: "Am I being a Challenge? Do I allow her to touch me first? Do I wait for her to
be affectionate? Does she still compliment me like in the good old days?"
And this is what you have to hope for: that this other guy really does have a girlfriend, and
he's just being nice to Samantha because they happen to get along and have business in
common. Because you have to be able to trust your woman when she goes out of town.
Otherwise, you're in trouble.
Remember guys; Doc Love doesn't like it when she talks about other men.
she's unsure
Well, Doc, she was completely taken off guard and blurted out that she still had deep feelings
for me, but was unsure of exactly how she felt and what, if anything, to do about it. She is
currently seeing someone else too, and her concern seems to be focused on the fact that I'm
living with another woman presently. She says that she doesn't believe me when I say I still
love her. I think this is because she systematically tried very hard to push me away when we
were getting divorced.
Doc, I still love Emily and want her back desperately. I don't want to hurt Jill, but my heart
cries out for my ex. What the heck is a guy supposed to do in this situation? Is it possible to
ever go back and start all over again?
Shawn -- who has watched two worlds collide
She finally spoke to you last Christmas after two and a half years? What was she after, a
present or something? When you two finally hashed out all your past issues, did she tell you
about how you fatally lowered her Interest Level because you were all over her all the time,
and pressured her and treated her like your mommy?
No, she didn't. She acted, at least for a few minutes, like the girl you fell in love with. Man,
you have got to quit smoking the marijuana, please. Now think about this. You're telling me
you have 100% Interest Level in Emily -- and I believe you, Shawn, I believe you -- and she's
telling you that you hated her? Huh? Like my cousin Jethro Love would say, "That there's the
most convoluted declaration of love I ever heard!"
By the way, when you broke down and confessed to the divine Emily that you would always
love her, did you grovel and beg, too? Did you get down and kiss her feet? Are you sure your
name's really Shawn? Because you're acting more like a nice, tame little pussycat.
It's fascinating that Emily used the word "unsure" when she was talking about her feelings for
you. I've got news for you, my friend. She was lying like a Persian rug. Like my cousin Rabbi
Love says, "No woman since Eve has ever been unsure." The reality is that Emily hates you,
Shawn, and not vice versa.
What's wrong with you? She's with someone else...
she's a liar
Your ex is seeing someone else, too? That means she's seeing two people -- you and this other
stud muffin. She entertained you for a half-hour at Christmastime and you went off into la-la
land, dreaming about the good old days. All the while she's in the arms of a new man, making
out, grabbing him, and doing everything else a woman does when she has high Interest Level
in a guy. And like my cousin Sal "The Fish" Love likes to say, "They would have done a lot
more, but they didn't have the time!"
And guess what? She's not fantasizing about you, like most of you pitiful guys fantasize about
your exes. But she says her main "concern" is that you're living with another woman. Well,
Shawn, she has to give you something. Women never tell the truth -- which in this case is,
"Guess what -- I have low Interest Level in you!" Ever hear of Womanese? Check out "The
System." The entire dictionary of Womanese -- the science of what they say versus what they
mean -- is included in the last chapter.
It came out that most of Sharon's liaisons were one-night stands while she was on various
vacations. Her last serious relationship started in 1989 and ended in 1995. She cheated on that
guy with a one-nighter in Tahiti two months into their relationship. She claims it wasn't
cheating because they didn't have an exclusivity agreement. (To me, being intimate with
someone means you are exclusive.)
For the rest of the time, she says, she was faithful. She also cheated three months into her only
marriage back in 1974. This revelation of her promiscuity has had a devastating effect on my
interest in her.
She claims everyone was playing around "since it was the '80s," and doesn't understand why
this knowledge makes me feel like crap inside. I know this sounds like how a woman would
think, but I just don't feel special anymore.
We had a big talk about how this new information makes me feel, as well as my changed
perception of her. (After peeking at her vacation diary, I realized Sharon was hitting on every
French guy she had any interest in during a jaunt she took before meeting me.) But I don't
know what to do.
So, Sharon asked you out first? I just got a nasty letter from a female saying how horrible it
was that a guy waited to call her. But that girl is structured -- your girl has high Interest Level.
Sharon saw what she wanted and went after it. Isn't it great, guys?
And by the way, when you're going to bed with someone, what does it mean? This lovely lady
of yours could be sleeping with two guys at the same time. So you have to try and find out
this stuff sooner. Remember what I've told you again and again; you guys have to be love
cops on "Love And Order."
The disease should bother you; how many guys she slept with is irrelevant...
So, Woodsie, go and memorize "The System," and once you're clean and cured, we'll go out
and get you someone who's alive and breathing. And hopefully the next one hasn't been out
with a couple of regiments of marines!
I know this might seem very basic to you, but I could really use the help.
Emanuel -- who's eager to find out if he really has a chance
keep it light
So for you Neanderthals out there cruising the malls, don't just go up to her and beg for her
home phone number. Suggest a glass of iced tea -- that's what you want to do. Get your time
in and then pitch her for the number. You've got to build some value when you're in an
anonymous, public place; otherwise you're a step away from being a stalker. And Emanuel,
you did it for a whole hour and a half. Great job -- as long as you didn't get carried away with
yourself and tell her you were the new crown prince of Monte Carlo!
But why are you giving this hottie your phone number? When a woman hands you her card or
writes her number down for you, you have to go straight into a hard interview, just like a
good, tough love cop. "So, honey -- are you going to call me? When are you going to call me?
What night? Let's set up a time right now when you're going to dial my digits." Because do
you know what you're likely to hear in answer to those questions? "Uh... uh... uh... uh..."
Guys, women never call! Why go through all that worthless rigmarole? Don't give her your
number. To you Psych majors, once you get her home phone number, beat it the heck out of
there. You've closed the deal.
My friend, the girl has to be available. I hate to have to inject such a heavy dose of truth into
your life in one sentence, but she has to be available. And this girl is not available. Still, you
made a good contact.
So what we're going to do is try and figure out a way -- if this boyfriend of hers takes a dive in
the next couple of months -- to be there to pick up all the pieces.
When she said she was seeing a guy, you should have asked in your best Danny DeVito voice,
"How many guys?" You make a valid point about the strong connection the two of you had,
but it's really just a half-truth. You still have to figure out what her Interest Level in this
turkey of hers is.
my question to you is, is this just Womanese for their low Interest Level in me, or could it be
that women don't want their folks to like their boyfriends?
and that's what you have to do in order to know what's really going on between you and your
woman. You have to consider all the possibilities in every case and not run off half-cocked
toward a conclusion that doesn't hold water. Like my cousin Doctor Love would say, "You
can't just rush to judgment led by your exploding Interest Level or your supersensitive ego."
Now sure, it's possible that Tanya cut you loose because her folks approved of you -- that is, if
she hates her parents' guts and she's going to end up being the psycho wife from hell who will
make Angelina Jolie or Jennifer Lopez look clinically sane. In which case you don't want her
anyway.
Because instead of imitating Cary Grant, you end up making these poor girls your mama or
your psychiatrist, like all the other guys who screw up. But don't feel bad, man. You're not
alone. You've got tons of company out there.
So to sum it all up, you don't have a "parents problem." You've got a problem keeping a girl's
Interest Level in the 90s. But memorize my techniques, and you'll enter the Promised Land
with a smiling face.
Remember guys; when something goes wrong, it's usually your fault.
she interrogated me
On the second date, I picked Caprice up and took her to dinner, and everything was going
great -- until I opened my yap! She asked me a personal question about a past relationship.
Nothing too heavy, just, "So, what was your longest relationship?" So I thought I'd have some
fun with it and told her she needed to show me a sign of good faith. I proceeded in a very light
and funny way and said that if she kissed me on the cheek, I might tell her. Man, did I think
that was smooth! But right away her whole attitude changed, to very closed-off. She even
folded her arms at dinner! She told me I should be more open since she was being open with
me, and blah, blah, blah.
Well, I was able to steer the date somewhat back on track after a bit (but still did not answer
her question). I dropped her off at her place and tried to give her the "what the hell" kiss. She
then leaned over and kissed both my cheeks and whispered, "Okay, there are your kisses, and
next date you owe me my answers!"
I smiled, grabbed her by the back of the head, and laid a deep, long one on her. She smiled,
with her eyes still closed, and then I walked off. What do you think of my genius move after
she kissed my cheeks? Do you think she is worth the all-important third date, or was her
immediate closed-off response to my cute cheek-kiss question not that of a Flexible Giver?
Anyway, lay it on me, Doc!
Sheppard -- who wants to know if he has a tiger by the tail
Caprice probes you about a past relationship and it's "nothing too heavy?" Dude, this is very,
very heavy. This gal didn't bring a BB gun to dinner, she brought a howitzer! Do you need
glasses, Sheppard? Remember; when they start with the heavy questions, you've got to
channel Jim Carrey or Robin Williams on the spot.
Making Caprice kiss you on the cheek as payment for your background information was a
very gutsy move. I happen to think it's too strong for the second time out, but I'll give you a
top grade for closing. At least you had the guts to go for it.
Know why Caprice's attitude went south? Because she didn't want to play. Her interview was
more important to her than falling in love with you. She had her agenda, and she was going to
follow it come hell or high water. Like Johnny down at the Shell station, she hauled out her
list of "to-dos" -- check the tires, oil, air filter, transmission fluid, etc. What she did, really,
was give you an indirect ultimatum. And when you didn't capitulate to it, everything changed
-- her body language, her attitude, everything -- just because she didn't want to play. Caprice
doesn't want to be loved. Her agenda -- dragging up all of your past romantic disasters right
then and there -- was the most important thing to her, and if it takes any longer than right now,
then she's out of there. Wow, does she sound like a blast!
But good for you, Sheppard, that you didn't go along with it. 99% of all guys would have
caved on the spot and sold out their manhood.
I have to hand it to you, guy. Going for the "what the hell kiss" shows that you're a winner.
You get an "A" in LIPS. You might be doing some stuff wrong here and there, but when it
comes to LIPS, you're aces.
Here's what you should have done to really shut her up -- and keep her Interest Level up...
keep it light
So what you're going to do, Sheppard, is not answer Caprice's questions. You're going to
come up with "funnies." When she says to you, "So, what was your longest relationship?",
you're going to say, "I'm still in it. I've been going with this girl for four years." And when her
beautiful violet eyes widen and she demands, "Well, what are you doing with me, then?",
you'll say, "I'm looking for a replacement. I need some backup. That's why I'm interviewing
you."
Fellas, like the great Zen masters, you have to learn to be detached. Being joined at the hip
forever doesn't work.
Remember guys; you gotta go for the kiss.
phone and said that as long as she was married, I couldn't see her again. I also told her that I
didn't want to be that "other guy" and to call me if she ever split with her husband. She agreed
and said goodnight.
Doc, my main question is this: why does the past girlfriend hold such fascination for us guys?
Is there ever an exception in "The System": "no going backwards," "no married women"?
Because this is the love of my life we're talking about here, the most Giving, Flexible person
I've ever known.
going back to an ex
If the situation develops where I can have her back, is she worth the risk? Does the fact that
she willingly reconnected with me make her a potential cheater?
I'm not at all a desperate guy. I'm good-looking and have a lot to offer just about any girl.
Please help.
Smitty -- who doesn't want to regret blowing a second chance
Look at it this way -- gorgeous women fall all over themselves trying to get next to Dennis
Rodman, right? Who's more embarrassing than him, unless it's O.J., and the last time I
checked, he wasn't short of dates either.
So, LeeAnn's marriage fell apart and she no longer loves her husband... Smitty, you got any
idea how many guys have heard that tall tale over the centuries? And, uh, I'm selling this
bridge over in Brooklyn you might be interested in buying.
Guys, your ex-girlfriend fascinates you because your ego blows the old romance all out of
proportion and you just look at the good parts, never the bad stuff, the stuff that caused it to
flop in the first place -- that you weren't even aware of. Because if she were all that great, you
two wouldn't have split up and she wouldn't have gone off and married the rich guy five
minutes later.
There are no exceptions to my principles in "The System" when it comes to your ex. Ever.
You have to remember that you're talking about the love of your life -- only. Because you're
talking only about your high Interest Level. LeeAnn didn't have high Interest Level in you,
because she broke up with you over a silly fight. And when she told you that you were always
the one, you actually believed her? Like I said, pal, you have to memorize the book!
never return to an ex
Of course LeeAnn's a potential cheater. Just look at what she's doing here. She's a married
woman and mother sneaking around with a guy in a dark bar. What does that tell you about
her Integrity? What she should have told you was that she doesn't see other men while she's
married. But she can't because she's too busy checking out the field. Because she figures that
if she has to make the jump to someone else, first she has to calculate how much jack the new
turkey has for her and her kid. A pretty picture, right?
So there's a lot going on here that you neglected to see, Smitty. Remember what Rabbi Love
says: "Son, you'd better open your eyes unless you want to go through hell again."
So no, you can't go back. Ever.
Remember guys; women don't marry rich guys by mistake.
Hey Doc,
I've been reading your columns lately and plan to purchase "The System." I like your nononsense approach to women and dating and the fact that you never BS us guys with false
hope about how to handle the opposite sex. Please keep telling it like it is.
So I'm going to put it to you straight. I've noticed that the only guys who score the really hot
babes in this world are the Donald Trumps, the Hugh Hefners and the Michael Douglases. In
other words, the guys so loaded with money they don't even know what to do with it all.
It's actually very discouraging. It's like the guy with no money has zilch chance of getting and
keeping a "10." And what's worse is that if you happen to find and succeed in dating a
Beautiful Woman, she's history the minute some rich, overly successful or famous dude looks
twice at her. And I'm not exaggerating. It's happened to me more than once.
comes to women, and I'm the only love doctor out there who has all the right answers. My job
is to help men, not BS them. My job is to keep you in touch with reality.
Don't follow stereotypes...
So you can always count on me to tell it like it is, and not like you want it to be, which is the
mindset that sinks so many guys in their dating relationships. And thank you very much for
the compliment -- I do appreciate it.
impossible by the way)? The two words that come closest are Challenge and Humor.
Most rich boys don't have Challenge, and that's why they beg her to take the keys to the
Ferrari. Nice, self-reliant girls get bored with that no-Challenge tactic after a while. And most
guys aren't funny. That's where guys who have studied my techniques come in.
But on the other hand, your financial portfolio does play some part in your relationships,
because she wants to know what you've been up to for the last 28 and a half years. Have you
been going to school and learning something useful? Starting your own business? Trying to
be creative?
Or have you been sitting on your butt whining and watching TV and collecting
unemployment compensation from when you got laid off from your job on the Home Depot
loading platform?
Do you realize that we live in an economic society and that it takes money -- the more the
better -- to get by? The point is this: Why should she take a step down? Like my cousin Fast
Eddie Love says, "If she's used to Cadillacs or BMWs, why should she ride in a 10-year-old
Chevy?"
Remember guys; the more money you have, the handsomer you are.
Did you ask Dominique if when she married her poor sap of a husband she was in love with
him? That's what you should have fired back at her at the beginning, and then you'd have
found out what the deal really was. Sure the guy's always busting his hump -- how do you
think he procures all the trappings to keep his queen happy?
Don't you see that, Quentin? And don't for a minute jump to the conclusion that the mess she's
in is definitely the fault of her husband. What she's handing you is just Womanese for "I'm
bored, and I need to play with someone else's head for a while!"
Here's another question you should have asked her: How does she think her kids are going to
be provided for after she dumps hubby? I hate to have to break this to you, pal, but
Dominique's selfish, and all she's thinking about is herself, not her kids. And they deserve to
be thought about. After all, like my cousin Brother Love says, "The little ones didn't ask for
your misery, did they?"
These women are players, so it's time you started using them...
everything and your two knockouts are so cranky all the time that nothing works. If you're not
in their homes, Quentin, you can't see what's really going on.
skills because from an early age, I buried myself in computers. And I have to admit that
maybe it's true. Just yesterday I noticed some jerk giving her the eye at the mall and said to
her, "That guy was looking at you. He's probably wondering what you see in someone like
me."
She also complains that my behavior is controlling and emotionally abusive and that I'm
jealous of her celebrity status. I do try to keep up with her whereabouts and sometimes even
worry that she might be getting involved with someone else.
At the same time Kyra claims that she really loves me and doesn't want to violate our
marriage vows. Doc, what the heck can I do about this? Can "The System" help with a
problem like mine? Most average people can't really know what it's like to be the husband of
someone who was married to a famous person -- it's hell. Every time his mug shows up on
TV, I think to myself that I'll never measure up. It's like having your face constantly rubbed in
his fame.
Please help! This is turning into a major problem.
Stephon -- who didn't bargain for this when he got married
you're finished
Stephon, you're just like Mister Heidi Klum now. Think about it. Seal's not going to have his
own name anymore. But if he can roll with it, and laugh about it (and himself), and if he can
wear a T-shirt that reads "Mr. You Know Who," you know what it shows? It shows women -and the world -- that he's not jealous of or threatened by his wife's celebrity and success. It
shows that being a big-time celebrity's other half has no effect on him whatsoever. He can sit
back and enjoy it; in fact, he can wear a T-shirt that trumpets the fact! And he's probably not
half as good-looking as you are, right?
I'm sorry to hear that you're jealous of the admiration Kyra commands from men. But hold on
a minute, here. She's a Beautiful Woman, especially all dolled up in her designer outfits, isn't
she? Other men are going to look at her, right? Gee, I wonder how that happened? Uh, didn't
you happen to pick up on that fact when you two were going steady? Like my cousin "Fast
Eddie" Love says, "A little slow on the uptake there, aren't you, dude?"
Your problem, Stephon, is that you don't know how to properly view your situation. Like my
Uncle Jethro Love would say, "Boy, get yourself away from that god-danged computer
terminal for a few minutes and listen up!" Here's what you should have said to yourself:
"Wow! I'm going to be in the celebrity world. What a ride this is going to be! Man, what a
party! I can't wait to tell all my buddies back at the beer hall!"
In other words, you should have looked at marrying Kyra as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
for your personal growth and expansion. Maybe it would have helped you be more creative in
your job, did you ever think of that? Or maybe you could have picked up a few high-powered
connections. The point is that you could and should have looked at acquiring your
extraordinary wife as something positive; a valuable, new experience. But not you, Stephon.
You wanted to pout. You didn't want to play along.
get over it
Man, if you think it's hell being married to a celebrity's ex, it's high time to loosen up and buy
a dozen T-shirts. All you have to do is remember that Kyra dropped her celebrity husband.
He's yesterday's news. He turned her off, just like you're doing. And at the rate you're going,
you'll be in the same boat unless you wake up on the double and memorize my principles.
When you complain about having your face rubbed in Kyra's ex's onscreen time, you remind
me of those religious penitents who flagellate themselves on a holy day. So stop torturing
yourself, my friend. Wake up and smell the coffee if there's still time and you haven't already
made Kyra want to run for the hills.
Remember guys; if you want to get on the celebrity train, you'd better have fun with the ride.
my girl's irrational
In my eventual career, I'm going to work very closely with women and I feel that if Dana can't
handle my female friends now, I don't know how easily she'll be able to handle my working
with women.
Doc, Dana has many of the qualities that you discuss in "The System." She's a Flexible Giver,
is considerate and kind, is very sexy, and can speak three languages. She's upbeat, dresses
well and is thoughtful, and finding someone like her has been difficult. She's in shape and has
fewer problems than I do.
For the most part, we work well together, but I feel that her jealousy could be a future
problem. At this point in the relationship, we have hit somewhat of a plateau. There's only one
logical next step, marriage, which I am not ready for. (Dana's in her late 20s and I'm 21, by
the way.)
Should I move on and start dating other people since I'm so young? Doc, I really need your
help here.
Charlie -- who doesn't want to make any hasty decisions
So right there you made a pair of humongous mistakes. Dana should be dropping you instead
of vice versa, Charlie. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, "Boy, you got it all back-asswards!"
To you Psych majors, keep your big mouths shut!
So, you hung out with Terri -- just the two of you -- a few times? Another big boo-boo. It
showed disloyalty to Dana. When you insist on spending time with your girl buddies, you
have to do it in a crowd. Spending time with another girl in private only invites trouble. Could
you expect Dana to see it as anything but a threat? Come on, Charlie, use your head.
was saying, mostly about her insecurities and passions. At the end of the night, I walked her
up to her porch and gave her a kiss. It was a very good kiss, Doc. I said good night and went
home. That's the last time I talked to her.
I called twice a couple of days later and got her voicemail both times (I didn't leave a
message). I waited a few more days and called her again. Again I got her voicemail and didn't
leave a message. I called her last night and got her voicemail again. I decided that two weeks
was enough to call and not get an answer, so I left a message. Was leaving a message a
mistake? Did I somehow lower her Interest Level on the third date so that she doesn't want to
talk to me anymore, or am I missing something?
Aaron -- who can't figure out how he blew it
you sure? I think you're a little too fast for me, baby. But I'll tough it out and go with you
anyway." And by the way, fellas, you don't kiss her right there in the bar. You wait and kiss
her on her doorstep.
Guy, you shouldn't have picked up the phone when Lianna called you after date No. 2.
Another boner. Instead, you should have listened to the message she left on your machine.
And played it over and over again, and studied it to see exactly what it is you're dealing with.
You have to learn to not be so ready and willing.
Sure, Lianna's ruse of using a call for finding out when you were going out again was a cute
move, but you're missing the point here. Her Interest Level might have been 95%, but again,
you two have barely gotten through one date. You have to have that 95% Interest Level from
her at the end of nine dates before you can say you're in the ballgame at all. And as I said
before, that's what's tough. Like my Uncle Jethro Love would say, "Don't go countin' yer
chickens before they hatch, boy!"
Nevertheless, it was cool that you told Lianna you'd be busy for the next few days when she
was champing at the bit. You know how many guys wouldn't have done that? On the other
hand, the rule is that any time a female's interest is incoming, grab the date. Still, it's not a
major error that you turned her down.
You should have applied some pressure...
press her
But what's bothersome is that Lianna didn't ask you out specifically, as in, "Can you go out
Thursday at 8 o'clock?" So you should have pressed her. "What night?" You should have
"closed her" to see how real her offer was. In other words, let's pin this thing down right here
and now, and find out if it's just a "phony flirt" or the real deal.
When Lianna started bingbingbing-ing those personal questions at you, she was subjecting
you to the "hard interview." To you Psych majors, this is usually a tactic used by structured
women. She was thinking that since she loves you so much (though it's only been three
dates!), it's time for you to pour it all out and if you don't, she's going to get rid of you because
you're not playing her game.
Aaron, you should have listened very, very closely to Lianna's litany of insecurities, because
this is the whack-job you're going to be living with for the next 30 years! In your response to
her question about your fears and anxieties, you should have told her: "Honey, I've got the
biggest problem in the world. I go out with a girl a few times -- and I swear to you I wish I
didn't have this problem -- and they fall head over heels in love with me! I got two right now
under restraining orders for stalking me after only three dates. I'm telling you, sweetie, this
being popular is for the birds! Every man wants women to fall in love with them, but I don't
like it. And I don't dig having my body used all the time, either." And you should have done it
with a straight face, and then given her your best Christopher Walken look.
Normally, I would have flushed her e-mail address and forgotten about her, but during our
conversation, she asked quite a few personal questions and we seemed to have a lot in
common.
I figured I had nothing to lose by sending an e-mail. I waited until Thursday, e-mailed her,
and invited her out for drinks on Sunday night. She accepted.
We met at the designated place and talked for two and a half hours. She tapped the top of my
leg quite a bit. I ended the date by saying I had to be in the office early.
I walked her back to her car and closed with a kiss on the lips. On Wednesday I e-mailed her,
inviting her to play miniature golf. She accepted, and this time gave me her address and home
phone number.
front when she dropped that remark about handing out her home phone number. If she were
only giving her number to nice guys, she wouldn't have any problems, would she?
Was something else going on? Find out...
So why the heck was she handing out her number to all comers? Or was something else going
on? Does she have a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend? Like I always tell you guys,
you have to be like a love detectives on "Love And Order."
aggressive. This is not the time to imitate Clint Eastwood and play hardball.
Remember guys; if she likes e-mail and does everything else right, send her e-mail to make
the date.
challenge is strong
You were unaware of how powerful Challenge is? I've been telling you from day one that it's
nitro! But you guys still don't believe me. Think about it: You had Leigh eating out of your
hand for six whole months with a throwaway line like "I don't have to call you every day, do
I?" Heck, that's something straight out of the mouth of Sal "The Fish" Love! Talk about a
master of Challenge!
So, Leigh was a blast for six months. That means in the seventh month she wasn't such a party
anymore -- because her Interest Level was taking a nosedive. Because, Loren, you were doing
something different. You changed something. You started morphing into some form of
Wimpus Americanus. What it boiled down to is that you stopped being a Challenge. And
Interest Level will decline from there on out.
Don't fool yourself, man. Money was never an issue with Leigh. During those first hot six
months, Interest Level cut through everything, right? Leigh knew you weren't the second
coming of J. Paul Getty when you pulled up for the first time in your secondhand Saturn.
When her Interest Level was 95%, she couldn't care less whether you drove a Mercedes or
were collecting unemployment insurance. (To you Psych majors, he was between careers!)
For six months you owned this girl. Then you didn't anymore.
When her rich ex came into the picture, you should have said to her, "Hey, baby, bring him
over and we'll have lunch. I'd really like to meet the man. In fact, I'd be honored." On the
inside you were thinking of taking a hit out on the guy, but on the outside, don't ever show
that anything gets to you. Sure, you should have been concerned, but not jealous. Instead, you
should have been asking yourself, Why is she talking about exes? Why is she talking to other
men? Why isn't she a blast anymore? What the heck am I doing wrong?
Moving out of state for your new job was the kiss of death. Now I know that somebody
upstairs was looking out for this girl! You were forced to get out of town in your tenuous
position with Leigh? Talk about things going wrong! Murphy's Law loves you.
Do you know why your birthday slipped Leigh's mind? Because babes only call when their
Interest Level is somewhere between 51% and 100%. I know this is tough for you to swallow,
but it's the truth. But then you pouted. Great! Guess what pouting does to Interest Level? I'll
give you a hint -- it's like driving a stake through a vampire's heart.
At that point you should have turned down Leigh's invitation for the Fourth of July and told
her you had other plans. The reason things were great on the first night was because she was
putting on an act. But then she ran out of gas. She got tired of fighting her resentment for you
and decided to let it out. Screw it, she figured -- this guy's such a drag I'm going to shoot him
a dirty look every time I see him. Resentment isn't pretty.
But you must really be addicted to pain and torture, Loren, because you still hadn't had
enough. You went and left phone messages! (You left phone messages and you're a follower
of mine? Like my cousin Brother Love says, "Blasphemy!")
Then Leigh confesses to you a second time that she has no feelings for you and what do you
do? Like every other male, you chase her! Makes sense, right? Really smart. What a great
idea. Seeing the results you got, maybe I should change my philosophy on women!
of time and energy you wasted, and how empty your wallet is. You could have wrapped this
up a lot sooner, man. If you didn't make so many mistakes, you wouldn't need a bailout
program.
As she became more comfortable with me (around the four-month mark), she showed red
flags that I made the mistake of ignoring or choosing to live with. For instance, I found out
that she would go to wild parties and sometimes got intoxicated to the point where she almost
passed out. Talk about classy -- a 120-pound girl taking shots like a sailor! I was shocked, but
didn't react. She cried and said she made a mistake. She told me she wouldn't do it again.
Then I found out that her ex-boyfriend still called her and professed his deep feelings for her.
He did this even though she told him she felt nothing for him, and that she was deeply in love
with me. I asked her why she still talked to him and she responded that they have common
friends and that, as a Christian, she didn't want to be "mean."
a man in denial
So, Shannon told you she wouldn't ever do it again. You know what's really sad, Ben? Not
that she's a liar, because that goes with the territory. What's sad is that you believed her. You
bought into the big lie. Why? Because you wanted to. You thought you had a conventional,
conservative girl and you were going to stick to your guns come hell or high water. Your male
ego and pride led you astray. And, pal, you lost five precious months of your life because of
those two words -- ego and pride.
Shannon and her ex don't have friends in common. She's got low Self-Esteem and she's
addicted to the strokes. One man isn't enough for her. She has to have at least two turkeys
eating out of her hand.
But okay, she's a Christian and she didn't want to be mean. Whatever happened to "when it's
over, it's over"? There's no reason for Shannon and her ex to be communicating. The reality is
that Shannon is being mean. She's being mean by being disrespectful to you, the one she loves
so much (theoretically), and by stringing her ex along and giving him false hope. Like my
cousin "Fast Eddie" Love says, "She's some catch, all right!"
Dude, she was a full-on whack-job...
Still, you wasted five whole months, like I said before. That's five months you can never have
back. But it could have been worse if you had refused to open your eyes.
But hey, why didn't you trust Shannon? All she does is get bombed and pass out after 15 shots
of Jack Daniel's! Gee, what's so bad about that? After all, she's got a bunch of guys rubbing
her arms and forehead when she goes unconscious, but they're just trying to bring her around - at least I think that's what they're doing!
supposed to come back to the U.S., she went out dancing with her friends. She was offered a
ride home afterwards by one of her male companions. En route to her house, he stopped by
his place and invited her in for a few minutes. At this point the details get sketchy, but here's
what I've been able to wrestle out of her so far.
She had had two drinks at the bar and was feeling lightheaded. When they got inside the guy's
apartment, he sat on the couch next to her and started kissing her. She said that what followed
"just happened." When I asked her how it happened, she said that maybe she wasn't feeling so
sure about our relationship. She said that they were kissing for just a second, but then things
got a little more intimate. Then, she said, she pushed him away and ran out of the place, and
reported him to the police.
When Maria Luiza returned to the States the next day, there were no bruises or scratches on
her. I went to visit her at her place, but we ended up arguing all night over this incident.
Whenever I asked her for more details, she started attacking me. She made me feel like the
culprit, Doc, and maintained that what happened wasn't her fault at all. By four in the morning
I got tired of arguing and left.
Doc, is Maria Luiza's story just Womanese? What do you see here? I see scum. But I just can't
gather enough courage to drop her. Like I said, she's one of those beautiful women, a
legitimate "10."
I really want to get over this ordeal. Any suggestions, Doc?
Gordon -- who can't tell if he's being snowed
been so lightheaded from those two drinks that she completely forgot what she was doing -and all about you, too.
And it's at this sensitive point that the details of Maria Luiza's story get sketchy. I wonder why
that is? Gordon, this is pretty comical.
But let's look a little closer at what allegedly went down with your girlfriend. Why didn't she
sit in a chair so this fellow couldn't sit next to her? When she said that what followed "just
happened," does it mean she cooked him breakfast in the morning?
is flirting okay?
Now since I'm a good-looking guy myself, I always catch women looking at me wherever I
am, even when I'm out with Sasha. So here's my question: Is it okay to flirt with these other
girls when I'm with Sasha? Since her Interest Level is declining anyway, will it have a
positive effect on her?
In other words, if other women find me attractive, doesn't that increase my desirability to
Sasha? Or will it only hurt my cause? I'm confused on how to handle this.
I recently heard a never-married movie star with a long track record of dating beauties say
that women only like bad boys. Flirting with other girls doesn't make me Scott Peterson, but it
does show that I can't be controlled.
What you're suffering through right now is the biggest romantic affliction in America, so you
can take some comfort in the fact that you're not alone. Once a guy's Interest Level hits 90%
or above, he just loses it. He's a goner. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, "Love is a
drug."
Seems the knockout knocked you out...
Here's the problem when you're all hung up on a knockout: Your head's not right and you're
not thinking straight. It's like the woman is a cobra who got her fangs into a mouse -- you -and you're just paralyzed. And there you are saying to yourself, "I'm so in love with this girl!
I've never been in love like this before! I can't live without her!" And it's only the fourth date!
It's great that your Interest Level is soaring around the stratosphere, but guess what? At the
end of the day, you guys all give in and collapse -- because the drug is too strong. And the
drug is called "beauty."
smack freak after a binge. It's just like the fate that befell Samson when he got the infamous
haircut in the Bible. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts told me, "Dog, that's what
high Interest Level does to a man!"
Here's the new game you're going to play...
mouth and thinks it's cute, while the gentleman knows it shows no class.
Pal, you're only fooling yourself when you say that since you're flirting with other girls, Sasha
knows she can't control you. Her Interest Level did a swan dive because she knew she could
control you.
You should never hustle or look at other women when you're with Miss Right or any date,
that's the rule. You're not being a Challenge when you shove it in her face; you're being
disrespectful. Andre, you've got the right idea -- that you have to go to war -- but you've got
the wrong weapon.
So here's my question: Do you have any suggestions for what to say when contacting a
woman on Match.com? In fact, can you give us guys a blueprint for how to do it? In other
words, what do you say in your intro, the next paragraph and the next paragraph, and how do
you wrap it up? I'm okay when I meet a woman face to face, but frankly, I'm not exactly sure
how to deal with her when I can't see her. It seems to put a guy at a disadvantage.
Here's something else: The women's screen names are usually not their real names. Is it a
good idea to go after their real names right away, or should I let that come later when a
beachhead has been established?
Jared, online is where the dating game is these days, make no mistake about it, and in front of
the terminal screen is where you have to be. Even my Uncle Jethro Love says "Boy, you's
dead in the water with the girls without your Macintosh!". But before you log on, you have to
be prepared and you have to have a very strict game plan.
number and detailed directions, and that the place has plenty of parking because a lot of these
girls won't show if they have the slightest excuse.
As far as her onscreen name goes, if she wants to call herself "Anita The Hun," that's her
right. You'll get her real name if she's really interested.
The next day, I called her again and she got irritated and said she needed space. I tried emailing her, but she wrote back and said not to e-mail her anymore. Her exact words were,
"What I need is time. How much time, I don't know."
This led me to believe that there is hope for us to get back together. I e-mailed her again and
told her how much I love her and want to marry her.
A week went by and I noticed that she was still a member of the online dating service, but her
picture had been changed. The new one made her look sexier. I lost it again and called her.
She said she tried to take the picture off but couldn't.
She also said she's so angry with me that she can't stand to be in the same room with me, and
that when she got the e-mail about my wanting to marry her, she cried all day.
Antonia wouldn't make you a great wife because, after a while, she'd realize that the man she
married wasn't in love with her. But don't worry about her. I'm sure she'll make a great wife -for somebody else.
To you Psych majors, when you get dumped it's always unexpected. The guy never sees it
coming. He doesn't have a clue.
Well, then you went and "flipped out" and called the poor girl at 2:30 in the morning. Why
didn't you make it 4 a.m. and get her really riled up so she never spoke to you again? I see that
you're really practicing "The System"'s premier virtues of Self-Control and Discipline here,
guy.
excuses, excuses...
Hmm, Antonia joined an online dating service to prove she wasn't ready for dating and you
bought her excuse. Now just listen to that impeccable line of logic she served up: The reason
she joined an online dating service was to prove she's not ready for dating. Huh? Did I miss
something here? The statement makes no sense whatsoever and contradicts itself. And you
were so gullible, Marty, so desperate for love, that you bought it.
But, she goes on to explain the experience was so nauseating it made her want to barf. Okay,
so there are jerks on the Internet, and there are psycho women on the Internet, too. This is
what I call a "camouflage" tactic. Antonia's not talking about anything that has to do with you
and her and, yet, she's trying to make it appear that way.
Of course, she was speaking with true conviction -- there are creeps on the Internet. But
you're trying to infer somehow that her bad experience makes your situation better. The bad
news is that her meeting a sleazoid on the Web doesn't raise her Interest Level in you. It's too
late for that.
Nevertheless, you insist there's hope for the two of you to get back together. Sure, there is.
And Saddam's going to reclaim the presidency of Iraq, too. You're the kind of guy who
probably goes out to his backyard and tries to shoot the moon with a BB gun. I got news for
you -- your odds of pulling that off would be better than getting Antonia back.
But you went ahead and told her you wanted to marry her. Great! You want to marry a girl
who wants space and time. Makes perfectly good sense to me!
Hey Doc,
I always read your articles and plan to buy "The System." Right now, however, I have a
unique problem and can't find a similar situation among my friends or in your literature. I
went through a very hard time in my marriage, and stuck it out for 10 years before realizing it
was going to kill me if I stayed.
I am a doctor, and have never considered having an affair. At the end of my marriage, I
became good friends with a nurse, Mona, who was also getting a divorce. We were supportive
of each other, and agreed to keep it on a platonic level.
But when I made the decision to proceed with my divorce, she confessed she loved me, and I
also had to admit I had very strong feelings toward her, and we looked forward to the day
when we could have a romantic relationship.
But you went ahead and engaged in "couple-type" behavior anyway. Like 90% of the men out
there, you had to go rushing in like a bull in a china shop. The problem is that you, like
everybody else, think only in the short term. Nobody thinks long term. And that's what "The
System" is all about.
Mona stopped returning your calls? Drew, I'm positively shocked! Women never do that!
They're not known for inconsistent behavior! We got one for the Guinness Book of Records
here! Are you sure this really happened? She was vague and distant and wanted her space?
Boy, you got all the luck. You just got rid of one hellcat, and the second one's beating up on
you before you're even out of the cage. One drove you nuts, and you already have another one
trying to do the same thing. Any normal human being would throw in the towel.
another man. When you were talking to her on the phone, were you on your knees or were
you just lying on your stomach?
three's a crowd
After five days, I called and ask her for another date -- during the week, of course. She
accepted, but showed up with a girlfriend. After 10 minutes, a boyfriend joined the "date."
After another 10 minutes, I excused myself and left. The strange thing was that while I was
there, Allegra gave me a lot of signals, including mentioning to her girlfriend that she's single
and wants to change that.
Two days later, I got a phone message from Allegra in which she said she felt sorry the date
didn't go as planned. After three days, I called her and asked for another date, not mentioning
what happened. She refused the suggested date, but quickly counter-offered with a date for a
stage play.
Halfway through the date, I leaned over and kissed her. She kissed me back. I gauged her
Interest Level to be over 80%, just how "The System" taught me to. So, I feel that I righted
the ship after that disastrous second date.
This girl really has potential, but I'm just not able to cope with the weekend-only dating rule.
Perhaps meeting her parents would help? Any advice, Doc?
Ira - who feels hampered by the techniques that helped him
Like Dr. Freud once said: "When it comes to Beauty, oh, how men love to be tortured!"
To you Psych majors, when she acts like this, it's a major red flag -- not a tiny red flag. This
girl is inconsiderate. She has no manners. She has no breeding. But like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love says: "Other than that, she's great!"
she's no giver
How can you say Allegra has even an ounce of Integrity? She broke the rules of the dating
contract! When a girl accepts a date with a guy, unless she clears it with him first, she doesn't
bring anybody else along. It's a hard and fast rule. Flexible? Hell, no. She's as structured as a
brick wall. Giving? I don't think so. She's so selfish, she brings all her buddies on your dates.
She's a real Giver, all right. Maybe by "giving," you mean she's giving you a hard time.
Oh, but then there's her incredible consideration in not lighting up once when you were with
her. But she didn't give smoking up, did she? Sure she's got potential -- she's got the potential
for developing lung cancer when she's 59 from smoking two packs a day for 40 years. What
does this girl have to do, Ira, burn your house down before you get the drift?
the date. She was always energetic and bright and would constantly be touching and kissing
me by the end of the date. Nine dates later, I gave her a rose in a gold box.
red flags?
At seven months into this relationship, I'm continuing to keep my hands to myself and let
Salma chase me. She pays for the occasional date. I have tried to steer clear of heavy subjects
as much as I could during this time. I'm now trying to dissect what Salma's Attitude is made
of. Here are some of the things I've noticed:
1. Salma likes to talk about guys hitting on her and trying to pick her up. I've remained cool
when she does this and have switched the subject on occasion but have stopped short of
asking her not to talk about it.
2. There is no intimacy between us. Being of a Catholic and conservative background, she
wishes to wait until she is married.
3. She is of a different culture, which sometimes makes for a very different way of seeing
things.
4. When challenged, she becomes stubborn and inflexible.
5. She lives with her parents, and there is an unwritten rule as to what time she must be home
at night and what activities she can and cannot do.
6. She broke a date two weeks ago because she had to help her sister-in-law set up for a
birthday party the next day.
7. When I schedule dates up to five days beforehand, she will call before we see each other to
say hi.
Doc, do you detect any red flags in her behavior that I should be truly concerned about? I'm
stuck on Salma, but I don't want to overlook anything that's truly dangerous.
Samuel -- who doesn't want to wake up when it's too late.
infamous iceberg. To you Psych majors, he always reads the signs too late. But through
memorization of the principles of "The System", this can be prevented.
Why you should tell her stories of a late-night romp with three lingerie models...
It's good that Salma is gainfully employed. It means you have a self-reliant woman on your
hands, Samuel, and not one of the worst species of female on earth -- the Gold Digger. And
she's supposed to be energetic and bright and constantly touching you when you're together,
so that's okay, too. If she springs for the occasional date, it means she's a Giver. She's not
supposed to take care of half of the dates, but an occasional date is a very good sign. So far
you're doing great, kid.
no sex is ok
The problem of intimacy has a really simple solution, buddy. As long as both you and Salma
are okay without it for the time being, that's all that matters. The rule is that the later you have
sex, the better.
You're not giving me enough specifics regarding where your girlfriend's exotic culture is a
problem. But she's ultra-conservative, and that's good. With all the wild ones running around,
you're better off with a girl who's not partying as hard as Tara Reid.
It's good that Salma's folks restrict her activities and keep an eye on her. If you need
uninhibited adventure, dude, go out with a topless dancer.
her into an attitude? Again, I need more information, and you need to examine what you're
doing.
She broke the date? Then let her reschedule...
actually written off the second she said, "Sure, I'll meet you at the brewery!"
There's absolutely no evidence whatsoever that Pamela ever once said to herself, "You know
what, I can't wait to meet this guy!" Instead of telling her what you wanted in a woman, you'd
have been better off taking a picture down and talking to the wall.
Excuses, excuses, excuses...
learn womanese
It's true that a woman of class would have kept her commitment to meet you, but you're
wrong about the second part. A woman is the unlikeliest creature in the world to come right
out and tell you the truth: that she has no interest at all in going out with you. Even if Pamela
had a big mess on her hands with this move, if she had one iota of real interest in you, she
would have been thinking to herself, "Boy, I can't wait until Thursday night to get together
with Anderson!"
Then she wrote you that heartfelt e-mail apologizing for her misdeeds. But sadly, that's where
the Womanese comes in. When she protested that she "never stood up a human being" in her
entire life, what she really meant was "this week!"
Here's what Pamela was supposed to have said to end this debacle: "Anderson, I'll tell you
what. Here's my address. Here's my cell, business and home phone numbers. I want you to
come over to my apartment a week from Wednesday. You tell me what kind of dinner you
like most and I'll cook it for you because I want to prove to you that I'm not the kind of girl
who breaks dates." But she didn't.
man as stooge
In this culture, we become stooges for the woman, Doc. We carry her bag and open doors for
her. We offer to escort her home and, as always, we pay for the transportation. We mingle
with her friends and often eat lunch with them. (Yup, it's like a group date. I know that "The
System" tells us to isolate the girl from her group so that we can go one on one, but it's
different here.)
Then there are the mushy and romantic text messages that we have to send her to make her
feel we love her. We guys meet her parents early in this mating dance. Any dates we schedule
have to go through them first, and it's their decision whether we can even take the girl out or
not. This process may take two months and can stretch up to five months. Tradition is nothing
but a waste of time! And during all this time, we can't be seen courting other ladies since that
would mean infidelity. And Doc, news spreads faster here than a brushfire.
dates are one of the best shots we guys can take. We can't even kiss them after a date. A kiss
is totally sacred and we guys are considered disrespectful if we try to go for that smooch.
Doc, how can I short-circuit this morass tradition? I know I can't break it altogether, but I
have to find a way to apply your techniques. I've been wracking my brain for days searching
for applications of "The System" in my situation. Love Soldier reporting for duty, Doc!
Carlos - who feels at a complete disadvantage
work it
Of course tradition is anti-Challenge. But what you're going to do is deploy Challenge in the
areas that are open to you. You won't be able to work it quite as much, but you'll work it
nevertheless, as much as you're able to. And since it's such a powerful, basic element in the
relations between men and women, giving her a portion of Challenge still separates you from
everyone else around you, because they won't be using any Challenge at all.
When you talk about being stooges for women, are you referring to the guys in the Philippines
or the United States? Like my cousin Sal "The Fish" Love says, "We got the same sickness
over here, baby." But it's all right to carry bags and open doors for her. The important thing is
whether or not she says "Thank you." Does she gaze into your eyes? Do they get real big
when she sees you? Is she happy to be near you when you do these little things for her?
Because if she doesn't, this is the last time you're carrying her bags or opening the door or
doing anything else for her. If she shows no gratitude or interest, this girl's a goner and you're
quickly moving on to a new adventure. What you're doing is testing her by the standards of
"The System" in your own culture. In this case, you're measuring her level of appreciation for
you.
You're concerned about being seen with other women? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says,
"You're not sneaky enough, man, that's your problem." You've got to be a little bit of an
operator so you don't end up wasting your time with only one who might turn out to be a dud.
If I gave you a million bucks to meet a honey on the other side of town, could you do it?
On the other hand, maybe you live in a small town, in which case your caution is
understandable. All the more reason for going through these girls faster than water through a
garden hose. If you tell her you want to meet her parents and she says you can't, it's "Nice
talking to you - NEXT!"
Buddy, you're NEVER going to ask her if she wants to be your girl. She's going to have to
bring it up to YOU. You'll only ask her that question after she suggests it. Begging is counter
to Challenge.
You're not going to ask her out by phone. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, "We wouldn't
want her getting a bad reputation, would we?" Like I said, ask instead if you can meet mom
and dad. And don't go for the smooch. That will come later, once she's hooked.
traditional tidbits
Guys, when you're hamstrung by strict tradition, you're going to have to be extra shrewd.
Wherever there's any wiggle room at all, use Challenge. But Carlos, you should have figured
this out early on. You haven't got "The System" memorized. Go back and read it 10 times.
Remember, guys: Like I've said so many times before, "The System" cuts across all cultural
boundaries.
chased by cougars
In fact, I've had women approach me very aggressively at parties and try to take me into a
back room. When I didn't give them what they were after, they wanted nothing to do with me.
I'm not a one-night stand type of guy.
To make matters worse, older women are always trying to pick me up and I always seem to
have trouble with girls my own age. Another friend -- a woman -- told me that girls my age
find me "intimidating." Rarely a day goes by when one of these "desperate housewives"
doesn't hint at going out with me or even makes an overt sexual comment. Perhaps you could
help me with that one?
e-mail error
Well, it's good you didn't ask Shannon out right off the bat. You were able to figure out that
you were going to see her all the time at the gym, so you didn't lose your Self-Control, move
in like a battering ram and try to close. But then your clear thinking crashed.
Alex, why in the world didn't you go for Shannon's home phone number when you finally
made your move? Why did you ask for the e-mail address? In my book, I only tell you 68
times to ask for the home phone number, and you go and ask for the e-mail. This is so basic,
man. It's like walking up to a house, expecting to get in, but not pushing the doorbell! What
were you thinking? Were you thinking at all?
So what should Alex have done?
The younger girls aren't doing anything wrong. They're doing everything right by rejecting
you. Get into that library every Sunday for four hours with your yellow marker and start
highlighting and memorizing. The reason you're having problems with females, dude -- and I
don't care if they're 18 or 58 -- is because you haven't got my book down cold.
Remember, guys: Even if you're as gorgeous as the Gods can make you, you'll still talk
yourself out of the deal if you don't understand.
bad kisser
Nevertheless, it's a great sign that Diana agreed to go out with you a second time. With
everyone else, you only got to the first date, and then you were history. But with Diana, you
got a little further. Perhaps -- assuming she's not a Professional Dater -- you did some things
right on that first date that got you to the second. If I were invisible and could have been
beside you, I would have seen what you did right, or else figured out that Diana was a
Professional Dater. And that's where the importance of memorizing my material comes in -it's like having me with you all the time. And you don't say in your letter whether you have
the Dating Dictionary or not.
You succeeded only in frightening Diana too, like you did the others, so I have to ask you this
question: When you go to kiss a girl, do you go for her neck with your fangs out? Do you
have long, stringy hair like Howard Stern after a shower?
Guy, since I can't see your face, what I would do if I were you is find a close friend or relative
and find out what's wrong with your mug, because first of all, we have to get past the issue of
physical attractiveness. And if there's a problem, then you should undergo some cosmetic
surgery or take other steps to rectify it. Maybe you look like a male witch or something like
that. (Of course, even weird looks haven't hurt guys like Howard Stern when it comes to
women. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, "You ever see some of Marilyn Manson's
girlfriends before he went and got married? Hubba-hubba!")
Thinking that all females are going to reject you is a half-truth. Sure, the majority is going to
reject you, but the majority of women reject most guys. But that doesn't mean you can't try.
The feedback from women is negative for most guys. But the muddy water will clear as soon
as you have the right education, which means you follow my strategies.
tired of hiding
This is really beginning to wear me down. I have tried to explain to her how much it hurts to
know she is with him and that they do things together. She seems sympathetic to my agony
and asks me not to give up on her, that she wants to be my wife and for us to have a life
together. Having to sneak a kiss or a hug, ducking and dodging, and having to meet
somewhere secret to be together is all new to me. I'm beginning to feel like I get the seconds
only when her husband doesn't have time for her.
Doc, have I been taken for a ride? Or should I give her the extra time she says she needs?
What the heck's going on?
Freddie -- who held up his end of the deal
fraud just by looking at him, and you can tell just from the way a guy walks that he's a dope
dealer. But when it comes to the opposite sex, you don't have a clue. When Meg rubs up
against you, you're as dumb as a wall and as helpless as a baby. Like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love says, "Man, this honey must have some set of wheels on her!"
I'm sure you were dreaming and planning for the future, dude. But you didn't realize that Meg
had her own secret agenda that you didn't know squat about. What you should have said to
her was: "Call me when you're ready!" -- i.e. when you get the divorce papers finalized.
Which is not to say that I approve of this whole mess, but I'm here to help guys in spite of
their bad choices.
If you have to do everything for Meg, why don't you just go out and get her a seeing-eye dog?
Let me get this straight: You spend all your money buying the store for a woman who's not
yours and who still sleeps with her husband? Is that what you're telling me here? Do you have
rocks in your head, Freddie?
Why should she leave him if she's got the both of you to boss around?
Have you been taken for a ride? Well, Freddie, let me put it to you this way: You'd be a
darned good choice for this year's Amtrak poster child. By all means, give her the extra time
she needs. Tell her to take a 100 or even 150 years. Like I always tell you guys, you don't
want to pressure the girl!
Wanna know what's going on here, guy? Meg's playing you for a monkey. And pal, you never
held up your end of your deal because you cheated on your wife and didn't give her another
chance.
Remember, guys: Until they're divorced, they're off limits.
But in Sofia's defense, you're turning her off. You see her ex's sister and you're dumbstruck.
Your behavior couldn't have gone over well in Sofia's eyes. Heck, when you run into your
actual ex someday, you'll probably pass out. So if you turn a woman off, how can she have
high Interest Level in you?
What I would do if I were you is go find an apartment and continue to date Sofia. In other
words, you have to start all over again. When you move out, she'll make space for your stuff
the next time, I guarantee it. But you have to get out from under her nose and boost her
Interest Level. Because right now it's not anywhere near the 90s.
Remember, guys: The key to women is patience.
no alone time
Doc, I haven't been able to get this girl out on a date alone yet, and so I can't "interview" her.
I'm pretty sure she has over 51% Interest Level in me, but it's difficult to gauge her actions
and ask questions when her mom and dad are hovering around or when her friends are
present.
Should I stick with Bridget and hope she eventually gets "permission" to really go out? Or do
you think she just wants to be friends?
Henri - who's never had to face anything like this before
flash Bridget's folks a great big smile. Because like my cousin the Reverend Love says, "You
gotta get the parents out of the way if you're going to get to Angel!"
give it time
Buddy, when you say you haven't taken Bridget out alone yet, you act like you've been
chasing her for a year and a half. You're just getting warmed up here, man! You'll interview
her down the road. The point is, she's giving you time. She's asking you out. She's making
counter-offers. Hello, Mister Interest Level!
So you'll take care of getting to know Bridget in depth when her mom and dad finally say,
"Okay, you can go out alone with Henri now." It doesn't matter how long this process takes.
And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, "You're going to be seeing girls on the side
anyway, right, amigo?"
Of course you should stick with Bridget. And no, she doesn't want to be just friends. This girl
has Interest Level. But your problem is this: Like most guys out there, you want to rush and
pressure. To you Psych majors, you've got to learn to slow it down.
Remember, guys: Until the blockers are blocked, there's no moving forward.
these questions! Once you've committed "The System" to memory, you've got all the answers
you'll ever need when it comes to women. And they're the right answers.
Doc believes you should wait a week to call her and he's stickin' to it...
wooing rules
Let's face it: Not ever having to pay to take a woman out would be the ideal. But the Reality
Factor says that the man opens his wallet. What's more, buddy, it's not begging to treat a
woman; it's showing manners and class. I mean, can you imagine Cary Grant ever sticking her
with the bill? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, "Are you sure they're not calling you tightwad
behind your back?"
That said, it's true that a lot of women are only interested in free meals. They're called Gold
Diggers and Professional Daters. But if my techniques were completely burned into your
brain cells, you'd be able to tell the difference between a girl you could buy dinner for and one
you couldn't.
So let me get this straight. You're actually telling me you say "What's your home phone
number? And by the way, when we go out I don't pay for anything -- but I'm dying to see
you!" Is that really your approach? Smooth, my friend, smooth. No wonder you're so popular!
Can I ask you a question? Just how many tattoos do these girls have on their arms?
heres what to do
What should you do? Say, Shakira -- you know, I was thinking about it, and I cant tell you
who to run around with. But if you want to see your guy pals, its fine with me. Theyre not
my cup of tea, but theyre good guys -- you go ahead and hang out with them. And then keep
your mouth shut and go talk to a shrink!
Shakiras 200% right that you cant tell her who to hang out with. And you were too rough on
her ex; she was on target on that one too. With every single thing youre doing, man, youre
lowering Interest Level. You should be out having a beer with your rivals (without having
Shakira along) and being their pal. Remember what Michael Corleone said in The Godfather:
Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
Sadly, Jermaine, this one issue will end up dissolving your beautiful relationship unless you
get a grip. And its your entire fault. Shakiras a Beautiful Woman, shes 20 years young, and
I dont care if its one guy or 50 guys, theyre always going to be hustling her because of her
looks.
You love her, right? Well, why wouldnt they love her? Heck, I havent even met her and I
love her! But shes got 95% Interest Level in you, and thats the one weapon you have in your
arsenal. Dont make her choose between you and them. Do nothing. Just put on a happy face
and bite your tongue. And dont order these characters to lay off because theyre not going to
do it. Theyre not going to pay any attention to you at all! Youre at the bottom of the totem
pole in this game. Instead, go back to my book and learn to practice self-control, patience and
discipline.
Remember, guys: Unless it raises her Interest Level, she doesnt want to hear it.
MISSING PAGE
missed my chance
Doc, at that moment I knew that I should kiss her, but I didnt because everything happened
so fast. I knew that Id missed an opportunity, and Ive felt frustrated about it ever since.
Jenna and I now have a date to go to a concert she wants to attend. Im afraid the same thing
is going to happen again: The moment to kiss her will come and go and again I wont have
done anything. The problem is that I don't know when I should give her a first kiss. She is
very hard to catch, Doc. I believe that Jenna likes me, but sometimes Im not really sure. Does
that make sense?
What do you think, Doc? I've never tried to kiss a hard-to-catch girl before. The other girls I
went out with were easy to read, but not this one.
I hope you can help me because Im very interested in this girl, and Im sure Im not the only
guy in this similar situation.
Ronde - whos a little mixed-up
Now let me get this straight. You presented Jenna with a gift on your very first date? Jeez, pal,
why didnt you just the buy her the engagement ring while you were shopping? I mean, why
waste time?
on to the kiss
Now, lets get on to whats really bugging you. Ronde, youre wrong thinking that you have
to kiss Jenna the minute you get within three feet of her. In fact, you shouldnt have kissed
her. Youre putting way too heavy a trip on yourself.
Listen up: Youre not going to kiss this girl at all. This girls going to kiss you (assuming you
stop making blunders!).
So dont feel frustrated, guy. Believe it or not, you did the right thing by not going for it. See,
everybody tries to kiss this girl. Youll just be one of a whole flock of turkeys if you force the
issue. But youre going to stand out because youre different from the rest of her fans and
worshippers.
What should you do when her Interest is up? Why, be a Challenge, of course
So now you two are going to a concert. Hmm I detect a pattern here. Jenna picks the
concerts, she picks the movies and she picks the times you get together. What do you ever get
to pick? As my cousin General Love once said, Is she going to tell you when you can talk
after you get married? Or as Doctor Freud put it, Sonny, are you trying to do a perfect
impersonation of Wimpus Americanus?
Nevertheless, I still dont want you to do anything when it comes to kissing. Youre doing just
fine as you are. Youll kiss this girl only after she begs you to kiss her.
be a challenge
Jennas not hard to catch, dude. Shes coming right at you, in case you havent noticed. She
cleans up your messes and youre going out on a second date. So just keep smiling and
showing her your teeth and your shiny shoes. And dont forget to show her a little Challenge
while youre at it. You dont want to be a doormat even before you say, I do.
My friend, youre not really sure Jenna digs you only because shes so gorgeous and you
dont have any experience with a real woman. So of course it makes sense that youre
confused about whether or not she likes you -- especially considering the source!
But seriously, its great that shes not so easy to read. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, It means she hasnt been out with the rugby team.
Make no mistake, though -- every guy at school loves this girl. Even the tenth-graders love
her. Like the old cowboy saying goes, They say shes old, but shes a knockout!
Always remember that guys do the picking, but women do the choosing.
Remember, guys: You have to conserve yourself and not rush in; otherwise youre going to
lose her to another guy.
Hey Doc,
Ive read your columns for some time now and would like to thank you for your astute advice
on handling women. Even though I try to practice "The System," I acknowledge that I still
need improvement. The following scenario is a good example of this.
While on a flight a few weeks back, I sat next to an attractive girl named Brianna. Before we
parted ways, I asked for her phone number and waited seven days to call her. I called her on a
Monday and told her that I wanted to take her out for drinks that Thursday and she agreed.
On Wednesday, she committed the cardinal sin of dating: She broke the date using the excuse
that her friend was in town. She then counter-offered, but weakly, by asking if I wanted to
go out with her and her friends. I didnt take the bait, but I still blundered by asking her to
take time away from her friends on Sunday so I could take her out for lunch. She said that she
would call back.
We went out and had a good time. I kept the conversation light, my eyes on hers and made her
laugh. At the end of the evening, I walked her to her place and stopped a few feet from the
entrance like a gentleman. I decided not to kiss her that night, but now realize that I should
have done so to gauge her true Interest Level.
At this point, Im unsure of what to do. Brianna is pretty, with a very upbeat and warm
personality. I am interested in seeing her again, but I dont know if I should pursue her. I think
that her actions raise red flags and green flags at the same time. What do you think, Doc? Do
you think shes giving me mixed signals? If not, how should I pursue this girl?
Brandon - who doesnt know if hes coming or going
have to go for it. You have to push the issue. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, You
want her to turn her head so you dont have to waste your time on her anymore.
The result? They accuse me of being emotionally unavailable. They cry and try to convince
me to say the L word. They accuse of me of being unfair. Finally, they start to give me
advice, such as that with the next girl in my life, I shouldnt come on strong and heavy, only
to take it away from them after a few weeks. Finally, tired of all the drama, I break up with
them. Or they break up with me (angry and hurt, of course -- or so they claim).
am i emotionally available?
Doc, I dont think Im emotionally unavailable. I try to see my girl once a week and show her
through my actions that I care and that Im having a great time with her. So what am I doing
wrong? Or am I under some curse and just meeting emotionally unhealthy women? I dont
know if it matters, but Im a foreigner (I moved to the U.S. three years ago) and each one of
these girls has been the all-American blonde. Theyve been single, which to me should
translate into very little baggage. Theyve been all kinds of women, too, from teachers to
doctors. Their ages range from the 20s to early 30s and Im 32.
I would like to continue dating a girl longer than two to three months, without her becoming
too demanding or smothering me. Is that possible?
Jiri - baffled by American girls
be a good listener
Why are you talking heavy with these girls at all? Debating why you cant plunge into a deep
pool of love with them is way, way too much. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, Just
keep your mouth shut and go out with as many of them as you can! Let them blab their guts
out. You dont have to come back with anything. Just sit there and smile, and when theyre
done yakking, give them a kiss. It always works, I guarantee it.
But youre still not comfortable with all the smothering. You know what my cousin Brother
Love down in Watts says, dont you? Yo, dog, you better get used to it! Youre using
Challenge. THIS IS WHAT CHALLENGE DOES TO WOMEN. This is the whole idea of
being a Challenge. Again, Psych majors, we want these girls blabbering on like this, telling us
how much they love us even though they hardly know us.
Avoid the heavy love conversations, but still give her some
walking contradiction
You might think youre keeping it light and funny, man, but youre not. Youre contradicting
yourself. Entering into protracted debates about love and binding commitments on any serious
level is not light and its not funny.
When these girls accuse you of being emotionally unavailable, what youre really hearing is a
manifestation of low Self-Esteem on their part. To you shrinks out there, excuse me for
stealing your podium for a moment, but a clinically sane and emotionally balanced woman
would just let the whole thing ride. Shed say to herself, This guys a cool customer. Its very
attractive. Im totally impressed. But a woman with low Self-Esteem? Uh-uh. Shell freak
out. She hates Challenge and loves Control -- of you.
little devils
Youre not doing anything wrong. Youre doing everything right. Youre just going out with
psycho beautiful women with a lot of little devils between their ears. Welcome to the
wonderful world of dating. The fact that youre foreign has nothing to do with any of this.
Youre of the male gender -- thats all that counts.
Sure, you would think that the fact that theyre single would mean they have little or no
baggage. Except for one little problem -- you know nothing about their childhoods! Youre
sane and theyre not. And as far as their occupations go, like my cousin General Love puts it,
Just because a woman can sew a guys arm back on his body, it doesnt mean shes good for
the long haul!
talking to the ex
Now just imagine: All kinds of guys are dancing slow with Cassia, rubbing their bodies up
against her, breathing and sweating all over her -- and she wants to keep boogeying with
them! To boot, shes text messaging with her ex. In other words, shes out partying with the
football team, plus shes giving false hope to her last boyfriend! Like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says, Hey, this girl really loves you, I can tell.
Shel, when Cassia said her ex was just a friend, notice she didnt say male friend. She
happened to conveniently leave that word out. In other words, she told you three lies, and then
she tried to sell you on the fairytale that it was all on purpose just to make you angry. But why
did she want to make you angry? You should have asked her that question. But we already
know why she wanted to tick you off: because it would be easier for her to leave. In this case,
it looks like she never loved you in the first place.
When Cassia said she wasnt marriage material, do you know what that meant? Like I say in
the Dating Dictionary: 25% of all women who get married do it with an Interest Level of only
40% to 49%. And now you two are blaming each other for the fix youre in. Isnt it funny
when you go to court how you hear two sides of the same story and one side sounds nothing
like the other? This is the same thing. What a mess, dude. I hope youre reading "The
System" every night.
Hey Doc,
I enjoy your love radio show and columns and have to tell you that "The System" was the best
purchase I ever made in my life. The book really tells the truth, which I realize more and more
every day.
Now to my problem: Ive been in a relationship with Aimee for two years. Im 30 years old,
shes 36 and weve been living together for 11 months with her 8-year-old daughter from a
previous marriage. Aimee has low self-esteem, but is Flexible and a Giver about 50% of the
time. Otherwise, shes high maintenance (after all, she is a Beautiful Woman) and has no
sense of humor, which is something I miss a lot in a partner. As you can imagine, she nags a
lot and likes to argue.
After getting your book and reading it a couple of times, I began implementing your
principles, especially Challenge, and it started to work. Aimees Interest Level, which was
always (I think) above 50%, began to rise.
dont blame me
My problem is that Aimee always tries to blame someone else -- usually me -- for anything
and everything bad that happens to her. And boy oh boy, she complains and whines like a
little baby. Another problem is that she is so dependent that she thinks that every time I leave
her side (even to go to another room) Im doing something deceitful. For example, recently I
was in the kitchen for 10 minutes preparing snacks and she was lying on the sofa watching
TV. When I returned with a plate full of goodies, she asked what I was doing in there.
Looking at the plate, I said, What do you think I was doing? She actually didnt believe
thats all I was up to.
Doc, I know there are too many red flags, and I would like to end this relationship. Sometimes
it seems to me that the main reason Aimees with me is because I get along great with her
daughter and she wants another child. I cant see myself living with Aimee the rest of my life.
I especially cant see myself having kids with her because whenever shes upset or nervous
about something, innocent people suffer. Did I mention shes also lazy?
a new planet
Know what, Ryan? Your babe lives in whats called Beautiful Girl World. Thats the planet
where she thinks its all about her all the time and the stars revolve around nobody but her. To
you Psych majors, most models and actresses inhabit Beautiful Girl World.
Yes, you did happen to mention that Aimee was lazy. But I had a hunch from the way she had
you playing servant in the kitchen while she sprawled on the couch and watched the tube -which means shes also very crafty and knows how to use what shes got to get what she
wants. I cant believe how good-looking this girl is!
Guy, you should have extricated yourself from this morass the day after you read my book.
You know what that means? That means getting out of town on the double.
Remember, guys: if she lives in Beautiful Girl World, until you have my principles down,
dont waste her time.
Womanese to Yancy? Afterward, she asked me to go to dinner and dancing with her the next
night. It was back-to-back dates (which I know from your book are no-nos), but since it was
an incoming offer, I said yes.
Doc, do you think I should disappear now to build up more Challenge? What do you think
about all this? Am I doing the right thing?
Sonny - who doesnt want to give his plan away
Know what you should have said to this babe when she found my book under your seat? I
trained that guy. I taught Doc Love everything he knows about women. Then he went and
wrote that book. It should have been me. And said it with a straight face. She would have
been totally impressed, and you would have been in the drivers seat.
what now?
Heres the good part. Youve only been in this girls presence twice. Everything looks great,
and by the third date, she knows whether youre going to be around for a while. And so far,
this girls doing everything right. The only red flag is that there are so many nuts walking the
streets. I just hope you two didnt hook up at four in the morning in Compton!
Sonny, youre lucky Yancys Interest Level was in the 90s when she spotted you loitering on
the pavement. But you have to go on six more dates. You have to make it to nine or 10 dates.
So let her contact you by text message. If she doesnt, you know what to do. Give it some
time, then call her and ask her out for date number four.
The only thing you shouldnt have done was accepted the third date.
Youve got to learn to pace yourself. The biggest problem men have in relationships is
rushing in.
Remember, guys: You have to spoon-feed yourself, otherwise shell get bored.
Busted By Caller ID
Hi Doc,
Thanks for all of your books. Ive read and re-read them over and over. Ive tried "The
System" on and off for over a year -- and invariably Im happy when I use it, and unhappy
when I dont!
Phone calls are my biggest source of difficulty; specifically, trying to catch the women at
home. Ive avoided calling their cell phones, but it does seem weird to have their number and
not use it.
My second problem is that I get most of my numbers on Fridays: waiting until the following
week seems too long (10 days if I call on Monday), and calling on Sunday night feels
awkward.
want to prove me wrong? I may not be 100% right, but NO ONE COMES CLOSER THAN I
DO. I bat 98.7%.
How to look like a desperate, psycho guy
Guy, ask yourself one question; Exactly where is Heather when you call her at all different
times of night and day and she doesnt pick up? Now think about this -- she carries her cell
phone around and you have that number. Why arent you calling her cell? You already played
the other hand and it hasnt worked. Youre lucky to have a cell phone as backup, so what are
you waiting for?
phone fumble
Why didnt you call Heather at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. instead of banging on your
redial button right after you called her the first time? Your call times were way too close. If
she sees your number come up on her caller ID shes going to think to herself, Look at this
guy -- he went berserk! What did he do -- have 16 cups of espresso and hit the phone lines?
Or is he that desperate?
Then you go and break a cardinal rule by leaving a message, but you dont leave a number to
help Heather call you back. Youre really slick, man. Like my Uncle Jethro Love would say,
Id never want to go hunting with you or Mister Cheney!
If you know that leaving a message is against my principles, why on earth did you do it? In
other words, pal, you can teach my techniques, but you cant implement them. Does that make
any sense? You can get up on a podium and teach telephone blunders to 200 guys in a
seminar, but you cant avoid making them yourself. Intellectually, you know what to do, but
you cant pull if off yourself. Know why? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, Because
youre whipped!
Exercise your mind before you exercise your game
read it again
Have you already blown it with Heather? Well, as they say at the racetrack, Its a lock!
Marat, Im curious to hear your answers to Heathers questions. Did you get a big laugh out of
her like youre supposed to? When she asked if you have been married you should have said,
Im married right now. At that point you could have watched her jump out of her seat. After
that I hope you said, Tell you what, were going to be one big happy family -- you, me and
my three wives up in Utah!
You werent cool at all if Heather could tell you were interested in her on your date. Go and
watch Steve McQueen in The Getaway (1972) and Bullitt (1968) -- thats what cool really is.
Its not who you like, man -- its who the woman wants. So you got it all backwards. Are you
sure you got the right book?
What does seeing my techniques work on women you havent pursued have to do with
anything? Of course they work! Why dont we talk about the color of your grass? Is it green
or gray?
You have to go to the library on Sundays, get jacked on coffee, turn off the cell phone, and
pull out your magic marker and STUDY. Pretend youre taking the state bar exam next week
and bust your brain for four straight Sundays. You have to have my material MEMORIZED.
You have a long way to go, my friend. Youre doing some things right, but youre giving this
girl way too much credit and she worked you. Dont be so quick to give away the store.
Remember, guys: Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Hi Andy,
So, you couldnt take the fact that your girl was getting together with her ex? Then why did
you go back for more? As my cousin Doctor Freud once wrote, The boy must be a glutton
for punishment. She left her ex for you? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Hey,
this girl sounds like the loyal type!
Doc tells Andy where he went wrong
my cousin Rabbi Love says, When it comes to women, men are STUPID enough to begin
with.
Its sort of Andys fault
Heres the first. While most people have developed normally, it appears that other people, like
me, have not, and lack normal social skills. My problem is purely mental, not physical. I am
not crazy or violent, just deficient in certain areas of brain function.
Doc, this makes it easy for me to commit social faux pas. Sometimes when people address
me, I might not understand exactly what theyre saying. My hearing is perfect, but sometimes
I draw a blank. Also, my lack of solid social skills means that some people might think Im
odd or weird. Ive gotten better by learning and trying harder, but these problems are likely to
last a lifetime.
full deck. In life, everyone has shortcomings of some kind -- even Jessica Simpson and Colin
Farrell. What a surprise! But were going to give it a shot anyway.
First, you should go and see a counselor -- a guy or gal with a sheepskin, and one that
specializes in treating your type of problem. But like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Dont
spend your money for more than three months if something good isnt happening.
conversation conundrum
When you dont understand what people are talking about, heres what you say: Excuse me.
Could you repeat that a little more slowly? Then smile. Write those words down on a 3 x 5
card. Whenever you get lost in a conversation, pull the card out and use it -- its your security
blanket.
Lots of people draw blanks in conversations, Roger, dont forget that. My book is full of witty
and brilliant things to say to women -- make that your first stop. You dont sound that bad off
to me. Its just that you havent been exposed to the correct training or experience. Like my
cousin Sal The Fish Love says, I think youre laying a heavy trip on yourself. Give
yourself a break, paisan.
My friend, there are lots of loser guys out there who say the wrong stuff all the time, so dont
feel like youre alone. Youre being way too hard on yourself. And that can set you back
straight out of the gate, no matter who you are.
When you have a personality crisis, dont stick around for the beating
on to the women
So when youre with women, you smile and show your teeth like they do. When they stop
talking, you stop talking, until youre comfortable with your rap and can guide the
conversation. I hope that when these pretty women flirted with you, you asked, Hey, whats
your home phone number?
Let me ask you something, Rog: If you want to dig a hole, would you rather use a spoon or a
spade? Dude, "The System" is a power shovel. Youd be a fool not to use it. I get letters from
guys all over the world. One of my loyal students in India, whos turning into a love doctor
himself, called me recently. His buddy was about to commit hari-kiri over some babe who
dumped him. And my student talked him out of it by using some of the materials from my
book. Now Im not going to tell you that my principles prevent suicide, but in this case, it sure
helped. If it can hold someone back from smoking the tailpipe, it can sure as heck help you to
be more social!
personality crisis
Why are you so convinced that your pattern of failure will never change? How can you
predict the future? Go see your therapist, Roger. Then well grow you a PERSONALITY. If
you do what I tell you, and if youre patient and dont put yourself down, and you realize that
theres a light at the end of the tunnel, the truth will change you.
If youre convinced that youre a lost cause, theres not much I can do. I may be able to get
any guy in the world a date, but Im not a miracle worker.
Remember, guys: Nobodys perfect.
so far so good
The next day, I got an e-mail thanking me for a great time. I waited four days and called her
for another weeknight date. She accepted. We bowled and then went out to eat. I paid for the
bowling part, but she picked up the tab at the restaurant. But still no touching. I kissed her
more passionately at the end of the night. She said it was nice kissing me and I left. I got
another e-mail the next day.
Now heres the confusing part. We went out again over a week after date number two. We
went ice skating, but still no touching. She suggested drinks afterward. We went, and she
ordered food. I picked up the tab since she didnt offer. She then wanted to go to a
microbrewery. I also picked up the tab there. I kissed her at the end again. No e-mail this
time.
years, so obviously were in different income brackets. I find it rude that on our last date she
wouldnt at least offer to pay (red flag!), considering the bill was around $70. Also, the lack
of touching bothers me.
What should I do, Doc? She does kiss and seem to enjoy it, but then again, Anna Nicole
Smith married an 87-year-old guy. Although she has talked about the future and invited
herself over to help me paint my condo, her other behavior strikes me as odd. Maybe this is
why shes still single at age 33.
Kevin - whos straining to see the forest through the trees
her too soon. Whats the hurry, pal? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Dont go rushing in
and ruining everything. Therell be time enough for that later!
dont be so difficult
I dont know where your mind is, Kevin, but it was rude that you even thought about wanting
this girl to pay. Count her kisses -- forget the arm touches. And next time, take her out on a
cheaper date if money is an issue. But the point is this: As soon as you get out of school,
youll be making a lot of money. Heck, youll make what Lara makes and more. You ought to
be happy that she brings down more jack than you -- but you dont get any of it until you raise
her Interest Level over a long period of time. Just wait a little longer to call her next time.
Its true that Anna Nicole Smith married a geezer, but I bet youre not even as good-looking
as he was. Lara offered to paint your condo for you, she kisses you goodnight and you want
her to buy meals on top of it all?
Her behavior isnt odd at all. Its your misinterpretation of my principles thats the real
problem here. Maybe Laras still single at 33 because the only guys who ask her out are guys
like you.
Remember, guys: If she does 90 things right, dont get rid of her because she does one thing
wrong.
a cold war
Lisa has three jobs and three kids and her sports hobbies take up the rest of her time. If it
werent for her inviting me out, I would assume that shes lost interest. Jokingly, I asked her
what she expected of me at the party she recently invited me to, and she said without
hesitation, Just dont flirt with my friends!
So its a bit of a cold war, Doc. I try to play it cool by not talking about the future or my
feelings. I try to keep the conversation light and tease her often. Lisa is a very attractive
woman and I feel that her Interest Level is lower than mine, and I think I should do something
radical or quit. Maybe Lisa is just a user -- but then shes very sweet and Giving when we
meet, shes always on time and she never plays games.
It is difficult to find times to meet since I have two kids from my previous marriage as well.
Maybe five kids between us is the problem. What Im most worried about with Lisa is that
there is too little touching and she never speaks about the future. She does, however, kiss me
on the mouth when we meet and she sometimes takes my hand to caress it.
What do you think, Doc? Should I try another tactic?
Ellis - who cant get out from under her thumb
chatterbox
But lets get on to your problem. If Lisa waits for you to touch her and youre bent out of
shape about it, the solution is simple: dont touch her. Youre the one who caves in first, Ellis.
If theres no physical contact between you and Lisa, fine -- theres no contact. Live with it.
But youre not going to touch her. Let her give in first. The reality is that Lisa is the only one
using "The System," and you are not!
Whats the problem with letting Lisa choose what she wants to gab about? Let her go where
she wants with the conversation and let her talk until the cows come home. As Doctor Freud
once said, Women reach a state of euphoria when theyre blabbing about nothing.
overloaded schedule, right? Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Shes helping you out, dodo!
But apparently thats not good enough for you. You had to go and ask Lisa what she expected
of you. In other words, you were begging -- begging to know where you stood in the
relationship. Theres a chapter called Begging in the Dating Dictionary. You should go
back over that one dude, and stop yourself from wrecking it with Lisa before it even gets off
the ground.
Then, she asked me for a job at my company. I told her I had concerns about that because I
had feelings for her. She responded that she didnt have feelings for me, but wanted to be
friends. I told her it would be too painful. This was all via e-mail and instant message.
Now, guy, you know Im against group dates, but you had to go along with Jami when she
asked you out with her friends because shes just out of diapers and needs chaperones. I know
this sounds silly, but these 18 to 22 year olds have to run you past their girlfriends for
approval first. Like the old Chinese proverb goes, Thats ding-dong rule number one!
Youre a nice guy and she was bragging about you. You worked this girl nicely, man.
And by the way, you better only get together with this girl at night because I dont want her
seeing your sagging jowls, and all those deep lines and saddlebags under your eyes!
Its perfect that you insisted on treating for dinner when you stepped out with Jamis parents.
Thats exactly what Cary Grant would have done, too. And, hey -- youre meeting the folks!
So youre being too hard on yourself, Frederic. You did lots of things right -- up to this point.
But now heres the downside.
You and Jami didnt stop communicating, buddy -- she dropped you like a bad habit. When
she contacts you from now on, tell her youve got a heavy love problem. Youre dating twin
Playmates -- Miss January and Miss July of 2007 -- and theyre fighting like cats over you.
And you really like Miss January because she has a great sense of humor, but theres
something about Miss July you love too. The problem is that her legs are too long. Whats a
poor guy to do? Ask her for a suggestion.
doctor ex
The night of our date I called her to confirm. Hours went by and she didnt call back. I called
again and told her that I didnt want to play games and she finally sent me a text message that
said, Im at the hospital with my dad. I wrote back to ask, And you couldnt have called to
let me know that? She said, Not to be mean, but that was the last thing on my mind. She let
me know she was angry with me. I told her I wasnt trying to be ignorant, but when you make
plans with someone, its disrespectful to not inform the other about an emergency, and I wont
take disrespect from anyone.
cheating heart
Doc, I know that Im cheating, but Gina is a 9.5. She gets hit on constantly; shes used to
getting what she wants and I didnt want to play that game. Do you think shes lying about
seeing her ex?
Finally, do you think I did the right thing with Gina or did I make too many mistakes? Is there
anything I can do from this point on or should I just let her go?
North - who doesnt know what hes doing
grade a lady
Your second mistake was actually going out with Gina. First youre ogling her, next youre
dating her. Didnt it matter that you already had a girlfriend? Apparently not. And apparently
it didnt bother Gina at all. Hey, I have to hand it to you, North -- shes a classy broad. Like
my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, I see shes got high standards straight out of
the chute! And by the way, you should have found out why she got rid of her boyfriend.
This red-hot bartender may have given you thousands of compliments, but your girlfriends
got 18 months in with you. Gina doesnt even have 18 hours in with you.
running interference
Now why the heck are you talking to a friend at your job about this total knockout? Dont you
know what a BLOCKER is, dude? You better go back to my book and look under B. Know
what? Your friend was just trying to make a fool out of you. He was pushing you into an
argument with Gina over nothing -- and he succeeded in doing exactly that.
Of course you care if Ginas seeing someone else -- you brought it up, didnt you? If you
didnt care you wouldnt have made an issue of it in the first place. Who the heck are you
kidding? Its like when a woman says I dont care if a guy has money or not. Then why did
she mention it? Duh!
hospital boor
You want Gina to be honest with you? She doesnt care if she steals a guy with a long-term
steady girlfriend and youre worried about honesty? Thats like trying to turn a tiger into a
housecat or asking Hugh Hefner to stay away from 19-year-old women. Youre a funny guy,
North.
Now, when this hospital situation came up and you were stood up, you had to take it for what
it was. Gina wasnt exactly held up by 30 other people in line at the post office while she was
trying to buy stamps for her business correspondence. The point is this: She told you that her
dear old dad was in the hospital. Her story is either true or its false, but were going to give
her the benefit of the doubt. So lets say its true; if her father was in the hospital having an
emergency appendectomy, she didnt have to call you. You were completely off base on this - Gina should be angry with you for being an insensitive boor.
Who is North to talk about disrespect?
Ah, but you wont take disrespect. Does there have to be a riot in the city before youll let
someone off the hook? What does it take to convince you theres a genuine problem? A
tornado? An earthquake? Get real North. And dude, LOVE IS A GAME. Get that straight
right now.
fool around. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Hey man -- you forget where this girl
works?
But we should be crying in our beer over poor Shannon -- not you and Gina. Because the poor
girls Interest Level is high, and youre going to dump her. Or youre going to get caught
fooling around.
You better tell your girlfriend Shannon to move on, guy. Do her a favor. To you Psych
majors, unless youre going to be loyal to a girl, dont go steady with her.
be easy on her
Youre going to let Gina go? North, its not your dear old daddy whos in the hospital! You
got no say in the matter. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, When she looks like Scarlett
Johansson, you dont stand a chance!
So heres what youre going to do: Youre going to buy a card and write, I hope your dad
feels better on the right-hand side. And on the left-hand side youre going to add, I was
completely out of line when I got on your case for not calling me. And I hope your dad feels
better. When you feel up to it, give me a call and well get together. And youre going to
send it to Gina.
But youve got to get rid of your girl Shannon before you escalate this thing with your 9.5
bartender. And you have to do a little studying. Lets face it buddy, youre making blunders
all over the place: Youre calling to verify dates and youre blabbing to blockers. I dont think
so, guy. Youve got a long way to go to hold onto either of these women.
Remember, guys: when you have a good one, dont mess around.
You completely missed my point if you think that I want a woman to know a guys not
interested. What turns them on is when they know you had a good time on the date. The truth
is that the woman knows on a gut level what your Interest Level is. So what youre doing by
hanging back and not draping yourself all over a girl is being playful instead of a game-player.
Then you have her thinking to herself, Look at the Self Control this guy has! Every other guy
in the world would have phoned me four and a half hours after our first date, said what a great
time we had and by the way can we get together next Saturday night? And you know what
that does, man? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, It absolutely blows up Challenge.
And you missed another important point, pal. Women are supposed to chase you to win you
over. Because when they have to fight to get you, it lasts longer and they respect you more.
player or not?
Buddy, if you use Challenge on a woman who has all her marbles, she isnt worried that
youre a player -- she wonders if youre a player. Theres a big difference. And shes also
wondering if she can catch you and if she can get you to want to give up all the other girls,
which is an attractive notion. So thats one thing you hit right on the head, Roman: You want
her to think that every other girl in town wants you. Because when her Interest Level is way
up in the 90s, she thinks youre the best-looking guy out of 3 billion men. Ask any woman if
you dont believe me.
See how Doc Love responds to Romans enlightening comments
Your theories about stress are really amusing, guy. Youre piling one lie on top of another.
Showering a babe with attention and concern is only going to lower her Interest Level. It has
nothing to do with stress. When you use Challenge on the girl with low Self-Esteem and on
the girl that has been hurt a lot she is going to react by bitching and moaning and her Interest
Level is going to waver. Then youre going to blame my techniques for screwing you up. But
as I tell you in "The System," you have to give me something to work with. Like the great
Doctor Freud once said, Dont bring me these loonies!
Your theory on what stress breeds makes for a great sentence, but it has nothing to do with
this article. Sure, I want her to forget this guy! I hope she gets rid of you! Thats how my
principles protect you. If a woman cant take a little teasing and have patience with my
playful game plan in the beginning, then I dont want to keep her anyway. I want someone
whos got a sense of humor and whos playful.
mr. unknown
All of a sudden she jumped up from her seat and started talking to this guy who was walking
by. I mean, she actually went up to him and struck up a conversation. They stood there talking
for quite some time and she completely ignored me. Do you know this guy? I asked my
buddy. He didnt. Did I say something wrong? He told me I had actually said a few things
to her that were out of character coming from me (hey, I was just trying to be funny), but
nothing that might have put her off.
My friend always has great luck with the ladies and just KNOWS how to talk to them, so I
took his word for it.
30 minutes into Audreys conversation with Mr. Unknown, I decided that it was time for a
strategic withdrawal because she just seemed very deeply absorbed in their little chat and
never even once looked at me again. On the way out, I walked past her and said the usual,
"Nice talking to you and see you around." I was going to ask for her phone number, but
decided not to when she gave me a distinctly indifferent look.
getting snubbed
So Doc, what happened? My friend said he could get me Audreys phone
number if I wanted it and maybe put in a good word for me, but I figure its best
to let it go. Maybe that guy was just an old friend, but then why did she ignore me?
Guy - whos still scratching his head
planet, a genius -- and hes getting nagged. He cant do anything right as far as his wife is
concerned. Youd think shed be happy to be where she is, but no cigar. Like my cousin
General Love says, Soldier, its brutal out there.
Doc Love explains what to say when a girl asks if youre seeing anyone
When Audrey asked you if you were seeing someone, Id like to know what you answered.
What you should have said was, Im seeing three girls right now. It gets a little tricky, as you
might imagine. Then you should have smiled like Jack Nicholson. But, Guy, I have a feeling
that you didnt. I have the feeling that you tamely said, No one at all; Im available,
especially for you. You were about as much of a Challenge as the French were during World
War II.
30 minute wasteland
I dont doubt for a second that you and Audrey had a lot in common. But did you ever think
that she might have had a lot in common with this new guy in the bar too? Maybe shes got a
lot in common with all kinds of guys, because the only commonality shes looking for is the
fact that youre all males. And you had something in common with Mr. Unknown, too: You
got 30 minutes, and he got 30 minutes.
To top it off, when she set eyes on Mr. Unknown, Audrey completely ignored you. Sounds
like a real classy lady you were rapping with!
im funny, i promise
When you say you were trying to be funny, buddy, I need you to give me some specifics. You
guys have a tendency to give me fuzzy generalities that really dont tell me much of anything.
Remember, you have to report exactly what happened in order for me to hone in on what your
problem is -- aside from the fact that youre trying to win over someone who looks like a
double for Shakira. But Ill take your word that you were just kidding with Audrey.
When she got so deeply absorbed in a conversation with the new fellow, you should have
strolled around the bar and talked to as many women as you could have. You needed to
pretend like Audrey didnt exist, but instead you stood there waiting for this bimbo to notice
you again. You might have picked up some numbers while you toured the bar. Remember to
do that the next time you realize youre getting deep-sixed by some chick at a club.
When Guy left the bar, he should have done it the right way
my Uncle Jethro Love says, You aint really that desperate, are you, boy?
But dude, if you were going to say bye to her anyway, you should have asked for Audreys
phone number, regardless. In fact, you should have asked for it right in front of that other guy.
I dont care if shes standing there with her parents, you have to go after that phone number.
Dont waste your time being polite and considerate. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says,
Just think about how polite and considerate she was to you.
Do you want to know what happened with this babe? You didnt have 10 dates in with her.
Until that happens, nothing means anything to her. You have absolutely no beachhead unless
you have at least those 10 dates in with a girl. Buddy, a girl can tell you that youre the
greatest thing since Enrique Iglesias and say anything else to you during the course of a half
hour conversation, and it doesnt mean horse manure to a tree.
Hey Doc,
Two years ago, I met Taylor online. We instantly clicked. Seven months later, we decided to
move in together. I was considering marrying her too. Well, a few months ago things changed
-- Taylor broke up with me. I wrote her a letter explaining how I felt that she had not given
our relationship a fair chance. She called me and said, Youre right. I think we need to spend
more time together and see where things go.
Well, I kept asking her to see me, and every time she made excuses about why she couldnt. I
sent her an e-mail and told her I was sick of it. She apologized and promised she would make
things better. In the meantime, I met Dana, an absolutely wonderful woman. She called me all
the time, said she wanted to see me, and came right out and said she liked me. One day she
asked So when are you going to ask me to be your girl? Anyway, Dana has been hanging in
there ever since. Shes a Giver, very sweet and she makes me feel special.
It doesnt matter that you wanted to marry Taylor, pal. The only thing that counts is if she
ever considered marrying YOU. Remember: The most important tenet of "The System" is that
its her Interest Level that matters -- not yours.
The Reality Factor says that this is the biggest problem in a man's relationships with the
opposite sex.
And it also means that a girl will move in with you when her Interest Level is below 50%.
Like I always tell you guys, 40% to 49% can look like high Interest Level, but it really isnt.
To you Psych majors, the only Interest Level thats high is yours. Yours is in the 90s. Its out
of control. Hers should be in the 90s before you get involved with her. Thats the whole point
of my techniques.
one-woman man
Now let me tell all you guys something. Im against any kind of fooling around when youre
going with somebody. But if you do happen to cheat, do you actually believe its going to
increase your girlfriends Interest Level? And its not just guys who tempt fate -- women can
be prone to the same thing. Then you blurt out: Dont take this personally, honey, but I got
together with my ex behind your back. Please forgive me and love me more! If you have to
tell somebody about what you did, tell everyone else in the world, all six billion of them, but
just dont tell Jill, for Petes sake.
So your little indiscretion caused problems for you, Josh? Well, theres the understatement of
the year! Feeling guilty shows you have a conscience and that youre not completely numb.
At least when you told Jill what you did you left out the gory details. Im glad you did
something right.
Guys, all guys, Interest Level is ALWAYS off the charts in the beginning. The problem is that
it ends up on the floor when you deviate from my principles.
When Jill was in love with you she begged you to move in and have her kids. That, dude, was
100% Interest Level. This babe was crawling all over you. But you tossed "The System." You
walked away from the techniques that got this girl.
A really, really good question is where your blunder will drive Jills Interest Level. Half the
time when a guy screws up like this, it will go straight into the 30s or 40s. But lets say you
lucked out and it hadn't dropped to 49%; lets say it stopped plummeting when it touched
51%. And lets say youre hanging by your fingertips from the side of a cliff, and Jills
Interest is hovering somewhere between 51% and 55%. What you have to do in that case is
disappear, and every time she calls you and dredges it up, you have to say, I apologize, dear,
it will never happen again. And buddy, youre going to have to be ready to say it 100,000
times, all through your marriage to this girl -- if she takes you back.
its a half-truth
And heres what the other love doctors dont tell you. They say that you can rebuild the trust
bond after its been ruptured, but I say its a half-truth. Now are you ready for this? Jills
Interest Level is going to stay out of the 80s and 90s. Maybe its even going to stay out of the
70s. At best it will be 67% or 68%. Because since she was burned, she cant give you that
other 30% to get it back to where it was.
On the other hand, with time, good behavior and your ability to endure the constant
punishment youll be subjected to, what could happen is that Jill might even allow her Interest
Level to get up to 80% or 85%. But it will never go into the 90s again. And theres a good
chance it will never even hit the 80s. It depends on the individual woman. Good luck, Josh.
Youre going to need it.
a little s and m
I always try and help you guys, as you know. My friend, you can try and make this thing
work, but youre facing real nasty odds. Youve got to stay away from Jill. She has to call you
up and you have to ask her out. And then shell say, No. I just called you to tell you again
what a jerk you are! And youll have to say OK, honey, let me have it with both barrels. And
shes going to browbeat you for 20 minutes and then hang up. And youll just have to keep
putting up with that until she gets some of the pain out of her system. But she wont ever get it
all out.
Meanwhile, Josh, youd better walk away and hustle other women, because your chances with
Jill are lousy. And you have to ask yourself one more question: Do I want to live with a
woman whose Interest Level will never be in the 90s?
Remember, guys: if youre Catholic, save it for the confessional.
on a big smile, and when we get to the door, we say Showtime! We want the girl to know
that were after her, but in a subtle and nonverbal fashion. Were going to say it with our
actions, because we dont believe in talking about heavy stuff and giving our power away.
She's young, but she's not as innocent as you think...
General Love says, Withdraw, soldier! But, like most boys with big egos, and Im talking
about 45-year-old boys here too, you had to charge in and try and fix things. Anytime you
get a mixed signal from a girl and you sense a drop in intensity, you should be GONE. Out of
there. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Youre the newest member of the United
States Federal Witness Protection Program, living in Podunk, Nebraska.
Like I said, its time to move to "Broken Butt," North Dakota. Because pal, you want Natasha
pounding on your door, pleading with you to come out, calling you, begging to know whats
wrong because you havent gotten back to her and shes left you three phone messages, texted
you six times and youre not giving her the time of day. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says,
When shes going nuts over you, then maybe well give her another shot.
Remember, guys: When you sense a discrepancy in Interest Levels, its time to load up the car
and buy a farm in North Dakota.
cousin Rabbi Love says, My son, she was either waiting for a new boyfriend or a
promotion.
Remember, guys: You cant go back -- ever.
You didnt just buy my book, pal. You made an investment in your future. You didnt know it
at the time, but you took precautions to protect your long-term mental health.
So what did Chuck do wrong?
learn my material
And thats why its disappointing that you read The Dating Dictionary only once. Dude -- this
material has to be memorized! I dont know what it is with a lot of you guys. You think that
just because this powerful manual is merely in your possession its enough, and now you have
it made with the girls.
But what you dont get is that its a tool. If you dont pick the tool up and use it, practice with
it, and get comfortable with it until it brings out the manly strength qualities in your
personality, youre going to continue to make mistakes. And thats why youre in the boat you
find yourself in right now.
And Chuck, its obvious you havent memorized my book because I tell you in The Dating
Dictionary to keep it light and funny -- no heavy subjects and no put-downs. Which, of
course, is exactly what you didnt do with Michelle. You put her down for something she
likes to do, which violates my principles.
Okay, so shes into wacky weed, and youre not a pothead. Like my cousin Brother Love
down in Watts says, Nobodys perfect. You can withdraw from the relationship gracefully
and not ask her out anymore if you dont like dopers. And by the way, why are you getting
into arguments with a girl on a date when the reason for a date is to increase Interest Level?
As the Chinese proverb goes, Dates arent for proving a point, grasshopper.
Even though Michelle told you that you were history, you whimpered about whether there
was still a chance for you. She just told you that you were out, didnt she? Does she have to
explain to you that her Interest Level is 10,000 feet under water in the deepest part of the
ocean before you get the drift? (And yeah, Chuck, I totally believe that you read my book
only once -- your lousy performance proves it!)
Trying to make yourself a Challenge now is like closing the barn door after the bull got out.
You should have stayed a Challenge from the get-go, Leo. Right now youre more like a yoyo. You play hardball with Holly and get her to come at you, then when she does, you go
straight back to being a wimp because you think shes changed. You dont see that its being a
consistent CHALLENGE that will affect her and put her exactly where you want her.
By the time the debacle was over, youd endured 20 whole minutes of a vicious tonguelashing. Worse, you hung around to take the beating. I dont know what it is with you guys.
Like the Bottom Line Factor says, They give you the tiniest morsel of hope, then they beat
on you nonstop. Amazing.
But you still think Holly will come around and forgive you. Leo, her Interest Level is
nowhere near decent right now because its down in the 40s. What can you do with an Interest
Level that low except wait around to get dumped? Her screaming and carrying on are part of
her bad attitude. And the worst part for you is that its completely separate from the fact that
she despises you. Youre on some la-la tangent here if you think this situation is going to take
a turn for the better. What you need to do is get out of town. Let Holly chase you, then youll
see if theres any real hope left.
do your roots as well? The point is to throw out some bait about your interest, but to not
come on too strong.
Let me repeat myself so you guys hear it loud and clear -- NEVER!
The Reality Factor says you NEVER talk about a womans appearance, unless its in a
POSITIVE manner. If you dont, youre courting disaster, not romance. You think youre
sensitive? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, When you make fun of a babes body,
youre either stupid or youre looking to get dumped.
Remember something else, Anton, whats funny to you -- whether it is crows-feet, cellulite,
or dark roots -- isnt funny to her. Remember, she is female. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says,
She has four legs and a tail like a dog, but shes a cat.
What do you mean this girl doesnt have any options? You mean to tell me that Caprice is 25
years old, gainfully employed, and she has never saved a dime and cant come up with firstand last-months rent? Is that what youre telling me here? To you Psych majors, this girls a
real winner.
But youre smitten with her anyway. And youre kissing her when she lives with somebody
else. Buddy, you shouldnt even be doing that. But Ill grant you this -- shes got Interest
Level if shes smooching with you. First, though, shes got to move out. And dont forget that
she cant come up with the security deposit!
Last week, Sabrina moved out and has now gone home to stay with her mother. Ive avoided
her at work, as I dont want to be in her face while she is going through what must be a very
stressful time. Is this the right thing to do? The last thing I want is to put any sort of pressure
on Sabrina or make her feel awkward in any way. I must stress that she didnt move out
because of our relationship, because there isnt one. She moved out because she was unhappy,
simple as that.
should he wait?
I guess what Id like to know, Doc, is how you would have played things and what I should
do in the days and weeks ahead. Should I just forget about Sabrina even though I really like
her or should I keep giving her the space she wanted and then ask for a date in the future? If
so, how long should I wait before I ask her?
One last thing: I bought Sabrina a book shes interested in. Should I give it to her? If so,
when? I just wanted to do something nice for her to cheer her up a bit.
Many thanks, Doc, for all your time and help.
Tyson -- who hopes he hasnt already screwed it up.
it means her Interest Level in you is drooping into the 40s or the 50s (most likely the 40s) and
she is turned off.
Don't Be Needy
Hey Doc,
Cherry is a designer I met through a mutual business contact. I am a tile setter and did a few
jobs for her. She said she would like to get together for a drink or dinner and we did. At the
end of the evening, we hugged and I said Id like to take her out again.
I called her a week later and we made a date for lunch and a museum. I was so nervous that
my hands were shaking while we were eating. Im not sure if Cherry noticed, but it seemed
that she changed soon after that. At the end of the date, she gave me a hug and I gave her
three daisies. I waited five days, then called her and got her answering machine, so I left a
message about getting together on the weekend. I didnt hear from her and let the weekend
pass. On the following Tuesday, I called again, and again I got her machine. I knew
something was wrong and thought back to my shaking hands. I said that I wouldnt be mad at
her if she had had a change of heart, but that I did want her to understand that I didnt want
anything to happen to our growing friendship.
women are chasing you, versus how many women are rejecting you because youre needy
and you come on too strong. How did you think this girl was going to interpret your mushy
gesture? Remember, guys: Unless it RAISES Interest Level, dont do it.
dont be a wimp
Now, dude, why would you tell someone who doesnt want to have a romantic relationship
with you that you want to have a relationship with her when she just told you she wasnt
interested? Like the great Doctor Freud once said, Did you do it because youre a great
listener?
Does Wesley still have a chance?
YOU apologized for making HER write a letter? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says,
Im sticking the gun in my mouth right now! I cant believe you, Wes. Youre giving me
wimp chills!
But at least youre going to get some money out of the deal even though Cherry rejected you.
Its great that she wants you to help her pick out her paint. If it were me, I would have told
her, By the way, when you make out the check, its 40 bucks an hour!
But youre still confused about what she wants. Dude, she doesnt want to be with you. Her
Interest Level in you is 1%. CORRECT. I said 1%.
he calls again
The guy had the nerve to call me again and said that Donna is still trying to play both sides of
the fence. She swore to me when I asked her about it that she would stop talking to him. Then,
at a party she threw, I showed up and the guy was there. I couldnt believe it. Donna danced
with him even though she knew I was there. I ended up talking with her mother, who confided
that Donna likes both of us. According to her, her daughter wants to be with me in the long
term, but she really likes hanging out with this other guy.
So right then and there I went ahead and confronted Donna and this other guy. I asked her if
she is going to choose him over me and she said no. Later, she told me that she has not been
intimate with the guy, but the guy told me afterward that hes gotten very romantic with her, if
you catch my drift.
Doc, who should I believe and what should I do? Im going absolutely crazy over this.
Vic - whos confused and heartbroken in North Carolina
just keep going out with him. You two are going to have a great, wonderful relationship. We
had a nice run, you and me, and I think youre a heck of a girl, and I hope you make your new
guy happy. Thats what you should have said. And then turned and walked right out of there
-- forever.
Unfortunately, you didnt do that. And things went downhill, naturally, because once the
moment of truth passes and you havent taken the correct action, nothing but bad things are
bound to happen.
he might be lying
Regarding what the other guy told you about his romantic relationship with Donna, we
dont know if what hes saying is true. The point is that you had a relationship with her for 10
months before he came into the picture. And at some point her Interest Level dropped through
the floor and thats why she got a backup in place for when she was through with you for
good. Vic, Id say youve hit the point of no return.
Who should you believe and what should you do now? Guy, youve got to immerse yourself
in "The System." Its your only hope of saving yourself from a life of sheer misery with the
opposite gender. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, You dont really want
your head bashed in again, do you, bro? Once your girl told you that she was cuddling with
somebody else for two whole months, you were dead in the water right there.
Know why you cant talk to Candace? Because it takes two people to have a conversation and
you have her mixed up with somebody who wants to communicate. Its really a very simple
matter, pal. Like Woody Allen says, Ive got a better relationship with my shrink, and she
only says two words per session.
Why should Candace respond to you now, man? Youre out. Dont you get that? She doesnt
like you. She never thinks about you. Shes making out with somebody else right now. Hello? Didnt you ever hear of the Reality Factor? It says, When she keeps running away from
you, she doesnt want to be with you. Du-uh.
And like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Theres no eternal cycle playing itself out here or any
deep mystical connection at work. Your Interest Level is 88% and hers is 45%. Those
numbers dont match, my son. And thats your problem in a nutshell.
that he doesnt make as much money as I do and has to eat out of a dumpster. I know -- it was
stupid, nonsensical talk.
walked out of there instead of trying to do an imitation of Russell Crowe. As we say in sales,
When it gets too hot in the kitchen, get out! You should have made a graceful exit instead
of playing Macho Boy for Patti.
To you Psych majors, when the environment turns ugly, change the environment. It doesnt
mean youre running from a fight. It means youre smarter than the other bozo. It means
youve got more class than to stoop to his level. You cant make your pal leave the party, but
you and your girlfriend can. And thats what you should have done.
Because one of these days, some guy like your friend is going to be drunk, and when Patti
says no, hes going to hear yes, and then youll have a new problem. Unless its a gettogether with some close friends (the kind you can trust) or a pool party, your girlfriend
shouldnt try to dress like a Playmate in public.
Your question about post-Sinatra comportment is an excellent one. There should be respect
between guys, but remember: Your buddy was drunk. Granted, he had high Interest Level in
your squeeze to begin with, but his wife should have reined him in and kept him in tow.
So Link, keep track of how Patti acts and dresses when you go out. Like my cousin Brother
Love down in Watts says, If she keeps giving men the come-on, youd better grow a
rhinoceros hide or get rid of her.
Remember, guys: If you take women personally, youre dead in the water.
What do you think I should do? What can I say to her that she wont interpret as an insult?
Thanks for your help, Doc.
Gene - whos starting to wonder if he should look elsewhere
45% and shes too scared to go it alone, while yours is 89% and youre hanging on for dear
life. Again -- there are other reasons why shes overeating.
be her coach
Jeanna cant help herself, dude. But youre going to handle this situation by being supportive
and keeping your mouth shut. And when you guys go out, youre going to the gym. Whatever
you two do together, its going to have the theme of getting and staying in shape (and
shedding pounds). Whatever you do, you two are going to keep moving. Every time you see
Jeanna, youll head to the gym or go running or bicycling together.
Find out what Gene shouldnt do
You dont do anything else with this lady. You dont go sit in a movie theater and polish off a
bucket of buttered popcorn with a side of nachos. You dont go out and eat barbecued ribs.
Gene, youre going to be your girlfriends coach. And if she wants to drop you because of that
or she decides not to see you, then fine -- man up to it. But thats what youre going to do.
Youre going to coach this woman to get on the right track as long as she hangs around.
To you Psych majors, nagging doesnt work. It doesnt work when women do it to men, and
vice versa. (Guys, youll never see this analysis in a self-help manual or a ladies magazine!)
So dont even be tempted to pick at her, man. Keep your trap closed -- no criticisms or snide
remarks or subtle suggestions. Keep it light and keep it funny. Your actions are going to
speak for you. Every time you see Jeanna, this is how youre going to behave.
Is She Available?
Hey Doc,
First off, Ive told friends about "The System," and it helped them improve their Confidence
by showing them the way. But I cant seem to follow my own advice or yours in my present
situation. I hope you can coach me. Ive known Katrina for four years. I met her through a
mutual friend. She was in a long-term relationship at the time and we only hung out every few
months with this common friend. But there was something in her looks, eyes and personality
that always intrigued me.
Fast-forward to the present: Im living several hours away from Katrina and I chat online with
her once a week. Strangely, this has probably been the best way weve advanced our
relationship, as we never really warmed up to one another in person.
you?
Sure, your friends drooled over Katrina. And Im sure they wanted to do more than drool over
her. But the more important question is: Did she drool over you? At times you two acted like
a couple. What does that mean? But it certainly was classy that she accidentally bumped into
you a few times on the dance floor. Maybe theres hope for you after all!
Should Walt have kissed her? Find out what Doc Love thinks...
Katrina acted nervous because she had low Interest Level in you, Walt. No doubt she couldnt
wait for the wedding to end so she could get away from you and go back to her ex-boyfriend.
beginning. A mutual friend introduced us and we hit it off from there. For all her beauty, shes
really low-maintenance. We usually either split things 50-50 or take turns paying for dates. I
like it because its even and we dont bicker about every penny. I didnt have to buy her. (I
hate girls who are feminists until the check comes).
Heres my problem. Lately, Caras been making little effort to get together. It seems to me
that she doesnt care as much or maybe shes just trying to sabotage our relationship. Now
that our relationship is starting to get more serious, shes scared of being hurt again. (Her ex
cheated on her with one of her friends). This behavior began when she told me she had a
dream that I was with another girl. Cara is very superstitious. She says her dreams are almost
always right, and even though she knows it hasnt happened yet, it probably will in the future.
Well, since then, its been all downhill.
was all over you, and now she couldnt care less whether or not she ever sees you. So what do
we have here? Did Caras Interest Level happen to drop for some mysterious reason? Is that
what the real problem is? You may be right, Avery, that your girl either doesnt care about
you as much as she used to or shes trying to sabotage your relationship -- or BOTH. Have
you thought of that?
she is crazy...
But whos wacky here anyway, Avery? Look at your own thinking. You cant leave someone
who already left you! Cara may be all the things you say, and one more -- her Interest Level is
in the toilet. Where will you find someone else like her? Like my cousin Brother Love down
in Watts says, Well, next time you might try with someone who actually digs you!
Caras a bit of a loony? Thats the understatement of the century! She even knows shes a
whack job. To you Psych majors, when shes having weird and crazy dreams about you, stay
away from her.
When this girl swore that she didnt want to break up with you, do you really think she was
telling the truth? Like my cousin General Love says, Would you bet your life on it, soldier?
When Lisette split, she still wanted to be friends, but I declined and eliminated her from my
life. It was tough, but we never spoke from the day she broke up with me, until a few weeks
ago when she came back to town. She wanted to go out for coffee and I said no. Then I got
an e-mail from her pouring her heart out, saying she didn't date anyone else when she was
away and that she made the biggest mistake of her life.
What should I do, Doc? I know that the rule is to never go back with an
ex, and I also know that you warn us about young girls. My life is good, and I dont have bad
memories from my relationship with Lisette, except the sour taste from the breakup. Should I
delete her e-mail? Or should I go for coffee and see for myself?
Dirk - who has to admit hes curious
needs time apart, right? The fact that she looks like Kate Mosss sister shouldnt give her a
pass.
Beware Of Waitresses
Hey Doc,
Im a newcomer to The System, but its really turned things around for me. Thank you!
Heres my situation. My buddies and I have been eating at the same restaurant for a few years
now. One waitress who works there, Brigitte, is a Beautiful Woman and a real sweetheart.
About two months ago, I noticed her making eyes at me. Before letting my ego shoot through
the roof, I tried to undervalue her Interest Level and kept to my usual routine, which was
nothing more than hello and goodbye. A few weeks ago, some of her female coworkers
began to drop her name a lot to me. They even asked if I missed her when she was off one
night.
I took this as a good sign, so I had my birthday party at the restaurant. Afterward, I ended up
being invited out by the whole restaurant crew. When I asked Brigitte if she was going, she
said, Are you going to be there? We all went out, chatted, shot pool, and had a great time.
shes faking it
But this is actually where the entire situation becomes very interesting -- the kind of scene a
forensic love detective would have a field day with. Think about it. Brigitte is leaning on you.
Shes dancing with you. Shes bumping into you and seems to be having a fun timebut at
the same time, shes fidgety and nervous and looking over her shoulder. To you Psych majors,
somethings not right. Guys, you know what this means: Brigitte is faking high Interest Level.
And of course, thats when she reveals that shes going fishing with her boyfriend the next
day. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Only it really looks like shes baiting you and that
youre the big fish whos about to get hooked.
Poor Addison should have walked away
Addison, you should have gotten out of there the minute you saw Brigitte flashing her lure.
Anytime you see a red flag and her Interest Level is dropping, its time to say sayonara. Pal,
you hung around much too long.
Remember, guys: Sometimes waitresses fake Interest Level so they can pick up bigger tips.
Im sure Mora said all kinds of wonderful lines when you were together. (One of my favorite
chapters in the Dating Dictionary is Actress -- youll love that one!) She wasnt lying when
she said she meant all that stuff -- at that split second, she did. But you lowered her Interest
Level over a three-year period and thats what you didnt realize. Its not actually the very
next day that she didnt mean what she said. It happens in increments. Thats how a girl can
say such lovely things, and then 90 days later, youre out. Its because her Interest Level
dropped -- slowly. Like the dripping of water -- eventually theres no water left.
Its time to move on
realized.
Remember, guys: Dont rationalize by believing her excuses.
time?
Myles - whos desperate not to be a wimp
impersonating parrots!
The problem now of course is that youve lost control of yourself, and your Interest Level is
flirting with 90% if its not already there. The mans Interest Level should stay between 80%
and 89%. When it hits 90%, you poor schmucks start falling apart. Like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love would say, Love is a drug!
am I too young?
Doc, was this just a three-day fling for Hillary? I know she thinks that a sense of humor is
important in a man shes with, and that sometimes I wasnt quite in the mood to be funny, but
it doesnt seem that something so trivial could be enough to wreck what started out as such a
promising thing.
The other thought that occurred to me was that since shes so much older than me, she might
want someone who is more mature. Whats your take? Do older women really prefer younger
guys or is that a myth propagated by the womens magazines? Granted, Im not as far along in
my career as she is, but at 25, how could I be?
Lavar - who thought he had it made
Hi Lavar,
Im sure you read my articles off and on, and when youre with a woman, youll only be
successful off and on because thats the way you treat this entire process -- off and on.
Whats holding you back from memorizing everything in my book? By the way, when you
tell me that your two earlier relationships ended badly, like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, What you really mean is that they dropped you.
Why is Lavar always unsuccessful with women?
When Hillary invited you over to her beach house, you should have said you were busy. You
should have said you had somewhere else you had to be. Dude, youre supposed to see a girl
for three or four hours and call her a week later. So what did you do? You ran three whole
days together in one shot! In other words, you took three or four months of dating and
crammed them into three days with a complete stranger. Does this sound like a recipe for
romantic success? Like the old cowboy saying goes, That stuff only works in Hollywood
movies.
Then you went and made a date on a date. Whats wrong with you, Lavar? Are you sure you
read any of my articles? You should have let a week go by, and at least have let Hillary
wonder and fantasize about that great, fun time you and she had for three days on the beach.
But like most men, you couldnt wait. You PRESSED. To you Psych majors, when you
PRESS, you lose with women.
days with her, everything would be different. But like my cousin General Love says, Soldier,
you didnt have a base of operations. And like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts adds,
You didnt need the presence of a boyfriend to hurt you, because you did enough damage all
by yourself, bro!
Did Lavars age have an influence?
What happened to you, Lavar, was that Hillary thought she enjoyed hanging out with you for
three days, but at the end of the three days, she came to realize that her Interest Level in you
wasnt all that high. In fact, it wasnt even 51%. And so there was no reason for her to see you
again. Which is why she doesnt want to. Makes sense, doesnt it? Its called the Reality
Factor.
You better get your head straight, Lavar. First you tell me that a sense of humor is important,
and then you tell me its trivial. So which one is it? And this brings us to the core of your
problem. You dont know which end is up here. This whole thing with Hillary was never
anything solid. It seemed like it started out as a little something, but in reality it never was
anything.
Find out where Wendell went wrong and some simple dating tactics...
What do you mean you two exchanged compliments? Its all right if she compliments you
50 times in one evening, but what the heck are you doing complimenting her? Like my cousin
Sal The Fish Love says, Dude, you got any idea how many times this chick has been told
she looks just like Jessica Biel? By the way, did she yawn when you told her how fantastic
she looked?
When Lucinda invited you out a second time, it was another great opportunity for you to turn
her down. Thats why Im totally shocked that the second night wasnt as good as the first. I
cant imagine why! You dont think Lucinda got bored watching you chase after her every
time she called your name, do you?
Is there any hope for Wendell?
But then you wore down and gave in like a real Wimpus Americanus. You mean I have to take
the Congressional Medal of Honor away from you now? She might still be living with her ex,
but Im sure it didnt stop you from jumping all over Shania!
Doc explains why Corey has to kick Shania out of his life for good
But she wasnt through playing with your head -- she cut you off again. Great! Inconsistent
behavior is a very strong character trait in a woman.
Corey, you gave her everything she needed in a man, all right, except the ability to keep her
Interest Level in the 90s.
Let me tell you something, my friend: Forgiveness and forgetting are twin sisters, and they
travel together. If you cant do both, then you havent done one.
Remember, guys: If they live with someone else, they dont care for you.
shes not a 10
I met Sandrine a year ago, and since that time, weve become so close that we started talking
about marriage. My problem resides in me, and not in her. I love the girl very much, and she
has every good point that youd want in a wife, except for one: her looks. Its not that shes
unattractive, but shes not a 10. Unfortunately, looks are very important to me. I know that
if I resolve this issue I can go forward in my life with confidence in my decisions.
This is the way it works, Doc: Despite the fact that I love Sandrine, when a Beautiful Woman
approaches me, I feel that theres a hole inside me that needs to be filled; a hole that my
partner, despite all of her good points, cannot fill. Why? Because I feel like I have a need for a
Beauty.
Hi Sharp,
Thanks for the compliment. Its too bad that your friends cant help you, but my job is to help
you see the forest through the trees, and thats what Im going to do.
I just hope it was Sandrine and not you who brought up the subject of marriage, because its
the woman who should always bring up marriage; it proves her Interest Level beyond a
shadow of a doubt. But if Sandrines less-than-spectacular looks are a problem, then you
dont love her very much, pal. So you just contradicted yourself. Do you love her or dont
you? As the old cowboy saying goes, You cant have it both ways.
Doc Love forces Sharp to ask himself some deep-cutting questions
another a couple of times on the stairs, but never really said more than the occasional Hi,
how are you doing, etc.
Just recently, we started running into each other a little more frequently for some reason, and
whenever we did, I managed to start up a conversation. One day, Farrah even asked me to fix
her car when I told her that I love working on my 94 Chevy. I did and it was a lot of fun just
being around her.
im unemployed
Farrah is in her early 20s and works as an office clerk. I went to college, but as it stands, Ive
been unemployed for six months, and theres little hope that Ill find a new job anytime soon.
And therein lies the problem: How do I get an attractive young woman like Farrah to go out
with me?
I havent told her my age yet (like I said, Im 32, but all my friends tell me I look 25 or even
younger) or that Im out of work, because I figure theres probably no chance shell want to
waste time with some deadbeat whos 10 years her senior. Im very good at not giving other
people too much info about myself too soon, but somehow I feel like a liar already.
signals. But when the man jumps in with his big mouth and starts blabbing, he doesnt give
her the opportunity. The result is that you dont know a thing about her Interest Level. And
YOUR 85% Interest Level means nothing.
get a job
Slick, in your deprived circumstances you get a hot, young babe to go out with you by hitting
the lottery. By the way, have you ever noticed that when someone asks, How old are you?
and you say 50, they never say, Gee, you dont look a day under 65! Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, If everybody looks younger, maybe we should lower everybodys age.
Slick might still be able to get the girl
Being 10 years Farrahs senior is fine, as long as youre a corporate lawyer making $128,000
a year, driving a new Corvette and your weekend car is a spanking new SUV. I think its great
that you dont spill too much info about yourself, because usually when you like a girl, you
feel the compulsion to tell her everything about yourself in the first 10 minutes. And in your
case, it means youd have to tell her youre at least 32 and youll probably never have a job
again.
You dont know who Farrah is seeing, dude. Unless youre Donald Trump and have the
money to hire someone to follow her around 24/7, you dont know anything about her. Mister
Trump can afford to check her out, but you cant. Since youre on unemployment
compensation, you have to worry about making the monthly rent.
And it was already too late when the football team showed up bombed at the party. Thats
why you should have done it much earlier. Heck, if you had just handed Dierdre your
business card and a pen and yelled, HOME PHONE NUMBER! into her face, I dont care
how many guys were swarming over her, she would have handed it right over if she had any
interest in you at all. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Hey, they werent pinning her arms
behind her back, were they?
Guy, you have to pretend like your life depends on getting those 10 digits. Or like my cousin
Fast Eddie Love says, If you dont ask for the home phone number, why did you go to the
party?
Now lets look at your three options. Telling the boys from Animal House to stop interrupting
wasnt going to work -- they were rowdy and hammered. Starting a fight or storming out in a
hissy fit would have made you even more of a loser than you ended up being. Likewise for
waiting around until the crowd thinned: By the time the party petered out, all the girls would
have already gone home exhausted or chased off by the drunken frat rats.
take initiative
What you have to do is this: CHANGE THE ENVIRONMENT. If you want to get her phone
number and youre surrounded by the enemy, you grab her hand and you pull. If she has high
Interest Level, shell follow you. If she doesnt, shes going to slip out of your hands like she
was greased.
Remember, guys: If youre not going to ask for the home phone number, why are you talking
to her?
i wasnt happy
Needless to say, I was a little less than thrilled. I didn't talk to Sydney for a few days, but after
a conversation with her mother, in which she told me that her daughter believes she made the
biggest mistake of her life by telling me this garbage, I sat down and took a long, hard look at
all of my options.
I came to the conclusion that my one real option is dumping Sydney and going after other
women. That was my brain talking. My gut said otherwise. My gut has never let me down,
and my gut tells me that Sydney is the girl I want.
i forgave her
Doc, I forgave Sydney and we are working on trying to build a stronger relationship out of
this. But heres the problem: The amount of time we talk has diminished. I also feel that
Sydneys Interest Level has dropped inexplicably.
I understand the concept of Challenge, but how do you remain a Challenge without making
the woman feel as if you do not have an interest in her? I feel that with Sydney backing off, I
have to make sure that she knows that I still love her, and the only way to do that is to pursue
her.
Id really appreciate any help you could give me.
West - who feels like hes losing ground
honesty is irrelevant
This isnt about honesty at all, West. Its about openness. I want you to be honest, but not
open. The same goes for Sydney.
You didnt talk to Sydney for a few days? How about not talking to her for a few years? And
what are you doing yakking to her mom about your troubles? Or like my cousin General Love
says, Why are you going to the enemys mother?
West, the reason Sydney made out with these other guys is because she has low Interest Level
-- in you. To you Psych majors, believe it or not, girls with high Interest Level dont want to
make out with other guys. I know thats a hard nut to swallow, but it happens to be the truth.
You have no clue about the concept of Challenge, dude. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. You never
were a Challenge, West. The whole idea is to make her think you have no interest in her.
What youre trying to say here is that Sydneys going to fall in love with your high Interest
Level. But what she really doesnt like is that youre the opposite of a Challenge. Are you
sure you read my columns?
Guys, when youre out, you have to back off. Otherwise, youre nothing but a chump. Or a
stalker.
Remember, guys: When youre losing ground, you have to disappear.
shes insecure
Heres what a normal woman would have said to herself when she saw another girl hitting on
you: Gee, look at that girl trying to rip me off. But guess what? Bruton is taking me home
tonight in his car. And she wont be there. This girl can try anything she wants, because I
know that Bruton really digs me.
But thats not what Kimberly did. No, she was ready to behead you for glancing in this other
babes direction. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, You got a real wild thang there, pal. I just
hope youre man enough to handle her.
shes immature
The sad part of this situation is that the only thing Kimberly looked at was her womans
intuition, because shes twisting the meaning of those words. If she were really attuned to her
female intuition, she would have said to herself, Dont be jealous, Kim, Brutons with you.
Dude, if Kimberlys home is a boxing ring, stay out of there. You dont have to fight for her
attention. All you have to do is call her up and make a date to have her meet you -- someplace
else. Every time you go to the house, you have a problem with psycho Dad and psycho Mom,
so why hang around there? To you Psych majors, if the place is a rattlesnake pit, dont jump
into it. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, With all this battling, it sounds to me like you
and Kimberly have a real healthy relationship, man.
My friend, are you sure you majored in psychology? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says,
Remind me not to send my children to your school!
Remember, guys: Never go out with someone who has more problems than you do.
shes off-limits
When she said that you two couldnt have a relationship, it showed that at least she has a little
class. And if she actually used the word schoolgirl, she must really dig you. But you know
who I really feel sorry for here? Her old man. Shes running around having crushes on men
and the poor dope is clueless. But the bottom line is this: Shes off-limits. Like my cousin
Brother Love down in Watts says, What do you think youre doing, bro? This babe is
MARRIED!
When Marilyn continues to look for you whenever shes in your department, shes just
playing with your head, my friend. Notice that she chases after you at work where shes safe?
Shes not coming on to you in a bar, and shes not coming on to you in her living room
dressed in Victorias Secret lingerie either. Shes completely insulated when shes in the
middle of 200 other people, so she just comes over and fools around with you the way a cat
toys with a mouse. Whenever she has an argument with her husband, she shows up and gets a
little charge out of watching you get all wound up. Then she feels better.
Vanessa was interested in me, but I didnt feel right doing anything about it since she and my
ex were tight friends.
Nevertheless, it was you who ended the relationship with Terri. Great. Perfect. According to
my cousin Rabbi Love, You did the right thing, my son. And I hope youre dating lots of
other women.
Find out if Doc Love thinks Pepper should get serious with his ex's friend...
Find out what Pepper should do for a successful relationship with Vanessa...
Of course it can work out between you and Vanessa. Terri and Vanessa are squabbling over
you because, as my book says, Kitty Kats Kompete. But there wont be any problems with
Vanessa as long as you keep her Interest Level up in the 90s like it is now. When she stops
fawning over you, then youre in trouble.
forget your ex
Your ex might have been a big part of you, but as you just said, shes your EX. As in ADIOS.
As in OVER. As in DONE. It goes without saying that you dont want someone destroying
you, but the better question is: Why should you care about someone you cant trust?
So feel free to make a go of it with Vanessa, Pepper. Dont worry about whose ghost is
hovering over you. Youve been reading too many psychology books -- thats your problem.
Hey Doc,
In the first place, let me commend you on the exceptional contribution you are making to
mens lives. Luckily, I came into contact with your knowledge and wisdom six years ago, and
Ive watched myself evolve from the typical pathetic Wimpus Americanus to a man who is
successful with women. Still, after almost seven years, I know there is much more work ahead
because your techniques require constant refinement to face the daily war we have to wage
when it comes to women.
shes beautiful
Currently, Im one semester away from completing my law degree, and Im practicing at the
legal aid clinic of my school. Almost all cases at the clinic must be worked on by the students.
One of the students is Monique, who is extremely reserved, mysterious and always by herself.
She also happens to be the most beautiful girl in school. She has a long line of guys without
backbones acting like pet monkeys trying to score with her, trying to get her attention,
drooling over her, killing each other for her, etc. Count me out of that pack. For several
months, I have limited myself to being well-mannered and respectful to her, but nothing more.
I havent made the slightest effort to get her attention.
Lately, Monique has been sending me very subtle signals of interest. All of a sudden, shes
calling me to discuss strategies for cases or asking me to walk her somewhere. Above all, her
body language is very positive. Occasionally, she touches my arm and calls me at home to
talk about school.
And it was wonderful that Monique asked you to be her bodyguard around the school
corridors. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, At least she doesnt have you doing her
homework for her. If she didnt want you to walk with her, then shed be just using you as a
tutor. But so far, it looks good.
Its fabulous that Monique called to talk to you about school. This is exactly the way you
want to keep it, too. To you Psych majors, you want her coming on to you at all times. Dont
ask her out -- just keep her coming at you and coming at you and coming at you. You have all
the time in the world, Lester. Youre not in any hurry. Youre not like all those other
chimpanzees who cant control themselves and throw themselves at Monique. In fact, the
reason she gravitated toward you in the first place is because you were the only law student
who showed a scintilla of Self-Control in her presence. I hope you realize that, Lester. And I
hope you dont forget it.
You should play along with this girl because hopefully shes playing along with you. And if
shes playing straight with you, then youll move forward together.
Remember, guys: Its always better when she chases you.
i walked away
Finally, things unraveled and I walked. I cut Samantha out of my life cold turkey. But she
kept calling. I was heartless -- I just completely ignored her. After about five months, we ran
into each other, went for coffee, and rekindled it. I was still angry at her and wasnt as kind as
I shouldve been. She hung in, giving me gifts and telling me she loved me.
Two weeks later, I ran into Samantha at a party when she was with another guy. We talked a
couple of days later and she said that despite what some of her friends thought was best, she
was choosing me. Heres where I finally gave in. We spent a week together talking about the
future and having kids and planning holidays, and then she called me to say she was scared
and that she couldnt do it. She said she needed to get professional help for her head.
How can I keep things light and fun if theres all this heavy baggage around? Should I just let
Samantha go?
Rupert - who doesnt know if he can go through it again
And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, You cant let somebody go whos already gone.
Remember, guys: When you realize shes a wack job, take a hike.
Hi Jay,
Helping you to see the light is the whole idea behind my philosophy. In other words, when it
comes to women, I want to take you from a C-minus student to a solid straight-A student.
The good and the bad of Jays situation
Its great that Valerie initiated a conversation with you because when a girl does that, it
signifies incoming interest. To you Psych majors, when interest is incoming, youre not being
rejected. And its beautiful, too, that you kept it light and funny and teased her -- thats what
youre supposed to do.
Youre the one who should have been asking her the majority of the questions, dude. And
what you tell me in your letter is that you didnt dominate the questioning. You should have
been running the interview. And because of her mediocre Interest Level, she wasnt going to
waste time with you, so she put you through the wringer. Its called the hard interview. And
what verifies that she was doing the hard interview was that she didnt touch you.
What Jay should have done about the phone number situation
What it boils down to is this: You cant sit with a girl who likes you and not have her tap your
arm. Valerie should have touched you. And if she didnt bump you at Starbucks, she should
have said, I had a very nice time -- please give me a call when you walked her to the car.
And you wouldve called her one more time because she asked you to. And you wouldve
played it out from there.
Hi Valdemar,
You might be right about what a woman means when she mentions her boyfriend. It might
indeed be a huge warning sign not to come near her, but theres a second choice you havent
thought of: It could also mean: Ask me out, bring me gifts, worship me, but Im not leaving
him!
Now lets look at what happened that has you so confused.
When Juliannes coworker relayed all of her compliments to you, you should have asked him,
So, did you ask her out yet?
And she wants to give you a hedgehog at no charge. What you have to realize is that this girl
is a veterinarian down deep, you just dont know it. If you hooked up with her, youd be
competing with raccoons and Great Danes for her attention for the rest of your life.
theres a bad part. I know this will be hard for you guys to take, but this is an advanced class:
You have TOO many buying signals.
her out.
Each time we go out, I interview Maureen and I try to delve deeper into her past. Heres the
red flag I see: Her father was very controlling and her ex-husband and other boyfriends were
abusive Macho Boys. She even dropped the comment (regarding her exes) that they were
men just like my father.
im concerned
Now this is the complete opposite of how I treat Maureen. She told me that she was planning
on getting a breast augmentation, and that her last boyfriend didnt want her to do it because
he said enough men look at her as it is and she didnt need any more gawkers. Her response
was that in the past she lived to please others, but now she is living for herself. But then she
added, Enrique, youll have to keep me on track because I could fall back pretty easily into
my old patterns.
So Doc, here are my concerns:
Ill continue to go out with her and see what I can learn. But Doc, is a Challenge strong
enough to defeat the demons in Maureens past?
Enrique - whos already on guard
be supportive
When Maureen mentioned that she wanted to go for cosmetic surgery, her ex-boyfriend gave
her the wrong reason for staying away from it. Everyone wants to look and feel better about
themselves, and he should have been supportive. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says,
maureens issues
Lets take a look at your specific concerns about this woman.
Its a half-truth that Maureens comfort zone is doing the perfect imitation of a doormat. To
you Psych majors, if this babe were really happy about being trampled on, she wouldnt be
complaining about her exes and she certainly wouldnt be leaving the bozos. But thats
exactly what she does, isnt it? So she really doesnt like them, and she doesnt like being
abused.
Enrique, if Maureens not really comfortable with the respect and space you give her, youre
going to have to date her for a long, long time before you talk about stuff like marriage and
kids. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, She must be proven clinically sane before you
even think of taking her home to meet mom.
Challenge can work with Maureen, dude. But like my cousin Rabbi Love says, It depends on
how deep and how messy her problems are.
Hey Doc,
I read "The System" and regularly read your columns and you have really helped me
understand the game of relationships better. So, thanks for everything.
Last week I ran into Marla, who, years ago, was married to a former coworker of mine. I
remember her being flirty with me back then, but she was married (shes now divorced) and I
had a girlfriend, so it ended right there.
Anyway, I kept the conversation short and got her phone number. I waited six days to call her.
When we talked, she told me she was really busy that week since shes working two jobs, one
as a nurse and the other at a jewelry shop. It was the holidays, so I bought her story about her
busy schedule and she told me she would see what her schedule was like the next week and
call me back. I was disappointed, but I told her that I understood and said goodbye.
is she interested?
Doc, what do you think Marlas Interest Level is? She didnt mention a boyfriend, made it
clear to me that she was divorced, and was very quick to give me her phone number when I
asked. I had high hopes for this one because she seems like a real sweetheart, and I like that
she works and is independent.
I doubt shell call back. Im thinking of waiting a few weeks to give it one more shot. If she
doesnt call me back or if I get another excuse without a solid counteroffer, Ill just cut my
losses and move on.
What do you think, Doc?
Henny - who cant make out where shes coming from
When Marla said shed check her schedule and call you back, you should have come right
back with: Since your schedule is heavy and its the holidays, let me get back to you some
other time, OK? Itll be easier that way. Then you hang up. Because once you said that you
sympathized with her and showed that you understood her situation, you gave up your power
and you gave up control of the situation. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, The reason
you feel powerless now is because you decided to wait for her next move.
Actually, you only thought you understood this girl, Henny. What you actually didnt
understand was that Marlas Interest Level is anemic -- somewhere in the 40s. Thats what
you didnt get.
on to kareena
Now lets move on to the lovely Kareena. Like Ive told you guys so many times before, it
doesnt make a difference whether a girl is from Mongolia or Montana because "The System"
cuts across all cultural lines. So all you have to say is: Kareena, whats your home phone
number? And thats called CLOSING. I dont care if her best friend is standing there, I dont
care if her parents are standing there, and I dont care if the King of Bhutan himself is
standing there -- just do it.
What I said about different cultures still stands. To you Psych majors, if a girl was raised
catholic, her parents are going to want to have a catholic son-in-law. If shes Malaysian,
theyll want her to marry a Malaysian. If shes Jewish, theyll want her to marry a Jewish guy.
Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Blood is thicker than anything else.
But you did close Kareena, pal. Good for you. And the key phrase when you went for the
number is without hesitation. Thats even better because it was an indication of Kareenas
Interest Level.
always do: Wait a week before you call her. When you see Kareena during the day, act as if
you never asked her out and never went for her home phone number.
become a challenge
And heres how you can be a Challenge for this girl even if you see her all the time: Smile
when you see her, but let her talk to you first. Hold yourself back. Think of it as an exercise in
Self-Control.
You dont have to ask her about her father, dude. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts
says, She knows if her old man is a bigot or not, right?
Hey Doc,
I read your weekly columns religiously, and I know from experience that everything you say
is DEAD ON. There is one thing, however, that has thrown me for a loop, and it seems to be
an exception to the laws of attraction.
A friend of mine, Ill call him Bill, has been dating Cheryl for about five years. Doc, believe
me when I say that Bill does practically EVERYTHING against what you teach. He calls
Cheryl every day, he buys her lame gifts all the time, and he gets instantly insecure and
jealous anytime he sees her talking to another guy.
Also, in terms of being exciting, unpredictable and a Challenge, this guy has pretty much
given up: Bill and Cheryl have a monthly anniversary of sorts where they always go to the
same restaurant after a movie and have the perfunctory exchange of gifts.
im jealous
Doc, it may sound like I hate Bill, and truth be told, I do resent him a little because this girl is
still totally into him. She buys him gifts too, shes always cooking for him, and despite their
occasional breakup, she always ends up back with him. The most amazing thing is that Cheryl
is actually quite attractive. Heck, I wouldnt mind taking her out myself. Shes certainly better
looking than the women Ive been going out with.
What do you make of all this, Doc? It couldnt be that shes just putting on a show or an act,
right? She couldnt fake it all this time if she were, at least, that's the way I see it.
Thanks in advance for your insight, Doc, and thanks for all the amazing insight youve given
all us guys for so long.
Shlomo - who cant figure it out
control, she has to look for a robot to have this relationship with -- something she can control
100%, and that will be enough for her. For certain types of women, maintaining control is
everything.
Now heres where I disagree with you: I think its good that Bill and Cheryl do things
regularly, in their case on a monthly basis. But they should be doing different things -- going
to new restaurants, theaters, amusements, and so forth, so it doesnt get stale. Like my cousin
General Love says, The best way to kill your relationship is by beating the same things to
death.
On the other hand, I dont think gifts should be given on a predictable basis. Gifts are meant
for when your heart is in the right place. Gifts shouldnt be doled out on an artificial
timetable, even though that violates all of the customs of the American holiday system.
youre resentful
Whats really interesting here is that you resent Bill after all of his screwups. It means that
down deep youd like to have his woman. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, Guy, you
got a big problem! If you had no feelings for this woman, you wouldnt care what an idiot
this poor guy is. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Heck, bro, youd feel
sorry for him!
But you shouldnt be too jealous, Shlomo. Bill and Cheryls love affair doesnt sound like the
proverbial bed of roses. And the evidence is their occasional breakup and its twin sister
she always ends up back with him. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, Gee, I wonder
how much the robot begs whenever she tells him she never wants to see him again!
Of course you wouldnt mind taking Cheryl out yourself. What did I just get through telling
you? As you know, this isnt a religious column, Shlomo, but maybe its about time you think
about the Ten Commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery is one of them. Another is
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife.
remember the other parts: One-third of the whole equation is FLEXIBILITY, and this girls
not flexible. Shes what youd call 100% structured. She tells Bill when to inhale; she tells
Bill when to exhale. Now if you want to live like that with the woman giving only her token
Interest Level, thats fine. Me, I dont want to live like that. I cant live like that. But some
guys can, and thats OK if theyre able to deal with it. I call it the arrangement; its not
really based on mutual love.
Remember, guys: Just because shes a Giver doesnt mean shes not a control freak.
I hope you can help me with this situation, Doc; I really need it.
Beck - whos trying to get on the scoreboard
And when she demands to know why you broke up, come right back with, I wont hang with
a girl who doesnt love me.
get tougher
But I have to hand it to you, Beck, Theres no point in talking about the past is a very
macho thing to say. Seriously though, I dont think I ever heard John Wayne say it to a girl
when he was alive. Well, maybe he said it once -- to his horse.
If a girl has to bug you until she gives up, Beck, make her give up sooner. And when the
subject comes up yet again, like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Youll sit there and do the same
thing until you get tough, boy!
You shouldnt be sitting there worrying about how a lie can come back to haunt you. Like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love says, Dude, you cant get past the second date! Arent you getting a
little ahead of yourself?
Youre not in a catch-22, buddy. You havent memorized "The System" yet -- thats your real
problem. But again, remember that youre bettering yourself. Youre getting to the second
date. But to go further -- to reach the finish line -- you have to memorize the Word.
Remember, guys: As long as youre improving yourself with "The System," relax and enjoy
the trip.
If you try to cause these two any misery, the only inconvenience theyll suffer is switching off
the phone and turning on the answering machine while they practice more slow dancing.
Remember, guys: Its one thing if you dont know what to do, but if you know what to do and
dont do it, then youre double-dumb.
Her Ex Is Back
Hey Doc,
I started seeing Dana two months ago, which was about six months after her ex walked out on
her and their baby. When we first started out we were just friends, but it turned into something
that I would like to see go somewhere. Dana is a sweetheart and genuinely cares about me,
and tells me that she wants to be with me. Since she has a young child, I have accepted the
fact that I will always be No. 2 in her life, but that doesnt bother me at all.
Now heres the problem: Two weeks ago we were out on a date and her ex, who Ill call
Johnny, started calling her on her cell phone and telling her how much he missed her, how he
couldnt live without her and how he needed her back. This really upset me because our night
started off great, but then I could see that these calls were wearing on her. Since then, he has
been calling her 30 to 40 times per day, telling her the same things, and acting like a selfish
jackass. Its gotten so bad at her job that her boss told her that she couldnt come back to work
until she got a restraining order on him, which she did.
cousin Fast Eddie Love would have said, Give me your address, man. Ill mail you a knife so
you can commit hari-kari.
So this boy is a dope head and has no job? Wow -- now I can see why Dana digs him so much
and decided to carry his baby. That clears it all up. Now I get it. Like my cousin Reverend
Love would say, Its a match made in hell.
misplaced pitty
But on a more serious note, you feel sorry for the poor chap. Blackie, you should feel sorry
for yourself because youre in love with someone, as the establishment would put it, who has
issues. But no, your heart is bleeding for Johnny. Let me ask you a question: What does this
have to do with Christmas?
Despite it all, you want Dana to make a decision about your relationship, one way or the
other. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Never go out with someone who has more problems
than you. This girl is supposed to bring happy times and sanity into your existence and shes
bringing you nothing but TROUBLE. Her ex is going to come over to your house with six of
his buddies and their aluminum bats and theyre going to lay a beating on your car or worse,
on you. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Dog, she gave out your phone
number to her ex. Id hate to see what hell do when she gives him your address!
First off, let me say that The System is brilliant, but I hope you can help me fix my problem
so I dont have to use it.
Ive known Tori for over a year, since she started working as a server at the restaurant where
Im a bartender. Right off we had a great friendship. We hung out all the time and had fun
being together. A couple months later she told me she had feelings for me and wanted to
know if Id be interested in dating her. At the time I was in a long-distance relationship with
Laurel, so I told her I couldnt. Tori said it was cool, but she kept pursuing me anyway. I have
to say that it was a nice ego boost to have her pretty much throwing herself at me.
Before I go any further, you should know that the whole time I had feelings for Tori as well,
but I dont cheat. One night, when Tori and I were at a party, she pulled me aside and told me
she loved me. I told her that I had feelings for her too, but that I was still with Laurel.
Finally, I broke it off with Laurel so I could be with Tori. I realized that I was in love with her
and had been for some time. I went over to Toris house to tell her how I felt, only to find out
she was seeing another man, Dustin! Their relationship didnt last long, but I questioned what
I was doing. Anyway, shortly afterward Tori and I started holding hands and acting the way
couples do.
a little while to think about it, and then smiled at her. Because you were rebuffing her, even
though her Interest Level was incoming. This is what most male egos cant grasp. But it takes
patience to deal with incoming interest properly, because you have to withdraw rather than
push the girl away.
Doc Love lets Donovan know what he did wrong...
Dude, Tori kept pursuing you because you were a CHALLENGE. This is great! This is
exactly what you want to happen. This IS The System at work. So it turns out that you are
using the book -- at least so far.
So its no surprise that this girl was throwing herself at you. To you Psych majors, when their
Interest Level is in the 90s, theyre little girls. And good for you that you dont cheat.
When Tori told you she loved you, you should have said For how long? or Is that the best
you can do? Thats not much, honey!
But you ended up talking about Laurel and the fact that you loved Tori. So you made two
enormous blunders: You got all serious and you talked about other women and your feelings.
Instead of that, you should have impersonated Vince Vaughn and had fun with Tori.
she were on a plane, she would have had to grab the barf bag.
Thats when you found out that she didnt feel the same about you. Im stunned. Like my
cousin General Love says, Maybe you and Dustin ought to get together and swap war
stories.
remain a challenge
You did make a mistake dumping Laurel. She was a good girl and she liked you. And what
did you do? You snuck around with another girl. You knew you had feelings for Tori and you
never should have tempted yourself. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, You say you dont
cheat, but youre not really loyal, my son.
In the future, be honest with yourself and keep your mouth shut. Because the first time you
say, I love you, it usually means youre history down the road.
Remember, guys: Try to allow them to chase you.
I call Taylor at four- to six-day intervals (maximum five minutes of talking) to schedule dates,
and we go out once or twice a week. She has never turned down a date recommendation from
me. She is always available and ready to go out whenever I want to. She has offered to pay for
meals and other things several times, so I dont think shes a Professional Dater. I get along
fine with her son, and she has even discussed going on vacation with me somewhere. When
she does, I remain noncommittal and immediately change the subject to something more
humorous and light.
Its nice that Taylor wants to travel to Hawaii with you, but are you going with her alone or
will her kid be on the surfboard too? Did you happen to ask Taylor about that? Its great,
though, that in general you stay off the heavy subjects. Youre not doing everything wrong.
Taylors not sending you mixed signals. Shes just working you like a master by offering to
pay. But remember that you have her over to your house but she doesnt want you to go over
to hers. Why? Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Yo, dog -- maybe shes got
another boyfriend or two stashed there. And keep this in mind: If this girl really dug you,
wouldnt she want to kiss you after three whole months?
I love your use of the word ditch. Its like trying to get rid of someone whos not there.
Youre making it sound like Taylors Interest Level is in the stratosphere and youre going to
break her heart if you dont call her again. The truth is that her Interest Level is only
somewhere between 40% to 49%. What youve got here is a Professional Dater who offers to
pay.
Youre not missing anything, dude. You just have to study harder, thats all.
Remember, guys: If shes inconsistent, she cant have high Interest Level.
So how about some advice for guys over 60? Where do we go to find attractive women? What
should we say and do? Are we dead because were members of AARP or collecting pensions
and/or Social Security? Should we just stay at home and watch TV instead of going out there
and living to the full?
There are more of us out here looking for dates than you might think. So any helpful hints
would be appreciated.
Luca - who doesnt think hes over the hill
age-old wisdom
What should you do and say to a woman? The same thing you should always do and say.
Youre going to keep the conversation light and funny. Youre going to smile. Heres what
youre not going to do. Youre not going to stare at her chest. And youre not going to tell her
how much you hate your ex-girlfriends and ex-wives.
Dude, you dont have to convince me that youre youthful for your age. What you have to do
is find your counterpart in a female. Its going to be a little tougher, though, because of your
age. But if youre patient, youll get there.
Look at the statistics, my friend: America is 52% women to 48% men. Women outlive men
by seven years. So theyre out there, all right. But you say that lots of women look like hell.
Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, My son, youre not practicing the falsehood of
unconditional love! And yes, its true that lots of them also look terrible.
However, there happens to be a large percentage of women who do take care of themselves,
and thats what you need. Im going to show you where to find the ones who look good. But
first, Luca, you have to open your mind and not be so judgmental.
She's Touchy-Feely
Hey Doc,
Ive been with Shana -- a stewardess and a 9 -- for six months. She has a lot of good
qualities and values -- shes kind, giving and caring -- on top of her gorgeous looks. I have
done tests on her and she's definitely not in love with my bank account (Im quite wellfixed through my various investments) and she is certainly with me for who I am.
Shana was the one who first said the L word. I believe her Interest Level is around 95%, as
she always talks about our future, how much she loves me, that she cant wait to get married,
and that she cant wait to have kids with me. A few times she has also given me hints, like
where's my ring? and she says I love you over 20 times a day, while I keep my responses
to a third of that in order to stay a Challenge.
the ONLY one to say the L word. You used the wrong word, my friend.
You mean to tell me that you think that youre a Challenge by telling your girlfriend only
seven times a day how much you love her? Uh yeah, sure. You have to go back and read
my book a little more, pal. I think you missed a few pages.
Doc Love hits the mark on all of Clems concerns
to the families of her exes, because those boyfriends are gone -- or they should be gone.
I see that youre playing James Bond on Shana by snooping on her e-mails. Beautiful. It
proves that youve read the Dating Dictionary at least once. And like my cousin General Love
says, Alls fair in love and war.
buys me clothes to make me look older. (Womanese for, I want him to resemble my much
older boyfriends.)
Recently, we had a major confrontation at her birthday party, which was held at a bar. Jeanna
got really drunk and started complaining that I was always uptight. Later on in the evening
she broke down in tears and started talking about her ex-boyfriend of four years (they broke
up a year before she met me), and how heartbroken over the old guy she still is. It was
embarrassing for me because everyone heard her.
breaking up is hard to do
Well, I decided that I would end it in two weeks, which gave me time to collect my things
from Jeannas house. But the day after the incident, I confronted her about what happened at
the bar. She said she was too drunk to remember what she said and that she never meant a
word of it.
She then said she loved me and begged me to forgive her. I agreed, on the condition that she
changes a few things about herself -- basically to stop thinking and talking about these stupid
ex-boyfriends. And, for some reason, her fixation on guys old enough to be her father really
bothers me.
Doc, am I making a big mistake by taking her back? Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Jo-Jo - who suddenly doesnt know what to do
dress with boots and jewelry and looks like a clotheshorse that stepped out of a shopping
catalog.
Women always try and overdress men. So, I would take it as a positive and use it for the
purpose of self-improvement if Jeannas doing this not to make you look older, but to prevent
you from getting arrested for vagrancy. On the other hand, as my cousin Fast Eddie Love
says, You gotta remember that this girl does like old bananas.
Doc Love takes a look at the birthday party situation
barstool psychology
Lets look at what happened at the infamous birthday party. Is this the first time in a few
months Jeannas gotten inebriated? How many drinks per date does she usually down? How
come youre not telling me that, pal?
After she called the bartender over for the fifth time, thats when she told you youre way too
uptight for her. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: Is that because she gets real loose
when she has a few pops? Or is she saying that just because she doesnt want you picking
out your own clothes?
Once Jeanna started bawling at the bar, you should have changed the environment fast. You
couldnt tell all the guests to leave, but you could have left. And, guy, you should have gotten
right out of there the minute the waterworks started. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says,
Whats wrong with you, boy? You sat there while she talked about an old flame and there
were 150 people in the room giggling.
Whats interesting though, is the topic she did just happen to pick to blab about when she was
bombed. She could have talked about how much she loved her parents or, even better, how
much she loved you. But what does she do? She goes back four years to some guy whos
living in a convalescent home -- and she couldnt stop going on about him.
Even though Im not a shrink, if shes that into grandfathers, its my guess that she didnt
have a solid father figure in her house. If she wants to daydream about guys who are about
ready to go up to Boot Hill, thats her prerogative. But shes with you. Why? You must be
strong in other areas, because youre not an old geezer. So she overlooked that in you,
probably because youre funny and confident and good-looking. But now that youre falling
apart, its not working anymore and all she can think about is how lousy you look in your
grungy clothes.
Remember, guys: Your age is a part of the physical-attraction test.
She also told me shes bipolar. Im somewhat skeptical toward people who claim to be
bipolar. Her family is poor, and her parents can be considered the stereotypical trailer trash
-- lazy and unmotivated. Finally, she has a 7-year-old daughter who is spoiled. Natasha
doesnt have full custody of her daughter (I dont know all the details, but shes had two
boyfriends in the past who were bad influences and this contributed to her not getting full
custody).
I try not to let these factors cloud my judgment because I want to believe individuals have the
power to become whatever they desire, regardless of their environment. But over the past 19
months, weve had two or three really heated arguments over these issues, and she even
slapped me a few times.
Im at a point where Im thinking of breaking up with Natasha, but Im also under a lot of
stress from work, so maybe my mind is just clouded right now. I dont want to make a
decision I will regret later because Natasha has some wonderful traits your book would
describe as essential, despite the red flags. What should I do?
Calvin - who sees it both ways
I understand and sympathize that a car wreck was involved in Natashas fear of getting behind
the wheel. But like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says, How many open bottles of Jack Daniels
did the cops find on the floor of that vehicle?
Im glad that Natasha shows up about half the time to her GED class. Sounds like shes the
responsible type. And dont forget -- thats going to be your responsible wife right there who
forgot to pay the electric bill. The Reality Factor says that this girl doesnt come from a
background with an emphasis on strict responsibility. So, like my cousin Brother Love down
in Watts says, Dog, why dont you just get into how fine she looks and forget about whats
inside her head for a while?
So shes bipolar, huh? Man, I wont go near that one. Its totally politically incorrect to touch
that word, but my long-term readers and fans will know what Im thinking right now. Heck,
Im scared to death if anybody even mentions that word in a conversation!
Ninety percent of the time, our traitor judges in this country award custody of the kids to the
mother. If the woman doesnt get the kid legally, its a HUGE RED FLAG, my friend. Like
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, You sure shes not wanted for anything, dude?
head?
Is all of this stuff a big red flag? Calvin, this flag could cover Nebraska! If I were you, Id
move to Bangladesh.
Remember, guys: When theyve got tons of problems, they are not low-maintenance.
suddenly single
One year later, Anoushka is single and has become much more attractive, enhancing her
appearance by losing 20 pounds since shes back on the market. My dilemma is that, although
Im dying to strike up a conversation with her and ask her out on a date, Im not sure how I
should go about it without looking desperate. We have not been talking regularly at all, just
occasional greetings whenever we see each other on campus. I would try and just give her a
call and ask her out, but I feel as though the conversation would be awkward since we haven't
had a real conversation in person for about a year. I would also try striking up a conversation
when I see her around campus, but Im stumped as to what I should talk to her about that
would smoothly transition into an invitation for coffee.
Another big problem is that Anoushka has three friends who shes constantly with and I rarely
see her by herself. I really dont feel like trying to figure out how to separate her from her
friends. Every way I think to approach her makes me look too aggressive and not challenging
at all.
What should I do? Did I miss my chance by not staying in contact with Anoushka for the past
year? Should guys always stay in touch with a girl who has potential even if shes not
immediately attracted to him?
Drake - whos stumped
call her up, act like nothings ever happened between the two of you. And then youre going
to ask her out and start to discover her Interest Level -- if there is one -- which is the whole
idea of the Starbucks date.
If youre stumped about what to talk to Anoushka about leading into asking her out, just ask
her about the classes shes taking in college. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, Thats a
real hard one!
Women lists. She has a very controlling mother and a best friend who is also her sister-in-law.
All three of them now live in Los Angeles, having moved there from a smaller town in central
California.
My ex is very sweet, good-natured, non-confrontational, smart, and quite attractive. But she
has always lived in her sisters shadow. To add insult to injury, her mother does not like me
one bit, and for what reason I dont know. Frankly, her mother has not liked a single one of
my exs boyfriends, and I find that to be an issue in itself.
move on
Dude, you have to get Jolene away from these blockers shes with. Somehow you have to get
her to move out. Because theres no distance between Jolene and her mother and best
friend, these people can bring down both her Interest Level and your Interest Level --
indirectly. Like my cousin General Love says, Soldier, this kind of attack will wear you
down.
Doc Love offers Ervin some more advice about getting his girl back...
Im sure that Jolene has all the wonderful qualities you enumerate -- when shes with you.
You can bet shes not exhibiting the same qualities when shes with the blockers. Pal, you
have to move this girl exactly because shes always lived in her sisters shadow. What have I
told you guys hundreds of times before? Change the environment. If you have to, move to
Bakersfield.
You know why Jolenes mother doesnt like you? Like the great Doctor Freud once said,
Thats an easy one: Because she hates men. To you Psych majors, you have to wonder
about a woman who hates the guts of a guy her daughter likes, and who treats her like Cary
Grant would -- classy. The fact that her mother hasnt liked any of Jolenes exes verifies what
Im saying. And remember, when a girl hates The System, shes not a good girl for you.
love hate
Buddy, you two werent happy when Jolene was breaking up with you -- she was the only one
who was happy. This reminds me of the girl who once said to me, I love you so much, I just
cant take all this happiness -- I have to get rid of you! So I told her, Please hurry up and
hate my guts so we can start kissing!
The fact that you werent getting married wasnt why you and Jolene went splitsville. Women
break it off for one reason, and one reason only. The reason she gave you was the number two
reason for getting rid of you. But the real reason is that you lowered her Interest Level due to
your past deportment. Ervin, you owned this girl way back when. She used to idolize you
once upon a time and now she wants to date other guys. She couldnt wait to see you when
you were first going out and now she cant stand the sight of you. What happened, kiddo?
This so-called support group Jolene hangs with is really the third reason you broke up.
Remember: Only you can lower Jolenes Interest Level.
I agree that Jolenes two roommates hate your guts. And thats a problem. So what can you
do? You have to wait for Jolene to call you. If she calls you, invite her over to your house and
cook dinner for her. But youre not going to drive anywhere to meet her, and she has to come
to your place. If she says no, keep the conversation limited to five minutes and hang up. You
have to hope that her Interest Level is 51% to 55% because then you might be able to pull this
one out. But if its in the 40s or less, youre history, my friend.
don't bet on it
Do I think theres a chance of getting Jolene back? Well, if I were a betting man, I wouldnt
take the action. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Las Vegas says its 10 to 1 that
you dont stand a chance.
Fame might possibly have twisted Jolenes head. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love says,
Lets put it this way -- who remembers Ashlee Simpsons ex-boyfriend? But keep in mind
that this girl never treated you badly, and when you were together you always had a good
time. You only had problems when you got around those two serpents she lives with. What
does that tell you?
Remember, guys: Anytime you get mixed signals, disappear.
too late.
But you do get a medal for taking yourself off Shannons radar and cutting off all your mutual
friends. This is fantastic! You did it, Yev -- you played hardball. Finally! Even if it took a
good old-fashioned slap down from Shannon to make you face reality.
Now think about this. You went out with a girl who was a whack-job for 12 whole months,
and now that youre pulling a disappearing act, she sees you behind every bush. What is it
about her that you didnt pick up earlier? You were with her all that time and you didnt see
any other red flags? Man, this girl can get you in trouble with the local police department. If
she wanted, she could even inflict damage on your job. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says,
Remember, my son, in America the male is always really the victim.
trouble in paradise
Now heres my problem. In a few months I will be leaving on a church mission for two years.
Theres no way out of this obligation for me, so I cant even think about it. I dont know the
exact place where Ill be stationed, but it could possibly be out of the country in a remote
location. Needless to say, Im not looking forward to this entire situation.
While on this religious mission, my contact with Sarah Jane will be limited to letters, e-mails,
and only a few phone calls a year. I dont want to lose Sarah Jane. Is there any way that I can
keep this woman interested in me for the next two years? She has expressed an interest in
waiting for me to return, but I know that a woman with her looks and qualities wont last long
without a man by her side.
Is there any hope for me, Doc? Can you give me any tips for keeping her? Thanks in advance
and keep up the good work.
Joseph - who hates to leave her behind
belongs on the cover of Vogue. But shes going to be loyal to you for the whole time that
youre gone. And youre going to try and hold her Interest Level while youre in Kenya
digging a sewer and preaching the Good Book. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, I admire
you for your faith, my son, but even God might not be able to help you with this one.
exiled by faith
And you tell me youre not looking forward to your long exile? Why not? Maybe theyll send
you somewhere like Bahrain -- now theres a nice place to live. They have lots of oil over
there and the king is very, very rich.
The picture is clear, dude. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, You got real bad odds on this
here race, boy. But Im on your side, so were going to come up with a plan to try and help
you out.
Doc Love has a plan for old Joseph and his sweet Sarah Jane
Youre right about one thing: Sarah Jane wont last long without a man by her side. Because
like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Thats because theres going to be so many guys
hitting on her. Theyll tell her I just want to be your friend, but they dont really want to be
her friend -- they want to be her boyfriend. And theyre going to want to knock you out of the
box and you wont be in town to hold your position. Youll be organizing prayer meetings on
the other side of the world.
a hopeless cause
Is there any hope for you? You know what the Reality Factor says dont you? When youre
5,000 miles away for years at a time, her memory starts to weaken. So Ill say it again, pal -your chances are not good.
This is what you have to do. You have to keep it light and funny right up until the day you
leave for South Korea or Myanmar or wherever they send you. And then, when youre getting
ready to board the plane, youll say to Sarah Jane, Heres my e-mail address. Keep in touch,
baby. Forget the phone calls. If she wants to call you, she can call you. I dont want you
phoning her. Then you just have to hope this girl can last and that shes so busy on her job
that she doesnt have time to go out and have a little fun with some other guy. Fat chance.
perfect strangers
As you know, if youve read my book, Im not a big fan of the long-distance relationship;
there are way too many obstacles to overcome. And if by some stroke of luck shes still
around when you come back to America, youll be strangers to each other.
But I want you to do your best to beat the odds. Thats why Im here -- to coach you guys to
have a fighting chance.
Remember, guys: When you dont live close by, its a lot harder to check up on her.
Now heres the catch: She has a boyfriend. I was shocked! I immediately asked her to give the
guy up, but for some unfathomable reason, she hesitated and hasnt done it. Making matters
worse, I happened to see them together -- I felt as if someone had driven a stake straight into
my heart.
too soon. If shes saying the same things three or four months from now and you dont spot
any red flags, great! But you two havent even exchanged coffee!
love is a drug
The reason you never stopped thinking of Veronica in the first place is because love is a drug.
I tell you guys never to let your Interest Level get into the 90s, and she took yours all the way
to 100%. When you finally realize that hers is only around 7%, maybe youll wake up. Like
my cousin Rabbi Love says, Remember, my son, this is Gods way of telling you youre
doing something wrong. Nigel, you better get "The System" -- fast.
Of course your fixation on someone who doesnt give a hoot about you has destroyed a huge
part of your life. Thats what drugs do. Veronicas on your mind 18 hours a day. When you go
to sleep, youre dreaming about her. And Ive got news for you: Shes not leaving your mind
anytime soon.
Theres only one way to get Veronica to drop this guy and come back to you: Win the lottery.
Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, You take home a cool $88 million and shes
gonna see the light. Shell forget all about salsa music.
How do you get over her? MEMORIZE MY PRINCIPLES AND INTERNALIZE THEM. Or
pay the price.
Remember, guys: As the old adage goes, time is mankinds greatest healer.
Hey Doc,
Im just getting back into the dating scene after a two-and-a-half-year relationship, and Im a
little rusty. I was familiar with your advice and a follower of your articles prior to my last
relationship, but I didnt need to use them due to my exs constant attention regardless of what
I did.
do it this way.
But whats going to make you different from all the other guys? Youre not going to be a sap
who does everything the woman wants you to do; youre going to set Camille up and youre
going to work shrewdly and smartly with a strategy.
How do you deal with a woman who wont call you? You follow my guidelines. All the advice
you need is between the covers of my book -- the one you supposedly knew at one time, but
somehow got rusty at because you stopped playing by the rules.
camille is a keeper
I like the way Camille is acting. This is a good, conservative girl. Youre going to proceed
nice and slow with her because this is the kind of girl you want. The typical girl goes out with
you one time and shes texting you 50 times the next day. Somethings wrong with that girl.
You wont inundate Camille with e-mail while shes away. The most youll do is wait eight or
nine days and drop her a note that says, Tell me about the fun youre having on your
vacation. And youll answer her messages when shes gone. If you can live with it, youll
have to go along with her program because of the way this girl is built. But like my Uncle
Jethro Love says, After youre with her for 40 or 50 years, let me know how youre holding
up.
Im well aware of your advice that the womans Interest Level is EVERYTHING in a dating
relationship. Since I learned that, no matter what Im feeling, I operate according to the reality
of that principle.
My problem involves a local celebrity Ive gone out with for three months. Im an attorney in
a midsized city in the Pacific Northwest. Being seen in the company of a blonde anchor-babe
is a big deal here. Im not dating Reese because of an interest in showbiz; quite the contrary.
We were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend and there was chemistry right away, both
intellectually and physically. By the third month, we were inseparable. Mostly she called me.
I kept to a five-day interval between calls, and when she called me, I forced myself to wait
one day before returning it.
Hi Wilbur,
Interest Level isnt only everything; its the NUMBER ONE THING. Because, like my cousin
Sal The Fish Love says, Baby, without it, youre dead.
Pal, I hope you dont react to being seen in the company of a blonde anchor-babe. But Im
happy that you two had instant chemistry. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, Ah! That
rare moment in time when you both pass the physical attraction test with flying colors!
Doc reveals where Reese went wrong...
Im glad you forced yourself not to fall all over this girl and didnt call her back the minute
she phoned you. Beautiful! What a tough guy you are. Like my cousin General Love says,
Were going to award you the Navy Cross!
Brother Love down in Watts says, Dog, she must be really mad at you!
Wanting you to know about her subterfuge was stupid logic. How is your knowing that Reese
is a sneak going to make you feel better? How is it going to boost your Interest Level? No
way. This girl may be able to read the news off a teleprompter, but shes got a lot to learn
about graciousness.
If Reese only wanted to date you, she should have called the other guy and canceled her date
with him after she went out with you for a couple of months. She should have told him,
Listen, we wont be going to my parents function. But she didnt do that. Worse, she asked
this guy to go with her six months before the day of the party, and she asked you two days
before the date. Was there somebody else in there whom she was thinking of inviting? HUGE
RED FLAG.
doc's verdict
Should you give Reese another chance? You already gave her another chance when you shot
your mouth off and told her you were letting her off the hook. You didnt say youd think
about it. You didnt tell her to call you in a month and then saw what she did with it. If you
had, you would really have found out where she was coming from.
So thats three strikes, Wilbur. Shes out.
Remember, guys: If shes structured and cant tell the truth, its time to get out of there.
Hiding Interest
Hey Doc,
Ive read your articles and learned a lot from what you have to say. I was married for 10 years
and my first wife divorced me a little over a year ago, so as you might have guessed, Im
really unsure of myself when it comes to women.
However, theres a beautiful woman at work Im really attracted to. Im so nervous around
Krista that I can barely manage to say hello. It turns out that she apparently feels -- or should I
say felt -- the same way about me, because I heard through the grapevine that she thought I
was hot. I was skeptical at first, but then she started looking at me and complimenting me. All
the signs of interest were there, which was great.
But one day she caught me off guard. She came into my office and tried to flirt a little and I
just froze. I guess she wanted to know where she stood with me, and so she came out and
asked. I told her, quite bluntly, I wasnt interested. She just said OK, and walked away.
i messed it up
I felt like I had been kicked in the gut, because I knew I had made a huge mistake. Of course,
the end result is that now when I see Krista, shes as cold as ice. For about a month afterward,
she wouldnt even smile when she passed me in the hall. All I got was either a hurt and angry
stare, or she acted like she didnt care at all. This practically killed me inside.
Doc, this isnt what I wanted! I know I was stupid, I know I wasnt thinking, but I only
wanted Krista to back off a little -- I didnt want her to turn into the queen of ice! I know I
hurt her feelings, but I know she still feels some kind of attraction to me because Ive caught
her looking at me from a distance.
You should never go through third parties. Youre supposed to be like James Bond. Shut your
mouth. And like Sean Connery says, Keep em at arms length! Nobody in the office should
know a thing about your personal life.
If youre really, really lucky, and this girl somehow misinterpreted your slap in the face as
Challenge, then you still have to walk up to her and say Listen, whats your home phone
number? We know you dont know what to say, Deron. So heres a line you can try: Whats
your home phone number?
There should be awkward tension between the two of you now because you dont know where
you stand. Krista liked you once upon a time, but now you dont know if theres any hope left
or youre just making yourself look more stupid.
She Moved In
Hey Doc,
A friend turned me onto your website. I purchased "The System" afterward and wanted to
thank you for your insights.
Heres my issue: I started dating Lana a few months ago. After wed been dating for six
weeks, things got a little weird between us and I could feel her starting to distance herself. I
followed your advice and played it cool. I showed her less attention. Things got better, but
then worse again. It came to a point where I called her on it and told her I wasnt happy with
the way things were going and either they changed or I was going to call it off.
time, my roommate was in the process of leaving the city for a new job. I told Lana that she
could move into my place until she found a place of her own.
Of course Lana sleeps in her own bed. Why would she want to sleep with a guy she only has
45% Interest Level in? Youre just a pal to this girl -- and a dog-walker. By the way, be sure
to carry a plastic bag to pick up all the stuff the dog leaves behind on the sidewalk.
The biggest problem youve got is that you cant use my advice on a girl whose Interest Level
is short of the 50-yard line. To you Psych majors, Challenge doesnt work on a girl who
doesnt like you. She has to like you; otherwise youre nothing more than a roommate -- and a
dog-walker. Its impossible to even be a Challenge when a girl doesnt dig you to begin with.
Remember, guys: When youre having problems with her, dont move her in.
She's Older
Hey Doc,
Im 22 and Im dating a 38-year-old woman. Janine and I met in a bar, talked for a long time
and ended up getting very romantic very quickly. Every time we see each other the same thing
happens -- we talk about everything, her hopes and her fears, the future, what we want in life,
we laugh a hell of a lot, then its followed by romance and we spend the next day together and
so on. Its really been great, since our personalities complement each other really well.
is there a future?
I really dont like seeing Janine worrying over this. Everything in our relationship is fine apart
from this one issue of age, and I think that if we could overcome it we could have a future
together.
Can you give me any coaching? Whats your opinion of the chances for a man and woman
with a significant age difference making it for the long run?
Thanks.
Rowley - who thinks hes found the one
Hey Doc,
About a year ago I started dating Gabriela and we had a great relationship. Things between us
were pretty perfect, until she broke up with me after six months because she said she thought
my new job would be too hard on the relationship. I didnt really believe this excuse because I
felt that if she really cared about me wed be able to work around the tough scheduling, but
she insisted that this was the sole reason for the break up.
the ex is back
Well, I came to find out a few weeks later that she was back with an ex-boyfriend from four
years ago who just moved back to the area. As devastated as I was, I still cared about Gabriela
and after about a month of no communication we started hanging out again. Of course, I had a
lot of issues about what happened between us, but she denied leaving me for this other guy
and claimed she only started having feelings for him again after we broke up.
So the situation at hand is that Gabriela tells me shes reconsidering what she thought she had
with this guy, and that she still has feelings for me but isnt ready to leave him yet since he
was the one she was planning on marrying. Shes basically telling me that she wants me to be
her backup guy if things dont work out with this other guy. She gets really ticked off at me if
I hook up with other girls or even thinks that Im trying.
Doc Love sets Axel and his hope for a relationship with Gabriela straight...
So, Gabrielas back with her old boyfriend. The question is, why? Shes probably just
convalescing with this guy until shes ready to make her next move. She went back to her old
boyfriend because she was bored with you and because hes back in town and they used to
have a good time. After all, she needs a stepping-stone to the next guy. But its not going to
last between them because you cant go back.
You went from no communication whatsoever with Gabriela to hanging out with her? That
was quite a leap you made, pal. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, In other words,
you called her up and begged her to go out and have donuts and coffee.
stop hoping
When you say you dont want to give up on this girl, you imply theres a chance, that theres
still hope for you. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Boy, you gotta lay off those 40-oz jugs
of beer!
You might faithfully read my articles, but you need to forget about that word and
concentrate on the word MEMORIZE -- as in MEMORIZE "The System." Youve made too
many mistakes, dude. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East LA says, This girls been
working you like Picasso worked the canvas.
Remember, guys: When its over, dont entertain false hope.
ad busted
I was suspicious, however, as Id pried enough information out of Sophia to know that shed
left every relationship she was ever in for a new guy. I even joked with her about not wanting
to be the next chump, and actually held my Interest Level at about 75% for the first six to
eight months. However, I had an online dating ad that Id used previously, but not while we
were together.
Sophia saw it on my computer browser and went ballistic. I apologized to her (I know -groveling, very bad!) and in that moment the Interest Levels in our relationship completely
switched. Mine shot up to 95% and hers dropped to 70% or lower. The long slide to below
40% took a year for Sophia, and of course my Interest Level increased to compensate (which I
now know had exactly the opposite effect on her).
who's to blame?
So heres my question: Was I wrong for not listening to my intuition about this woman? It
seems she leaves every guy for a new chump the same way. Does the way a woman leaves a
relationship have anything to do with the way shes going to act in the future? Should a guy
be concerned about getting involved with her in the first place?
When she spotted that old dating ad on your computer, it showed that youre sloppy. As soon
as Sophia said, I want to be your girlfriend, you should have gone through everything you
owned and anything from any other girl and gotten rid of it -- starting with the stuff on your
computer. Theres too much stuff on the computer as it is. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says, Unless you want your mom and the Pope and the CIA seeing it, erase
your history.
You didnt grovel when Sophia went nuts on you. You should have apologized to her because
you were wrong to flaunt your dating habits in front of her. You werent wrong for having the
ad in the first place, but you were wrong for not getting rid of it. Thats what you should have
told her, and thats not groveling. Like the old cowboy saying goes, When youre wrong,
stand up like a man and take your medicine.
Remember, guys: When you get into the Ring of Love with a Beautiful Woman, you better
know how to box.
I know you like everything about Debbi; otherwise you wouldnt be talking about her, right?
But instead of that, you should be telling me about all of her buying signals. What have I told
you guys again and again? YOUR INTEREST LEVEL DOESNT MATTER. ONLY HERS
MATTERS.
Doc tells Lukie exactly what to do
take five minutes off and run outside to the parking lot to talk on my cell phone? Hey, shes
really into you, Lukie!
She's Cheating
Hey Doc,
Rachel and I have been married for four years and together for a total of eight years. Things
seem to be getting worse and worse for us. I am at the breaking point and I dont know what
to do. I know what my friends think I should do, but theyre my friends and they will go along
with whatever they think I want. But I need an outsiders opinion, which is why Im coming
to you.
an affair to remember
While I could write a novel about my past with Rachel, here are the latest highlights: Two
years ago, I found out that my wife had an affair with someone who was supposed to be a
friend. The three of us were at a Halloween party at the time and I had two-six packs in me. I
completely lost it, damage was done, cops were called, and the rest is history. I guess I never
really got over the fact that she cheated.
While Rachel and I are still together, I cant help but ask myself why. We are in financial
distress, and she makes me feel like its all my fault. While I am trying to build a business on
the weekends, she drives halfway across town to go to the pool with her friends. She stays
there all day long and I can never get in touch with her. Also, she is very protective of her cell
phone. She once tackled me to prevent me from looking into it. She receives text messages
constantly and laughs them off as stuff from her friends or sister. Every now and then she says
that some guy from the bar (a former bartender) calls, but that she always ignores him and
doesnt understand why he doesnt get the hint. I find it all too hard to believe.
Doc, I find myself daydreaming of something better, and when I do, Rachel is never part of it.
Should I suck it up and get over her affair, or should I cut my losses and move on before its
too late to better myself? Thanks.
Carlo - who needs a nudge from an expert
had that affair with your good friend, right there it was over, dude. When she commits
adultery with some guy, she's out forever. And Carlo, theres no 99.9% qualifier on this one.
This is an absolute 100% slam dunk -- as in, she's out! As far as what happened at that
infamous Halloween party, I have to say that youre the first guy Ive ever met whos the
exact opposite of Cary Grant.
Doc Love asks Carlo some hard-hitting questions...
So, Im shocked that you and Rachel are still together. Let me ask you a couple of questions,
man: When she goes off to the liquor store and returns four hours later, does it bother you?
When she walks in late at night and her blouse is wrinkled and a button is missing and she
cant tell you where she was, do you lose sleep over it?
a reality check
You insist that youre in financial distress. But what about the emotional wringer this babe is
putting you through? Carlo, youre with a woman who cant stand the sight of you! Like my
cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, I could understand it if you were fixed like Bill
Gates, but youre broke, dog.
You know why you cant reach Rachel at the pool? Because shes frolicking in the water with
another guy, thats why. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, If shes fooling around
with a new man shes actually interested in, why would she want to talk to somebody from
the past she could care less about?
Of course Rachels protective of her cell phone. She wants to control the flow of intelligence
at all times. After she cheated on you with your friend, do you not find it hard to believe that
all of her calls and text-messaging are nothing but innocent little chitchat? Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, My son, whats not hard to believe is that this woman broke the marriage
contract.
Im glad that when you daydream of your future Rachel is never part of it. Like the great
Doctor Freud once said, This is good. It shows that at least some of the pain has sunk in.
get over it
I think you should suck it up and get over it. And Im not talking about the affair -- Im
talking about Rachel, Carlo. And there cant be any or involved. It has to be, and you should
cut your losses. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Get out of there, man,
and get out of there fast. Shes already carved out your heart. What are you waiting for?
To you Psych majors, you have to study a girls character and past. And unless you do that
before getting all entwined with her, youre not going to make it over the long haul.
You picked the wrong one here, Carlo. This woman has no integrity.
Remember, guys: If they kiss another man, youre out of there.
Hey Doc,
Never before have I written one of these help letters. I feel silly, but sometimes an outside
opinion is best.
Tracee had just gotten out of a failing relationship and the day after she broke up with the guy,
we went out on a date. Things went well, but I cautioned that if she needed to take time to get
over the breakup, to please take it -- she declined all three times I asked.
We did a lot together and she called to talk to me all the time. All advances were made by her,
other than the fact that I planned a whole day for her birthday. About six weeks into it, she
asked me to be her boyfriend. I was hesitant, but felt that if she asked, she must really want to
be with me. I agreed. A few days later she told me that she was confused, hasnt had time to
herself, and wanted to meet new people (shes 20 and Im 22), but she didnt want to hurt me
and felt it was best if we just played the dating scene for a while.
devils delight
You say you were hesitant about getting in deep. Ah-ha! Know why you were uncertain?
Because there was this little angel up on your right shoulder saying: Be strong. Be strong.
Tell her no! And over on your left shoulder was a little devil dressed in a black suit
whispering: Dont listen to Doctor Love. Shes coming at you! Take it! Take it! Take it!
But like my cousin Rabbi Love puts it, Heres the problem, my son: you didnt have enough
time in with this girl to be her boyfriend. And also remember that shes on the rebound.
You dont share your girls, Wilton? Number one, this girl isnt property; and number two, she
doesnt want to be your property. Tracee broke it off before you broke it off, in case you
missed that important fact. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, You were breaking off
thin air, paisan. And you gave her the option to come back when she was ready -- very big of
you, Wilton. To you Psych majors, when the girl leaves you before you leave her, shes never
going to be ready to come back.
wasted wishes
Is Tracee worth your time? Buddy, right now youre wasting your time. And I can tell you
this for sure -- youve got a lot of work to do in order to memorize my materials.
Remember, guys: when she says shes confused, it really means youre out.
Two weeks ago Viveca had the idea of doing a picnic in a local park. I picked her up at her
place; she had packed a blanket, plates, wine and on the way we bought some bread, cheese
and grapes. Once we were there, we found a place to sit and talk for hours. We have a lot in
common. Were both in our 40s, were less-is-more types, we like walking around the city
just taking in the sights, and we share an interest in spirituality.
web women
Now let me tell you about the internet: The internet is made up of people on the planet earth,
and there are all types of people on it. What you have to learn is that youre going to meet all
kinds -- whack-jobs, sane girls, clinically insane girls, and everyone in between -- and you
cant take any of it personally. Just as it would take time if you were looking for women
without a computer, its going to take time to find a good one if youre searching online. As
ready, set go
How fast do you go with Viveca? The great thing about The System is that if you follow it
step-by-step, youre always going to pace yourself and youre going to proceed at the correct
speed. But dont worry. Ill guide you on how fast or slow to move with this woman.
Lets look at what happened with Vivecas house: Maybe her place was a mess. Maybe she
was painting or having new toilets installed. Whatever -- it wasnt necessary for her to invite
you in. The main thing is that she threw a nice picnic for you. When you say she was shy, I
think that youre grasping for straws for why she didnt invite you in. It would have been nice,
of course, but you cant interpret it as a negative yet because youve only had three dates with
the woman.
cozy cuisine
Forget the whole cooking date at your place, Heinrich. Youre trying to get cozy with Viveca
way too fast and shes not coming to your house. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says,
Nothing turns her off faster than your kids or wife walking in when youre baking the
quiche. Instead, youre going to take her out to another public place. And by the way, this
aggressive behavior is typical of all you guys -- you want to move things along way too fast.
This isnt date No. 11 -- this is the fourth date. Like the old cowboy saying goes, Slow down,
pardner!
Youre not overwhelming Viveca with invitations. Youve only had a couple of dates with her
and now you wait a week, call her again and ask her out to do something else. That isnt
exactly smothering the woman.
She's Inconsistent
Hey Doc,
First of all, Im an avid follower of The System. You have some truly amazing advice in
that book, as well as in your articles. All mankind should worship you. Anyway, on to my
problem.
I recently met a fantastic girl, Ana, at my best friends college graduation party. She was the
next-door neighbor of my buddys parents. Man, she was cute, smart, funny, and pretty much
my idea of the perfect girl. I couldnt possibly let her pass out of my life, so I sat down next to
her and we started talking. Within no more than 20 seconds of starting up a conversation, she
was giving me every buying signal out there. I was getting a huge smile, hair twirling, playful
hitting, and an absolutely amazing flirtatious gaze. I had never been in such a great situation
in my life. There were 10 or more better-looking guys than me at that party, and she virtually
ignored every one. I had to guess that she had at least a 90% Interest Level in me. It took a lot
of Self-Control to not have my feet slip out from under me and turn into a huge pansy, but I
kept it cool all-night long.
Doc, by the end of the night I had Anas number and I had her almost begging me to come
home with her. It tore me up to decline that invitation, but I knew thats what I had to do.
mixed messages
As if all this weren't enough, she came home right before I left. Guess what happened? She
yelled my name, came over and started talking to me and treating me exactly like she had a
couple nights before.
Doc, I dont know what to do. My gut tells me that she likes me, but is this chick possibly
trying to play me or put me on a back burner? Should I just forget about her, wait out her
relationship with her boyfriend, or pursue her? Please help me Doc, I need ya.
Mehmet - who cant figure her out
think you spent way too much time with this girl. You should have only given her 15 or 20
minutes, gotten her number, then went and talked to everybody else in the place -- especially
all the other babes. But it sounds like you stayed with Ana all night long. You put in too much
time with her on the first meeting. All this canoodling should have been saved for the first or
second date.
And to your credit, most other guys would have followed Ana home when she gave them the
time of day. But youre going to keep working, Mehmet. And Anas going to continue
respecting you because you dont give in like all the other turkeys who jump when she says
jump.
secondhand info
But then you listened to your friends dad. Theres a problem when you get information from
a third party. You really dont know how much of what he said was true and how much was
false. Im sure your pals dad was trying to help you out, which is fine, but what if Anas
boyfriend is on the way out and youre the new guy coming in?
So youre going to go ahead and call Ana after a week and pretend like that other guy doesnt
exist. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Dont let it stop you. I dont care if she has
one boyfriend or 10 boyfriends.
But if this girl really did tell your friends father that she disliked you, then shes nuts. And
after his son backed the story up, you have two guys confirming that the story is true. If two
people are telling you the same thing, youve got problems. Like the old cowboy saying goes,
Where theres smoke, theres fire, pardner.
ding-dong chick
There are lots of girls out there who like to get a guy all wound up for one evening and after
that, youre history and they dont think a thing of it. But the curious thing here is that Ana
could have just said, Mehmets an alright guy. But she didnt. And she certainly didnt have
to say she dislikes you, which is what she apparently said. How the heck could she dislike
you? She could have said that she was merely indifferent to you, but she went from love to
hate, which indicates that this girl really is a ding-dong.
Then she went and reversed herself and treated you exactly like she did when she first met
you. But youre going to give her the benefit of the doubt for now, wait a week and call her
and see what happens from there. But you have to be wary of these red flags popping up all
over the place. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, Maybe this girls just a psycho with
two personalities.
To answer your question about what her game is, its definitely possible that shes both trying
to play you and keep you on a back burner. But I say pursue her. Let her be the one to bring
up the boyfriend. When she does, say, So, when are you getting rid of him? And when she
answers, Why would I want to do that? you come right back with Because you like me!
Remember, guys: When theyre inconsistent, theyre crazy.
daddy's influence
Heres another related question: How important is a girls relationship with her father? In
Lisabeths case, her old man was an alcoholic who wasnt physically abusive, but more
verbally abusive and aloof to his kids. Should a woman who has an abusive father be avoided
completely? My ex was passive-aggressive and codependent with me as well. And as you said
in your book, when a girl has excess baggage, this wears on a guy and his Interest Level
drops.
That said, even though she's violent, Lisabeth was hard to give up on because she had a lot of
the other good qualities preached in your book. And she was gorgeous, to boot.
Do you think I made the right choice, Doc? Thanks so much for answering my questions.
Butchie - who feels like he just climbed out of a boxing ring
Hi Butchie,
Making sure that the playing field is even for guys is what The System is all about. When it
comes to dating and relationships, men are at a distinct disadvantage. Like my cousin General
Love says, Its the equivalent of winning the Golden Gloves, then getting in the ring with
Mike Tyson and thinking you actually have a chance.
Is it OK for your girl to lay her hands on you in a violent, non-affectionate way? Its NEVER,
NEVER, NEVER OK for a woman to slap a man under any circumstance. Like my cousin
Brother Love down in Watts says, Dog, you dont hit animals, and you dont hit people.
punch-drunk love
Butchie, you shouldnt have been boozing excessively with Lisabeth. You indulge in a whole
night of drinking. Sensible, civilized people have one or two drinks and then stop.
Now let me get this straight -- this wasnt the first time you got popped in the kisser by
Lisabeth and you hung around for more? Gosh, Butchie, youre just as dumb as your ex! You
can rationalize being drunk, but you cant rationalize being sober and smacking someone in
the face. And by the way, how come you spent two years with this violent girl? You should
have read her a lot sooner. Are you sure you got the right book?
Doc Love explains Lisabeth's father issues and more...
daddy dearest
Heres the problem with a woman whos saddled with father issues. When you meet a girl,
you naturally want to pump up her Interest Level and keep it in the 90s. On the other hand,
you have to realize that there are things you cant change. If a woman doesnt have Integrity
and character coming in, youre not going to change her. If shes a taker and shes
hardheaded, youre not going to change her. And so forth.
But the next part is what I call baggage and scars. Lisabeth has both. So being punched out
is what youre going to have to put up with if you want this kind of woman. Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, My son, you have to deal with the sins of her past.
Hopefully it was you who did the dropping here, and hopefully you told Lisabeth why you
were doing it. Like I said earlier, its ALWAYS, 100% of the time, a NO-NO to slap a guy.
There are NO exceptions for violence, EVER. If a woman or a man gets hit at any time during
a dating relationship, they should turn around and RUN the other way. FOREVER. And there
is never an excuse for someone to hit the opposite gender.
abusive influence
A womans relationship with her father is super important. If she has a good mother and a
good father and theyre still in love with each other, that positive image will flow down to
you, and shell have the unconscious desire to replicate the experience. If her father possessed
the male strength qualities that made him a great dad, shell recognize those in you and she
will -- and please take this the right way -- want to marry someone like her father because of
the powerful, positive impression that he projected. So thats exactly what shell say to
herself: Give me a husband whos like dear old dad!
But, like my cousin Sal the Fish Love says, Lisabeths daddy sounds like a real fun guy.
Both physical and verbal abuse are equally terrible, Butchie. Not that Im playing down
physical abuse in any way, please dont get me wrong. But a father who doesnt play with his
kids, who doesnt hold his kids and read to them, who isnt constantly telling his kids how
intelligent and perfect and beautiful they are, isnt a good one. Because those are the strokes
that fathers and mothers should be giving their kids from the time theyre born until theyre 5
years old. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, If a child gets those strokes, he or she
wont grow up wanting to hurt somebody.
oriented, down-to-earth, and many other things that make me happy, but when it comes to our
arguments, she shuts up like a clam and can not express herself properly.
I believe that communication is a major factor in any relationship, but when it comes to
Meredith, I dont get that privilege. Ive been disappointed by women before and dont want
to go through it again. I love Meredith and she loves me -- she said it first, by the way. This is
the girl with whom I want to spend the rest of my life and have children with, but, of course, I
never told her that.
shed be saying, Lets not argue, baby. Lets not ever argue. And shed also tell you, Do
whatever you want, honey. Im just happy to be with you. So, youre not using the word
giving properly here. Or like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Id hate to see how
shed act if she was the nasty type.
Doc Love tries to clarify Boomers communication problems
Then you turn around and say that despite all of her virtues Meredith cant express herself.
What have I told you guys a thousand times? You dont have arguments with girls. To you
Psych majors, if she doesnt have the ability to express herself calmly and reasonably, you
cant live with her the rest of your life. And youre 100% right about communication in a
relationship, pal. So, if she doesnt communicate with you at the level that you need, why
would you want to spend the rest of your life with her?
pressuring her, and thats not going to work. Pressure never works. It doesnt work in life,
business or love.
How the heck can you say youre not into the club scene? You go out to a gin mill three times
a week and youre not into it? OK, so you blabbed for three whole hours to this girl the first
time you met her; what have I told you guys in the past? You spend 30 to 45 minutes MAX
the first time you meet. Get the home phone number and get out of there. You spent way too
much time with this girl. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, When you hang around her
for too long, you exponentially increase your chances of screwing it up.
a beautiful play
But you did one thing right, Shawn: telling Shakira that you were busy when she wanted you
to fall all over her was perfect. Any time a girl asks you why you havent done something just
remember to say those two magic words, Im busy. Beautiful, Shawn -- well, so far
anyway.
Doc Love tells Shawn about the cons of cheating on her
We dont care what the other guys in your office are after, man. All were concerned about is
who Shakira likes. That said, isnt it wonderful that the girl youre in love with is messing
around with you when she has a long-term boyfriend? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, This is like double adultery. And can you imagine all the other guys Shakira is dating?
Youre not falling in love with Shakira, pal. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, All
youre falling in love with is newness and novelty. That's why you're cheating on her, and by
her I mean Venus.
double jeopardy
Sure, youre young and want to take advantage of life, my friend. We all do. But you got a
problem here -- Shakira has a boyfriend of five years. This girl is unavailable until her
boyfriend is out of the picture and gone. And until your girlfriend is gone, youre unavailable,
unless you want to be cheating on her -- oh, wait, you are. So what we have here is a pair of
unavailable people betraying the partners theyre supposed to be loyal to. Like my cousin
General Love says, Gee, Id hate to be next to either one of you in a foxhole!
And wait just a minute here. What do you mean you think Shakira feels the same about you as
you feel about her? Shawn, you have no clue whats going on between this babes ears.
Youre just at the same job as she is and youve had a couple of measly dates. In other words,
you know nothing whatsoever about this girl.
But you claim that youre weak. Youre not weak, Shawn. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says,
You just love beauty, my son, thats all.
About eight months ago, I met Elise through a friend. I went right in for the kill, got her
number and we began dating. Having read your advice and learned from past experiences, I
made sure to be a Challenge. I let Elise call most of the time and made sure we didnt see each
other too often (in some cases telling her that I was busy even though I wasnt). I gave her
compliments when I felt like it, but made sure not to overdo it. I waited for her to tell me I
love you first. I also made sure to be cocky and funny. We pretty much never had a dull
moment and, above all, we never had a real fight.
come up with $99 to invest in the font of wisdom that is The System?
Its great that you learned how to be a Challenge. My question, though, is: Are you going to
stay a Challenge? Thats the hard part. When she told you she loved you first, I hope you
answered How much? Because then you would have really been a Challenge.
What else does Doc Love have to say?
honest with you and said, Dont be yourself! Dude, if you did everything perfectly, her
Interest Level would still be 95%! Wake up!
get over it
Ill explain to you what this breakup really means since you dont get it. It means youre
going into the pain of rejection and youre never going to have another shot at this girl in this
lifetime. You think she still loves you? Sure she does. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says, She loves you so much and you make her so happy she cant stand it -- thats
why she had to get rid of you! Makes perfect sense to me.
Your next move should be to Antarctica. You dont want to beg Elise? You got an A in
begging, Dorian, so what are you talking about?
Your only recourse now is to go mow some lawns and babysit so you can buy The System.
Remember, guys: When they act distant, youre going to act double distant.
I can possibly be, and in doing so, find and keep the woman who fits the Dating Dictionarys
criteria.
Recently, Rachelle (one of my women from the past) e-mailed me out of the blue. I havent
seen her in five years. We used to work in the same city, but Rachelle was offered a position
out East (where shes from) and I stayed in my home state here in the West. We both decided
(reluctantly) to try and make a long-distance relationship work -- it didnt. I turned into a
needy wimp over the telephone and she seemed to lose interest. The more distant she became,
the needier, whinier, and wimpier I became. After a few months of her indifference, I told her
that I didnt want to continue our relationship. But, like the good little Wimpus Americanus I
had become, I continued to call and e-mail her while still trying to figure out what the hell
went wrong.
curious exploration
Why, after all this time, would a woman renew a conversation that has been dead so long? If
she still has feelings for me after all this time, then I want her to say so. Is she afraid of saying
too much until she knows what I feel for her? Remaining aloof in my e-mail responses has
worked for me in the past, but this time I think I should respond differently.
Doc, what do you think the intentions are of women from the past and how should I respond?
Merlyn - whos losing his grip... a little
into your business life and your social life, and that means your dealings will drastically
improve with both men and women -- wherever you are and no matter what youre doing.
But when she contacted you after two years, you should have told her you were dating two
babes right now and that theyre both totally in love with you. And if you really wanted to get
to her, you should add that you were confused because both of them are so gorgeous and you
dont know which one to choose.
destiny fulfilled
It worked. She immediately dug me, and for three months we had the greatest relationship.
She was constantly telling me how lucky she was to have me, shed beg me to never stop
loving her and she even made me sign a virtual contract saying that I would never leave her.
Then she went to Russia to do some volunteer work. She told me she was sorry to leave, but
that shed be back soon and we would be together forever. I was the happiest man alive.
When she was in Russia, she told me by phone and e-mail that she missed me and couldnt
wait to see me. She even told me she couldnt live without me.
Well, when Destiny came back she was completely different. She became so inexplicably
distant that when Id touch her she would make as if I were Quasimodo. Her kisses were
empty. She told me shed changed and that she needed space to come back gradually, and
would have to fall in love with me all over again. I waited a week, but she was still treating
me super cold. When I asked her what happened, she said that we werent a couple anymore;
that we would never be together again; that she wanted to be free to travel and meet guys, and
that she couldnt do it with me because she would be unfaithful.
what she wants. I smell a little bit of Macho Boy in you, Hector.
Doc Love lectures Hector on forgiving a cheater...
When Destiny was all over you, you still shouldnt have signed that so-called virtual contract.
When you did, you completely gave away CHALLENGE.
Then she traveled all the way to Russia. Long-distance relationships dont work, my friend.
Theres no other way to say it. And like my cousin Sal the Fish Love says, She was sorry
she had to go, but not sorry enough to stay.
Sure, you were the happiest man alive when she said youd be together forever -- temporarily.
And dont forget, like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Yo, dawg, if she
couldnt live without you, she wouldnt be in Russia.
dumping disillusions
But you were big enough to forgive Destiny for cheating on you. How on earth do you forgive
someone for cheating on you? Its impossible. Know why? To forgive and forget are the same
things and you will never forget what she did. And if she did take you back, four to six
months down the line youd be thinking about what she did over and over and over again.
Like the great Doctor Freud once said, Some things never stop preying on your mind. And
like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Unless a woman is loyal, shes worthless.
You were head over heels in love, Hector -- she wasnt. Shes just a little girl fooling around
with as many guys as possible. Now you know what she volunteered to do in Russia -- kiss
another guy! And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Just think: The new
guy is on the other side of the world and hes ahead of you!
rough challenge
About six months into the relationship Jasmine started to complain that I was not giving her
enough attention. I shrugged it off and told her that I am a busy guy and that she meant a lot
to me, but she had to understand my schedule. Everything was fine until two months later
when she brought it up again. Once again, I shrugged it off.
Well, wouldn't you know it; things started going downhill from there. We fought more and
our conversations were less pleasant, in addition to other major red flags. I tried to break
things off, but strangely she insisted that we should stay together. Then, out of the blue, she
dumped me one month later. My question to you is this: Did I take being a Challenge too far?
At what point in the relationship should I have given in and showed her more attention?
Wallis - who screwed up and doesnt know how
Hey Doc,
Thanks for your wonderful contributions to men!
Ive been doing business with Felicia for four months, and during our meetings at her office
weve been flirting with each other. She laughs at every stupid thing I say, were always
staring at each other, she plays with her hair, likes to whisper secrets in my ear, and so on.
I decided to ask her out to dinner to thank her for work well-done, but she declined and told
me that it was against her companys rules to accept gifts while business is still being
transacted. However, she suggested that we could have dinner in a month when our business
was concluded. Meanwhile, she gave me her cell phone number and requested mine. During
conversations with my brother, who is also involved in my business, she asked personal
questions about me.
backstabbing brother
You talked to your brother about this girl? I hope you didnt tell him anything. Because its
going to go straight back to her, and youre going to screw everything up. Like the old
Chinese proverb goes, Even brothers cant keep their mouths shut, grasshopper! And like
my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Didnt you ever hear the one about Cain and
Abel? You best go back to the Good Book, dawg!
Felicias invitation to meet at a cafe was incoming -- beautiful! But hold on here. You were
two hours late meeting her? How in the world could you be two hours late? If you were
supposed to meet this girl at three oclock, lets say, you knew at 12:30 you werent going to
make it. You should have phoned her and called the date off. You dont leave anybody
waiting for two hours, Abel. What I cant believe is how stupid this girl is for waiting on you!
Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Nobody hangs around for two hours -- except for
the groupies waiting for the guys in the band.
What you should have said when Felicia dropped her B-bomb was: You have a boyfriend? I
cant believe it. What a coincidence. Because I have a girlfriend! So tell me about the guy.
Of course you were clueless about the boyfriend in the background. Youre not supposed to
have a clue about this girls boyfriend. You dont know anything about her, pal! Youve just
been doing business with her for four months -- you havent been prying into her social life.
Things have been great ever since, but yesterday, she said she had to tell me something about
that day. She admitted that she felt bad and had wanted to tell me this secret all along, but that
she never got up the courage. She said that every time I called her baby it made her feel
horrible about what she did.
When she wants time off, you want to give it to her -- forever
But like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Once a cheater, always a cheater.
Next! Maybe Nicole should go kiss the soccer team and see if any of those guys are for her.
re-read betrayal
Are you sure you read the section on Betrayal in my book? It says dont ever show the girl
that youre angry. And it also says dont ever have a heavy, serious conversation with her. So
youd better re-read Betrayal. It sounds like you missed a few things.
When you told Nicole there wasnt going to be any more you and her, was that the third or
fourth ultimatum? Dont you know when youre out, Primo? Or like my cousin General Love
says, What does this girl have to do, burn down your house?
How can you ever trust this girl? To you Psych majors, YOU CANT.
Remember, guys: Once they stray, its adios, baby.
Long story short, I need to know if I should just dump Romy now and be done with it or give
her another chance to make things faithful between us. I really want to be with her, Doc, but I
also hate to be played. I dont believe her and she has lost my trust. Doc, is she trustworthy?
The Bull - who doesnt like being gullible
a worthy makeover
Anyway, heres what Im writing about. I am a 50-year-old man. Ive had a crush on Sienna
since I was 12 (I know this sounds weird, but its true.) She recently lost her parents, whom
she cared for because they were elderly. Sienna is 51, was never married and never had kids. I
recently discovered her profile on a computer-dating network. Years ago she used to be plump
and had very poorly dyed hair and bad teeth. Now shes drop-dead gorgeous. Her hair has
been done beautifully, her teeth have been fixed and shes lost 105 pounds! In other words,
she has had a very expensive makeover. But heres what disturbs me: Sienna is saying on her
profile that she is 37 years old, and I have to admit that she does look like she could pass for
that age. She doesnt know that I know about her deception, by the way.
Sienna and I have not been in touch for a long time, Doc, and although we never had a
romantic relationship, I could never get this woman off my mind. I feel that this is the time to
finally try and make something happen, but I keep thinking about the fact that shes lying
about her age.
under her belt. And like my cousin Rabbi Love adds, My son, you have to wonder about a
woman whos never been kissed.
But now shes drop-dead gorgeous. Well, like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A.
says, Its amazing what $25,000 and Doctor 90210 can do! Now this is something to
remember for all those women out there who look like a mess: If you really want to improve
yourself physically, think of all the things you can do nowadays to help yourself. Like my
cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Look at what a person has available in America
today!
Remember, guys: As long as youve never dated her, you can always take a shot at her.
because you dont have a clue what youre doing. In other words, you dont know how to sell,
Kane.
and forth stuff, something always goes wrong. To you Psych majors, you have to set a solid
date with a woman far enough into the future so that nothing unexpected comes up and moves
you out of that position.
Kane, you were a dummy for not giving Scarlett your number when you were talking to her
so she could call you back. And secondly, you should have never had her call you back
because your date should have been set for a full week into the future. Now your budding
relationship with this lady is nothing but a mess. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East
L.A. says, This thing was dead in the water from the beginning.
What you should have done was call Scarlett back 30 minutes later and said, Hey, I forgot to
give you my number. Are we still on? You just dont walk away from the situation like you
did. But again, this thing was a jumble from the outset.
games. She says she doesnt want to lose me a second time and just needs to learn to handle
the attention she gets.
And shes not cheating on you either; to cheat on you shed have to have high Interest Level
in you in the first place.
Sadly, you cant keep Sara from getting bored. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts
says: Too late, dawg. Her Interest Level crossed over into Mexico.
Remember, guys: If you dont face reality, youre going to end up in pain.
Farrah off. Its been two days, and Im surprised she hasnt called to apologize. Id like to
chalk this up as a learning experience, but I dont know what Ive learned. Does her choice of
friends say anything about her?
Logan - whose head is still spinning
Hey, dont get on my case; Farrah chased me! When this wonderful acquaintance of
Farrahs threatened your life, you should have come back with, I just love girls who beat
me!
Remember, when you get browbeaten or interrogated, go straight into your one-liners and
channel Jim Carrey or Vince Vaughn. But you did the right thing by not letting Farrah hang
around after her friend insulted you and split.
and is really close to Crystals family, so its possible she feels obligated to be nice to him. I
told her a while back how I felt about this guy being in the picture, and after an incident in
which he attacked one of Crystals friends (this friend is like her brother) in a jealous rage, I
told her that I was walking if I ever heard of Zach being in her house again or if she has
anything to do with him.
Well, today I went over to Crystals house to surprise her and she seemed happy to see me.
After I was invited in, I heard a mans voice from her downstairs bathroom calling her name.
She said, Zach is here, just so you know. I said, I see, then calmly asked for my things
and my house key. I said, Were through and walked out the door.
have to be there and she doesnt ever have to be in the same house with him. Like my cousin
Sal The Fish Love says, Hey, she sure doesnt have to let him hang around her bathroom.
crystal is transparent
Heres what Crystal should have told her sister: Zach cant stay here. Ive been in love with
Leon for two years and he doesnt want Zach here and so hes not allowed in my house.
But she didnt do that. She didnt even come close. Like my cousin Brother Love down in
Watts says, Yo, dawg, when you came in, maybe that boy was just stepping out of the
shower! Leon, she doesnt love you because she committed an unloving act. Zach was offlimits and she allowed him into the house. This girl is not LOYAL.
Of course you would have tried to rationalize what happened between you and Crystal before
you met me; like I said earlier, thats what the vast majority of men try to do. But what
happened wasnt innocent. Crystal knew how you felt about this guy and she rationalized his
presence because of her sister.
Remember, guys: I dont like dogs that growl and I dont like people who growl.
I know you love Saskia very much. The question is this: How much does she love you?
Because thats all that counts, man. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, If
I saw her, Id probably love her too. What do her actions say? Do they say, I love Gavin so
much I can hardly stand it?
a gutless volunteer
Saskia hung on to this other guy because you didnt have the guts to walk out on her. Of
course you were furious when she talked about him constantly, but I bet she didnt talk to him
about you because she didnt want to hurt his feelings. And Gavin, please -- theyre not exfriends, theyre ex-lovers.
Your tussle over the ex went on for a long time -- and you went along with it. Remember,
like my cousin General Love says, There are no victims -- there are just volunteers.
You gave Saskia an ultimatum? What were you thinking, Gavin? Ultimatums only work on
women who have an Interest Level that is 95%. And, ironically, you dont have to give them
an ultimatum! You cant force an ultimatum on a woman who has a low Interest Level,
because you know what shell say? Shell say, So what?
deal with it
Saskia doesnt have communication problems -- she has telling-the-truth problems. I want you
to be with a self-reliant, honest woman, pal, not someone who just talks and talks and talks
and its just a bunch of hot air.
When Saskia says she wants you to like her, its Womanese for she wants you to put up with
her inconsistencies and the fact that every time she says something it has nothing to do with
reality. You got a big problem here, guy. Hey, as a modern male you have to loosen up and be
more understanding. Uh, right.
This woman continues to contradict herself because thats the way shes built. It took her all
that time to dump the other guy because she has a low Interest Level in you. And heres
something else to think about; you dont know if shes e-mailing her ex behind your back. She
might still be in contact with him, but just shuts up about it when it comes to you.
blinded by love
I understand that you want Saskia to be your only relationship, Gavin, but shes a kook. You
dont really want to be stuck with a loon, do you? Like my cousin Brother Love over in Watts
says, Yo, dawg, the world is tough enough as it is!
Youre not crazy, my friend; you just have a high Interest Level in Saskia and you have no
idea whats going on in the relationship. Other than that, youre doing great!
Remember, guys: If she cant follow through on what she promises, you have to ask yourself
why youre with her.
Hey Doc,
Ive been a follower of your work for more than three years. Ive memorized The System,
keep up with your weekly articles and I even watch old Cary Grant movies. I cant tell you
what a huge difference your words have made for me, both with women and in everyday life.
This stuff is golden, Doc.
I recently graduated from college and took a job in another city. A female friend asked me to
live with her and another female friend, Rhia, whom I had only met a couple times before.
Since I didnt know anyone in the city, I agreed. Rhia and I found roommate romance right
away, and my use of your principles has kept her Interest Level rising for the past few
months.
I reveal information about myself to Rhia in small doses and I usually try to steer the
conversation toward her and to ask the right questions. She recently said, I feel like you
know a lot about me and I know nothing about you. She regularly tries to ask me personal
questions, but I stick to The System and reply with witty comments, playful jokes or my
best Cary Grant impression.
all systems go
The fact that Rhia knows nothing about you and you know all about her is the way it should
be, dude. It means that you have the advantage. Of course you always have to remember that
she holds the rejection card, but keep doing what youre doing, Franz, and youre going to be
all right. At least for the time being youve got the upper hand -- the trick is to keep it.
Doc Love guides Franz through his roommate romance
The witty comments, clever jokes and Cary Grant impressions are also wonderful -- and
theyre what youre going to still be doing after 45 years of marriage, pal, because like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, What got her, keeps her.
interested in you for you. When you go out with a mercenary, all shes concerned with is
whether youre going to the best restaurant in town and whether shes going to be able to
order the lobster francaise or the filet mignon.
Its fantastic that Rhia talks about the future. Usually the opposite is true; its the guys who
always want to talk about the future. Guys always want to yak about things, thinking that this
is going to entice the woman to want to stay with him. What he doesnt realize is that this
makes him a boring pushover.
Its so much better if she does the talking about the future because, again, shes the one
holding the rejection card. And while shes talking about all the great activities you two
should be doing in the future, the last thing on her mind is getting rid of you.
always on my mind
Being back on the market, I started to date around, but I was always thinking of Cerise. I even
had dreams about her. Doc, I need to know what this is all about. Am I just caught up in old
memories of someone I cared for deeply? If so, whats the key to getting over her and moving
on with my life?
Thanks in advance and keep up the good work.
Mikey - who is very confused and having trouble getting over her
find a rebound
Whats it all about? Well, Mikey, youre a human being, not a robot. And yep, youre just
caught up in old memories of someone you had a deep connection to once upon a time. The
saddest part is that you and Cerise started out from the same place. You thought you could
keep it light, but you ended up falling in love with someone who was going to disappear. So,
this thing was dead from the beginning. Let me say it again: WASTE OF TIME.
How do you get over Cerise and get on with your life? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, My
son, memorize Docs principles and find a replacement!
Remember, guys: If theyre going to move away, dont fall in love.
Neal - who doesnt get where shes coming from or whos giving mixed signals
chasing a vixen
So, Jewel wasnt afraid of getting hurt. Her Interest Level was only 55%, and that was the
problem. Sure, you kept dating her, but were you kissing her on the second, third and fourth
date or was she turning her head? And as far as her comfort goes, were not worried about
comfort level, Neal; were worried about Interest Level! Youre looking at the wrong thing,
guy.
What do you mean you werent pursuing her hard enough? When a woman is giving mixed
signals, youre not supposed to pursue her harder -- YOURE SUPPOSED TO BACK OFF.
Now, let me get this straight: You didnt date this girl for over two weeks in a row? When that
old-fashioned strategies
In my most recent experience, the girl told me she found me attractive, gave every sign that
she was interested in me, and even told me we connected very well. We had already been on
five dates when I asked to advance the relationship and thats when I got rejected; its not like
Im jumping the gun and asking for a relationship too early. I held off kissing this girl because
I figured the longer I waited, the more likely she would want to kiss me and it would
strengthen her attraction for me.
Basically, I have no idea what Im doing wrong. Please help me.
Xavier - whos at the end of his rope when it comes to asking for a relationship
from East L.A. says, The sooner you can learn to keep your trap shut about what goes on in
your private life, the better off you are. Or like my cousin General Love puts it, Whatever
comes out of your mouth can be used as cannon fodder.
Asking for a relationship is an easy way to smother the spark
You simply cannot believe how many people out there are jealous or envious, and if they ever
have the slightest chance, theyre going to knife you right in the back. This is especially true
at college or on the job -- good for you, Xavier, for knowing enough to keep you to yourself.
And I hope youre remembering to be funny as well as light.
with the 18- to 22-year-old ding-dongs in college. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, That
theres the most dangerous territory when it comes to females.
kissin time
One more thing: By your own admission, youre not kissing these women at the end of every
date. To you Psych majors, its a half-truth that waiting to kiss a girl will ratchet up her
attraction to you. The entire point of kissing a girl after a date is to test her to see whether she
already has existing Interest Level in you.
Xavier, from all of the above blunders youre committing, I can tell that you dont have my
materials. Until you get and memorize them, youre going to continue to go through this
frustrating cycle of abject failure. Youll go on being an unhappy guy. So, you have to put in
the effort to transform yourself. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Everybody wants to be
different, but nobody wants to change.
Heres your choice, my friend: Memorize my book or transfer to a monastery and give up on
women altogether.
Remember, guys: Without my materials, you dont stand a chance.
girlfriend, Serena.
Thanks for your great work, but I don't think that getting dates is all we should focus on; we
also need to know when to stop dating a particular woman and how to acquire perspective,
right?
Dawson - who needs to know how to handle it when his girl flirts with other guys
front of flirting, its still the same thing. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, If it looks like a
snake, and hisses like a snake, by golly, its a snake!
On top of it, she came right out and told you that shes attracted to the other guy. Wow, man - what more do you need? Somehow because she puts the word play in front of it you act
like you dont even know what the word flirting means. This babe is flirting with someone
shes obviously got the hots for and youre distorting it into an example of her not flirting. Uh
-- come again?
knowledge is power
Dude, you skimmed my book once. It hasnt sunk in yet. Ive packed 35 years' worth of
experience and thousands of interviews with women onto the pages of that book. You havent
absorbed all of this wisdom by a long shot. Youve only just scratched the surface and youve
got a long, long way to go. Just do everything I say, dont think and dont cherry pick. Like
my cousin Rabbi Love says, My son, I have to wonder: Were you born yesterday?
Dawson, youve got to go over and over and over my book, otherwise youll never get it. The
reality is that the book goes far beyond just getting dates. Like my cousin Brother Love down
in Watts says, If you heed the Word, you will get to the Promised Land.
Remember, guys: If she needs to flirt with someone else, you dont want to be her boyfriend.
a haunting past
Heres another part of the problem: Renatas male friends also make suggestive comments to
her, and sometimes call her drunk late at night. Does that seem right to you?
Doc, should I feel bothered by this? Do these things mean anything? I'm asking you -- no, Im
begging you -- for some response. I really love Renata and don't want to ruin what we have.
Please help or point me to someone who might give me some insight and an outside view.
Ponce - whos starting to lose it
now. Ponce, the best thing you can do is buy the Dating Dictionary -- then commit it to
memory.
You mention that you and Renata had a generally good relationship. What the heck does
that mean? Generally certainly doesnt sound at all like spectacular, which is what your
relationship should have been all along. And the point is not whether youre in love with
Renata, Ponce. The vastly more important question is whether Renatas in love with you.
When you read my book you know that we never talk about male Interest Level. Now I know
for sure you havent memorized my materials.
picture perfect
OK, lets talk about this gallery of men Renata keeps in her apartment. Like my cousin Sal
The Fish Love says, Are you sure she has enough walls in her place for all those pictures?
Not only that, but shes got another stash hidden away. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says, Oh, so besides rubbing your face in all her past conquests, shes also a
sneak! Is that what youre trying to say here? Hey, all these fellows probably are members of
her family -- did you ever think of that?
Her ex obsessions could mean the end of the relationship for Ponce...
No, you shouldnt have said anything to Renata about all her mementos and souvenirs.
However, it should bother you enormously that she maintains a shrine to all the other men in
her life.
Do I think Renata should destroy all these pictures? Yes -- but the problem is that she loves
these guys more than she loves you, my friend. No, youre not within proper bounds in telling
her to destroy them. Ninety percent of all guys would order her to do just that, of course, and
shed accuse them of being jealous and possessive. I can just hear her now: Oh, dont be
silly! Theyre just old boyfriends and its all over and you know that I love you. In other
words, youd be hearing the Womanese canned pitch of the year!
Should you feel bothered by whats going on at Renatas apartment? Like my cousin Brother
Love down in Watts says, Well, only if youre into monogamy, dawg! So yes, these things
mean a ton; and what they mean is that your girlfriend is in love with her past and not you,
who happens to be in her present.
I know that you dont want to ruin what you have with Renata, Ponce, but Ive got news for
you: You dont have anything. Thats your problem. When you say we, what you really
mean is you and her -- and the entire National Football League.
Im sorry to say theres no one else whos going to do you any good, Ponce. Im the only love
doctor on the face of the planet who's helping you guys. Like the great Doctor Freud once
said, The rest of these charlatans are handing you nothing but a bunch of half-truths, which
further compounds your misery.
Hey Doc,
Im having mixed feelings about Ingrid, who Ive been interested in for the past few months. I
was wondering if you could help me. Heres the story:
Ingrid and I used to work together, and after I got to know her we began talking more and
more. She has a friendly personality with everyone, and made a point of being very cordial to
me when I put out very little effort, since Im usually on the reserved side. One day, she told
me that she wanted me to come along to a staff party with her, which I did, along with some
other people. We had a good time and I called her a few days later and we got together for
coffee. Later, I invited her to a small party I was having. She always stops by my apartment
and sometimes even ditches her friends to come by and see me. It felt like she was doing a lot
of work to get to know me, often sending me random text messages and coming over to my
place, where shed sometimes stay past 2 a.m. talking.
Even though all these things seem like signs of interest, I didnt want to jump the gun,
knowing that she has a lot of guy friends. Ive noticed that when we talk she really keeps the
conversation focused on her. But I still enjoy her company, though, and have mentioned that I
would like for us to casually date.
Having coffee with a woman should be the first date. But you blew that, Ivor. You already
replaced what should have been your first date with a party. At that point you should have
gone out on a real date with Ingrid rather than just a coffee date and you should have tried to
kiss her. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, That way you would have found out if
she just wants to be your sister.
Then you threw your little soiree -- another group date. And another mistake. Dude, you cant
sell 10 people in a room -- you can only sell one. Thats why you dont do group dates until
you get 10 or 12 dates in with a babe and shes already your designated girlfriend.
Interest Level in you. Nothing else. And so far I dont see her asking you out, I dont see her
cooking dinner for you, and I dont see her trying to kiss you. What does that tell you, Ivor?
So you dont talk to anyone you used to date? Finally, you came out with something tough!
That was great, buddy. That is, of course, unless your exes cut off all communication with
you.
Since then our relationship has gone back and forth. I dont want her talking to other guys,
and she thinks I should trust her and not question what she does. We have been separated for
three months, and until very recently she was still considering coming back.
I recently found out that Sandy went out with a guy she met on Facebook. She told me it was
totally innocent, that theyre just friends, and that she just wanted to talk to someone and have
fun. I dont believe they have kissed, but I want to quash this and move on with our lives. She
is not communicating with me much anymore, and Im sure her Interest Level is pretty low.
Part of me thinks I should just give up, but I know she still loves me, and she hasnt been
fooling around with anyone else. Knowing that shes hanging out with other guys hurts, and
Id like to figure out a way to make her interested in us again.
Should I just accept the fact that shes going to have some male friends and forgive her? How
can I get her back into this? Ive invested seven years, and I dont want to give up yet.
I literally just started reading your articles today, Doc. Its funny how people flounder around
in relationships without any training, especially when its such a huge part of our lives! Ill
definitely be purchasing your book. Thanks, and I hope you find time to reply.
Basil - whos finding it rough going
like water on a fire, so when you argue, the spark will disappear.
Of course Sandy finds attention from other guys -- because you are out. You just told her you
didnt love her, so what would you expect? Shes going to find attention from someone else.
Thats what women do. Once their Interest Level drops from 65% to 55%, they start looking
around. Like the old cowboy saying goes, Theyre not going to go it alone.
You still insist that her date was innocent. Uh, yeah, and I got some swampland down in
Georgia that I want to sell you. Basil, I dont care if they kissed or not. Shes out in the
company of another male -- dont you get it?
Ah, but she still loves you, you insist. You guys kill me. Youll do anything to protect your
EGO, and thats all youre doing here. Your wife goes out with other men, shes trying to
make out with your best friend, and youre telling me that she loves you. Dude, everything
she does says the opposite. And just to clear something up, she hasnt been fooling with
anyone else that you know of. Did you hire a cameraman to follow her around 24 hours a day
like Donald Trump would?
You cant make Sandy interested in you because this thing is dead. You had your chance to
save the marriage when Sandys Interest Level went from 95% to 85%. Thats when you
should have done something, man. But as I say in the Dating Dictionary, the man is always
the last to know.
Ive been dating Jaymie for a couple of months now. I met her online, we chatted for a while
and after a couple of weeks decided to meet up. We went to a comedy club, had a couple of
drinks afterward, and then I drove her home and gave her a kiss goodnight. She initiated it, as
I was about to move in, which I took as a good sign. I let her initiate physical contact 50% of
the time, by the way. If I ever cant reach her by phone I leave a short message and wait for
her to call back (I never phone again after leaving a message), and she always gets back to me
the same day.
never beg!
You should not be talking to Jaymie about moving anything forward, my friend. Begging
never raises Interest Level. It sure is an anti-Challenge thing to do! Again, youd know this if
youd read and memorized my book.
Dont force yourself to flirt with this babe, Horace. Youre doing fine with her without
forcing the action. Just keep showing her a good time, and always remember to show her
manners and class. And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A, says, Amigo,
whatever you do, dont go asking her anything! Just take it easy, keep doing what youre
doing, and this girl will eventually ask you Wheres this thing going?
Your next move? Invest in your future by getting my book. Think of it as a premium
insurance policy.
Remember, guys: If you do 80% of everything right, shes going to have 80% Interest Level.
Anyway, she avoided my kiss and instead rested her head on my shoulder. Afterward, I
withdrew by not getting physically close or saying much. I was polite and made brief
responses to her comments.
After the date I took Victoria home. On the way, she opened up. She said that she knows she
can be unusually quiet at times, but when shes like that it means shes comfortable and
happy. She laughingly said that even though she can be quiet, I can be even more quiet. She
then asked if my silence means I dont like her. I do like her, but rather than answer her
question directly, I asked if when shes quiet does that mean she doesnt like me. She quickly
responded with No!
she kissed me
When I walked Victoria to her door, she stopped, put her arms around my neck, and gave me
the best kiss I ever got from a woman. I told her I had a fun time and she assured me she had a
nice time too.
The next date went well and she displayed the typical signs of interest (touching, laughter, a
kiss good night, etc.). Weve arranged for another date in a couple of days. I cant help but
wonder, though, why she avoided my kiss if shes interested in me. Is it a red flag? If it was
nothing and I should forget it, Id still like to know the possible reasons so that I can act with
better understanding in the future. Thanks for your insight into the female mind, Doc.
Archibald - whos simply reflecting on Pussycats past behavior
the subject of what quiet really means. This mess wouldnt have happened if youd kept it
funny and light like you were supposed to and not tried to kiss her at the wrong time.
Getting that great kiss from her was the one positive thing that happened. And hopefully this
distant mood of hers was just a passing thing. Maybe its her nature; with time youll find out.
By the way, Victoria should have told you first that she had a good time on that date. And you
didnt have a fun time, dude -- you lied.
things ended ok
The way it ended, things seemed to be OK, but again, Archie, just make sure you dont forget
what happened and keep your eyes peeled for a pattern.
In the end, there could a thousand reasons why Victoria refused your kiss. One, for instance,
might be that you tried to smooch her in a public place. But dont ask why she didnt kiss you
-- ask yourself why you didnt go by the book.
What happened is not a red flag, because you went against my principles. You did something
wrong, then she did something wrong, so there cant be a red flag. Like the great Doctor
Freud once said, A red flag is when you do everything right and SHE does something
wrong.
In the future follow my guidelines strictly and stop cherry-picking.
Remember, guys: If you dont go by the rules, you cant judge her Interest Level.
I would love to go out with Candace, but I feel that the only time I have the opportunity to
talk to her is when shes in a weakened emotional state and thats the wrong time to ask for a
date. If I were to ask her out when shes in a bad way, I feel like I would only be a rebound
man -- basically like the sixth man on the bench.
What should I do about Candace? Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated.
Percy - who feels like her psychiatrist
shes a bitch
So, Candace is a complete bitch, is she? Oh, this is someone wholl make a really great
partner over the long haul, Percy. Fantastic! Good for you! Like my cousin Sal The Fish
Love says, Sounds like youve got the right one there, paisan. Im not going to say anything
at all about the moodiness of women, pal. And Ill listen patiently to all of your
rationalizations, but like my cousin General Love says, Soldier, youre already dead in the
water.
More of Doc Loves advice on dealing with moody women
When you say you dont want to see your female friends hurt, its not the truth. What you
really want is to take care of somebody youre chasing after. So in order to rationalize her
whacked-out behavior, youre going to tell me that you hate to see your delicate lady friends
damaged. Get rid of your fatherly instincts, Percy -- the sooner the better. Or like my cousin
Brother Love down in Watts says. Yo, dawg, stop tryin to be her daddy.
shed jump off the George Washington Bridge if you told her to, but so what, dude? Like the
great Doctor Freud once said, OK, so youve got a loon mesmerized -- so what? Wow -shed listen to you when you tell her to smoke crack? She sounds like a very intelligent girl,
Percy.
Im a 22-year-old guy of Indian descent. Growing up, I was the overweight nerdy kid. Ive
lost most of the weight and now consider myself more or less happy with how I look. After
drinking way too much and smoking pot to relieve my emotional distress, I went to rehab to
get some stuff straight and reassess my lifes goals. I also recently figured out I have some
conditions like hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. Further, my family is super-Indian
and eccentric, and we never meshed with the wealthy suburbanites in the area where we live.
starting to date at 22
First of all, Quinton, youre not 22 years old. Youre 22 years young. Youre just a baby, and
thats a good thing. Lots of people I know would love to trade ages with you -- including me.
Starting to date is tough business, but Doc Love has the answers that Quinton needs
Im glad you shed most of that excess blubber you were carrying around. Like my cousin Fast
Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Now, go on and lose the rest of it. Im sorry to say that
most fatsos gain it back, so you have to be vigilant. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says,
You can live without that second cannoli, paisan.
Its great that you went into rehab, Quinton, because it shows that youre trying to improve
yourself. And improving yourself is what its all about. For your hyperactivity and A.D.D.,
get yourself a good doctor with a sheepskin on the wall and make sure that she takes good
care of you. Because with all the medical progress thats been made, conditions like yours
dont have to be hopeless.
Despite all this, were still going to make you into a lover boy -- as long as you do and say
everything exactly as I tell you. As far as your familys eccentricities are concerned, dont let
them hold you back, dude. Your familys weirdness is not your fault. All you have to do is
learn to smile at people.
So heres the first thing you have to do: You have to get my materials and memorize them.
Your answer for what to do about your impasse is the Dating Dictionary. You have to reach
the point where you just look at a chapter title in my book to know exactly whats there -even if you close the book. In other words, you have to be mentally prepared before you go
out there. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Son, youve got to have a substantial plan in
place before you can do anything at all when it comes to women.
When babes check out your arms and abs, just smile at them. And if theyre standing close,
heres what you say: Hi. Whats your name? Then paste a bigger smile on your lips. Thats
going to be your second step.
I dont know how you reached the conclusion that girls know youre a nice guy just by
pumping iron. You probably are a nice guy and you sound like a nice guy, but just by having
someone look at you while youre curling 40 pounds on each arm, how can you possibly
know what youre projecting? Did you interview these women after you got through working
out? If not, then you dont know what youre projecting, Quinton. So, you have this idea and
maybe a few other ideas in your brain that have to be flushed out, which will happen naturally
when you commit my principles to memory.
to her pad, and overnight we went from seeing each other once every three weeks to 12 days
in a row.
When shes playing hard to get, your best bet is to consult Doc Love
So you worked Priscilla to a point where she was interested in you, but then she pulled back
and you were in pain again. As the old cowboy saying goes, Dude, you have to do things that
make girls not want to run away.
So Priscilla was dating another guy, huh? Like the great Doctor Freud once said, So much
for your psychological counseling, right, pal? You say she was kissing you passionately, but
like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Dont forget that she was kissing the other guy
passionately too.
You finally did ignore Priscilla. Wow -- you held out for 72 whole hours! Like my cousin
General Love says, What a tough guy you are! Buddy, you should have let that phone ring
and returned her call two days later.
Your problem is not other guys. Your problem is you putting on a full-court press. If you
were doing things right, she wouldnt be kissing other men passionately.
Hey, theres a good chance that either or both of these two other guys are back in the picture,
though. Dont worry about Priscilla seriously dating someone else, though -- shes just having
fun with the other guys and making out with them.
The reason you cant call her is because whenever youre in contact with her you cant stop
yourself from pressuring her. She tells you she wants you to play hard to get and you keep
making mistakes with the telephone and the computer. She wants you to be distant and
pretend you dont care; dont you get it, Greenie? She wants Challenge.
these in-office conversations short because I dont like the setting at work for long, intimate
talks.
erroneous, which demonstrates that you have not fully read and internalized my materials.
Remember, guys: It all starts with getting the home phone number.
notice at work, quit my job and wash dishes to be with her if I had to. Since I cant, I am left
asking, What should I do?
Birdie - who wants to know: Can a relationship survive war?
spineless soldier
Youre unsure whether to continue your relationship with this babe? Thats if you actually
have one. The fact that youd do anything for her is the biggest mistake of your life, pal. A
man should never say something like that, especially to his girlfriend. You can do a lot for
her, but you should never do anything that would result in her disrespecting you. And above
all, you should never be with a woman who doesnt have high Interest Level in you.
Sadly, your deployment to Iraq will probably destroy your relationship -- if it isnt destroyed
already. So, your pals had women who cheated on them, huh? Like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love from East L.A. says, Its funny how Oprah never does a show on that topic.
Of course its tough to go 15 months without romance. Thats the first sentence youve
written that makes any sense, my friend. Dont worry; Carries not going to meet people at
her university. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Shes only going to meet horny,
lonely guys.
timecard to a relationship
Well, its been about a month, and weve gotten together about four days a week since that
first night. Now that Ive gotten to know Katie better, Im finding myself more and more
attracted to her, even though I swore off relationships until after college to focus on my
studies. The two of us have very different personalities in some regards (music, politics), but
very much the same in others (very loyal to friends, very into cuddling, food, movies, etc.). I
think that we have enough to start a real relationship on.
scenario when it comes to dating and relationships. However, you also need to get hold of and
memorize my Dating Dictionary, which complements and reinforces my columns.
crazy contracts
So, you have a friends with benefits relationship with Katie? Like my cousin Sal The Fish
Love says, What the heck is that supposed to mean? Does that mean she wants to keep her
options open? Or that shes got two other boyfriends on the side?
And why in the world would you get yourself locked into a contract with this girl, Ravi? To
you Psych majors: There should never be any type of definition of what the nature of the
relationship is or is going to be in the future. Why would you want to limit your possibilities?
More importantly, you should have Katie wondering what the relationship is. Like my cousin
Brother Love down in Watts says, So, right there you blew the entire concept of Challenge,
dawg. And by the way, Ravi, if you hooked up with someone else or Katie hooked up with
someone else and then you had to tell each other, what would that prove?
You see Katie four days a week? You mean thats all? Why not seven? Why not move
straight into her place? Dude, youre seeing this girl way too much. And now youre finding
yourself even more attracted to her. So now youre going against the contract you set up. Like
my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, You got any clue what youre doing, pal?
Hey Doc,
I met Shyla through an online dating service. She is very attractive, in her late 30s and we got
along great from the beginning. Shed just lost her job and wanted me to move in with her and
her sons. When I agreed, she said that it would be just as friends. She helped me get a new
checking account (because of my credit problems her name has to be on it), she added me to
her cell phone account, we have been on vacation four or five times together, and we have
even been romantic together a couple of times, if you catch my drift.
This sort of squabbling has been going on for three months now. She has booked another
vacation for her youngest son and us. My question is this: Does Shyla really want me to back
off and be just a friend, or is this a way to get me to move out of her life?
I dont really want to move on, Doc, but I dont want to be in an uncomfortable place either. I
know that its hard for you to give answers to questions when youre only hearing one side of
the story, but what I desperately need is an opinion from a coach. I hope you can help me.
Thanks.
Kam - who wonders if he moved in too fast
stop fighting
Now let me get something else straight. Youve been arguing with this girl for three whole
months? And youre just friends? Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, So when does the fun
start, boy? Are you that desperate, Kam, that youd rather live your life squabbling with
someone who doesnt really want you around in the first place? Like my cousin General Love
says, Soldier, you should have surrendered that area the minute the skirmishes started.
Now Shyla wants to haul you along on another vacation with her because she hasnt found a
guy she really wants to be romantic with yet. But youre not going to take this next vacation
with Shyla and her son. Youre through, Kam. Theyre going to go alone. And youre going
to find something else to do with yourself for a few days.
Of course she wants you to back off and just be a friend. Thats exactly what she told you in
the beginning, didnt she? And like the great Doctor Freud once said, Now that youre
driving her nuts, you should be out of her life altogether!
the phone for a few weeks afterward instead of getting together. This was because she didnt
accept any of my date invitations. I backed off with the hopes that she would call me, but she
didnt. A month later, she texted me a birthday greeting and I waited a week before calling
her. Again, it went well. We started seeing each other on weekends, and dated for two
months. During this time, we had fun, but it didnt get romantic beyond kissing. She told me
she couldnt be a girlfriend to me now. So I drove her home and left her alone. Three days
later she called me and told me that I was the greatest guy ever and we went out again.
The next time I called her we had a nice talk, but it was different. She sounded distant. Well,
being one to get to the point, I asked her out and she turned me down. I said, It doesnt seem
as though you are interested in this anymore. After a short conversation about her wanting
to do other things, and go out and have single fun, but remain friends, I said that wouldnt
work for me. We met for dinner to exchange our stuff, and she said shed call me again, but
she hasnt.
unemployed jerk
Then you were laid off and went and told Kianna about it. Why in the world would you tell
her a negative? To you Psych majors, telling a girl whats wrong with you when youve just
met her is about the stupidest thing you could do. Instead of flapping your lips, you should
have just regarded yourself as between careers and kept your trap shut. Think about it this
way: Why would a girl like you more if youre unemployed? Like my cousin Rabbi Love
says, It doesnt make any sense, my son.
Doc Love answers the question: Is there such a thing as bad timing?
What most men do is shoot off their mouths without thinking, and then they can never take it
back. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Remember, paisan, you can always tell her
the bad stuff later.
Naturally, after your revelation about being stranded in the unemployment line, Kianna didnt
want to go out with you. She was turned off. And right there, pal, you were out. After she
turned you down for a date, you should have thrown her number away.
Still, you waited for her to call you and she didnt. Do you know why? Because she wasnt
Interested.
a polite gesture
She texted you a birthday greeting? Hallelujah! She saw the light! She realized what a great
guy you were. Chuckles, you have to rush right back in there and try and get her back. What
are you waiting for?
Seriously, though, it was a blunder when you decided to call her again. Sure, it went well the
second time around -- temporarily. It didnt really go well, even though you dated for two
months. And heres the proof: It didnt get romantic. Thats OK, maybe this Kiannas a classy
girl. And like my Uncle Jethro Love says, I guess nobody else found her attractive all that
time, huh?
When she said she couldnt be a girlfriend to you now, do you know what she really meant,
Chuckles? She meant forever. Guys, now is Womanese for forever.
Kianna wanted to remain friends? Like the old Chinese saying goes, Uh-oh, grasshopper,
there goes the kissing. Know what you should have done? You should have told her it was a
great idea and then flushed her number.
what stuff?
You had each others stuff. What stuff? How and why did you ever give this girl stuff? You
werent going with this girl for two years, Chuckles; you could hardly get a date out of her
and youre giving her stuff?
Heres another secret Ill let you in on: When a woman says shes going to call you again, it
means shes never going to call you. More Womanese.
Of course your friends are urging you to go back for more -- because your friends are even
dumber than you are. Your mood and demeanor might be better now that youre gainfully
employed again, but it doesnt matter -- youre out with this girl. Once Interest Level goes
south of the border, its over, baby.
Regarding the break that was forced on you by Kianna, like the great Doctor Freud once said:
Time apart doesnt help when they dont like you. Shes just happy youre gone.
living in denial
You really think that if Kianna liked you she would have contacted you by now? Brilliant! I
never would have thought of that, Chuckles. Youre getting smarter.
Dude, I got news for you: You didnt break it off with this girl. To break it off with someone
means they have to actually like you.
Being an unemployed pushover has nothing to do with Kiannas Interest Level in you. And
timing had nothing to do with this debacle either. You did everything wrong the first time
around -- thats what really happened. This babe wanted to date someone, she liked that you
were direct, she went out with you, but the problem was that only one of you had fun. And
unfortunately for you, it wasnt Kianna.
Remember, guys: Theres no such thing as bad timing.
Ive been reading your articles for a little while now and find them quite interesting, but I
havent seen anything dealing with my situation. Before I go ahead and purchase The
System, since I notice that your columns deal mostly with dating and not with more
established relationships, Id like to know whether you can help me with my specific problem.
So here goes.
decent time? If so, you can help your beleaguered wife out with her chores and the care of
your child before it all goes to hell.
Aside from being an unfit mother, your wife is blaming you for her problems with your
daughter. Her Interest Level has taken a dip, and its on account of your relationship with her,
rather than being home with the kid. Shes blaming her horrible life on that situation; whereas,
the reality is that her Interest Level is not in the 90s anymore because you havent given her
affection and romance and youre taking her for granted.
Hey Doc,
I read your recent opinion on instant messaging and how it ruins any chance of being a
Challenge. I was wondering if you yourself have ever actually used it for that purpose and
what your thoughts about it are.
Personally, I find it 10 times easier to exude mystery over the internet. When a girl knows
youre online and you dont respond, she gets very interested in where you are and what
youre doing. When your status suddenly changes to away and your auto message is set to
out, text me if you need me, youd be surprised at the amount of interest the girls develop. I
would call that a great technique for strengthening Challenge.
doing. Like my cousin General Love says, Soldier, if youre sending instant messages back
and forth, in the interim, youre undermining the entire battle plan.
Doc Loves reader wants to know: Is it easier to be a Challenge on the internet?
Your argument for instant messaging is actually full of holes, my friend. You think that you
can exude mystery over the internet, but in order to try to do that you have to make contact
first. To you Psych majors, contact kills challenge. Again, with instant messaging youre
undermining what youre actually setting out to do.
guy.
The problem is that Im falling for Shauna. My questions are: What should I do? And are
flight attendants dateable? Do I have a right to ask Shauna about her personal life since we
just started dating? Should I be concerned about her flirtatious ways? Is there any hope for
this long-distance relationship? Please advise.
Vincenzo - who wants to know: Are flight attendants dateable?
back-to-back dates
Now heres the problem with these back-to-back-to-back dates. You had to see her a lot
because Shauna was only in town for a day and a half. You had to get a lot of time in with her
while she was there, but in the process you killed Challenge.
You shouldnt have swooned over Shauna, dude. We want her doing all the swooning over
you. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: You never swoon over a babe. What are you,
a teenaged girl?
It was perfect though, that Shauna was looking at your arrangement as dating. Thats what
you want. But you sound like youve got a complaint in your voice. Whats the problem?
communication breakdown
Talking every night on the phone with Australia was another big, huge mistake. You should
have told Shauna, When you get back to L.A., give me a call and well go out. Period. No
talking when shes out of town.
Another error was all those flirtatious e-mails flying back and forth. Tell Shauna to save the
messages for when she gets back into town. The only e-mail you want from her is the one that
says, Were going out next Wednesday. On the other hand, its good you made a date for
the weekend, but stay off the phone and forget the e-mails -- again, youre murdering
Challenge.
But you swear that things are going beautifully. How can you say things are going so great
when Shauna lives 7,500 miles away? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, My son, do you
have any idea what shes up to over there?
You say you sense a thorn in this beautiful rose garden. The reality is that theres a whole
field of thorns between you and Shauna. For one thing, shes flirtatious on MySpace. Like my
Uncle Jethro Love says, In other words, shes in love with 50 other guys. Are you hoping to
be one of the 50? Is that your objective here? And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East
L.A. says, Even worse than having guys all over the world, with that gorgeous face of hers
shes probably got two or three guys in L.A. alone.
on cloud nine
Guy, how can you possibly be falling for Shauna? You dont even know her! What youre
falling for is her beauty. Youre sure not falling for her personality. Like my cousin Brother
Love down in Watts says, Dawg, if she looked like Whoopi Goldberg, you wouldnt go
anywhere near her.
What should you do? You should see Shauna when she comes to L.A. And if youre really
smart, which it doesnt sound like you are, you should see other girls in L.A. and you should
keep seeing them until Shauna says, Im moving to America to be with you. I want to be a
U.S. citizen. Until that happens, keep your trap shut about your feelings.
Vincenzo, you dont have the right to ask Shauna about her personal life. You dont have any
rights with this girl -- period.
Remember, guys: The key to turning off a woman is to put her on a pedestal.
a lonely life
So here I am, almost 30, and still not one relationship to my credit. I own a house, a car, have
a decent job, and am working on finishing my advanced college degree. I am not a good judge
of myself, but I think my looks are average -- blond hair with hazel-green eyes hidden behind
glasses, with a slim-to-fit build. I spend my days playing video games, modifying cars and
computers, and taking camping trips to the middle of nowhere for survival training and
archery practice. I am a self-taught musician and practice the martial arts. I read every book I
can get my hands on, from quantum physics to the Delta Force hand-to-hand combat manual.
Should I give up or spend every dime I have to surgically enhance my appearance? Or should
I blow all my money and get some high-priced escorts and pray that I dont catch something?
Should I try super-concentrated pheromones? Please dont tell me to just be myself because
that advice has only brought me pain. Thank you.
DeShawn - who doesnt know whats left to try
off the bat, and this is not meant as a put down, that you know absolutely nothing about
women. If you did, why in the world would you try and hustle a girl who has a guy with 17
1/2 inch arms standing guard over her -- a brute whos going to smash your face into the wall?
Like the old cowboy saying goes, Common sense would tell you it aint a good idea. The
problem is that you have no common sense.
So youre coming to me with absolutely zilch ability with women, DeShawn, which you
admit in your letter. Again, this is not meant as a put down. Its just a fact, and we always deal
with reality.
Youre right that women are exotic and rare creatures. However, your interpretation of their
behavior has been incorrect.
Lets look at the positive side: Your description of yourself shows that you are a very
interesting guy. And you do a lot of very interesting things. Lots of women would be
interested in a guy who does so many fascinating things. So you yourself are cool, dude.
However, what youre doing with women, how you approach them, what you say to them, and
so forth, proves that youre out to lunch. Youd actually be better off talking to a Martian
because youre so afraid and youve put such a heavy trip on yourself that youve made
yourself a loser with women for three entire decades.
Forget cosmetic surgery. Its not your looks that are the problem -- its whats going on
between your ears. Its your personality thats your downfall, my friend. You dont know how
to talk to women. You dont know how to act with them. You score a big fat zero in that
subject. You know how to deal with guys, you can even do hand-to-hand combat with them,
but when it comes to females, youre clueless.
yourself means, youd get a hundred different answers. Like the great Doctor Freud once said,
Its a catch-all statement that makes no sense and gives you absolutely no help.
Remember, guys: The key to women is The System.
To you Psych majors, you dont have to wait five weeks to call a girl. And Bilbo, you didnt
have to call Teena from Boston. You just pick up the phone and call her from out of town.
Last time I looked there were telephones everywhere and Im sure your company makes sure
you have a cell phone. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Where the heck were you
that you couldnt call -- in the middle of the Sahara Desert where theres no cell phone
service?
make it worse than it already is. Youre lucky your buddys set-up attempt isnt working out.
Its not too late to call Teena and ask for a date. Just ring her up and act like nothing happened
and hope that she remembers you. And if she asks where youve been, tell her you had a
business meeting and had to go out of town for several weeks. In other words, just tell her the
truth.
other all the time. Shes also very touchy-feely with me, and is also pretty interested in my
street-gang past. What should I do now?
Beau - who doesnt know how to separate her from the herd
she would have been more apt to take the date -- especially if she was really interested in you.
What you would have been telling her indirectly was that this was the way it was going to be.
It would have been a great maneuver to raise Interest Level, but you insisted on giving away
the store by going to every single thing she asked you to.
Now let me set you straight on something: You didnt stop talking to this knockout a few days
ago -- she stopped talking to you. Most of you guys assume a woman is busy when she
pulls the old dodge on you. It never crosses your mind that she just has low Interest Level -which is always the case.
I have been reading your column for some time now and have had great success in dating
women using The System. Recently I started dating Gina, and unlike any of my other recent
dates this one became intense very quickly. We both felt as if we had found exactly what we
were looking for. Our dates lasted long and were just perfect. Gina started suggesting things
we should do in the future and I reciprocated.
Well, when it seemed nothing could go wrong, the most unexpected thing happened: Ginas
ex-boyfriend came back into the picture. Shed broken up with her ex years ago, but when he
showed up she realized that she still had feelings for him.
future was What a nice idea, and then kept your mouth shut. You dont have to talk about
the future just because she does. Wheres your Self-Control, pal?
When this whole issue of the ex-boyfriend first came up, heres what you should have said:
Great! You have my number. Go back and see your ex, and when youre all done with him,
give me a call, and if Im available well go out. Good luck with your old boyfriend. Hes a
very lucky guy to have as nice a girl as you. And then you should have immediately
disappeared, because like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, You aint gonna hang around
and be a stooge!
Wilbert's wondering what to do when her ex comes back, and Doc Love has the answers...
don't be a stooge
So now shes seeing the ex regularly. In other words, shes got two stooges on the line like a
pair of stupid fish. How nice that she divides her time between you two. It means Ginas got
two guys that are idiots and shes the boss, playing with their heads for her own gratification.
And because shes confused, she cant decide what to do and shes just going to play
around with both of you while you wait in the wings for your execution. Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, I should only be so confused.
Dont fret about Gina giving the other stooge priority over you, because youre going to make
her decision very easy for her. Youre going to let her choose him. Youre not begging for
anything, dude. That way at least youll walk out with your self-respect. When you hang
around a girl who brings an ex back, and she sees both of you, she loses all respect for you.
And when she loses respect for you, her Interest Level goes straight into the toilet.
I feel your pain about playing second fiddle, man. But maybe you were always the secondary
guy.
lets recap
So what do we have here? You contact a girl online, she calls you a player, accuses you of
trying to smother her, and its been all downhill ever since. Stan, you have to face the facts:
This girl has not helped you one iota. She has not done one single thing to tell you that she
likes you, and all you talk about is how shes the perfect girl. For what? For who? And by the
way, let me point out that Flame accused you of smothering her by just talking to her on the
phone -- you havent even gotten together with her yet! Like my cousin Brother Love down in
Watts says, Yo, dawg, next thing you know, youll be in jail for stalking!
What should you do? You have to get my book and memorize it, Stan. Because what you
would learn in those pages is that the most important factor in any relationship is the female's
interest level, and this girls Interest Level in you is 0. ZERO. But your Interest Level in her is
90%, therefore youre doing what we in psychology call projection.
Whats my advice? No offense, guy, but you dont know the first thing about women.
Absolutely nothing. Nada. Again, get my book and memorize it. And remember, when you
find somebody who likes you, its a lot easier than going out with someone who doesnt like
you.
Remember, guys: Just because you like her doesnt mean she has to like you back.
threes company
But thats where the problems start. We only have fun and are great together when were not
in the presence of one of her closest friends, who happens to be a guy. They have what I think
is a platonic relationship, but is it natural for a woman to be so concerned with one of her
closest friends to the extent that she would rather sit on his lap or hug and link arms with him
rather than me? And by the way, Im the one she presumably loves.
Im perfectly OK with the two of them being together, but sometimes the way she behaves
around him makes me feel like a temp boyfriend before she ends up with him. This
situation caused serious problems in our first two months together, and we actually ended
things, but got back together because we had such strong feelings for each other.
birthday bashing
In terms of Celestes Interest Level, I would say its over 85%. This makes me think that there
should be nothing to worry about, but lately Celeste has been spending more time with this
other guy than with me. Its Celestes birthday next week and Ive asked her to dinner, but she
already has plans, and guess who theyre with? Surely thats a cause for concern? Yet,
sometimes I feel selfish for wanting Celeste all to myself.
So how do I deal with a situation like this? Do I end things with someone I love? Or should I
learn to deal with it and stop acting selfish?
Ill be eternally grateful if you can help me. Thanks, Doc.
Luis - whos being the third wheel in a relationship
Celeste doesnt presumably love you, guy. She tells you verbally that she loves you, but she
actually loves two guys.
Buddy, youre not perfectly all right with Celeste and the other guy being together, otherwise
you wouldnt be writing this letter. And youre not a temporary boyfriend; youre just one of
two boyfriends.
Doc Love breaks down being the third wheel in a relationship
You and Celeste dont really have strong feelings for each other, pal. Thats not why you got
back together. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: Youre together again
with this girl because youre whipped.
Should you end things with someone you love? Youre implying here that Celeste is someone
who actually likes you. You got it all backwards, Luis!
Should you not be selfish when it comes to Celeste? Why not? Like my cousin Rabbi Love
says: As a matter of fact, I think that you two guys should find a religion that allows for two
husbands and then get married to Celeste.
Remember, guys: Women are experts at working the mans ego.
birthday wishes
Since it was her birthday, I told Ava to make an appointment at a day spa. She asked if I was
going as well, and I told her no, that since it was her birthday present it should be about her.
She texted me with the appointment info and I took care of the payment and I sent white roses
to the spa for her. I called the spa to make sure everything went well and they said it had.
However, I didnt get a call from Ava thanking me -- nothing. I was a little angry and I didnt
call or visit her at work. Finally, she sent me a text saying she hadnt heard from me and
wanted to know if everything was OK. I told her I was a little surprised that I hadnt heard
from her, not even a thank you. She called and immediately said that she phoned me right
after the spa and it went to my voicemail, then she sent me a text. She said she didnt know
me that well, but thought it odd that I had not replied since she thought I liked her.
Why didnt you ask her for her home phone number? The man always asks for the womans
home phone number. He doesnt hand his number out. What a weak pitch, Barkley. Its
obvious you dont have my materials. And if youre not familiar with my techniques, you
cant expect to be a success with women.
cool as a fish
You didnt play it cool when you returned to the club, dude -- you showed up again! In what
universe is that playing it cool?
OK, so Ava had your number and didnt call. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says:
Sure, she lost your number -- along with the 38 other business cards she collected that
night. You should have felt Yeah, right, but you shouldnt have said it to her, because truly
cool guys arent uptight and when you say something like that you proved that youre uptight.
So learn to keep your emotions to yourself.
You went and told her that she only wanted you to come because youre a good tipper. Why
are you insulting this girl youre trying to take out? And like my cousin Brother Love down in
Watts says: To boot, youre dealing with a sleazeball to begin with, shes acting like a
sleazeball, and you expect her to have the morals of Mother Teresa? You should have
understood how to proceed when you walked in the building, Barkley. You must have rocks
in your head.
dumbfounded divorcee
So here I am, coming out of my second divorce after five years of conflicts. My first marriage
lasted 12 passionless years and I have children from both. They live with me part-time and
Im at peace with their mothers, my ex-wives. Time to move on, yes?
I guess Ive made all the mistakes that a typical Wimpus Swedus can possibly make. Man, do
I need The System!
Three questions:
1. I was never really into dating, not even in my teens. How do I know when Im ready
to try? How long do I wait after this divorce?
2. I guess its internet dating for me now, since I live in a small village (no nice ladies
here but I cant move away from my kids), bars and clubs arent my thing, and you say
that long-distance relationships that I might have when touring with my act wont
work. However, on the other hand I dislike the idea of exposing my face on dating
sites, since people might recognize me from the papers and television. I dont want
gossip to be spread. What to do?
3. You often refer to Cary Grant as a role model. But hey, the guy was married five times
and his private life was a mess. Why him?
Dag - who needs to get it right the next time
Is it time to move on? Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Dawg, its mos def
time to move on! Its never smart to remain stuck in a bad situation of any kind. But dont do
any dating until youve memorized my materials. And just be happy you met me. Once youve
read my book 10 times youll be ready to date. How long should you wait after your divorce
is finalized? When youve got my principles down cold, wait one day after you get your
divorce papers to get back out there.
Hey Doc,
Ive been reading your stuff for a while now. Ive seen lots of suggestions that have helped
me progress with women. Im more confident in approaching them, and I know what to look
for when it comes to signs of interest. I look at the shy guy I used to be and Im glad hes
gone the way of the dinosaur, but now I have a new problem.
no problemo
You dont really have a new problem here, Braden: Youre just going up to the next level,
thats all. Since youre no longer the shy guy you used to be, youre realizing that you now
have to progress to Stage 2. Youve developed the ability to approach women and get their
home phone numbers, but now you want something that lasts a little bit longer. Youre
thinking about how many dates you can get with a certain girl, and how far the relationship
can progress, and so on. Thats the normal arc of improvement. So, youre moving in the right
direction, my friend. However, everyones getting involved, which means you have a couple
problems I can help you solve.
Doc Love helps Braden figure out what to do when everyones getting involved
Braden, dont be intimidated by your friends and family. I want you to discard their opinions
and forget about what they say. When they bring up the subject of women and your lack of a
relationship, the best policy is to give them the silent treatment. When they wait for some kind
of response from you, dont say anything. Period. Just stare at them until they start talking
again. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says: My son, dont let yourself be influenced or bullied
by people who are trying to get you together with someone when they dont have your taste.
life. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says: This does not help you see the forest through the trees,
boy. Like I said before, when they start badgering you again in the future, just ignore them
and dont say a word. Like my cousin General Love says: This is one time you dont have to
feel the need to defend yourself, soldier.
the long term about whether or not this girl is a potential keeper. Good work, pal. Like the
great Doctor Freud once said, The more detached you are when picking apart your
relationship with a woman, the less liable you are to make a terrible mistake.
But Solange tells you that shes going to stop smoking when she has a baby. Is she saying that
shes going to smoke while shes pregnant? I hope not! What sense would that make? Like
my Uncle Jethro Love says, That would be like closing the barn door after the horse gets out,
boy!
Of course Solange likes smoking she wouldnt do it if she didnt like it. And like my cousin
Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, When she digs it that much, shes what you call a total
addict.
So dont go for the ultimatum, guy. Its not going to have the outcome you want. And forget
about Challenge and Mystery right now. Youve got a massive problem on your hands
because smoking is a deal-breaker for you. Think of it this way: If Solange backs off
completely if you use jealousy and competition to try and force her to quit smoking, what are
you really losing? Youre only losing a smoker.
made up of Honesty, Loyalty and Trust. If Desiree is talking to lots of other men, do you feel
thats something that really demonstrates the quality of Loyalty?
Read on for Doc Loves advice for Clive
Now let me get this straight. Desiree is writing to other guys and calling them up on the phone
when shes in love with you? Thats what youre telling me here? Whoa. Like my cousin
Brother Love down in Watts says, Dawg, Id hate to see what shed do if she didnt dig
you! The truth of the matter is this: This girls Interest Level in you is 55% and shes not in
love with you. And the problem here is that your Interest Level is 90% or above.
I know youre worried about whats going with all these other guys, but it doesnt make any
difference whats going on with all these other guys. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, The problem is, theyre guys!
she's in control
All women, especially when they resemble Katherine Heigl, look at you like youre nuts
when you bust them. They dont say You know what, honey, youre right -- Ive been talking
to 13 guys on the computer and thats being disloyal to you. Im not going to do it anymore!
You dont really expect that to come out of Desirees mouth, do you? And you know why it
wont? Because shes a hot chick, thats why. Shes got all the power here.
Its a half-truth to assert that being jealous and insecure goes against The System. To you
Psych majors out there, its okay to be jealous and insecure if thats the way you feel. But you
just cant act upon it verbally with your girlfriend. You dont show her that youre jealous and
insecure because it immediately puts you in a position of weakness. Its okay to confide in
your dog and your best friend that youre out of your mind with jealousy, but youre not going
to be insecure with your girlfriend. And the only way you can show her that youre all bent
out of shape by what shes doing is by opening your mouth. So keep it SHUT.
memorized. And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Youd much rather be
a doormat.
My friend, its not wrong for you to be nosy about what your girlfriend is up to when shes
doing stuff behind your back. Like my cousin General Love says, Its okay to be a sneak
when youre dealing with someone whos a traitor. Therefore theres absolutely no point in
minding your own business and respecting Desirees privacy. These are non-issues, Clive.
Stop torturing yourself, dude. You know what you have to do.
Remember, guys: When she wants to talk to other guys via the computer that means she cant
be in love with you.
uncomfortable, but she still seemed to like him more than me. Eventually, he went back
offshore and she wanted to spend more time with me. Now, Im confused by her double-talk.
together 4 ever
Rosalee always tells me that I am the one, her soul mate, and that we are meant to be together
forever. She told me she was over her commitment issues and wanted us to be together, but
she still hides our relationship from her friends and told her platonic roommate that I was only
a friend as well.
Recently, Rosalee said a family member broke her heart and that she felt numb, but she told
me she loved me and that we were still an item. However, she has not texted me or returned
any of my text messages. Im at a point where I dont know if I want to be with this girl or if
shes worth the time wasted.
What should I do, and how should I go about doing it? The last time we talked, Rosalee and I
were in a relationship, but Im confused by her double-talk and I cant figure her out. Please
help me.
Dane - whos confused by her double-talk
least in the low 70s. But, dude, youve got a basket case here and her Interest Level was low
from the outset. Thats a big problem.
impressed by a crapper
Still, youre impressed that Rosalie drove all the way out to your place of employment. Wow,
she actually visited you at work? That erases all the other crappy stuff shes pulled on you.
Awesome, pal!
She might pay you a visit, but she hides the fact that you two are dating from the world. Like
my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says: Well, dawg, that just shows how proud she is
of her new boyfriend! Hey, its obvious to me!
Rosalee darts out when she talks to her roommate? Well, Ill tell you why that is, guy. When
shes whispering romantically to him she doesnt want to do it in front of you and hurt your
feelings. Like the great Doctor Freud once said: What do you think this girl is, a sadist?
offshore drilling
Then, when the platonic friend came back, she dropped you like a hot potato and went
everywhere with him. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: Any chance she likes him
more than you? Of course not. The sad part of this is that youre hanging around like a little
scared puppy dog panting for scraps. Like my cousin General Love says: Like most men,
youre waiting for scraps because youre weak.
Its also obvious to me that when Rosalee goes on vacation with the other guy, she cant wait
to get back to her true love, who is you. Dane, she wont show you off in front of him because
she doesnt want to hurt his feelings, get it? See how sensitive she is?
Its just splendid that Rosalee wants to spend more time with you when Mister Platonic is out
looking for oil in the Gulf of Mexico, because then you can get your time in with her. What a
setup -- for her! Man, this girl is sharp! Still, she insists that she wants you to be her soul mate
forever. Uh, Dane, when she says this stuff, does she pass the bong to you too?
Heres my theory: This babe wont tell anybody about your relationship because shes really a
double agent -- shes working both sides of the street. The good thing is that you know about
it, but the bad thing is that you dont dump her. Why? Because youre a glutton for
punishment. And your Self-Esteem is down in the sewer.
persistent pansy
Now, at the end of all this back-and-forth, Rosalees not even returning your messages.
Buddy, when they dont return text messages, that means theyre deeply in love with you.
Duh. You just go on being persistent like all the other idiots, and youll eventually wear her
down. Uh, right.
Actually, my friend, this girl is very easy to figure out. Shes a mess and shes going out with
two turkeys, and both of them are so weak that neither of them has the guts to tell her no -and thats the biggest problem in America today. Its not the economy; its not the terrorists;
its the fact that when a man likes a woman, 90% of the time he becomes a weakling.
Remember, guys: When a woman has a male roommate, you should be smelling a rat.
Now, I would never even consider cheating on my wife with someone in the neighborhood or
one of her friends, but there is an online organization -- I wont say the name -- that promises
discreet affairs with a like-minded woman. Everything is supposed to be thoroughly screened,
etc. I decided to shell out a few bucks and join. To make a long story short, I got hooked up
with Angelina and we exchanged some e-mails. Now we have a date to meet in a few days
to begin what we both assume will be a no-strings-attached, harmless, completely secret and
discreet extramarital relationship.
I thought I wanted to go through with this, but now I find myself very anxious, almost panicstricken with chest pains, at the thought. Its not that I dont want to meet Angelina, dont get
me wrong. Its more that it feels very dangerous and I hope I know what Im doing.
do something about it are making a huge mistake, because they are breaking a contract.
Doc Love has more advice for the guy who is married but needing variety
discretion guaranteed
Yet, youre proud of the fact that youre not going to cheat on your wife with one of her
friends. Now wait a minute here. Youre trying to make this deception sound like the right
thing to do because youre not going to do it with the divorcee next door? Dude, youre
twisting the truth. Like the great Doctor Freud once said: What youre really doing is trying
to ease your guilt.
I know what you think youre going to have with this so-called discreet affair, but theres
one word in your description of whats going to happen thats a big, fat lie: harmless. What
youre about to do with this Angelina is anything but harmless. Youre making a big mistake,
Fernando, if you really think this sleazy little rendezvous doesnt hurt anyone. It not only
hurts your lovely wife, it hurts you by eroding your own Self-Respect. And like my cousin
Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: And dont forget to watch out for diseases -- the ones
you can bring home to your wife.
anxious adulterer
All of this wonderful romantic intrigue has given you the symptoms of a heart attack. Your
body is trying to tell you something here, guy, and what its telling you is that youre about to
do a big no-no. It shows me youre basically a good guy because youve got a conscience, but
youre getting chest pains because youre about to -- excuse the expression -- screw over a
woman whos been a good and loving wife to you for 25 years. But because youre bored
youre going to take it out on her. Deep down, that bothers you, Fernando. Thats what your
aches and pains are shouting out to you.
You feel that you dont know what youre doing because you dont know what youre doing.
What youre about to do feels dangerous because it is dangerous. To you Psych majors,
youre playing with fire when you commit adultery. In the Good Book it says: Thou shalt not
commit adultery, and youre going to commit that sin because youre merely bored. Think
about it, Fernando. Like my cousin General Love says: Soldier, you always have to calculate
whether the danger is worth the reward.
What do I think about what youre doing? I think its very bad for a guy to get involved in
something like this. One minute youre telling me you have a great relationship with your
wife and the next youre telling me youre trying to save it. Part of living with anybody -- I
dont care if its your dog or your best buddy -- after you see her every day for 25 years, is
boredom. Boredom is going to set in at some point. If you had my book and you learned how
not to be boring -- or bored -- with your wife, youd be doing a lot better with your marriage
and you wouldnt be thinking about joining this upstanding organization for sinners.
sophomore seduction
Well, in my second year of school she came on strong, telling me she always liked me and
even though she blew her chance with me the first time around she still wanted us to be
together. She was all over me, maybe even blindsided by love. Id even rate her Interest Level
at that point to be in the 90s. I asked her out, and weve been dating for nine months now.
Ebony even said she wanted to have my babies and started talking about marriage.
About a month ago she started calling me less and being a little distant. I followed your
teachings and backed off. This pattern continued for a while and after confronting her, she
said she was doing it on purpose to see if Id call her, which I didnt. I talked to her about her
behavior and she said she wasnt herself and that I should give her time. I even went to the
extent of accusing her of not being interested in me anymore and she denied it. The last time I
confronted her about the situation she cried and started talking about marriage again -- as if
she was blindsided by love once again.
digital detective
A few days ago I was using her computer when I discovered photographs of her and another
guy that shed cleverly hidden. I confronted her about it and she got angry that I went
snooping. Doc, Im fed up with this situation and urgently need your advice on this one.
Usman - who feels blindsided by love or something
read my book, you know that confrontation doesnt work. Youre supposed to back off, and
backing off is nonverbal. Youre supposed to show the girl by your actions that you mean
business. You never sit down and discuss why her Interest Level is dropping. Begging her for
attention at that critical point will only make things worse.
disaster already. Not so. In college we were not much more than friends. We had classes
together, worked on projects together, but I never gave her the time of day beyond that. I
played the Ive got more important things to do, other women to see role. I knew that I
wanted her, but didnt want her to think I was interested in her just because shes beautiful.
Anyway, six months went by and I ran into her at an unplanned social occasion. She and I hit
the right chords and have seen each other a couple of times since. Ive told her things like,
Beautiful women are very common. Whats rare is a great outlook, energy and personality.
It just so happens that she has all these. She talks about the future a lot and so far it has been
great. Beautiful, right? Well, heres the hitch. I live a couple hours away from Catrina.
take initiative
When Catrina says that she wants to see you again soon when youre on your dates, shes
asking you to set something up. Why dont you ask her out, pal, instead of keeping things
vague and indefinite? To you Psych majors, when they live far away, youre forced to go
against The System. At the very least, what you should do after you see her is phone her
five days later and plan something definite.
How should you play it? Abide by my book and you wont have any problems at all. What
you didnt tell me in your letter is how long this girl is going to be living so far away from
you. Is her living situation permanent? Where does her family live? Does she have plans to
move closer to you? You left out key information that would have enabled me to give you a
much stronger plan of action here.
Because you only have two dates in with Catrina and she lives a hundred miles away, you
have to face the fact that there are going to be too many guys hitting on this girl. Like my
cousin Rabbi Love says: I dont care how great you are, my son, those other fellows are
going to be able to get time in with Catrina behind your back.
Remember, guys: Unless you utilize my principles on a consistent basis, the odds will be
stacked against you.
I have tried being a Challenge to Maddie by not talking to her for a few days, but we always
end up doing something together. Also, I figured that to get over her I need to cut her out of
my life, but then I think hey, Im potentially losing a real good friend here because I cant
keep my emotions in check.
My question is this: What should I do? Should I do things to make Maddie more interested in
me? Should I stop making out with her when we go out? Or should I cut her out of my life
entirely or even just come right out and tell her I like her?
This is probably longer than youre used to, but Im in dire need of coaching.
Jolyon - whos confused in the Northwest and having trouble maintaining challenge
when he has a crush
Theres something else in the mix here. She still has feelings for her ex. So, now we have a
huge problem. My friend, you brought this down on yourself. If you had given the situation
time and continued to just go out with Maddie, she would have gotten rid of this other guy.
You, however, had to open your big mouth and bring him up, and she decided that she wanted
to keep him. Why are you talking about other men? Worse, she still sees this guy. Like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: So, now shes making out with two dudes,
right?
Youre not just talking to Maddie; youre also talking to her friends. Why are you yapping to
this girls friends about your love life? Man, you got a lot to learn. Gosh, every time you turn
around youre doing something else wrong.
Of course Maddies somewhat interested in you. Shes going out with you all the time, isnt
she? But we have a boyfriend lurking in the background. Thats a major no-no. So, dont
indulge your major crush on Maddie. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says: Until the other turkey
is gone, you aint goin nowhere.
crushing temptation
You end up doing things with Maddie all the time because youre weak. And your Interest
Level is 88%. If it were 55%, youd tell her no, I cant hang out with you tonight because Im
busy. But like most other weak guys, youd rather die before you did that.
Jolyon, you have to figure out what you want from this girl: Do you want to be her good
friend or her boyfriend? Youre not going to settle for being a good friend to Maddie. You
dont want to be her good friend. Why are you even bringing that term up? Face the truth:
You want to be Maddies boyfriend and you want the ex to be gone. So why are you
mumbling about being a good friend? Forget friendship.
Heres what you do: Cut down on the amount of time that you see Maddie until shes asking
you to do things with her. And stop making out with her. Just kiss her on the doorstep at the
end of the night.
Doc Love has some final tips to help you remain detached during your crush...
Why in the world would you come out and tell this babe you like her? She just told you shes
not open to a relationship, didnt she? On the other hand, theres no reason to get rid of her
because shes going out with you whenever you want.
Youre in dire need of coaching? Boy, you can say that again! Cut out the instant messaging
and see this girl only once a week. If she wants to go out one night a week, tell her fine, lets
go. When she asks you for another night, however, tell her youre busy until next week. When
she starts begging you to go out a second and third time during the week, that will be the
signal that her ex is history.
predictable intentions
The problem, Jolyon, is that youve been way too available and too predictable. Youre telling
me youre working Challenge? You havent been working Challenge. Pal, you dont know
anything about Challenge. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says: Thank the
Lord the books in the mail, dawg!
Remember, guys: when you talk about serious stuff with a woman, you only get into trouble.
smear campaign
The upshot is that David is convincing these babes that Im a Wuss, which I most definitely
am not. I know hes doing this because the girls have repeatedly asked me if I was OK, and if
I was unhappy when there was no reason for it. Doc, I know its him whos doing this. And
Im sure this private-messaging business is not the only strategy in his arsenal.
David is a coward. What he does, he does subtly, so subtly that he would never admit it, but
its obvious enough that I notice it.
respect that you tell us guys straight out how it is with women, and a lot of men need to wake
up and follow your directions.
Greame - who knows hes not being paranoid
anything wrong with it. Heck, if you came straight out and asked David if he was blocking
you, hed probably tell you no. Hed probably say: Oh, no, Greame, I was just kidding! You
know I like you -- Im your roommate!
How do you cope with the politics of envy? Like I said earlier, by being funny. When one of
the girls asks if youre depressed all the time, you say: Yes, I am. Ive got so many girls after
me that I cant take it anymore and I dont know what to do about it. The only time Im not
depressed is when Im around you. In other words, make a joke out of it and move on.
laugh it off
Should you fight fire with fire, ignore David or confront him head on? None of the above. All
three of your guesses about how to handle this situation are wrong.
Let me tell you something, buddy. Doc Love is not harsh. Reality and truth are harsh, but
most people -- and I mean most guys -- live in a bubble. They are run by their emotions and
dont see reality when it comes to women. When you look at their love lives, the divorce rate
and how often they get dumped by women, youll see that all Im trying to do is coach them
to face reality.
Remember, guys: Never let them know that they got to you.
Pasha defended her new relationship. She told me that her new boyfriend is not the type of
guy she normally goes for and that shes taking it slow. Shes a shy girl and hasnt been in a
relationship for a year, and does not seem like the type to play games with guys, especially
multiple guys at the same time.
Its very curious that Pasha told you that she was annoying. Pal, when a girl puts herself
down, that means she has zero interest in you. Shes basically begging you to stay away from
her. Who cares what shes doing with this new boyfriend of hers, whether shes taking it slow
or fast or medium? The point is that shes making out with him and you havent even met her.
All this superfluous information shes handing you about this guy doesnt mean anything.
Fraser, you havent even set eyes on Pasha in person. You dont know a thing about her.
Hey Doc,
I just started reading your articles. I have to say you really know what youre talking about. I
ordered a copy of your book today, but I could really use some help because Im about to get
myself into a tricky situation this weekend.
I met Celestria at a bar a week after I broke up with my girlfriend. The first time we locked
eyes there was a spark. We started talking and found out we have a lot in common. She is a
great girl -- smart, funny, pretty, and has a good job as a kindergarten teacher. I really enjoy
her company and Im very attracted to her. We exchanged numbers and eventually went out
for a few drinks. Things have been going good but slow so far, which is fine with me. I just
got out of a long relationship and I needed to reset myself.
Celestria and I have only hung out a few times since we met and two of those times we were
out with her friends. I dont need The System to tell me it was a bad idea, but it was either
have the friends there or not see this girl at all. Shes very busy and Im not full of free time
either. We also had plans to have dinner, but she canceled twice. Those were big red flags.
One cancellation was because her friend had a baby; the other was because she was sick. Both
excuses were true, but Celestria could have made the dates if she really wanted to.
canceled plans
What bothers me is that she has baggage, and I think I might be wasting my time. I wont drag
this it out with all the details; lets just say Celestrias had a rough couple of years with her
family and an ex-boyfriend. Because of what shes gone through, she has a hard time trusting
new people, especially new men. I admire her honesty and I can relate to what shes gone
through as I have gone through similar things. This is why Ive hung in with her.
It seems like Celestrias Interest Level is somewhere around 40%, considering she has
avoided hanging out with me alone. I think her low Interest Level has less to do with me and
more to do with her baggage. I think shes perfectly happy being single and is avoiding any
kind of relationship. I think shes kissed me because she really does like me though.
plan b
Anyway, heres the situation: This weekend my friend is having a party. There will be a girl,
Katie, at the party who is in a similar situation as me (recently free from a long-term
relationship) but shes interested in meeting me. The catch is that Katie knows Celestria. So
hooking up with Katie will certainly kill anything I have going with Celestria.
I dont want to invite Celestria to the party because that will just be another group date. I like
her, but I dont want to blow off a good opportunity with Katie only to be messed around
more by Celestria. What should I do?
don't be a sucker
Dont rationalize this mess because youre both busy. If this girl cant find an hour and a half
for lunch in the seven days of a week, somethings wrong. Now let me get this straight:
Celestria canceled two dates on you in one week? You mean she broke one date and you went
back for more punishment? Whats wrong with you, Brendon? Man, you do need to read my
book, and fast, especially the chapter called Broken Date. By the way, those werent red
flags you were seeing -- this girls out. Period. Ive been on hundreds of dates and have never
broken one. Who cares if Celestria has baggage? She breaks dates! Thats all you need to
know. Shes already history.
have some more champagne, Brad? If this girl has a hard time trusting new men, shes
unavailable. Shes a basket case. Next!
But you admire her honesty. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: Youre
dying to admire anything thats not bad about this girl! But shes 90% bad. So why are you
hanging in? Youre not a psychiatrist, are you? You want to be this babes boyfriend, not
her counselor. Challenge is one thing, useless trouble is another.
wasted energy
You estimate Celestrias Interest Level to be around 40%. The problem is that it has to be at
least 51% in order for this thing to have any life. So heres the important question: Why
would you go after a girl who doesnt want to be alone with you? Of course you go and
rationalize again that its her baggage thats inhibiting her. It couldnt be you -- because
youre perfect, right? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: But if Brady Quinn came
along, Im sure shed find time to play touch football. But youre convinced that she kisses
you because she likes you. Pal, this is called grasping for straws!
Now, on to the big party. Its fantastic that this new girl, Katie, is friends with Celestria. Why
are you fretting about killing anything with Celestria? You have nothing going with her!
Brendon, you have less than zero going with this girl. So if I were you, Id invite her along
and then work both her and Katie. Think about all the fun you can have going back and forth
between the two. Like my cousin General Love says: Maybe you can even get some sparks
flying. Dont worry about being on a group date. Youre finished with Celestria. So just
invite her anyway and make the new girl jealous.
One more thing: The minute my book arrives, start reading and memorizing.
Remember, guys: Never try to keep someone who doesnt want to keep you.
in dealing with her pro single-life, anti-marriage friends. After nine months she decided to
move in with me. The relationship grew in strength and we decided to give each other
promise rings as a sort of pre-engagement. The engagement was to take place after I
graduated.
mixed messages
The confusing part for me is that Ranita continues texting me and talking with me but only
wants to see me if we work out together. She tells me to go out and meet new people, but
when I do, she gets super jealous. I realize I have turned into a wuss, but Im not sure what to
do. I love Ranita and want her back.
Doc, is there anything else I can do? I realize that neediness and not being a Challenge have
lowered her Interest Level because she knows if she wants me, she could have me. How do I
get her Interest Level up again?
Avenir - who feels like he lost his future wife because of her moving out and moving on
Now, Im trying to get this straight. You and Ranita had your ups and downs, but the
relationship was amazing. Huh? Youre contradicting yourself, Avenir. If you have no ups
and downs, thats when the relationship is amazing.
How did you happen to get involved with Ranitas pro-single, anti-marriage friends? Why in
the world are you arguing with them? When they blast marriage, just keep your mouth shut or
say: I understand what youre saying, even though you disagree with them 100%. Like my
cousin General Love says: Never let the enemy know what youre thinking, soldier.
she's history
You two broke up after Ranita moved out? Im shocked! How did that happen? Face reality,
Avenir; you didnt break up after five months. She broke up with you when she moved out. It
never ceases to amaze me how most of you guys brainwash yourselves, how you rationalize
everything that goes wrong in a relationship. Ninety percent of the guys out there dont want
to take responsibility for their actions. If the girl loves you and now she doesnt love you,
whose fault is it? Is it the girls? No. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says: Look in the mirror,
dummy!
If you told Ranita you didnt want to get together again when she begged you, then youre the
one acting goofy. Youre telling me you love the girl, but when she wants to get closer to you,
you tell her no. Whats going on in your head, dude?
You might have come to the realization that you wanted Ranita back, but what was she
thinking? Thats the important thing. Because like the great Doctor Freud once said: Just
because this revelation went on in your head doesnt mean that it went on in hers. Dont
forget for a second that she met someone else -- which means that the only person she doesnt
want a relationship with right now is you.
Anytime a girl utters the words I need space or I dont know what I want or any other
such Womanese, that means youre out. Youre finished. This is what Ranitas telling you,
Avenir. They all use the same lines. I dont care if the girl lives in Bangladesh or Bangor,
Maine -- its the same.
time to move on
What you dont understand is that now youre just a token ex-boyfriend who Ranita goes to
the gym with when she has nothing better to do. Thats all. She has zero Interest Level in you.
Hey, women with high Interest Level always want you to go out and meet new people. Duh!
Ranita doesnt get super jealous, guy. If she were super jealous, she wouldnt tell you to meet
new people, unless of course shes a complete whack-job.
What can you do now? Well, don't give up -- go back and memorize my book, which you
didnt do in the first place. If you did memorize it, then you forgot it, because The System
teaches you to be a manly man, which youre certainly not right now.
Can you revive Ranitas Interest Level? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says: My son, the only
way you could push it up again is by hitting the lottery.
Remember, guys: when she moves out, its over.
open up more?
However, all of it seems to have backfired on me. Caprice is now saying she doesnt know if
were compatible. She still says she loves me and is still touchy with me (so I dont think its
just Womanese). One of her specific complaints is that I dont communicate, and that she
doesnt really know me. In your book you say not to talk too much about yourself and only
tell her things that will raise her Interest Level. I shut my mouth and make sure I listen, but if
she asks what I think about something and I think my answer will lower Interest Level, I dont
say anything. Should I open up more?
When I called Caprice on her sudden change in attitude, she explained that she has been
thinking about us a lot. She also said she has changed a lot for me, so why cant I change for
her and open up? I pointed out all the things I did for her and that I dont tell her everything so
that I dont overburden her with my problems. But she said she wants to know everything
about me. She said that maybe I was too good for her. I told her that doesnt make sense.
Damn, theyre crafty, Doc, because I dont even remember her response. I think she said: I
just want you to be happy. Ive heard that in the past, right before the door hit me on my way
out.
Should this guy open up his feelings to keep his girlfriend interested?
so this is love
Caprice also said that she thinks she loves me more than I love her (which is the perfect
situation, per your book). So I pointed out that my actions show that I care, not my words.
She countered that she needs words too. But I dont want to get too mushy, like your book
says. Caprice did admit to having a fear of commitment, by the way, but I dont know what
thats supposed to mean.
Doc, youre the only one who can coach me now, because youre the only one I trust. What
should I do? Should I just be more open? Should I tell Caprice everything? Am I doing
something wrong? How can I fix this? For the time being weve left it at well try harder to
communicate better. Im pretty sure her Interest Level is still above 50%. Thanks for
everything, Doc!
Syward - whos scratching his head and wondering if he should open up to her
is she blind?
When I look at your history with Caprice, you said and did all the right things. So far youre
doing great. To you Psych majors: If all of your strategy seems to have backfired on you, its
because of the girl, not because of my book. Like the great Doctor Freud once said: Dont
attack 'The System' if the girls off her rocker! Think about it, Syward: When Caprice says
she doesnt really know you after youve been dating her for 21 months, is that really
possible? How can she not know you if shes seen your actions all that time?
When Caprice asks what you think about something, you should always come back with
something funny. Kid her about whatever she wants to know. In other words, give her whats
called a non-answer answer.
What happened here wasnt just a sudden change in Caprices attitude. She has been thinking
about all of this stuff for six months. Thats also in the book, and either you missed it or
didnt really take it in, my friend. And if shes been thinking about it a lot, what she really
means is that she has been thinking a lot about it negatively. So theres Womanese going on
here whether or not you know it.
Doc Love has more to say on how men keep to themselves
to feel good about herself. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: Mush is not
manly.
Remember, guys: A self-reliant woman can live on your actions alone, but a woman with low
Self-Esteem cannot.
Well, just the other week, I heard something about Sasha that really disappointed me.
Through a friend, I discovered that she had a romantic relationship with a sleazy ex-friend of
mine. This happened four or five years ago. When I brought this up to Sasha, she admitted
knowing him, but nothing else.
This has turned me off Sasha completely. I cant look at her the same way anymore. She
doesnt know that I know about what happened, but I feel deceived and let down because she
hid the truth from me regarding her past lover. I know its in the past, and Sasha has some
great qualities and is good and loyal to me, but I cant swallow my pride to continue the
relationship with her because of this other dude. She has noticed that I am colder toward her
now, and she keeps asking why. I need some coaching as my pride might be getting in the
way of a good relationship. Please help me to make the right decision and determine whether
these feelings are normal for guys struggling with "her past lovers" or if I should give Sasha
the boot.
Thurston - who feels like hes been kicked in the gut because of her past lovers
apartment, you deserved the Congressional Medal of Honor for Valor. Very, very few guys
could have done that. I cant compliment you enough on this move.
smart enough to realize that its what is on the inside that lasts. Because, when youve been
with a woman for a long time whats on the outside -- her looks -- will go. And its great that
youre smart enough to realize that Kelly really has it -- the it that really matters.
Congratulations to you, pal.
be a man about it
You have to also ask yourself what the odds are that when you finally decide that you want to
be a man and not a boy anymore and settle down, that you will find another great girl? The
truth is that if you get rid of Kelly, you might not find anyone nearly as good as her. Then
youll be comparing all the beauties youre going out with to Kelly, and guess what? Theyre
never going to match her.
So here youve got a girl with an A personality, an A Interest Level, an A attitude, and
you want to get rid of her. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says: Before you do anything, my
son, youd better deeply search your soul.
Remember, guys: Youre always going to see women who are hotter than the one you have.
to pursue her I think I might fall for her a bit too hard. If I hear about her and other guys, Ill
break someones legs -- ya dig?
So my choices are to let her go, stick around for these "fun" buddy dates, or pursue her with
commitment and see if I can hook her so all she wants is the exclusive deal with me. Thanks
for helping a brother out.
Randwin - who doesnt know which way to go with this one
again. Randwin, didnt you learn your lesson when you got burned the first time around? Like
my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: Whoa -- this babe must look like Angelina
Jolies twin sister since you need all your friends to see her!
no second chances
Again, the chemistry you believe is there with Sunny only exists in your mind. What has she
actually done to indicate to you that its reciprocal? Nothing much that I can see.
Its not a big deal that Sunnys seeing other guys? Youre lying, Randwin. You still have the
hots for this girl and you have them bad. And you just proved it when you said you wanted to
put the clamps on her on a more exclusive basis. Sadly for you, another reason Sunny took
you out is because she wanted to get her jollies by dumping you and paying you back for
when you dumped her -- did you think of that?
Unfortunately, my friend, theres nothing you can do to hook this girl. You had your chance
with her and its gone. Too bad for you that youve already fallen for her. And dont go
getting all Macho Boy and threatening to break anybodys legs. What have I told you before?
You have to be like Cary Grant to get the ladies to fall in love with you. Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says: Being one of those Xtreme Fighters is not going to cut it, my son. You
have to be a lot smoother and slicker.
What can you do now? Take Sunny out and then hustle other girls while youre with her. And
when she gets all ticked off at you for not giving her your undivided devotion, tell her shes
too possessive and stop going out with her.
Face it, man: Youre finished with this girl.
Remember, guys: You get one shot per girl per lifetime.
My question is this: An acquaintance of mine -- Ill call her Tiffany --separated from her
husband last year. Her divorce just became final last week. We went out casually though for a
couple of months, but recently she began to push me away. I figured it might have something
to do with all the turmoil of the divorce, so I backed off. I did make the mistake of listening to
her problems and getting over-involved while I was trying to figure the situation out, but I
finally disengaged from that.
mixed signals
Now Im getting mixed signals from Tiffany. After reading The System I realized that I
needed to keep some distance and Ive done that. My thought is that I should stay distant until
the dust settles and then consider making another attempt. I realize that dating a woman who
just got separated was not a good idea; I dont want to be the rebound guy or the transition
guy -- Ive done that already and it didnt turn out well.
Tiffany and I have lots of interests in common and generally compatible temperaments. Her
ex was very type A, competitive and controlling, and she is very sensitive to any situation that
makes her feel like Im trying to run her life. So, is backing off the correct strategy in this
case?
Thanks for any coaching you can give me.
Payn - who feels like hes losing ground
you hear those horrible words from her: I need space! At that point, of course, its already
too late.
calling it quits
So youre not going to make another attempt with Tiffany. In fact, youre not going to even
call her anymore. When she calls you, youre going to talk to her for five minutes and then
youre going to hang up. Youre going to shut her right down. If she doesnt ask you out,
youre not going to have anything to do with her.
My friend, I know you dont want to be the rebound or transitional guy, but with women you
dont know when the time is right to go after her; you had to take the chance with Tiffany, so
dont beat yourself up for that.
Dude, you have to come to grips with the fact that Tiffany liked her ex enough to marry him - so she digs type A guys. In the second place, having interests in common and being
generally compatible has nothing to do with Interest Level. Like my cousin Sal The Fish
Love says: You might as well say that her dog liked you. Never, ever forget that the
womans Interest Level in you is the most important factor in a relationship.
Yeah, backing off this girl is the correct strategy now -- backing way, way off.
Remember, guys: When shes in the process of getting over her divorce you have to be a
double Challenge.
have feelings for Suri and there are qualities I really like about her; when we were together
things were nice.
I could really use some coaching now as Im at the end of my rope.
Odin - whos tried everything
facing reality
The hurtful words flying back and forth are not the excuse for you and Suri not getting
together -- theyre the reason. If youre going to be hurtful toward somebody, that person
shouldnt see you. Suri gets it, and you dont.
So now its been a whole month since you've spoken to this girl, and you still havent ordered
my book have you? You love my principles and techniques, you have got all these
relationship problems and the answers are in the book -- but youre writing me for help. Well,
thats why I wrote the book, pal. Everything you need is in it.
Telling Suri youre seeing another girl is not going to work because she doesnt give a hoot.
Dont kid yourself, she knows what to say. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: She
just doesnt know how to say youre out, thats all. I have got news for you, Odin, women
disappear when they dont want anything to do with you. They dont come right out and say
youre history. They dont dig confrontations, so they just dont answer your e-mail.
Its not that Suri doesnt want to solve a problem, dude. She just doesnt want to be with you.
Remember, guys: If she doesnt want to take her dog to training school, you dont have a
chance.
fatal attraction
I dont like the fact that Janine has different types of fun with other people. I feel as if I should
be able to please her in every way. This is obviously not the reality of our situation. It makes
me angry to think of not being able to please her or that she is attracted to one of my friends -so much so that I dont always feel like I should be dating her. I hate not having control. Bill
is very confident and I have lost my confidence somewhat over this mess.
Doc, Im planning on going on a double date with Bill and Beth in order to face my fear of
Janine showing signs of being attracted to Bill, even though I know that she would never
admit to her attraction. I have even had dreams about Janine being with Bill (nothing intimate,
but I am clearly not her boyfriend in the dream).
I want to change the way Janine may feel about Bill, but I do not know how to handle the
situation; even if I dont go on this double date, Janine will continue to go out partying with
Bill and Beth along with others in their group.
Should I have reason to believe Janine may be attracted to Bill? What can I do if she is? What
shouldnt I do in this situation? Coaching please!
Manger - who is suffering through some jealousy troubles
dont keep studying pictures of another guy unless you really dig something about him. The
Bottom Line Factor says that: When she has 90% Interest Level in you, all other men are
ugly to her.
So you confronted Janine about this situation. Why? Did you actually come right out and say
to her: You cant like this guy anymore? You didnt really expect that lame tactic to work,
did you?
she's m.i.a.
So, heres the twist: Tammie hasnt texted or called me since. Normally, I find that interested
girls contact me the same night to thank me. My male friend whos been dating Tammies
friend has been trying to line up a night where the four of us can get together at my place and
watch a movie, but so far Tammie hasnt been able to do it.
This has really confused me. I dont know if Tammie is playing a game or if shes no longer
interested in me or something else is wrong. I havent called her and asked her to come over
myself, or even called her to see how she is, because Im unsure of when to call in this
situation. However, its only been a few days since the day we spent together, and I feel that
waiting eight days as per your book to call would be too long. Anyway, here are my
questions:
1. When should I call Tammie? Should I just say hi, see how her day was, and then hang
up -- or ask for a date?
2. Is Tammies refusal to come over for a movie with our friends a red flag, a game or
something else?
3. Most importantly, what should I do from here?
Eagerly awaiting your coaching.
Maurin - who wishes he had more time and new what to do about the call
You should have had a buddy, instead of Tammie, take you to pick up your car. Like the old
Chinese saying goes: The idea is to stay away from this girl so familiarity doesnt breed
immediate contempt, grasshopper! Of course Tammie had high Interest Level in you -- but
only for a very, very short time. Genuinely high Interest Level that lasts takes a longer time to
develop.
Tammies not supposed to call or text you, dude. Youre the male here, in case you havent
noticed. Youre supposed to be the aggressor. And like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says:
Most women drive their boyfriends nuts with all that text messaging and telephoning, so
consider yourself very lucky.
The call is often an issue for most men, which is why Doc Love is here to help...
have a friend doing your dirty work for you and you dont know what he said to her, you cant
know whats really going on. Simple as that.
Im very afraid of rationalizing.) Ive probably already begun rationalizing by telling myself
that if she didnt want me she would have just said: No, Im not seeing someone and I dont
want to see you. But the fact that she felt the need to give me several reasons for needing a
break makes me think that she is sincere, and that I should be patient.
Please let me know what you think I should do, Doc. Thanks.
Lambert - who wants to face reality
When Cat told you that a person needs a break after a long relationship, you should have
answered, Yeah, and then asked her out on a date right away as if her answer didnt mean
anything. And if she had said: No, I dont want to see anybody, youre out -- simple as that.
If, on the other hand, she goes out with you, then you know that all her talk of taking a break
from dating was a bunch of garbage.
in you. Girls with a high Interest Level return calls. Girls with a low Interest Level dont
return calls. As you can see, The System, is very complicated stuff.
Remember, guys: When she doesnt kiss you on the second date or return your phone calls,
you have her mixed up with somebody who cares.
Is there anything I can do to find out how she really feels? Is there anything I can do to make
her look at me differently? If she doesnt have feelings for me, how can I maintain a platonic
friendship with someone I feel so strongly for?
I trust that youll be honest with me -- even if its not what I want to hear.
Asher - who has invested so much in her
Level in -- only. To you Psych majors, Interest Level isnt raised by how much a guy cares
about a woman, its raised by confidence, control and challenge, the three male strength
qualities. You have to get my book, dude, so you can begin to understand how women and
relationships operate. What are you waiting for, more torture?
You think Aprils hiding feelings for you? Asher, on the basis of that, Im going to give you
the Rationalization Of The Year Award. When you go to the dictionary and look up the
word rationalization, your face is there, did you know that? You will grab at any straw to
make this thing work with this girl, wont you? This is disturbing because Aprils already told
you up front that A) you dont have a chance with her, and B) youre like her brother. Guy,
when a girl tells you something, believe her -- now.
Hey Doc,
Lisa and I have been going out for 10 months now. Shes two years older than me. Im
Caucasian and shes Chinese, and I love her.
The problem is that her parents wont accept me for being English or younger than she is.
They want Lisa to be with an older, rich Chinese guy. Lisa refuses to tell them about our
relationship out of fear of what they will say or do. This is a big problem. I am not allowed
into her house because of her parents. She works for them at their restaurant and looks after
her baby sister to help her mother out, so our only free day together is Sundays. Meeting
during the week is difficult because shes so busy every night.
Period.
You can only see this girl one night a week? Mack, let me ask you something: How and why
did you go along with all these restrictions and conditions? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says: Boy, this babe must be a real hottie! I can understand undergoing this
sort of torture if youre a ninth-grader and you dont know any better, but youre a grown
man, dude, and youre doing all the work here. Why? How do you rationalize getting yourself
into this mess? Its obvious you havent even skimmed my book.
corner here and theres no way to get out of it unless this issue is resolved. You have to tell
Lisa to talk to her parents immediately and if they disinherit her, so be it.
This girl doesnt even want to see you six days out of seven, but you insist shes the girl of
your dreams. Lisa cant be your dream girl, pal. She has 100% Interest Level in her parents
and 98% Interest Level in you. You lose.
whos to blame?
Yes, all of your effort has been for naught. This has all been a gigantic waste of time. But you
cant blame Lisa. Shes an honest lady. She told you up front that her family was a major
issue and that they would only allow her to marry someone from her own culture, so you
shouldnt get all wound up about her because it was dead from the beginning. In that sense,
its exactly like a long-distance relationship. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts
says: Dawg, the only person you can blame is yoself!
What should you do? Tell Lisa to talk to her parents. If she cant do it, shes out.
Remember, guys: If her parents will never accept you, dont fall in love with her.
break time
I was actually thinking that a break would be healthy for our relationship as it is the first
serious relationship either of has been in and were both in our very early 20s. Beverly wants
to remain together for now and we still love each other immensely. My friend and I are close
and so are my girlfriend and him. They have both admitted that they have feelings for each
other; they flirt when we are all together and text each other constantly, especially lately.
I love Beverly and I feel like I could get past this if we could communicate better. I have
offered to do everything to help her, including going to a therapist with her and urging her to
write out her feelings. Nothing seems to work. Also, Im not a jealous guy, but I do feel a
little threatened now because of this thing with my friend. I would trust Beverly never to do
anything with him, but she might if we take a break. What should I do? I am immensely
frustrated to say the very least.
Riff - who doesnt want to give her away with a relationship break
nothing.
So, Beverlys confused about you. When a girl says shes confused, it means her Interest
Level is below 50%. But I do agree with you, Riff: A break from Beverly would be good for
you. Like forever!
dont you? Because if you dont fuel it, it wont work. Well, its the same thing with the
opposite sex, Norm. Without The System, youre not going to work with women.
achieving balance
Im glad you have a passion, my friend. A man should love his job first and above everything
else. But from what youve said in your letter, it sounds like you need a bit of balance in your
life or youll never make it with a woman. To achieve that balance, you also need to read
seven pages of my book every night. That way, at the end of one month, youll have read the
book in its entirety. If you do it for 15 months youll know all about women. Isnt that
simple? Just seven pages a night, Norm!
Seeing Bree, or any girl, once every two weeks is not enough. You have to see a girl twice a
week when shes your girlfriend. Some guys want to see a girl three, four and five times a
week, but two is the perfect number. If a special occasion comes up, you can give her three
times. But if you cant see a girl two times a week, forget about relationships. Like my cousin
Brother Love down in Watts says: With women, dawg, you gotta put in the work!
woman drops you, its over. Theres no going back. So what youre doing now is a waste of
time.
You didnt become a needy chick, Norm. So dont put women down. You became a needy
guy.
Finally, let me get this part straight. Youre trying to get Bree back and youre telling her
shes not the most beautiful girl youve ever seen? Thats really endearing! Like my cousin
General Love says: Soldier, if that tactic doesnt work, nothing will!
But seriously, its no wonder Bree told you to leave her alone. She wants nothing to do with
you. Youre history, burned out, gone, Norm. Theres no possible way to get this girl back.
But what you should be thinking about instead is the next girl whos going to dump you.
Youre going to want her back too, but youre going to make the same old mistakes because
you dont have the time to memorize my materials. My gosh, Norm, what are you waiting
for?
Remember, guys: flying an F-16 is easier than understanding women.
love cop
It was Janes opinion that the husband was off base and uptight over nothing. But in The
System you emphasize: No exes lurking in the background! I smell a rat because you have
taught me to be a love cop.
Whats the deal, Doc? Is Dr. Laura full of it and dispensing lousy advice or is it really no big
deal to keep in touch with your exs mother?
Biggy - who wants to know what is really going on
unanswered questions
Now lets look at the situation you brought up regarding the married woman who befriended
her exs mother. What Dr. Laura did not see, or ask the wife, was this: If you had an
argument with your fianc, why did you go out with another guy so soon after the argument?
Like my cousin General Love says: So much for loyalty, right? And heres another crucial
question that she missed putting to that married woman: Couldn't you have been alone for a
day or two until you worked it out with your fianc before running off to another guy? Or
how about this one: How did you meet this guys mom and get so close with her son in only
three dates?
No, Dr. Laura missed everything of importance here. She should also have said to the
chummy married woman: After you have lunch with your exs mom, your ex is going to ask
her questions like: Do you think that shes happily married? Can I go along on your next
meeting? etc. In other words, this guy is still lurking in the background, waiting for his
moment to pounce. But Dr. Laura didnt think of that either, did she?
she's anti-loyal
That wife thinks her hubby is jealous and possessive. But its my opinion shes anti-loyal.
Even if she thinks her hubby is wrong and too backwards in his thinking, isn't her marriage
more important than having lunch with someone her husband would prefer she not see?
Apparently she would rather make her husband uncomfortable and be right rather than be
loved. Dr. Laura missed that part of it, too. The truth is that she missed everything, Biggy.
Like the great Doctor Freud once said: Would you ask that woman for advice?
Remember, guys: Loyalty is numero uno.
First, about me: Typically, Im the jerk who every girl falls for, but I end up screwing things
up or just losing interest and hurting the girls feelings. This time around, its different. Dont
ask me why, but it is.
Get this; a few days ago I contacted Ashley through a dating website. Shes hot, shes a
blonde, shes younger than me, has a good head on her shoulders, and lives nearby. After two
days of talking she came to my place to meet me. We ended up hanging out and watching TV.
At three in the morning I asked if she was staying or going. She said you can kick me out if
you want, but I dont feel like driving home right now. So throughout the whole night, I found
her either getting up close to me or taking my arm and putting it around her. Good sign.
instant connection
The next day she went to work and we texted on and off all day long. I asked if she was going
to come back that night -- I was just kidding, never expecting her to come -- but she did. So I
was thinking, wow, she must really be interested in me or shes mental. Or both. The same
thing happened. We watched TV and hung out and nothing romantic or intimate happened. In
the morning, before she left, she kissed me a few times during our goodbye hug.
When we were talking on the phone the next night, Ashley told me she plans on being
married within two years and wants a serious and long-term relationship now. She said shes
been through a ton of crap in her life and knows what kind of guy she wants. Then she said
she wanted me. Now Im head over heals for her just because she rubbed my ego the right
way.
he's smitten
I cant get Ashley out of my head. I want to talk to her all day long. If I could, Id just drive
over to her place and see her. I know that it might be a bit freaky to just show up, but I would
do it. And the thing is Ive never felt this way about a girl in my life. Ever. She might be the
right girl for me.
What should I do? Ashley said shes never ever cheated, and we share very similar views
about what we want in a relationship and that were sick of just dating and hookups. What
does this mean? Did I find my soul mate/dream girl? Or is this way too good to be true?
Thanks, Doc.
Curly - who keeps pinching himself
Read on for Doc Love's answer...
Hi Curly,
Just how do you figure that Ashley has a good head on her shoulders? Because she hung
around your bedroom until three in the morning on the night she met you? You dont even
know this woman, my friend. The Bottom Line Factor says you know as much about her as
you do the lady who checks you out at the supermarket. In other words, shes a complete
stranger. So you have no rational basis whatsoever for making that statement. Im not trying
to burst your bubble here. My job is to help you to face reality, and thats what Im doing.
she's a con-lover
I saw almost straight off that she was no good, and that his Interest Level reached 99% very
quickly. Im not sure that hers ever topped 75%. Then came the real kicker: Her felon ex -who is old enough to be her father, has done 12 years in prison and has a bunch of kids -came into town, and she spent a week in a hotel with him. Even worse, my brother found out
and stayed with this tramp, even though she forbade him from exacting any sort of vengeance
and refused to cut it off with her outlaw ex. Worse still, my brother spends almost as much
time with this parasite as he did before. His Interest Level is still at 95% and hers has waned
to probably 25%. He wont end it even though she uses him to yell at when she pleases and to
ignore when he calls her.
Please, please Doc, help me to help him lose this vermin. Help me come up with the vaccine
to rid him of this scum. Please tell me how to get through to him.
Shemp - who feels helpless but knows that it's bros before hos
friends and her mother telling her that it should be me. He keeps calling and texting her, and
they have met up a few times. The other day, though, when they met up, they got very
romantic -- which was a real punch in the crotch. She told me afterward at a party that she
was thinking of me the whole time.
a trilogy of mistakes
Your first mistake was getting romantic with Samira the very first night you met. That's way,
way too fast. Whats your hurry, man? You should have walked her to her door, said thanks
for the fun time, and then gotten out of there.
Your second mistake was seeing her every day. Like my cousin General Love says: When
youre starving on the battlefield, you have to spoon-feed yourself.
Your third mistake was hanging out with this girl on weekends. She doesnt get weekends
until she asks you why you never ask her out on weekends.
Obviously, you have absolutely no idea how to use the concept of Challenge, especially when
her ex comes home. You would have if youd read and memorized my book, but you havent,
have you, Hamsi? As Ive told you guys before, my columns are just a glimpse into the vast
treasure trove that is The System. Why would you not want to get your hands on all that
gold? Gosh, what are you waiting for, another ex to show up?
Doc Love helps Hansi understand what to do when her ex comes home...
Actually, Hamsi, its a good deal for you that Samira is stupid, because you like stupid
women. To you Psych majors: You should stay away from any girl who likes a guy to slap her
around. Of course she should have called the police when it happened and gotten a restraining
order against this turkey. Then again, Samiras not a normal woman. And like my cousin Sal
The Fish Love says: By the way, you should stay away from this girl before her ex starts
slapping you around too.
Samira has made a decision who to choose, dude. Her decision is that shell run to Macho
Boy when he snaps his fingers and shell keep the Wimp too -- so shell have you both. And
Hamsi, guess which one of those guys you are?
Remember, guys: Dont go out with women who need psychiatrists.
just friends?
I dated Colleen four times over the past month, and it has been good; Im moving on the
cautious side of course, and she and I have enjoyed every date. We had a nice time on
Saturday, but on Sunday she texted me to say she had a great time and couldnt wait to see me
again -- even if it is just as friends. I questioned what she meant by that, and she said that she
just means she likes hanging out with me and no matter how things turn out she wants to
remain friends. She basically said that she didnt feel like I was opening up and that I didnt
seem interested in her. I told her I dont like to move fast and it takes time for me to feel
comfortable with a chick. Then, she said we should hang out with no obligations. She added
that we should date other people. I said fine, but I dont like to date more than one person at a
time, and if she wanted to, it was best if we were just friends.
After five minutes she was back to her old self. It seemed like she was just using the concept
of dating other people to get more out of me, like a threat. Thats a huge turn-off because Ive
dealt with women who play games before. Anyway, Im trying to understand what she wants.
Did she say that to manipulate me or make me worry about losing her to another guy in an
attempt to get more out of me? Did she say it to show that she wasnt trying to move too fast
either? Is this really nothing to worry about? Does she have low Interest Level and really
want to date someone else?
I dont want to make the same mistakes and end up with a game-player. Could you weigh in,
Doc?
Freeman - whos trying to decode one of many women who play games
Doc Love weighs in on women who play games after the jump...
Hi Freeman,
First of all, thanks for the compliment. And youre absolutely right, The System does apply
to all areas of life. Youll notice that it applies beautifully to business, and after you memorize
the book, youre going to observe people from a different perspective. Youre going to
understand what their real motives are when you deal with them. This tells you how profound
my principles are and how valuable my book is.
Now, when your ex started dating you, she knew you had a sports career, didnt she? She
knew youd be gone five months out of the year, right? She knew all of this, but she continued
to date you anyway? Why did she waste your time and then decide to get rid of you when it
finally sank in that you had to be away from her for nearly half the year? Its too bad you
hadnt read my book sooner -- and gotten out sooner. Sad to say, most guys wait until theyre
dying until they get my book.
reading women
The good thing is that all of your problems with women who play games should be a thing of
the past now that you have my book. Once you read it 15 times, youre going to figure out a
babe in two to three dates max, then youre out of there. No more wasted time and no more
wasted money.
The second reason you mentioned is the real reason youre having trouble with women. I
dont think youre trying to play hero to these needy chicks, Freeman, but I do believe that
when you start getting into Beautiful Women, theyre much more trouble -- and this is just a
generalization -- than an average-looking woman. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East
L.A. says: She might be hot, but you always have to ask yourself whether you want to risk
getting burned. And chances are you will. Unless, of course, you abide by my principles.
I dont think you necessarily have to be cautious when dating, but I think you should read my
materials faithfully, listen to my CDs in the car, be aware of whats going on, and keep your
eyes open at all times when youre dealing with the opposite sex.
womanese 101
However, thats a minor concern here. When she uttered the word friends, it wasnt a small
red flag. Like my cousin General Love says: This red flag was the size of Alaska! Anytime
they start mumbling about being friends, youre in over your head.
Why is this woman talking about a negative possibility after only four dates? Youre on the
way out, dude. Shes telling you through Womanese that youre finished.
If Colleen had any brains, and she should since shes a college professor, she should know
that since youve taken her out four times in a row that youre interested in her. So, saying she
thinks youre not really interested in her is just an excuse for something else. As far as
opening up to her, you should have asked her what, specifically, she would like to know about
you?
Telling this babe that you dont like to move fast is a waste of time. Like my Uncle Jethro
Love says: You might just as well go and talk to a cow out in the pasture. The better thing
to do is keep your mouth shut and write her off.
When Colleen says that she doesnt want either of you to have obligations, shes really telling
you her Interest Level is below 50%. When she tells you she thinks you should date other
people, shes telling you her Interest Level is below 40%. But you went ahead and told her
that you dont like to date more than one person at a time. Why in the world are you telling
this person whos not interested in you such a personal thing about yourself? Do you think its
actually going to change her mind? Freeman, youre very, very naive. Ironically, you have my
book, which I find very interesting. It means youve read it, or parts of it, but havent
committed it to memory. Keep working on it, pal.
It is possible that Colleen was making a veiled threat in your phone conversation, but I think
she was really telling you about her Interest Level -- and its not high. Shes not playing a
game with you, my friend, shes being very honest. What shes saying is: "Im going to see
you, and even though your Interest Level is high, mine isnt, and Im still going to go out with
you and waste your time romantically."
stunned to find that a beautiful woman, Nico, worked at my new office (a big surprise,
considering that Im an engineer on a construction site). During the first month there was a lot
of casual flirting between us. Finally, I asked her out on a date, she said yes, and it was
perfect. Afterward, it ended with a proper kiss; needless to say, I was stoked. We went on a
couple of more dates and all was well with the world.
fool me once
What a sucker I am. Now shes leaving on a three-week holiday with the boyfriend. On the
day she left, I gave her a lift to her house. When I dropped her off, it was a terrible goodbye,
with no hug and no kiss. When I left, I was about 15 minutes down the road when I decided to
turn around. Nico and I then had a proper goodbye; it was very emotional. It was then that I
made my biggest mistake: I told her that I was in love with her. I didnt even get an I love
you back. Instead I got, I have a love for you, but I dont know if Im in love with you.
What the hell do I do now?
Puck - whos a retard at relationships
The goodbye on her doorstep wasnt emotional for Nico -- it was emotional for you. Like my
cousin Brother Love down in Watts says: Dawg, this girl really did some number on your
head! And I have more bad news for you, pal: Nico doesnt have any emotions. Like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: This girls not a keeper. Shes a snake and a
user.
But you went and blurted out that you loved her. Great. Shes going off to spend three weeks
in bed with some guy on an island, and youre telling her you love her. Hey, thats perfectly
rational in my book.
When Nico told you she had a love for you, it was the only honest thing she ever said in her
life. To you Psych majors: When a girl says something like that, it means shes not in love
with you. It means shes just playing with you.
The fact is that you never owned this girl, buddy. If you had, she wouldnt have pulled all this
crap on you. But you would only have known that if youd read The System.
Theres only one thing you can do now, Puck: Get my book, memorize it and dont just flip
through another 52 articles.
Remember, guys: If she hurts you once, dont allow her to hurt you twice.
out in public due to the countless amounts of men that stare. Ive even come close to a few
fistfights with other guys who have gotten a bit too disrespectful.
time?
What you have here is a high-maintenance woman. If things are perfect with her in every
other area and you dont mind enduring Lexis exhibitionism for the next 40 or 50 years,
youll be fine. But if on occasion you want to be left alone for a while and she needs to hear
how much you love her every five minutes, its going to drive you crazy over the long haul.
town it implies shes available. Guys are coming up to her and shes playing the rejection
card with them. This is very dangerous behavior. Dude, this girls a sicko.
So Lexi had a miserable childhood and was treated poorly by her mother. But cant she be
modest and cover up at least a little? Does she really have to go to the other extreme? This girl
is totally immature.
Flip, this girl will never be satisfied. You can tell her 20 times a day how stunning she is, but
shes an empty vessel. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: Shes the kind who will
keep getting plastic surgery when shes already the best-looking woman in town.
Youre not doing anything wrong, guy; except for telling Lexi how much you love her, youre
doing everything right.
Remember, guys: Deep down some women want to be strippers.
away? Should I move up to seeing her three to four times a week? And should I worry about
her drinking with a gang of guys who would take her in a second if they could?
Steph - who has followed The System and gotten this far
20 = trouble
So, Jolene is only 20 years old. You know what I say about 18- to 22-year-olds, dont you?
Theyre just little girls.
Now, let me get this straight. While youre spending your evenings preparing yourself to
make money, this girls knocking back Jack Daniels with the boys? Wow -- you two certainly
are living different lives! Youre busting your butt and her life is a big party. And why is this
girl having more than two drinks? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: If
she has more than two drinks when she goes out on the town, shes an alcoholic and you
should get rid of her.
Doc Love helps Steph realize why she likes drinking with her ex next...
Its true that Jolenes Interest Level would go south if you told her she couldnt go out
drinking and carousing with her friends. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: The
problem you got is that you fell in love with a barfly!
made some mistakes by not being a Challenge, and her strict Catholic parents didn't approve.
I accepted this and, though it was difficult, moved on. Looking back, I realize that Hayley was
insecure and a taker, but I was too blind to see it.
As far as Hayley goes, like my cousin Sal "The Fish" Love says: "This girl is a full-blown
sicko and she's vicious to boot. That's what you call a deadly combination." To measure the
extent of her pathology, think of it this way: She dropped you. And when a girl drops a guy, it
means that she's not interested in you and doesn't hold any animosity toward you. But not
Hayley. This piece of work not only wants to make your new girlfriend's life miserable, she
also has her posse pulling wacky stuff.
Doc Love continues his lecture on how to handle a meddling ex...
I got news for you, dude: Meredith should be growing more uncomfortable with this situation.
But you're not quite seeing it because you don't realize the depth of the problem. And that's
why you and your girlfriend are going to print up all this evidence and go down to the police
department with it and fill out reports. And you're going to ask for a restraining order against
your old girlfriend before something really bad happens.
of attention to that! Angel, all she's going to do when she hears such an anemic plea is double
the e-mails to Meredith. Of course that tactic isn't going to work, because you're talking to a
certifiable loon. So don't have any contact with your ex. All it does is add fuel to the fire.
Finally, you should be very concerned that Meredith is going to "somehow" associate you
with this entire mess. And of course she's going to ditch you if things continue this way.
Between being harassed by your ex and your not taking action to defend her, Meredith's
Interest Level is going to plummet until she's out the door.
Remember, guys: When she crosses the line, it's time to go and talk to the cops.
online dating
I primarily use the internet to find dates. I found Shauntelles profile online and tried to set up
a coffee date. She claimed to be busy, but counter-offered, so I took the counteroffer. She
seemed eager and showed up five minutes before our scheduled time. When we approached
the counter I let her order first, and then ordered my drink. We both reached for our wallets -which I know is a red flag if she had pushed paying for herself -- but when I handed the clerk
my credit card Shauntelle politely thanked me for paying.
We had a good time and laughed a lot. Then she asked me: What do you like to do in your
spare time? Doc, Im a pretty boring guy really, but I knew not to be negative, so I told her
that I liked to search for buried pirate treasures. I mentioned that I do this by playing
something called geocaching. (By the way, this is a high-tech, treasure-hunting game
played by adventure-seekers equipped with electronic devices.) She laughed and said that she
had just been treasure hunting for the first time a few weeks ago and had a great time.
realized that this was the same girl he had been taking out for a few weeks. However, I didnt
mention anything about my friend Bill to Shauntelle.
My question is this: I am 95% sure that this girl is also dating my friend. Should I make any
mention of him to her, or of her to him? The fact that Shauntelle is dating around leads me to
believe that her Interest Level in him is not super high, and as he does not use The System, I
know that he may not hold her interest long anyway. This is an unusual situation and I dont
want to feel like Im hiding the fact that I am also dating Shauntelle from my friend, though
he may not need to know anyway.
Zip - who is a Spartan in training
Doc Love handles Zip's question about dating the same girl as your friend -- you don't want to
miss it...
Doc, this is not the first time a situation like this has happened, but Ive tried very hard to
forgive and forget. Two days later I checked her phone and there were texts between her and
this guy talking about a meeting when he gets off work for drinks. Jillian didnt know that I
saw the messages, so I asked her very calmly and respectfully if she had been communicating
with any males other than myself in the past month. Of course, she lied straight through her
teeth and said no.
I let her know that I was aware of the text conversations between her and the guy. She said
nothing and just sat there with that Oh my God, what else does he know about? look on her
face. Now, if the tables were turned, Jillian would have busted the windows out of my car.
Doc, does this sound like a trustworthy woman to you? Do you think its safe to assume that
displaying actions like these indicates that Jillian has in fact cheated on me already?
Jig - who needs outside confirmation
Hey Doc,
Lana and I are both 30. Shes kind, educated, employed, athletic, intelligent, and beautiful.
During the past two weeks weve seen each other a handful of times. We went on a longdistance bike ride (were both competitive cyclists), and during the ride she told me that she is
interested in marriage, but that her last relationship did not work out because the guy was not
long-term material. I took this to mean that he was not financially solvent. I let her do the
talking and kept the details of my life private.
As a lawyer who runs his own practice, I have a flexible work schedule and I keep a busy
social calendar and maintain a strict workout routine. When I mentioned to Lana that I attend
the early cycling class at the gym a few days each week, she said that she wanted to try to
squeeze it into her busy, busy schedule and then showed up at the next class. Afterward, we
had coffee and she said that she wanted to turn over a new leaf and make the class part of her
daily routine. Later, I saw her at a friends party and we ended up dancing and having some
alone time on the front porch -- so far, so good.
Hi Legs,
Youre pointing out all the great things Lana is, but youre not telling me how much she likes
you; or how many buying signals shes given you; or how she cant keep her hands off you.
And thats what counts, not that shes educated and kind and all the rest of it. Like my Uncle
Jethro Love says: So she pats dogs on the head -- who cares?
When you say you saw Lana a handful of times over the past 14 days, what does that actually
mean? Do you mean you saw her three or four or five times? If you were using my course
materials, you would know that you should have only seen this girl once or twice in that
period of time. I can tell youre not using my principles because you would have kept yourself
in check and exercised Self Control if you were.
teammate or girlfriend?
You should never have told Lana about your cycling class. Do you want to be this girls
teammate, or do you want to date her? And if youre going to date her, you shouldnt be
meeting her at a gym to hang out. So this was a huge mistake, dude. When she talked about
her busy, busy schedule, it was a major hint that she either has low Interest Level in you or
shes highly disorganized. This is something you should have picked up right off the bat,
Legs.
Now, when Lana talked about turning over a new leaf, was she talking about you? Or was she
indirectly saying that she wants you to be her cycling buddy and not date her? Whatever the
answer, its another reason for not having her join you at the gym.
You shouldnt be texting and e-mailing any babe youre trying to date. You use the phone to
get the date and thats it. Then you need to see her face-to-face so you can read her body
language. Its the only way you can know where shes really coming from. And you shouldnt
be hanging out with the woman either. You hang out with your friends. You date a woman
youre interested in.
disorganized or disinterested?
When the movie date came up, again you heard about Lanas always packed schedule. And
like I said before, when her schedule is that packed, it means shes highly disorganized. But
like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: Even if shes scatterbrained, she still swoons over
Johnny Depp, doesnt she?
After she dodged you to see her friend off to San Diego, you should have said to her: Sure,
well make it some other time, and then tossed her number into the toilet and watched it
swirl away. But she did want to see you for cycling at the gym, so now youre back to being
her workout pal rather than her potential boyfriend. With every new development you drop a
little further down the ladder with this girl, dont you, Legs?
And youre desperate for this babes attention, whether or not you want to admit it. Thats
why you suggested she meet you at your favorite bar, which was a definite maybe date, and
thats a no-no if youve memorized The System. Worse, youre also stacking dates,
which means youre dumping something on top of another thing that might go awry. This
weakens your position with this woman even more. She cant respect you because you dont
respect your own time if youre telling her that youre going to be sitting at a bar waiting for
her to show up -- maybe. To you Psych majors, if its not 100% certain, dont do it. And
youre doing all this on top of a broken date? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A.
says: Wow, man, you really are hard up!
digital argument
A few days into her trip she got upset because I hadnt called her. We got into an argument
online and she said I didnt care about her because I dont make the effort. I didnt want to
argue and she said she didnt have time to stay online; I was upset that she would leave like
that, and I let her know it.
The next day we worked everything out over the phone (because Im stuck on her), and she
said she really missed me, needed me and that she couldnt wait to see me when she got back.
But a of couple days later she told me she had kissed someone when she was out on the town.
I told her this didnt work for me and that I needed time to think about things. I told her I was
considering walking away because she took the risk of losing me by kissing someone else. Of
course, she gave me the it meant nothing speech.
come to me as she has no place to stay and does not want to spend money on a hotel. So far
Ive stood my ground. She said that she felt bad for letting me down and that I have the right
to end the relationship.
Our reader, whos stuck on her, gets advice from Doc Love next
Doc, is it over? Should I have gone to see her? I have never felt like this about any woman;
Im stuck on her. I am usually a short-term kind of guy. I am in and out quickly and I always
leave first. Its different with Skyler and I wanted it to be long-term. I am confused and
terribly upset.
Abdul - whos still stuck on her
But youre not doing enough right. You shouldnt have let this girl know you were upset with
her. You should have just dropped her. Or, tell her that if she ever decides to stop acting like a
baby to give you a call in 30 days. Then she wont call and youll be out.
Now, let me get this straight: Skyler went on the attack and the very next day you forgave her
just like that? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: Why wasnt she put on probation?
When she did that, you shouldnt have seen her for two or three weeks -- minimum. The only
way youre going to break this babes bad habits is by staying away from her. To you Psych
majors: If you just accept Sorry! every time she does something wrong, shell never change
her bad behavior.
Doc Love continues advising Abdul after the jump
When Skyler told you she kissed another guy, you should have just listened and said: Oh,
thats cool. And by the way, do me a big favor -- forget my name and forget my phone
number. And that should have been the end of it. When she pulls something like that, there
can be no more talking, no more reasoning, no more going back and forth. She kissed another
guy -- thats all you need to know. This woman is not loyal. Loyalty is the No. 1 character
trait you need in a woman. And if kissing this other dude meant nothing, how come she did
it?
counted, you wimped out. Sure, its different with Skyler. Its always different when your
Interest Level is in the 80s and 90s.
Remember, guys: Once she shows shes not loyal, shes out.
fear of commitment
Your problem isnt that you dont have friends, Zack. Your main problem is that youve been
going out with a girl for three years that youre engaged to and neither one of you can commit
to marriage. And that means that there is a huge problem with one of the Interest Levels,
yours, hers or both, like I said before.
But Cameron and you both insist you need new friends. Now lets take a look at how youve
gone about arranging this. Since you two are new in town and dont have any friends, you
want to go out and date as many other people as possible, but it means nothing. Oh, now I
have it -- thats perfectly rational.
Whats so fascinating about this new setup is that you think that any new guy Cameron starts
dating is going to go along with these rules. You think shes going to be making out with
some stranger and all of a sudden shes going to say: Oops! Time to stop now! Im really in
love with Zack! And the guy is going to back right off and say: Oh sure, honey! No
problem! I completely understand! Are you sure you two arent smoking way too much
dope?
amazing how much she adored and chased me, and followed my lead. We had six months of
great experiences, traveling the world and having a good time.
Then, one night, after we were out drinking (she was kind of a barfly), Carmen came to me
and asked if I wanted to date other people because she said that sometimes it seemed like I
did. So I said to her, Do you? and she said in an almost exasperated tone: No -- I love
you! I realized at that moment that I loved her too and said so -- and we agreed to be
exclusive. The next week she turned 30 and I sent her flowers. She loved it.
away from you and she hadnt figured out how to do it yet.
Women dont know how to communicate in a conventional way when it comes to love. They
dont know how to say: My Interest Level used to be 95%, but now its only 51%; next week
its going to be 49% and youre going to be out. They dont know how to say: Back off so
my Interest Level can go back up. If you had my program memorized, when Carmens
Interest Level went from 95% to 85%, you would have known enough to back off and it
would have shot back up to 95%. However, when its 95% and drops to 51%, it doesnt shoot
back up fast, if at all. You have a long way to go and a lot of work to do to get it back into the
90s.
Sol, what you didnt understand was that Carmen was communicating with you. She didnt
verbalize her feelings, but you should have read her body language and the way she reacted to
you -- in that sense she was a great communicator. But you were looking for verbiage.
who is in control?
Crystals scheduling the dates and so she thinks shes in control. However, youre actually in
control here because you have The System and you understand that women with a high
Interest Level chase men for dates. However, when Crystal said that there was nothing wrong
with your relationship except that you were going from I to we too quickly, she
contradicted herself, and that means youre not getting the straight truth.
When a girl says shes stressed, that means her Interest Level is on the way down. And
remember: Only you can raise or lower her Interest Level. A trip to China has no effect on her
Interest Level whatsoever, the same way that her mother being sick has no effect on her
Interest Level either. To you Psych majors: What these girls do is camouflage their low
Interest Level by telling you that the problem is something else.
When Crystal asked you for a date from China, you should have told her that you were
confused right now and that you needed time to think -- because youre on the way out and it
would have been a chance to restart Challenge. Instead, you gave Challenge no chance
whatsoever to reignite. You took all three dates with Crystal. The problem was that at the
same time you were seeing her, her Interest Level was slipping from 49% to 47% to 43%.
And when it gets to 39%, youre out. She got sick during one of those dates because she was
very uncomfortable trying to figure out how to get rid of you.
Do you know when to back off? Learn to read the warning signs next...
second chances?
You got no chance whatsoever of getting this girl back. And you dont have anything in
common with her, either. Because if you only wanted a girl who wanted you, you would be
dropping her right now and I wouldnt be trying to talk you into it. Like my Uncle Jethro
Love says: You might have a thing for redheads, boy, but the redhead aint got a thing for
you. All youre talking about is your interest in Crystal, and thats a given. But hers is the
only one thats important.
What all this tells me is that you might have owned my materials for a year, but you havent
memorized them because you wouldnt be in this mess if you had. My materials are a tool.
However, unless you master the tool, youre going to lose the girl. Of course its hard to be
perfect with it. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says: You think just because
hes good, Kobe doesnt practice? You have to study harder, my friend.
So what if Crystal came to your house to break it off with you? It wouldnt matter if she
dumped you at a restaurant, by e-mail or on the top of Mount Everest -- its the same
difference. No matter which way she did it, youre still out.
Remember, guys: Until The System is memorized, youre not going to make it with women.
infidelity = undateable
But, the best part is yet to come. Now she tells you shes the mistress of a married man. This
indicates that your girl has no Integrity. Remember the commandment: Thou shalt not covet
thy neighbors wife or husband? Check it out -- its right there in the Good Book.
Of course you didnt picture Gia with a married man -- you mistook her for someone with
Integrity. But it turns out she doesnt have any, and you should have dropped her on the spot.
She doesnt have to worry about anything because she knows she owns you. But you have to
worry because she has no Integrity. And by the way, why is this guy still coming after her so
hard? Why didnt Gia, if she was so in love with you, tell this guy: Stay away! Im in love
with Heff? She didnt do that, did she? Doesnt that tell you something?
The problem is that you were committed to Gia, but she wasnt committed to you. In fact, like
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: You should be committed for believing her!
I have news for you, Heff. Gia wasnt nervous about buying a house. She was nervous about
her low Interest Level in you. The distance you felt was her interest taking a dive. But you
dont understand that process because you dont have my course materials. You dont know
anything about the significance of Interest Level dropping from 88% to 86% to 82%, etc.
kids and very well mannered. Kanesha is a waitress at a Red Lobster. For the past few weeks
she comes over every Wednesday after she gets off from work and we watch a movie
together. We also get together on Saturdays when she leaves work and we have drinks, hang
out with people and she watches TV with me and my friends and family.
constant contact
Heres my problem: Kanesha texts me every day -- when she is about to go to work, leave
work and go to bed. She says things like I'm off to work, or Have a great day, and Dont
work too hard. In other words, she texts me just about all the time to fill me in on whatever
she is doing in her schedule. From the beginning Ive been responding to all these messages,
even though its anti-Challenge. I need to know how to stop. Or should I not stop?
taking it slow
Doc, theres one more thing. Kanesha and I have made out, but have not gotten too romantic,
if you catch my drift. Its my understanding from reading your materials that this is not a bad
thing. How long should we wait to become more romantic? I would love your input on this.
I would also like to thank you for coaching us men. We appreciate it!
Jeb - who doesnt want to make any mistakes
no more mystery
But heres what really baffles me, Jeb. Why in the world are you responding to Kaneshas text
messages when you know they are anti-Challenge? You should have told her from the
beginning: Honey, save whatever you have to say to me for our dates.
Read on for more of Doc Love's answer...
Saying thank you to her every time she says "God bless you" whenever you sneezed from day
one was the absolute antithesis of creating any sense of mystery. From the beginning, she
knew exactly what you were up to every single minute and you let it happen. Like the great
Doctor Freud once said: With women, you have to leave a little something to the
imagination.
a hard and fast rule. Because if you wait, you wont be rushing in and ruining everything
before it has a chance to begin. Thats called simple deductive reasoning, my friend.
Remember, guys: The only way to beat a bad habit is to not let it start.
Hi Osi,
Going to these classes and having the job you have is a great thing because youre getting out
there. When youre involved in these types of activities there are going to be lots of women -which is exactly what you want as a single guy. Most guys wouldnt think of doing what
youre doing, but they should. To you Psych majors, if men went to where beautiful women
congregate, they couldnt help but meet them. This is common sense. And where are there
more beautiful women than in acting classes? Even if youre not interested in theater or film,
you can find some kind of rationale to attend. If someone asks what youre doing there if
youre not an actor, just say: Im studying human psychology.
delusions of grandeur
But let me ask you this, guy: How can you say girls are vying for your attention when theyre
being shy or reserved? It doesnt make any sense. The only way a woman can try to interest
you is by being aggressive, humorous or flirtatious. So what youre saying is a contradiction.
Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: Like lots of guys, youre indulging in wishful
thinking. And like most guys, youre rationalizing.
What should you do when all these women are circling around you? You have to close on one
of them, man. Theres nothing more important that you can do. You have to pick one out and
get her number; otherwise youre going to end up with nothing. Like my cousin Rabbi Love
says: You cant have five or 10 women, my son, but you can have one. And thats what
youre after.
More from Doc Love on what to do when you have too many women to choose from...
youre not doing, and thats why you need The System. Then youve got to read it and
memorize it.
birthday blues
I found out that Kirstens birthday is in a few days and I told her that I would buy her
something and wed celebrate it. As she enjoys cooking, I suggested that Id buy her
something for her kitchen but she replied that she didnt understand my motive for buying her
a gift. I was too dumbfounded to reply. During our conversation I playfully flirted with her,
but she said that I shouldnt do that. And by the way, she seems to get annoyed if any other
guys flirt with her.
As we are both Christians, I can understand where Kirstens coming from, but I just cant stop
thinking about her. Im not the clingy type and I have a lot of respect for her. I suppose Ill
keep the relationship where it is, but frankly, Id like to have a long-term relationship with
her.
Doc, whats your honest opinion about what I should do? Should I wait until friendship turns
into romance? No matter what, I would hate to destroy a perfect friendship with Kirsten. I
need coaching, please.
Sharpie - who wants more than shes giving
I feel like when I am a Challenge Candy also becomes a Challenge, and I become bitter and it
gets me tired. She stopped telling me that she loved me because I dont tell her first and often
enough. I have many issues bothering me, but I dont know how to pour my heart out and
not appear weak or negative. Shouldnt couples talk about whats bothering them? Should I
stick around and not jump ship at the slightest turmoil? Am I reading too much into nothing?
One last thing, Doc. I dumped Candy about a year and a half ago; however, I took her back
and things seemed OK . She has told me she wont cry if I dump her again because she is a
big girl now. Should I dump her and start taking numbers?
Please coach me, Doc, even if its just to say drop her! I feel like Im going crazy.
Eck - who is beginning to lose it
Candy wont cry if you dump her this time because she has a low Interest Level, not because
shes all grown up. When you drop a girl who has 45% Interest Level, she just giggles. So, of
course you should dump her again and start taking numbers.
Remember, guys: If youre with someone for two and a half years and she wants to leave the
country -- without you -- youre finished.
fool me twice
I broke up with Yvonne for other reasons, and three months later we got back together. Not
long afterward, she dropped a bomb by telling me she had been cheating on me with this guy.
I didnt want to break up again with her after we had just started dating again, so I tried to
deal with it. At that time, I began reading your materials and tried to be a Challenge to
Yvonne. I think her Interest Level has grown a lot since then. Her attitude has also changed a
lot toward me; she is sweet and has turned into a Giver.
Everything would be perfect now except for one thing: Yvonne wants to keep the guy she
cheated on me with as a friend. When Ive asked her to ditch him, she tells me that I should
not be jealous and controlling. It seems like in this area she acts as if she did nothing wrong,
and does not care about my feelings or rebuilding my trust. Aside from that, she has become a
really sweet girl.
So, Doc, why is she doing this? Do you think her change is sincere? Should we continue as a
couple if Yvonne holds on to this guy as a friend? Should I expend any more effort in this
relationship?
Phil - who has his doubts
Hi Phil,
Sadly, men dont listen to their intuition. But they should listen to it because, like my cousin
Rabbi Love says: Its a very powerful force and a guardian angel that was put there to protect
them. The popular belief that only women have a powerful intuition is bogus. Its one more
lie perpetuated by society that would have you believe that men are just a bunch of simpering
dolts who are completely incompetent in the face of the superior sex -- women.
So, you got rid of Yvonne for other reasons aside from the fact that you sensed she was
playing around with another man. But heres the most important point: The reasons you got
rid of her in the first place are still there. You have to ask yourself this question, Phil: Why
did you go back to this woman?
dont be a chump
When you say that Yvonnes a much better woman now than she was before, youre grasping
for straws. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says: I dont care if shes turned into
Mother Theresa, she told you a guy was just a friend, and she lied. What else do you need to
hear, dawg? Get it through your head, Phil. She's a deceiver.
Now Yvonne wants to stay friends with the guy she screwed around with and lied to you
about, and you actually wonder if you should keep her? You really are very funny, Phil. And
this isnt the only problem here. Its the fourth problem. Gosh, how you men rationalize! And
this situation does not have anything to do with being jealous or controlling. It has to do with
the fact that this guy is Yvonnes ex-lover. Not a gay friend. Not a guy who just happens to be
male. No, this guy is an ex-lover. (And, by the way, for all you know hes an ex!) So, this has
to do with Respect -- her lack of Respect for you. It has nothing whatsoever to do with
jealousy, possessiveness or control.
time to move on
You did hit one thing smack on the head though, buddy: Yvonne does not care about your
feelings or rebuilding your trust in her. She doesnt care at all, and she shows it by insisting
on keeping this other guy around. Youre going along with it because she knows youre a
wimp. Youll rationalize anything to keep her, wont you, Phil?
But you say Yvonne is actually very sweet. Oh, Im sure shes a really sweet girl. A sweet girl
whos seeing an ex that she was intimate with, and that she lied about all the time. Yup, she
sounds like a real gem all right.
Yvonne is doing this because she has low Interest Level in you and high Interest Level in the
other guy. Theres been no change in her at all. Theres no sincerity here either. Should you
stay with her even if she keeps this other guy as a friend? Have you been smoking lots of
dope, Phil? But I do have to tell you that this girl has some real cojones. Shes walking all
over you. Do you want her to keep walking all over you? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says: After you memorize the Dating Dictionary, youll stop wearing her dress in this
relationship.
The only effort you should expend now is in telling her youre finished. What should you do?
You cant get rid of her fast enough.
Remember, guys: When you find out that shes a liar and a cheater, its really best to leave.
have a 6-year-old daughter. I met Danya, a student of mine, and we started talking, going out
on dates and finally established a relationship. Shes 29, Im 33 and everything was fine for
the first three months, until she told her parents about our relationship. Since then they have
transformed my life into a living hell.
Every time Danya and I are together, she is wonderful, we make plans for the future and we
have lots of fun. But whenever her parents call or visit her, they tell her that sooner or later I
will leave her and go back to my ex-wife, and that Ill break her heart, just like her exboyfriend who was also separated from his wife. Well, they dont know me and they
shouldnt make such harsh judgments.
Of course Danyas folks have transformed your life into a living hell. What else would you
expect them to do? If your daughter were going out with a married man who has a family,
what would you, as a good father or mother, say to her? Wouldnt you try to stop her from
ruining her life? Think about it, guy.
Heres something else, something a little more sinister. You abused your power as a teacher
by hitting on your student. So what do you think that makes you look like to Danyas family?
Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: When you put the moves on the females who are
in your class to learn, youre acting like a sleaze-bucket. Davi, youre lucky that Danyas
parents -- or the school administration for that matter -- havent gone after your job for
messing around with a student. So now there are two strikes against this so-called
relationship.
Doc Love's advice continues after the jump...
Maybe Danyas family shouldnt judge you too harshly. But they know youre a married man,
dont they? And they know that their daughter was dumped by another guy under similar
circumstances, right? Again, dude, what else could you possibly expect from them? So, I
disagree with you about their actions here. I say her parents are great people! Theyre only
doing what any concerned parent would do -- and its the right thing, too, Davi. To you Psych
majors: No decent parent advises his or her kid to get into a relationship with a married man.
men -- which, sadly, is usually the case. So, congratulations on showing some Self-Control.
Unfortunately, you forgot to keep practicing it.
fool me once...
Now let me get this straight. Your girlfriend is drunk, she needs a ride home, and you yelled at
her? Dude, this is what I call lack of Self-Control, which is one-third of Control in my course,
which you would have had if youd invested in it and memorized it. What you should have
done instead of losing it with Keri was kept your mouth shut, given her a ride home and
figured out the details of what happened that night later on. In other words, you should have
kept your head -- and kept your mouth shut.
The same thing happened the very next night. Now you have to figure out whether Keri is
going out with this other guy to rub it in your face, or is she going out with him because she
really likes him? But instead of getting to the heart of the matter, what did you do? You just
went and repeated your first mistake. Again, a total lack of Self-Control.
Doc Love tries to sort our Marvel's predicament, but he's got himself in real deep because he
does more than just yell at his live-in girlfriend...
were talking about viciousness. And what does that tell you? You have lost your edge, my
friend. And Keris Interest Level is no longer in the 90s.
Now it turns out that you and Keri are living together. So youre yelling at your roommate.
Oh, this is just great! In order to have any chance of salvaging this mess, what youre going to
have to do is keep everything fun and light for starters. Then youre going to have to sit down
and tell Keri: Listen, if were going to make this work, we may have to stop drinking. Were
overdoing it. To you Psych majors, its OK to have one or two drinks, but if youre having
more than two drinks a night or youre drinking every day., youre on the road to having a
full-blown problem.
Anyway, Jessica and I married six months ago. Heres the issue: She talks to Brent on the
phone every month now. I found this out by accident. When I brought it up to her, she denied
talking to Brent until I told her I knew with 100% certainty that she was regularly talking to
him. She claims that she loves me much more than Brent, and that Im the only one she would
ever marry. She promised that she would no longer talk to him because it will hurt our
marriage.
So, Doc, heres my question: Can a woman have high Interest Level in both her husband and
another man? Is this maybe the answer to the whole ex dilemma?
Dexter - whos looking forward to hearing the truth about his woman, the mistress.
Its great that Jessica thought you were the one she should marry -- if she had stuck with what
she said. But she didnt, did she? When you caught Jessica red-handed talking to her ex, she
lied right to your face. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says: Looks like you got
yourself a good woman there, dawg! And the saddest thing of all is that you had two and a
half years to evaluate her and you still went ahead and married her anyway. In the end,
everything goes back to one unavoidable fact: she dated a married man.
Ive been reading your columns for a couple of years and I have a question: Ive been dating
Jill and Im completely and utterly interested in her. She is smart, funny, a deep thinker, and a
philosopher; she stimulates my mind more than anything, and I dig that about her. She had
been pursuing me and flirting with me constantly before I finally asked her out. On our first
date we spent all day together walking the streets of Manhattan, laughing, flirting, and at the
end of the night when we said goodbye, she leaned in and kissed me. It was passionate,
sensual and sexy.
no strategy, no game
It does seem you were a Challenge to Jill at first when you had her chasing you, though. So
what happened? Again, you were unable to keep the momentum going because you had no
strategy. And the only true strategy for dealing with women is The System.
You were texting and talking on the phone with Jill for the first three weeks you dated her?
Jango, why were you giving away the store? Why were you rushing into something with this
girl before you had a beachhead? You murdered Challenge by throwing yourself at this girl.
store too soon again. Youre going to make all of the same mistakes again until you memorize
my materials.
Theres only one course of action for you now: Invest in my materials.
Remember, guys: If you go in fast, you go out fast.
she tested me
Anyway, I began a relationship with Crystal who has lots of emotional baggage from her
family and past bad relationships. She is gorgeous and had a 90% Interest Level in me when
we started out. She was sweet and serene and would not ever play games, test me, flirt with
other guys, etc. Everything was good until today, when out of the blue she made a statement
about how she had spent the day with two friends, one a writer, the other a musician, and
engaged in some social activities with them. I didnt like it, but didnt say anything until later
when she admitted she said it to literally see how I felt about it (in other words, to make me
jealous and show that I care about her). She said she did it because I was sending her mixed
signals. Thats when I told her how much I was in love with her.
Ive come to realize that Crystal is a woman, and just like a woman she will test me, and that
if I pledge everlasting love to her she will lose respect for me. I feel Ive made a huge mistake
by starting to care about her. Whats worse is that my cards are all on the table. She knows
exactly how I feel about her. Ever since I opened up, I can literally feel her Interest Level
dropping slowly but surely into the mid-60s. My question is: What can I do now? I really care
about the girl, she knows it, and I dont know if I can make myself a Challenge to her
anymore. Dumping her is not an option at this time, but Ill have to resort to it if her Interest
Level keeps fading away. It has really made me angry that Ive managed to lower her interest
so much just by being honest and caring.
Archie - who feels like giving up on love altogether
say no to baggage
Theres something else involved here. If Crystal has a lot of emotional baggage, shes a loser.
So right off the bat you have a big problem. Why are you with this girl in the first place? The
System says don't date girls with emotional baggage. So, she should have been out. And
youve been studying my course for five years and think its the truth? Well, it is, but youre
not acting on it.
What you should have said when Crystal laid this thing about her extracurricular activities on
you was: Honey, Im glad you had a good time with those two guys. When she mentioned
your mixed signals, you should have said: "Tell me specifically what the mixed signals are
and Ill be happy to clear it up for you because I dont want you getting mixed up on mixedup signals." But what you did instead was blab your guts out. I tell you 50 times in The
System that you should never tell the woman you love her. And you coughed it up. Bad
move, Archie.
I have The System but, unfortunately, I did not apply the techniques. Shannon and I met at
a time when I had just gotten dumped by a girl I still had feelings for and when I wasnt ready
to date, despite the fact that Shannon had everything I ever wanted in a girl. Also, Shannon
had just broken up with her boyfriend of three years. Shannon really liked me and confessed
she had a crush on me for a year before I even knew who she was.
wrong things -- as in, the things youve been doing all along anyway that have made you a
flop with women. Hey, makes a lot of sense to me.
So Shannon had a crush on you for a whole year going in? In other words, before you even
had a date with her she dug you from a distance; so, hopefully you would have used all that
credit to your advantage. Did you? No. You went and told her right off the bat that your
relationship was not monogamous. Huh? Why would you bring up a serious subject? Why did
you tell this girl anything negative? Your job is to raise her Interest Level, not have serious
talks about monogamy. To you Psych majors: Having heavy-duty talks about not being
faithful does not raise Interest Level. Theres no joke or anything lighthearted in that
discussion.
Doc Love breaks down why second chances should be avoided at all costs next...
If the thought of a relationship makes this girl cringe, what do you think her Interest Level is - especially in you? This whole thing about a second chance is a waste of time, my friend. Its
a contradiction. You dont have a second chance, so how can you ever earn one? Like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: Thats like saying two and two equals four
most of the time. But you think shes lost her Interest Level and youre too available.
Apparently you did read a couple of pages of the Dating Dictionary.
It doesnt matter who destroyed the relationship between you and Shannon. The point is that
its over. And by the way, your low Interest Level in the beginning didnt really put Shannon
off. She had a boyfriend at the time. She was on the sidelines watching you for a whole year
while she was with that guy. When her boyfriend was on the way out in the third year, thats
when she got a crush on you. She went out with you when you were ready to go out. So
despite of her negative utterances, she liked you. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says: You cant
believe everything they tell you.
Remember, guys: You get one shot per girl per lifetime.
Today, Tessa asked me if I wanted to go out for a drink tomorrow night. I told her I was busy,
so she asked me to go out another night. I told her I would get back to her.
Doc, how do I play this out? If I keep declining these dates, am I going to give Tessa the
impression that Im not interested in her? How do I keep her Interest Level up so that I can
start something with her after spring break? Or, do I just go for it now and deal with the
spring break issue when it comes up? Thanks!
Danilo - who wonders if keeping her around is a waste of time
Hi Danilo,
The thing thats really curious about your situation is that you never once asked Tessa out in
all the years you knew her. If you had a high Interest Level in this girl, you would have asked
her out long ago. So why didnt you? You have to ask yourself this question before you can
finally figure out what to do, pal. What your inaction regarding Tessa is telling me is that you
dont have a high Interest Level in her.
When Tessa asked you out, you should have accepted the dates and made them official.
Why didnt you take the opportunity to make your relationship into something more than just
friends? You could have used the dates to find out whether there was anything more to your
interaction with Tessa than endless flirting that goes nowhere.
So, at this point you turned Tessa down twice. To you Psych majors: Its one thing to turn a
girl down once, but when you turn her down twice youre no longer working Challenge -youre telling her that you dont like her.
Now, wait a minute here. You havent even taken this girl out once and youre telling yourself
that youre not ready for a girlfriend? How do you know for sure if you havent even tried?
And heres something else: Maybe Tessa would go out with you once or twice on an official
date, find out that she doesnt care for you as a boyfriend, and prefers to keep things on a
just friends level -- did you ever think of that?
But you did nothing whatsoever and now Tessas asked you out again a couple of times,
which makes four times that shes invited you out. Know what your problem is, Danilo? You
dont dig this girl. You dig her high Interest Level in you, but you actually dont like her -romantically. Anytime a girl asks you out four times and you decline, you dont have a high
Interest Level in her.
So, you cant play this out with Tessa because you dont like her. Forget all this stuff about
spring break. The simple truth of the matter is that you dont dig this girl and you dont want
to go out with her. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: If you had any real
interest in this babe, you wouldnt even be thinking about spring break! And from what
youre telling me, Danilo, you dont want to even give yourself the chance to see whether you
could have a high Interest Level in her. So youre rationalizing here, buddy. Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says: This whole spring break issue is nothing but a smokescreen for your lack
of real feelings.
Do I think youll give Tessa the impression that you dont like her? Youve already given her
that impression! And why do you care about her Interest Level being high when you dont
care about her? Like the great Doctor Freud once said: Youre just using this girls attention
to stroke your own ego.
The truth of the matter is that if you really dug Tessa, you could deal with the spring break
issue when it came up. But you dont, so theres no point in even putting yourself through this
meaningless debate. Know where your Interest Level really is, Danilo? With the girls on the
beach in Florida. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: What you really care about is all
those drunk babes running around in skimpy bikinis.
Im not saying youre doing anything wrong, guy. But youre not copping to the fact that you
never really wanted to go out with Tessa in the first place.
Remember, guys: If youre not interested in a girl, dont waste her time.
What should you do now? Well, you better hustle for a job and hope that Chantelle forgets all
about your six-month deadline and doesnt decide to find someone else who isnt so rigid
when he doesnt have a leg to stand on -- like you. Like my cousin General Love says: To
give an ultimatum when you have no power is the dumbest thing in the world.
Good luck, Butch.
Remember, guys: The problem with ultimatums is that you cant take them back.
like the great Doctor Freud once said: Romantic love is not logical. Its highly illogical and
all emotion.
Another problem with your philosophy in this situation is that you really dont know why
Ashley and Jeff broke up or the circumstances of the breakup. And you dont know whether
Jeff is still carrying a torch for this girl. But what you can be sure of is that no matter what
happened between these two, its likely that youre treading on very volatile ground here -whether or not you realize it.
Now as far as Jeff goes, its true that youre really not friends. Youre just acquaintances.
Youre friendly, but like my cousin General Love says: Youre not getting into a foxhole
together anytime soon. A friend is someone youve known for a long time and that you hang
out with and call two or three times a week. Jeff is not that guy. Youre on a friendly basis,
youre cordial, but youre really nothing more than hockey teammates. But the problem still is
that Jeff knows you.
Now, who told you that Jeff cheated on Ashley? Did Jeff tell you himself? Or did Ashley tell
you? Whos the source of information here, and what does the other person have to say about
it? Can you trust the source? These are very important questions, my friend. The vast majority
of the time women get rid of guys first or set it up so that the guy leaves. What if Ashley
accused Jeff of cheating on her and he really didnt? What if Jeff was just talking to a girl and
she wrongly accused him because she was looking for an out and she wanted him to do her
dirty work? So you were stupid for telling Jeff about Ashley straight up, like a man because
you dont have a clue what really transpired.
Heres something else: You dont know why Ashley went out with you. What if she went out
with you to spite Jeff because he did cheat on her but she has no real interest in you? She
might just have wanted to rub it in his face; did you think of that? Ive got news for you -- it
happens.
So whose version of events are you going to believe? Did you see Jeff cheat on Ashley? Were
you there with a camera? Again, you really dont know the facts.
Jeff went with this girl for three years -- a long, long time. What you should have said to
Ashley if you were going to see her was this: Listen, Im going out with you, but no way do I
want it getting back to Jeff. You could have gone out with her two or three times, realized
that she was no good, and then just dropped her and Jeff would never have known a thing
about it. And you would have gotten rid of her and your teammate would have stayed happy
because he was blissfully ignorant of the truth. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says:
Now you have to worry that this dude might swing a hockey stick at you in the parking lot.
Since you opened your mouth, you can bet that Jeff doesnt have your back anymore.
What do I think? Well, if Jeff was your best friend, I would say you did something wrong. But
you didnt. The real problem is that he knows you, like I said. And like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love from East L.A. says: Guys are very strange when it comes to their exes. And the
reaction could come down the road a piece. A guy could even say to you, Sure, go out with
my ex, I dont care, and at the moment he might really mean it. But when he thinks about it
later and finds out you really did go out with her, he might flip out -- like Jeff did -- even
though its completely over between him and his ex. Thats the way most men are wired and
thats how they react.
Remember, guys: be very, very careful about how you handle another guys ex.
But the more disturbing point is this: Youve already been going with this girl for two whole
years -- two whole years full of arguments and Mexican standoffs. If you had my program and
used it, you would have gotten rid of Rachel after five or six dates. Denny, youre not going
to change this woman now. What you see is what you get. As Elvis Presley once said: Well,
a hard-headed woman, a soft-hearted man, been the cause of trouble ever since the world
began. And like my Uncle Jethro Love says: Elvis was right.
Youre doing all the compromising here, pal. Rachel only does what is good for her. She
never thinks about what is good for the relationship. Like the great Doctor Freud once said:
This woman has a psychological problem. Unless shes in control, she will never be happy.
And shes not ever going to really be happy -- she just wants to be in control, because if she
gave in, you would love her more and she would be happier. But shes too stupid to see that.
Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: Your girlfriend is an idiot.
The sloppy driving issue is not really the big problem here, buddy -- its actually trivial. What
you dont understand is that the really big problem is going to recur, which is that Rachel is
never going to give in. Youre going to be married to her until youre 85 years old and any
time a disagreement pops up its going to have to be her way or the highway. Thats the
problem here. And its a very tough one because it pollutes this womans entire personality.
If Rachel drives poorly, why not just tell her that she cant use your vehicle again? Not
everyone gets offended when you call him or her on his or her lack of driving skill -- only
your girlfriend does. So dont project and dont rationalize the fact that Rachel is a jerk. And
why are you lecturing her? You just told me that she never listens to you. Are you nuts or
something?
Face reality. Your girlfriend is intransigent. She will never change. And you shouldnt have
wasted two years with her. Why did it take you two whole years to figure this out? You
should have had my program, and, like I said, in five or six weeks you would have been out of
there.
Instead of ignoring Rachel for a few days, you should tell her to get lost for a month. Say to
her: Get back to me in a month if youre not going to learn to compromise. If you have to
win all the arguments, I dont want to be with you. Denny, youve been a wimp in this
relationship, and thats why Rachel is steamrolling over you. When you say that you have to
grovel, right there youre admitting that youre a wuss.
How can you train Rachel to treat you as an equal? Shell treat you as an equal as soon as you
get rid of her. Of course then shell be gone for good.
Remember, guys: if a woman never compromises, she will make you miserable over the long
haul.
to get in line or shes going to get in line. In other words, Rudolf, youre going to get trained
or Rachaels going to get trained.
What do you mean by saying Rachael doesnt open up to you emotionally? Shes opening up
by telling you she wants to be with you every five minutes. So, youre contradicting yourself.
Youre actually contradicting yourself all over the place. This girl is reacting to your being a
Challenge by wanting to be with you all the time and wanting to talk to you constantly. But
shes doing it in a passive-aggressive way, which youre not going to fall for either. Like the
great Doctor Freud once said: You deal with a passive-aggressive woman by not reacting.
Guy, you have to practice Self-Control until Rachael says Im going to change or she says
goodbye. Her choices are that shes going to fall into line with what you want or shes going
to leave you -- thats it. Period. Youre not going to change. Dont sweat it if she doesnt
chase you any more than she did in the beginning. Just keep doing what youre doing. Like
my Uncle Jethro Love says: Youre not gonna give a hoot about the pussycats feelings.
Its good that you dont see Rachael every day. You dont want to be bumping into her all the
time as well as talking to her a couple of times a week. Again, its fine that Rachael isnt
happy when you dont call her every day. Pal, youre not here to make her happy; youre here
to raise Interest Level via Challenge.
When Rachael wasnt enthusiastic about going out to dinner with you, you should have
withdrawn the offer. You should have said: Honey, are you a little sick or down or
something? You dont seem that happy about going out. And then you should have said:
Lets do dinner some other time, and then canceled the date. Like I said before, youre
going to get her in line or youre going to walk.
Rudolf, I hate to tell you this, but youve already messed up with Rachael. What were trying
to do now is clean up the mess. And that means youre not going to sit on the phone with her
every day and youre only going to see her twice a week. Most importantly, youre going to
hold your ground.
Remember, guys: In every relationship, someone gets trained.
would be available. Second, Im not a fan of dating people I work with. But I really liked her!
One day, a few months after I first saw her, we talked on the phone for a business reason. The
talk was so warm that she invited me to her office for coffee. We met, and I could sense that
she liked me too. At that point we started talking via e-mail. Everything looked good so I
asked for her phone number and called her the same night. She started bombing me with calls.
She even asked if I was single.
hes all-in
We havent spoken for days since, apart from one time at work for business. I know I rushed
things a hell of a lot and revealed too much. I know that I probably did all the wrong things
because I'm stuck on her, but please coach me. My question is: What should I do now? I want
Kelsey. I am sure you think Im an idiot, but Kelsey is the woman of my life. Her birthday is
next week. Should I give her a present? Send flowers? Thanks for any insight.
Shelton - whos all-in, but shes not
When you do everything wrong and you know it, why dont you slow down instead and do
everything right? If you have an opportunity with a girl, why dont you practice Self-Control
and stop yourself from rushing headlong into rejection? Like the great Doctor Freud once
said: It doesnt make any sense to keep making the same mistakes over and over, does it?
Thats just crazy!
Being all-in when shes not is a problem that more guys than just Shelton encounter
Dude, you dont know that Kelsey is an amazing girl. Shes a complete stranger to you. You
know nothing whatsoever about her. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: For all you
know, shes a serial killer. And you might think shes the one for you, but what does she
think?
refuses, it doesnt matter if its too soon or too late or the moon is green -- its over. And
thats it.
instructs, set up a date four days in advance and didnt see or call her until then. Date night
came along and we went to a nice chill-out spot where we shot some pool, hung out and
drank. Amanda was giving me buying signals galore, touching, laughing, and her eyes were
lit up like a Christmas tree. She even had the audacity to give me a smack on the butt when it
was my turn to take a pool shot.
getting rejected
Now this was where it got a little choppy. When I dropped her off at her apartment, I said:
Let me walk you to your door. She said: No, Im fine. Then I hugged her and went for the
good night kiss, but she turned her face and gave me her cheek. (This was after she gave me
all those buying signals, which made me believe her Interest Level was as high up as Mount
Everest.) I was upset but held my composure. My question is this: Could Amandas Interest
Level have plummeted so fast? Did she throw a hissy fit because I turned her down for a
movie at my place? Id really appreciate your insight on this scenario.
P.S. Youre the man, Doc. Oprah, Dr. Phil and all those wannabe love doctors can kick
rocks because you tell it like it is, no ifs, ands or buts about it. And thats how it should be
told.
Trenton - whos trying to be better than Doc Love, but won't be until he gets better at dealing
with rejection
the more important question is this: Will she be doing the same thing after 10 to 12 dates?
Dealing with rejection can be tough and Doc Love is here to help...
Hi Rex,
You and Shelia didnt break up. She dropped you because she wanted SPACE. And she
wanted space because you were all over her. For you Psych majors: When you press a
woman, shell want distance. When you back off from a woman, she chases you. Sheila
probably didnt even want to date another guy. The other dude probably had nothing on you
whatsoever. Its just rationalization on your part to think she suddenly had another guy and
had to drop you. Rex, she wouldnt want to be with another guy if you didnt keep smothering
her. That said, now that she wants you back, you cant take her back. You get one shot per girl
per lifetime. Thats it. Sheilas out. Next.
the way, how did Morgan know that Sheila was texting you? You should have kept your cell
phone in your pocket instead of letting her see what was going on. Morgan knows way too
much about the other woman. Like my cousin General Love says, Man, oh man, youd make
a lousy secret agent!
So, you dig two girls, but youve already brought one home to your mom? You dont bring a
girl home to your mother until youve got at least six months with her and shes crying
marriage! Thats when you should bring Morgan home -- not now! Boy, do you have a lot to
learn, Rex.
You lied again to Morgan when you said you were helping a friend. Know what your problem
is, Rex? Youre a liar.
Its nice that Morgan doesnt want to be disrespected, but its also funny how babes go
ballistic when guys break dates, but never acknowledge men for the ones they keep. Amazing.
But, Rex, if you told Morgan she was smothering you and had no right to tell you what to do,
you must be a very handsome fellow to have gotten away with it.
You have Sheila practically trained? How can you have a girl trained when she dropped you?
Girls that are trained dont dump their guys, Im sorry to say.
Which girl would I go for? Heck, I dont know why either of these girls should have you!
Youre a liar, and I dont like liars. Neither do clinically sane women.
Remember, guys: confident men dont have to lie.
confusing signals
The next day Brooklyn called me and said she didnt want to date anymore. She said she
didnt feel a connection with me and asked if I felt the same way. I said no and that I had a lot
of fun on our dates. She said the first date was really fun, and it made her sad because we
have so much in common.
Doc, where did I make the mistake that caused her Interest Level to drop, or did I misread it
initially?
Oskar - who cant figure her out
Read on to find out where Oskar went wrong...
That said, the slight hesitation Brooklyn showed when you asked her out was a huge red flag.
Right away, you should have asked yourself the all-important question: Why? Why did she
hesitate? The reason she hesitated, Oskar, was because she didnt have high Interest Level in
you. So right there, with that slight hesitation, you were in deep, deep trouble. You should
have taken note of it and bailed right then and there. But you went ahead and took Brooklyn
out anyway.
Dude, you shouldnt have kissed this girl at all on the first date. You kiss a girl on the second
date on her doorstep -- thats it. So you really jumped the gun here. Whether or not you knew
it, you were already losing your composure and applying the pressure.
keeping it cool
Jade and I havent really spoken recently except for an email where she told me shes applied
for jobs in my city. Apparently shell be in town this weekend so her boyfriend will get to
meet her dad. Im prepared to just wait this one out. My gut tells me it wont last with the
boyfriend. Ill disappear until she gets bored and dumps him.
My Interest Level is quite high in this girl. Ive been dating others but they just dont
compare. Its been tough to keep my emotions under control, but I have. I do worry that I
might have been too much of a Challenge and that I bruised her ego a bit too much. Any
advice on how to handle this?
Ernst - who wants to come out a winner
Find out where Ernst went wrong...
That said, Jade had a right to feel slighted that you turned her down for dinner. But what you
should have said to her at the time was that on account of the distance between you two, there
was no reason to get something started. That would have been a much better way of handling
it, and it sends her a very clear message at the same time.
Now think about what happened next. This girl has a boyfriend, youre working Challenge on
her and she wants to know why you havent kissed her yet? Like my cousin General Love
says, So much for loyalty, soldier. What this tells you is that Jade doesnt dig her boyfriend;
shes just floating along with him. Her Interest Level in him is probably in the 50s, if that.
Even more beautiful than the other things you said to her was that it wouldnt be appropriate
for you to kiss her since she has a boyfriend. That was another wonderful comeback, pal.
Know why she wanted to keep kissing you? Because you were working Challenge. Resisting
her drove her crazy. Nobody ever tells this girl "no." 90% of the men out there dont even
know what the word NO is.
Yes, from what youre telling me, Jades boyfriend is indeed a wimp -- a big wimp. Tell her
that as soon as she moves into town and drops her boyfriend, youll go out with her. And its
great that youre prepared to wait it out. Youve got it all going, Ernst. But until the boyfriend
is dumped, you dont do anything. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, Patience is the key
to women.
In the end, though, you probably did ride a bit roughly over Jades ego. You should have
taken the date she offered. Other than that, youre doing a splendid job, man. Im proud of
you.
One more thing: Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, The next time she e-mails you,
ask her if you can be the best man at her wedding.
Remember, guys: until her boyfriend is out of the picture, you have to practice patience.
and we had lots of fun. She kept texting me (I only responded every now and then), and then I
asked her out again. She couldnt go out on the night I suggested, but she didnt counter-offer.
I blew it off and figured it was time to move on to the next one.
Then I got a message from Suzanne asking if I wanted to go to lunch. We went, and
everything was great again. On the next date we went out dancing and kissed. The next
message I got from her blew me away. She wanted me to come and meet her family and
watch her sisters basketball game. Im thinking shes swallowed it hook, line and sinker!
The next day I drove to her house and dropped off a birthday card to her, and we talked a little
and kissed a few times. Within an hour of getting home, she texted me and out of nowhere
said: I really want to take things slow. Im like: What? You just asked me to meet your
parents! She replied that she liked spending time with me but hasnt been single for long.
You have to understand that I applied absolutely no pressure to this girl at all!
opposing signals
Doc, what the hell is going on here? So far what Ive pulled from Suzanne is: 1) She likes
spending time with me but might be a Professional Dater, 2) I might just be a rebound for her,
3) She is trying to cover up her own Interest Level (which, to be honest with you, I doubt).
Can you please shed some light on this matter? I really like this girl and thought I was doing
everything right so far, but I guess not.
Vivaldi - whos baffled by her Womanese desire to take it slow all of a sudden
warning signs
Now, lets get on to your problem. When you ask a girl out and she cant go but doesnt
counter-offer, that means she's not interested in you. Because, as I have pointed out many
times before to you Psych majors, when they like you, they help you. And this girl is not
helping you.
Read on to find out why Vivaldi needs to slow it down...
constant contact
We keep in contact almost every day, either through phone calls or text messages. For the past
week theyve decreased in frequency and volume, so Im not sure whether shes losing
interest, her ex is trying to get back in the picture or if shes really been busy with the exam
she has in the next few weeks. Regardless, Ive made up my mind to break off contact until
she reciprocates because its a basic psychological need to want what we dont have anymore.
My main question is: How do I keep her interested until were at a place in our careers in
which we can settle down in one place and have meaningful relationships? Also, how do I
keep in contact with Eva without looking like an overeager wussy? I pretty much know that
we might not end up together, or if we do itll be after two years of our clinical duties, but if
theres a chance we can work it out, then I think Evas worth taking a chance on.
Swanny - who cant get her off his mind
without having my book. Its vitally important that you understand this.
Now let me get this straight. For one whole year youve been trying to get a date with this
woman, and for one reason or another she cant go out with you? Swanny, let me tell you
something about you doctors. You have your noses stuck in the medical books for eight or
nine years, but you know absolutely nothing about women and are sitting ducks for a
mercenary. And thats why all you physicians out there need my program. What are you
waiting for, my friend?
an unconvincing excuse
So whats the problem, you ask? Well, I applied to graduate school, which would mean two
years of study in three different universities in a foreign country. This was not a surprise to
Gloria, since I had talked about it. Well, she recently decided to end the relationship because
she was becoming too attached to me and didnt want my leaving to hurt her. I responded
by returning some stuff she kept at my place and said something like: If you change your
mind, call me. Just dont take too long.
When you meet a girl you dont know what to expect and The System has helped me
separate the wheat from the chaff. I never thought things with Gloria would be so great.
Believe me, I have been in terrible situations with women and she is an exceptional case. Im
not dying to go back to school, but I also know that now is not the moment for any permanent
relationship decisions, like whether or not to get married.
Should I just cross my fingers and wait to see what happens in two years? Should I just forget
about Gloria (one chance per girl per lifetime)? I really dont know what goes next.
Miguel - who is shell-shocked and brokenhearted
I am in need of your great coaching. I have a childhood friend, Karen, who went through a
bad divorce. (I also went through a nasty divorce.) Karen and I hadnt talked for a couple of
years and just started hanging out again. We shared a lot of private and emotional scars and
secrets about ourselves and I feel like we made a special connection.
Now heres the problem: Theres a guy who works with Karen who declared to her that hes
in love with her. She says she doesnt feel the same way about him but allows him to come to
her house and go for jogs with her. She had dinner and went to a movie with him, still
insisting that its all innocent, and that she just likes the company because she feels lonely
sometimes. Karen told me that she would actually prefer to hang out with me but doesnt want
to take away from my busy schedule.
Hindsight is 20/20
I have to admit that sharing certain personal thoughts and feelings with Karen early on may
have been a mistake, because now I feel like Im developing feelings for her. How do I keep
my feelings in check and at the same time show her that Im confident? I want her to always
feel like she can hang out with me, so should I call her or text her again to invite her out or
should I just wait for her to do it? I dont want to become a pest, but I want her to feel like she
still has a good friend in me.
Whit - who doesnt know where he stands after sharing emotional scars
Now, regarding your friend Karen, if youre going to hang out, youre not dating. And thats
all you say throughout your letter -- you two are just hanging out. If youre just hanging out,
youre going down the friendship road, Whit. Thats much, much different than dating. So
right off the bat, if you have any romantic interest in Karen, youre making a huge mistake by
just hanging out with her.
Of course you made a special connection with Karen by sharing all your emotional scars. And
the connection is only on a friendship level, not on a romantic level -- because pain and hurt
and disappointment and rejection are all negative things. And negatives dont build positive
interest levels. Youd know that if youd read The System.
Sharing emotional scars makes you vulnerable in many ways
The reason Karen has this other guy coming around is because she cannot be alone. So she
will mislead and use another man so that she doesnt have to be alone. So she hangs out with
you and she hangs out with this other guy, but theres no dating with either of you. Like my
cousin Brother Love down in Watts says: This sista is cruel.
with her. But like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: Shes only spending time
with you because youre her girlfriend/psychiatrist.
How do you keep your feelings in check and show Karen that youre confident? You have to
abide by the rules of The System, which youve been absolutely annihilating in this
relationship.
Whit, you dont really want Karen to know that she can always hang out with you. You want
her guessing when youre going to call and ask her out, thats what you really want. Before
you ask her out, you have to get hold of my program, because you dont have a clue what
youre doing.
Well, yesterday Pamela texted me to thank me for everything I had done for her and said that
she hoped that one day the way she felt about me would change, but for now she just wants to
be friends.
inconsistent behavior
When Pamela pretends not to know you after slobbering all over you, its called inconsistent
behavior. And that means its time to say goodbye. And when she tells you that youre too
good for her, tell her that from now on youre going to be a bad boy so that she can hate you
and kiss you.
But why do you keep taking this girl out? Shes displaying all kinds of inconsistent behavior,
and youre rewarding it. Why? You tell me that you run a successful business and you lecture
at a university, but when it comes to women you dont use any of the principles you used to
become a success to get a good, worthwhile woman. What sense does that make?
And why are Pamelas friends tagging along on your dates? Thats called a group date, and
group dates are a no-no. According to my program, you dont do a group date until shes
officially your girlfriend and her Interest Level is higher than the stars.
one at a time
Of course her friends cause confusion on these dates, because thats what happens on group
dates. You cant deal with five women at once. Its tough enough sitting across from the one
that you like. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: Dude, you cant even
handle one woman, so why are you fooling around with more?
You know why Pamela likes spending so much time with her friends when shes with you?
Because that way you cant come on to her. She sits on your lap in public because thats when
its safe. She doesnt do it when youre alone with her, right? No, thats when she squirms and
cant wait to get away from you. Wilmot, that behavior is telling you something -- I hope.
Before you mess up more, you have to get the The System and memorize it. Then tell
Pamela two things: forget my name and forget my phone number.
Remember, guys: cuckoos belong in cages but not in your heart.
I dont care how tolerant the other woman's boyfriend is -- hes still an idiot. Theres no more
delicate way of putting it. When Cinnamon tells you that shell date you if it doesnt work out
with the other girl, shes using Womanese, and what shes really saying, again, is that youre
second to the other girl. None of my students are supposed to be in a secondary position when
it comes to dating a girl, ever -- period.
I got news for you, pal. Cinnamon is not distracted by her would-be girlfriend; she has higher
Interest Level in her this girl than she does in you, her boyfriend. She has 95% Interest Level
in her girlfriend and only 45% Interest Level in you. Which means you lose because youre
second in the ratings.
Cinnamon doesnt care for you, dude, and get that through your head. She cares for the other
woman. When she tells you that she turned down a chance for a relationship with her when
she found you, shes just stroking you because shes in the arms of the other girl right now. So
thats just more Womanese. And theres no way it can be reassuring since shes still talking
about the other person that shes in love with. And to prove it, she is out of your reach and
with that other girl right now. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Aint that a
great position to be in, dawg?
Dont worry about being selfish because youre not really dating this girl seriously. Shes in
love with another person who just happens to be the same sex as she is.
The only thing youve got right so far is that you cant stop Cinnamon from thinking about the
other woman even if you try to stop them from dating. Youre in the number two position, and
thats what you dont seem to understand. Shes in the top position, and youre the one
lurking in the background. Think about it, buddy.
A friend suggested I contact you. Im a 36-year-old guy just back on the dating scene. I
divorced my common-law wife of 10 years recently. Ginny and I went through a very rough
time over the last three years, with me losing romantic interest in her. It wasnt anything
physical about her that set it off; our romantic flame, which wasnt the hottest to begin with,
just died.
a dying romance
To compound the issue, we seemed to have lost interest in trying to make things work and just
started coasting. Thats when I started to look outside the relationship. When things heated up
between me and another woman to the point of almost cheating, I had some serious talks with
Ginny. We read a few books and started therapy, but it seemed too late at that point. I no
longer knew how to make her happy or how to rekindle the flame.
Now Ive met Rachel, an old friend from high school, and we started rollerblading together.
Shes divorced with two kids, and shed just broken up with her boyfriend. Our friendship
evolved, and weve been seeing each other ever since. We get along great, and I love her
boys, but I think were just happy to have found someone because neither of us wants to be
alone. Who does, right? It just happens that we have a very healthy romantic life, something I
was missing in my previous relationship. We have the highs and lows of a normal
relationship, and I think we make a good couple.
ending up alone
I know I should look at these two situations separately and first decide if I want to be with
Rachel and be a stepdad. Only then, if I choose to not be with her, should I revisit my old
flame and see if anything is there. But Im afraid of breaking up with Rachel only to find out
that my ex-wife has moved on. Then Ill end up alone. Please help me figure things out.
Wolf - who cant make a decision
Read on to find out why Wolf should have used "The System"...
Hi Wolf,
The sad thing is had you had been using my maintenance program on Ginny, her Interest
Level would have remained high. And if it remained high, she would have continued to treat
you well, still been in love with you and you would have stayed in love with her.
But most couples end up coasting. Men dont realize that the easy part is getting a woman to
fall in love with them but that keeping her in love is the harder part. So they coast. What
coasting means is that the guy is not going to use the maintenance program; hes not going to
try and keep the womans Interest Level in the 90s, and hes not going to date his wife and do
the things that turn her on, like housework. Like the old Chinese saying goes: Coasting
always leads to a crash, grasshopper.
You may have made a last-ditch effort to save your relationship with Ginny, but your problem
is that you were reading the wrong books. You should have been reading The System all
along. Dude, looking at the kind of troubles you have, you should have had it before you
started dating her. But dont feel too bad -- most men dont know the first thing about
maintenance. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Theyd rather go and
polish the rims on their truck than be affectionate with their wives.
dont fight when their Interest Level is up in the 90s. They only fight when the womans
Interest Level is between 51% and 60%.
Elston, what youre going to have to do with Dawn now is not answer any of her messages or
calls. And as far as damaging your relations with your friends is concerned, who cares? What
if Dawn led you on and dumped you -- would that also damage your relationship with your
friends?
always do it sober
Dude, Im shocked that alcohol was involved in all of your encounters with Dawn! Like the
old cowboy saying goes: Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker! The moral of the story is
that you should have kept your friendship with Dawn dry.
Remember, guys: If youre not interested in a girl, dont mislead her.
she's moved on
Unfortunately, I still love Candace, and it makes me angry when she talks to this new guy on
the phone, even though we sleep in separate rooms. I try not to show that it bothers me.
Heres my question: Should I try to get her back? She claims shes just friends with the new
guy, but why would she be talking to him late at night if that were the case? This fool likes to
hunt ducks and other animals. Candace wouldnt even let me order duck at a restaurant
because ducks are so cute, and now shes infatuated with a guy who kills them for sport.
Women are crazy.
Doc, how can I know if Candace still wants me? What should I do? I feel I could get over her
easily if I didnt have to live with her. But I dont like the idea of paying for a house and not
living there. We dont have children, by the way. Thank you very much for your time.
Red - who doesnt know which way to go
Read on for Doc Love's advice on moving on...
with what shes doing, Red. Look at it this way: If she werent fighting with you all the time,
she wouldnt be talking to this idiot.
senior year and her junior year of college. I started grad school the next year. We were both
busy at the time but lived relatively close by and were able to see each other three to four
times a week. She then got a job, and we were able to stay on a steady schedule of dating
during both the week and weekends. We were 1.5 years into the relationship and saying I
love you to each other at this point.
When she started law school and I completed my last year of grad school, we had an hours
distance between us. We always talked and saw each other weekly. Now Ive finished grad
school and have moved closer to Anastasia. Shes still busy with law school, but we see each
other twice a week.
different priorities
I understand that law school schedules are tough, but we are at a point where we have
seemingly gone backwards. I want to see Anastasia more often, but she doesnt know what
she can promise in terms of giving me more of her time. She is also experiencing health
problems due to the burden of law school, so it often takes her more time to do homework,
which shrinks her available free time even more and further complicates the situation.
Anastasia has two-plus years of law school left, and after that bar exams and a job. I dont
know if I see a point in the future where Im going to be moved up on her scale of priorities.
Weve had many heated discussions about this, but things have not changed. I love Anastasia,
but in the long run I think I want more from her than she can give me. What would you coach
me to do?
Savarin - who feels marginalized
back off
But you havent gone backwards at all, pal. Anytime someone attends law school or medical
school or is in any professional training, you have to back off. Law school is one of the
toughest regimens there is and getting through it requires an enormous amount of
concentration and application. So you have to give way and not pressure Anastasia. Would
you like her bugging you if you were in the same situation? Think about it.
You made a huge mistake in bringing up the subject of how much time Anastasia can spend
with you. Remember, she should be chasing you. This is one of the core tenets of The
System. Since you dont mention having it, I wonder what youre waiting for. If you had
committed my program to memory, you would know that you should never be pressuring any
woman for more attention.
Now think about this, Savarin. Anastasia is going to law school, and she has physical
problems and youre pressing her to see you more often? What does a tactic like this
accomplish? To you Psych majors, when you pressure a woman, it is certain to have negative
results. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says: Dawg, her interest in you is gonna
be in the toilet in about 10 minutes.
be supportive
There shouldnt be any complications in your situation whatsoever, Savarin. You should
support Anastasia when shes not healthy and busy with her law studies, and you should let
her call you when she wants to see you. Then youll go out. If she doesnt call you, you dont
go out, simple as that. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says: In a sense, my son, youre going to
have to let her run the show.
Instead, youre panicking about whether or not youre going to be moved up on her list of
priorities. Maybe you should force her to quit law school and get a job as a waitress so she
can stay out late with you every night, have you thought of that?
But seriously, all of these discussions youre forcing on Anastasia about the amount of time
she spends with you have no doubt lowered her Interest Level because youre not empathetic
about her health or supportive of her future goals. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says:
Dude, youre selfish.
What would I coach you to do? Back off and let her ask you out. Youre asking -- begging -for way too much. Most guys would be happy that their girlfriends couldnt see them all the
time. Actually, if you think about it, this situation is perfect. It allows you to indulge yourself
in your hobbies, go out with the boys, play sports, and do whatever else it is you want to do.
Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: There are lots of miserably married
men who would love to switch places with you.
Remember, guys: If your girlfriend is trying to better herself, you have to be supportive.
super-challenge
It wasnt long before Tia invited me out to L.A. to see her, and I agreed. But every time wed
agree on a time to talk on the phone to make arrangements for my trip, I would blow her off
by either not calling her or not answering her call. I wanted to make her work for it and not
seem too eager to see her, and I thought that being a Challenge would make her realize how
much she wanted to see me.
Anyway, this went on for weeks before Tia finally got upset and confronted me. She accused
me of being rude and told me that if I wasnt interested in seeing her to just tell her. I
explained that my intentions werent to be rude but that I was extremely busy with work and
that the time difference between Florida and California didnt help. She accepted my excuse
and asked that I be more considerate in the future instead of blowing her off.
call of duty
A few weeks later, Tia had a business trip to Orlando that was canceled, but she still had the
plane ticket. She came out, and we had an amazing weekend together. She was fun, and we
laughed a lot and got very romantic. The chemistry between us was through the roof. When
the weekend ended, I asked her to call me to let me know that she got back safely. But when
she called, I let it go to voicemail. I figured it would be to my advantage to make her wonder
what I thought about our weekend by not talking to her too soon. After her call she sent me a
text saying she arrived safely and to call her. I didnt call. Instead, I sent her a text the next
morning saying that I was asleep when she called and that I had a great time.
Then I didnt have any contact with Tia for two weeks. She texted me that it was obvious that
I wasnt interested. She said she was glad we got together and that she harbored no hard
feelings. I texted her back and accused her of playing games since I assumed this was a ploy
to get me to confess my feelings. She responded by telling me that she wasnt playing games
and genuinely felt like I wasnt interested.
don't be rude
Now let me get this straight. You gave a girl your word about talking to her, and you think
that by blowing her off that youre being a super-Challenge, or even a Challenge? Let me tell
you something: Youre not. Youre just being disrespectful. And were not disrespectful to
women. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says: Besides, your behavior is rude, crude and shows
you aint got no upbringing and no class.
You might want to force Tia to work for your attention, but youre going about it the wrong
way. What youre doing is what Macho Boy would do. The wimp calls a woman all the time,
but the Bad Boy doesnt call at all. I dont want you to be either one of those guys. I want you
to be like Cary Grant. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says: Can you imagine Cary Grant not
returning a call when he gave his word? Your actions are nothing short of Neanderthal,
Didier. You know absolutely nothing about Challenge. Absolutely nothing.
You might be busy with work, but a phone call to a woman takes all of 30 seconds. You
should have called Tia and said: Hi, I hope things are fine, but Im buried in work for the
next five days, and Ill get back to you once I clean it up. Heck, that would have taken even
less than 30 seconds.
So, Tia has a right to be upset with all the shenanigans youve pulled here. She was telling
you to be more considerate, but you werent listening.
a fresh start
Now heres where we get to the climax. This week, I met a drop-dead gorgeous woman
named Alicia through a mutual friend. She recently quit her job to pursue a career in acting.
We went out a couple of times and talk every day, and both of us have openly admitted we
like each others vibe. Im trying not to get ahead of myself, but if things keep going the way
theyve been with her -- flirting and buying signals -- I wouldnt mind taking it to a more
exclusive level.
I have some tough decisions to make. Do I continue to pursue Reisha, warm things up again
with Janet (who I almost married) or take a chance and further pursue Alicia and other girls?
JaMarcus - a real man in need of some wisdom
involved with Reisha. I dont like the fact that Reisha is eight years older than you (you'd
know that if you had The System) but if you have a perfect relationship -- and youve
described a pretty darned good one in your letter -- then Im for it.
But theres a silver lining to this gray cloud, which is that Reishas daughter, who is 15, will
be out of the house in just three or four years. So the girl is going to be a non-issue pretty
soon. If the daughter was two years old, then youd have an entirely different situation -- and
a much more difficult one -- on your hands. But as it is, this girl is on the way out, and thats
good for you and Reisha.
Read on for Doc Love's advice on making tough decisions...
Nevertheless, if you decide to stay with Reisha, youre going to have to learn to adjust. But if
you cant accept her kid, you have to drop Reisha. Dont waste her time. Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says: Let her go out and find a Good Samaritan who will marry her and adopt
her daughter.
forget about it
Now, lets move on to Janet. You say that shes selfish. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says: End of discussion, dude! What have I always told you guys? Get yourself a
Flexible Giver, not a taker. Janet had a lousy attitude. You went out with her in the past,
and now its done. Period. Like the old Chinese saying goes: Let sleeping dogs lie,
grasshopper. Theres no reason at all to talk about Janet -- its over. She hasnt changed at all
and shes not going to change. Youre finished with her, so forget her.
slow down
On to Alicia. Now let me get this straight. Youre talking to a girl, who you just met, multiple
times every day? I can see that you dont have The System, my friend! You like each
others vibe? You might think youre all man, JaMarcus, but like my cousin Sal The Fish
Love says: No guy talks about his feelings to a woman. Its very unmanly. No offense, guy,
but you need to get my program or youre not going to make it with any of these women.
Whats even worse is that youve only been out with this woman a couple of times and youre
already talking to her about exclusivity. Its another sign that you know nothing about my
principles, JaMarcus. Think about it. You dont know this person at all. Im sure shes
beautiful since she wants to be an actress, but thats all you know. And if shes an actress,
how do you know what youre really getting?
and be a good father to her, you should stay with Reisha and date Alicia. With time, one of
them will drop off.
You have some tough decisions to make, but the key here is learning to deal with the 15-yearold. Shell be gone soon and will be a non-factor.
Remember, guys: You cant have too many women when you know The System.
playing it cool
My response was to give her a hug, tell her it was OK and that we were just getting to know
each other casually anyway, which was true. Over the next year, we spent more time
developing a romantic relationship of sorts, though we never called it that. In fact, we never
called it anything, and never talked about it. Maybe I handled this wrong, but there was a
strong attraction between us, and I wanted to keep things casual and avoid the subject of Tom
and see if she could get over him. Within eight months, her Interest Level seemed to
skyrocket as we spent time together, particularly when she found out that I was dating other
women (since we never had any commitment).
My problem now is that I want to marry this girl (although Ive followed your advice and not
blabbed anything about loving her desperately), and I also know that she wants to marry me.
But I need to know her current feelings about Tom before plunging in. I fear that bringing him
up again wont lead anywhere good. At the same time, I cant marry Monica without knowing
Im No. 1 in her life. To further complicate matters, what if someday Tom gets divorced and
tries to get Monica back?
am i in too deep?
Tell me, where do I go from here? Did I handle this right, or should I have run in the other
direction when the subject of Tom came up in the early stages? This girls a keeper, but not if
she cant forget the other guy.
Delmar - who wants no complications
Read on for Doc Love's advice...
sure sounds like lurking to me. In fact, thats more than lurking in the background -- Tom is
right there in the room with you and Monica! It means that shes going to be in love with Tom
for the rest of her life and that you dont stand a chance. But at least Monica was being
honest. She was right up-front with you and told you that shes really not on the market.
My friend, you dont know anything about Monicas family because you havent even met
them. Again, youre jumping to conclusions. And just because she got straight A's at
Princeton doesnt mean she cant be a nutcase when it comes to romantic love. Remember
that Joran van der Sloot went to college, came from a good family and that his father was a
top judge in Aruba. What does that tell you?
When you say you were just getting to know each other casually, youre rationalizing. A
romantic relationship of sorts means that its not a romantic relationship at all. You might
have thought there was a strong attraction between you and Monica, but there was a stronger
attraction between her and Tom -- which means youre No. 2, man. Why would you want to
be No. 2 to anybody?
Camilla and I have been together for a year now, and we love each other. Weve been through
hell and back together, and I want to share our story with you.
Last summer she went on two long trips, one to Japan with her family and the other to Costa
Rica with a group that does work for third world countries. During her stay in Japan, we were
connected by phone and e-mail, and our relationship felt as great as ever. We had been
together about four months at this time. When she came back, there was a one-week window
before she left for Costa Rica. We had a picture-perfect week together, and I saw her off with
no doubts in my head.
a not-so-welcome home
When she got back after four weeks, Camilla was in no rush to see or talk to me, and I knew
from that point on that it was going to be bad for our relationship. At this point we were only
communicating by phone and e-mail (stupid, I know). Eventually, she saw me in person and
told me that she felt very disconnected from me and that she wasnt ready to jump back into
our relationship. Then I went off to a summer camp where I counsel kids, and I met a girl,
Anita, who I ended up dating. As soon as I got back, I wanted nothing to do with either
Camilla or Anita.
logic!
Why did you want to go back to Camilla when your relationship was shot? Like my cousin
Sal The Fish Love says: Going back to an ex is the biggest mistake a man ever makes.
So now she wants to date other men to get back at you. Tell me, big mouth, how did she find
out about your two other girlfriends? When you try to convince her not to date someone else,
youre talking to the wall. Its a big waste of time.
Yes, you should tell Camilla to go out with another guy, but you should add: Please dont
ever call me again. She wont regret going out with another guy because you were out a long
time ago. You have to realize that Camilla regrets nothing. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says: Shes just playing with you on the way out, thats all. When she came
back from her last trip, she made no effort whatsoever to get a hold of you, right? That meant
you were out way back then. All this talking, as they say in the car business, is nothing but a
lot of chin music.
it's over
Camillas not asking permission to cheat on you. If she goes out with another guy, it cant
even be called cheating, because she has no interest in you. Youre not together, she doesnt
like you, shes playing with your head and you cant break up with her because shes not your
girlfriend. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says: Other than that, youre really sharp!
Remember, guys: Never try to keep someone who doesnt want to keep you.
return of the ex
Then Lynn told me that her ex was coming to town for a wedding and that hed be staying
with her. I asked what she was going to do. She said she wanted to be with me and that she
was going to break up with him when he arrived. She did, and things were great for the
following month.
Then she started acting distant. I asked her what was wrong, and she said she was stressed
over her new job. She also mentioned that her ex was moving here. I asked her what would
happen, and her response was: Nothing. Im not going to see him. Im in love with you.
a double life
Now heres where it got really weird. Lynn and I had a dinner date, but she didnt show up. I
called her parents house, and her mom told me that shed gone to the airport to pick up her
boyfriend and that he was going to be with her for the next three days. Then she told me that
Lynn had mentioned my name and that I was helping her with her schoolwork, but she didnt
know we were dating. She then said that her daughter must be living a double life and that I
would have to wait this one out.
In other words, Lynn and her ex never broke up! I was destroyed.
Now Lynn says she just wants to be friends and that shell let me know when shes ready to
be with me again. I found out that her boyfriend discovered flirty notes I wrote to Lynn. He
wants to know if she cheated on him. There are pictures of Lynn and me kissing on my
Facebook page, and its only a matter of time before he finds them.
Hi Washington,
Writing off Lynn as a potential date because you knew she had a boyfriend lurking in the
background was the smartest, most perfect thing you did with this girl. Now lets proceed
downhill, shall we?
When you say Lynn wasnt letting you tell her "no," do you mean she put a gun to your head
or a knife to your throat? You told her you didnt want to go out with her at the beginning,
and then you gave in. Why? Because you were letting your Interest Level dictate your moves.
My friend, you have no Self-Control, no Patience and no Discipline. To boot, youre not a
Challenge at all. But like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: Other than that, your girl digs
all your other manly traits.
But Lynn still insists that she loves you. Does loving you mean she had to go and pick up her
boyfriend from the airport and dump the guy who was just a fill-in for a couple of weeks? She
wasnt living a double life; shes just a player!
Read on for Doc's answers to Washington's questions...
just dropping in
A few days later, I stopped by the bank and Deirdre and I talked for five minutes. I managed
to see her there twice a week for the next month. Each time I saw her, she seemed excited.
Then she told me to stop by her house to talk. When I showed up at her door, we laughed and
told stories. Afterward, I stopped by her house regularly. I kept these house calls short and
only called twice a week.
Finally, Deirdre offered me her phone number and e-mail address. I asked her out to lunch a
week later, to which she muttered: Its too early. Im not ready. I told her to think about it
and let me know. Then we set a date for lunch. But the night before, she e-mailed me saying
that she really didnt want to go. I replied that it was okay and that we could go another day. I
saw her the next day, and she was her usual flirty, talkative self.
When you stopped at the bank and talked to Deirdre, you had another chance to go for the
phone number. So you screwed up a second time. When you kept going to the bank to see her,
you messed up again and again by not asking for her phone number. You need to get a hold of
The System and memorize it right now, dude. Clearly you dont know what to do. Reading
a couple of my columns is not going to give you all the strategy you need, especially when
youre as clueless as you seem. What are you waiting for?
Read on to learn why Jalen should give up...
I respected Fernandas decision and said I was sorry about the grandmother incident but
that I didnt share the same opinion about the number of arguments we were having. Im sure
that shes hiding something, but we always trusted each other, and I dont think she ever
fooled around with somebody else during our time together. And I also know that her Interest
Level in me was in the 80s when we were together.
Doc, could not calling immediately when Fernandas grandmother died really be a good
reason to end a relationship?
Waldo - who suspects theres something else going on
East L.A. says: Ask the people of Cleveland how it felt when LeBron James dumped them
on national TV.
Dude, you felt bad when you broke up with your ex because you left too soon. Had you gone
with her longer, you would have built up lots of resentment and you wouldnt have cared how
you got rid of her. But what kills me is that Fernanda cried when she had low Interest Level in
you. My friend, youre the one who should be crying!
travel trouble
When Fernanda claimed that you two were having lots of arguments when you traveled
together, that was the key to what went down. You were lowering her Interest Level by
fighting with her. Any time you go on a trip with a woman, especially when youre with her
for 14 straight days, its really hard to be perfect. And what happened here was that when her
grandmother passed away, it was the straw that broke the camels back. That was when her
Interest Level dropped from 51% to 49%. To you Psych majors: You have to really own a
woman when you travel with her, because youre together all the time and theres nowhere to
hide.
You might have not been bothered by the arguments you and Fernanda were having on your
trip, but they sure as heck were bothering her! Guys, the principle is simple: Arguing lowers
Interest Level. And Fernandas not hiding anything, pal. Dont try to blame what happened
with her on someone else. You lowered her Interest Level on the trip by arguing with her.
And then you didnt call her when her grandmother died, when you should have called her
every day for at least three or four days running to see how she was doing and showed her that
you had feelings. Instead, you just texted her and then called her too late. Very cold.
reasons or excuses?
A couple hours later, after my friend and I hopped to another bar, I got a text from Miranda.
She said that she had fallen asleep watching a movie and was very sorry. I didnt buy her
excuse. Also, missing from her apology was any hint of a counteroffer. My response was to
say No problem, to show that I was completely unfazed.
I expect that at some point Miranda will shoot me a fishing text to see how I feel. When and
if this happens, how should I deal with it? Second, what if she asks me out later, or what if she
approaches me with a delayed counteroffer? How should I handle that? I understand that
things happen and my previous assumptions could be wrong, but if the tables turn and Im the
one in the batters box, I dont want to get hit by the pitch either.
beautiful relationship, and during the first two months she fell completely in love with me.
Her Interest Level was in the high 90s and she told me that I was the best thing that ever
happened to her and she started talking about our future. But then I became too available, and
it inevitably led to a drop in her Interest Level. From out of the blue came the We need to
talk call. Carrie said that although I was a great guy and she really had fun with me, she had
started losing her interest and respect for me, so it was for the best that we break up.
The System, you date a girl. If she doesnt want to date you, you move on. Like my Uncle
Jethro Love says: Aint no point in wastin time.
Carrie should have asked you to go steady, not the other way around. Because when she asks
you, you know its the right time. When you ask, however, you dont know if its the right
time. But more importantly, she was reluctant because she had low Interest Level, not because
she had the altruistic motive of ruining your friendship. If her Interest Level was 100%, she
would have said, Honey, forget friendship, I couldn't care less about that!
engaged but that it was obvious to me that she was having a romantic lunch when I saw her,
and that it was a good thing that Id avoided becoming exclusive since absolute trust is at
the top of my list for a woman.
a second chance?
This all happened a week ago, and Katie continues to call me three times a day at minimum.
Ive only picked up the phone twice, kept it Cocky and cool, but havent planned any more
dates, which is driving her nuts.
In the wake of this I asked around, and found out that Katie is regarded as a bit of a serial
flirter. I have no intention of marrying a serial flirter, and I seriously doubt I can change her.
But I miss her pretty badly, and her Interest Level still seems to be in the stratosphere. Should
I give Katie another chance, make her wait a while or throw her into the "Too Much Trouble"
file? By the way, I was planning on marrying this girl.
Jerome - who still cant believe she's not loyal
first mistake
When Katie asked you about your other women, you should have said to her, Are you asking
me to be your boyfriend? Then you should have closed her because she was saying in
Womanese that she wanted to be your girlfriend. And when she said yes to your question, you
should have said, Give me a week to think it over. At the end of that week, you should have
told her, Ill be your boyfriend, but on one condition. She would, of course, have asked,
What? And thats when you come back with, Do you have any contact at all with any of
your exes? If she said yes, then your response should have been, Lets just leave it that way,
then. If, on the other hand, Katie said she had no contact with her exes, you could have
become her boyfriend.
Seeing her with her ex was what it seemed, no matter what Katie protested. So now we have
an old boyfriend lurking in the background, which is a big no-no. Thats why, when she
hinted that she wanted you to be her boyfriend, you should have brought up whether there
were any exes in the background right then and there. That way, this situation wouldnt have
happened, and if it had, it would have been a clear signal that your girlfriend has no Loyalty.
That said, you did say the right thing when you told her that absolute trust was your No. 1
requirement in a woman. But you could have cleared it up in the beginning with a preemptive
strike.
weeks without telling me where she was going. When I confronted her about this, she told me
that shes not sure about how she feels about us.
This threw me for a loop, since in my mind things were great and we were pretty solid. She
then went on to say that we are not ready financially for marriage and not ready to start a
family -- another shocker. I told her that most couples, when they get married, are not exactly
rolling in the dough initially and she needs to stop overanalyzing things. She then said that
Im thinking with my emotions and have rose-colored glasses on. This hurt me because it
seems to me that she is looking for excuses to delay or even not marry me.
mixed messages
Im so confused. These past three weeks have been really draining. I recently got laid off and
something tells me that this is part of the reason for all of this mess. Kristi mentioned during
one of our arguments that we were living off her dime and if she were to lose her job she
wouldnt know what to do. This was really hurtful because it communicates that shes
resentful that shes paying most of the major bills. We live in a condominium that she
purchased, I dont make nearly as much as she does and it was wrong for her to rub this in my
face.
Kristi stresses the fact that the money is not the issue and reminds me that when we started
dating I was unemployed. Im not sure what to make of my situation and whether she
sincerely wants to marry me. Should I move out? Please coach me.
Amare - who feels diminished
anything will just cramp her style. Gosh, you dont expect her to be alone after youre out of
the picture, do you? Come on, Amare, wake up and smell the coffee.
When a woman says shes not sure how she feels about you, that means her Interest Level is
below 50%. And that means youre in real trouble. If you thought you were pretty solid, it
means youre just like all the other turkeys out there. A couple of years ago Hulk Hogan was
informed by a reporter that his wife had left him. Now, at 50, shes marrying a 21-year-old
boy toy. Poor Hulk thought things were pretty solid too, you know.
Doc Love has the reasons behind this failing relationship next...
to protect the family. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says: To keep a woman satisfied, the more
you make, the better.
a dose of reality
I have bad news for you, guy. Kristi doesnt want to marry you. Yes, you should move out,
because you have nothing: You dont own the condo, you dont own Kristis heart and you
dont own a job. Like my cousin General Love says: So what good are you as a male?
Thats just the way most women see it.
Remember, guys: Interest Level cuts everything.
wacky womanese
That night I got the following e-mail from Crystal: I heard that I am hard to figure out? True!
I want to let you know that I do like you and like being around you, but at the same time I just
wanna have fun! Meaning, Im not looking for anything serious or a boyfriend unless one day
it just happens, and it feels right. Ive just been so tied down and in and out of relationships.
Its hard, and I just wanted to let ya know. And I also wanted you to know that you can
always ask me stuff and Ill always be up front and honest with you.
I responded with Slow down, we just met, but I am happy that you like me. And that was it.
Doc, can you translate this Womanese for me? What should I do now?
Ennio - who still cant read her
grow up
When you tell this mutual friend of yours that Crystal is hard to figure out, youre really
making a negative comment about Crystal and putting her down. And youre not thinking -as you should be -- that the comment is going straight back to her. Like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says: Youre acting like a little boy checking up on this girl. Thats what I dont
like about this whole setup. Its idiotic, not to mention immature, because your behavior is no
more sophisticated than a childs. And like my cousin General Love says: And you sure as
heck dont know anything about keeping your mouth shut!
When this mutual friend of yours said that Crystal liked you, it told you absolutely nothing.
But when Crystal mentioned that she wasnt looking for a boyfriend or a relationship, right
there she was telling you that you were out. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A.
says: Shes just going out with you to kill time until she finds someone she really digs. And
that also explains why, when she does go out with you, she has to have your friend along as a
chaperone. She doesnt want to go out with you alone because then it would be a bona fide
date. Get it, Ennio?
When Crystal said its hard, she was saying to you right up front that you dont have a
chance with her. She was telling you in no uncertain terms to forget about it. And thats what
you have to understand here. This whole escapade with Crystal and your friend has all been a
big waste of time. And heres the proof: Crystals letting you know now, after the fact, that
she went out with you five times when she had low Interest Level in you.
Dont worry about Crystal slowing down, guy. Youre the one who should be slowing down.
This babe is dumping you, and shes trying to get it across to you any which way she can.
Shes not available because she doesnt like you on a dating basis. With The System, we
dont look for the reasons why, we just look at the bottom line. And thats why my program
includes the Bottom Line Factor. Like Ive always said, one of my jobs is to help you face
reality and not waste time.
http://www.wsradio.com/internet-talk-radio-schedule.cfm
http://www.wsradio.com/internet-talk-radio.cfm/shows/The-Doc-Love-Show-UnderstandingWomen-for-Men-Only.html
mms://madison.wm-live.abacast.com/wsradio-wsradio-32?MSWMExt=.asf
Missing articles:
Doc Love: Going out with beautiful women
How To Keep Beautiful Women Interested
Continuation
The following articles are sorted in a chronological manner.
still married
Well, the bad news is that Im actually married to my ex. I recently told Kayla the truth, and
that I would be finalizing my divorce in the next few months. But shes afraid of my
emotional baggage and how being married will affect us in the future. I assured her that it
would not affect me negatively and that I have moved on. Im confident that I can have a new
relationship that is fruitful and can last. Kayla now says that she cannot accept the fact that I
was married before and she minds that I started a relationship with her while I was still
married. She feels that she needs time to think and we agreed that it would be better that we
remain friends, which kind of sucks. Deep down, I feel that Kayla is gone.
The worst part of all this is that we are work colleagues. Kayla is kind of withdrawn, and I
cant stop feeling and looking sad. She does not initiate any conversation with me. Shell
smile and respond if I talk to her, but it is not spontaneous or enjoyable. It seems that she does
not want to be reminded of me, and has stopped using the phone I gave her, too.
Im at a loss as to what I should do now. I really want Kayla back. Doc, please coach me and
give me some hope.
Nils - who feels unfairly treated
Why should Kayla be shocked that you were in a seven-day, seven-month or seven-year
relationship? Whats the big deal? Your soon-to-be ex-wife is already gone, right? The point
is this: All of Kaylas professed shock that youre married is just an excuse for her low
Interest Level. And she was going to convey that low interest in one way or another at some
point. When she said at least were sharing, it sounds like Kayla was thinking that she
wasnt all that excited about being with you and that she was thinking of something else that
could be better like another man and another relationship.
once a liar
Your interactions with Kayla from now on are not going to be enjoyable because you
withheld information from her in a sense, you lied to her by omission when you went
out with her. No wonder shes distant and feels let down. I dont blame her. Like my cousin
Sal The Fish Love says: Lets face it, man youre a liar and a sneak. Women really
hate liars and sneaks, Nils.
You gave a woman a phone after going out with her for a month? What are you doing,
keeping tabs on her already? You dont have The System, memorized; I can see that, my
friend.
Guy, you have absolutely zero hope with this babe. You screwed this up from the very
beginning, you made a lot of mistakes and you dont have my program memorized. When you
dont memorize The System, these are the consequences. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says: When you dont know what youre doing, you get to face a girl that you
like at work for the rest of your life until one of you quits or she runs off with the boss.
Remember, guys: Women dont like dating married men.
taking it slow?
Doc, Im crazy confused. One night Bridget has an 80% to 90% Interest Level and the next
afternoon she feels like a slim 50%. Im not sure how to go about this one. How slow should I
go? Should I go totally hands/lips off and not talk to her as much? Or should I act like nothing
happened the other night and just act more like a friend?
Derelle - whose head is spinning from moving too fast
Guy, in the amount of time you spent with this girl, you didnt do all the right things. In fact,
you did everything wrong. You brushed up on my book instead of memorizing it. You were
using only a few of my techniques when you should have been using all of them. In other
words, you took weak, half measures with Bridget and now you have to pay for not doing
what you were supposed to do.
Actually, Bridget has a slim 49% Interest Level. There is no such thing as a 50% Interest
Level. Its either 51% and up, or 49% and below which means youre out. And youre out,
Derelle. In this case youre out because there was a broken date and you spent much too much
time with this girl.
You cant go slowly with Bridget now because you already went too fast and crashed into a
wall. Once you break the speed limit, its too late. And Bridget broke a date, which means its
adios, baby! So now youre going to see her at work, smile, say Hi, how ya doin, and keep
walking. Thats it. You cant act like a friend because youre nothing but an acquaintance.
And Bridget wont even remember that.
Remember, guys: If you dont spoon-feed yourself, shes going to burn out on you.
she thought it might be fun to be romantic with a third person and thought she would like to
try it. When I pressed her on it, she said it was just a passing fantasy.
Doc, do you think Elsa is thinking of cheating on me? Im still trying to process her question,
and Im getting nowhere. Any insight would be appreciated.
Bubba - who doesnt know what to make of it
cramped quarters
When youre cohabiting, sometimes youre going to feel like Elsa is on top of you, but a lot
depends on your actual living situation. How big is the place youre living in? Is it a spacious
house or a tight apartment? Do you have separate bedrooms? Can you stay in one room and
study while shes in the living room watching television so you both have some breathing
space? Obviously, the smaller the space youre in, the more claustrophobic the relationship is
going to be. Like my cousin General Love says: Ask anybody in a nuclear submarine.
But on the other hand, living together after only seven months of dating is way, way, way too
soon. Youve already made the biggest mistake of your life by moving in with this girl. But
you cant suggest to Elsa that its too early now because it will ruin the relationship. Like my
cousin Sal The Fish Love says: Since youve already messed it up by not controlling
yourself, the only thing you can do now is suck it up and do the best you can.
You keep the relationship fresh, interesting and loving by looking up Maintenance Program
in the Dating Dictionary. Youre going to give Elsa respect, affection, romance, and support.
Youre going to be humorous. Youre never going to say I love you, and youre going to
take her out once a week. Thats the only way you can keep this thing from getting boring
now. You have a lot of work ahead of you, my friend.
Now lets move on to the third party that Elsa wants in your relationship. If you wouldnt
have jumped into living together after only seven months, this would have come out
eventually, and you wouldnt have moved in with her and gotten yourself trapped. Anytime a
girl wants to bring a third party in to spice things up, that relationship is dead in the water.
Like the old Chinese saying goes: Relationships are for two people, not three, grasshopper.
Hey, Elsas not thinking of cheating on you because she wants you involved. Like the great
Doctor Freud once said: Your ego would not be able to handle it. Plus, its not healthy for
the relationship.
french connection
Im a 30-year-old professional in New York, and spent the summer doing a project in our
Paris office. There I met Isabelle, a French colleague who was on my team. She is a beautiful,
extremely smart, very independent woman. Shes also funny and has a Flexible, Giving
personality. We spent a lot of time together and had a great connection. From her body
language and overall behavior, I could sense that she liked me as well, so I could have easily
asked her out on a date. However, I knew Id be back in New York after the summer, and
since I dont believe in long-distance relationships, I didnt ask her out.
The project I did in Paris was successful, and I will be relocating there next summer. Since I
really dig Isabelle and I think we could be a fantastic fit, I would love to maximize my
chances of winning her over. Obviously, in the meantime, Im not going to let my interest in
her stop me from dating women in New York. But I do want to make sure to make her as
excited as possible about the prospect of dating me when Im back in Paris.
Ive been in Paris twice since, and met with Isabelle on both occasions. I kept everything light
and funny, and it felt like we were on a date (even though we werent). We briefly talked
about the special connection we had, and I said that I enjoyed her company and that maybe
one day we could have a great relationship. I realized afterward that this was probably very
much anti-Challenge. Did I make a terrible mistake here, Doc?
coming to america
In a few weeks, Isabelle is coming to New York to visit for a few days, before flying
elsewhere for business. (She suggested the visit herself.) Shes staying for two days, which
seems like an awful lot of time to fill. Im also not sure how I can come across as a Challenge
in this situation. Spending two full days exclusively with her might make me look too
available. Alternatively, leaving her on her own for extended periods of time knowing that
shes in New York to visit me would be rude. Ive thought about asking her to join me for a
dinner party with friends, but that would be like a group date, and I know you dont like that.
Also, should I let her stay at my place (which might look too eager) or should I suggest she
stay at a hotel (which might seem unwelcoming and even rude)?
This is such an unusual situation that I dont see how I can best apply The System to it.
But Isabelle is fantastic, and I dont want to ruin my chances of dating her when Im full-time
in Paris.
Ferdy - who wants to apply The System all the time
But heres the bigger problem looming ahead of you: If you get something going with
Isabelle, youre an American and shes French. And this is potentially a huge obstacle, even if
you did happen to fall in love with each other. Are you going to move to France? Is Isabelle
going to move to America? Why start this up in the first place?
failing grades
The reality of the situation is that when you went back to Paris, you were on a date with
Isabelle. Why are you saying it wasnt a date? And like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says:
Hey, man, I hope you kissed her when the date was over!
When you told Isabelle that you hoped one day the two of you would have a great
relationship, you got a big, huge F in Challenge. You tell me that you read The System
and then you went and talked about the future with a babe whos not even an American
citizen? You blew it badly here, Ferdy. And one more thing you came on heavy with her
and you two arent even dating! What were you thinking? So yes, what you did was antiChallenge, and yes, you did make a huge mistake times 10.
waste of time
Its great that you had incoming interest from Isabelle when she invited herself to the Big
Apple. But wheres it going? What youre really cultivating here is a long-distance
relationship. This is a no-no. Are you sure you read my book? Unless Isabelle wants to get a
green card and move to America, youre frittering away your time. What if your company
decides that they dont want you to move to Paris after all? What if Isabelle decides she could
never leave France? Like the great Doc Freud once said: This is all a big illusion in your
mind.
Two days is not a great amount of time to fill when Isabelle gets to New York. You can be a
Challenge by not talking about the future and how youre going to have the possibility of a
long-term relationship like you did before. So keep it light and funny, and dont promise her
the store before you know whats happening. Spending only two days in New York with
Isabelle will not make you look too available theres not enough time as long as you keep
your mouth shut. Its not like youre spending 10 days together. And besides, shes coming
across the Atlantic to see you. Show her New York and have a good time and make her laugh.
Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: Shell be gone before you know it.
And by the way, no group dates. So forget the dinner party.
Youre not going to bring up the subject of where Isabelle is staying until she asks where the
good hotels are. You dont want her staying at your place because its much too quick and
will destroy all remnants of Challenge. So put Isabelle in a hotel close to your place and leave
it at that.
This is not an unusual situation at all, Ferdy. Its actually very simple. What you have is a girl
from another country who youre going to spend time with and shes going to end up not
moving here. When youre done with your work overseas, youll end up back in America and
shell stay in France and youll be back to square one.
Remember, guys: If shes not a citizen of your country, youre wasting your time.
sticky situation
I met Alita through my best friend two months ago. Weve gone out for drinks and hung out
on many occasions. There is a strong attraction between us. Every date ends with a heavy
make-out session, but our relationship never goes further because she says she has a
boyfriend. What I dont understand is that if Alita is willing to tell me and show me for
that matter the way she feels about me, then why is the boyfriend even an issue? I dont
expect any type of relationship to come of this, but I just dont want be led on time and time
again, only to be kicked to the curb at the end of the summer when she leaves town to go back
to school (which is where her boyfriend lives).
I told Alita, I just wish I wasnt being put into the friend zone, and she replied that she
didnt want to put me in the friend zone. Her next statement really got me, though. She said I
just want things to stay the same until I finish school. Then well see what happens.
Doc, what am I doing wrong? How can I make this work? This is the girl every man wants to
marry, be with, love, and God knows I would do what it takes to make it work. Should I give
up hope?
Drazen - whos going crazy over her
red flag
You dont hang out with girls, Drazen. You date them. But hold it right there. Youre telling
me that youre falling for a girl who already has a boyfriend? What you dont seem to realize
is that Alita is not available. When you meet a girl, you have to pass the Physical Attraction
Test, she has to have at least 51% Interest Level in you, and she cannot have a boyfriend.
Without having all of these requirements fulfilled, you cant do anything with her.
If a girl has a boyfriend and shes kissing you, all youre ever going to be is a boy toy,
somebody she plays with on the side while the other guy isnt around. Drazen, what this
means is that Alita is using you, misleading you and giving you false hope. Or, like my cousin
Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, This woman is no good. She has no character. She
has no honesty. She has no Loyalty. She has no Integrity. You cant trust her. Otherwise,
shes great! And by the way, how do you think her boyfriend would feel if he found out that
you were making out with his girl? Of course most men in America are weak when it comes
to women, so he wouldnt have the guts to get rid of her anyway.
You ask why Alitas boyfriend is even an issue. Let me explain it: If she really dug you, she
would break up with that guy. But hes an idiot, and youre an idiot, so shell continue
stringing the two of you along until she gets more bored with the both of you than she already
is. Making out with one guy isnt enough for Alita. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, If
she has two guys, she can try to fill that empty hole of low self-esteem inside her which can
never be satisfied. And by the way, what makes you so sure that you and Alitas boyfriend
are the only two fish shes got on the line? What if shes flirting with and e-mailing other
guys around the country?
dead end
What are you doing wrong? Well, when a girl has a boyfriend, like I said before, shes really
not in the game at all. How can you make this work? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, Hire a hit man and kill the boyfriend. Thats the only way youre going to have a
chance with this gem every guy wants to marry, love, be with, and so on.
Should you give up hope? Like my cousin General Love says, Soldier, this thing was dead in
the water before it even started.
Remember, guys: If she has a boyfriend, shes not available.
are we doomed?
So what do you think? Is her moderate inflexibility a major problem to the relationship,
enough to cause serious problems down the road? Am I risking lowering her Interest Level
too much, or am I compromising just the right amount? Youve said yourself that Beautiful
Women are by nature inflexible, and I dont think shes all that bad, so are these inflexible
traits just part of the deal with Chloe?
Youre not going to lower Chloes Interest Level as long as you keep playing psychiatrist and
give her therapy every day for the rest of your life. And as long as you say I love you back
to her two or three or four times a day, shes not going anywhere. Of course it has no value
whatsoever in the relationship, but with her low self-esteem, shell think its great. You can
say I love you to Chloe 50 times a day and never lower her Interest Level because her selfesteem is in the ditch.
You call her inflexibility moderate? Talk about rationalizing, Nicoli! This is massive
inflexibility. Of course its going to cause serious problems down the road. How could it not?
Dont fret about compromising too much or lowering Chloes Interest Level. Neither concept
should even be in this discussion. What you have to do is get rid of her. Shes a whack-job,
and youll end up hating her anyway.
Yes, its true that, as a rule, the Beautiful Woman is inflexible. And thats because ever since
she was 12 years old, every male shes ever run into has never said anything but yes to her.
an education
After a month alone, reading your book and hustling new phone numbers, I was constantly
troubled by what could have been with Larissa had I had The System. So, violating the
back (you cant go) principle, I called her. We went out and had a great time. Since then,
weve gone out three more times, and each time, I have watched her Interest Level rise
because of my use of your techniques.
Everything is going great, Doc. Like you say, she is going to do what she wants, when she
wants to do it and with whom. I have been able to relax and let things come more naturally
and on her terms. She really does have to think that its all her idea again, just like you say.
I dont want you to think that I am just being a sap for Larissa. I am out one night a week,
hustling new phone numbers and dating other girls, and I am seeing Larissa once every two
weeks.
scoring an invite
So heres my question. Larissa and I went out last night and, like always, we laughed and had
a great time. Toward the end of the night, she invited me to her two birthday parties. One is a
barbecue at her house and one is at a club for a dance party. She said that all of her friends are
invited but I am getting a special invite. I dont know if I should go because I wont be on a
date with her at either party. On the other hand, she may consider it rude if I dont show up to
at least one of these bashes. Larissa is chased by a lot of guys, and I am a bit of an outsider to
her social circle, so I dont know what to expect were I to show up to either or both of these
parties.
What should I do?
Igor - who is a true believer
facing facts
Just who do you think youre kidding here, Igor? Of course youre being a sap for Larissa.
She told you she didnt want anything to do with you and yet you insist on hanging around
her. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: If sticking to her like an insect to flypaper
aint the definition of a pushover, I dont know what is.
Lets look a little more closely at what youre doing now. Youre seeing Larissa only once
every two weeks. If she really dug you if she had any kind of hot interest in you she
would insist on seeing you at least once a week. So youre not seeing enough of this girl to
make this go anywhere. This situation is what we call a retread. Its like an old tire, which
isnt as good as a new Michelin. Larissas just going out with you to fill time, guy, because
she doesnt have anyone else right now. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says:
If there was someone she liked, she wouldnt be dating you. And we already know she
doesnt like you, right?
Its actually good that you wont be on a date with Larissa at her birthday parties. For one
thing, it would be a group date, which is a big no-no, and for another, it gives you the chance
to hustle other babes. Like my cousin General Love says: Soldier, you have to learn to see
the openings on the battlefield.
game over
But Nelson, you have no game plan you have no game, period. To you Psych majors:
There will be no room for error if you follow my techniques. Like my cousin General Love
says, All bases will be covered, and you wont be shooting in the dark at a target you cant
even see.
So Ghislaine doesnt know how you feel about her now. Nelson, whats the matter with you?
This babe should never have known you had feelings for her in the first place. If youd
followed my principles, youd have known that Ghislaine should have been the one to realize
that she has feelings for you. At that point she would have asked you to not be her friend
anymore. Youre doing things, pal, but youre doing everything backwards.
Your feelings for Ghislaine are stronger than hers are for you? What a surprise! Thats the
understatement of the century! I think Ill let the Guinness World Records in on that one!
the friend zone and youll be there for the rest of your life. So face reality and hustle some
other girls.
But you still think theres potential for attraction on her end. You guys kill me. This is a onein-a-million shot, man. Youve been tailing this girl for over two years, she has zero Interest
Level in you and you say theres a spark? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A.
says, Dude, you gotta lay off the Jose Cuervo!
Remember, guys: Once a friend, always a friend.
now. I feel like if I lose Sapphire, I may lose the best thing thats happened to me, but the
physical attraction is not as hot as it was. My old girlfriend coming back into my life only
stirred up the feelings I had for that physical attraction and those sexy ways. At the same time,
maybe Im looking for perfection that doesnt exist. Im 38, and I havent had kids, and
Sapphire would be a great mom. But Im still having a tough time wanting the marriage, even
though I believe we could have a very happy life. I wish I wasnt so superficial.
Doc, I know Ive done some bad stuff, but lay it on me. I need to know how to handle myself.
Wilfred whos twisted into a pretzel
repeat offender
Instead, you decided to try to rekindle the mess with the super-bitchy Stormy, who cheated on
you before. Like most men, since youre having problems with your current girl, you go to the
past for a solution. (To you psych majors, women do the same thing.) And what men do is
distort what really happened back then into something more agreeable to their present needs.
But Stormy belongs to the past, Wilfred. This disaster happened 12 years ago. She memorized
all the mistakes you made, and she cant forget them. So its over. Get that through your head.
I dont care if this stuff happened 100 years ago you cant go back.
Sure, Stormy may have changed, but her memory hasnt changed. Your friend didnt give you
good advice, guy. And by the way, you should be listening to me, not some yahoo friend of
yours who doesnt know anything about anything.
poor decisions
Its interesting that you realized Stormy sucked you in by pandering to your ego. Most guys
dont understand whats happening when theyre being taken for a ride, but you did at the
same time as Stormy was doing it. So youre making the wrong choices when you know
theyre the wrong choices, even though you have my book. Whats wrong with you, Wilfred?
And you pursued Stormy anyway. So now youre entangled with two girls, neither of whom
you have a chance with.
It doesnt matter if Stormy lives next door or in New Zealand. Its finished with her. This is
all a waste of time and has absolutely nothing to do with your problems with Sapphire.
Youve somehow gotten it into your head that there are only two women in the whole world
and you have to choose between them. But both these two are out.
You dont have a twisted sense of loyalty to anyone, Wilfred. You just cant be alone. Thats
your problem. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: If you were really loyal,
you wouldnt be chasing another chick around. You wouldnt even be talking about Stormy
if you were a loyal man.
And like I said before, its also true that its history with Sapphire. Youve got four and a half
years in with a fat girl. Thats all. Your emotions arent all over the place. Its your logic and
reasoning that are all over the place. Your emotions are fine.
getting closer?
Weve had a wonderful time together: fun dates, great trips, intimacy, etc. Because I wanted
to be closer to her, I moved within a couple of miles of her house, which is 40 miles from
where I used to live. It had gotten to the point that I thought about asking Courtney to marry
me in the next year or so. The only lingering doubts I had were that Courtney might change
her mind about our relationship, how a mixing of families would work and our financial
situations.
We both have complicated lives. Courtney shares custody of two children one with special
needs is starting a new business that is eating away at her savings, has been divorced for
only two years, and has no more alimony. My own business is winding down, and Im
looking for my next endeavor, which I would like to start before making a marriage
commitment. My kids are older but still need the support of a parent (they dont see or
communicate with their mother), and they are with me for school holidays. In addition, I have
a nasty alimony situation.
Your first mistake with Courtney was mixing business with pleasure. You dont bring friends
or lovers into your business, especially in the beginning. This babe is a stranger to you, pal.
You dont even know her. And right out of the gate, you were way too available.
Your next mistake was giving Courtney a choice about the date you asked her on. You dont
give a woman choices you tell her what youre going to do. You say to her, Heres where
were going, and Ill pick you up at eight oclock. Thats it. To you psych majors: Giving a
woman choices is weak.
You think that because Courtney chose to watch two fat, nearly naked guys grappling, that it
makes her special? You think that enjoying 500-pound men trying to force each other off a
mat makes her unique? Like my Uncle Jethro Love says: Man, youre grabbing at straws!
When Courtney informed you that her heart had closed, it meant that her Interest Level went
from 51% to 49% and that youre out. Its over. You should have gotten my book three years
ago so you would have anticipated and understood all of this thats where you dropped the
ball, cowboy.
Why would Courtney regret what she did when she doesnt care about you? It doesnt make a
lick of sense, Ray. People regret things when they like you. Courtney doesnt like you
romantically anymore, which means she doesnt regret a thing. Besides, like my cousin
Brother Love down in Watts says: Shes already on the lookout for the next guy since her
alimony is gone.
The letter you wrote for finality is called begging. Begging lowers Interest Level even
more. Writing a love letter to someone youre already on the outs with is a waste of time. You
ought to think about your own pride, if you have any left. And by the way, you dont say I
love you to a woman. So dont send the letter. Throw it in the fireplace and start a fire
instead. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says: Your fireplace will be warmer than this wenchs
heart.
Courtneys kids have nothing whatsoever to do with her Interest Level, so forget them. She
doesnt care if you cause them pain, since shes dumping you, so why should you care?
Remember, guys: Once a woman closes her heart, youre finished.
And let me explain something else to you. Youre the only one whos extremely happy.
Youre the one whos at the peak of the relationship; she s in the valley of it. Thats why she
cant keep her eyes off other men in various states of undress.
Your future together is crystal clear
Krystal only stared at that fellow in the restaurant for five minutes? Thats nothing! Youre an
uptight guy, Chandler! Your problem is that youre too jealous and possessive. But seriously,
of course you were ticked off that she dissed you. Who wouldnt be? And when she resumed
her habit of staring at other guys after you called her on it, thats when you should have said,
Adios, Krystal!
Girls dont have multiple desires when theyre in love with someone. So you have to get rid
of Krystal now. Your intuition isnt telling you that Krystal is in love with you; its your big
ego thats whispering in your ear. And like my cousin Rabbi Love says: A mans ego is the
devil.
The guys married to wenches who cant stop flirting because they need confirmation of their
attractiveness are miserable. Think about it, Chandler. Is that the way you want to live for the
next 40 years? Because her habit is only going to get worse.
Protect yourself
Even if something never happens between Krystal and another guy, why does she need the
attention of complete strangers? The only way youre never going to get burned by Krystal is
if you dump her. Forget about marrying her this girl gets an F in loyalty and trust.
Remember, guys: If she doesnt have eyes only for you, shes out.
really want this to work out. She swears that the only reason she interacted with this guy in
any way was because he pestered her constantly.
Forgive And Forget?
So Doc, should I dump Chelsie? If I want to work it out with her, what would you
recommend? Finally, how can I forget about this later in life if Chelsie and I dont work out or
even if it does?
Syd who doesnt want to lose his trust in her
Doc Love's Response
Hi Syd,
Now, let me get this straight. You love my show, you follow my columns, youve got a
problem with a woman, and you dont invest in my book? Hey, it makes sense to me! You
sound like a real winner, pal.
The sad thing about this situation is that youve been going with a girl for two whole years
and now she tells you about a guy she likes. Like my cousin General Love says: If you
cant see this massive red flag, soldier, you have to be blind. Its practically smacking you in
the face, Syd.
Lack Of Loyalty
Chelsies wonderful revelation speaks to the character quality of loyalty as in, her lack of
it. And the worst thing about it is not that theres another guy she likes though thats bad
enough but that she has the guts to tell you about it. Know what that says about you, Syd?
Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: She knows that youre a wimp and has you so
wrapped around her finger that youll go along with it and try to understand her.
Then she has the chutzpah to tell you that she flippantly admits to this other guy that she
loves him? I love you is the most sacred phrase in a womans vocabulary, and she
nonchalantly throws it back at this other guy when shes supposedly in love with you. Like
my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: Wow. She sounds like a real gem.
Diagnosing The Disorder
What you dont seem to understand here, Syd and you would if youd read and
memorized The System is that this guy whos kissing Chelsie is not the problem.
Actually, you should be buying the guy a box of candy or some flowers, because he brought
to light a negative trait in your woman, which makes her no good to you for the long haul. So
he really did you a big favor here.
Guys always attack the other guy in these situations. They forget what the real point is that
their girlfriend led that other guy on. Think about it, Syd. Chelsie didnt tell this guy to go to
hell. She didnt say, Hey, Im deeply in love with Syd, so leave me alone! Dont kid
yourself, my friend. Chelsie fed off this situation. There was something about it that she dug,
which was why she went along with it. Common sense dictates that if you dont like someone,
you tell the creep to get lost. So, like my Uncle Jethro Love says: Between the ears, your
girlfriend is a cuckoo.
But above all, she cant be trusted. She has no loyalty, and shes not trustworthy. Other than
that, I think shed be a great mother to your daughter, as shed be the perfect role model to
teach her about right and wrong. Uh, right.
See It For What It Is
You think Chelsie has more interest in you than vice versa? Syd, youre out of touch with
reality. Youve got the situation exactly backward! Youre upside down here. Her Interest
Level is 51% and yours is 99%!
To you psych majors: You dont continue a relationship with a woman whos untrustworthy.
Chelsie has demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt that she cant be trusted. And you
have to understand that the woman cant be just 98% or 99% trustworthy. She has to be 100%
trustworthy for you to hang on to her. Chelsie gets an F in the subject of trust.
Syd, you dont lecture a girl when she lets another guy kiss her. You walk; thats all you do.
She was horrified that the situation got out of hand? Wrong! She knew what she was doing
the whole time. She was feeding off this guy. Like the great Doctor Freud once said: These
two are in a symbiotic relationship.
You cant try to make this work out, guy. Chelsie cant be trusted as far as you can see her.
Period. She claims that the other guy pestered her constantly? Thats really funny. She must
have left out the part where he was waving a .45 at her and forcing her to kiss him.
A Simple Prescription
What should you do? Dump Chelsie. I recommend walking away from her right now. You
cant forget about what happened here, now or 50 years from now. And until you memorize
my materials, youre going to walk around in a state of confusion like 90% of the men out
there.
Remember, guys: Any time you cant trust a girl, youve been with her too long.
No Playing Games
Here are my two issues. First, Im usually really good at hooking the girl, but Ive had trouble
with reeling them in, so to speak. Im the type of guy who doesnt really like playing games,
and I let women know who I am straight out because I figure if they dont like me for me,
then theres no point in dating them, and its just wasted time. I play cocky, but Im a big
softy on the inside. Ive gotten mixed results; most girls really dig it, but some havent. So I
guess what Im asking is, how should I approach the first date with Claudine?
An Older Woman
Secondly, theres the age difference between us. Im 20, and Claudines 25. Im kind of
worried that the age difference might come into play here. I cant foresee anything specific,
because she doesnt seem like a bar diver or a party girl. My friends and I can get pretty
goofy, but she seems to really like me for my goofy self. Also, what can a 20-year-old and a
25-year-old do on a first date that would be fun? Any ideas?
Lace whos just getting back into the game
Doc Love's Response
Hi Lace,
First of all, how do you know this girl is a big softy on the inside? You only see her at work,
youve never taken her out, and youve never even sat down and talked to her for an hour.
Heck, you dont know the first thing about her except for her name and where she works!
Like the great Doctor Freud once said: Youre just projecting here.
Also, how do you know Claudines not a bar diver or a party girl? Youve never even been
out with her! Youve judged this girl, and you know nothing whatsoever about her shes a
complete stranger to you.
And reeling them in is exactly what my techniques are all about. Most guys can get a girl to
like them at the beginning, but thats where it ends. They cant keep them, or as you say, reel
them in. Thats where The System comes in and thats why you need my book. In
those pages, youll get every technique you need to hook and land a woman, and keep her for
the long run.
So what are you waiting for, Lace?
To Be Or Not To Be Honest
Now, this whole thing about letting women know who you are, warts and all, is a complete
pile of garbage. To you psych majors: You dont tell a girl on the first date that you rob banks.
Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says: You tell her after she falls in love with
you. Then she cant leave. Youre not supposed to give her any negatives whatsoever. Like
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: At the beginning, its a cat-and-mouse game. So when
you tell me youre completely up-front with women, I know right then and there you dont
know the first thing about them.
would back off her for a while and that she didnt want to marry him. I refused to just accept
it and told her I wanted her to e-mail him and tell him she wasnt interested in him at all and
wasnt going to be with him, which she did in front of me.
Accepting Gifts
A few months went by, and we were next to each other with our laptops when I glanced over
and saw her e-mailing the guy and asking him to send her these colored contact lenses she
wanted but refused to let me buy for her. I said nothing at the time. A few weeks later, she
told me that her cousin was going to be sending her the contacts and I said, Oh, really? I
thought that other guy was sending them. She got all mad and flustered and tried to deny it,
but then said she didnt tell me because she didnt want me to get angry.
Am I crazy or should she not be asking for and receiving gifts from other guys, especially one
her family is pushing her to marry? This happened two weeks ago, and I have yet to get over
it. The whole situation screams that I am a sucker, but I dont know what to do, especially
since Kala lives with me. I sometimes worry that she stays with me just for a place to live. On
top of all this, Id have to convert to her religion in order to be with her long term. So am I
being a sucker, Doc?
Jericho who's in deep
Doc Love's Response
Hi Jericho,
Wait a minute here. It would take you all of three minutes to order The System via the
internet, so why dont you have it? Youve got a huge problem on your hands here with Kala,
and you havent had a chance to order my program? What are you waiting for, my friend?
More torture and torment? I dont get it.
Having Kala living with you is the biggest mistake youve made in your life, dude. To you
Psych majors, you dont live with a girl you barely know. Whether or not your parents are
there is beside the point. The biggest problem with this arrangement is that youre murdering
challenge. But, then again, you dont read my book. Hey, makes sense to me!
Arranging a marriage for children is a tradition in many cultures. This would be no big deal if
the girl has a 90% Interest Level in you; she would buck her familys wishes. But Kala's not
doing that. And that tells you something.
You Can't Trust Her
When you found the computer folder containing Kalas e-mails to this other guy, right then
and there you knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that she is a liar. Like my cousin Brother
Love down in Watts says, Bro, you should throw her out in the street and never talk to her
again. Jericho, dont you understand whats going on? Kalas lying to you. When a girl lies
to you, she has no loyalty. Shes talking to another man behind your back, which means shes
dishonest. So shes out. Done. Finis. Over. Theres no other way to say it.
But Kala swore that she did it so her folks would back off her. So that means shes lying to
her parents too. This is just great! She wants her folks to back off for a while? How about you
back off for a while? And how about telling her to get lost forever?
Why are you having Kala e-mail this other guy? You dont want her e-mailing anybody,
Jericho. All you want to do is get rid of her right now. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, This
ones dangerous, my son. Shes a pathological liar.
Stop Being A Pushover
And so she has to be out, like I said. Of course she e-mailed the other guy in front of you. But
like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, As soon as you turn your back, shell write him
another e-mail saying she changed her mind. Come on, pal. Wake up! And youre the guy
who hasnt had a chance to read "The System" yet! Gosh, youre really smart!
Not only did Kala lie to you once, shes lying again because shes still conversing with the
other guy! Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Do you need this other guy
to move into your house with you and your girl before you finally catch the drift?
The reason Kala didnt tell you or do anything about the other guy has nothing to do
with you getting ticked off. She didnt tell you anything about him because she wants to keep
him on the line. That way she gets to have two boyfriends. She has her parents choice and
she has the guy she lives with. And you go for it, Jericho! This Kalas pretty smart, isnt she?
Ill tell you why youre crazy, Jericho, and its not because Kalas taking gifts from other
guys. Youre crazy for staying with her. Youre not a sucker; youre a triple sucker. Why not
toss her? Tell her to beat it goodbye! Inform her that she has a week to pack and find
someplace else to live. Of course shes staying with you just for a place to live. This babe has
no interest in you. Shes only interested in what her parents want her to do and this potential
husband. Youre just a big stooge.
Remember, guys: If shes a pathological liar, shes not really good material for a long-term
relationship.
Unfortunately, because I was new to the area, I didnt really think ahead about where to go
and what to do. I started to leave decisions in her hands, and we ended up getting a movie and
going to her apartment to watch it. Her interest dwindled slightly, but she was still into me.
Then, on the next date, I made the mistake of going along with her to dance with her and her
friend. I got tired, and since I dont like crowded spaces, I came across as not taking charge
enough. I asked Marcella if shed like to get together again and got the as friends slammer.
Failed Attempts
I texted Marcella a few times since then and got responses but never successfully made plans,
so I just gave up for a while. Its been a month since I spoke to her, but I keep seeing her on
the bus. I flirt with other girls and just ignore her. Now Im thinking about taking another stab
at Marcella. Do you think I should just give it more time? And if I do approach her, is
bringing up the last date a taboo subject?
Alain - who still feels the challenge
Doc Love's Response
Hi Alain,
You dont really love my work. What you really mean is that you like my work. If you truly
loved the work, youd own The System and you dont.
When you say youve found few girls who are long-term material, youre also indirectly
saying that these girls have never found you to be long-term material. Have you thought about
that?
You didnt have a solid game plan for dating Marcella. In fact, you didnt have any plan at all.
Most guys dont think ahead in relationships. They only look at their feelings at the time, and
they never look down the road. They have no type of foresight or wisdom whatsoever about
where this relationship might be headed. This is like going into war without a plan of attack.
Like my cousin General Love says, When you march onto the battlefield unprepared, you
invite disaster.
And, sure enough, you relinquished control pretty much immediately and ended up at
Marcellas apartment with nothing in mind except for a movie. Like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says, In other words, it wasnt long before she started wearing the pants and you
started wearing the dress. Well, thats great, Alain. Thats guaranteed to raise Marcellas
Interest Level.
The price of being unprepared
What is interesting is that you actually noticed that Marcellas interest in you was going
down. Despite that huge red flag, you still didnt say to yourself, Ive got to get a hold of
Docs program right away and try to figure out why her Interest Level is in a tailspin! You
never asked yourself what was really going on, and you didnt reach out for the one thing that
could actually help you my book.
And as so often happens when youre shortsighted and unprepared, you compounded the
situation by making another mistake. How in the world do you go out on a date with a girl
you like and get tired"? Why would you go out on a date in the first place if you were
bushed? And, of course, this was on top of committing the blunder of going out with one of
Marcellas friends in tow. No group dates is the rule, but you werent aware of it. Third, you
dont ask a girl if she wants to get together; you just assume youre going to get together. You
name the place and time, and say, Is it OK to pick you up then?
Just friends
When you heard the words as friends fall from Marcellas lips, it meant her Interest Level
had just gone from 51% to 49%, and you were out forever the instant she uttered them. Like
my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, If she wants to be just friends with you, it
also means that she will never have anything to do with you again, even if you were the last
man on the face of the earth.
You shouldnt just give up trying Marcella for a while, pal. You should give up on her
forever. This thing is done. Its over. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says,
When you hear the word friends,' its the kiss of death.
No Second Chances
You cant give this thing even one minute more because youre done. Finished. What you
dont understand is that Marcella doesnt even give you a thought anymore. When you cross
paths on the bus, you dont even register for her. She doesnt see your face; she sees another
guys face. Youre a complete stranger to her. This is what most guys never understand. To
you Psych majors, once you blow it with a girl, you dont even exist for her. You just blend
into the traffic and the passing scenery and all the other passengers on the bus.
No, Alain, youre not going to approach Marcella. Why? Because its a complete waste of
time. And if you did, why would you bring up anything negative, like the last date? All youd
be doing would be putting yourself down. Why would you want to do that? Whats patently
obvious to me is that you dont know the first thing youre doing, dude. How long are you
going to wait before you put an end to your confusion?
Remember, guys: If she wants to be just friends, youre out.
She's Insecure
Hey Doc,
Im a new reader. Let me briefly tell you about this nightmare I entered.
I liked Mia, a girl I know at work. Her ex cheated on her and treated her really badly. She had
no friends in town, so I set her up with a new apartment, and she finally got away from him.
She was incredibly grateful to me and fell completely in love with me. As I thought she was
not ready for a relationship, I decided to book flights to try and forget about her and go and
see an ex, thinking Mia would take the hint. But a few days later, things changed, and we
started dating and got romantic. Mia is really insecure, and I was really nice to her.
Secret visits
Anyway, things seemed to be going well. Then all of a sudden, Mia started bringing up that I
went to see my ex. She just couldnt get over the fact that I had these flights already booked
and couldnt get out of them. Then she started to meet her ex in secret (she said nothing
happened between them, which I believe). She kept telling me that she was falling in love
with me but was too scared to do so because of what happened the last time between her and
her ex. I changed from being the chased to the chaser, and like a moron, became super
submissive to her.
Mia then broke up with me. She said I should go and see my ex again, forget about her, and
said I deserved to be happy. She added that we had to stop seeing each other and that she
needed to be alone. After a long debate (dumb, I know), we closed it quite amicably by saying
we could just be friends.
Her ex messed her up
Question: Its obvious that Mia is confused and has trust issues, but do I still have a chance
here, or did I blow it by becoming too submissive? Do you think a lack of attention from me
could bring Mia back? I treated her really well and gave her a lot of attention (she said this
initially attracted her to me). Do you think her initial Interest Level can be recovered, or is it
too much to expect after her scumbag ex messed her up? I know I played it poorly, but I just
did not expect to fall for Mia this badly which I told her, by the way.
Stewie, who doesnt know where to start
Doc Love's Response
Hi Stewie,
Let me explain something to you. When you set a woman up that you want to date with a new
apartment or wash her car or fix her computer what youre doing is sliding down into
friendship mode straight out of the gate. In other words, youre trying to up her romantic
Interest Level by doing things for her. But youre not there to be her plumber or her mechanic
or her computer tech or her real estate agent. Youre there to raise her Interest Level, and
thats all. To you psych majors: When you act as her helper, youre broadcasting your high
Interest Level, which is anti-challenge. So you made a serious mistake here right from the getgo.
Why are you going to see your ex? Your ex is ancient history. And why are you blabbing to
Mia about an ex? Youre not supposed to talk about other women to the one you want to date.
I know you thought Mia would take the hint when you brought up your ex, but your thinking
is all wrong. Somehow you figured that telling her you were going out with an ex who lives
so far away that you had to fly to see her was going to make Mia like you more. It doesnt
make sense. And if Mia was a nice, trusting girl, it was a stupid move.
You know why Mia started bringing up your flights to see your ex? Like my Uncle Jethro
Love says: Because you told her, you big bucket-mouth! And yes, you could have gotten
out of those flights if I gave you a million dollars, right? So dont say you were somehow
trapped into seeing your ex, because its B.S.
Now let me get this straight. Mia started seeing her ex in secret? You mean the ex who abused
her and treated her like crap? Gosh, Stewie, this girl is even dumber than you! Because you go
and see an ex, that means she has to go and see her ex? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says: What is this? A game of tit for tat?
Mia is a flat-out liar when she says shes too scared to fall in love with you because of what
happened with her ex. She started meeting him again, didnt she? Why would she do that if
she'd had such bad experiences before?
You can't be friends
Nevertheless, instead of running for the hills when she displayed this behavior, you turned
around and became supersubmissive to Mia. Very good at least you learned something
from my book, even though you dont have it. But seriously, Mia did you a favor when she
broke up with you; you just dont see it. Guy, youre not going to be friends with this babe.
Youre going to be cordial when you see her on the street and say hi and goodbye and nothing
else. Friends talk to each other two or three times a week, and you two arent going to do that.
Like the old Chinese saying goes: Friends is the most misused word in the English
language, Grasshopper.
Youre right about one thing: Mia does have trust issues. But youre wrong when you say
shes confused. Youre the one whos confused. She just has trust issues.
Forget it
Do you still have a chance here? Dude, you did everything wrong. Like my cousin General
Love says: When you do everything wrong on the battlefield, you cant expect a good
outcome, soldier. No, a lack of attention from you wont bring Mia back, because once
Interest Level hits 49%, youre gone. And youre gone, pal. All that attention you lavished on
Mia may have attracted her to you, but it didnt make this thing last, did it? Her scumbag ex
didnt mess her up. You messed up by making every blunder in the book. If you'd done things
right and Mia didnt have trust issues and she wasnt insecure and she was clinically sane,
youd have had a chance. But theres way too much going against you.
One last thing: Why are you telling this girl who doesnt care about you that youre in love
with her? You say that you played it poorly with Mia. So then why dont you do it properly
next time? The only way to do that is to get a hold of my program and memorize it.
Remember, guys: If you dont do things right from the beginning, youre dead in the water.
First of all, you shouldnt have gotten so romantic with Kimmy so soon. Instead of coming on
so strong with her, you should have just kissed her at her door. But like most men, you have
no self-control, and that character flaw will always lead you straight into trouble.
When Kimmy got a bit cold with you, you shouldnt have returned to your house with her.
Once you saw that she was being distant, you should have backed off. Next, you should have
turned her down for the sixth date. Thats what would have upped her Interest Level. You
dont understand this because you havent memorized "The System," but the word no
drives Interest Level up. You went along with Kimmys interest in you because it was
incoming, but it was the wrong time to do that.
Then you started getting into little fights with this babe. Let me explain something to you:
Women with low Interest Level start spats. Women with high Interest Level dont. And what
it means is that youre on your way out. Ernesto, youre seeing this girl too much and youre
doing the wrong things a deadly combination. Now I know for sure that you dont have my
book.
When Kimmy was dancing like you werent there and refused to talk to you, you should have
taken her straight home to her place. To you Psych majors, when youre not having fun
with a woman, cut it. But instead of backing way off, you started sending her gifts. Big
mistake. Interest Level is taking a dive, and youre sending gifts? Thats the worst thing you
can do, pal. And you kept sending them. This girl isnt your girlfriend. You dont give gifts
unless shes already your girlfriend. To boot, youre having all kinds of problems with her.
What sense does this make?
You shouldnt have called Kimmy when she got back to town from her trip. Instead, you
should have waited for her to call you. And when she was cold every time you touched her,
you shouldnt have been touching her. Like I always tell you guys, she should be touching
you. But again, you dont know that since you dont have The System.
Getting it all wrong
Ernesto, you never ask a girl whats bothering her. When you have to do that, it means youre
finished. Youre never going to get the truth from her. Shes not going to come right out and
tell you that youre turning her off.
Then you compounded your errors with more errors. When Kimmy was treating you like
crap, you shouldnt have asked her if she wanted to go to your house. Keep the dates short.
When she mumbled that she couldnt go, it meant you were out. And when she told you that
she really enjoyed spending time with you, it was Womanese for This is our last date!
You wussed a bit? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Dude, youve been
wussing the whole time!
But instead of toughening up, what did you do? You sent Kimmy love songs. More begging!
If you're begging, youre on the way out. Ernesto, whats wrong with you? All you do is hurt
your cause with all of this begging. Being on your knees all the time makes you look like a
wimp, and no clinically sane woman likes that. What youre supposed to do at this point is
withdraw. You cant up her Interest Level by mailing her love songs. Like my cousin Sal
The Fish Love says, In her mind, you and love dont go together.
When you got zero response to all your texts, it meant you were finished. Like my Uncle
Jethro Love says, All youre doin, boy, is beatin a dead hoss. When she told you that
shed call you when she had time, it was just more Womanese for Dont ever call me again!
You can't get her back
I got more bad news for you. Kimmys Interest Level isnt even near 60% now. Her Interest
Level is more like 39%, pal. And you know what that means finito! But you told her it
would be better if you contacted her when you were free. Aw, youre pulling a macho play on
someone who doesnt even like you. Youre a tough guy, Ernesto. Im impressed.
And whats the result of all these wrong moves? Theres been no contact between the two of
you since. Dont worry: Kimmy will get back to you sometime in the next 20 years.
Ernesto, if you knew you made mistakes, why did you make them? Heres the problem with
wanting a new strategy: When Interest Level is below 50%, youre out. Nothing will work
now. When her interest was dropping from 95% to 51%, you could have salvaged it. But
below 51%, its hopeless. You cant rekindle her flame.
Remember, guys: When youre out, theres no way of winning her back.
Long-Distance Relationships
Hey Doc,
Id been seeing Brenda, a single mom with two kids, for a short while. We live about 45
minutes away from each other and had a handful of dates. She admitted to me that shes been
seeing someone who lives in her town and that shes felt herself growing closer to him.
distance and dating
Now, how much of an issue is distance when it comes to dating? I dont think 45 minutes
away is that far. Alternatively, Im hesitant to date anyone outside of my city, but in the event
I meet someone from out of town again, Id like to know how I might handle it better. There
arent many options here in my town.
I also want to add that I always seem to get stuck at three or four dates with a woman, and this
happens at about the one-month period. The only one that didnt end in that period of time
was a short-term fake relationship where the woman went back to her ex, later married him
and divorced him. This has become quite frustrating for me because it seems like I cant even
get into a relationship with a woman.
Everyone tells me all the stupid cliches: Dont try so hard. (I dont.) Girls dont like the
nice guys. (Im not your typical nice guy.) It will happen when you least expect it. (Im not
expecting anything.)
Doc, Im 30 and would love for my luck to change. I sometimes think I would benefit from
having someone right alongside me to help me, but I have no clue how to begin with that.
Thank you for your time.
Marcellus - whos hit a wall
doc loves response
Hi Marcellus,
Whoa. Wait a minute here. Youre telling me that youre dating a woman who is telling you
that shes seeing someone else and that her Interest Level in this other guy is going up?
Doesnt that tell you that youre out of this long-distance relationship? Like my Uncle Jethro
Love says, Boy, shes usin a bullhorn right in your face! And doesnt that tell you that this
whole thing is all a waste of time? Doesnt this tell you that youre coming in second in the
horse race? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Nobody remembers who
comes in second at the track. Only the winners pay off.
do long-distance relationships work?
To answer your question about long distance, the truth is that its a big deal. To you Psych
majors: If you live 5 or 10 minutes away from a girl, its easy to date her and use Challenge.
But when she lives 45 minutes to an hour away, you naturally will have to see her less and
your planning has to be much stricter. Basically, everything is much harder in a long-distance
relationship. How do you handle this situation better? You cant. The girl has to live closer to
you. The rule is that the shorter the distance between the two of you, the better off you are. As
far as the local options are concerned, you havent met every girl in your town, have you,
Marcellus?
The reason you keep getting stuck at the one-month period with girls is because youre doing
things wrong. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, What happens is that the girl likes
you on the first date, youre pretty good on the second date, on the third date things start
going downhill, and by the fourth date, youre out. This happens to lots of guys. And it
happens because they say and do all the wrong things because they dont have my program,
"The System." And this is apparently whats happening in your case, my friend.
to ask for it, so I must have done something right. Heather is the kind of girl that Ive been
looking for all my life. Im not a young man, Doc. Im older and Im really particular about
what I like, want and will put up with. Anyway, Heather is all I could ever want and a bag of
chips.
Ive maintained Challenge with Heather the entire time. She told me she loves me, and I fell
down only once and told her that I loved her back my bad. But it didnt slow her down,
and she just smiled and laughed every time we had a date (which was more times than you
recommend, but they were all quality dates and we had fun every time).
her guy friends
Now heres the problem: I called Heather two days ago to ask her out on a date for our usual
night. But a friend she hasnt seen in many months (who lives and works out of town) called
her up out of the blue and said he wanted to get together with her. She offered to let him crash
at her place. The issue? Heather broke our date and her friend is a guy. Heather is a girl with
guy friends, Doc. I have no problems with her having men as friends since Im not a jealous
person and shes told me that she loves that about me. She happens to have a lot of guy
friends, but I cant get it out of my head that she broke a date with me to go have a couple of
beers with this guy. I am angry beyond belief here. I dont know if I should just kick her to
the curb or do what my heart says, which is not to worry about it and let her have a night with
a friend. I do love Heather and care for her more than any other girl Ive dated in years, but I
wont stand for disloyalty. What should I do?
Mikhail - who cant decide
doc loves response
Hi Mikhail,
First of all, Im glad you have this buddy whom you call lucky. The real truth of the matter
is that he isnt lucky. Hes either what we call a natural or hes studied my techniques
from "The System" and committed them to memory. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says: Theres no such thing as luck when it comes to women. You either know
what youre doing, or you dont thats all there is to it.
But I do like the fact that Heather came at you with her home number without your having to
ask. This shows extremely high Interest Level straight out of the gate. A very good sign.
her lowered interest level
And at least you know that you fell down on the job when you told Heather that you loved
her. But like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Youre only supposed to tell a babe you
love her on your wedding day. So you have a long way to go, Mikhail. Now this faux pas
might not have slowed Heather down on the outside, but something very important happened
on the inside: Her Interest Level slipped from 99% to 90%. Her Interest Level may be still in
the 90s, but its no longer 99%. Why? Because you were anti-Challenge when you blabbed
that you loved her. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, She got it out of you,
dawg! And, by the way, how many times has she heard that line from other guys? No doubt
she heard it from all the guys she dropped before you picked up on her, my friend. And youre
also, by your own admission, seeing her way more than you should be. You're breaking the
rules. So you have I love you, and youre seeing her too much and you have the nerve to
call yourself a Challenge? In whose book? So why should you be having a problem with this
babe, Mikhail? Shes completely in the dark over whether or not she owns you. Yeah, right.
less of a challenge
Sure, your dates with Heather were high quality and loads of fun for you. But like I said
before, Heathers Interest Level has dipped since you became something less than a
Challenge. And her low Interest Level is the only thing that matters.
And now heres the proof of what Im saying: Shes letting her guy friends crash at her pad.
Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, This isnt kosher. To boot, she broke a date with you to
do it. If she broke a date with you in the first 10 or 12 weeks, she would have been history.
But since she has three months in with you and way more than the usual number of dates, she
knows she can get away with it. So theres a much more serious problem here, and its this:
Women with high Interest Levels don't break dates. Heather might be a girl with guy friends
who loves the fact that youll let her hang out with them, but this is a huge red flag,
nevertheless. And a red flag is a red flag is a red flag.
Why does Heather have lots of guy friends when she has low interest in them? Women with
low Interest Level dont keep all kinds of guys hanging around.
Look at it this way, pal. If Heather said to you, I like this guy, but he cant stay at my place
so Im going to pay for a hotel for him, that would have been one thing. But she didnt say
that. Why is she not thinking that way? In fact, her thinking is the direct opposite. Shes
willing to break a date with you to be with this other guy at her place. To you Psych
majors, for most women, loyalty goes with high Interest Level. And so she must be thinking,
"Why should I be loyal if I dont dig the guy?" And that means you. And why would she
rather spend time with this other guy, who is just a friend, rather than with you? Thats
something else to think about, Mikhail.
Remember, guys: Women with high Interest Level dont break dates.
This past summer, Eva and I ran into each other at the same parties, and we started to go out
again. After four months, we got into a serious relationship. Eva said she was happy to finally
experience something that shed wanted for so long.
Not on the the same page?
Eva is 21 now and Im 26, and weve been dating for almost five months, even though it feels
like a lot longer. I usually sleep at her house, and sometimes I think were too attached and
Im too available. We play fight a lot and try to show each other that if we ever did break up
with each other wed be OK on our own. Thats because we are both very attractive and we
constantly get pursued by the opposite sex. Alternatively, Eva talks a lot about having a child,
getting married, buying a house, etc. I usually go along with it, but I have a problem with the
way she was raised and sometimes I think shes rude, not very polite, immature, and gets
angry too easily. Another complication is that my mom doesnt like her. We are both very
into the club lifestyle, but lately weve let this slide and have been living an almost married
life.
Im not sure what I feel for Eva, but lately Ive been thinking that I really dont want to be
without her. Doc, am I investing in a relationship thats not going to work out? Whats your
opinion?
Don - who has his doubts
doc loves response
Hi Don,
You started going out with Eva when you were already involved with Savannah, and that tells
me one of two things: You didnt have interest in the woman you were dating for five years,
or youre just a young guy who likes to play the field and youre definitely not ready to settle
down. Be honest, Don. If you had 80% Interest Level in Savannah, you wouldnt have been
going out with Eva. And if you were really interested in Eva, you would have hung on to her.
You were involved with two women, and they both went on to date other people. This, again,
tells me that either youre not ready to settle down, which is fine, or that neither of these
women really held you. If you had high Interest Level in either one of them, you would have
stuck with one of them.
no going back
You might have started going out with Eva again, but its pointless because its already over
whether or not you know it. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Youre beatin a dead horse
here, my boy. Why is it dead? Because you cant go back. You cant go out with a girl,
disappear and then come back again. It doesnt work that way. To you Psych majors,
whenever there is inconsistent behavior, it means the relationship is finished. When Eva said
to you that this was what she wanted for so long, it was really just an illusion in both of your
minds. As far as a long-term relationship with this girl is concerned, you had it with her in the
past, and it didnt work out. It was over then which means its over now.
Its OK to be too attached to a girl, but its definitely not OK to be too available. If youre
hanging around Eva all the time, youre lowering her Interest Level because youre not a
Challenge, in spite of the fact that you have my program. You shouldnt be spending so much
time with her anyway. Are you sure you memorized my book, Don?
When two people are in love, they dont play fight and pretend to break up. Youre toying
with each other's egos, dude, and to no good end. In addition, Eva is just 21 years old. This
indicates to me that neither of you are very mature and that youre not ready to settle down.
Thats the crux of the problem here.
no future ahead
When you give me a laundry list of all of Evas bad character traits, it tells me loud and clear
that you shouldnt have a child with her. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Shes just a child
herself. And like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, When a girl has that many negatives,
you shouldnt even be around her, let alone want to marry her. You better get a grip on
yourself, buddy. And thats not all. You and Eva are both into the club lifestyle and you
want to marry her after only five months? Whats wrong with you, Don?
When you say you dont know what you feel for Eva, it means you dont love her. Simple as
that. But you swear that you dont want to be without her. Guy, even though youre 26, face
the facts: You like dating a bunch of babes and playing the field. Again, theres nothing
wrong with it, but thats the reality of the situation here. You talked about two different
women you were trying to get serious with, but the truth is that youre not really ready to get
serious yourself.
And, yes, youre investing in a relationship thats not going to work out. So why waste Evas
time and yours?
Remember, guys: If youre into the club lifestyle, dont fool yourself into thinking you want
to get married.
She tells me that I dont think her work is important. (She is finishing her dissertation and I
am a graduate student in the same subject, so I write her papers for her.) I changed her
dissertation three times according to her advisers comments, but each time there was a
problem and Gen got angry with me and said that I didnt think her work was as important as
mine. If I try to tell her gently that I have my own business to manage and must earn money
for us as well, she accuses me of having changed from the way I used to be.
Gen and I have decided to get married next year, and our families are very excited. Doc,
please coach me because I dont know what to do.
Kumarr - who feels beaten up
doc loves response
Hi Kumarr,
When you say youre going to buy The System very soon, you act as if youre going to
have to go out and dig a ditch thats 40 miles long, 30 feet deep and 18 feet wide. The truth is
that all you have to do is go on your computer and order my book. It will take all of 90
seconds. So whats the delay? What does very soon mean? But, hey, maybe you dont
really need my program. Maybe youve got it all under control. Lets take a look.
You tell me that your problems with your girl are bad and getting worse. So what are you
doing about it? Kumarr, The System would help you understand why theyre so bad
but, again, you dont see the need to buy it. As Ive told you guys before, my columns shed
light on certain aspects of dating. In order to get the full effect of my coaching, you need to
memorize my book, because thats where all the answers to your dilemmas about women are
contained.
its all about her
The reason Gen doesnt give your work any thought whatsoever is because shes a taker and
shes selfish. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, These are two traits in a woman that
you dont want to live with. If you had my program, you would see this right away. But you
dont have it, so you dont know which end is up. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, A man
without the proper guidance is nothing more than a lost soul. You say that you and Gen fight
a lot. In other words, youre going out with what I call a women's prison guard. Like my
cousin General Love says, She has certain orders for you, and if you dont carry them out,
theres going to be hell to pay. Man, does that sound like fun. Kumarr, this is another trait
you never want to have in a woman in a long-term relationship. But, again, you dont think
its necessary to invest in the single program that can save you from this anguish.
I hope you realize that all the fighting youre doing with Gen now is only going to get worse
when you get married, pal. All of this is going on long distance and by webcam? Like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Id hate to see what shed do to you if you were
in the same room together! I have to say that Gen is a really good selection on your part,
guy.
Gen is also a control freak. That also makes for a great relationship. But then she breaks down
and cries after these terrible scenes. Ill bet that when she cries, you get right in line, Kumarr,
dont you? Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Is this girl lookin for a butler or is she lookin
for a mule?
An obvious mistake
When Gen tells you that you dont think her work is important, its a barefaced lie, because
you help her. So you two are not on the same wavelength here, buddy. In fact, youre not even
on the same planet.
Nevertheless, you cave in and write her papers for her, even if Gen does not appreciate
anything you do for her and she never thanks you for helping her. Again, I have to
congratulate you on your excellent choice for a long-term match. Like my cousin Brother
Love down in Watts says, You really hit the jackpot with this one, dawg!
I got news for you, Kumarr: This girl is a spoiled little brat. Apparently you hadnt figured
that out yet.
After all of your efforts to keep her happy, when you point out that you have your own life to
tend to and that you need to earn money, Gen accuses you of being Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Are there any psychiatrists in China? If there are, this girl should definitely see one.
Despite all of these danger signs, you and Gen have decided to get married anyway. Hey, it
makes a lot of sense to me, especially from her end! So let me ask you this: Are you going to
tie the knot before or after you get The System?
Remember, guys: As soon as you get married, all your problems will be magnified tenfold.
She Is In A Relationship
Hey Doc,
Im a new student of "The System," and I have to say, its really helping me understand the
differences between men and women when it comes to dating. The concept of Challenge is
something every father should teach his sons.
That said, Im in a tough bind here. Im a Ph.D. student, and theres this great girl, Caprice,
whos in my close group of friends at school (we met this semester). She has a boyfriend who
helped her move in at the start of school, so I never went for her.
her interest level is on the rise
Fortunately, or unfortunately, I guess I was being a natural Challenge to her by not being
interested, and her interest in me grew when she found out I was dating other girls, especially
girls she didnt like. She then started asking me to hang out with her more (when they like
you, they make things easy for you, as you say). One night at a bar with friends, she even led
me away from the group to dance with her, and we almost ended up making out (I pulled
away because I didnt want rumors to spread that I was a girlfriend stealer). Should I have
talked to her about that night? I didnt because I thought she would just deny everything by
saying she got drunk. After that night, she avoided me for a bit, but lately shes been trying to
get my attention again (for example, she never used to text me, now she does quite often)
even though she is in a relationship.
Ive read your columns about situations like this, and you tell the guy to just make a move.
Ask her out on a date, and walk away. The issue is that Caprice and I are in the same small
social circle, and I dont want to walk away and lose the rest of our friends for something
that could be nothing. Do I remain unmoved and continue being just friends to see if she
breaks up with her boyfriend? Do I try bringing up the night at the bar (which was months ago
now), or should I just make a move and ask her out?
More importantly, should I even bother with girls like this? Caprice seems great in Flexibility
and Giving (shes easygoing and bakes treats for all of our friends), but if I do manage to steal
her away from her boyfriend right now, wouldnt she be flunking the Loyalty test?
Looking forward to your response.
Franco - whos trying to play it smart
doc loves response
Hi Franco,
Sure, the concept of Challenge should be taught by all fathers to their sons, but the problem is
that the fathers themselves dont know what the concept of Challenge is. Like the great
Doctor Freud once said: When a father goes home every night and takes orders from his
domineering wife, he doesnt have the first clue about Challenge!
Guy, you shouldnt go for Caprice for one simple reason: Shes not available. Now, you have
to be honest here. You say you werent interested in Caprice, but the truth is that you are.
Youre just not showing youre interested in her. It is great that Caprices interest in you
seemed to increase when she found out you were dating other girls. This is fabulous
exactly what you want, man. But you shouldnt have hung out with her. This is where you
made a big mistake. You gave this girl time when she wasnt available. To you psych majors:
You give a girl time when she doesnt have a boyfriend. So again, you made a massive,
massive error here.
When Caprice led you away from the group to dance, you shouldnt have gone with her. You
should have told her Im not going. Im staying right here. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says: You let this girl lead you around like you were a little puppy dog. And
then you almost made out with her? In other words, you would have been making out with a
girl whos making out with another man. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says: Dont
you feel funny kissing a guy?
is she available?
Your problem is not being a boyfriend stealer, dude. Your problem is that this girl has a
boyfriend. You cant steal a girl unless shes available, Franco. Maybe Caprices Interest
Level in you is 55%, but until she gets rid of this other guy, shes not on the market.
No, you shouldnt talk to Caprice about that night in the bar. You never bring up heavy
subjects its dumb. Youre not supposed to drive Caprice into a corner and make her feel
uncomfortable about what she did that night. You might think youre a student of The
System, Franco, but you dont actually have it, do you? The main thing is that youre not
supposed to be spending any time with this babe unless its just hi and goodbye when she
walks by you at school. Thats it.
When Caprice texts you, why are you texting her back? She is in a relationship. This girl is
really none of your business, pal. I'd never tell you to just make a move when a babe has a
boyfriend. You must be reading some other love doctors advice.
shes not on the market
You cant walk away from anything in this situation because Caprice hasnt dropped her
boyfriend. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says: I dont know where youre getting such
delusions of grandeur. Yes, you should remain unmoved and wait until she breaks up with
this guy you finally said something smart! Again, you cant ask her out because she has a
boyfriend.
Youre right about something else: You shouldnt be involved with girls like this at all. The
only thing you should do is make sure that when Caprice sees you with other girls, theyre
laughing hard and having a great time.
How do you know Caprice is so great at Flexibility and Giving? You havent been out with
her even once! How can you possibly evaluate character traits in a woman when youve never
dated her? You cant; its impossible. My friend, you need to memorize The System,
because youre off in la-la land.
Franco, youre not going to steal this babe away from her boyfriend. Shes not leaving, OK?
Thats the deal.
Remember, guys: When she has a boyfriend, shes not available.
Worse, when Janine let it drop that she was dealing with problems from the past, it meant she
had scars and baggage. This girl has heavy mileage on her, and shes a psycho. So why are
you pursuing her?
To boot, now theres an ex-boyfriend in the picture. And shes going back and forth with you
like a yo-yo. Theres a boyfriend and inconsistent behavior on top of rudeness another two
reasons not to get involved with Janine. Do you really need any more?
Then she reversed gears and draped herself all over you, chatting, flirting, etc. My friend, you
sure have a short memory. Someone is surly to you, and you just forgive her like nothing ever
happened? What is it with you? Like most men when it comes to women, youre weak.
And she hinted around that you should take her out since her boyfriend was working. In other
words, shes willing to be a sneak and run around behind his back and practice the virtue of
loyalty! Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, This one sounds like a real
keeper!
she's inconsistent
Kemp, you dont know what to do because you havent memorized my program, which says
when a woman is inconsistent, shes out. Janine is stunning? Guy, you just got through telling
me that you didnt know if you liked her! So which is it? Hey, who doesnt like a stunning
girl? So youre inconsistent too. But Im glad you told her that you dug her so much. Youre a
real Challenge, dude.
Let me explain something to you, Kemp. Because you care for a girl doesnt mean anything to
her. This is one of the most basic rules of my philosophy. If you like a girl, it doesnt raise her
Interest Level. Challenge and Humor raise her Interest Level, not knowing how you feel about
her.
But you swear she feels something for you. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says,
I think shes got a Cadillac in her eye! Or you think she might be lining you up in case she
dumps her boyfriend, or shes just playing mind games. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, Guy, you better lay off the funny cigarettes that have no writing on them!
Janine doesnt feel pity for you; she doesnt feel anything for you, and she could care less
about being your friend. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Youre just a guy who orders
from her and over-tips her. And thats all you are.
The only strong feelings that count here are Janines, not yours. Forget her, move on and get a
hold of my program as soon as possible. And, oh, yeah, find another coffee shop.
Remember, guys: When they run hot and cold, that's a red flag that should tell you to get out.
Im 37 and an engineer. I dont know what to think of the situation Im in. I met Aurora two
months ago at a bookstore. I called her after five days. We spoke just a little on the phone, and
then I quickly asked her to dinner. When I met her at the restaurant, I made sure I was clean
and looking good, and had a positive attitude. Dinner was pleasant, and we laughed a little. I
got to know more things about her, such as that shes 29 and works in finance. She looked
good that night, better than at the bookstore. Id say shes a solid 8 out of 10. I didnt kiss her,
though I could tell she wanted the night to continue.
A week later I called her and asked if she wanted to go to a wine exhibition. She said she
would be delighted to go. During the wine tasting and walking around, she got physically
closer and sometimes lightly touched my arm. We were both hungry and decided to check
out a new hip restaurant. This time I drove her home, walked her to her door and kissed
her. She smiled like Id just given her a gift.
Fast-forward another four great dates. Now after every date, Aurora is kissing me and wants
to kiss longer. She invited me to her place for dinner. After dinner, she asked me if I wanted
to be her boyfriend. Good, right? I said I was having fun spending time with her and agreed.
After a make-out session, she told me she was leaving for Europe for a one-year term of
work.
Doc, Aurora never mentioned anything like that during the time we dated. My guess is that
she didnt want to screw up what she found in me. Anyway, I said, How exactly can I be
your boyfriend if youre not here? She said we could see each other every six weeks or so
because shell be flying back.
It seems like Aurora really wants to continue with me, but what should I do? Your book says
no long-distance relationships. I like Aurora and want this to continue.
Levi - whos baffled by what happened
doc love's response
Hi Levi,
Its good that you talked just a little to Aurora on the telephone. Youre not supposed to talk a
lot on the phone, so you got off to the right start here. Like a good salesman, you went straight
for the close and asked her to dinner. And thats what youre supposed to do.
Likewise, its excellent that you showed up to the restaurant looking your best. Lots of guys
show up in jeans or worse to a first date, which is a no-no. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says:
You dont want to go courtin when you look like you just got through workin in the barn.
To you psych majors: You always want to overdress for the first date.
But you dont ask a girl if she wants to go out with you. You ask her if she can make it to
taste some wine and have dinner. Then you tell her what time youll pick her up. Thats it.
You take charge and give her no wiggle room.
When Aurora sprang on you that she was decamping for a year to work in Europe, thats
when you should have said, Since youre going to be gone for a year, lets put this thing on
hold. Think about it, Levi. This woman is going to take off for a year and ice your entire
dating life for that same amount of time. Look at what youre giving up, pal. All of a sudden
youre supposed to sit home and do nothing? Youve been out with this woman only five
times. Now she wants to stop your love life for one whole year. Like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love from East L.A. says: What do you get out of it?
On the other hand, you shouldnt be too hard on Aurora for the way this happened. Maybe she
didnt broach the subject of leaving because when you started dating, she didnt know she
would like you, and so there was no need to bring it up. Plus it was a heavy subject, so I have
to give her the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Shes offered to fly back every six weeks to see you. If you had been going with this woman
for six or eight months, that would make a difference in fact, it would make a lot of
difference. But youve gone out with Aurora only a few times. You havent even gotten to 10
or 12 dates, so you basically dont even know her. Getting to 10 or 12 dates with a babe is
really the first plateau in a relationship, as you know from reading my book. Youre not
anywhere near it yet.
What should you do now? You have to tell Aurora no thank you. Tell her that when she
gets back in a year and if youre still available and shes available, you will date. But in the
meantime, too many things can happen. Aurora can meet a guy overseas who can get time in
with her while youre here twiddling your thumbs waiting for her. No, this isnt a good deal at
all for you. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says: You have to withdraw your offer.
Levi, this is why my program says no long-distance relationships. All the reasons are right
here in your predicament. This woman would be tying up your life, and you dont have
enough time in with her to commit to this type of arrangement. If she wants to come by and
see you every six weeks, thats fine, but youre going to date other women and not be her
boyfriend.
Remember, guys: If you dont see her, youll never own her heart.
When To Break Up
Hey Doc,
Im on my third reading of The System and am learning more about women and myself
with every page I turn. Im hoping you can coach me with the current problem Im having
with my girlfriend.
I met Kim 21 months ago. I gauged her Interest Level in the high 90s. Around the one-year
mark, she started to hint about a ring. I handled the request with humor and was successful in
changing the subject. At this point, I already knew that I wanted to marry this girl, but also
knew from The System that I would not propose until at least the two-year mark.
no longer her priority
Weve both been under a lot of stress the last several months. Kim, who is 39, went back to
school in an effort to change careers and has been overwhelmed. As a result, she has limited
the time that we spend together. She has also started to be late and has canceled dates at the
last minute because she has too much work. I let her know that canceling plans at the last
minute or being consistently late is not acceptable. At this point I feel that Im not her priority,
and it distresses me.
One other big problem is that Kim is a single mom. She has a five-year-old son who spends a
lot of time with us. I dont mind having the little guy around when we go places. After all, if
Im going to marry Kim, I need to make sure that we are a good fit as a family. The problem
is that for the last six months, he has come with us on almost every date. Kim says that she
just cannot find a suitable babysitter. I can almost hear you saying, If I gave her a million
bucks, I bet she could find one! This has caused more stress in our relationship, as Kim
focuses all her attention on her son during these outings. I sometimes feel like a third wheel.
Between Christmas and New Years, we had several fights. At one point Kim asked me to go
with her to the wedding store to look at a dress. I thought that was great since she was coming
toward me with another marriage suggestion. I tried to make light of the situation, telling her
that Im sure she has great taste in dresses and that shopping in wedding stores is probably
something she should reserve for her most special girlfriend. She wound up crying and asking
why I dont want to marry her.
I was looking forward to a relaxed, intimate New Years Eve together. Kim showed up late
and with her son, since his father did not come to take him, which was what he was supposed
to do. We finally got the kid to bed around 11:45 p.m. Kim came into the bedroom, and at
midnight we celebrated with a toast and a kiss. At 12:05 a.m. she went back to her sons room
to check on him. While she was there she sent out a "Happy New Year!" text to all of her
friends. When she came back to me the return texts started pouring in and she answered them.
I snapped. I suggested that she go back and sleep with her son and text your buddies all
night. She got up, took her son and went home.
he's giving, but she's not taking
For the past year, Ive been helping Kim with her expenses. This has enabled her to go back
to school. Her rent was due in a few days, and I wanted to get her check to her so it wouldnt
be late. But I did not want to call her since I thought it would be counter-Challenge. I put the
check in a little bag outside her front door with a note. Two days later I got the check back
with not even a word. We have not talked since, and its been three weeks.
I dont know where Kim is coming from. The silence is killing me. I love her and miss her
terribly. So far I have resisted the temptation to call her. As youve said, Sometimes you
have to say no, even if it means that youll get kicked out of the house. Can I get this
relationship back on track? Is three weeks of silence too long? Should I break down and call
Kim or wait for her to call me? I want to adhere to the rules of The System, but Im
confused, as my emotions are getting the best of me.
Wim - who is starting to crack
Hi Wim,
First of all, this girl has to propose to you after the two-year mark. Youre not proposing to
her under any circumstance.
You might have been a priority to Kim at one point, but the problem is that shes not
organized. Anytime a person switches careers, there is a lot of stress, and you have to be
supportive of Kim during this process. But she clearly has no clue how to manage her time,
which comes under the heading of Scars And Baggage. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says,
This woman has issues. Its not a matter of Kim having low Interest Level, so you shouldnt
take what happened personally.
Having Kims son with you on every date is too much way too much. You should have
been going out alone with her and getting to know her. Again, its the same problem: She
cant find a suitable babysitter because shes not together. And she cancels your dates because
shes not organized and doesnt know how to manage her time properly. Whats happened
here is not a matter of low Interest Level, buddy. I realize that you feel like a third wheel on
account of Kims son, but again, dont take it personally. Kims child and career come first, as
they should. But like my cousin Rabbi Love says, She should be able to handle all facets of
her life more efficiently.
I can understand why Kim cried after the wedding store incident. You were trying to be
logical, and she was coming from an emotional place. You should have said to her, Yeah, Id
be happy to go with you, even though you might have been miserable shopping with her.
The wedding dress was a big deal to her even if it wasnt to you.
But there are other problems here. Like Kims ex. Hes a deadbeat and not together either.
Great. Nice family youre dealing with, Wim! Sadly, when Kims kid grows up, he wont
have it together either.
actions speak louder than texts
Kim started answering all of her "New Years" texts because shes thoughtless. Shes also
inconsiderate, and her actions were the straw that broke the camels back, as the old saying
goes. And what it told you was that you have to get out.
Dude, why in the world were you giving Kim money? This is a huge mistake and something
sure to lead to problems. To you Psych majors, you only give your wife money. Apparently
you dont see it, but this girl is a flake. And youre reinforcing it. Are you sure you read my
book three times?
That said, you are so lucky Kim gave you your money back. This is the best thing that could
have happened! Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Boy, did she let you off the hook! Never,
ever contact this woman again, dude. Shes wacky, shes disorganized and her ex-husband is a
bum. You dont seem to understand how lucky you were to get out of this mess.
You know where Kim is coming from? Shes a nutcase. Shes not together. Shes broke. And
shes a drain on your wallet. Shes coming from all those places. So why would you want her?
Whats the advantage to you? You might love and miss Kim terribly, but she sure doesnt
love and miss you terribly. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, In fact, she doesnt
even miss your money.
No, you can never get this relationship back on track. Three weeks worth of silence is too
long. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, This means shes already in the
arms of another guy.
Should you wait for Kim? What would you be waiting for? You should be out hustling new
phone numbers. This thing with Kim is dead, dead, dead.
Wim, when you say that your emotions are getting the better of you, I have to say at least
youre an honest man. And youve done some right things here with Kim, but you have to
recognize how fortunate you are. Kim is not a self-reliant woman, and that spells disaster.
Remember, guys: If she cant take care of herself, shell never be able to take care of you.
Signs Of Cheating
Hey Doc,
Ive read some of your responses regarding infidelity. My situation seems quite different. I
need some coaching. Alix and I have been together for two-and-a-half years. We were ecstatic
to be dating.
you let a female coworker sleep over
Then I made a mistake. I was working on an office project and one of the members of the
team was a female. This woman knew I was in a relationship and there was nothing between
us. Well, one night, when we were working on the project and we were on a roll, we went to
my apartment and continued to work and had a few beers. I was so caught up in what we were
doing that I forgot to check my cell phone, which I had turned off. Because we had to get up
early and present our findings and wed had a couple of drinks, I didnt want this female
coworker to drive, so I gave her the pull-out bed and went to my bed, and we went to sleep.
We woke up early, gathered our things and headed out to our cars.
your girlfriend can't trust you
Waiting outside my apartment was Alix. She saw me and my coworker leaving, and she made
her assumptions. Doc, I made a mistake, but I was faithful to Alix. Not so much as a thought
of infidelity crossed my mind. Alix did not believe me. No matter what I said or did, it was
impossible to convince her of the truth. She was so sure that I slept with that woman that we
ended up breaking up. I knew that there was no way I was going to change Alixs mind. She
deleted me from her life. I thought that I would never hear from her again, but a week or so
later, she called. She said that she still felt so strongly about the love that we had that she
wanted to keep talking. Maybe we could see each other on a casual basis every now and again
and see if she could look at me and not hate me. I dont know whats going to happen or if
this arrangement is going to work out.
Doc, is there anything I can do to convince Alix that we belong together and that she can trust
me? Your insight would be greatly appreciated.
Zeke - who cant believe he blew it
doc loves response
Hi Zeke,
You took some woman who was not your girlfriend to your apartment and had a few beers
with her? Well, right there is your problem, man. This was exactly where you screwed up. It
was a massive mistake to do this, because if Alix happened to stop by and saw you with this
other woman and smelled the beer on your breath, you were dead in the water. Which is pretty
much what happened, right? You never should have brought this coworker to your home. To
you Psych majors, keep your business life and your private life separate. You drank alcohol
with this other woman whom you happen to work with. Thats not keeping your personal life
and your business life separate. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Thats muddyin the
waters, boy.
you didn't put your girlfriend first
When you let this other woman crash at your place, you should have called Alix immediately
and explained the situation to her: that you and your coworker finished a project and that you
didnt want her to drive home since it was late. Then you should have told Alix that you were
going to pull out the spare bed and let your coworker sleep on it. If Alix went berserk on you,
you should have gone straight to the phone and called a taxi to take this other woman home.
But the fact remains that you should never have brought this other woman to your house and
drank beer with her in the first place. Of course Alix made her assumptions about what
happened. How could she not? That's a total sign of cheating. Reverse the situation, Zeke.
What if you were in front of Alixs apartment and she came slinking out in the morning with
some other dude? What would you think? And if she told you, Oh, we just spent the night
pounding down a few beers, and I didnt want the poor guy to drive home, wouldnt you be
just a little bent out of shape? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, If you heard a story
like that, youd laugh your head off!
you cheated
Let me correct you about something, pal. You maintain that you were faithful to Alix. But you
werent. You brought another woman home and spent the night boozing with her. Like my
cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, You sure you got any work done, dawg?
Infidelity might not have crossed your mind, but you sure forgot about common sense. And
Alix didnt believe you. But why should she believe you? You didnt break up with Alix, guy.
She dropped you. Thats what really happened. And she dropped you because you cheated on
her with another woman, whether or not you think you did.
The problem with Alixs proposal to see you on a limited basis is that every time theres any
problem between the two of you, shes going to bring up what happened that night between
you and your coworker for the rest of your life. Shes going to hold it over you because
you are not trustworthy. If you were trustworthy, you would never have brought that woman
to your home and guzzled the suds with her, much less let her sleep a few feet away. What
were you thinking, Zeke? I can tell you dont have my book! No, theres nothing you can do
to convince Alix of anything now. She will never trust you again after you showed signs of
cheating. As far as seeing each other a little is concerned, youre wasting your time.
Remember, guys: Once a woman loses trust in you, youre out forever.
Fish Love says, You never tell a girl shes too anything. You just smile, and go right on
kissing her. Thats what a smart guy would do.
And you never should have lied to Valeries mom. Who did you think you were fooling? Like
my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Her mom knew you were older all the
time.
she needs to grow up
The fact that Valerie cooks for you and paid when you went out to dinner shows that shes a
Giver. This is a wonderful trait, but shes much too young for you in terms of life experience.
If she were 24, 25 or 26 there would be hope for the two of you, because she would know
something about herself and life. But she still has to go through the ages of 19, 20 and 21,
which are the years when people first start to figure out which end is up and which is down. In
other words, shes still got a lot of growing up to do. And thats not a good thing for you.
That said, its smart that youre trying to get to know Valerie before taking the plunge with
her. And you hit it right on the head there, pal: You have to find out whats between her ears.
Maybe youll make the lucky discovery that you have a girl you can date for four years, and
she wont be flaking out on you over something every other day. But I doubt it, because the
odds are against it and Im an odds-maker.
Your mom and dad are one of the rare cases where a big age difference has not mattered in
the relationship. But you cant rely on the rare cases as an indication of what is likely to
happen. You have to look at the majority of cases. And if you do, youll see that youre not
going to have this girl when shes 23. Between the ages of 18 and 23 Valerie has so much
maturing to do that youll be lucky if you can get through one year with her. Because, like the
great Doctor Freud once said, At the age of 18, a girl falls in and out of love every five
minutes. As far as your best friend is concerned, a friendship is not the same as a romantic
relationship, so you cant make a valid comparison between the two.
solution: date multiple women
What do I think you should do? If youre smart, youll date this girl and date other girls at the
same time. And, most importantly, you cant allow your Interest Level in Valerie to get
anywhere near the 80s! So keep your interest low, Lex. Like my cousin Brother Love down in
Watts says, Dont lose control of yourself, dawg. Youre goin out with a little girl.
Yes, the relationship is proper, but the odds of it lasting are really, really horrible. And who
cares what other people think? If this girl is good-looking, likes you and shes of legal age,
thats all that counts. Like my cousin General Love says, Just make sure you check her ID
card, soldier.
Save A Marriage
Hey Doc,
Ive been in a relationship with Isabelle for seven years and have been married to her for twoand-a-half years. A year and a half ago, we had one of those arguments where at the end of it
you dont know if you want to be with that person anymore. While my gut instinct was to
leave the relationship, I decided to try to save the marriage because of everything that we had
been through together.
Now, let me get this straight. You fight with your wife all the time, but she happens to get
pregnant in the middle of all this warfare? Wow, you sure found time for lovemaking, didnt
you? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Im surprised you didnt ask her
how she got pregnant.
And at the same time, you found the time to cheat on her with a babe whose ex-boyfriend is
around. Great! At least your life isnt a mess. When you should be working on saving your
marriage with your wife, especially since shes pregnant, youre out messing around with
some ding-dong. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, All this does is muddy the waters, boy.
But I shouldnt jump to any conclusions, right? Because you have a plan, Yaz. Youre going
to get a divorce from Isabelle after six months with your child. Let me ask you this: How is it
going to make you a responsible father when you split from your baby after six months? Like
my cousin Rabbi Love says, Whose system of logic are you following, my son?
high, with no ulterior motives. I know this for a fact because I am very challenging and dont
text or give her stuff half as much as she gives me.
Our age difference isnt a problem, but she has a five-year-old son, and its been really hard
on me. Since Im so much younger, dating a woman with a kid is not an ideal scenario at all.
Aside from that, I could not ask for a better woman. But it hurts me that she has a child with
another man. They werent married, by the way. She has no interest in the guy at all, but hes
still in the childs life, though his involvement is minimal and he pays no child support. She
does not talk to or see this guy unless its for arrangements to pick up or drop the kid off. It
just hurts me that she would have this guys kid when she could have waited to have kids with
someone she loved. I feel resentment toward her for it and feel it was selfish and irresponsible
of her.
So now Im stuck trying to build a relationship with someone who cant put me at the top of
her priority list. Like I said, shes a great girl, and she does her best to keep me happy. She
spends every night with me, and she spends most of her free time with me. I really care about
her a lot, but I cant decide if this situation is just too much for me. Im in dire need of your
coaching, Doc, and I always hold your unbiased opinion very highly.
Sandor - whose head is a mess
doc love's response
Hi Sandor,
When you tell me all the great things Jenni does for you, I have to say that she sounds
wonderful. Shes a Giver, shes thoughtful, shes considerate, and shes sweet. Like my
cousin Rabbi Love says, With all of those remarkable qualities, whats not to like? Guy,
looks like youve got a good one here so far.
But you say the arrangement, which means the inclusion of Jennis kid, has been really hard
an you. Im sure it has. And the truth of the matter is that you have what we call a package
deal here. You dont just get Jenni. You get Jenni and her five-year-old son. Dude, thats the
reality of the situation. And like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, If it bothers you now,
its only going to get worse later. Keep that in mind. The roughest stretch still lies ahead.
So of course this is not an ideal scenario, as you astutely point out. How could it be? You feel
like youre closer in age to the kid than to Jenni, even though thats not the case in reality. To
you Psych majors, to take on a woman and her child and love the kid as yours takes a really
mature person as well as a Good Samaritan. You have to decide, before you get in too deep,
whether you are this type of person.
But youve got another problem as well. Jenni allows her ex to come over and see their kid,
but she doesnt hold him to paying his share of child support. Like my cousin Fat Eddie Love
from East L.A. says, This guys nothing but a no-good bum. Furthermore, Jenni had this
child out of wedlock, as you point out, which says something about her character. The
question is, does it say something good about her character or does it say something opposite?
And heres something else you should keep in mind: Jennis worthless ex is going to come
and pick up their kid for the next 13 years. You have to be prepared to deal with his presence
all that time.
You make an excellent observation that Jenni could have waited to have kids with someone
she loved or at least someone who isnt as sleazy as her ex. Youre an idealist, Sandor, which
is an admirable trait, and Im not putting you down for that. But the reality is that Jenni went
to bed with this bum, had a child by this bum, and the bum doesnt give her a penny to help
support their offspring. And she puts up with this? This girls a mess, Sandor. It was selfish
and irresponsible of Jenni to have this child out of wedlock. Like my cousin Brother Love
down in Watts says, She was sloppy, dawg. You have this situation figured out correctly,
my friend.
Sandor, you cant be on the top of Jennis priority list. Her kid should come first because he is
in fact more important than you. But its a different kind of love. She loves her kid, but shes
in love with you. You have to decide whether thats something else you can live with.
That said, the feeling I get from your letter is that this situation is a deal breaker for you.
Again, you Psych majors: When you get involved in a relationship like this, you must know
thyself. And the way youre built, Sandor, youre never going to be able to accept this little
boy, even if you like him, because he came from another man. From what youre telling me,
this situation is too much for you.
Remember, guys: if you cant accept that she has a child, find another woman.
she doesnt think its fair to me to string me along while she tries to figure it out. She told me
that shed talked to her friends at length about me the previous weekend. They think that she
has commitment issues. Apparently Im not the first guy shes had this problem with.
The big no-no
I finally gave in and told her I loved her. I felt like if I didnt, Id regret it. She started crying
at that point and I cried too. Then she finally left.
Last night, after a bottle of wine, I wrote Diana a long e-mail saying everything that Id
wanted to say that last night but didnt. Im not sure if it was a good idea or not, but its done.
I want to keep seeing her, of course. Maybe her feelings will change. I have a feeling from
reading your column though I was asking too much and that they probably wont. Now I feel
totally empty and miserable. I feel like if Diana would let me into her life more, maybe things
would be different. Should I never talk to her again? Should I give her some time and call her
in a couple weeks?
Momo - who feels powerless
Doc love's response
Hi Momo,
Its a huge deal that Diana works in another city, because what it means is that youre really
involved in a variation of the long-distance relationship, which never works.
Just how much time does Diana want to spend with her family and friends? In the first place,
you really shouldnt be seeing her only on weekends during the first four or five weeks
because youre breaking my rules. You should only be seeing her Sunday through Thursday.
And after ninety-plus days, she should want to see you more and more and be all over you
if she was really hot on you instead of her family and friends. Like my Uncle Jethro Love
says, Heck, she can see them anytime.
It was a huge mistake to introduce Diana to all of your friends. You should have met her
friends first. That would have been a sign of how much she liked you. And you dont drive
Interest Level up by having your lady meet all of your buddies and pals. Gosh, Momo, you
made blunders all over the place!
Trust your gut
It could be legit that Dianas afraid of her father, but she could also be using him as an excuse
to stay away from you. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, At the age of
35, Id lean towards the latter.
The fact that you feel that Diana is not letting you into her life is probably the best point you
make here. Even though you dont have my book, your gut is telling you that somethings not
right. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Your guardian angel is talkin right
in your ear, bro. Something is awry here. But you didnt listen to your guardian angel
because you dont have The System.
If you knew what was going on between Dianas ears, you wouldnt be asking her what was
going on in her head. So the fact that you dont ever know what shes thinking proves that she
has low Interest Level in you.
She knows what she wants
All women are reluctant to tell you that they arent interested in you thats no big deal. If
she doesnt see being with you in the long term, then what Diana said about being attracted to
you and so forth doesnt make a lick of sense. Shes contradicting herself here. When she says
she doesnt know if her feelings are going to change if she keeps seeing you, it means theyre
not going to go up, for sure. After 90 days, her Interest Level should be in the 90s, dude. The
only honest thing Diana said to you in this relationship is that she didnt feel that she should
be stringing you along while she tried to figure herself out.
Dianas friends are dead wrong about whats ailing her. She doesnt have commitment issues.
She has low interest level. To you Psych majors, 95% Interest Level trumps commitment
issues. Unless, of course, the woman is a full-blown psycho case.
After all this, you went and told Diana you loved her? Why are you begging, guy? Not to
mention that youre giving away the store and youre totally anti-Challenge. You never tell a
babe you love her. She should tell you that! Two more big mistakes!
Don't embarrass yourself
When you revealed that you loved Diana, you were already out and you knew it and were
grabbing at straws. Like my cousin General Love says, Rather than be tough like a Spartan
warrior in the movie 300, you took a dive. Then you cried when she cried. Well, I have to
say thats very manly! Did you weep on your shield and spear?
But that wasnt enough abject humiliation for you. You went and wrote her a long love letter,
pouring out your heart. In other words, you did even more begging. It wasnt a good idea to
write that email, Momo; it was a horrible idea! You dont beg a girl whose Interest Level is
below 50% to love you.
Of course you want to keep seeing Diana. But its not what you want that matters, its what
she wants. Sure, maybe her feelings about you will change. And maybe youll get jumped by
a mountain lion on your way home from work today.
Youre feeling empty and miserable because your Interest Level is somewhere between 85%
and 90% and you really dig Diana, which is understandable. But you never considered her
Interest Level because you dont have my book. If youd read it, youd have known that the
womans Interest Level is the number-one factor in the relationship always.
Cut your losses
My friend, I dont think this babe ever had high interest in you. Her interest was at best
always mediocre. Thats why she wanted to spend time with her parents rather than with you.
Forget about getting into Dianas life now. Youre never getting into it because she has low
Interest Level. Not talking to her again would be too often. And if I were you, Id wait two or
three hundred years before calling her.
Remember, guys: If your gut is telling you that she doesnt like you, youd better listen.
One other thing: I couldnt care less about the level of passion on your side. I only care about
the level of passion on HER side. Youre talking about Dawn, so its a given that you like her.
But how does she really feel about you?
Dawn got rid of her other boyfriends because she can only last a year with a guy and shes
just passing through. In other words, shes a DRIFTER. It was a good sign that she built you
up to her parents, but still, it was much too soon in the relationship for that to happen.
If Dawn broke up your relationship out of the blue, it means that you missed BIG RED
FLAGS. You might never have felt neglected before, but Brody, you sure as heck must feel
neglected now because shes getting rid of you!
Now, if when you compliment her Dawn doesnt feel worthy, shes a space cadet. Shes off in
la-la land. But when she says that she woke up with the feeling that something wasnt quite
right, it means her Interest Level just dropped from 51% to 49%. When she said she couldnt
get married right now, that just means shes not going to marry you ever. In her defense,
Dawn gets rid of guys because shes sick and tired of them doing everything wrong. The first
two guys didnt have The System and you dont have it either, and so all three of you were
doing nothing but making mistakes all over the place. So even if shes a bit wacky, what else
would you expect her to do? You might be scared of a future without Dawn, but shes scared
of being married to someone shes not interested in.
One of my favorite bits of Womanese from females is that they cant be in a relationship
right now. And you guys just swallow it hook, line and sinker! And of course she led you
right to the trough and then boom you were out. Thats what women do when they decide
theyve had enough of you.
The most important point in your entire letter is when you say you picked up small signs that
she was beginning to detach. At that juncture, you should have backed off. But, no, youd
already met the parents and blabbed your guts out about your feelings and marriage. And like
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, There was no wiggle room left for you, and then you
were finished.
So, Dawn wishes she could be in heaven? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A.
says, If she had 95% interest level in you, shed feel like she was in Heaven already. The
reason Dawn wants to be in heaven, my friend, is because she doesnt want to be with you.
Dont you get it?
Instead, you think Dawn has commitment phobia. Brody, youre the typical clueless guy. Its
always a matter of fear or hang-ups or problems on the ladys part. You can never own up to
what the problem really is: that she has low Interest Level in you.
What should you have done differently? Well, for starters, you should have had my program,
then none of this would have happened. You could have told Dawn no when she wanted to
introduce you to her parents. You could have told her no when she wanted to talk about
marriage. Then you wouldnt have been like the other two turkeys she got rid of. Yes, you
were too needy and you didnt give her enough space and you paid too much attention to her
all huge blunders you could have avoided by abiding by the rules of The System.
Dawn, on the other hand, has only has one problem she needs a psychiatrist and cant
afford one. By the way, to you Psych majors, some women dont argue. They just say to
themselves, Im out of here, and then youre history before you know what hit you.
What happened here? Guy, you werent a challenge at all. You were way too available. You
met the parents too soon. You said "I love you" way too much. You talked about marriage
much too soon. Other than that, you did everything right.
Remember, guys: Dont rationalize red flags.
She's Married
Hey Doc,
I started going to college recently and noticed Adrienne, who is 25. She held doors for me,
showed me around and gazed into my eyes adoringly when I talked. I could tell that she liked
me. We soon got to know each other and started sitting next to each other in class. While we
had mostly good conversations, she sometimes ran hot and cold, which was frustrating. When
I ignored her, she would always try to get my attention and remind me that she was there.
Since Ive always gotten my heart broken over girls Ive had crushes on, I tried to guard
against falling for Adrienne, but since Ive never had so many signals from any girl, Ive
continued to pursue her.
Now, heres the problem: Shes married. I didnt know this when I met her. I dont what it is
with me. I always seem to go for the ones who are already taken. But they seem to like me
more than their significant others, and I cant help the way I feel about Adrienne. Im trying to
get over her, but its hard when I see her every day of the week. When we talk and look at
each other, I can tell there is chemistry between us. I have the feeling that Adrienne feels
conflicted over all of this. Now Ive discovered that she is pregnant, which of course
compounds everything.
Doc, while Adrienne runs hot and cold, she does still initiate conversations with me and
confides many things to me in a way that only a girl who cared about a guy would. I find
myself very confused as I try to decipher her body language, but she does all of the things that
a girl with high Interest Level would do.
This is not a lust thing; its something more. I like Adriennes personality. We have a lot in
common, and I admire her independence. She has almost every quality you would want in a
woman. Part of me wants to be friends with Adrienne so that maybe one day if things dont
work out with her marriage, we could get together. But I just dont know how to deal with
this. I figure that something is there since she still seems to be interested in me, even though
shes married and pregnant.
Anything you can to do coach me would be greatly appreciated.
Milton - who feels like hes losing his mind
doc love's response
Hi Milton,
Heres the good news: Adrienne is coming at you. Now for the bad: Adrienne is inconsistent
in her behavior and her feelings. By your own admission, she runs hot and cold. This is a huge
red flag. Why does she run hot and cold? I must compliment you for noticing this big red flag,
though. Most guys would just rationalize her flakey behavior and say, No big deal. But
youre bringing it up, which is smart. It shows that youre thinking. The question is: What are
you going to do about it?
Of course Adrienne wants to remind you that shes there when you ignore her. Thats because
you used the all-important technique of challenge. All women respond to it. Adrienne might
be sending you the most signals youve ever gotten from a woman, but you have to remember
to go in slowly and keep your eyes wide open at all times.
But, guy, she's married. So even if she drapes herself over you like a blanket, shes off-limits.
To you Psych majors, when you meet a woman, there can be no husbands or boyfriends
involved with her because that means shes unavailable. This should be a very simple concept
to grasp. And if shes married, it means youre out already. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says, If shes married, you were out before you started. So, Milton, all of
this getting wound-up over Adrienne has been nothing but a big waste of time. You could
have been out hustling other phone numbers in the time you wasted mooning over this
married woman.
Now, let me ask you this. Wasnt Adrienne wearing a wedding ring? She was coming on to
you all the time, and she never once brought up her husband? Why were you stunned when
you found out she was hitched? Didnt she give you any warning about her situation?
I have to enlighten you on something. Married babes dont like you more than their
significant others. Heres how you can tell: Because they didnt leave their significant others
for you! What these women are really doing is playing with you and their significant others.
And theyre misleading both you. And the married women arent confused its the
significant others and you who are confused!
You say that youre helpless about the way you feel about Adrienne. Like my cousin Brother
Love down in Watts says, Youd better get a grip, dawg. You better start helping the way
you feel about her because shes not available. Shes off-limits. Shes married, pal.
And you swear that you and Adrienne have chemistry. Tell you what. Try asking her to set
you up with her girlfriends, and youll see how strong that chemistry is. It will disappear
before your very eyes, my friend.
Adrienne isnt conflicted at all over your love for her. Shes enjoying this whole drama
tremendously. Shes got not one but two turkeys to play with and who knows how many
others.
But you maintain that her pregnancy is compounding your problems. Milton, everything was
already compounded by the fact that she's married, dont you get it? Now shes pregnant, and
she flirts with you and who knows who else. Gee, this girl has a lot of character! She just
epitomizes loyalty and trust, dont you think? Shes a real keeper, Milton!
Again, you bring up that Adrienne runs hot and cold. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, When she runs hot and cold, it means she doesnt care about you. Especially when
shes pregnant hopefully by her husband. She might do all the things a girl with high
interest would do, but shes still not available because shes married!
This might not be a lust thing for you, but its a lust thing for Adrienne. You might admire all
of her qualities, but do you admire her trustworthiness? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Do
you think that if you two got together she would be able to teach your daughters about the
commandments Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife or Thou shalt not commit
adultery? Im sure Adrienne has every quality you would want in a woman. My favorite
quality in a woman is disloyalty. And it sounds like she has that one in spades!
But despite all that, you want to wait for something to go wrong with her marriage so you can
take Adrienne for yourself. Great! Shes going to stay married to her husband, have his kid,
and youll go on flirting with her. And at the end of four years, shes going to tell you that
shes staying with her husband, and you just wasted four years of your life. That sounds like a
great plan to me!
Remember, guys: When shes married, shes off-limits.
Now, clearly there is a lot of Womanese going on here. Its one thing if I go out with a girl a
few times and she gives me the brush-off if things arent sizzling, but Savina and I got along
incredibly well and things were very romantic. What I cant reconcile is how her Interest
Level could go from being sky-high to almost nothing overnight. I did nothing that could have
provoked that. I get that theres a chance that me moving away would give her pause when it
comes to getting involved, but I made it clear that I neither expected her to commit fully nor
that I intended to blow her off when I moved.
I need coaching, Doc. I know that I should probably forget Savina, but she won me over until
all this happened. What should I do?
Kal - whos baffled in the nations capital
doc love's response
Hi Kal,
If you and your buddy are passing my book back and forth, it tells me that neither of you are
memorizing it! Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Anybody who lends The
System out is stupid! Dude, you have to get and keep the book for yourself its the only
way you can reap the programs full benefits. Plus, by not buying it yourself you didnt get
my CDs!
How can you meet Savina and have a date with her the very next day? You should have
gotten her number, waited a week and then called her. You dont call someone as soon as you
make contact with her and set up a date for the next 24 hours. Wheres the breathing space
between the two of you? Jumping on a babe so quickly makes you look desperate.
It follows that you dont go out with a girl a bunch of times the very first week you meet her.
In the first 10 or 12 weeks youre only supposed to see the girl once a week. Are you sure you
borrowed the right book from your friend? Because from what you did with Savina, you
certainly werent going by my program! And something else: You dont hang out with a
girl; you date her.
Now let me get this straight. You went to look for a place to live in another city and took
Savina along? Kal, you spent way too much time with this girl who you dont know from
Eve! Youre seeing her during the week and youre already taking road trips with her? Shes
not even your girlfriend yet! To boot, youre moving away from her. Like my cousin Fast
Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Where is this thing going?
Why in the world are you already making a point to Savina about how well things are going?
Guy, youre absolutely slaughtering Challenge here! Whats more, Savinas going to evaluate
the relationship according to her experience and Interest Level, not because you tell her that
you think that everything is going great. Now Im absolutely sure that you havent memorized
The System!
You dont ask a girl out for Friday until she asks you why youre not asking her out for
Friday. This is another blunder you made. And you dont make tentative plans you make
definite plans. Buddy, youre not following anything in my book! This is why you dont pass
it back and forth. You have to keep it near you all the time and read it at least 15 times so you
know what the heck youre doing!
Kal, we dont go by your personal rules; we go by what The System tells us to do. That
said, it is okay to contact a girl twice and not again without a response. Unfortunately, its the
only thing youve done right so far.
You should have told Savina that you were writing her off by not contacting her. You tried to
appeal to her sense of logic when she was already gone emotionally. After taking her on the
road trip and seeing her all week long and setting up your Friday date, you shot your wad.
Youre finished, pal.
When Savina said that she didnt know what she wanted right now, what she really meant was
that she wants anybody but you. Shes not emotionally screwed up. What that phrase means is
that her Interest Level is below 50%. And that means that youre history. Like my cousin
General Love says, You had your shot, and you blew it. You saw her too much, too soon,
and you took that trip with her. Way, way too much. By the time she decided shed had
enough of you, there wasnt an ounce of Challenge left if there was any in the first place.
You got along with Savina well, but only for a very short time. You should have been seeing
her once a week MAX, but you crammed in four or five things with her in a week and a half.
You were all over her; you were too available. She didnt have to wonder where she stood
with you, and she never had to wonder how many other women were chasing you. So you
never gave her anything to chew on.
Savinas Interest Level went from sky-high to nothing overnight because it says in my book
that if you had 10 years in with her, her Interest Level couldnt drop that much overnight. But
you had no foundation with Savina. You didnt know her. You had no time in with her. Like
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, If you have no seniority with a babe, you can be out in
five minutes.
My friend, you did all kinds of things to provoke this reaction from Savina. You saw her all
the time. You called her all the time. You set tentative dates with her. You were hanging out
versus dating. I cant believe you ever even saw the cover of my book!
And, again, you were making plans for the future. Why in the world were you laying all this
stuff out? Why are you telling a girl you knew for a few days your entire game plan? Youre
like a general telling another general how youre going to attack him on the battlefield.
What should you do? Get your own copy of The System because you dont have a clue!
Remember, guys: Unless you memorize my book, nothing will work.
Im in my 30s, decent looking and come from a traditional Indian cultural background. Ive
always had trouble getting girls. Ive always put them on a pedestal and have always felt
scared of approaching them. With everyone else, Im fine.
After college I kind of came out of my shell. What followed was an eight-year binge of dating
different girls. Things culminated when I met Aamani online. She was only 22, funny, pretty,
charming, smart, and affectionate. We spoke on the phone for three months, and all was good.
Then we met in person. She was disturbed by my baldness, but was happy about the rest of
me. After a few months of dating, she said she loved me (she said it first). She also said she
couldnt handle the hair thing. She asked me to get a hair transplant. Like a tool, I did this,
although my baldness never bothered me before.
Once I did this, Aamani was ready to get married, and we got engaged. She alternated
between being sweet and nice one day, and being mean as hell the next three. Her modus
operandi was to find something to be upset about and then become quietly angry for hours. I
attributed this to her tough childhood, making her hate men (her words). By this time, I was
very submissive. I didnt want to ruin things.
I married Aamani one year later. Things got worse. She constantly argued with me. She acted
angry all the time. She even slapped me once. Eight months later, she left. I begged her to
change her mind. She didnt return my calls for weeks. Then I read one of your articles, and
after that, I stopped begging her and the rest was handled by the lawyers. I never talked to
Aamani again. Im pretty broken up about it, although it was a year ago. I feel like an idiot for
letting all this happen.
Recently, I was on the other side of the country for a wedding. I immediately got attracted to a
girl, Simone, sitting at my table. She wasnt the prettiest, but for some crazy reason I liked
her. She seemed innocent and not a bitch. I approached her, and we chatted for only five
minutes. Two weeks later, I cant stop thinking about her and have already caught myself
fantasizing about getting married to her. Is it wrong to want to get in contact with Simone to
try and create a relationship? Am I just repeating past mistakes? How do I change myself?
Shahid - who doesnt know how to begin to change
Doc Love's Response
Hi Shahid,
First of all, let me ask you a question. Why would you put someone you dont know on a
pedestal? You dont know any of these women, and you dont know their backgrounds. So
why would you pull a Charlie Sheen and turn them into goddesses? Secondly, and most
importantly, the reason youre scared is because you dont have my book. You say you read
my columns, but why dont you own my book? The System will give you product
knowledge. To you Psych majors, when you are dealing with anything, from computers to jet
planes to women, if you understand them, you wont be afraid of them.
Now, on to Aamani. Why in the world were you talking on the phone with her for three
months? Youre supposed to talk to a woman on the phone once to ask her out to Starbucks
for coffee thats all. You gave away your personality without passing the all-important
physical attraction test, dude.
But finally you got together with Aamani. When she said she was disturbed by your baldness,
right then and there you should have walked. Shahid, you flunked the physical-attraction test,
and that meant you were finished. When she said she couldnt handle the hair thing, it meant
she wasnt in love with you and that you were out right away. Like my Uncle Jethro Love
says, Shes a 22-year-old ding-dong! But you went along with it because you havent
memorized my materials. Its time to wake up and smell the coffee.
Shahid, you should only get a hair transplant because you want it, not because some dizzy girl
tells you to get one. All your capitulation did was show Aamani that she could manipulate
you, that you have no backbone and that shed never have to respect you because youre a
wimp.
The biggest mistake of your life was getting engaged to this woman. If she was mean as hell
for three days out of every four, why did you stay with her? Why would you stay with
someone who disrespects you and is nasty as a witch? Ill tell you why: Because you dont
like yourself. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, Some men dont think theyre worthy of
anything better.
But you went much, much further. Aamani told you up front that she hated men, and you
went and married her. What would possess you? And let me straighten you out on something
here. You ruined everything because you were submissive, not the other way around. And, in
case you didnt notice, everything was already ruined the minute she told you she hated men
and by deduction, you! Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Is it any wonder things
got worse when you got hitched?
Shahid, the real reason you should feel like an idiot is for not purchasing The System. By
your own admission, after you read a couple of my columns you saw the light. So why would
you not go all the way and fix yourself up by buying my book?
Now, let me get this straight, pal. After paying off all your lawyers, youre fantasizing about
marrying a girl you talked to for only five minutes? Do you realize how outlandish that
statement is? Do you realize how out of sync with reality you are when you say something
like that? I can tell by your letter that youre an intelligent person, but you are run strictly by
your emotions. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Therefore, you will repeat the hell you
went through in your marriage with the next girl. In fact, your future with women will be a
mess until you invest in my book and straighten yourself out.
Of course its wrong to get in touch with Simone and try to create a relationship, because you
dont know what youre doing. Its all a waste of time, guy. As they say in the sales field,
Youre just burning a good lead.
The only way for you to change yourself is to get The System and memorize it. Otherwise
you are condemned to repeat all of your blunders. Do you really want to suffer like that
again?
Remember, guys: When you understand women, they wont intimidate you.
her, and then she doesnt want to go out with you again, what happened? Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, Did you un-sell yourself?
When you say that you were practicing parts of The System without even knowing it, you
bring up a very important point. When I talk to you guys, Im not saying you dont know
anything at all about women. Some of you have 50% knowledge, and some of you have 85%
knowledge. My job is to give you that missing 50% or 15% percent and get your knowledge
up to 100%. And Shag, I appreciate your honesty when you say you learned a lot about what
you didnt know from my program.
When Lynda told you that she should never pay for anything and that she has to get the Hope
Diamond for a ring, she sent you a clear message. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East
L.A. says, You better own Fort Knox.
But she told you even more. She told you all about her other boyfriends. When a guy is out
spending money on a gal, he really likes to hear how romantic an ex is, doesnt he? It makes
him feel really good. It sounds like this Lynda is a very thoughtful and considerate person.
Talking about being abused by her mother and being obsessed about her body and looks are
called deal-breakers. Lyndas mother should be in jail, and Im sorry for what Lynda had to
go through. But being in love with every mirror Lynda sees will leave little time for you. Like
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, The point is that youre the one whos going to have to
eat it.
Whats really great about your letter is that you have my book and therefore you understand
the power of counteroffer. Lynda didnt come back with one, which means that her Interest
Level is below 50%. Women who have an Interest Level above 50% help you and make a
counteroffer when they cant make a date. Theyll name another time when they can see you.
Yes, its true that Lynda has low self-esteem. You hit that right on the head, guy. But what
really matters is the fact that she made no counteroffer, which means youre out. So forget
Lynda. But when you say that her self-esteem is so low that she cant take the initiative,
youre rationalizing. Up to this point, Shag, you were brilliant and picked up on what was
really going on with this girl. But you dropped the ball on the connection or lack thereof
between low self-esteem and making a counteroffer. Ive said it a million times before:
Interest Level cuts everything. If Lynda was really interested in you, all she had to say was, I
cant make it when you want to go out, but I can make it for the next night. Simple.
The fact that Lynda has her ex over to watch TV might not make sense to you, but thats
because youre a rational being. The important thing is that here you have yet another big red
flag. My book says no exes lurking in the background. Why is Lynda seeing an ex? The
answer is that she has low self-esteem, so she needs the strokes. But is that something you
really want to deal with?
Whats going on with Lynda is very basic: She has no interest in you.
Remember, guys: No counteroffer means youre out.
When To Propose?
Hey Doc,
Ive read your book but may need coaching on a little conundrum. Sometimes when you get a
puzzling result, you have to call in a specialist.
I first laid eyes on Jill when she walked past me on a flight from Europe to New York. She
made prolonged eye contact that suggested, Im interested and available. I played it cool
and bumped into her in baggage, which gave us plenty of time to talk and confirm the lack of
a wedding band. I kept the conversation light, funny and interesting. I casually grabbed her
phone number, waited a week to call and set up a lunch date. This led to a casual romance
filled with adventure dates (hiking, parasailing, etc.) that started out as a once-every-twoweeks kind of thing and then progressed to talking on the phone every evening by the fifth
month (I kept the calls no longer than 10 minutes to set up more dates).
Heres my problem. Through a professional connection, I got word that Jills ex-boyfriend, an
Ivy League graduate, was pursuing her big time again, even though theyd broken up a year
previous to my meeting her. Naturally, shed shared a few details about Frat Boy along the
way, but I had no idea that this guy was rich. Im talking major VP of a Fortune 500
company. I do well, but quite frankly, Im happy where I am, make a good living and plan to
retire when I hit 50 to enjoy life instead of working till I drop.
Heres the rub: Apparently Frat Boys biological clock is exploding or something, and Jill is
mid-30s herself. Shes dropped lots of little hints about having babies with me meaning
she wants to get married ASAP. But I know that your MO is that you dont even think about
getting serious with a woman until you have a solid year of Flexible Giving under your belt
with her, and Ive only got six months. Jill also doesnt seem overly materialistic, but in my
experience you never really know with women.
To her credit, Jill has made it pretty clear to me that this guy is coming on strong, sending
flowers, love notes and asking to get back together. Jill has said that the reason they broke up
to begin with was that he was a workaholic and unavailable.
Even so, Im playing this cool and confident. I didnt overreact at all upon this news, and
kept up the Challenge and mystery (I still leave for weekends with the guys for fishing
expeditions, although Jill tries to make demands on my time). I would guess that her
Interest Level has always been at least in the 90s, but with this Ivy League guy putting
himself back in the picture, Im questioning that for the first time.
Meanwhile, Jill is still dropping marriage hints and saying that shes more or less ignoring her
exs requests for dates and told him to stop contacting her. My question is this: Should I stick
to the program and wait another six months to pop the question, or should I put this
relationship into overdrive and head toward marriage more quickly? I dont want to lose her
over a perceived reluctance to walk down the aisle.
Dewey - who is curious to see how shell react to Frat Boy
Doc Love's Response
Hi Dewey,
You make an excellent point about calling in a specialist when you face a dicey situation.
Most men do not realize how deep my techniques and principles go when it comes to their
problems with women. Guys send me emails two pages long describing their difficulties with
a woman, and they expect me to give them a one-sentence Band-Aid to solve everything. It
doesnt work that way. In reality, they need major surgery. Like my cousin Brother Love
down in Watts says, If you got problems with women, there aint no quick fixes.
Lets move on to Jill. Her prolonged eye contact with you said she was interested, but it didnt
say that she was necessarily available. So you shouldnt have jumped to any conclusions.
You should have been seeing Jill at least once a week instead of once every two weeks. And,
remember, the telephone is used to get a date, and thats all. I know you kept your calls short,
Dewey, but its not how long the calls last; its the frequency of the calls thats just as
important. By calling Jill all the time, youre killing Challenge, Dewey.
When you got the information about Jill and her ex from your professional contact, I hope you
didnt tell him that you were dating her. How do you know he wouldnt take that information
and run with it straight to Frat Boy? Still, you had to listen to what he told you, even if you
werent sure of its truthfulness and accuracy. As Ive told you guys before, you have to be a
love detective and factor in all the evidence.
Dewey, you need two years of Flexible Giving with a woman before getting engaged oneand-a-half years at the very earliest. One year is not long enough because at that point, youre
still going out with a stranger. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, After only one year with a
woman, you aint seen all her warts yet. Its true as you say that you never really know with
women, and I congratulate you on being aware of it.
My question to you is this: if Jill loves you so much, why is she talking to you about other
men? I would advise you not to talk about your exes with her, so why is she not showing you
the same class? Why cant she prevent herself from baring her soul? To you Psych majors,
women with Interest Levels in the 90s dont talk about other guys.
The key to this situation, Dewey, is what Jill tells her ex. If she orders him to stop contacting
her assuming shes not lying to you its great. But how truthful is she being with you?
No way you can pop the question now, pal. You have to wait another year and a half before
even thinking about it, given the present circumstances with Frat Boy. So, no, you shouldnt
put this relationship into overdrive. You shouldnt do anything until this other guy is
completely out of the picture. I dont like the fact that hes still coming on to Jill. Heres
something to think about. When Jill gets an email from Frat Boy, does she erase it or does she
read it? When he mails her flowers, does she mail them back? When he sends her a love
letter, does she write on it THIS RECIPIENT IS DEAD and return it? The point is this:
How hard is she really trying to get rid of this guy? My suspicion is that shes not trying all
that hard since she keeps letting him contact her.
Your problem, Dewey, is that you have an ex-boyfriend lurking in the background, which is a
big no-no. Until that situation is completely cleaned up and you get at least two years in with
Jill, dont even think about marrying her.
Remember, guys: If shes talking to an ex, you have to smell a rat.
precious years you can never get back. And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A.
says, Hey, man, Im not driving the bus over you, but you shouldnt have spent more than a
few minutes on somebody who gives you a rough time.
Whats more, dude, think of all the money you spent on someone who nagged you all the time
and had a lousy attitude. It was all a waste. Very sad, Shmuel. And completely uncalled for if
you had known what you were doing. And the only way you would have known what you
were doing is if you had the benefit of the techniques in my book.
Now lets be real about something, guy. You didnt just happen to be cruising the internet
when you stumbled across Nadias face. You looked her up. Youre making it sound like an
accident, when the truth is that it was calculated. So lets not make this thing something that it
isnt.
To you Psych majors: You shouldnt be on Facebook because you dont want a woman to
know too much about you before you even start dating her. Like my cousin Sal The Fish
Love says, When you tell the entire world where you went to school, and where you work
and everything you like and dont like, there isnt much room left for mystery.
Now, heres what youre going to do. Drop Nadia an email and say, Hey, I havent talked to
you for a long time. Lets get together for a cup of coffee. Then act as if nothing at all is
happening and nothing is out of the ordinary. In other words, act like you ran into Nadia on
the street just last week. Nonchalance is the key to this situation. If Nadia happens to ask you
why you havent contacted her in all this time, tell her you had a girlfriend and youve just
now broken up. Thats it. Clean and simple. Theres no need to complicate this situation.
It takes only 30 seconds to send an email to Nadia. If she says yes to your suggestion for
coffee, youre on your way. If she says no, then you arent on your way, but at least you know
where you stand. The point is that its no big deal. Youre being a little too emotional about
this situation, and youre way too worried about what Nadias response is going to be. The
truth is that it doesnt call for anything more than a simple gesture to get the ball rolling. If
Nadia is available and liked you in the past, youll get the date.
Remember, guys: You have to swing the bat to get a hit.
Conservative Women
Hey Doc,
Im losing faith in The System. I know you receive a ton of emails, but I hope youll take
the time to reply to this one.
I live outside the United States and bought your book when I was a teenager; Im in my 20s
now. All along, I thought it was the best money I ever spent until now. Throughout the
years, I have accumulated some experiences that are in conflict with the teachings of The
System. Please hear me out.
Yes, I agree that Interest Level cuts across all cultures, that girls help you out when they are
interested and that counteroffers are important. But dont you think that your method of
testing Interest Level might be flawed when applied to more conservative cultures? I feel that
some aspects of The System should be revised. My rationale is that measurement of
Interest Level varies across cultures. Girls might give out numbers to guys, but they may also
want to know more about those guys through texting and phone chats before going out with
them. Refusing to go on a date or not giving a specific counteroffer does not necessarily mean
they have an Interest Level lower than 50%. Perhaps they do have an Interest Level thats
higher than 50%, but the method used to test it is flawed because its a different yardstick of
measurement. Could it be that, for them, going out on a date means a 65% Interest Level?
Heres another point. I recently got a ladys number and called her for a date after a week. We
chatted a bit, and I did not reveal details about myself to her (Challenge). I ended by saying,
You can find out more about me if youll have lunch with me. Unfortunately, she gave me
the I dont know reply without a specific counteroffer. I ended the conversation after some
small talk and was devastated. To my surprise, she texted me shortly afterward and said, I
have done some investigations through our mutual friends and have found out more details
about you. We went on texting for a while. Well, this is still a counteroffer, right? Doesnt
this mean she wants to take things slow? What would have happened if all contact was ceased
and her phone number flushed?
The point is that we evaluate women through their Interest Levels, but they are screening us
through new communication technologies such as Facebook. Why would a woman waste time
meeting men face to face when she can find out more about them through texting, messaging
or their Facebook profile? Im not saying we do not have to close the deal, because we do.
But dont you think that it is too premature and too extreme to make a decision using your
method, based on just one call?
Doc, I am grateful for your knowledge, but I can no longer steadfastly practice your methods
as I used to.
Yacqui - who is curious to hear what you have to say
Doc Love's Response
Hi Yacqui,
When a guy is in conflict with The System, it means that some women have told them
that it doesnt work with them. But, in reality, those women merely have low Interest Levels
or bad attitudes. My principles still work they always work.
My methods are most definitely not flawed when it comes to more conservative women and
cultures. But while in some more conservative countries you might not kiss a girl on the
second date, if she has high Interest Level in you, she will still light up like a Christmas tree.
She will still touch your arm, she will laugh at all your corny jokes and she will show up on
time. To you Psych majors, while you might not kiss a girl on a second date in certain
cultures, it doesnt mean the entire System is flawed. In that situation, you would simply
modify that single point. Thats all.
Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, measurement of Interest Level does not vary
across cultures. So your assumption here is dead wrong. When a girl has 80% Interest Level
in you in Montana and she has 80% Interest Level in you in the Philippines, she still has 80%
Interest Level in you. The only difference is that one girl you might kiss, and one girl you
might not kiss as quickly. But regardless of when the kiss happens, a girl will show her
Interest Level. She will just show it in other ways.
Dude, all women want to know more about you, but youre not supposed to give in to them.
Thats part of being a Challenge. Every other guy blurts his guts out during texting and phone
calls for six or eight weeks, but he will probably not even get a first date. What a waste of
time!
Yacqui, not giving a counteroffer or refusing to go on a date with you does mean the woman
has less than 50% Interest Level. When she likes you, she has an Interest Level of above 50%,
and when she doesnt, its below 50%. Its that simple. For a babe to go out with you, she
must have Interest Level of 51% or higher. If she wont go out with you, her interest is 49%
or less. What you dont understand is that youre struggling to build rapport through texting
and chatting because she doesnt want to spend time sitting across from you. And thats
because she had low Interest Level to begin with and you didnt pass the Physical Attraction
Test.
You shouldnt have told the lady that she could find out more about you if she had lunch with
you. You should have just asked her out. You should have said, Listen, Id like to you take
you out to dinner, and Ill pick you up at six oclock on Thursday. Like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says, Youre going on a date, not a business meeting. So youre destroying
The System just by how you asked the lady out. When she said I dont know and didnt
counteroffer, it meant her Interest Level was 49% or less. Again, its that simple. Youre
reading too much into it and rationalizing.
Now, let me get this straight. You were devastated by a woman who youve never been out
with? That means youve got other problems, my friend. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says,
Boy, youre way too sensitive. Its all right to get sensitive when you go out with a girl for
six months and she drops you cold, not when you dont get a first date.
And youre wrong about her alleged counteroffer. It wasnt a counteroffer at all. A
counteroffer applies to dates, not texting. You can text a girl until the cows come home, but
she will probably never give you the first date. That means shes a stroker, a time-waster. Are
you sure you have the right book? And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says,
The reason shes taking things slow is because shes not interested in you. Yacqui, if youd
have flushed this ladys number, you wouldnt have blown a lot of time with somebody
whose Interest Level is south of the border.
A woman cant find out about a man through texting and chatting because she cant see him.
Therefore, she cant read his body language. Shes only looking at some letters and digits on a
phone pad. Shes not looking at the way he moves or his face or his eyes, and shes not
hearing his voice and the way it modulates. She and you are missing all of that crucial
interplay. Texting is only 30% or 40% of communication. Without assessing body language,
you dont know what a woman really feels or what her true responses are.
Pal, its not at all premature for a guy to base a decision on one phone call. If a woman is not
available at that time, you move on and its over. One more thing. You havent been
practicing my methods, Yacqui. If you had, you would know whats going on right now.
Remember, guys: The System took 40 years to build, so keep the faith.
Holly doesnt care too much about you as a person. Youre deluded here. Its just the
opposite, pal: She cares too little about you. What shes telling you indirectly is that she has
low interest level in you. If she cared too much about you, she would be wildly in love with
you and all over you and you alone. And thats definitely not the case here. Youre mixing up
caring with what happens in a romantic relationship. Holly is just using Womanese to keep
you happy.
Whats more, Holly has told you that she is not attracted to you. The first principle of The
System is that you have to pass the Physical Attraction Test. Apparently youre not familiar
with my materials, buddy.
This babe might get romantic with you on occasion, but like my cousin Rabbi Love says,
You might have her body once in a while, but you dont have her heart. You have to win
the womans heart to have a true romantic relationship with her. Of course you dont kiss
Holly or hold hands with her, because if you did, shed be your girlfriend, which shes not.
Now, get this straight. Youre not dating Holly, no matter what she tells her friends. Shes
lying to you, Lowell. Dating implies a romantic relationship. Holly doesnt have a romantic
relationship with you. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Youre like a little brother to this
gal. All the things that Holly does for you, like giving you money and hanging around you
when youre lonely, have nothing to do with a romantic relationship. None of her alleged
generosity is coming from her being a Giver in a romantic relationship. And if she
undermines your other dates, all it means is that shes a sick puppy, just like you are.
One more thing. Holly isnt confused about anything at all, guy. You are the one whos
confused. This vixen knows exactly what shes up to. She has a different agenda from you,
and you refuse to admit that her Interest Level in you is less than 50%. You might be her little
brother or her best friend, but Holly has zero romantic interest in you. As far as a foundation
for a long-term relationship is concerned, youre dreaming, my friend.
You might be tired of being called Hollys boyfriend when youre not, but thats what youre
going to be called for the rest of your life maybe longer. If youve fallen for Holly and
cant back off, youve put your finger on exactly what your problem is: no Self-Control.
Youd better develop some fast if you dont want to go over the edge on account of this babe.
Remember, guys: If you have her mixed up with someone who cares, youre wasting your
time.
Low Self-Esteem
Hey Doc,
Im in serious trouble with a girl in my office.
Basically, I am an average guy 25-year-old with a lean body and decent looks. When I was in
school I had an accident that left a scar on my hand. Due to this, I have a very low self-image
and low self-confidence when it comes to interacting with girls. During college, I tried to
avoid them, assuming that no one would like someone who has an ugly scar. So I dont know
how to talk to girls. Ive become an introvert. As a result, girls have avoided me because I
behave like a weird guy around them.
A year ago, Simone, a very cute girl, joined our office. We became friends instantly. This was
very different for me. She showed lots of interest in me and praised me for my work. She
made me feel like I was the only guy in the office she liked. She made physical contact when
we walked or sat together. Sometimes we talked on the phone for an hour. Id never talked
with a girl on the phone before. I felt on top of the world. One day I said, I like you. Will you
be my girlfriend?
I said it because I thought shed say yes. Instead, it changed everything in an instant. Simone
told me she wasnt interested in any kind of relationship and that we couldnt be friends
anymore. She ignored me in the office and no longer talked to me. Since she sits close by, it
was very painful for me. I was totally heartbroken and went into a depression. Simone started
hanging out with other guys in the office. Every other guy in the office fell for her since shes
so hot.
Its now a year later, and those other guys have left the company. Simone and I talk, but its
awkward. She treats me like a friend, but I feel she is using me because theres no one else
left for her in the office. She only thinks of me when she needs help. Doc, I still crave
Simones company and want to be with her. I dont know what I will do if I cant be with her,
but her mood swings make me anxious. Should I break off this so-called friendship or hang
on just in case she will eventually like me? I think of nothing but her, even when Im at home.
Should I leave the job because of her? Should I confront her directly about my issues? Im not
able to concentrate on my job anymore, and the situation is affecting my health.
I eagerly await your reply.
Stashu - who is losing his grip
Doc Love's Response
Hi Stashu,
Youre in serious trouble with a girl in your office for one reason and one reason only: you
dont have my materials, and you dont have them memorized. Period. If you had my
principles and techniques down cold, you wouldnt be in any trouble at all, and Simone
wouldnt have affected you in the least. She would be nothing but a blip on the screen of your
life. Regarding your scar, Stashu, there are many below-average-looking guys and guys with
scars on various parts of their bodies from dangerous jobs like construction, but they dont
stop living. There are effective ways to handle this sort of problem, but you dont know what
they are because you dont have my book.
A guy with a scar on his belly from an operation might just say to a girl, Hey, I was in a
battle with a samurai, and I lost. He keeps it light and funny and makes a joke of it. To you
Psych majors, if he puts across to the girl that a scar is no big deal, then its no big deal to
him or to her. The truth of the matter is that we all have scars, whether or not you can see
them, but they dont have to prevent life from being fulfilling.
But if your scar bothers you so much that you cant function, you should try to have
something done about it. The advances in plastic surgery have been nothing short of
astounding. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Heck, nowadays, theyre putting new
faces on people.
You didnt become friends with Simone instantly, pal. She was the only girl who ever paid
any attention to you. You were her friend, but you didnt know what she really felt about you.
The truth is that she was probably just nice to you because you helped her with her work. You
might have talked to Simone on the phone for an hour, but you werent dating her, and,
therefore, you shouldnt be blabbing to her on the phone. You should have been dating
Simone. You should have gotten her number and taken her out to dinner, to shoot pool or go
bowling. You never did that, Stashu. If you had done that in the first place, you wouldnt be in
this mess now.
Of course asking Simone to be your girlfriend changed everything in an instant. Thats
because she was just being polite to you or using you to help her do her job. But she had no
romantic feeling toward you whatsoever. And since you never had a date in your life, it was
tough for you to handle the situation. With your low self-esteem, Im sorry to say, its going
to be tough for you to get a girl and handle her correctly.
Actually, you should have waited for Simone to ask you to become her boyfriend instead of
the other way around. But since you dont have my materials, youre at a terrible
disadvantage, because you dont have the proper strategy. And you need a lot of work as it is
because you have such low self-confidence. When an opportunity like Simone came up, you
couldnt handle it because you dont have my book memorized and, therefore, youre not
equipped to do anything with the opportunity. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts
says, You cant play in the ball game unless youre prepared.
Explain something to me, Stashu. How can you go into a depression over a girl youve never
been on a single date with? Simone never even said she liked you, man. Do you realize how
out of touch with reality you are? Do you realize how far you have to go? Do you realize how
strong you have to be to deal with the opposite sex?
If you feel that Simone is using you in the office, just say no. All you have to do when she
asks you for something is say, "Im busy," and then smile and walk away. But like my cousin
Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, You couldnt get the N word out to a girl if your life
depended on it. This is because youre not trained.
Let me straighten you out on something else. Simone doesnt have mood swings; she has low
Interest Level. Youve got it all wrong here, my friend. Simone just doesnt care for you.
To think that Simone will eventually like you is insane. Its like asking whether you will win
the lottery. And like my cousin Rabbi Love says, My son, winning the lottery would be
easier than getting this girl to like you.
You might think of nothing but Simone when youre at home, but, sadly, when shes at home,
she never thinks about you. Dont leave your job because of her. What you have to do is get
yourself trained. You have to memorize my book and listen to my radio show ASAP. Given
the shape youre in, its going to take two to four years to get your head straightened out, so
youd better start on it right this minute, Stashu. Of course you cant confront Simone about
your issues. Shes not your psychiatrist. She doesnt care about any of your issues. You still
dont get it: This babe never even thinks of you.
Remember, guys: Unless you memorize my materials, you dont have a chance.
A Married Woman
Hey Doc,
Im a great fan of your work, and I happen to be going through the toughest moment of my
life.
I started going out with Ruby when she was legally married. Her husband dumped her for
another woman and now has a baby with the other woman. Everything was going fine
between Ruby and me when her husband sent an email out of the blue telling her that he was
coming back to her and calling her the love of his life. Ruby went berserk and started crying.
She said she wanted us to be only friends and that she would go back to her husband.
Guess what I did? I said, Youve conquered me, but Im never friends with my exes. Then I
stopped answering her phone calls and disappeared from her life. What happened next
shocked me. Ruby wrote me an email telling me that I was the man of her life. She even came
to my workplace walking 30 minutes to get there to see me and talk to me. Now Ruby
has decided to dump her ex forever.
At the moment, Ruby and I are in the honeymoon phase, but one problem still persists. She
calls me all the time and doesnt like it when I dont answer the phone. Since shes all over
me all the time, how can I continue being a Challenge? I really dig Ruby and dont want to
blow it with her. Thanks for any words of wisdom.
Imanuel - who feels like hes been through a war
Doc Love's Response
Hi Imanuel,
First of all, if you had my materials, you would never have gone out with a married woman.
Ever. To you Psych majors, you dont go out with a woman whos hitched. You wait for her
to get all the legal paperwork finished, and then you go out with her.
Well, I have to say that Ruby sounds like the consistent type. As soon as the computer flashed
her husbands name, she was back in his arms! And she was supposed to be head over heels
for you? Gosh, Id hate to see what would have happened if she didnt like you, man!
That said, it was the right thing to do to disappear from Rubys life when she
unceremoniously dumped you to go back to her husband. But what you dont seem to
understand, pal, is that since you went out with a married woman, this thing was dead in the
water from the get go. Furthermore, you wouldnt be in this mess if you hadnt dated a legally
bound woman.
Its not at all a shock to me that Ruby came running back to you when you completely
ignored her. Its called the power of Challenge, dude. But instead of taking her right back
when she showed up at your job, you should have told her that you needed at least 60 days to
think it over. When a woman does to you what Ruby did, you dont just capitulate to her
whims. It destroys the entire concept of Challenge, for one thing, and tells her that she can do
whatever she wants to you again. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, When
she does you dirt, you dont just say 'I forgive you' and take her back. Whats wrong with
you, bro?
And like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, When you rob a bank, you have to do time.
This is the same thing, my friend.
If Ruby gets all bent out of shape when you dont pick up the phone when she calls you at all
hours of day and night, it means she has low Self-Esteem, which is a huge red flag and
something you would have known if youd memorized my book. And just think, like my
cousin Rabbi Love says, Shes going to be doing this for the next 40 years.
Imanuel, did you ever think that maybe Rubys low Self-Esteem and wacky behavior is what
drove her husband nuts? And maybe it wasnt really another woman who precipitated the
breakup of their marriage. Have you thought of that? Maybe Ruby was just a lousy wife, and
he met someone else when his Interest Level was in the pits not that I would ever condone
a husband or wife committing adultery, because under no circumstance would I.
Now, if Ruby is all over you, you cant even breathe. But I dont think you should worry
about being a Challenge to her. I think you should get rid of this babe. She is not good for
you. In another 30 or 40 days, if you two have an argument, shell call up her ex-husband
again and beg him to take her back. Do you really want to be involved in something like this,
guy? And Rubys husband has a big problem because now hes the father of a child with
another woman, which only adds to the mess. All three of these people are screwed up: Ruby,
her husband and her husbands new girlfriend. The one I really feel sorry for is the new baby.
Imanuel, you should get out of this entire quagmire as quickly as possible. Like the old
cowboy saying goes, Run for the hills!
If you want to continue seeing Ruby, however, you have to tell her that youre not available
on a 24-hour-a-day basis. Like my cousin General Love says, She has to learn that youre not
a paramedic. And tell her that she has to quit phoning you and that youll talk when you see
each other. If she cant abide by those guidelines, then you have to dump her. But whether or
not you want to hear it, Imanuel, I say you have to dump her anyway now.
Remember, guys: If you date a married woman, you will get hurt.
You're In Love
Hey Doc,
Im 24 and met Tracee, who is 21, through a mutual friend. One weekend we went out with a
group of people, got drunk and very romantic, and one thing led to another. She was by far the
hottest girl Ive ever had. In the morning it was awkward, but we decided that this was not a
one-night thing and that we had started something.
In the weeks that followed, things moved very quickly. We spent a lot of time together, with
me sleeping at her place almost every night of the week. Within two weeks, she had already
met most of my family, and I met her mother.
As time went on, she started taking the position that she was too busy for a relationship and
not emotionally available, as she was still healing from her last relationship. She insisted that
this had always been her position. I could relate, and we agreed that neither of us really knew
what we wanted or what to expect, so we were basically just decided to have a good time and
see where it would go.
I quickly figured out that this was an incredibly stressful place for me to be in since I had
developed feelings for Tracee, who wasnt officially my girlfriend. I began getting hurt by
things she would do, from how little time and attention she gave me to the way she danced
with others when we went out. Then we basically stopped talking for a week or two.
Eventually I decided that I didnt have the energy for what I began to see as her little games,
and I wrote her a letter about how shed hurt me and why I had to move on.
I was fine for a few days, and then I began to feel like I was losing my mind. I was extremely
depressed, had no energy and began suffering panic attacks. All of this was new to me. The
other day when Tracee walked past my store (we both work in the same shopping mall) we
didnt even make eye contact, but just seeing her felt like getting punched in the gut. I nearly
fell to the ground, got lightheaded and had the worst anxiety attack Ive ever experienced. I
held it together for a couple more hours, then went out to my truck to cry my heart out.
My friends have been very supportive. The other day I was talking to one about how horrible
I was feeling and she said Oh, you fell in love! As the days passed, I began to wonder if she
might be on to something. Despite Tracees current party-girl/workaholic mode, she still
seems like the best (if not only) fit Ive ever encountered for wife material.
Although Ive been working hard to avoid contact with her, and to stand taller and walk
confidently past her store, I find myself still wanting her back very badly. But I havent seen
any signs that this feeling is mutual. Im finding it very difficult to move on because, for one
thing, we werent really together long enough to have any fights or get sick of anything about
each other. I find this whole situation rather ridiculous, and cant believe what Im going
through! Over what? But I cannot deny the physical and emotional symptoms that are
crippling me. Im at a loss.
Jonny - who is crushed
Doc Love's Response
Hi Jonny,
You know why it was awkward with Tracee in the morning? Because you didnt have any
kind of relationship with her, thats why. If you had known this girl, it might have been
different. Thats why I always tell you guys that the longer you wait to get romantic and
intimate with a girl the better, because that way you get to know and understand her, which
you didnt do.
Sleeping at Tracees place every night of the week was another huge blunder. Like my Uncle
Jethro Love says, You do that, and youre gonna wear out your welcome fast, boy. You
have to back off a girl and let her wonder and ponder how much she likes and misses you.
Jonny, you didnt work Challenge at all. In fact, I dont think you even understand the
concept. Like most men, you rushed straight into rejection. And another thing: Youre not
supposed to meet her family for six months, and you did it within two weeks. Could you have
been more of a pushover, guy? Why didnt you just ask Tracee to marry you the night you
met?
Tracee might be healing from her last boyfriend, but she did have an Interest Level in you for
at least one night. Then it went straight into the toilet, and thats your problem. And when a
girl says shes too busy for a relationship or shes not emotionally available, that means you
dont have a chance of even one in a million.
Jonny, youre lying when you say that you and Tracee were loose and just wanted to have fun
and see where things would go. Admit it, pal: You liked this girl a lot. The problem is that she
didnt like you.
Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, You wanted this thing to go somewhere, and she
didnt want it to go anywhere. So stop rationalizing, please. Why did you have all these
feelings for Tracee when she didnt ask you to be her boyfriend? Your Interest Level was way
up in the 90s, where hers should have been but wasnt.
Now, let me get this straight. You dont like the way Tracee dances with other people? Like
my cousin Eddie Love says, This babe digs you so much shes crawling all over other guys
on the dance floor. Ouch. Id hate to see how she would have acted if she didnt like you!
The reason you felt like you were losing your mind over Tracee is because the emptiness left
by rejection was engulfing your stomach, my friend. Why? Because your Interest Level is up
in the stratosphere and Tracees is well below 50%. Your friend was right you are in love.
But, Jonny, wouldnt it be better to look for wife material in someone who actually likes to
see you? The first thing you have to do is get your head on straight, and thats where my book
comes in handy. When you pointed out that you dont see any sign whatsoever that your
feelings for Tracee are mutual, you said it all right there, man. And that means you're out.
You might not have gotten sick of Tracee, but thats because your Interest Level is still as
high as it can get. What you neglect to mention is that Tracee is completely sick of you, which
is the only thing that matters!
Remember, guys: If youre confused about a woman, you need to memorize "The System."
Chasing A Girl
Hey Doc,
I need your advice. First of all, Ive been an owner of "The System" for over a year now and
have put your words to good use. The eye-opening part for me was that the relationship is
totally based on the womans Interest Level and nothing else.
My issue involves a stunning woman named Jasmine. We met at a party three years ago. She
couldnt get enough of my attention and begged me to stay and talk with her all night. We
dated for a while until she moved out of state. When she moved back, we started dating again.
I maintained Challenge the whole time and even ended our friendship when she disrespected
me once. She apologized and promised to never do it again. Impressed with the integrity she
displayed, I allowed our friendship to continue. This time, when we started dating again, she
said she wanted to be my girlfriend.
Is She Still Interested?
Recently, when I ran into a couple of relatives while with Jasmine, I introduced her as my
friend and not my girlfriend. This made her upset, and she accused me of not being in love
with her or, for some reason, embarrassed by her. The truth is that I wanted to move slowly.
Now shes not calling me as much and has not even returned a couple of my calls. I know Im
not supposed to be calling her more than she calls me, so Ive stopped after two unanswered
calls.
Doc, I feel Jasmines Interest Level has dropped like a rock. What should I do to get it back
up? Am I being a Macho Boy by not chasing a girl? I dont want to drop her Interest Level
even more by being less of a Challenge. Is she just testing me over some small issue?
Please help me decide what to do.
Hitchcock - who cant figure her out
Doc Loves Response
Hi Hitchcock,
You are indeed correct: The relationship is based on the womans Interest Level and nothing
else. But what most men tend to do is confuse their own feelings with the womans feelings.
To you Psych majors, this is called projection and has nothing whatsoever to do with the
Reality Factor. But if you internalize the techniques of "The System," youll be on guard
against that very dangerous tendency.
What you didnt realize, dude, was that the outcome of your relationship with Jasmine was
determined very early on, when she moved out of the state. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says, If she really loved you, she wouldnt have moved a thousand miles
away. So right there this thing was dead in the water. To you Psych majors, when a woman
decides to put a lot of distance between the two of you, shes telling you something.
Hitchcock, you werent listening to what Jasmine was saying to you.
Now take a close look at what happened between you and this lady. First she moves out of the
state, and then she comes back and disrespects you. Like the great Doctor Freud once said,
Do you see a pattern here? If you dont, you should, my friend.
Don't let her walk all over you
You say that you allowed your relationship with Jasmine to continue after she dissed you, but
what you should have done was tell her to get lost for a couple of months. Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, When a man robs a bank, he might tell the court hes sorry, but he still has
to go to jail. In other words, Jasmine has to pay for her sins, guy. Like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says, When she dumps on you, why the heck are you giving her a free pass?
Hitch, you let Jasmine go easy because you have no self-control and cant stand the pain of
being alone.
You shouldnt have introduced Jasmine as your friend or your girlfriend. Whats wrong with
just saying This is Jasmine? That said, I can understand why she might have been insulted
by not being referred to as your squeeze. But its just a smokescreen in the end because this
thing had no life in it from the minute Jasmine moved out of state to get away from you. Her
Interest Level was on the way into the tank at that point.
Chasing A Girl Is A Waste Of Time
The reason Jasmines not calling you or even returning your phone calls now is because her
Interest Level has dropped precipitously to well below the 50% mark. And it means that
youre finished, Hitchcock.
Theres nothing you can do to revive Jasmines Interest Level because it has gone way south
of the border. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Once its down there, it aint never comin
back. You would know that if you had committed my book to memory by reading it at least
15 times. If you had memorized "The System," if you had lived with it and used its
principles every single day, the book would have become instinctive for you and you
wouldnt be asking me the questions youre asking now because you would already know the
answers. In this case, you would grasp that Jasmine wants nothing to do with you and that its
time to move on.
No, you shouldnt call Jasmine again. Why would you want to beg her for attention when its
obvious that she doesnt want to give you any? When a woman leaves two of your calls
unreturned, the ballgame is over. Not chasing a girl when she wont give you the time of day
has nothing to do with being a Macho Boy. Like my cousin General Love says, It just means
you still have a few shreds of dignity left.
Hitchcock, you cant drive Jasmines Interest Level any lower at this point. Shes not testing
you over any issue at all, so theres nothing to decide.
Remember, guys: When she moves out of state, it means shes not interested in you.
at a party. She was attracted to me, and I could have had a shot at dating her, but since I was
so preoccupied with multiple girls, I couldnt focus on her.
Getting A Second Chance
Afterward, I pretty much cut off contact with her, before I had a chance to really mess it up.
But I never truly did anything terrible, like making out with another girl in front of her. Doc,
do you think theres any way to talk to Misty and explain to her what happened without
looking like a needy, broken wuss, and get myself a second chance with her? Misty happens
to be a friend of my friends, so I know that I will see her at some point in the future and would
really like to try again with her. But I dont really know how to behave going into this. I
would really appreciate your input.
Belvin - whos never been in this type of situation before
Doc Loves Response
Hi Belvin,
First of all, Im very sorry that you feel so low. Maybe you should visit a psychiatrist and get
some pills or whatever other treatment is available to you. But your mental state is another
subject for another forum. I am a coach, not a shrink. When you say you are burning bridges,
you are telling me that you are aware that you are making huge mistakes with women. To you
psych majors, when youre depressed, you shouldnt be around women, so you shouldn't have
any bridges to burn in the first place.
Don't Show You're Depressed
So dont ask women out when you are depressed. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says,
If youre going to be around babes when youre bummed out, you have to talk yourself into
pretending to be another, happier individual until you get out of the building. Once youre
away from the women, you can go back into your funk. The main point is that you dont show
this side of yourself to a woman. She doesnt want to see that dark side of you when you are
out to get a date with her. Theres nothing light and funny in depression, and when it comes to
women, you have to keep it light and funny.
Saying that you didnt care about how you acted around women is the stupidest statement Ive
ever heard in my life. You have to care how you act around women if you want to be
successful with them. You dont have to care how you act around men. But women? No way.
What were you thinking, Belvin? Maybe you werent thinking at all.
You might crave another chance with Misty, but, sadly, you dont get another chance with a
woman once youve blown the first one. As Ive told you many times before, you get one
chance per girl per lifetime. Thats it. There are no second chances or third chances. Once you
blow it with a babe, once her Interest Level dips to 49%, youre out forever.
Of course Mistys interest in you waned when she found out that you were in a downward
slide. But, again, why did you show it to her in the first place? Why were you around her
when you were in such a negative state of mind? Why did you play hoops with her when you
were in the dumper? How did all of this dark stuff come out? If I gave you a million dollars to
not be depressed around Misty, I bet you would have hid your depression quite well, wouldnt
you? And if you dont have the ability to hide it, please go and consult a professional with a
sheepskin.
When you saw Misty at the party, all you had to do was walk up to her, talk to her for five
minutes and ask for her phone number. What do you mean when you say you couldnt
focus on her? All it would have taken was five minutes to figure out whether or not she was
interested in going out with you.
While you say that you never messed up by making out with another girl in front of Misty, the
crucial point is that she already knows about your depression. She can never forget it. Like
my cousin Rabbi Love says, Its an indelible deposit in her memory bank for the rest of her
life.
Theres no chance whatsoever that you are going to have a second shot with this woman.
Shes already lost interest in you, dude. Theres no point in trying again with her. From now
on, whenever youre around her, youre going to smile and say hello and act like nothing
whatsoever has happened. Pretend like you never talked to her and like its the first time you
ever met. Thats what my book would have trained you to do, but Im sure you dont have it.
My friend, not knowing how to behave around Misty is exactly why you need The System.
Remember, guys: its OK to be depressed, but its not OK to tell the world about it.
Challenge In A Relationship
Hey Doc,
Ive got a rough one for you. After reading your columns Ive begun to think that you actually
might be onto something. Ive realized it sucks that we cant just tell our feelings to women,
but I guess if we want to keep the girl, we cant.
Im a pretty attractive guy, funny and very easy to get along with. I got close to Katie, who is
very beautiful, nice, funny, and we had similar interests. I really did think she was the girl that
I could love.
I thought I had absolutely no chance with her, but after a few months of flirting, somehow I
bagged her. All my friends said she was the biggest catch at our university and joked that she
was way too hot for me. I laughed with them because it was true.
Things were great for about three months. I was her first boyfriend ever, so I tried to lead her
down the path of a relationship. But after three months she suddenly ended it. Her reasons
were that she wasnt feeling it anymore and that she didnt think it was meant to be. Like
an idiot I wrote her a long email asking her to give us another chance. After a few weeks of
heartbreak, I bought "The System," but now I still am not quite sure what was wrong.
I will agree that I presented no Challenge to Katie. But before we were together I did present
Challenge, and I thought that once we were finally together, I wouldnt have to be a
Challenge anymore. I was also very open with her, telling her how much I loved her, etc. Do I
really need to keep my hand hidden for the duration of the relationship, or was this one truly
not meant to be? We still remain friends today, and very close, which is quite annoying.
What did I do wrong? I really, really liked this girl and cant understand what happened. Is
there anything I can do to get her back? Ive been biding my time, and she seems to be getting
closer and closer, but Im not sure if it means anything. I truly believe we were incredibly
compatible and would be amazing together. She agreed, saying our relationship was almost
effortless because it flowed so easily.
Perry - who is devastated
Doc Loves Response
Hi Perry,
Let me ask you a question: Why does it suck that you cant blurt out your feelings to women?
What do you expect that to accomplish? To you Psych majors, you show the woman your
feelings through your actions. In other words, you do it non-verbally. Period. Whats wrong
with that?
Like most guys, you dont understand that you cant keep a woman by emoting. What drives
her nuts is when she knows you love her but you dont verbalize it. Thats what makes her
like you more. Most women would disagree with me on this if you asked them, but its the
truth.
Perry, you might be attractive, you might be the second coming of Warren Beatty, but
attractive guys are only assured of getting something going with a woman. Unless you say
and do the right things after she gets past your attractiveness, your good looks mean nothing.
There are lots of average-looking guys who know how to keep women in love with them, and
you dont. Theres the proof. What you had here was one of the best-looking women at the
university, and you did well to bag her. But there are two parts to a relationship. First you
have to catch her, but then you have to keep her.
Im not sure what you mean by leading Katie down the path to a relationship, but it sounds
to me like you were not using "The System." The end of the relationship might have been
sudden to you, but Katie was getting turned off after the fifth or sixth week.
You were on your way out long before you knew it, guy. Katie wasnt feeling it anymore
because you lowered her Interest Level. As I said before, you caught her, but you couldnt
keep her. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, If you cant keep a fish that you hook, youre a
lousy fisherman.
Like the vast majority of men out there, you dont know how to keep a woman in love with
you. When you wrote Katie an email asking for another chance, its called begging, which
lowers Interest Level, and in your case, even worse. Nowhere in your letter do you ever
mention Katies Interest Level, curiously enough. All you talk about is how great and
beautiful she is and how much you adore her, but nowhere do you talk about her wild desire
for you. And you should know, if you read my book even once, that the only important
determinant in a relationship is the woman's Interest Level.
Perry, you dont know what went wrong because you havent read my book 15 times. You
have to read my book every week for 15 weeks. You can get my techniques intellectually
after two or three reads, but you wont integrate them on an emotional or an instinctive level.
But when you say that you were no Challenge to Katie, right there is your problem. You just
answered your own question. Being a Challenge is what would have kept Katie in love.
But you thought you wouldnt have to be a Challenge to Katie once you got her. In other
words, you immediately abandoned the tactics that snagged her in the first place. In fact, you
decided to act directly against them by gushing all over her. You dont tell a woman how
much you like her you show a woman how much you like her. Like my cousin General
Love says, Its like a bow and arrow. You push the bow away and draw the arrow toward
you.
Whats wrong with keeping your hand hidden? Why do you have to verbalize your feelings
every other minute? Why are you dying to tell this girl every emotion? What really counts,
especially to a sharp woman, is how you treat her. Its your actions that count thats all.
And its not a matter of whats meant to be or not meant to be. Dude, you had this girl but lost
her through what you did and ignorance of the proper principles. Like my cousin Rabbi Love
says, Fate had nothing to do with your failure. Being close as a friend is not annoying to
Katie because youre out. But like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Since youre
friends, maybe shell invite you to the wedding when she marries another guy.
What did you do wrong? Well, youre not a Challenge and youve got a big mouth. Theres
nothing you can do to get Katie back. Once Interest Level hits 49%, youre out forever. It
means absolutely nothing that you and Katie are getting closer and closer. Like my cousin
Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, When you have a friendship with an ex-girlfriend, its
a waste of time.
Thinking that you two would have been great together is just a fantasy now. In reality, its all
in the past. Katie might have said that your relationship flowed effortlessly, but the problem is
that you became boring.
Remember, guys: Its easy to catch a girl, but its hard to keep her.
sister happens to work at the same restaurant as Jillian does, and she usually ends up being
our waitress.
This gives me an opportunity to say something to Jillians sister that I am sure she will tell
Jillian. I dont want to ask her for Jillians phone number or anything. But if I happen to see
Jillian and she seems interested in me, I will go ahead and ask her for it. But should I say
something to her sister if she waits on my table? I thought about saying something along the
lines of I met your sister the other day at the karaoke competition and she sang really well. I
also thought about saying something like Jillian is really cool, or something like that.
So what do you think, Doc? How do I get a girl's number? What should I do when I finally
see Jillian again?
Lawrence - who still has hope
Doc Love's Response
Hi Lawrence,
Asking for a girls phone number is the very first check you make of her Interest Level
thats how important it is. This is not being aggressive or pushy, my friend. This is simply a
matter of trying to ascertain how interested she is in you. To you psych majors, a woman can
be nice and throw herself all over you when you meet her, but if she doesnt give you her
phone number it means that her attention was nothing but a big act.
Confidence Lands You Numbers
So, Lawrence, you blew a great opportunity here. Remember that most guys dont have the
cojones to ask for the phone number when they first meet a babe. What you would have
showed Jillian if you had asked for her phone number was that you have a lot of Confidence
and a lot of guts. Confidence is one-third of what turns a woman on.
Of course Jillian wants you to come and visit her at her restaurant. Like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love from East L.A. says, That way you can leave her a few more monster tips. You might
plan on winning Jillian over through Challenge, but youre sure as heck never going to do it
through Confidence.
Now, let me get this straight: You invited Jillian to your party on the social network and you
messaged her too and you think that youre going to win her over through Challenge by
posting the fact that you like her and practically begging her to come? Like my cousin Rabbi
Love says, What kind of logic is that, my son? When you got no response from Jillian to
either of your invitations, it meant right there that you were out. But you lost your chance
much earlier by not asking her for her digits.
You have to remember that its not necessarily true that Jillian would have responded to one
of your messages if she were interested. You might have turned her off much earlier because
you showed no Confidence whatsoever.
doesnt work when it comes to your friends, who have been giving you solid advice, which
friends usually dont.
Lana isnt using you until she finds what shes looking for, because she doesnt know what
shes looking for. What shes after is the next guy, thats all. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says,
This woman has no sense of discrimination whatsoever.
Lana stayed with you for six years, then it was over. Now youre going back and forth with
her, but you cant go back, which you would know if youd read my book. Your friend is right
on you put up with Lanas erratic behavior, and you were an enabler.
Is Lana a lost cause? Barnes, she was a lost cause when you met her. Now, let me explain
something to you. Neither one of us is a psychiatrist. Thats why in The System we have
the Bottom Line Factor, which states that you must go only by the woman's actions and never
try to figure out why. To you Psych majors, its your ego that wants to know why, because
that way you can rationalize her bad treatment of you. Thats the way the male ego works.
Sure, people can change, Barnes. But not this horse.
Remember, guys: What you see is what you get.
Being Needy
Hey Doc,
Ive been with Shari for two and a half years. Im 28, shes 25 and we live apart (me with my
ill mother and her with her family). But after hearing your radio show, Ive been forced to
take an honest look at myself and decided that I am in need of coaching. Like with any
relationship, there have been some bumps in the road, and I must shoulder part of the blame
because I have taken the wimpy approach.
Constantly trying to be the nice guy, I have lost the upper hand and feel like the woman in the
relationship. My insecurity has caused me to make myself come across as needy. I am always
the first to talk about the future, to which Shari usually gets uncomfortable in discussing
heavy topics. We work together and she is genuinely my best friend and can definitely be a
Giver, however it is maddening to know that my interest in her is probably at least 90%, but
the sad reality is I feel like hers is probably only about 70% to 75%.
Although that doesnt seem like too large of a gap, sometimes I feel it is worlds apart.
Sometimes Shari will say how she wants to raise our kids or what she wants in our house, but
when I try to expand on the issues, she gets uncomfortable and shuts it down.
Shari is one of those girls who has a bunch of guy friends because she doesnt get along with
girls. I am trying not to be a jerk, but I dont like it. I admit that my insecurity about her is
through the roof and that is on me, but I am looking for coaching so I do not ruin this
relationship.
We have rarely fought, and she is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. By the
way, she has been in this country for 10 years and is a refugee of war and comes from a very
emotionally distant family that rarely shows affection. In her past, she was engaged and lived
with a man who physically and verbally abused her. As for me, Ive only had one serious
relationship before this and am obviously not an expert.
I am happiest when I am with Shari, but when we are apart I am miserable. I know Ive
become a wimp, and it wasnt until my ex left me that I took this weak and pathetic approach
in my life. I know you will say I need to buy The System, and I give you my word I will,
but in the meantime, Doc, I have no one I can talk to or ask for advice on this matter. I feel
like a loser and am embarrassed by the lack of balls I have displayed. Shari has told me on
numerous occasions that she was attracted to my confident, sarcastic attitude and tattoos (i.e.
the bad boy persona), but now that I have her, I act like a wuss.
Fang - who cant stand himself
Doc Love's Response
Hi Fang,
If youre aware that the wimpy approach is not working, why do you continue using it? Have
you thought about taking another approach besides the wimpy? As far as feeling like the
woman when youre with Shari, youre not alone. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says,
Thats the way it is in most relationships.
If you keep talking about heavy topics with Shari and she shuts you down, why do you repeat
your mistakes? This is a syndrome that I point out in my book which you dont have. If
you keep doing something that makes your girl uncomfortable, why would you go on doing
it? Wouldnt common sense tell you that your approach isnt working and that you should get
a hold of my book and find out what the alternatives are? Dont you ask yourself these
questions, guy? Or do you want to stay marooned in a cycle of self-defeat?
The only thing that will raise Sharis Interest Level past yours to 95% is The System. If
you feel that your Interest Level and Sharis are worlds apart, then hers must be even lower
than 70%. It might even be as low as 55%. If its headed toward 49%, it means youre in real
trouble. What are you waiting for, pal?
When you bug Shari about your future together, youre just talking to the wall. Obviously this
woman needs to be in control. When she wants to come on heavy, she does it. When you try
to come on heavy, she beats you right down. This pattern happens over and over. When you
see this, dont you understand that you have to try something else? The answer is that you
dont, because you have a male ego. And like my cousin Rabbi Love says, A mans ego is
the devil.
Its illogical to conclude that Shari has lots of guy friends because she doesnt like girls. Like
my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Maybe she just digs lots of guys. The only
thing you can do about this is keep your mouth shut. Learn to live with the fact that she cant
do without an army of males hanging around or get rid of her.
Now, you might want to spend the rest of your life with Shari, but does she want to spend the
rest of her life with you? We know you like her, Fang, but how wild is she about you? You
insist on rationalizing and serving up all the excuses why Shari has weak interest in you. OK,
shes been beat up in war and shes been beat up by her family. So is this the kind of woman
who is long-term relationship material? To you psych majors, shes going to haul all of those
scars and baggage along with her into your marriage. Then Shari lived with a guy who should
be in jail for striking her. Is that the kind of man she picks to be involved with? What does it
say about her?
You say that your ex destroyed you. Sadly, Ive known men who have been dumped on and
hurt by women, and afterward, they have set themselves up to be an abused wimp in their next
relationship. They never get their mojo back. They lose their way. You say you have no one
to talk to about your problems, but you can have something incomparably better. You can
have The System overnight or in two or three days. It takes less than one minute to order.
Buying my book is not the same as building a new World Trade Center, dude. All you have to
do is hit a few buttons on your computer. Again, what are you waiting for?
The good part of all this is that you know youre a wuss. You know you have a problem and
you came to me. But not having my book is a huge shortcoming. Desperate guys order The
System. Youre not desperate, Fang. You just want me to give you a Band-Aid and make
you feel good when what you really need is a triple bypass.
Remember, guys: If you keep repeating your mistakes, youre going to get the same results
with woman after woman.
Relationship Insecurity
Hey Doc,
I'm thoroughly amazed by your columns and the amount of insight you are able to put into
them. I'm writing regarding a major issue that I'm having with Delilah. She's a beautiful, fun,
honest, caring girl, and we've been dating for two years now. We did have a minor breakup
three months into this relationship. The cause was nothing too big, just that things were
becoming rather dull and I made my mistakes, too.
Here's the problem. After that breakup, I offered to take Delilah out to lunch for a closure
date. It ended with her kissing me on the cheek. The day after that, there was a party to which
we were both invited. At this party, she made out with another guy. It might have been on a
dare, but she wouldn't have done it if she actually cared about me.
Two days later, she was leaving for Bali for the summer, and I went to see her off at the
airport, something she asked for. We made out at the airport, which reignited our spark, and
as soon as I got home, I received a text saying, "Why did you do that? Now I can't get you off
my mind." Obviously, she was leading me on to believe there was some hope left in this
relationship.
Before I go on, I'd like to mention that I was very "whipped" by Delilah in the sense that I
really, really loved her and would do anything to get her back anything.
When Delilah was in Bali, she said things like, "I still feel like I belong to you. I could meet
other guys if I wanted, but I don't because I feel like I'm still yours." Just one day after she
said it, she went to third base with some guy from her old school. This was all within a week
of breaking up with me, and it completely wrecked me. I still haven't forgotten the feeling I
had that night, and it happened a year ago.
Delilah told me how bad she felt about what happened and how it was boring and how the
guy begged her for three hours until she gave in. Then she told me she loved me, and like the
whipped dog I am, I said, "I love you, too."
Things got better after that, as we got back together a month later and are now happy as can
be. Or so it seems. Doc, I am extremely insecure now. I feel that whenever Delilah goes out or
is at a party where I'm not, she will cheat on me. I can't stand the thought of her being alone
with another guy, even though I know she won't do anything.
Delilah is now leaving the country for two years, and even though we will try and arrange
visits, it deeply saddens me and I'm going to miss her more than I can imagine. Sorry for the
sissy talk. What do you propose I do? I will be worried and sleep-deprived every time she
tells me she's going out.
I always feel I am not good enough for Delilah, and I want this to end. I really need your
coaching, Doc.
Chung - who needs to change himself
Doc Love's Response
Hi Chung,
You say you had a "minor" breakup with Delilah just after you started dating and that the
cause was nothing much. I've got news for you: You don't break up over something minor;
you break up for something major. To you psych majors, when you split with a babe, the
cause is something big. When you don't break up, it's not a big deal. So you're rationalizing
here, pal.
Why did you go to a party that Delilah was invited to? You just split up with her, didn't you?
But it doesn't matter why she kissed another guy. You two are history, remember? If she
dumped you, there's nothing wrong with her kissing someone else. Like my cousin Sal "The
Fish" Love says, "It just verifies the fact that you're finished."
You shouldn't have taken Delilah to the airport. It was already over between you two. You
broke up, she kissed another guy, so you should have had nothing more to do with her after
your little closure date. It wasn't "our" spark you reignited, dude. It was your spark. So who
are you kidding here? She might have led you to believe there was hope left, but you didn't
have to be an idiot and believe her, did you?
When a guy says he'll do absolutely anything for a girl, he's in big trouble. It means you'll
give her your self-esteem and your self-respect. The problem is that the girl won't like you
after you do that. But in this case, she told you that she was still yours. The sad part is not
what she told you but that you actually bought it.
Then Delilah went and had a good time with yet another guy. Why is she telling you about her
romantic exploits with other men? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says,
"Hey, this is some classy broad you're in love with!" And you let it completely destroy you.
But, hey, Chung, whatever you do, don't go and buy "The System" to get out of this mess.
Whatever you do, don't do that because it might help you break out of this awful pattern. No,
you go right on suffering the tortures of the damned!
Why did Delilah spend three hours fighting this other guy off when she could have just
walked away from him after five minutes? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, "Was she
mesmerized by this fellow's rhetoric?" The point is that she really wanted to be there, guy. Yet
you told her that you loved her, like a whipped dog. Chung, you might not realize it, but
women don't dig whipped dogs.
You should be insecure about being in a relationship with Delilah, buddy, because you're in
love with a girl who has no integrity. Of course she's going to cheat on you when you're not
around. What's the big deal? That's her track record. That's what she does. That's her M.O.
Why are you trying to fool yourself? If you truly believe that she won't do anything when
you're not around, you're really smoking some heavy dope, Chung. Your Interest Level is in
the stars. You will rationalize everything this girl does. Until you pull your Interest Level out
of the clouds and memorize my book, you will be living in hell and pain for the rest of your
life.
And now Delilah is leaving the country for two years. Think about it: Two whole years
without you around to inhibit her. Hey, don't worry I'm sure she'll be loyal! You might
miss her more than you imagine, but she's not going to miss you. And if you're sorry for the
sissy talk, don't give it to me. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, "It's about time you grow up
and be a man, boy!"
What should you do? Forget Delilah and memorize "The System." But you won't do it.
Delilah will keep playing with your head and you'll go along with it for the rest of your life
because you are run by your ego and your high Interest Level.
Chung, you might feel you're not good enough for Delilah, but you have it backwards: She's
not good enough for you. On the other hand, maybe you're made for each other because you
are using one another. What you two have is a sick arrangement.
Remember, guys: When your Interest Level is too high, you won't be able to see her
negatives.
It Gets Complicated
Heres where it gets tricky. The next morning, I texted Farrah, asking her to tell her friends on
my behalf that they were really cool. She replied that she would, and hoped that I had fun the
night before. I texted her the next afternoon, and she didnt reply. I sent her a good morning
text a few days later, and she replied. Then I sent her more texts, and she replied to a couple,
but nothing more. Eventually she stopped replying to my texts altogether. In two weeks, I will
most likely see her at her cousins wedding. My problem is that Im afraid that Farrah is not
that interested or she might be playing hard to get. I have never had this problem with any of
the other ladies Ive met, and its killing me. I really like this girl, and I honestly care what
she thinks about me.
Doc, Im also worried that Farrah might have heard that I had a fling with one of her cousins a
few months back. What else could explain why she has not replied to my last text, when I told
her that Ive been thinking a lot about her and was wondering how shes been?
What should I do? I do not want to text Farrah anymore. Id rather wait until I see her at the
wedding to talk with her. Please coach me because I really like this girl.
Leone - who has her on the brain
Doc Love's Response
Hi Leone,
Why are you sending this babe a text three days after you met her? Theres no reason for you
to be texting her. Youre not supposed to be checking in on her, especially right after you
meet her. What youre supposed to do is ask her out after you wait a week. Every idiot calls or
texts a girl after only one or two or three days. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Youre
supposed to separate yourself from the flies. But you dont know how to do that because you
dont have the The System.
Moreover, flirting and cracking jokes with Farrah is what youre supposed to be doing face to
face, not through texting. You dont really know what her reactions are to anything because
you cant see her. And going to a club with Farrah and her friends is a group date a big nono so youre making mistakes all over the place.
Why is Farrah waiting for a text from you at 4:00 in the morning? You should have told her,
You get your sleep. Thats more important than waiting up until I text you. Dont get into
the habit of texting, period.
But what did you do? You turned right around and texted Farrah the very next morning.
Dude, no communication with this girl! Dont you get it? To you Psych majors, too much
communication kills challenge. You have to get the girl into the habit of wondering where
youre coming from, wondering when youre going to call. You have to be an enticing
mystery to her. You are taking that out of the equation with Farrah entirely.
But then you went and texted Farrah again. Leone, shes not texting you, and youre texting
her all the time. Why are you chasing this girl? You should have just asked her out, not texted
her every five minutes. This is an enormous mistake. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says, Dude, you got a bad case of text-itis. You have to stay away from the
telephone and email and texting if you want to get somewhere with a girl. And you dont do
all that stuff in the early stages of a relationship. You only do it when shes already your
girlfriend.
When you see Farrah in two weeks at her cousins wedding, shell be in the arms of another
guy who doesnt text. Shes not playing hard to get shes simply not interested in you.
Think about it: Why would she be interested in someone whos all over her like a cheap coat?
Ive got news for you, Leone: women dont play hard to get. They go strictly by their Interest
Level. But if they have low interest in you, then they do play hard to get because, like my
cousin Sal The Fish Love says, They dont want to be got.
Guy, Farrah thinks nothing about you. The reason she didnt reply to your last text where you
practically declared that youre completely in love and obsessed with her is because her
Interest Level is not as high as your Interest Level, thats why.
What should you do? For starters, never text another girl you date. And number two, find a
new girl. You say you dont want to text Farrah anymore, but you never should have done it
in the first place!
You might really like this girl, but she doesnt really like you. Thats what you dont seem to
get.
Remember, guys: When they like you, they help you.
When To Move On
Hey Doc,
Im a recent rebound for my high school sweetheart. Dina was married to her now ex-husband
for 12 years, and she recently divorced him. We started dating while she was separated. She
still loves him and isnt ready for a committed relationship with me, at least according to her.
He still holds her heart even though she knows better than to go back.
Dina and I were seeing each other for about eight months when I dumped her because I was
getting the impression that she wasnt being honest with me. Turns out she wasnt. She
missed her husband, but I forgave her for kissing him. I truly didnt want to end our
relationship and asked her to take me back. She did, because she either missed me or was
using me.
Dina has since dumped me because I grew too needy, jealous and lost my sense of self-worth
and value and smothered her, becoming that wimpus americanus you talk about. Since she
was considering going back to her husband, I grew even more desperate to make her see that
she shouldnt. Shes having a hard time dealing with life with four kids as a single parent, and
the way the children are handling the divorce is making it tougher on her in sticking with her
decision to leave him. She feels that shes hurting her children for not at least trying with their
father.
She says she doesnt want to hurt me because shes not ready for a replacement husband and
doesnt want a stepfather for her children just yet. Plus, she doesnt have the time for a
relationship since she has four kids and goes to school. She says that I deserve a better person
than her. Unfortunately, I feel differently. Ive loved Dina since high school. Ive had other
relationships and even a marriage and divorce, but Ive always missed, loved and wanted this
woman. My friends and family tell me that Im a good man, that I deserve better and that
shes dirt.
My question is this: Should I move on or can "The System" help me pull this thing out of the
gutter?
Just today we talked and Dina told me she loved me. Im a lover and not a fighter, so the
whole alpha male thing comes unnaturally to me. Dina has low self-esteem because her
husband is the macho type you talk about in your book. He was very controlling and
possessive in her marriage, so now it seems she cant function without that. She feels the need
to explain to him everything so that he doesnt blow up, and they arent even together. And,
of course, my jealousy and insecurity has only lowered her Interest Level.
Ive no doubt that if I could get Dina to see me again and progress S.L.O.W.L.Y. that I could
bring Challenge and raise her Interest Level. I bought The System some years ago, and the
book had been collecting dust until recently. It has actually brought me some modicum of
relief from the pain of rejection. I just wish I had reread the damned thing at the start of dating
her instead of moving so fast. The way you present your advice shows respect of women, and
I know this woman has some issues, but Ive no doubt that things can be wonderful given
time and patience.
Calbert - who cant live without her
Doc Love's Response
Hi Calbert,
Why were you dating Dina when she was married? To you psych majors, you dont date
women who are separated because theyre still married. You date women who are divorced
and have their paperwork completed and in order. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, What
youre doing here is muddyin the waters, boy. And if shes not ready for a committed
relationship with you, then why are you with her?
Dina wasnt being deceptive with you, pal. On the contrary, she was being very honest with
you. She missed her husband. Whats wrong with that? You forgave her for kissing him?
Calbert, hes her husband! She can kiss her husband because its her husband. In case you
havent noticed, youre not her husband.
And Dinas not lying to you if she told you that she digs her old man. Shes being up-front.
Youre trying to make her out to be some kind of liar, when youre the one who refuses to
face reality. On the other side of it, youre dating a married woman with four kids and a
husband and homework, not to mention all kinds of scars and baggage. What sense does that
make?
When Dina told you that she didnt want a replacement husband, she was telling the truth, but
you paid no attention to her. Dina is not dirt. She just happens to be a married woman, thats
all. She was trying to get the truth across to you from the beginning, and you refused to listen
to her.
Can The System help you now? Guy, if youd memorized it, you wouldnt be in this mess
right now. That said, you should move on.
Being an alpha male doesnt have anything to do with anything. In my materials I dont teach
you to be an alpha male or Macho Boy. I teach you to go after women who are available. Big
difference, and one has nothing to do with the other. If you know that jealousy and insecurity
are not the way to increase a womans Interest Level, why do you continue to exhibit them?
Because you havent internalized my material, thats why.
Progressing slowly and raising Dinas interest now is impossible. Youre dreaming, Calbert, if
you think anything of the sort will work. Hey, Im shocked that my book has been collecting
dust on your bookshelf! Of course Im glad that its helped you deal with the pain of rejection,
but imagine what it could have done for you if youd committed it to memory when you first
bought it. You would never have gotten involved with this woman and saved yourself an
enormous amount of pain and anguish.
Moving fast wasnt your problem, buddy. This woman was not available. That was the core
problem. Time and patience arent going to do anything at this point because its too late. Its
nice that youre sympathetic about Dinas problems, but she doesnt just have normal issues.
Like my cousin General Love says, Shes flying more red flags than the Peoples Republic
of China.
Dating A Coworker
Hey Doc,
Ive been a self-sustaining individual most of my life. I left home early, made my way
through college, joined the Army, started a consulting career, and then finally settled in
Edmonton, Canada, at the age of 29. I havent built much experience with women other than
one-night stands, so Ive nursed delusions of grandeur and tried to find the one girl who Ill
live my life with.
I met Megan at work. Shes a stunning girl who has many of the same interests as me. And so
began three months of me turning into an available, sensitive, nice, weak, giving, pays-foreverything dummy. After all of that, she began to act weird and distant, even though I gave
her everything she wanted (I know, Doc I can picture you shaking your head right now).
So she dumped me, of course, and I spent a week whining and crying. After that I realized
that she ended the relationship because I lacked the skills to keep her from the start.
I began my search for knowledge and stumbled on your book, The System, and everything
started to make sense. I even met some very willing women the same week by using
techniques straight from your book. I knew Id found gold and quickly ordered your other
materials in order to acquire more of your wisdom.
Doc, I need some immediate coaching. When Meg broke up with me, she used the words
friends, respect and nice guy a lot. She also asked if she could still call me to talk and
get advice. I made it clear I couldnt be her friend and told her I was removing all traces of her
from my cell phone and social sites. Now its been a while, and shes tried to strike up small
talk at the office and mentioned that in a couple months Ill get over it and we can be friends
again (this was something she read in a dating article).
Doc, Megan is a stand-up gal and I still think shes pretty cool, but I failed to keep her Interest
Level up and lost her. What do you think is going on with this girl? How can I keep her from
becoming my buddy without causing problems at the office or being a jerk?
Gavyn - who wants to learn at the feet of the master
Doc Love's Response
Hi Gavyn,
You shouldnt feel bad about your weak history with women. Most guys are like you. You
worked your tail off and got your act together in life for the most part, all of which is
commendable. But at the same time you should have had my book when you were 18 or 19 so
you could have been studying women for the past 10 years.
Instead, youre pushing 30 and just getting started on your real education. You're selfdeprecating when you describe how you acted with Megan, but youre being too hard on
yourself. Theres nothing wrong with being a Giver and theres nothing wrong with paying
for everything. But if youre too available and weak, thats another issue altogether. Being too
available and weak is terrible. Those characteristics are the ones that are going to cause you to
come up short with women.
Megan acted weird and distant with you because you turned her off, guy. You might have
given her everything she wanted, but you didnt give her what she needed, which was
challenge.
When you say you lacked the skills to keep her from the start, its the best and most
interesting thing you brought out in your letter. Because thats what my materials do for you
they help you keep a woman. Ninety percent of the guys out there can get a woman to fall
in love with them, but how many can actually keep them in love? And thats where the
problem lies. Youre right about my techniques they are gold, but most mens egos wont
allow them to see it when its right in front of their eyes. Or theyre just too lazy to change.
Its fine that Megan used the word respect to refer to you. But when she uses words like
friend and nice guy, its the kiss of death. They are horrible words, and you know why,
because youve read my book.
If Megan calls you for advice, maybe she can set you up with one of her good-looking
girlfriends. Did you think of that? Of course you should have deleted all traces of her from
your cell phone, but you didnt have to tell her about it. Why are you pouting, Gavyn? Do you
think Megans going to like you more if you toss a hissy fit and insist that you cant be her
friend? Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, What are you, a baby?
Whoever wrote the article claiming that you and Megan could be friends again after she
showed you the door is dead wrong. Like the great Doctor Freud once wrote, Rejection is
forever. To you psych majors, people are emotional and they dont forget.
What do I think is going on with this girl? Nothing, as far as youre concerned. She just wants
to waste your time, thats all. How can you handle Megans presence around the office
without being a jerk? First of all, youre not a jerk, Gavyn. Nowhere in your letter did you act
like a jerk. Youre not built that way. Secondly, you dont want to be Megans buddy. When
you encounter her at work, just smile, say hi and keep walking. Then, like my buddy Fast
Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Go and flirt with all the other girls in the place and make
them laugh.
Remember, guys: When its over, its over.
She Is Busy
Hey Doc,
Ive been working with Amy for several months. At first we talked very little but joked
around from time to time. We work for a bank, and shes an assistant manager and Im a loan
officer, and were not really supposed to interact much. She started coming over to my desk
and spending a half hour to an hour talking about music, careers, etc. I mentioned to her that I
usually dont hang out with people I work with, but she invited me to see a band with her and
her friends. However, something came up, and I couldnt make it.
Since then, she still comes over to my desk, but I asked her out a couple of weekends ago, and
she said she would let me know. She didnt, but apologized later and said she was sick. I tried
again and she said she couldnt because she had to pack for a vacation. Then I saw her at
work, and she acted very flirtatiously with me. Im confused because I feel that my invitations
were rejected. How much time does it take to pack, right? Well, Amy came back from
vacation this week, and she called me and asked how I was doing. Again, Im confused.
Doc, Im definitely not smothering this girl by constantly texting or calling her even
though Im tempted. Im not sure if shes just being friendly or not. I found out that Amy has
an ex-boyfriend who she apparently still talks to, but I always hear her say shes single.
Thank you for your coaching and point of view.
Selwyn - who cant figure her out
Doc Love's Response
Hi Selwyn,
You first mistake was spending all kinds of time yakking at your workstation with Amy. You
should have said Id really like to talk to you longer, but Im busy. And you should have
said that even if you werent busy. Youre spending way too much time with this babe at
work. You should be talking about all these subjects with Amy when youre on a date with
her. Give her five minutes and then go back to your work. One more thing: Everyone at your
job is watching how much time youre spending with Amy when you should be working. Like
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, You think its worth it to lose your job over some
chick?
But you told Amy that you dont hang out with people you work with when she asked you
out. Now, why in the world would you bring up a negative? Even if its true that you dont
like to spend time with people you work with which is actually a lie because you did spend
lots of time on the job chitchatting with Amy you never bring up a negative with a girl you
want to date. You just keep your mouth shut and let her ask you out. So why are you telling
her what you usually do or dont do? Youre supposed to be a Challenge, not sit there and
give out information. To you Psych majors, information goes to the woman on a need-toknow basis.
As soon as Amy told you shed let you know about going out and then apologized for being
sick, you were out. Use your common sense, guy: How can Amy be sick for two weeks in a
row? Why cant she just pick the phone up and say, Im sick right now, but lets make our
date next Thursday because I know Ill be feeling OK by then? That would take all of 20
seconds, wouldnt it? But she didnt do anything of the sort. What does that tell you, man?
Next, Amy couldnt go on a date because she had to pack for a vacation. Like my cousin Fast
Eddie Love from East L.A. says, What did she have to do, fill up two Bekins vans? Is that
why she was so busy? Again, what does this flimsy excuse tell you, Selwyn?
But after Amy blew you off a few times, she turned around and acted flirtatiously with you.
Great! Just what you need inconsistent behavior. But its true that your invitations were
rejected. So you shouldnt be confused because the bottom line is that Amy rejected you three
or four times. Packing for a vacation isnt an issue in itself. Like my cousin Brother Love
down in Watts says, The problem is that this honey has higher interest in packing than she
does in being with you.
Amy might have come back and flirted with you, but all it means is that she likes to flirt but
doesnt like to date you. So now shes being consistent. Thats all she does with you
flirt but not date.
You shouldnt be smothering any girl, my friend. Youve asked Amy out several times, and
shes turned you down and never counter-offered, so you know where you stand beyond the
shadow of a doubt. The only good part is that she asked you out initially, though you couldnt
make it. But when you look closely at that situation, it wasnt really such a hot offer after all
because it was a group date, which is a no-no. Maybe it was better that you didnt go out with
Amy after all, especially now that weve seen how she treats you. She doesnt care about you
at all, dude.
Amys ex-boyfriend is a non-issue. Of course she has an ex-boyfriend, pal. What girl doesnt?
So, in this case, he doesnt have anything to do with anything. The point is that Amys actions
not going out with you when you repeatedly asked her are speaking volumes.
Remember, guys: If she keeps coming up with excuses, you have her mixed up with
somebody who cares.
Overweight Girlfriend
Hey Doc,
Im finding myself less attracted to Kelly, my girlfriend of a little more than a year and a half,
and am not sure what to do. She has gained weight over the past six months or so, and is
probably about 20 pounds heavier than she was when we met. Now shes around 165-170 on
a 56 frame, and our romantic life has suffered as a result.
Kelly is a bartender at a restaurant, so shes on her feet and very active at work. But she works
3 p.m. to 10 p.m. during the week, and rarely has time to eat at work. So we eat rather large
meals when she gets home, around midnight. By the way, Ive put on a few pounds myself
due to this lifestyle and could stand to lose about 10. And we often get fast food, as most
decent eateries are closed late at night, plus Kelly wants to unwind after work and not cook.
Shes also big into wine, and we usually split a bottle four or five nights a week.
I am equally concerned, if not more concerned, about Kellys lack of effort. I try to run a few
times a week, but she hasnt made an effort to work out lately. Shes 37 (Im 29), so she
claims her metabolism isnt as good anymore. Or we sleep half the day away before she goes
to work. Unfortunately, Im laid off at the moment, and she wants to lie in bed until noon
every day because she says we wont have this opportunity when I go back to work. I tell
Kelly we need to get up earlier and get active, but it never happens. I was even an employee at
a fitness center a year ago and got her a free gym membership, but she never went. She hates
the gym because its just a meat market, and she feels too fat to go in there.
Doc, Im not sure what to do. Kelly and I have decent looks, are attracted to each other
facially, are great together intellectually, her family is good and they like me, my mom loves
her, etc., but lately I just find myself focused on younger and slimmer girls. Having two major
colleges nearby doesnt help.
How do I take the correct approach to getting Kelly to lose some weight without major
emotional consequences, or perhaps worse as far as our relationship is concerned?
Thanks.
Gyp - who doesnt want a tank on his arm
Doc Love's Response
Hi Gyp,
Well, for starters, your girlfriend should be 66 instead of 56. Like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says, Shes not fat; shes just too short. You two shouldnt be going to bed on a
full stomach. Serve Kelly a huge salad before she hits the sack. It will fill her up, but its 90%
water. And if youve been packing on the avoirdupois, too, you have to learn to take care of
yourself. You cant criticize Kelly when youre a blimp yourself. Instead of hitting fast food
joints, you should be buying all of the food and doing the cooking healthy cooking at
home. The number one rule is that you have to stay out of restaurants.
And why are you two drinking so much alcohol which is full of calories every night?
Limit Kelly and yourself to one glass of wine per night if you have to have a drink. Better yet,
skip the booze altogether!
If Kelly is putting forth no effort to shed weight, take her with you on your daily run. As an
incentive, build her up. Convince her she looks really great in her workout outfit. Like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Tell her that when she perspires, shes dropdead sexy. And as far as her metabolism is concerned, Kelly is speaking a half truth. This
babe is too young to have it become totally sluggish. So while shes older than you, its a bad
excuse.
Gyp, you shouldnt go along with lying in bed half the day. The reason being active never
happens for you is because youre not making it happen. If Kelly doesnt want to move, go
ahead and exercise without her. The bottom line is this: If she doesnt want to go to the gym,
it simply means she doesnt want to lose weight. Thats your problem. Shes making any
excuse possible to get out of being healthy, and you should be with a healthy partner. Like my
Uncle Jethro Love says, She aint in shape if shes 56 and tips the scales at 170 unless
shes a halfback for the Houston Texans.
The reason youre looking at younger girls is because Kelly is a good deal older than you. It
would be better if she was a few years younger, of course, but the age difference would be
OK if everything else were perfect. But everything else isnt perfect. Kelly needs to lose 30 to
40 pounds. Shes got some work to do. Having colleges around doesnt help, for sure, but
what are you going to do run off and find yourself a 19-year-old?
What should you do now? Compliment Kellys good traits. Dont mention her flab. Talk
about how fantastic she looks in her jogging attire. But when she refuses to go to the gym
because shes overweight, remind her that getting rid of those extra pounds is the reason
youre going to the gym. And what does the gym being a meat market have to do with
anything? Shes in love with you, so why should she give a hoot if some guy looks at her?
What Kellys reluctance tells me is that shes just rationalizing shes fighting you tooth and
nail on the issue of losing weight. Gyp, your girl is not interested at all in slimming down.
And, if thats the case, how can you sustain your relationship?
Remember, guys: If she doesn't want to help herself, there may be nothing you can do.
Lack Of Interest
Hey Doc,
I really enjoy reading your articles, and "The System" has saved me with women so many
times.
Ive been seeing Rain for about two months now (about 12 dates). We met online, and I have
seen her probably once, sometimes twice a week. Shes a great girl, very Flexible, very
Giving, and when we are together, it would be hard for it to get any better. At first I saw all
the signs of rising interest. She was doing all of the touching, inviting me to meet her friends,
texting me constantly, asking me to hang on the weekends, etc. I knew I was doing something
right. Of course I stuck with "The System," and although Ive had a few slip-ups, I have
consistently remained a Challenge.
Three weeks ago Rain told me she had bipolar disorder. She says she really likes me but is
changing medications and could start acting differently, or flaky, as she put it. I let her
know I understood and she just needed to be open and honest with me about everything. I told
her when she needed space to be upfront with me. After that conversation, things remained
the same for about a week. I could tell her Interest Level was in the 80% to 90% percent range
after the first 10 dates.
But the last two weeks or so, something felt different. The problem is that Im not sure if its
her bipolar disorder or if shes losing interest. She is very hot and cold with hanging out and
talking to me. Often she doesnt respond to me for a few days, but then we will hang out and
she is all over me like before. Its very confusing. She even broke a date, but then a few days
later wanted to get together.
Im having a tough time dealing with this. I have not stopped being a Challenge, and all I can
do is be understanding. I really like this girl, and we have a great time together, but this up
and down roller coaster of emotions is making me reevaluate the situation. I know that bipolar
disorder is for life, so Im not sure if I should wait it out until Rain figures out her new
medication, or just move on with my life. I am curious to know what you would do in this
situation.
Chappy - who doesnt want to get blindsided
Doc Love's Response
Hi Chappy,
When Rain tells you that she might start acting flaky because shes on new medicine, shes
either telling you the truth about her condition or shes telling you that her Interest Level is
heading south. Its one or the other. But the more important thing here is that it doesnt make
any difference whether bipolar disorder or a lack of interest is causing the change in Rains
behavior toward you. The only thing that matters is how Rain treats you. If she treats you
badly because of her mental disorder or because shes losing interest, you have to get rid of
her either way. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, No matter how you rationalize it,
reality is reality.
The fact that this woman is alternatively indifferent toward you or all over you like a cheap
coat also doesnt matter. She warned you ahead of time that she was switching medications
and that there might be negative consequences. But again, the problem is that we dont know
whether the resultant erratic behavior is her meds talking or if shes not interested in you
anymore.
But let me ask you this question, my friend: Do you really want to put up with this bad
behavior? Its true that if Rain gets and stays on the right meds, she might be all right and act
normally. But is that whats really going on here? Or is she selling you something for some
reason? We dont know. And thats why in "The System" we have the bottom-line factor. To
you psych majors, in abiding by that all-important principle, all doubt is eliminated about
what to think and do when it comes to a woman because you only look at her actions. And
thats all a man should ever use as a barometer of a womans Interest Level.
But not only did Rain run hot and cold with you and not answer your messages and calls, but
she went and broke a date with you. What does that tell you about her, Chappy? What excuse
did she use for not showing up? Where was her counteroffer? Like I say in my book, if she
breaks a date, shes out. And like my cousin General Love says, You have to have a zerotolerance policy for broken dates.
If Rains bipolar condition is forever as you say, you have to come to grips with the question
of whether you want to be with someone who has such an affliction for the rest of your life.
People have done it, so its possible to exist with it, but what are the rewards? Like my cousin
Sal The Fish Love says, If this babe treats you like a yo-yo now, can you imagine how
shell treat you in another 20 or 30 years?
One more thing, Chappy. On account of Rains condition, for the rest of your life, you wont
ever know whether its her illness talking or low Interest Level when she treats you badly.
Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Do you deserve to live with such a terrible uncertainty?
And theres also this to consider: It does not necessarily follow that someone with an
emotional disorder is going to mistreat her boyfriend or husband.
What would I do in this situation? I would pass on Rain.
Remember, guys: If you date someone with a long-term problem, it will become your
problem.
realized that we would soon be neighbors in the same city! She told me I should contact her
when I move in so we can get drinks.
Doc, I really want to see this girl and hopefully get things going again, but at the same time I
dont want to fall into the friend zone or pursue her too desperately or quickly. As far as I
know, she is still dating her boyfriend. Keep in mind she is 23 years old and started dating this
guy at age 14 or 15. This girl is amazing, and I am no home-wrecker, but I want to make her
mine.
How do I raise Lilas level of attraction without being too needy or available? How do I
approach the boyfriend situation? Even though I havent known her long, this girl has caught
my attention and is completely worth the effort.
Tirell - who needs a strategy
Doc Love's Response
Hi Tirell,
You might be pretty successful in your endeavors with women, but thats not good enough.
The objective is to be successful with women period. And if you had The System, you
would know how to do that. But you dont and thats why youre groping blindly for a
strategy.
You shouldnt have been studying and flirting with Lila. It was a huge mistake. You should
have been dating the girl, not touching and teasing her. But since you dont have my book,
you dont know that. And all that flirtatious texting was likewise a mistake. What you were
doing here, Tirell, was slaughtering Challenge.
Then you found out that Lila has a boyfriend of eight years. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says, Wow, this girl is going to pick up the Integrity of the Year award for
sure! Of course she didnt want you to know that she has a boyfriend of nearly a decade.
Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Why should she open her mouth? Shes got a
dumb boyfriend, and now shes got a dumb college guy throwing himself at her.
Im sure Lila is annoyed with her boyfriend, but not quite enough to get rid of him, right,
Tirell? What does that tell you? Nevertheless, you shouldnt have avoided conversations
about this other guy. You should have told Lila to give him another chance. Stay with this
guy. Youve been with him for eight long years, and he sounds like a great fellow. That sort
of thing. The point is to use reverse psychology on her. But, again, since you dont have my
book, you dont have a plan of attack.
When you say that you lost contact with Lila for a few months, it means that neither of you
dug each other very much in the first place. To you Psych majors, you dont just suddenly
lose contact with a girl. Tirell, you dont do what you and Lila were doing together, then all
of a sudden just disappear. If two people really like each other, they dont lose contact for
months on end. So this thing is over.
The reason Lila didnt reinitiate contact with you is because shes not interested in you. Thats
what you dont get here, dude. But, hey, when she told you that the two of you could have
drinks when you move to her city, maybe shell be like the college coeds you had no problem
scoring with.
You say you want to get things going again with Lila. Again is the problem here. For two
months, this babe disappeared and didnt care enough to be in touch with you at all. She
probably didnt give you a second thought because she was involved with her boyfriend. So
what chance do you really think this thing has of taking off now?
Tirell, you already put yourself into the friend zone by pursuing Lila too desperately and
quickly. Heck, just by going after her when she has a boyfriend means you went directly into
the friend zone. And if she started dating her boyfriend at age 14, it means he has a lock on
her and you have no chance whatsoever. You might want to make Lila yours, but nowhere in
your letter do you mention how crazy in love with you she is. And youd know from reading
my book that the most important factor in any relationship is the woman's interest level. So
that means its over.
How can you raise Lilas level of attraction? Start by asking her if shes gotten rid of her
boyfriend when you get together for drinks. Tell her that when she does, youd be glad to see
her. Then give her your phone number, walk away and dont have any contact with her
whatsoever. Until her boyfriend is gone, youre just spinning your wheels.
My friend, you should be chasing women who are available. Lila is not available. Nor do you
know how much she digs you. So, like my cousin General Love says, Youre really in a bad,
bad position here, soldier. Lila might seem worth the effort to you, but youre not worth the
effort to her.
Remember, guys: If she has a boyfriend, youre wasting your time.
Dating Stages
Hey Doc,
Im just entering the dating scene for the first time. Im only 18, so its all pretty new to me.
Luckily, I discovered "The System" recently, and I really feel like Im getting the hang of it. It
seems to me to be a great book and that you really know what youre talking about.
Not too long ago I went to a party where I met Amanda, who was a friend of a friend. We did
some flirting with each other, so I asked for her (home) phone number and got it. I waited
several days and made a date with her for the next weekend (at Starbucks). As far as I can
judge, it went well.
That was about two months ago. Every week on Wednesday or Thursday I call Amanda to set
up a new date. Its been the same ritual every week. Then we go out on Friday or Saturday to
the same places and the pattern is repeated ad nauseam. Ive tried to vary the places and
activities and events, but on my meager budget its hard to get beyond the basic or do
anything too fancy.
Doc, my question is this: What now? How long is this weekly dating ritual supposed to last?
How long can Amanda and I keep doing the same things? Even Im getting a little bored.
What is the next stage of a relationship? What in the world am I supposed to do at this point?
wears cowboy hats and fake guns and they sing country songs. So find out whats happening
in your city. There are plenty of unusual and free things to do but you have to make an
effort and dig them up.
The next stage of a relationship comes after six months of dating, only if you havent picked
up on any red flags. But dont worry about what stage youre at right now, Benno. If youre
on the verge of falling into a rut already, you should be concerned with keeping things fresh
and finding new places to take Amanda so she doesnt get bored and lose interest in you.
Thats the problem you have to solve right now.
Remember, guys: Instead of taking your girl to where everybody else goes, find someplace
new and different.
interested in you. In your mind she was interested in you, but you didnt use the techniques in
The System which you might just get around to buying in a couple of years.
It doesnt really matter what Scarlett says about what happened between the two of you. The
only important point is that she doesn't want to be with you. Youre out, guy. And none of this
has anything to do with her ex. It only has to do with you. She didnt turn suddenly cold on
you. Shes been thinking about getting rid of you for a while. Shes not confused at all about
what she wants in a relationship. Youre the one whos confused. Scarlett knows for sure that
she wants to get rid of you, and youre confused about what you did to lose her and how to get
her back. So, yes, Gibby, you are the one whos the problem. What happened has nothing to
do with Scarlett or her ex or your mutual friends. Know why she couldnt talk to you before
breaking up? Because women dont do that. They just say au revoir. Thats also explained in
my book, which youre thinking about buying sometime in the future. Remember, guys: You
might think you just got dumped today, but you were on your way out before you realized it.
phone or something? She immediately texted me that she was sorry for not calling, her uncle
had passed away and she was all over the place, getting drunk, etc., and not getting back to
anyone.
We have spoken once or twice since, but I dont know what to do now. Am I wasting my
time? Is Melody interested in me at all? How can I find out if she likes me the way I like her?
Fish - who has it bad
Hi Fish,
Wow, man, your friends must live a hard life if theyre all kicking the bucket at 30! Its not
like youre all 80 years old or something. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says,
Dawg, you better take it easy or run with a different crowd!
You might find it hard to believe that Melody is single, but it doesnt matter one way or the
other. When you use the principles of "The System," you cut right to the heart of the matter.
You call the girl up and ask her out. If she says yes, she digs you. If she says no, she doesnt.
Simple as that.
Always Have A Plan
You shouldnt be going out with Melody right after a funeral if you are so affected by it. To
you Psych majors, you should be upbeat and positive when youre out with a woman. And
driving around and talking and drifting into a movie theater isnt a date. Its only a weak
excuse for one. Youre not organized at all, pal. You should have had a plan with Melody.
The whole idea behind my book is to have and follow a game plan. So apparently you dont
have my materials.
You might have felt a connection to Melody, my friend, but the important question is whether
or not she felt a connection to you. Or was she just crying on your shoulder because a good
friend cashed in his chips?
Kissing Melody all over the place was an error. You shouldnt be smooching this babe when
youre coming out of a funeral. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, You dont make time with
a woman at a funeral. Its not kosher. Then you started talking about the future and how
youd like to see her. Tell me something: Why isnt Melody texting and phoning you? Why
are you doing all the pursuing? You dont know the first thing about Challenge, Fish.
But you claim that you didnt pressure Melody. No, you just tell her how much you like her,
thats all. And while you might not return her calls immediately, youre blowing Challenge in
other areas.
She's Not Into You - Here's Why
Now let me get this straight. You were making out with Melody, then she split to Europe for a
week and you didnt see her for a month and a half. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says, Oh, yeah, this chick is really gone over you! And by the way, she isnt
supposed to set the date to meet again. The man is the date-maker. Again, its obvious that
you dont have my book.
Now let me ask you this: What does it tell you that Melody doesnt respond to your messages
for two weeks? Well, it must mean that she cant afford the time since it would take 20 whole
seconds out of her life. Thats a lot to ask a person. Its like giving someone a book and
asking them to read it. Wake up, Fish!
But you swear that youre not a chump and a desperation chaser. Dude, youve been chasing
this girl all along. And when you sent Melody that Facebook message, you were begging.
Fish, dont you think she got your earlier messages? You havent a clue, man. In fact, youre
the king of telephone blunders!
But Melody had an excuse for not getting back to you: Her uncle died. Like my cousin Sal
The Fish Love says, Does this babe come from a mafia family or something? Yes, youre
wasting your time with Melody. Youve been wasting your time for two months, guy. Melody
is not interested in you at all. How can you tell if she likes you as much as you like her?
Simple by reading her actions, not her words. And like the old Chinese saying goes, Her
actions speak volumes.
Remember, guys: If you leave two messages and she doesnt call back, youre out.
First of all, you have to immerse yourself in The System. Only then will you really get it.
To you psych majors, its like being great at anything you have to work really, really hard
at it. Perfection calls for complete dedication. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East
L.A., says, Do you think Tiger Woods got to be Tiger Woods overnight?
But what the heck are you doing with a cougar? Cougars dont look for long-term
relationships with young guys. For them, youre strictly a physical diversion. My friend, you
should be dating someone your own age or a little younger. Think about it. Is Ashley dating
you just because youre young and good-looking? Whats her reason for hanging with
someone so much younger? What this means is that you have to be on top of your game,
Sergio, and that means knowing my techniques inside and out. Like my cousin Sal The Fish
Love says, When shes got all the experience, youd better know what the hell youre doing
or youre gonna get burned.
MISSING SECOND PART!!!
http://www.askmen.com/dating/doclove_800/803b_dating-and-kissing.html
Betraying A Friend
Hey Doc,
So, Im at the club last night, the booze is flowing, everyone is feeling good, and Im getting
my groove on. I recognize Lourdes, a friend I went to college with, so I say hi, and we start
dancing. The next thing I know, were in a cab heading to my place. Things are about to get
physical when she brings up our mutual friend and her ex, Bill. She says, Did you know that
Bill and are back together? Obviously, I did not know I wouldnt have been barking up
this particular tree if I knew there was a monkey already up there. So, I tell her, No, I didnt
know that, and I immediately stop progressing with her.
Now Bill, besides being Lourdess ex-boyfriend, is a truly loyal friend and a stand-up guy.
Ive been burned before by women in the past, and I wouldnt betray his trust if this woman
says shes involved with him. But lets just say I had every opportunity to all it would have
taken was one kiss, touch, move, etc., and Lourdes would have forgotten all about Bill and I
would have had her. In fact, thats exactly what she said. She was inviting me to do just that.
Doc, a couple of things strike me about this situation, and I cant wrap my head around them.
First, Im not surprised that Lourdes would be willing to cheat, because I know thats exactly
what people do. But Im wondering why Bill didnt come up in the club, on the ride to my
place or any point earlier than when we were about to get really romantic. Secondly, am I
freakin nuts here? I could have had Lourdes, and it might have meant betraying a friend, but
lets say I didnt know the guy. Should I have given a damn? What Im asking is, where does
integrity play into this situation, or some other similar one? I know myself; I am not a cheater,
but its difficult to reconcile the opportunity I had with Lourdes and the morality I displayed.
Third, and I think most importantly, is that Im resisting the urge to feel jaded about women
after this, but its tough not to. It feels like the more I stand fast to my principles, the less
success Ill have. I need a new way of understanding this situation, because the whole
experience has left a bad taste in my mouth.
You dont have to feel jaded, Cooper. The reality of life is that some women cheat. But other
women wouldnt dream of cheating if you gave them a million bucks. You have to find the
latter kind. Your principles are a good thing to have, my friend, because you dont want to be
a success with unprincipled losers. You want to have success with one winner.
If your Interest Level in Lourdes were 55%, you wouldnt have a bad taste in your mouth
right now. But you really like her a lot thats the problem. Getting physical for a night
wasnt the real bugaboo here; your high Interest Level was.
Remember, guys: Dont mess with your best buddys girl.
serious with will learn much of the story in the future, so I dont want to set myself up for a
future trust issue in a new relationship. So what should I tell people?
Carter - who wants a fresh start
Doc's Response
Hi Carter,
Youre concerned with answering questions from new women when you dont even have any
idea how to date since youve been in a 10-year time warp. So, first of all, before you worry
about anything else, you have to get my book and memorize it. Otherwise, like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, Youll be condemned to repeat the sins and errors of the past. You say
your ex-wife blamed you for not supporting her when you lost your job. But where was her
support for you? When you were down and out for a while, why didnt she stand beside you?
And taking a job with lots of travel is no excuse whatsoever for infidelity.
You say that you tried everything to save your marriage, but you make no mention
whatsoever of The System. My book is the only thing that could have helped you, pal. So
you really didnt do everything to save your marriage, and you certainly didnt do the most
important thing, which was to memorize my book.
Of course your ex doesnt care about the impact the divorce has had on you, but what about
her daughters? She doesnt care about them at all, and thats who she should be concerned
with first and foremost. Your ex is having all kinds of fun with this new guy she met on her
job, but what about her kids? Thats who she should be thinking about, not him. Like my
Uncle Jethro Love says, That was some good woman you married, boy.
What should you tell the new women you meet about what happened in your marriage? Say
that your wife was a real nice girl but that it just didnt work out. And that's it. To you psych
majors, youre not supposed to be open with every personal negative detail in your life. But,
again, youd know that if you had The System, Carter.
You say that you dont want to set up a field full of red flags when you meet new ladies, but
the truth is that you will as soon as you say that youre divorced. The women you date in the
future are no doubt going to ask you why your marriage went sour. But again, all you have to
tell them is that your ex was a very nice lady and that you have two beautiful daughters with
her. Then change the subject. And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, You
dont have to lay some kind of heavy trip on yourself just because youre divorced.
But before you go off and rush straight into rejection again like most guys do, get a hold of
and memorize my book. Its your only protection from having your life ruined all over again
by another failed relationship. Ask yourself this question, Carter: Do I really want to go
through this hell again?
Remember, guys: You should be honest, but you dont have to lay it all out there.
Cheating In Relationships
Hey Doc,
A little over a month ago, I discovered that my wife, Cherry, was texting a former co-worker
on a regular basis. When I confronted her, she protested that they were just friends and she
was bored and he was someone to talk to. She said that if it bothered me that much, she would
delete his number and no longer talk to him. For two weeks Cherry lied, told me that I was
crazy and that she and this guy were just friends. One night when I was at work, I discovered
that she had backed up her iPhone on my laptop. By luck if you want to call it that I was
able to recover three texts from this other guy that were suspicious. Bluffing her with these
texts, I was finally able to get her to admit that she had had an affair with the guy.
Let me back up a bit. Cherry and I have been together since 2006. I have cheated on my wife,
and she knows about it. We have two young children, but I have not cheated since we became
pregnant with our first child. Now back to the present. When she admitted to cheating, I did
the two things you should never do: I got drunk and asked for details. She said that it
happened only one time with this other guy, and that it was a horrible experience both
physically and emotionally. She said that she tried to block it out of her mind and that she
only continued to talk to him because she does not have a lot of female friends and that he
initiated the conversations. She said that the affair came up in conversation with him recently
when he asked if they could ever do it again. She told me that she told him that she loved her
husband too much to make the mistake again. I asked her if she had any feelings for him, and
she said none whatsoever.
Doc, I am by no means perfect, and our relationship has been rocky at times. Cherry has gone
through some very difficult times within the last few years. She also admitted to me the other
night that she has always felt that I had married down and that she was always insecure about
what other people thought we were doing together. I have never felt this way and have always
considered myself lucky to be with her.
Anyway, we have begun the healing process, and I have forgiven Cherry. She has apologized
again and again and has had no contact with the other guy. Our relationship is like it was
when we first fell in love. So here are my questions. I love Cherry and believe that she loves
me. Should I just let go of wanting to know everything that really happened between her and
this other guy and move on? Is it possible she has told me the entire truth or did she have
feelings for him? If she wanted to be with him, wouldn't she have just left me? Any coaching
would be appreciated because I am driving myself crazy!
Jed - who cant seem to forget
Hi Jed,
When Cherry tells you that shes bored and needs something else in her life, what shes really
saying is that shes bored with you. If she needs someone to talk to, she should be talking to
you assuming, of course, that shes telling you the truth about whats going on. And since
she was cheating on you and denied it only to admit later that it was true, you dont know
what to believe, do you?
Its very sad that Cherry admitted that she had an affair. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says,
Its the worst possible thing a woman can do to her husband and the father of her children.
But then whats good for the goose is good for the gander. Since you cheated on her, Cherry
might have cheated on you just to you to play catch up with you. Shes thinking, why not
even the score? Like the great Doctor Freud once wrote, Never underestimate the power of a
womans resentment.
The only thing youve gotten right so far is that a man should never get drunk and ask for
details. And if you believe for even a second that it happened only once between your wife
and this other guy and it was horrible, Ive got some swampland in Georgia that Id like to sell
you.
Now let me get this straight, dude. If Cherry doesnt have many female friends and has to talk
to someone, why is she talking to a male? What sense does that make? You mean to tell me
that she doesnt have a single woman friend to confide in? I hope you busted her on that one.
You should have been talking about stuff like marrying below your station before you got
hitched to Cherry. And you should have told her that you felt lucky to be with her. Forgiving
Cherry is not the problem. The real issue is this: Has she forgiven you? And you have to
remember that the relationship is like it was when you first fell in love only in your mind, not
necessarily in hers.
Jed, I certainly hope that Cherry loves you like you believe she does, otherwise youre in even
bigger trouble than you are in already. Yes, you should let go of wanting to know all of the
gory details of how she cheated on you and betrayed you and committed adultery. You have
to, because of the kids. The chance that your wife told you the entire and complete truth about
what happened with this guy is about 50%. The other 50% is that she had feelings for him.
Wouldnt she have left you if she wanted to? She has two kids and a house, so come on, guy.
Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Just because she wants to play in the hay doesnt mean she
wants to leave the barn.
Remember, guys: When a woman commits adultery, its always her fault.
Her Ex Is Texting
Hey Doc,
First, I just wanted to say how much I love "The System." I bought it after a few failed
relationships in which I got the short end of the stick, and its really made my dating life a lot
better. Your book is amazing you seem to have a category for every possible situation that
can come up in a relationship, or even casual dating. I thank you for your brilliant insight.
On to my question: Ive been dating Kristara for about six months now. We started things
very slowly since I was busy studying for my medical boards when we met, so it was a
convenient excuse to rebuff some of her advances when she asked to hang out. Things
continue to go smoothly between us. I never discuss my feelings for Kristara, but I always
treat her with respect, I keep things exciting, and I remain a Challenge at all times and in all
respects.
The problem is that Kristara has an ex that has started reaching out to her again. He hasnt
said anything serious to her (yet), but he texted her this past weekend at midnight on a
Saturday, when we were out at a bar with some friends.
She told me right away, said it was really odd that he got in touch, and says she hasnt even
bothered responding. These are all signs of a trustworthy woman.
Doc, the issue is that Ive had this problem before in relationships. Exes always seem to find a
way to mess things up and pull at the heartstrings of the woman Im dating. I have no reason
to worry right now, but I also want to make it clear to Kristara that if her ex continues to
contact her, and she starts responding to his texts, Im not OK with it. Its clear to me that he
has a motive if hes texting her at midnight on a weekend.
Any idea how I should approach this sensitive subject?
Vittorio - who doesnt want the other guy on his mind
Hi Vittorio,
The beauty of "The System" is that whether you just want to casually date and practice until
you master all of its precepts or you find a keeper and want to make a relationship
permanent, everything you need is contained in its pages.
Now, Vittorio, let me compliment you on how well you handled Kristara at the beginning of
your relationship. You did everything right, my friend. You took it nice and slow. You
ratcheted up mystery and Challenge by parrying Kristaras eager come-ons. In other words,
you didnt rush straight into rejection like most men do. As a result, you got this thing off the
ground and have kept it in the air so far.
Regarding the ex who got in touch with your girl when you two were out having a good time,
keep in mind that while you think he didnt say anything serious to Kristara, the fact is that
you dont know what he said to her. Its the fact that hes contacting her at all thats the
problem. So youre focusing on the wrong thing here.
But what is annoying is that Kristara felt compelled to tell you in the first place all about this
test message. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, This is where some women are
stupid. Why didnt she just delete the message and not even mention it to you? Did she think
it was going to raise your Interest Level? Well, it didnt. Lots of women like to talk about
their exes when their exes take a hit at them, and its not smart and its not good. All blabbing
about her ex does is make the new guy you feel uncomfortable. So this is where the real
problem lies when it comes to blasts from the past.
That said, Kristaras ex getting in touch with her should not be blamed on her. This happens
to lots of women when they move from one guy to another. Again, the issue is that Kristara
had to tell you about what happened. Now in one sense this was OK because she was being
open and honest with you about whats going on. That she did not respond to the text is
likewise admirable. And if you have six months of a track record with Kristara, then you have
to trust her that theres nothing more to the story.
Again, unenlightened women bring up exes. And thats why you feel exes have damaged your
earlier relationships, Vittorio. But dont get too heavy-handed by telling Kristara what youre
OK and not OK with. Because then youre being too uptight and youre giving out
ultimatums. That stuff doesnt work, and youll know why if youve read my book. Like my
cousin Rabbi Love says, My son, just keep quiet about what happened and hopefully the
problem will go away on its own. But you have to watch like a hawk and listen like an owl
when Kristara talks about this guy so that youre always tuned in to whats happening. And
whatever you do, don't tell her what to do. To you psych majors, you want Kristara to get rid
of this guy on her own.
Of course Kristaras ex has a motive when he texts her on Saturday at midnight. Like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Hes drunk and hes lonely and he has a phone
in his hand what else would you expect him to do?
How should you approach such a sensitive subject? Keep your mouth shut about it.
Remember, guys: If she has a good track record, you have to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Killing Challenge
Hey Doc,
A month ago I met Shara, who works as a massage therapist at my spa. (I work at the coffee
bar a floor below.) Throughout the month, we talked about past relationships and our family
and friends, and we discovered we see eye to eye on many topics. Of course, being an
idealistic, hopeless romantic type, I find her incredibly charming, warm, attractive and loving,
and naturally fell head over heels for her.
It was my impression that Shara was sending messages my way, implying that I should ask
her out. For instance, she asked my opinion on what dresses look good on her and other
things, and Im the only man who works with her who has broken the touch barrier. After one
day of playfully hanging out on the job, I asked her to be my date for a work event where we
would enjoy the music of a fellow employee. She replied yes, but a couple weeks later she
gave me the "Friend Speech." She said she doesnt date coworkers and she saw our date as
only something between friends. At the time I wasnt expecting much because she just got out
of a nasty breakup with her former fiance and is still dealing with the baggage that comes with
it. However, I still have feelings for Shara, and I want a shot at a relationship with her. Im
going to try to enjoy the night of partying with her and all of my other coworkers, but Im lost
on how I can possibly turn her interest in me into something more intimate and long-term.
So far, I know that Shara values my opinion, trusts me, thinks Im funny and enjoys my
company, so Im curious to know how I can make her become more than my friend and
possibly end up the woman of my dreams. I forgot to mention that Im 25 and Sharas 29, so
she has plenty of experience with relationships and men. During the Friend Speech, she
said, Ive had my heart broken too many times now, if that means anything. Thanks in
advance.
Nat - who wants her to keep touching him
Hi Nat,
As soon as you started blabbing to Shara about everything under the sun, you made a huge
mistake. You should be doing your talking to this woman on your first date. Worse, you told
her everything! To you psych majors, you shouldnt be sharing everything with a woman
before you date her. Youre giving away the store before you even go out with her. Like my
Uncle Jethro Love says, Youre putting the cart before the horse, boy. And as the great
philosopher Voltaire wrote, The best way to be boring is to leave nothing out.
Being a hopeless romantic tells me that youre a loser with women, Nat. Its OK to have
strong feelings toward a female, but when you open your mouth and act on them, you're
killing challenge. Im sure you feel Shara is warm and attractive and loving and all the rest of
it, but theyre your feelings. The only important point here is whether or not shes falling head
over heels in love with you.
Shara may have sent you messages and hints that you should ask her out, but it doesnt mean
anything whatsoever. You shouldnt be answering her messages and hints anyway. What you
should have done was answer her face to face. You should have told Shara Well talk about
all this stuff on our first date. That way you could have put a stop to all your yakking and
blabbing. Again, you gave away all kinds of information about yourself and you hadnt even
been on your first date. Dude, everything youve already told Shara should have been spread
out over the next four or five dates. But thats not going to happen now because you already
told her everything there is to know about you. Like my cousin General Love says, Youd
make a terrible undercover agent.
So youve already shot your wad, my friend. Look at it this way: theres no reason for Shara
to go out with you because she knows everything there is to know about you already. There
will be nothing new to find about you on a date, so for her theres no point. Likewise, it
doesnt mean anything that Shara asks your opinion about what she wears. Like my cousin
Sal The Fish Love says, She asks her brother the same thing.
Nat, when you ask someone from work out, nobody at your place of employment should
know what youre doing. Now youre escorting Shara to a work function, which is a group
date, and thats a no-no, as you would know if you read my book, which obviously you
havent. The reason Shara gave you the Friend Speech was because she found someone
better than you who knew how to keep his mouth shut. She made a date with you, but told you
that it was just friendly because she found someone else who was actually interesting.
Shara might have said that she sees your fake date as something between friends, but if you
looked like Brad Pitt shed forget about that in a heartbeat. And lets get something straight.
You were expecting a lot from her. Youve had the hots for her ever since you set eyes on her,
so dont lie to me. And how do you know what kind of baggage Shara is lugging around?
What are you, her psychiatrist? Did you sit down and have five sessions with her?
You might want a shot at a relationship with Shara, but theres no chance of that now. You
blew your shot when you got yourself relegated to the friend zone. So its too late to turn this
into anything more intimate and long-term. Just forget it.
Shara might like you and enjoy your company and trust you, but not on a romantic level, and
thats the crucial difference. Whatever happens between you and Shara is all just on a
friendship level. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Youre just her
girlfriend. And thats all youll ever be. Why? Because youre a hopeless romantic. Youll
hit the lottery before you end up with this babe, Nat.
Shara does have some experience with relationships. And you dont have any, judging by
your letter. When she told you that she had her heart broken too many times now, it didnt
mean a thing. She was just talking to her girlfriend thats you.
Remember, guys: when she says youre just friends, she doesnt dig you and youre out or
worse, you were never in.
same time I dont want to get deeply into something that I know will probably fail. Do I have
a chance here? How do I drive Debbis interest up and keep it up?
Gallo - who is losing his grip
Hi Gallo,
Now let me get this straight. Debbi was married and you were separated from your wife.
What that means was that we had two people committing adultery. What a great start for a
long and fantastically happy relationship!
Getting together with Debbi when you were both hitched certainly wasnt the moral thing to
do, and it wasnt the right thing to do. So you missed on both counts, dude. Of course it felt
right at the time. You were both high on high Interest Level. But you were both married,
which means that what you did was wrong, wrong, wrong.
Debbi had lots of excuses a new job, moving, breaking up with her husband, etc. for
why things started going south between the two of you. Her excuses are either true, or you
werent going by The System; its that simple. But the problem is this: Either way, the
relationship is no good. Thats all that matters now.
You didnt want to play second fiddle in Debbis life? Gallo, youve been playing second
fiddle from the day you started flirting with her at work! Then you had a messy breakup and
got involved with other people. Hey, I can understand that. You wouldnt want to go it alone
and clear your heads! Better to go straight out and get mixed up with some other person!
Makes sense to me!
When you tell me that Debbi has become inconsistent and inattentive, I say unequivocally that
it is because she has low Interest Level. You might want to believe that shes confused and
that this is a case of rebound, but its not its low Interest Level. Like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says, When Liz Taylor dumped Eddie Fisher for Richard Burton, she didnt have
any feelings of confusion or regret whatsoever.
Where is this girls heart? Sadly, its not with you, my friend. Should you cut her some slack?
She got rid of you, Gallo. You dont cut slack for someone who got rid of you. Youre out
with Debbi. You had two tries with her and neither one worked out because youre not going
by The System. And, again, its not her emotional confusion here thats the issue; its her
low Interest Level.
Nah, you shouldnt run from Debbi. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says,
You should get on the first plane and leave the country. You might not want to get into
something with her now, but you should have thought of that when you started flirting with
her at work. This thing was doomed right then and there, from the beginning. Do you have a
chance with her? Yeah one in a trillion. You cant drive Debbis Interest up now because
its below 50%. And that means its too late.
Remember, guys: Until shes divorced, shes not available.
Why did you believe Lorries roommate that Lorrie dug you? Why would you rely on an
outside source? Why didnt you just go by Lorries actions? Thats what youre supposed to
do, my friend. Like my cousin General Love says, James Bond would never talk to a girls
roommate.
You should have heeded your parents advice to get Lorrie out of your head, dude. Your folks
are brilliant people. But you didnt listen to them, and you dreamed about hanging out with
Lorrie, even though she didnt miss hanging out with you. Your parents saw reality, and you
didnt, Cazzie.
You might have thought that it would be awesome to be more than friends with Lorrie, but
she wasnt your friend in the first place. She didnt want to be around you. She didnt want to
have a relationship with you. To you psych majors, a woman doesnt want to have even a
friendly relationship with some guy shes not interested in who wants to date her.
When Lorrie flirted with you, she was demonstrating inconsistent behavior. She was bored
and needed something to do, so she fooled around with you thats all there was to it.
Maybe she even felt sorry for you because you were mooning over her. But it doesnt matter
why she flirted with you, because she doesn't really like you, and she doesnt care if she hurts
you. But I will give her this: At least shes telling you up front that she doesnt want to
mislead you. But since your Interest Level is 100%, youre grabbing at straws, like most guys.
When you said you had great potential with Lorrie, it scared her because she has low Interest
Level in you. If you tell a woman that you have potential when her Interest Level is in the 90s,
she would say, Yeah, youre right! But Lorrie doesnt have Interest Level anywhere near
that. Thats why her behavior is so inconsistent.
And when she told you that she doesnt have a special feeling for you yet, all it meant was
false hope that you conjured up in your own mind. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says,
'Yet' means it will never happen. But you still want to believe that Lorrie wants you around.
Are you really that desperate, Cazzie? Its absolutely amazing!
Will Lorrie eventually get a feeling for you? Oh, maybe in about 3,000 years! Should you
expect a relationship? Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, I think you got a better chance of
gettin hit by lightnin! Should you keep in touch with Lorrie? Yeah if you like wasting
your time and being tortured.
Cazzie, youre out with this babe. Its all a waste of time. Its over. Actually, it never even
started. Should you run the other way and never look back? Pal, I couldnt have said it better!
Remember, guys: When a woman runs hot and cold, forget her.
Dating Friends
Hey Doc,
First of all, on behalf of all men, thank you for "The System." I have studied and practiced it
and your Mastery Series for the past year with amazing results, and I am getting better at it
with experience. However, I have recently stumbled into a situation that I cant find the
solution to.
This problem involves two attractive women in my college art class who are friends with each
other. Ill call them Leila and Layla. The class meets twice a week. During the second class, I
noticed Leila looking at me from across the room while I was busy with a drawing. I caught
her checking me out two or three times when I looked up from my work, and the third time
she smiled at me. I smiled back and went back to my work.
Later, I approached the professor for suggestions on improving my piece, and she suggested I
walk around and look at the other students drawings for ideas. While passing by Leilas and
Laylas tables (they sit next to each other), Layla looked up and smiled at me. I smiled back
and kept on walking.
During the next class, Layla smiled at me several times. Again, I smiled back and didnt pay
her any attention beyond that. At the same time, I kidded and made friends with the other
students in the class in front of both Leila and Layla so they know Im a fun and sociable
person. I get attention from women in the class and notice that the two of them sometimes
whisper and giggle while looking at me when Im nearby.
Now for the million-dollar question. I like both of these women, but how do I ask for their
phone numbers and ask out both of them? Is it possible to date two friends simultaneously?
We both know that women talk. I get phone numbers all the time and date attractive women
so Im not nervous about going up to and talking to women. The question is when and how
should I approach these two? What do you say, Doc?
Wilhelm - whos intrigued by both of them
Hi Wilhelm,
Thank you for having the ability to set your ego aside and practice self-improvement. It
sounds like you have definitely benefited from sticking with my principles until you made
them work for you. And, remember, there is always a solution to any dilemma you face with
the opposite sex inside the pages of my book.
Now, its great that Leila is smiling at you in class. But hopefully shes smiling at you not just
because shes being friendly, but also because she has high Interest Level in you.
You make an excellent point by mentioning the fact that you are mingling and laughing with
everybody else in class, and not just Leila and Layla. You want everyone to think that you are
the class clown thats the whole idea. It demonstrates to both Leila and Layla that you are
an easy guy to relate to, that youre funny and that you wont be mooning over just the two of
them. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Women cant resist a funny guy. And what
proves it is that Leila and Layla cant seem to control their giggles when youre around. Like
my Uncle Jethro Love says, Nothin beats a giggling girl.
Its no problem to ask both of these babes out, my friend. Nobody ever said dating two people
was wrong. The trick is to ask them out individually. When one of them slips out to the
bathroom, or one stays late after class for a few minutes, thats when you make your move.
Then, the next time you get the opportunity, you hit the other one.
And heres the key to the situation: You want both of these women to know that you asked
each of them for her phone number. To you psych majors, youre not going to be able to hide
something like this, so theres no point in trying. In other words, you have to go with it, roll
with the situation. If one of these women says, I noticed that you asked my girlfriend for her
phone number, you come right back with Yeah, were going to have a little contest here to
see which one of you two can win my heart. In other words, youre going to make a light
joke out of the fact that you asked both of them for their phone numbers.
To answer your next question: Yes, its possible to date two girls simultaneously. But its
improbable. The point is this: Youre only going to end up with one of them, not both of
them. So, like my cousin General Love says, Let the two of them fight it out over you.
Wilhelm, the reason youre fearless about approaching women and getting their phone
numbers is because youve mastered the principles of The System. Im proud of you. Most
guys dont have this ability. Its amazing to me that every man out there doesnt jump at the
chance to become a devotee of my techniques and a master of my philosophy. Theyd rather
suffer, which is too bad for them. And like the great Doctor Freud once said, There is no
suffering like that which comes from not knowing what youre doing with women. Its like
being blind and not knowing youre blind.
So as soon as either Leila or Layla disappears for a minute, you have to jump into action and
get a phone number. And you have to stay mindful of the possibilities here. Maybe one of the
girls has a boyfriend. Maybe both of them have boyfriends. Maybe only one of them is truly
interested in you, and maybe the other isnt. But you double your chances by going after both.
Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, This is a numbers game.
Remember, guys: Never feel apologetic about going after two women who happen to know
each other.
I tried hard to be Bristols friend for the past few weeks, but I cant. Every time I see her I just
want to touch her and kiss her and be close. A few days ago I told her I needed to put some
space between us because I havent been myself at work and I need to move on. She sent me a
long email that cleared some things up but confused me more on other issues. She described
her post-traumatic stress in detail, said she thought about me all day long, and with every song
she listened to, etc. All this was music to my ears, of course, because I feel the same way.
However, she said she didnt want to hurt me and said I had to do what was best for me. I am
confused again by what she actually means here. A few of my friends say they think she may
well want me to wait for her but couldnt come right out and say it.
Ive decided to not contact Bristol for a week or two, then tell her that I will wait for her (I
havent met someone I click with like this in a long, long time), but that I need to know if she
even wants me to. Is this the right thing to do? If Bristol didnt feel strongly for me, why
would she send me a long email after I voluntarily moved on?
Kris - who hopes shell take him back
Doc Love's Response
Hi Kris,
You may have fallen head over heels for Bristol, but the really important question is whether
she's in love with you. Why are you telling me about your Interest Level in her? Bristols
Interest Level is the only thing that counts.
And why are you saying we have great chemistry? What you mean is that you have great
chemistry with Bristol. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, If the two of
you had great chemistry together, she wouldnt be breaking up with you.
How do you know that Bristol has great values and character, in just six measly weeks? I
doubt it, pal. Why are you feeling resentful towards Bristol? She wasnt the one who led you
on. You led yourself on by getting in too deep with her too soon. She might have shown all
the signs of being attracted to you after six weeks, but she sure isnt showing them now. Six
dates and all that lovey-dovey stuff stopped. When shes nervous around you and hanging all
over you for six months, then youve got something.
When you told Bristol that you thought she was making a mistake by dumping you, you were
begging her to take you back. Wheres your pride and dignity, Kris?
Youre unable to be Bristols friend because she doesnt want you to. Worse, she doesnt want
you to be her boyfriend. What this means is that youre out. Dont you get it? You might want
to touch Bristol and be close, but she doesnt feel that way about you. But you insist that
youre the one who needs space. In other words, youre getting rid of someone who already
got rid of you. Gosh, dude, youre really sharp! I see you memorized my materials!
Let me explain something to you, my friend. Bristol doesnt want you to wait for her. Like my
cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Shes telling you she never wants to see you again. But
since your Interest Level is in the stars, you dont see it. You might not want to contact her for
a week or two, but the truth is that you should never contact her again.
Guy, you might think you clicked with Bristol like you never did with another woman, but the
reality is that she didnt click with you, and thats all that matters. To you psych majors, if she
really clicked with you, shed be with you.
Is waiting for Bristol the right thing to do? No. She sent you that long email because she
wants to assuage her guilty conscience, thats all. But who cares why she sent it? It doesnt
matter. The point is this: Once a girl doesn't want to be with you, you have to move on.
Remember, guys: Never try to keep someone who doesnt want to keep you.
Moving Fast
Hey Doc,
I wish I had "The System," a couple weeks ago. I landed myself a 10 on my own and
dont want to screw it up. After reading a few of your columns while waiting for your book to
arrive, I think I might be screwing up already.
I met an old pal from college who told me that I should meet his friend Shana. I called her a
couple days later, told her I was busy for a couple of weeks but would call again to set
something up. I waited about 10 days, called her and we arranged a blind date. We went to a
bar, had some drinks, danced and chatted for a few hours. She made me a bet, and both
outcomes involved my kissing her. I did, and it was a really good kiss. In fact, we looked like
most tools do at bars, making out in the corner for an hour.
At the end of the night I said I had a good time. She said she did too and that she wanted to do
it again the next day. My first mistake (I think) was that I said yes to it. We had lunch the next
day. Afterward, she asked me to continue the date by going with another couple to a museum
event. I agreed (second mistake, I think). We walked around, she held my hand, kissed me
and asked to take a couples/mugshot photo with me. Then she asked me to go with her to a
friends birthday party. At this point I said no. Around midnight she texted me and asked if I
was still up because she wanted to stop by. I said OK, we spent a few hours kissing, and then
she went home. On her way out she told me to call her. I called her two days later and set up a
dinner date. At the restaurant she was smiling, laughing and dropping hints about the future. I
walked her to her car, gave her a quick kiss (she wanted more) and walked away.
About 30 minutes after the date Shana texted me, said thanks and that she wanted to make me
dinner at her place. We set up a date for a week later. The next day she sent me a text saying
she was going out the next night with some friends and asked me to attend. I responded that I
was busy for most of the night but could meet her later. Within one week we will have been
together four times and spent about 30 hours together.
Doc, have I killed Challenge already? Is it too late to save this one? Whats the next move?
Quinne - whos afraid hes moving too fast
Hi Quinne,
You tell me you should have had my book a couple of weeks ago. But what you really should
be saying is that you should have had it six or eight months ago. When you meet a 10 and
then you get my book, youre not going to be able to ingest all of my techniques and
principles in only a couple of hours. Then its already too late to handle your 10
successfully. You have to read my book over and over and over again, and then meet the
10. Youll stand a better chance of not blowing it because then youll know what the heck
youre doing.
And if youd memorized my book, you would have known you shouldnt have kissed Shana
when she laid those bets on you. If you had controlled yourself, that would have been using
challenge. Every other guy would have kissed Shana, but you should have told her, No, since
its only our first date, were going too fast, and then given her a big grin like Jim Carrey
would. And you shouldnt have been making out for an hour with this babe either. Like my
cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Youre giving away the store, paisan."
But you went charging in anyway and agreed to lunch the very next day. Why in the world are
you rushing this, Quinne? Whats the big hurry? Dont get me wrong Im glad you met
somebody youre attracted to and that she likes you too and everything is perfect. But keep in
mind that its only been perfect for one or two dates. To you psych majors, until you get to 10
or 12 dates with a girl, you cant count anything. But like most men, youre charging in. I
want you to have all these fun times with Shana, but I dont want you having them all in the
first four days. I want the girl to walk away from you and think and ponder and wonder what
youre doing between those first dates. What most guys dont realize is that when youre out
of sight and you dont contact her and send her emails and tweet her all the time, you become
a Challenge. And being a Challenge raises Interest Level. This is what no other love doctor
but me understands.
Going to the museum with other people is a group date, pal. We dont do group dates. You
should have told Shana you were sorry but that you had other plans. You should have put the
brakes on this thing before it got out of control, which you didnt do. Im glad Shanas
coming at you hard, but you have to use the N word, and, dude, you dont know how to use
it. Shanas friends birthday party was another group date, which you dont know, because
you dont have my book yet. When she asked to stop by your place, you should have said no
again.
Guy, you should only be seeing this girl every other time she asks you out. Four times and 30
hours in such a short time are way too much too soon. No, you havent killed Challenge,
Quinne. Like my cousin General Love says, Youve absolutely massacredit. Youre not a
mystery at all. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Youre nothing but an open book.
Is it too late to save this thing? It depends on Shanas Interest Level. But heres the problem
shes a 10, which means she gets hit on all the time. So when you see her too much,
what happens is that you wear out your welcome and somebody else starts to look good to
her. So far Shana hasnt shown you any red flags, so youre lucky, but just back off and try to
see her only once a week until she asks you to be her boyfriend.
Remember, guys: I want you to give away the store, but I want you to do it a lot later.
Sarah might say that shell follow you wherever you go when she graduates from school, but
there are all kinds of guys hitting on her right now. When you dont see a girl for between two
and four months, you have to expect her to go out with her girlfriends. And those girlfriends
are going to have boyfriends. And the boyfriends have buddies. And those buddies are going
to go after your girl.
If Sarah was 25 or 26 years young it might be different. But when you see her so infrequently
only three or four times a year the likelihood that she will succumb to some type of
temptation when shes so far away from you is very high. The point is that its going to be
tough to hold this girl. You cant do battle for her from such a great distance. Like my cousin
Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Its like being in a boxing match with one hand tied
behind your back. And like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, You fight with
only one hand, and youre gonna get knocked out, bro.
You might think Sarah is the only great girl in the universe, but your reasoning is off. You
will find someone who is as good as Sarah again, and, more importantly, she will live closer
to you.
Ray, if you know that you are flouting my rules by texting Sarah and listening to the advice of
other girls, why are you doing it? But you say that you want a slap in the face. OK, here it is:
Read seven pages of my book every single night and hustle other women.
But if you want to continue on this course, what you have to do with Sarah is set up regular
times to talk to her, say three times a week. Its the only way you can attempt to deal with the
difficulties of a 13-hour time difference. As far as texting goes, Im against it altogether. What
Sarah is telling you is that youre not talking to her enough. In other words, shes verifying
the problem with long-distance relationships. To boot, you have this inconvenient time
difference. So you have to set up a regular phone schedule if youre going to try to make this
situation work. The problem is that it will kill Challenge. But since youre trying to force a
long-distance relationship, youre going to have to break rules, which will end up hurting your
cause. And thats exactly the problem with long-distance relationships: They don't work.
If you feel that Sarah has lost a tiny bit of interest in you recently, that means shes lost lots of
interest. Her Interest Level may have dropped from 95% to 82%, for instance, which means
youre down 13 points. And that means youre on your way out.
What should you do? Hustle other women. Dont wait until Sarah burns you.
Remember, guys: If you know that youre doing wrong, why do you keep doing it?
The other night I went to dinner for my sisters birthday because I knew Shannon would be
there and I desperately wanted to make a move on her. When the night ended, I had made
zero moves. What I did was set something up with her and my sister to go to a bar. Shannon
also told me that one of her exes vomited on her mattress when he was drunk, so I offered to
give her a mattress that I have locked in storage. So I did try to set up things for us to be
together, but when we talk, I feel mostly zero interest from her. At other times I feel
something, but Im not sure if Im feeling my own feelings or hers.
Is she interested?
I spoke with my sister on the drive home from the dinner and very casually we got into the
topic of my dating one of her friends. She didnt like the idea at all. She told me that if one of
her friends liked me she wouldnt even tell me because Im her little brother. I hate being her
little brother and I dont want to be seen as such.
Shannon has almost made me completely forget about my ex. Ive had so much fun on the
days when Ive been with her. What can I do to get her to want me as much as I want her? If
she likes me, what can I do to make that feeling grow? Finally, what should I do about my
sister?
Jimi - who is desperate for coaching
Doc Love's Response
Hi Jimi,
The age difference you mention between yourself and Shannon is indeed a major problem. A
24-year-old woman does not want to go out with a guy whos 21. Shannon is looking for guys
her own age up to 30, 32. Throw in the fact that shes out working a real job and youre just a
student, and that youre her friend's kid brother, and its easy to see that youre up against
some stiff odds here because Shannon is not thinking about you romantically. Alternatively, if
Shannon were really attracted to you, and you made her laugh a lot, the three-year age
difference would disappear. But like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, This is
a real, real tough position to be in.
Jimi, you dont have to worry about keeping up with Shannon financially. If she were really
interested in you, going on inexpensive dates together wouldnt be an obstacle at all. There
are lots of free things to do in your town, wherever you live. In fact, going on cheap dates
would be a very good test to see whether or not Shannon really likes you. So dont pressure
yourself about the state of your finances.
You made zero moves on Shannon at your sisters birthday party because your hands were
virtually tied. With your sister there, how could you make a move on Shannon? You couldnt
very well put your arm around her and start cozying up to her in that setting. Technically you
should have asked for Shannons phone number. Then, when she turned you down, you would
have known that you were out forever, but the problem with that scenario is that she might
have mentioned it to your sister, which would have been embarrassing, humiliating and ticked
your sister off. Those were your only options, and they left a lot to be desired. Like I said
earlier, this situation is very sticky.
Now its not 100% true that you didnt make a move on Shannon. You set something up with
her and your sister to go to a bar, which was a good, subtle move, guy. You didnt come
straight out and ask for her number, but like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, You tried
to work with what you had. So Ill give you credit for that, even though the bar get-together
is technically a group date, which is a no-no according to The System. But since youre
coming from a really bad power position actually, you have no power in this situation at all
you did what you could.
How To Get Her To Like You
Strictly speaking, the mattress youve giving to Shannon is a gift, another no-no according to
my rules. However, in this case, because youre coming at her as Shannons friends brother,
its OK to donate it to her. Its not like youre giving her jewelry or flowers.
Heres what you have to do in order to stand even a ghost of a chance with Shannon. You
have to dress sharply every time she sees you. You have to make her laugh. You have to make
yourself look like a guy she could really want.
The biggest mistake of your life was bringing up with your sister, even casually, the topic of
dating one of her friends. Anything you tell your sister is going to go straight back to
Shannon. Another reason you shouldnt have brought it up is because your sister absolutely
detests the idea. Your sister is wrong for not telling you that one of her friends might be
interested in you, but shes just protecting her turf. You might loathe being your sisters little
brother, but thats the way she sees you. If Shannon views you the same way, you dont have
a sliver of a chance with her.
What can you do to get Shannon to want you? You dont have many options but to put on
your best personality. How can you get the feeling to grow? Humor. As far as your sister
goes, youve already opened Pandoras Box with her, but don't tell her anything else.
Remember, guys: If you dont want to be perceived as your sisters little brother, act like your
own man.
Nevertheless, being out of work and dealing with my moms illness left me very insecure, and
I started yelling at Morgan for looking at other guys and being very jealous in general.
Finally, I told her that I needed space and maybe she should see someone else. As soon as I
said it, I regretted it. I sent her five emails stating that I made a mistake and was so stressed
out over my mom and my unemployment that I pushed her away. She finally responded after
two weeks and said we could be awesome friends and that she needed to figure out how to be
her again and did not want to be pushed toward a reconciliation. I told her I was fine with
that decision and did not contact her for three weeks. I finally broke down and called her
several times but got no response.
How can I get Morgan back? Do you think she is worth getting back? What would you do in
this situation?
Desmond - who is frantic
Hi Desmond,
Let me clear something up for you straight out of the gate. You and Morgan didnt split.
She dropped you. Big difference. And let me add that it was great that you sacrificed so much
to take care of your terminally ill mother. That is what youre supposed to do.
The reason that Morgan flirted with a strange guy was because you werent paying enough
attention to her and weren't using "The System." So when you ran into a crisis like the one
with your mother and your job, you didnt have the power of my book behind you. In fact,
you had little in the way of resources to help you through such a stressful time. If youd had
my techniques and principles to fall back on, you wouldnt need to write to me.
Instead you flipped and decided to dump Morgan, and she screamed and yelled. The reason a
woman yells and begs is not because the relationship is over; its because youre the one
dropping her. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Women are supposed to
dump you and not the other way around. So thats why she was making a scene. But it
doesnt matter because youre still out.
While with Morgan, youve flirted with countless women. Like my cousin Brother Love
down in Watts says, Two wrongs dont make a right, bro. Dude, why are you flirting with
all kinds of women? To you psych majors, when you flirt with other women, you lower your
girlfriends Interest Level. And thats what you did here.
Let me ask you something: Are you proud of coming on to countless women? Were you
proud of embarrassing Morgan? When you do something like that again and again, her
Interest Level will drop from 90% to 85% to 80%, etc. You get the idea. Her Interest Level
will travel further and further south, and eventually youre out. Its true that Morgan might
have been doing more than just flirting behind your back, but thats because of her low
Interest Level and the fact that you brought it on yourself by lowering her Interest Level.
Because only the man can lower the womans Interest Level. You might holler at Morgan and
flaunt your jealousy in general, but dont forget that youre the one who flirted with countless
girls right in her face. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, What a hypocrite!
You told Morgan that you needed some space and that she should see someone else? Wow,
what a great move, guy! Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Remind me not to call
you when Im having trouble with my lady.
While its true that you were stressed out over your job and your mother, its also true that
you were flirting with countless women before these terrible things happened. What went
down with your mom was just a coincidence of timing it wasnt the reason behind your
troubles with Morgan.
When Morgan said that she didnt want to be pushed toward a reconciliation with you, it
meant that the odds of you getting her back are one in a billion. But you kept calling her.
Desmond, if a woman doesnt call you for three weeks, youre out forever, dont you get it?
Why are you begging, pal? None of this needy stuff is going to work. Like my cousin General
Love says, You did too much damage, soldier.
You cant get Morgan back because her Interest Level is below 50%. Is she worth getting
back? Well, why would you want to be with a woman who has low Interest Level in you?
What would I do? Id buy my book and memorize it.
Remember, guys: If you turn her off, you have to take responsibility for your actions.
A Christian Girlfriend
Hey Doc,
Ive been dating Shannon for a little over a year. Weve grown incredibly close to each other,
saw a future together and were completely committed to each other. She told me that she
didnt think any other guy was attractive besides me and constantly told me that she wanted to
be with me forever.
Over the summer, Shannon decided to work at a Christian camp. She ended up liking it so
much that she stayed the whole season. I always had doubts about this situation, and I knew
the long distance alone could kill our relationship, but on top of this she found God and
wanted to surround her life with all things religious. I knew something was going on when she
started to ignore me and not call me. When she came home, she said she didnt know what
she wanted, but that she feels she needs to be with someone who brings her closer to God.
Then she said that she loves me and wants to marry me, and that its impossible for her to
break up with someone shes in love with. She also told me shes not attracted to me in the
same way that she used to be.
We both know that Im not a religious person. I have tried to reason with Shannon that
religion cannot be the complete focus of her life and that she needs balance. We continually
talk about breaking up and have blowouts we never had before. She keeps changing her mind
about what she wants and whether or not her future has me in it. Its making me act crazy
around her, and I know its murdering her Interest Level in me. I have a strong feeling that
shes going to break up with me, but I dont want to lose this girl. I feel like our relationship
has to end and that theres no going back to what we had before. Where do you think I should
go from here?
get together with her again when she got back, did she say that he didnt have a chance
because she digs you now and she doesnt care for him anymore? No, she did not. And you
think that was pretty reasonable? Like my cousin General Love says, Youre missing the
boat here, soldier.
But you and Cheri are sitting around and wondering whether or not to continue whatever it is
youre doing with each other. One minute shes sort of with the other guy; the next minute
shes not. But it doesnt matter, because this thing is dead in the water due to the fact that you
will soon live in different places.
So now Cheri says that she didnt actually end things with the guy back home when she left
for India. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Oh, so she wanted to leave the gate open for the
horse to come back in, huh?
Let me explain something to you, guy. When Cheri says that shes scared of getting too close
to you, that really means that she just has low interest level in you. So why would you want to
have a good time in India with her? Its a bad idea because youre wasting your time with
someone in a situation that isnt going to go anywhere. You could be spending your time
looking for someone with real potential instead of spinning your wheels with this girl. Youre
only going to end up hurting yourself by falling for Cheri, which youre doing already. And
let me also point out that youre the one whos getting too attached, not her.
You want an alternative to your dilemmas with Cheri? Heres what I would suggest. Take her
out and say to her, Since this thing isnt going anywhere, is it OK with you if I hustle other
women?
Remember, guys: Another man, plus the possibility of long distance, is a huge red flag.
Shes no longer eager to talk to me. When I confronted her over this, she said that she broke
our trust by flirting with this other guy, and in addition feels guilty for ruining his life.
A month ago Jennifer got re-posted to the city where I live. I hoped that getting back together
would help our relationship. While we talk and date at least once a week, the chemistry we
once shared is missing. What has me confused is that when I tell her I want to break up,
Jennifer says she loves me and wants to be with me. When I try to be supportive, she is absent
and disinterested.
I am so confused, Doc. Does this girl love me? I love her and want this relationship to work.
Please coach me!
Timofey - whose head is spinning
Hi Timofey,
You say you are about to go insane. When you are not in control of whats happening, it
means that you are not following "The System." My friend, your first order of business
should be to get my book and memorize it ASAP so you dont go insane. Its clear that you do
not have the proper training when it comes to women, and the sooner you obtain it, the sooner
youll restore your sanity.
When you say that Jennifer traveled long distances to pick you up for dates, it tells me that
you had a long-distance relationship, which is a no-no. So this was your first big problem.
Then you report that you had all these little fights. Women dont like little fights. They
dont like fighting at all, because fighting is a turnoff. Fighting lowers Interest level. How
often were you having these so-called little fights? Couldnt you sit down and calmly work
things out with Jennifer? Apparently not. But you wouldnt know about how fighting erodes
Interest Level because you dont have my book.
Let me explain something to you, guy. When Jennifer got a new job and moved to another
city, right there you were dead. It was all over from that point on. When a woman moves away
from you, youre out forever. Thats it. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, When she
puts lots of miles between the two of you, it means she doesnt want to be with you.
Conversely, when shes in love with you, she cant move.
All this stuff about the mens club she had going in her new city was her version of the story,
remember. Whats the real story? The other guy who got drunk and freaked out because
Jennifer wouldnt date him didnt change her at all, Timofey. That was just a coincidence.
When she moved away from you, her Interest Level was already below 50%, and that was the
real problem. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, She was fooling around
with all these other boys because she was looking for someone new. You didnt hold her
Interest Level, dude. At one point Jennifers interest was up in the 90s, but when she moved
away from you it was below 50%, otherwise she wouldnt have pulled up stakes. And you
have to remember that when the other guy got drunk and freaked out, she was not only flirting
with him, but she was misleading him as well.
Your romance with Jennifer has gone missing, but her Interest Level hasnt reached 39% yet,
which is when she will actually get rid of you. Now, let me get this straight. You are
Jennifers boyfriend, but she feels guilty for ruining some other guys life. Wow, what a set of
values that girl has!
Now Jennifer is in your city again, but the truth is that theres nothing to get back to, so you
cant revive your romance with her. Basically this babe has moved away from you, and shes
dating a drunk. Shes saying that she loves you and wants to be with you, but its just
Womanese for Im not quite ready to drop you yet. When you say shes absent and
disinterested, thats indicative of her true Interest Level on the south side of 50%.
Timofey, I hate to tell you this, but Jennifer doesnt love you. And the relationship cant work
because she already moved away from you.
Remember, guys: When she moves, youre out.
Texting On A Date
Hey Doc,
First of all, thanks for sharing such amazing information through your book. Its really helped
me read women much better. Im still reading it over and over as I havent mastered it, but it
makes more sense every day as I apply it to my life.
Ive been dating Ainsley for over two months now. Im 30, and shes 24 and stunning. I
applied the rules of your book to the relationship: I didnt see her more than once a week and
no phone calls. It went pretty well. Ainsley would initiate contact most of the time, and even
asked me out on dates. While on our dates, she complimented me and mentioned how she
enjoyed spending time with me and discussed doing things together in the future. However,
its a little hard to believe that she wasnt seeing other people on account of her beauty, but
since I never saw any proof, I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Days when she couldnt make
our dates she would always counter-offer.
Anyway, last week Ainsley kept checking her phone on our date, and then mentioned this
guy, Rick, who likes her and who was texting her. He apparently knew about me and asked
about me in one of the texts, which she mentioned to me. I took it as a huge red flag based on
what Ive read in your book. She also said that Rick has a girlfriend, but the fact that he was
texting her on a Friday night and the fact that she responded to his texts made me feel that
something was wrong. I have always tried hard to keep my Interest Level below 90%, and
hence always avoided telling her that I liked her. I didnt react to this text from Rick, but only
because I couldnt come up with anything humorous to say as I was caught a bit off guard.
After that night neither of us has texted or called each other, and there has been an awkward
silence. Do you think I should back off Ainsley or should I call her and ask her out on another
date and see what she has to say about whats going on? I can feel her Interest Level
dropping, and in my mind the right thing to do at this point is back off. Doc, how do I tackle
this situation?
Scott - who is just about to lose control
Hi Scott,
One of the best things about "The System," is the fact that youre able to read women much
better as a result. For that alone its invaluable. But as you point out, it can also be applied to
all aspects of life. In that sense, its indispensable.
My friend, you shouldnt have given Ainsley the benefit of the doubt. You had absolutely no
solid evidence to go on for giving her the benefit of the doubt. Did she ask you to be her
boyfriend? No. You left that part out. You went out with her for over two months and she
never asked if you were seeing other women. So Ainsley is not your girlfriend. Like my
cousin Rabbi Love says, Hopefully youre dating other women, my son.
And why is Ainsley talking about you to some other guy? Gosh, she has a big mouth! Heres
something else. Its the rudest thing in the world for Ainsley to be using that cell phone in any
way when shes out on a date with you. But like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, When
youre a hot chick, you get away with anything. The way she treated you was awful, Scott,
and you let her get away with it. Yes, it was a huge red flag, and you should have taken it as
such.
Of course something was wrong with her behavior. But this other guy isnt the problem here.
The girl youve been dating for over two months is not loyal to you thats the problem.
Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Thank God shes not your girlfriend!
Youd better not ask this girl out anymore, buddy. The reason theres been an awkward
silence between you two is because Ainsley digs Rick! You gave this babe way too much
credit, dude. My book instructs you not to overrate the womans Interest Level. And you did it
with Ainsley for no reason at all. Complicating the issue is that shes a killer in the looks
department. Guys are going to be after a beautiful woman all day and all night long
including when youre out on a date with her.
Scott, the simple truth is that you didnt nail anything down with this girl. You never got her
Interest Level into the 90s. If you did, it went back down, and the proof is that shes messing
around with another guy. But, again, he isnt the problem. Youre the problem because you
havent completely memorized my book.
Theres no point at all in trying to find out from Ainsley whats going on because you
already know whats going on. Shes not calling you like she used to all the time. Shes not
setting up dates like she used to. Shes talking about another guy like she never did before,
and shes texting him while shes on a date with you. Dont you get the drift here?
You cant back off from Ainsley because shes already backed off from you. Theres only one
thing you can do now: dont ask her out again.
Remember, guys: If she texts another guy while shes on a date with you, youre out.
But something perplexes me, and that is why I am writing today. You state that a guy should
go for the phone number immediately. Now, the benefit of this is that you display Mystery
and Challenge and Confidence, and you rely on basic physical attraction. I know also from
experience that when women are in a group and they notice your intentions, one or more will
be jealous and try to block your advances on a certain girl, so it helps to get the phone number
as quickly as possible. Other possible problems are also avoided by going for the phone
number immediately.
But as another love doctor (who I wont name) stated: But you had her at the bar right then
and there. You could have used that opportunity to seduce her right then and there. You were
on a 'date' with her right then and there. So getting a number so that you can meet up with her
later and walking away from the interaction in the moment is totally counterproductive and
nonsensical.
Doc, many times Ive been in this position with a woman, especially at a bar or a party. Why
shouldnt you go in for a kiss when you meet a woman, wherever that may be, instead of
waiting for a date later? If a babe is all over you, whats the point in waiting several days for a
date that you have to set up? If you have a woman interested in you right on the spot, doesnt
it make sense to capitalize on it? Shouldnt you rely more on your personality skills when you
meet a woman instead of relying on physical attraction?
It seems to me that this other love doctor no disrespect meant to you has a very good
point here. Ill be interested to hear what you have to say about it.
Albert - who doesnt see the point of waiting for a formal date
Hi Albert,
First, let me straighten out your thinking. You dont get a woman interested in you in the
beginning from physical attraction alone. When you meet her, its true that you have to pass
the Physical Attraction Test first, but then you sell her on your personality when she sees what
a great personality you have. And that combination is what leads her to give you her phone
number.
Whether a womans friends try to block you or not is not the issue here. And besides, if a
woman is interested in you, she will not give a hoot what anybody else, including her
girlfriends, say about you. Because as I explain in my book, Interest Level cuts everything.
Of course, its true that getting the phone number averts all kinds of problems. What else can
you do but get a womans phone number? When are you going to run into her again? What if
you dont? How are you going to get hold of a woman if you dont have her digits? If youre
in a New York City bar and you talk to her for 15 minutes, youre never going to see her
again if you dont get that phone number. So, yes, getting the phone number is imperative.
Now let me straighten you out on something else. Not moving on a woman as soon as you
meet her is not counterproductive, contrary to what this other love doctor says. This is
because your other love doctor is leaving out the all-important concept of Challenge. Guy,
Ive interviewed over 10,000 women, and their biggest and most frequent complaint is that
guys come on too fast. When following the rules of The System, you do exactly the
opposite. You work slowly and methodically. You get the number and get out of there,
leaving her to wonder about you and ponder when and if youre going to call her. When you
dont jump on the woman straightaway, you leave her wondering whether youre just playing
a head game with her. This other love doctor you mention wants to completely jettison
Challenge when thats exactly what women desire they dont want guys acting like the
proverbial bull in a China shop.
The reason you dont go in for a kiss until later is simple. You already know your Interest
Level. You already know that you want to kiss her. But you dont know her Interest Level. So
what you want to do is make sure that when you go in for the kiss she doesnt turn her head
and rebuff you. Thats why you wait until the second date, all the while working her with
Challenge. You wait for a date that you have to set up because its going to frustrate her that
you didnt immediately reciprocate her attention. That frustration equals Challenge, which
drives up Interest Level, which this other love doctor completely ignores or doesnt
understand.
Albert, you are capitalizing on the moment by getting the womans phone number and getting
out of there and leaving her to wonder whether or not youre going to call her. By waiting and
not jumping her bones immediately, you have power. Every other guy will try to kiss her right
then and there or call her within a day or two. My techniques set you apart from all the losers.
Because youre going to wait. And like the great Doctor Freud once said, The key to women
is patience.
Should you rely on personality skills rather than physical attraction when it comes to the
opposite sex? Albert, you have to have one in order to get the other. Like I said earlier, its a
combination of the two thats going to snag her. Of course your personality is important
because if youre just an average-looking guy and her Interest Level is 55%, youre going to
have to use your personality to get her interest up to 95%. But with my techniques, you will
get to 95% instead of dropping south of the border.
What I have to say about this other love doctor is simple, but profound: He completely
overlooks the power of Challenge and the fact that the vast majority of men rush straight into
rejection. If you follow my strategy, youll save yourself that anguish and pain, and youll be
much more successful with women guaranteed.
Remember, guys: The key to women is patience.
new guy. I even joked with her about not wanting to be the next chump, and actually kept my
Interest Level to about 75% for the first six to eight months.
This is what happened to really mess things up. I had an online dating ad that I used before
becoming Suzys boyfriend, but not while we were dating. She saw it on my computer
browser at about the six-month mark and went completely ballistic. I apologized and, at that
very moment, the Interest Levels in our relationship switched. Hers dropped to 70% or lower.
The long slide of Suzys Interest Level to below 40% took another year, and my level of
interest rose to compensate, until it hit 95%, where it is now.
So heres my question: Was I wrong for not listening to my intuition about this woman? It
seems that she leaves every turkey the same way for a new guy. Does the way a woman finish
a relationship have anything to do with the way shes going to leave a guy in the future? Did
Suzy use the discovery of my dating ad as an excuse to get out of the relationship? Should I
have had concerns about getting involved with her in the first place?
Im a rookie, Doc, but Im trying to prepare to do it differently next time.
Herman - who is learning a hard lesson
Hi Herman,
The reason Suzy dumps one guy after another when shes lost interest in them is because
shes beautiful. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, When youre a hot
chick, you dont get dumped on. To you psych majors, in every relationship someone has to
get dumped. And 90% of the time, the guy is going to have to absorb the rejection and pain.
So youre not pointing out anything new here, my friend.
Now let me ask you this: What was Suzy doing on your computer in the first place? And,
secondly, why did you have this ad on your computer? You have to be careful about
maintaining your privacy and you have to be smart about the evidence you leave lying
around. Like my cousin General Love says, Computers and cell phones are like minefields
theyre deadly.
But heres the more important issue. If you told Suzy that you used this ad before you met her
and that its just sitting harmlessly on your browser and you havent touched it since youve
been going with her, why didnt she just overlook it? Why couldnt she sit down and ask you
why you had the ad? Thats what you need to know. Because the behavior Suzy exhibited
when she found the ad tells me that anytime you and she have a disagreement, she goes
ballistic. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Is this the kind of woman that you want to spend
the rest of your life with? But it also tells me that there may be more involved here than just
the random discovery of an ad on your browser.
Your intuition has nothing to do with what happened between you and Suzy. In any
relationship, someone is going to get the short end of the stick, and, like I said, the vast
majority of the time, its you, the guy.
Every girl leaves one chump for another. This is what they do. They go out with one dude
until he does everything wrong, then they move on to the next one, and he then he gets
dumped. But when a guy follows "The System" which youre not doing because you just
read it for the first time he would figure this situation out. He would have discovered that
Suzy has a hair-trigger temper because he would know what to look for in a woman. And he
would have figured out that Suzy didnt want to sit down and talk this out with you calmly,
and he would have asked her why. Finally, he would have seen the warning signs of a
dropping Interest Level and he would have had the tools to stop it.
Herman, it doesnt matter how a girl dumps a guy in the past, present or future. The point is
that shes leaving. Who cares how she does it? The only thing that matters is that shes gone.
Did Suzy use the discovery of your dating ad to begin to extricate herself from your
relationship? Thats a great question, Herman. If she did, it means her Interest Level was low
and that you got to my book too late to correct the blunders you were making. Starting right
now, you have to read "The System" once a week for 15 weeks in order to completely
absorb its wisdom and power.
No, you shouldnt have worried about the way Suzy dumps guys before you got involved with
her. All women dump guys, like I said. It doesnt feel good to the guy, but the method she
uses has nothing to do with the relationship. The issue isnt how you got dumped, but why
you got dumped.
Remember, guys: Until you eat, sleep and dream "The System," you will not get it or her.
never rejected or canceled a date. She is beautiful on the outside but much more beautiful on
the inside. However, its been three months since we started dating and she has not once
asked, Where is this relationship going? Every other girl I dated would always bring that
question up like clockwork. Again, her words and actions go hand in hand and there has never
been any confusion. My question is, should I keep waiting until she brings up the subject of
why I havent asked her to be my girlfriend yet? How much longer should I wait? Also, do
you think that our age gap is too big?
Tommas - whos getting a little antsy
Hi Tommas,
You make a very astute observation about the principles in my books. Regarding your own
history with women, if your Interest Level in someone is around 55%, you can easily abide by
the rules of The System. But when its in the 70s or 80s and your mind goes blank when
youre with a beautiful woman and you have to think of the right thing to do at the moment,
you have to be proficient in my techniques. Otherwise, youll start doing the wrong things, the
girls Interest Level will take a dive and youll be on your way out. Needless to say, youll be
nothing but putty in her hands.
When you describe Krista, I have to say that everything about her sounds perfect. It could
possibly be to your advantage that she has not dated all that much, which means she has
low emotional mileage on her. On the other hand, the fact that she has so little experience
with dating and shes already a quarter of a century old demonstrates that her social skills in
dealing with the opposite sex have perhaps not been formed at all. Maybe youre just the very
first guy that she digs. Maybe you just got lucky and you hit the jackpot with her. But there
may also be a bigger red flag lurking somewhere. Like a good detective, youll have to keep
watch on this, pal.
And of course it bears scrutiny that Krista has not asked where the relationship is going. But
by your own admission she has only dated one guy in 25 years, so she hasnt yet had the
experience of pressuring a man. Since Krista has been all but perfect so far, youre just going
to have to be patient with her. Dont think of her probationary period as being 10 dates; think
of it as 20 or 30 dates.
One more very important thing: You should be dating other women, Tommas. Since Krista
has not asked to be your girlfriend, you should still be out hustling other phone numbers.
Yes, you are going to have to continue waiting for Krista to ask you to be her boyfriend. But
thats OK because the more time you spend with this girl and not beg to be her boyfriend, the
higher her Interest Level will climb. If its 82% now, lets say, when it gets up in the 90s,
shell start to bug you about whether or not you are seeing anyone else. On the other hand,
since she hasnt asked you to be her boyfriend, you should keep your Friday and Saturday
dates with her to a minimum.
How much longer should you wait for her to bring up the subject of being your girlfriend?
Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, As long as it takes.
Is your age gap too wide? Sadly, I have to say yes, guy. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says,
There is no substitute for life experience. And theres no way Krista has your life
experience, Tommas. And heres something else to think about: Like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says, Who knows what shes going to want when she grows up?
That said, I like the fact that Krista hasnt been out with the entire armed forces. But her age
and her lack of life experience and what they imply is something youre going to have to keep
your eye on, Tommas. Good luck.
Remember, guys: The key to women is patience.
Its nice that you thought Soraya was just being friendly to you, but you should have been
dating her all along. Guy, you werent going by my program. If youre following "The
System," youre not going to be just seeing her every once in a while. You should have
called Soraya and asked her out, then waited a week, called her again, gotten another date and
then kissed her on that second date.
Now heres something you have to understand: When you didnt see Soraya for a few months,
right then and there you were out. To you psych majors, when you go out with a babe three or
four times and then you dont see her for a few months, it's over. When you went out to
dinner with her and she picked up your tab, you didnt kiss her good night, did you? Like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, You started off in the friendship zone, and
youre stuck in the friendship zone. Going to Sorayas friends birthday party was just a
group date anyway which keeps you mired in the friendship zone. Dunston, youre not
using my principles at all.
Now, whos this friend calling Soraya for relationship advice? Just some guy? An exboyfriend? Is it some dude whos trying to date her? That said, it was excellent that you told
her that she should date someone as busy as she is and changed the subject. Good job.
But then you turned right around and made a huge mistake by telling Soraya that you were
happy that you could be good friends and that nothing was ever going to happen between the
two of you. Dunston, why in the world are you telling her this stuff? You want to end up
dating this woman, but youre going straight down the friendship road again.
Soraya might be telling you to go with the flow, but like my Uncle Jethro Love says, The
flows already stopped, and the rivers all dammed up! There is no flow thats at all
predictable, my friend, because youre not using the strategy that my book lays out for you.
You have "The System," and youre not following it, which makes no sense, and thats your
biggest problem.
One more thing: As far as Soraya goes, shes nothing but a big waste of time.
Remember, guys: When you want to date a woman, stay out of the friendship zone.
Trust Issues
Hey Doc,
I met Mona, 24, at work. From the beginning I knew that she had a boyfriend, but it didnt
matter since we were just friends. She told me she had problems with her boyfriend (a really
nice guy, but he was controlling, didnt like it when she went out with friends, and didnt
communicate or handle problems with her well). She lied to him about hanging out with me
because he was so controlling.
Anyway, we went out maybe four or five times outside of work and sometimes met up to talk
for a while after work. We also texted extremely often, and before I knew it, wed drifted into
an affair. I know what I did was terrible, but now I cant take it back. Prior to this, Mona told
me that she and her boyfriend were going to break up. She started sleeping at my house, then
her boyfriend moved out of her place. She said that there was no going back and that they
were finished for good.
During our time together, Ive grown really insecure about Mona and her boyfriend. In my
previous two relationships I also had trust issues, but I always tried to trust Mona and always
asked her to tell me the truth and told her that she could talk to me about anything.
For the first couple of months of our relationship, Mona was very protective of her phone. She
said it was a habit formed from when she was with her ex because he always checked her
phone and her phone should be private. I confronted her about it, and she said that shed try to
end this habit. From that point onward she only looked at her phone when I left the room.
Anyway, I figured out Monas password since I was curious to see who shed been texting,
and it turns out shes been texting her ex ever since the beginning. I confronted her about it,
and she had several explanations for why she was doing it, including that I seemed obsessed
with her relationship with her ex and she didnt want to upset me. Now all I can think about is
that shes lying about everything. She seems to be quite caring and thoughtful regarding me,
but I cant help thinking she has a hidden agenda.
What do I do now, Doc? I stress about this every minute of the day. I really love Mona, but I
just cant stand the fact that she lied.
Troy - who doesnt want a liar
Hi Troy,
First of all let, me issue a warning: You have to be careful about becoming a womans
girlfriend or psychiatrist, which you were dangerously close to becoming with Mona. Once
that happens, your chances with her are zero.
Your other big problem here was spending way too much time with a woman who already has
a boyfriend. Troy, you shouldnt have been spending all this time with Mona since she wasnt
free. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Between all the texting and
hanging out with this chick, you could have been hustling other women who dont have
boyfriends.
But you drifted into an affair with Mona anyway. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says,
Its not what you did that was terrible; it was what she did that was terrible. Now you have
a babe sleeping at your house who has a boyfriend. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, What
good would you expect to come out of this arrangement? Another major mistake.
Dude, you might have thought that you could trust Mona, but until you go out with a babe for
six months, you cant trust her 100%. And, by the way, did you think that the fact that Mona
would sleep at your house when she has a boyfriend was a trustworthy act in the first place?
You say that Mona was always protective of her phone because her ex violated her privacy.
Its true that a phone should be private, but heres the important point: Was her ex always
checking on her phone because she wasnt trustworthy? Why was the guy so paranoid about
her phone? Was she sneaking around on him?
But then she promised to try to end this habit. Why does she have to try so hard? She
should do it on the spot! Despite what she said, she hasnt been trying very hard to put an end
to her phone activities. Shes been texting her ex from the beginning. This guy started with
Mona before you, and even though shes now your girlfriend, hes still in the picture. This is
because of all the mistakes you made at the beginning of your relationship with Mona.
Troy, you and this other guy just traded places. He didnt trust her, and now you dont trust
her. And, by the way, if Mona and her ex are really finished, why is she texting him at all?
Ive got some bad news for you, Troy. Mona is lying about everything. In other words, shes
just a big liar. She lied to her ex, and shes lying to you now. Shes a drama queen and she
digs all the emotional turmoil swirling around because it keeps all the attention focused on
her. Do you really want to live with that for the rest of your life?
What should you do now? Thats easy. Get rid of Mona and find a new girlfriend. You have
to find someone who doesnt lie, pal. And, remember, its not just that she lies; its that she
lies all the time.
Remember, guys: Men dont feel comfortable dating liars.
me. I woke up recently to a message from her telling me to slow it down and that I was
getting a little too clingy. I decided not to reply because as I thought it over, I realized that I
might actually have been coming on too strong.
My main question, though, is why Ursula would back off when all of this was her idea? Why
would she become so cold when I hinted at being able to do what she wanted? And what
should I do now since shes said my clinginess is making her uncomfortable? I sense that
there might be something more to it than that, but I just cant seem to figure out what it is
exactly. What should I do, Doc?
Elijah - whos really confused
Hi Elijah,
Now let me get this straight. You saw a girl once ONCE in four years and youre telling
me youre crazy about her? Whatever you do, dont rush into getting my book, pal. You might
just learn something if you do!
Do you know why Ursula found a boyfriend closer to where she lives? Because you couldnt
see her, thats why. And, by the way, long-distance relationships which never work are
covered in great detail in my book, whenever you get around to buying it. Its sad that you
dont have it, because my techniques could relieve your suffering and misery immediately.
But like I said, whatever you do, dont rush out to buy it!
The reason you got an email from Ursula out of the blue is easy to figure out. Like my
cousin Sal The Fish Love says, She struck out with a bunch of new guys so she went back
to the old ones. It took two whole years before it sank in on her that you were in love with
her? Hey, thats one sharp girl youve got there, my friend! And let me clear something up for
you. You didnt let Ursula back into your life as a friend. And you didnt want her as a friend.
You wanted her as a girlfriend. So dont lie to me or yourself.
But even though you hardly know Ursula, you wanted to move to another country to be with
her. In other words, you saw a girl one time after not talking to her for two years and you
were ready to uproot yourself to be near her? Instead of researching ways of moving away
from your country for some ding-dong, Elijah, you should have been doing research into
The System.
But then you had to hint to her that you would like to come and visit her again. You had to
actually drop hints about something with a girl who loves you? Yeah, you two have a great
relationship!
But after you dropped this subtle suggestion, Ursula wouldnt even answer your messages.
Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, This lady has great, great respect for you,
bro. Nevertheless, after she told you she had to think things over, you assured her that you
were there for her, just like an old doormat. Youre Mr. Challenge, all right!
Then Ursula accused you of being too clingy. Well, youll just have to disappear for two more
years and come back again! You noticed that you might have been coming on too strong? No
offense, Elijah, but you dont have a clue about girls. Nada. Nothing. Out of the first hundred
things there are to know about females, you know zero. And youre only thinking about
buying The System?
The reason Ursula said she wanted you to move closer to her is because she bombed with
other men, shes a drama queen, and shes playing with your head, get it? Like my cousin Fast
Eddie Love from East L.A. says, It doesnt take a girl two years to figure out that she digs
you. She went as cold as an iceberg because her Interest Level is low, its always been low,
and it will always stay low.
What should you do? Get The System" delivered to you by overnight service. I dont mean
to hurt your feelings, guy, but this girl has turned you upside down and you dont have the
first idea how to deal with it. For you to contemplate moving hundreds of miles away for a
girl youve only seen for a couple of hours is outrageous. You should be dating other women
and you should be memorizing my materials and then finding someone who will love you in
Canada, because this American girl could care less!
Remember, guys: You can never go back, especially when it never started.
Follow-Up Date
I want to say youve helped me a lot, especially in the areas of asking girls out. I read your
articles and certain parts of "The System," and both have come in very handy. I am a pretty
good-looking guy, which I know doesnt really matter, and I love to make people laugh. I am
also a college student who has no problem getting any girl I want simply because all college
girls act the same they want to be friends with the nice guy but they want to make out with
the jerk. I am good at getting girls to make out with me because I am in no way emotionally
attracted to them. But recently I have run into a wall.
About a year ago, I threw a party at my house and was introduced to a beautiful girl, Tanya.
Although shes gorgeous, I didnt pay much attention to her, but by the end of the night, she
was kissing me and we really hadnt even talked. From what I learned, shes the type of girl
who is constantly chased by big-time athletes and every other type of guy, and ignores every
one, so I kind of just forgot about her and moved on, thinking that there was no point in
chasing her. I saw her a few times after the party, and each time, there was an attraction
between us.
Two months ago is when the real problem started. I went to a friends boat and he told me he
had invited a hot babe and her friend for the day. Well, the friend turned out to be Tanya. We
spent the day together and the conversation was the greatest. There was no awkwardness, she
mimicked my every move and the touch barrier seemed unimportant. Even her friend told me
that Tanya had a crush on me.
I havent seen her since, but I messaged her and I think I really screwed up. Tanya told me she
was working at a restaurant and I asked if it was an invitation to come and see her, and she
said yes. Unfortunately I couldnt make it, so late at night when I was drunk, I sent her a
message that I couldnt come but that if she wasnt too tired when she left work she should
give me a call. I feel that line messed it all up. She didnt respond.
For the first time in years I actually have feelings for a girl and Im confused. What should I
do, Doc? Do I ask Tanya out for a Starbucks date or do I just ignore her until the next time I
run into her? When a girl is as pursued as Tanya is, when does the guy stop ignoring her and
just go out and get her?
Reid - who hopes it isnt a lost cause
Hi Reid,
You cant just read certain parts of "The System." Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Its
like not finishing the doctors prescription.
While it might be true that college girls want to be friends with a nice guy and make out with
a jerk, my book teaches you how to combine the best of both, but you dont realize that
because you havent actually read it. And, besides, "The System" is not about making out
with a girl. In fact, when using my principles, youre not supposed to kiss the girl until the
second date. You have my materials and it tells you that, but its obvious that you skipped that
part.
That said, you shouldnt have allowed Tanya to kiss you. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says, If you turned your head away you would have driven her crazy. But
then again, youve only read certain parts of my book, so you dont understand the full
measure of challenge.
Now let me get this straight. Youre trying to tell me that a gorgeous girl came to your party
and made out with you and you didnt follow up with her and start dating her? Whats wrong
with you, pal?
Under my rules, you dont message women, dude. You sure were right when you said you
only read a few parts of my book. Youre absolutely killing Challenge with your actions, and
your communication skills leave a lot to be desired. If youre so interested in Tanya, you
should have called her and asked her out, not relegated her to a line of text message.
Now let me get something else straight. You were going to go to Tanyas workplace and rap
to her while her boss stood behind her and asked her why shes talking to some guy when
shes supposed to be working for him? Then, after she works eight hours, shes supposed to
just call up some drunk and go and see you because you messaged her? Now Im beginning to
wonder whether you read even certain parts of my book, Reid! That one line didnt mess this
thing up. A lot more errors messed it up. Of course Tanya didnt respond to your text message
because you did everything wrong. You dont really have feelings for this girl, my friend,
because you didnt hustle her phone number after she kissed you at your party.
Heres what you do. Since you spent a day together on the boat, youre going to skip the
Starbucks date. Youre going to call Tanya and take her out to dinner a proper date.
You were supposed to go after Tanya from the beginning. I dont care if 50,000 guys were
after her. She came to your house to a party and started kissing you, but you failed to
capitalize on it.
Moving Away
Hey Doc,
Ive been dating Dominique for three years. After a vacation to San Diego and falling in love
with the area, we began to think of moving there. We went back home to St. Louis and
actually made plans for the move.
As a college grad, I figured that Id be able to find a job and that she could transfer to a
college in California. But after setting the plan in motion, Dominique was suddenly opposed
to the whole thing. She thought it wasnt a good idea and suggested that we wait. For months
we went back and forth debating it. I told her that I was going to go even if she didnt come
with me and she could come later. Once I said this she felt like I gave her an ultimatum. She
didnt like it and thought that I didnt love her. I told her that I did and that I wanted her to
come with me. Finally she agreed. Both her parents were opposed to the move.
Anyway, we made the move. I felt like we were taking a leap of faith, being adventurous,
bold, daring and maybe even a little crazy. The only guarantee I gave Dominique was that it
would be difficult but that I would do whatever it took for us to make it. We searched for jobs
like crazy but only found mediocre gigs for little pay that weren't enough for us to make it on.
So we used our savings and our parents sent money to keep us afloat. After a few months
Dominique cracked and said she wanted to go back to St. Louis.
Now, this girl has always told me she loves me, and we talk about getting married and being
together forever. We have gone through ups and downs but we always pull through and love
each other even more. Dominique says she wants to be with me no matter what.
In the end she went back home. I opted to stay in San Diego because I didnt want to quit. I
figured that if I went home the move would seem like a mistake and a failure. Now were in a
long-distance relationship and Dominique just wants me to come back home. She is opposed
to returning to San Diego even if I find a good job that would allow me to stay and establish a
foundation. She always makes arguments as to why its no good out here too expensive,
tuition too high, so far away from home, etc.
Doc, I love Dominique and am now pretty much planning on going home, going back to
school to get my master's degree and building up my credentials. Im willing to do whatever it
takes to be with Dominique, so I will swallow my pride. My question is this: If she loved me
like she said she did, wouldnt she have stayed no matter how hard it got? Why is it that I
have to go back to St. Louis because she left me out here? We werent homeless and our
families would have helped us. She seemingly doesnt want to believe in what I believe in.
San Diego wasnt part of her dream, she says, and the only reason she came with me was
because I gave her an ultimatum. Her leaving made me feel betrayed, and now I feel like Im
making a sacrifice to go back home.
I hope you can give me honest feedback that is impartial and fair to both parties.
Paddy - who feels like hes giving up on himself
Hi Paddy,
You thought you could find a job in San Diego in this economy? You were being a little too
optimistic, my friend.
What led you to believe that Dominique was suddenly opposed to the idea of moving to
California? Maybe it wasnt so sudden did you think of that? Maybe she was just going
along with you because you pressured her. Maybe she really never wanted to leave her
lifestyle and her home in St. Louis.
In reality you gave Dominique a half-ultimatum. But the more important point is this: You
and Dominique are not on the same page.
You can swear undying love to Dominique until the cows come home, but in the end you
have to understand her stance on this situation. If you loved her, you would have stayed in St.
Louis, guy. It was a little crazy to make the move because Dominique didnt like the idea
from the get-go, and you were forcing her to do something that she didnt want to do. When
she voiced opposition to the idea of moving to San Diego, right then and there it was over.
You shouldnt have moved and you never should have forced her to go with you. If you really
wanted to be with her, you should have stayed in St. Louis.
Its no surprise whatsoever that Dominique cracked and went back home. Shed already told
you that she didnt want to move and you semi-forced her to do it. Now, its true that
Dominique wants to be with you no matter what as long as youre in St. Louis. And thats
the point youre still missing, dude. She loves St. Louis and hates San Diego, which is too far
away from home and her upbringing. But, again, she told you that at the very beginning.
Unless she was 110% willing to make the move west with you initially which she wasnt
this whole scheme wasnt going to work. She only went along with you due to your semiultimatum.
This is not a matter of swallowing your pride, Paddy. Its much simpler than that. You value
San Diego and Dominique doesnt. Staying with you no matter how hard it got was not the
issue, because she told you from the outset that she didnt want to move. It wasnt like she
was gung-ho on the move under any circumstance and then changed her mind when she got to
San Diego. She was against it all before you moved thats the key point you continue to
fail to recognize.
Pal, you dont have to go back to St. Louis. In fact, you shouldnt go home to Dominique
because for all practical purposes you two have broken up. Its over for you and Dominique.
To you psych majors, you can't force someone to believe in what you believe in. This babe
doesnt like San Diego. She wants to stay with her friends and family, where she was raised.
You dragged her to San Diego, where she had no girlfriends or family or support system. Like
my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, For you its fine to experience life that way,
but it was killing her. But, again, she told you straight out of the gate that she didnt want
any part of the plan.
Dominique didnt betray you, Paddy. She told you up front her real feelings about moving
across the country.
Remember, guys: When a woman tells you how she feels, youd better listen to what she says.
You mention the problem of your arguments and that Ani always looks out for herself when
you fight. But, Jarrett, why are you arguing in the first place? And how often are you arguing?
In seven months, how many arguments have you had? Have you only had two arguments in
all that time which is OK or are you having two arguments every week, which is
something entirely different?
Now if Ani is only concerned with herself or she goes immediately into denial mode
whenever you have a difference of opinion, it means she is indeed structured, contrary to what
you want to believe. The truth is that shes not flexible, as you said at the beginning. You
dont have what you insist you have in a girlfriend. To you Psych majors, if a woman can sit
down with you and calmly discuss whatever difference of opinion you have, and demonstrate
empathy and sympathy for your side of the issue, then shes flexible. But Anis not. Shes
hardheaded. Pal, youve got a hardheaded woman here. So you missed that part in my book.
In "The System," I take this type of woman to task. Why? Because you dont want one. Like
my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Getting involved with a hardheaded woman
is a perfect recipe for misery.
What do I make of this? You dont know "The System," thats what I make of it. You
havent been following my principles, because if you had, you would have nipped this
problem in the bud. Not to mention that in my book I tell you not to argue. But apparently you
missed that part, too.
Your problem with Ani is that whenever you have a disagreement, youre the one whos
always wrong. Even if youre right, youre always wrong! That means as I said before
that shes structured. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, With this one its either her way or
the highway. She might not know better, but more likely she doesnt have flexibility and
sympathy and empathy to give, because thats not the way shes built. I dont think Ani cares
more about herself, but when she gets into an argumentative mode, shes an inflexible woman.
Is her intransigent attitude something that will persist for the next 40 years? Dude, its going
to persist even longer like, forever!
You might want to show a backbone, my friend, but a backbone is going to clash with a
hardheaded woman. And by the way, what the heck kind of fight did you have that the two of
you have to calm down? And youve only been going out for seven months? Like my cousin
General Love says, Id hate to see what kind of a war zone youre living in after 10 years!
Now let me get this straight. For seven long months youve been dating Ani a virtually
perfect woman with 100% Interest Level and you cant get her on the phone for two
weeks? That must have been some fight all right! Are you sure you have my book and not
some other love doctors book?
Remember, guys: If she always has to be right, youre going to be miserable.
Arranged Marriage
Hey Doc,
I read your articles from time to time and find them very different from other dating articles
floating around the Internet. Im 28 and should have started studying your columns earlier
because of the strange but true wisdom in your humorous words.
Although I live in America, I am from India and am about to enter into an arranged marriage
(like 90% of the marriages that happen in my part of India) with Bianca. My parents set me up
with her. We spent a month together and she was all over me (figuratively, of course). Both
families decided we should get engaged before I came back to the States. Bianca and I agreed
to it. After the marriage, she will move here to America to be with me.
Bianca is 25 years old and has grown up very pampered. Whenever we get into an argument,
she gets very upset and expects me to pacify her, but she wont bend. Because I was not
familiar with your principles, I had missed the part about the guy not being too
accommodating. When Bianca starts talking from her true self, I see many red flags, including
put-downs, unresolved pains from previous relationships, etc. Sometimes I think shes a
whackjob. I have made my share of mistakes, too. Sometimes in our confrontations over the
phone, I come off as rude or uptight because of the long distance.
Its always been tough being a challenge because of the long distance and also the fact that
our families are involved. If we argue, we like to resolve it ourselves, but somehow the
parents interfere. At this point, neither Bianca nor I have even 50% Interest Level in each
other. We have discussed this and come to the conclusion that we do not know how this will
change when we are living together. But neither of us is willing to break this marriage off,
considering the involvement of our families and our societal expectations back in India.
Bianca says she will go through with the marriage and agree with whatever I say and not be
her real self. But she doesnt like me like she once did.
Doc, sometimes its just not easy to break it off when Interest Level is down, like you say to
do, especially given cultural pressures. Bianca has some good traits that I used to like. She is a
flexible giver when giving gifts and is learning to cook dishes that I like. If there is something
you can suggest to push her Interest Level back up, I am all ears.
Rajiv - who is afraid for his future
Hi Rajiv,
The reason my wisdom seems strange is because to me, the world is upside down. Everything
I teach is the exact opposite of what all the other love doctors out there teach.
Now, heres the first problem you have: You cant possibly get to know anyone in 30 days, so
you cant possibly know Bianca. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Youre marrying
a complete stranger.
Then you tell me that shes pampered, which means shes not a self-reliant woman. Thats a
big red flag. And youve only gone out for 30 days and youre arguing already? Another red
flag. Oh, this is a great recipe for a happy marriage! Next, you tell me that Bianca wont bend.
Do I have to tell you this is another red flag? In other words, shes hardheaded, shes
structured and shes intransigent all of which will drive you to abject misery over the long
haul.
By the way, you should never be too accommodating, my friend, but this situation is a setup,
which means you had nothing to do with this potential marriage and youre trapped. Then you
add that Bianca is a whackjob and has problems. If youre seeing all of this, why in the world
would you marry her? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Are your parents egos more
important than your future happiness?
The long distance between you and Bianca doesnt really have an impact on anything here.
The reason youre having trouble is because you dont have my principles down and youre
just theoretically in love with someone whos a nutcase. Your families are behind and running
this entire mess, so you have no choice in anything here. But what you still dont seem to get
is that you shouldnt be arguing with someone after only 30 days of dating.
Then you add that neither of you have even 50% Interest Level in each other. So youre going
to marry a girl you dont love and who doesnt love you. Like my cousin Brother Love down
in Watts says, If it aint there to begin with, you aint never gonna have it. In other words, if
Interest Level is below 50% to begin with, youre dead in the water. Of course the situation
isnt going to get better after youre living together its going to do nothing but deteriorate.
You say that neither of you are willing to break the marriage off, but you should break it off.
The problem is that you are weak, and youre being run around by your parents.
Do you really believe that Bianca is not going to be her real self when you get married? Yeah,
right. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Know the odds of that
happening? You might as well buy lottery tickets.
Rajiv, you have to realize that you are under severe cultural pressures and that youre going to
be married to someone who doesnt love you in India and is not going to love you in America.
But if you go through with this marriage, Bianca is going to get pregnant and four years later
youre going to be in divorce court. Or youll stay together for your families sake and youll
be miserable and at each others throats every day for the rest of your life until youre 85
years old. Do you really want that?
Remember, guys: Think of your happiness; dont think of your parents egos.
1. She texted her ex while drunk, saying that she misses him. This happened a while ago, she
didnt remember doing it, was beyond sorry and assured me that she doesnt really miss him...
but still.
2. We went through a rough patch a while ago, and it came to a head after Jamie got a call and
she wasnt near her phone. I answered it, thinking it was her girlfriend, and it turned out to be
a guy. I flipped and we had to take a break for a while. During that time she told me why she
did it because it was an old boyfriend and she didnt want me to be upset. Im in contact
with some of my old girlfriends and she likes them, but I dont know why she would have
hidden this guy from me.
3. Recently Jamie was in contact with another guy, a person who she said she would no longer
be in contact with. I found out and again got upset. She explained that hes now engaged and
she texted him "congratulations." The fact that she did it behind my back bothers me.
So now Im having trust issues. Jamies taken action on every one of these incidents to make
things right and prove that they werent anything deceptive but because it was always
behind my back has me questioning her a lot. This is something that I hate and something that
now starts fights. Ive messed up myself in the past, but have never lied to Jamie and I feel
that she doesnt really get how deeply its hurt me that she lies. At the same time Jamies the
type who avoids confrontation and hates talking things out.
I dont want to keep questioning Jamie. I just want to trust her again and not worry. Ive had a
lot of awful things happen to me in the past that have made me jaded and distrustful in the
first place. Being on my own since I was 14 has led me to question many things. But the point
is that I never questioned Jamies actions before and now I do. How can I go about working
this trust stuff out and get back to the good place we were once in?
Boris - whos having a tough time
Hi Boris,
Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, If your girl gets drunk, she should be texting you,
not some other dude! You refer to your issues with Jamie as trust issues, but I prefer to call
them loyalty issues. Why is Jamie talking to an ex at all? If youve read "The System," you
know that there should never be any exes lurking in the background. I dont like it because
its disloyal. But, OK, lets give Jamie the benefit of the doubt and call this first incident an
accident.
To you psych majors, not wanting you to be upset by being in contact with an ex is an
excuse all disloyal women use. Anytime they see an ex behind your back, they say its
because they didnt want to upset you. How thoughtful, right? But when you find out, of
course youre upset you flip, which reinforces the problem. The point is that she shouldnt
be talking to her exes period. Now, with this second incident of Jamie talking to a guy
behind your back, we have a coincidence.
And why are you talking to your exes, pal? You shouldnt be. Because this tells Jamie
indirectly that its OK for her to talk to her exes. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts
says, Bro, youre just as messed up as she is!
Now Jamie is in contact with a third guy, which means we have a pattern. (Like Ive told you
guys in the past, you have to think like a cop on Special Victims Unit.) So shes talking to
three guys and these are only the ones shes telling you about. There are likely more since
you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jamie is a liar. Boris, I know youre upset
because she did all of this sneaking around behind your back, but thats not the point: She
shouldnt be talking to other men at all. You shouldnt have a girlfriend whos in contact with
all kinds of guys. What is this girl 18 and a senior in high school? You dont mention her
age, but thats how she acts.
Guy, you should tell Jamie that youre going to take a 60-day break from her. You took a
break from her before, but it didnt accomplish a thing. Like my cousin General Love says,
You have to show her that you mean business.
Jamie might have taken action to make you feel better, but she keeps presenting you with the
same problem: guys and phones. Dont you see the pattern here? I dont care if Jamie lied to
you. The problem is that shes contacting other guys in the first place.
Youre absolutely right that Jamie doesnt get that she hurt you, Boris. And thats why she
should be history. And she hates talking things out, so thats another problem with her
personality. Could you live with someone like her if you were married to her? No, you
couldnt. In a long-term relationship, you have to be able to talk things out with a woman.
You cant trust Jamie now and not worry about what she does behind your back. She doesnt
merit your trust. Trust is earned, and she hasnt done it simple as that.
You should question everything, my friend, especially authority and reading the words of
other love doctors who dont know what theyre talking about. But you understand me and
you already see the big red flag here: Jamie isnt loyal.
Sadly, you cant work this trust issue out and get back to a good place, for one simple reason:
Jamie is not trustworthy.
Remember, guys: If you cant turn your back on her and be safe, what good is she?
Should I withdraw completely and force Danielles hand in order to reset the balance between
us and teach her that testing me will not be tolerated? Or do I tell her that shes using the
wrong approach and ask her to hit the road?
Doc, I dont want to use tricks and I hate having to resort to them. I just want to figure out if
Danielle has good intentions and I want to get the ball back in my court.
Criss - who cant figure out how to deal with her
Hi Criss,
When you uttered the words emotionally involved, you said something extremely
important. To all you guys out there, this is exactly why I want your Interest Level to stay low
for as long as possible. I dont want your Interest Level, under any circumstances, to soar into
the 90s when you first go after a girl. Eighty-nine percent is as high as I want your Interest
Level to ever go, and I want you to keep it under control for as long as possible. Like the great
Doctor Freud once said, It never helps to lose your head over a woman.
However, when youre just starting out with a girl, its difficult to keep your Interest low
because yours might be 80% while hers is only 55%, and you have to work hers above yours.
All guys go through this when theyre just starting to date a girl. So this is where discipline
and self-control come into play. You have to possess both qualities and exercise them in order
to avoid disaster namely, that your interest goes through the roof and hers doesnt follow
suit.
How do you actually contain your Interest Level and keep it low and manageable? Talk to
yourself. If you can, take yourself out of your body and look down on yourself and your girl
as if you were watching two other people. Through this type of objective self-observation you
can keep your Interest Level down. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, You
might not wanna believe it now, bro, but she aint the only fish in the sea.
Now lets take a look at your situation with Danielle. You rejected her for a decade, then you
finally consented to going out with her, she was all over you and now shes acting weird. Like
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Any chance this chick is nursing a lot of resentment
toward you? Criss, just think about the fact that this babe chased you for 10 long years and
you kept saying No. Shed have to want to punish you in some way for torturing her, right?
When you finally gave in to her, maybe she said to herself, Its my turn to finally get back at
this guy by being weird. To you psych majors, thats Psych 101.
A girl might very well say to you that she wont kiss you until you do what she wants. But
thats not necessarily testing. Shes just telling you up front what she wants. So you cant
jump to the conclusion that Danielle is testing you she might just want you to commit to
something shes after.
But when she started with the excuses for why she wouldnt get romantic with you, you were
finished. This is a simple principle thats thoroughly explained in my book: When a woman
stops kissing you, youre out. So drop her, my friend. What this situation also tells me is that
youve had my book for 10 years, and youve been going out with Danielle for eight months
but youre not going by my rules. So your 10 years of reading have been a waste because you
havent been concentrating hard enough on my words.
Like I said, I dont think Danielle is testing you, dude. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says, Shes pulling a power play. And when she does something like that, shes
being inconsistent with you. Inconsistency equals low Interest Level. By your own admission,
Danielle has gotten weird. So the upshot is that it doesnt really matter if shes testing you by
saying she doesnt want to get romantic with you. Shes taking a stand, and its because she
has low interest in you.
You might be dying to know whether Danielle has good intentions, but in "The System," we
dont go by intentions. In my philosophy, we only you go by actions. And this girls actions
are highly inconsistent, which means youre in deep trouble.
Remember, guys: If shes inconsistent, get rid of her.
Rebound Relationships
Hey Doc,
Ive been dating Jazmine for four years. We always had a few rough spots, including partial
breakups, but overall its been good. At the two-year mark Jazmine broke up with me, arguing
that Im not driven in life and that she was very turned off by that. I work part-time at a
grocery store and Im in a band thats trying to make it in the music industry. So she ended up
dating a friend of her brother. He was obviously a rebound and I knew this, and she ended up
coming back to me after two weeks.
It wasnt the same after we got back together, though. The romance in our relationship died
and the number of arguments increased. Jazmine constantly wanted to break it off with me.
She said she felt guilty over what she did to her rebound guy. But we went on dating for
another two years until she had a mental breakdown and split from me.
Two months later, she was seeing the same rebound guy. They dated for a month until I
contacted her and we met for a talk. I told her that I got my life on track. I split from the band
and started taking some business courses. Jazmine decided to break it off with the rebound
guy and come back to me. She told me that I was the love of her life.
Its been eight months since then. We moved in together, but the romantic part of our
relationship is still largely dead. Jazmine constantly tells me that she loves me, though, which
is confusing. Most recently she informed me that shes been talking to the rebound guy again
but that its nothing to worry about. Im not sure how to deal with it, so I said I was fine with
it. I also decided to take a break from my education and get back together with my band.
Jazmine said she was cool with it as long as I eventually go back to school.
I should also mention that Jazmine lost weight, quit smoking and limited her drinking when
she was seeing the rebound guy. She doesnt do any of that stuff when shes with me. Shes
smoking again, drinking more often now and her weight is slowly coming back.
That said, do you think Jazmine still has feelings for the rebound guy? I love this girl and I
dont want to lose her, but things between us seem so manufactured. Its almost like shes
forcing herself to have a relationship with me.
Yukio - who needs to rock
Hi Yukio,
You dont mention that youve read "The System,"and its obvious to me that you havent.
But if you had, you would know that rough spots and partial breakups mean that the end is
coming. To you psych majors, if shes completely and totally in love with you, shes not
breaking up with you every other day and running off with someone else.
It may or may not be true that Jazmine is turned off because youre not ambitious in life and
would rather hang out with your slacker bandmates. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, If she was really into you, she wouldnt give a darn if you were a janitor. So it doesnt
really matter either way, because all the rough spots and breakups mean that she doesnt have
a high level of interest in you as it is, band or no band.
One thing is for sure: Taking Jazmine back was a mistake. Dude, its never the same when
you break up with a babe and then get together with her again.
Let me get this straight. Jazmine has been dating and living with you for years, and she feels
bad about what she did to some other guy? Like my cousin General Love says, So much for
loyalty. Jazmine didnt have a mental breakdown over your relationship problems, guy. She
had an Interest Level breakdown.
Then you and Jazmine split up again and she was right back in the arms of the so-called
rebound guy again. You have the names mixed up, my friend. This fellow shouldnt be
referred to as the rebound guy because hes just sitting there waiting for Jazmine to get sick
of you again. She should be called the rebound girl because shes the one going back and
forth like an out-of-control yo-yo.
You seem baffled by the fact that the romantic part of your relationship is as dead as
Linsanity. But the meaning of this is simple, Yukio: Jazmines Interest Level has traveled
south of 50%. Its as simple as that. When her Interest Level hits the skids, she doesnt want
to be romantic with you.
Youre stupid for being fine with Jazmine being back in contact with the rebound guy. Why
would you be OK with your girl hanging around with a guy she ran to when she broke up with
you not once but twice? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, You must be a glutton for
punishment, my son.
And dont kid yourself for a second: Jazmine is not fine with you going back to the band, no
matter what she says.
Does Jazmine still have feelings for the rebound guy? You bet she does! Thats why she
keeps running back to him every chance she gets. Whats most interesting is that shes self-
destructive with you but not with him. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says,
You better watch out when she finally decides to get herself together, bro.
Remember, guys: When they want to see other guys, youre out.
make all the other girls you work with laugh and flirt with you and cut down on your time
spent with Lola to see if and how she reacts to it.
Hank, how do you know that Lola is getting turned off to her other admirers? Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, Thats pure conjecture, my son. You dont know what shes doing with
other guys when shes out on a date with them. Your conclusion that she has 60% interest in
you has no basis whatsoever. To boot, even if shes not interested in them, it doesnt
necessarily mean that shes interested romantically in you. The bottom line is this: You cant
grade Lolas Interest Level in you because you have never been on a date with her.
You have to reduce the number of extracurricular activities you do with Lola. And you have
to also cut the time you spend with her in general so that she has the incentive to come at you
romantically if shes going to do it. You might not be able to suddenly change the amount of
time you two spend together, but you can turn the hose down slowly, and thats what youll
have to do. To you psych majors, you dont have to turn the water pressure off altogether
just notch it down a little at a time. In other words, you cant do a 180 and pretend you dont
know Lola all of a sudden.
Lola might like to string guys along until she can crush them, but thats not going to happen
to you because you have "The System." On the other hand, if someone does get hurt, its
going to be you because you go after her too quickly. If she turns you down, youre the one
whos going to be crushed, not Lola. She wont be hurt at all. So dont delude yourself that
shes going to be annihilated if something goes wrong between you. What you also need to do
is cut way down on the group get-togethers with Lola and your large circle of friends. If
youre with Lola, try to get her to an isolated table where she can touch your arm. Because
youre going to have to be careful. If Lola has no romantic feelings for you and you come on
to her, youre still going to have to work with her, remember that.
How can you be a Challenge to Lola? Start talking about the other women youre going out
with and how beautiful they are and how much they dig you. The rule is that you shouldnt
talk about other women, but since youre trying to turn Lola from a friend to a lover, you need
for her to look at you in a different light.
Try to maneuver three or four get-togethers alone with Lola. See if shes willing to do it.
Make sure you have a blast, and when its over say, Gee, that was so much fun. It was almost
like a date! Then check to see what her reaction is. If she agrees and says, Yes, it was, then
she digs you romantically.
Remember, guys: To get into the romantic zone, she has to see it as her choice.
My real problem is that at the time we began our relationship, Diana was already with
somebody in a relationship that had been going on for six years. At first, things were pretty
casual between us, but as time went on, it became more serious and we ended up falling for
each other. Diana told me that she wanted to end things with her boyfriend because their
relationship wasnt going well anymore. But last week she told me that it was very difficult to
split from him and that she didnt think she could pull it off. She asked me for a weeks time
in which she wouldnt talk to either me or him in order to figure out what she really wants to
do with her life. But the complication is that she keeps contacting me on Facebook or by
email, and I really dont know what to make of it. She always tells me that shes never been
this happy with anyone else meaning me before and that Im the person she loves the
most.
Doc, I could really use your expertise. Is this thing going anywhere? Do I have a fighting
chance with Diana? I mean, I really like this girl. If you think I have a chance, what would
you recommend that I do to keep her?
Prince - whos beginning to feel tormented
Hi Prince,
Hold on a minute right here. This babe is moving to Italy? Right there youre dead, my friend.
Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Shes going to meet some good-looking Italian
guy and forget you in about five minutes. Think about it. She might be traveling there to get
a degree, but like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, She cant do nothing but
study 24/7.
Dianas been in a relationship with a dude for six years? In other words, what youre telling
me is that you didnt really start a new relationship with her because she already had a
boyfriend. To you psych majors, you cant start a new relationship with a girl who already has
a relationship. Its an oxymoron.
You just told me that you and Diana ended up falling for each other, and now youre telling
me that she cant bring herself to end it with her boyfriend of six years. So what youre really
saying is that you fell in love with a girl who's still in love with her boyfriend. This girl is not
available.
The reason Diana couldnt pull off a split from her boyfriend is because she has a high
Interest Level in him. If she had low interest in him, shed drop him like the Denver Broncos
dropped Tim Tebow.
When Diana asked you for a weeks intermission from you and her boyfriend, you should
have told her, Go back to him, stay with him and when you finally get rid of him forever,
then you can come back to me. Until you do that, I dont want any tweets, Facebook
messages, phone calls or emails. I want you completely out of my life until hes gone.
Prince, this mess shows me that youve never cracked open my book and certainly
didnt memorize it because if you had, you wouldnt be involved with Diana in any way
because of she is unavailable and an utter and complete waste of time. Like my cousin Rabbi
Love says, My son, youre in love with an illusion. Basically, Diana has two idiots on her
hands: you and her boyfriend. And when she gets to Italy, shell have three.
From now on, when Diana contacts you, dont respond. Erase it. Delete it. Thats all you
have to do.
Its impossible for Diana to be happier with you than anybody else, Prince, because shes got
a boyfriend she refuses to part with. What she really means is that shes in love with both of
you. And when she gets to Italy, shell be in love with a third guy and maybe a fourth guy. If
she loved you the most, her boyfriend would be history.
Where is this thing going? Nowhere. But its not even a matter of that. It never got started in
the first place. And if its going anywhere at all, its going to Italy.
No, you have no fighting chance whatsoever with Diana. Your odds with her are as good as
hitting the moon with a pellet gun.
You might really dig Diana, but if youd read my book, youd know that the mans Interest
Level means nothing. Only the woman's Interest Level counts. And by her actions keeping
another man in the background the entire time you would have known that this was all a
waste of time from the get-go, and you could have been out hustling a girl who really liked
you.
Theres nothing you can do to keep Diana because you never had her.
Remember, guys: If she has a boyfriend and wants to move to Italy for a couple of years, she
doesnt dig you.
Rationalizing
Hey Doc,
Shannon and I have been together for four years, off and on. Im in my early thirties and shes
in her mid-twenties. When we first got together she was getting ready to enter a four-year
graduate program over 400 miles away. I wanted to be with her and also wanted to try living
in a new area, so I searched for a job in the area of her school. She broke up with me not long
after she got to school, but we got back together. She also told me she didnt want me to move
there on her account.
So I made numerous trips to the area for job interviews and to see Shannon. I finally got a job
a year after she left and moved there, living separately from her. Over the next two and a half
years, she broke up with me three times. I would continue to talk to her after each breakup
and convinced her she should be with me, and she agreed. I have a pretty good job and shes
unemployed as a student, so I pay for everything when we go out. I also took her on a nice
cruise where we had a great time, as well as on some other vacations. Shannon knows it
would be hard to find a guy who treats her as well as I do.
Over time, a few things have stood out to me, though. For example, Shannon had been away
for several months in another state, away from her school, doing work related to her studies. I
drove there several times to see her, but when she finally got around to showing up, she
canceled plans with me to go with a female friend of hers to a football game. Also, twice
when she broke up with me it was on my birthday. I mean, who breaks up with someone on
his birthday?
Now Shannon is getting ready to graduate and has a job already waiting, but not in our
hometown. She just broke up with me again (over the phone while she was out of town) and
told me she couldnt see herself marrying me. She has said this in the past because Ive been
divorced twice and shes never been married. But whats strange is that just before breaking
up with me she had repeatedly asked me when I was going to ask her to marry me. Shed been
talking about wedding rings and we were talking about getting a house together. I just dont
get it!
I want to stay with Shannon I love her! She is beautiful and is a churchgoer. She makes me
want to be a better person. My friends tell me I should forget about her. One of my friends
even quoted you to me, Never try to keep someone who doesnt want to keep you.
Doc, Ive never really read your material. My friends dont understand Shannon and they
dont know her like I do. Am I rationalizing? Should I try to salvage this? How can I make
things work? I really need some coaching.
Redmond - whos getting tired of going back and forth
Hi Redmond,
You didnt really want to try living in a new area. You just wanted to follow Shannon around,
and thats why you moved to where she was. So dont lie to me, or yourself. You didnt get
back together with her when you broke up, Shannon took you back. Like my cousin Fast
Eddie Love from East L.A. says, At the time, she couldnt find anyone else. She told you
that she didnt want you to move near her because she didnt want to feel obligated because
she has Low Interest in you.
Now let me ask you this question: Why do you keep going back to someone who shows you
the door so often? Dont you think theres a problem in this relationship, despite the fact that
you dont own my materials?
You should be paying for dates with Shannon, Redmond. You might treat her like a queen,
but shes not in love with you, and thats the only important thing. Like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says, But when she has nothing to do and shes broke, she uses you as her travel
agent.
So let me get this straight. You travel all over to be with Shannon and when she finally
decides to see you, she goes off with one of her girlfriends to a football game instead. Dude,
does this girl have to drive over you with a tractor before you come to the realization that she
doesnt dig you? All this yo-yoing does is work the male ego yours. Shannon has you
going up and down and back and forth until you dont know which end is up. And thats why
youre in your current mess.
Who breaks up with someone on his birthday? Heck, thats easy! A girl with low Interest
Level. But since you dont have my book, you dont know this. Your Interest Level is 95%,
and hers is 5%. When thats the case, she doesnt give a damn when she breaks up with you
because she doesnt care a bit about you or your feelings.
Now Shannons landed a job somewhere else. Great! Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Now
you get to give Bekins even more business.
Youve been divorced twice and you still dont have my book? Like the great Doctor Freud
once said, Some men like torture. By the way, Redmond, your being divorced a couple of
times has nothing to do with Shannon breaking up with you every other day. One has nothing
to do with the other. If she was wild about you, she wouldnt care if you were divorced a
dozen times.
What you dont understand is that Shannon's a con girl. Thats why she tosses out hints about
marriage. She might want to flash around a nice ring, but she doesnt really want to marry
you, not in the least. But you buy into her games. Its very sad.
Shannon may be a saint and she might even get you to go and help out the homeless next
weekend, but when a girl breaks up with you 38 times, dont you think its time to move on?
How many times does she have to dump you before you get it through your head that shes a
whack-job?
And now you're telling me youve never read my materials. What a surprise! Im shocked,
Redmond! Ive got news for you: Your friends actually do understand Shannon. Theyre
trying to do you a big favor. So you have it completely backward you dont understand her
and they do.
Are you rationalizing? Let me answer this way: When you look up the word rationalize in
the dictionary, there's your face as the prime example. No, you shouldnt try to salvage this
thing because theres nothing to salvage. You cant make things work with Shannon because
she doesnt dig you. You dont need coaching, pal. You need to move to a new city and forget
this babe. And while youre at it, youd better get your hands on my book, "The
System," ASAP.
Remember, guys: When she breaks up with you more than five times, shes trying to send you
a message.
Mother Issues
Hey Doc,
My family and I moved to America eight years ago. My problem is that Im very shy around
girls. I havent had a single date since moving here, nor do I have any friends who are girls.
Ive become somewhat antisocial and I blame my parents, especially my mother, because they
make such a big deal out of whenever I try to go out with my friends. They want to know
where I am and who Im going with, and they make me call them when I get there and again
when Im leaving. All these restrictions make me very angry. Also, I have an accent that kind
of keeps me from talking to girls. Im afraid I will sound weird to them.
Right now Im working with my mother, helping her with her housekeeping business. One of
our clients has a daughter, Ellie, who I really like. Whenever shes home when we come to
clean the house, she says hello and is very nice. The problem with me asking her out or for
her phone number is that my mother is always with me and because of my job. I know
housecleaning is not the best gig for a guy, but I dont have any other choices right now as
Im in college.
I found Ellies profile on Facebook, but I dont want to add her to my friend list, because it
will look like Im stalking her. So basically Ive got multiple problems, not the least of which
is asking my employer out for a date. Would Americans view this as crossing class lines?
Doc, what should I do? By the way, Ive been reading a lot of your columns and as a result
have gained a lot more confidence around people.
Russ - who doesnt know how to safely cross the line.
Hi Russ,
When you say that youre very shy around girls, it means you fear rejection. To all you psych
majors, if you knew that girls liked you, you wouldnt be so afraid of them. If you knew they
dug you, you would ask for their phone numbers and call them and you wouldnt be bashful
about it. So shyness is really just a fear of being spurned. The way to get rid of shyness once
and for all is by memorizing my book. Remember: The System is the single greatest
weapon a man can ever have when it comes to winning with women.
Now, Russ, its obvious that you have a major problem with your parents. But as they are
paying the rent, the utilities and feeding you, they get to control you like a slave, which is
basically what your mother is doing. As long as you live with them, youre trapped. Like my
cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Yo mama should be a prison guard.
Why are you fretting over your accent? Let me explain something to you: many women think
that accents are very sexy. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Having an
accent never hurt Arnold Schwarzenegger for a second. So youre worrying over nothing,
my friend.
When it comes to Ellie, heres what you have to do. You have to tell your mother that youre
attracted to Ellie. Then ask her if she thinks it would be OK if you asked Ellie out. You have
to get permission from your mother first because shes running the show and its her business.
You cant just go and tamper with someone elses business.
Russ, until you move out of her house, your mother is going to dominate you, and if you dont
make the move, shell dominate you for the rest of your life. So as soon as you graduate from
college, get out of your parents house and live on your own in a situation where you dont
have to answer to anyone but yourself. At the same time, its good that youre working and
going to college. Theres nothing better than that, so stop apologizing for it. But you do have
to take steps to ensure yourself an independent future.
Of course you dont want to look like youre stalking Ellie, but thats exactly how its going
to come off because you dont even know her, guy. You havent asked her out yet, but even if
you did, you wouldnt want to be entwined with her on Facebook. Remember: the less she
knows about you, the better. On the internet there is absolutely no privacy. Privacy is dead in
cyberspace, and the loss of privacy is one of the deadliest enemies of Challenge.
Dont worry about the so-called class differences between you and Ellie. In America, class
lines don't matter as much as in many other places.
What should you do? Like I said earlier, the very first thing you have to do is go and talk to
your mother. Ask her if its okay for you to invite Ellie out on a date. If she says no, theres
nothing you can do as your mother is basically in charge of your life at the moment. If she
says yes, ask Ellie for her phone number.
Im very happy that youre benefiting from my columns, Russ. But just imagine if you had
"The Dating Dictionary" how much more confidence youd have around women.
Unfortunately, youll have little success with the opposite sex until you get my book.
Remember, guys: If you live with a domineering mother, you cant make a move.
texted me happy birthday and said she was sorry about Wednesday. I responded, Thanks. No
big deal.
When I saw Marla the next week I asked her why the change in behavior. She said she would
explain it sometime outside of work. Doc, I tend to believe that she met someone else and
didnt know how to tell me. But Id much rather hear the truth then be stood up repeatedly and
play head games its just rude! Should I bother confronting Marla again? Ignore her? Or
just act as though the past month and a half never happened?
Fuzzy - who cant figure her out
Hi Fuzzy,
When Marla told you that she wanted to cook you dinner, why didnt you name a date and
nail it down? Thats what you should have done. But the first time she told you that she was
too busy to get together, she was out. No ifs, ands or buts. Heres the rule: You ask the girl
out, and if she refuses or doesnt counteroffer, it's over. The rest of your story means
absolutely nothing.
Marla might have a kid, but youre rationalizing when you say its understandable that she
was too busy to see you. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, There are things called
babysitters out there. Maybe youve never heard of them.
You shouldnt have yakked on the phone to Marla, pal. You should have just made a date
with her when you had her on the phone.
It was a mistake to agree to an arrangement for a group date. And by the way, who do you
think invited Marlas friends on that date? You didnt, right? What does that tell you, Fuzzy?
What it tells me is that Marla wanted to be with her sister and friends at least as much or
probably more than she wanted to be with you.
You made a definite maybe date with Marla for Sunday, which was another mistake. I can
tell you have no clue about "The System," dude. And what did you have when she didnt
show up? Another broken date.
When Marla asked if you wanted coffee, you should have said, Yes, and dont forget the
cream and sugar. And then you should have written her off. Why are you giving this girl the
benefit of the doubt all the time? There is no doubt about anything, pal! She doesnt dig you.
Youre supposed to kiss a girl at her door, not at work, Fuzzy. But it doesnt really matter,
because for the next three days after not showing up for your date, Marla dodged you. Wow. I
can see that this babe is deeply in love with you. Her actions just scream high Interest
Level!
When you say that you think Marla met another guy, it shows me how much you dont know
about women. Marla has no interest in you whatsoever, therefore you have to concoct another
guy and place the onus of blame on him. To you psych majors, this is one of the biggest
rationalizations that 90% of men make. They simply cant admit to themselves that a woman
has low Interest Level in them. Its always some other guy or some other situation thats to
blame. And youre doing it too, Fuzzy, because your ego cant stand the hard light of the
truth.
Marla isnt being rude to you, my friend. Youre just asleep and not seeing whats directly in
front of you. Should you confront her again? Youd be better off going into the bedroom and
talking to the wall. It would be more effective.
No, you dont have to ignore Marla now. Just smile, say hello and keep walking. Dont even
grant her 30 seconds of your time. The sad part of this situation is that you have to work with
her.
Remember, guys: When she screws you around, shes not interested.
Pleading
Hey Doc,
I need a slap in the face. I left my wife a year and a half ago. We have an 8-year-old son. I am
still legally married, but I started dating Chantelle during the breaking-up stage with my soonto-be ex-wife. Chantelles 21 and Im 38. Its a 17-year difference, and some might call it my
midlife crisis, but, honestly, her age has rarely come up.
Chantelle broke it off with me just recently. She took the high road and wanted to be friends,
but I told her that it would be too hard for me. The next day she removed me from Facebook
and then told me that it was so we could both heal from the breakup. I told her I didnt want it
to end, that I wanted to work on things and that in no way did I want her out of my life. The
next morning I asked her if I could call her, she agreed, and we had an hour-long talk. I
sobbed, pleaded with her and tried to convince her to take me back. Her reason for the
breakup is that Ive dragged my feet on the divorce, and she felt like it was making her resent
me. Also, we were only able to see each other once a week, and she just didnt think she could
have a relationship with me anymore. I then sent her a long text pleading with her not to do
this and not to throw away a year and a half.
I spoke to another dating doctor who told me to send Chantelle a very simple text saying I
wanted to see if she is willing to have a controlled and calm talk. She responded that she
didnt know if it was a good idea since she had said all she had to say.
I havent texted or called her since. Doc, am I a lost cause? I love this girl, cant stop thinking
about her, cant sleep and cant eat. I miss everything about Chantelle: her bright smile, her
laugh, her hand running through my hair. Please tell me there is hope, because I dont want
any other woman in my life.
I know I gave Chantelle all the power in this situation when I showed my hand. I probably
would have had a better chance if I had stuck with the colder approach, but I shattered at the
thought of her being with someone else, which I suspect is the case anyway. I know I need to
get a copy of your book, regardless of whether we get back together or not. But some
immediate coaching would be a huge help. I know Chantelle needs space, but Im concerned
that the space might give her license to move on and forget about me.
Hi Sidney,
Of course you cant keep things light and funny with Leslie because of her various emotional
and psychological issues. This comes under the heading of scars and baggage, which is
covered in my book, but you didnt read it thoroughly enough. The problem is that you cant
change scars and baggage, and Leslies relationship with her family is going to affect you. Its
obvious that Leslie has high Interest Level in you and that shes a flexible giver, but her scars
and baggage are going to be your burden for the rest of your life if you stay with her.
Sometimes Leslie responds to challenge, but sometimes she doesnt. Well, it doesnt matter
because she has low self-esteem. When a woman has low self-esteem, you have to let her go.
So youre trying to rationalize here. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Youre off on a
tangent and cant see the forest through the trees. When you talk about challenge working or
not working, its really a non-issue in this case, because youre talking about something that
has no relevance to the main problem, which is Leslies scars and baggage.
Let me ask you this, guy: Why are you playing Leslies psychiatrist? According to my rules,
youre not supposed to be a womans shrink or girlfriend. Are you sure you bought the right
book? Because its all in the Dating Dictionary, my friend. I suggest you go back and look.
This other guy has nothing to with anything. Hes not a factor at all in this situation. What is
an issue, again, are Leslies scars and baggage. Let me explain it this way. Challenge works to
raise interest level. But Leslie already has high Interest Level in you. But she also has scars
and baggage and thats the problem.
Why are you so confused when you have my book? You have the key to the kingdom in your
hands, but in a year you only read it four times. The essential guidance for how to handle
Leslie is all in my book, but youre not going to get it on just a couple of readings, pal.
Of course Leslie is tired of having the same discussion. Youre supposed to keep things light
and funny, but all you two do is engage in heavy arguments. Dumb.
You cant lose Leslie because you never had her in the first place. Like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says, When you have a girl with scars and baggage, all youve got is a bunch of
problems. Thats what you dont seem to understand. Her problem isnt Interest Level and
attitude its scars and baggage. You keep harping on something thats a non-issue.
Women dont like nice guys at heart. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says,
Nice guys are weak guys. Why do you think women prefer bad boys over wimps? Because
bad boys have a backbone, thats why.
Yes, The System tries to weed out girls like Leslie. Thats one of the many things its
supposed to be used for. But you didnt get rid of her, so you didnt follow the rules. And she
isnt a professional dater. Youre grabbing at straws here. Shes just loaded down with scars
and baggage.
Leslies wrong about The System not working on her. If youd followed my principles, you
would have eliminated her from your life and it would have worked on her the way it was
supposed to.
Remember, guys: You will pay for her baggage for the rest of your life.
When you say that you never get a shot at going out with a decent woman, I wonder if youre
only going after beautiful women who have nothing at all going for them but physical beauty.
And like my cousin Rabbi Love says, How many beautiful women are decent?
As far as projecting insecurities is concerned, Ive got news for you, Orlin: Women do this in
their relationships with average-looking guys all the time. They dont just do it with
handsome guys. Do you really think that if you were merely an average-looking dude, women
wouldnt project their issues? You have a lot to learn, guy. To you psych majors, women
always come on with a game face. Youre no different, Orlin.
Pal, maybe youre looking in all the wrong places for a good woman. There are self-confident
women out there. How can you reach the age of 25 and never meet one confident woman
whom youre attracted to? And why are you waiting for them to come to you? You can
approach them, cant you? Like my cousin General Love says, Dont ride on your looks,
soldier; ride on your work.
Whats a handsome guy to do when everyone thinks he's playing some babe? Like my cousin
Brother Love down in Watts says, This is what you want, bro! If youre a good-looking
guy, why wouldnt you have a gorgeous woman after you? This will make you even more
enticing to all the other babes out there, no matter how handsome or average-looking or
homely you are. And youve got it all, Orlin. Youre great-looking and all the girls think
youre being chased. Thats the image you want and youre complaining about it. Huh?
OK, so youre shallow, Orlin. I give you credit for being honest. But if youre only going after
women who belong in Elle magazine, youre going to have a tough time finding someone
whos confident, self-reliant and has true self-esteem. The problem is that youre limiting
yourself to very beautiful women, so out of 100 women, maybe two or three are going to
match your physical ideal. If you limit yourself to three women out of 100, youre going to
have a tough time finding a woman. Why dont you look for someone whos very attractive
instead of very beautiful?
Remember, guys: if youre too good-looking, its not a problem.
Her Interest
Hey Doc,
I have been reading The System in hopes that I can win back the woman that I want to love
for the rest of my life. I am so confused as to what I should do and I think you could definitely
coach me.
Heres the situation. Both myself and Sara are 20 years old and going into our junior year of
college. Weve been dating for 16 months. For most of our relationship her Interest Level has
been high. She has dropped hints at a future out of college with me. I always avoided
talking about it because I didnt feel the same.
Recently I have realized that Sara is the girl I want to be with for the rest of my life. My
problem is that now she doesnt feel the same. I did the worst possible thing and told her she
could be the one for me. From that point onward things have been going downhill.
About three months ago Sara brought up the idea of a break for a full year since we will both
be extremely busy (shes an engineering major and I am in Army ROTC). She also told me
that she wants to see if she can balance things in her life without me for a while and that she
wants to experience college. She says she still loves me, she just doesnt love love love me.
She wants to take the break to see if she can find that kind of deep love for me.
I told Sara that I wont wait around on a leash for her to make a decision. We have two
options: She is either ready to be with me out of college and marry me or we break up. It has
hurt to realize that I have stopped being a Challenge to her. How I got her to date me in the
first place was by playing hard to get and since I never revealed my feelings to her I was
always a Challenge.
Doc, how do I get Saras Interest Level back up to where it used to be? This is the girl for me.
I know she still loves me, I just need her to love love love me.
Thanks for taking the time to coach me.
Ward - who feels like fighting
Hi Ward,
The first major problem you have is that at 20 years old Sara is nothing but a kid emotionally.
Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, When shes that young, shes going to change her mind
like the wind and when the tree falls, its gonna fall right on your head. The System
addresses the risks of dating girls of a certain very young age. You must have skipped
that part, pal.
You say that most of the time Saras Interest Level was high, but yours wasnt. Let me ask
you this: Why were you with her in the first place? If she didnt interest you very much, there
must have been a reason. Were there red flags that bothered you? Did you ignore them? Why?
But then you suddenly turned around and realized that you were in love with Sara. What
happened, man? What did Sara do to change your mind? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, Youth is fickle.
But now unfortunately for you Sara doesnt feel the same anymore. Thats because you
lowered her interest level, my friend. You dont tell me in your letter what you did wrong, but
rest assured that you were doing enough to lower Saras Interest Level over a significant
stretch of time. This catastrophe didnt happen overnight. To you Psych majors, a womans
interest doesnt drop from 89% to 35% overnight. Every mistake a man can make with a
woman is detailed in The System. You obviously didnt pay close enough attention to what
you were doing with Sara.
When Sara told you that she didnt feel the same, you immediately went into desperation
mode and blabbed that she was the one for you. But it didnt work because you were already
on the slide with her and didnt know how to stop it.
Then she brought up the idea of a full years break. Dude, you could use more like a 10-year
break! She protested that she will be extremely busy and wants to see if she can balance her
life without you around and experience college which is Womanese for going out with a
whole bunch of other guys. Youre finished with Sara, guy. What does she have to say for you
to get the hint?
When Sara says she doesnt love love love you, it means she has no interest in you
whatsoever. When she claims that she needs a break to find out if she can locate a deep love
for you, what shes really saying is that shes going to look for a deep love without you in the
picture. In other words, shes going to start checking out other guys as soon as possible if she
hasnt already.
Then you got tough with Sara and issued her an ultimatum: marry you or break up. But your
macho ultimatum was really a tumble into complete Wimpdom because you have long since
ceased being a Challenge to Sara.
How do you get Saras interest back up to where it used to be? Sadly, you cant because
youve allowed it to fall below 50%, which means youre out. Nevertheless, you insist that
Sara still really loves you. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, How nave,
man. Shes so in love with you that she cant wait to not see you for a minimum of 365 days.
Remember, guys: when she wants to take a break from you, what shes really saying is that
youre out.
On To The Next
Hey Doc,
First, I would like to say that I love reading your columns and they have helped me in more
than one situation in my life. But Im in need of some coaching.
I recently came out of a three-year relationship. The breakup was tough, but I moved on, and
now Ive decided to get back into the game. Last week I got my first date. Kirsten is a
colleague of mine, and I have been attracted to her for a while now. Were both 26. For the
last year we have seen a lot of each other and gotten along well, but I never made a move
because I was in a relationship.
Finally, I asked Kirsten out on a date and she said yes. I picked her up and she looked
smoking hot! We went to a fine restaurant, the evening went well, we laughed, had great
conversation, asked questions about each other, etc. Afterward, we went to another place for
drinks. I got signals like good body language, looking into my eyes, playing with her hair, etc.
Of course I picked up the tab both times. I dropped Kirsten off at home, said goodbye (I
didnt kiss her because it didnt feel right yet) and she said she had a good time and that we
had to go to the movies together soon.
Doc, I thought it was a done deal! I waited a few days, called her up for a second date and she
said yes. The second date was basically a replay of the first. So when I took her home I smiled
and went in for the kiss. But she pulled away and totally rejected me. Then she told me that I
was just a good friend and she didnt want to ruin that. I was shocked because I thought I read
everything right.
The only thing I can think about what happened was that I went in for the kiss too soon. And
on the first date I only gave her one or two compliments and spoke a lot (though mostly about
her). And on the second date there wasnt as much flirting and some of the conversation got
heavier. For example we have different views about religion (she brought this up), but I
changed the topic ASAP.
I am confused by the fact that I got such strong signals from Kirsten and the dates went well
90% of the time (or so I thought). Doc, what went wrong? What should I do now? Since
Kirsten said she wants to be friends, should I let her go and move on to the next girl? I dont
think chasing is the right thing, even though I like her a lot. And what about the fact that
were colleagues? We dont work in the same department, but I will see her nearly every day.
Buster - whos doubting his own judgment.
Hi Buster,
Im glad that my columns have helped you so much, but can you just imagine how many
more life situations you would be able to master if you actually had my book?
Why were you spending time with Kirsten when you were involved in another relationship?
When you like a woman, do not spend time with her unless youre dating her. And why did
you go to another place after dinner on your very first date? When you first start dating a
woman, you dont go to two different places. You go to one place, and thats it. To you psych
majors, you want to leave the girl high on you after your date; you dont want to wear out
your welcome.
Guy, if you had my book, you would have known not to kiss Kirsten on the first date. You
wouldnt have had to guess, which is what you did. This is one of the basic rules of The
System, but since you dont have it, youre lost and groping in the dark.
But you talked about going to the movies when your first date wasnt even finished. Another
mistake. Why in the world are you talking about the future already, Buster? Youre absolutely
slaying challenge here. Kirsten should have been wondering whether or not you were ever
going to call her again, and here you are already planning whats going to happen at some
point down the road. Are you sure youve even read my columns?
You thought it was a done deal with Kirsten after one date. Dude, after one date, nothing
counts. Nothing counts at all until you get to 10 or 12 dates with no red flags. But you rushed
right in and called her in a couple of days when you should have waited a week. Buster, you
didnt have enough time in with this babe to make an accurate judgment about whether this
thing was a done deal or not. If a guy goes out with a girl once and has a great time and
another guy goes out with a girl 10 times and has a great time, which one has the more
accurate read on her?
Going in for the kiss had nothing to do with what happened here. You wore out your welcome
with Kirsten by being her girlfriend even though you had a girlfriend. And thats where you
blew it.
The reason Kirsten wasnt flirting with you on the second date was because she already
thought she was just going out with a friend. But at least you did one thing right when you
changed the subject when the talk got around to religion.
What should you do now? Forget Kirsten she doesnt dig you. Most importantly, get my
book ASAP. Of course you have to move on to the next one. Why would you want to keep
someone who doesnt want to keep you? Kirsten is not interested in you at all and she told
you as much. You might like her a lot, but its the womans interest that counts, not yours.
Remember, guys: When you work together and break up, you will have to see her every day.
Flings
Hey Doc,
When Mariela was in the USA, we dated for a year. I met her at a party at a time in my life
when I was still using "The System." We knew that she was due to leave the country, so it
was supposed to be a perfect little fling for both of us. And it was great for a while, but then I
messed up. I enjoyed hanging out with her too much and she slowly moved into girlfriend
status. When I realized this, I tried to get out. I said to her a few times, I dont think what we
have is a good idea. We would be sad for a few minutes, but then it would be forgotten and
we were back together.
Anyway, I started getting deeper and deeper into it with this girl, even though I knew our
future was impossible. I couldnt help it and lost control of the situation. Since Mariela left
the country, its like my world has been turned upside down. We never actually broke up.
We just assumed that both of us would move on after she left, but now its a year later and
neither of us has. We were a great couple forced to make some serious decisions really
quickly because of immigration laws, and I just was not in a life position to do that (Im in my
early 20s and marriage seemed about as desirable as having children). So I left it up to the
powers of the universe.
Well, the powers of the universe have given me anything but a straight answer. On the one
hand, they have made it extremely difficult for Mariela to visit the USA (she hasnt been able
to despite several legal efforts). On the other hand, those same powers have handicapped my
ability to meet another girl (my social circle is moving on, growing up, etc.), and I cant bring
myself to get back into "The System" mode and actually close on another girl because
Mariela would consider it cheating.
Doc, I need to do something with my life because Ive just been lingering for the past year. I
have a few weeks off before I leave for grad school and Mariela has a week off from her
schedule at the same time. We have one chance to see each other again, and it's up to me. But
by going overseas and seeing her, I feel like Im losing all control of the situation. Id be
staying at her place, in her city, at my own discretion (I cant even say Im on a business trip
or something). I feel like that violates every rule of The System. This is a great girl, and I
cant seem to break up with her. But by going to see her, I feel like Im going all in, and
that scares me. Any advice?
Swain - who doesnt want to live with regrets
Hi Swain,
Let me explain something to you. Flings arent always the safest things. Like my cousin Sal
The Fish Love says, Sometimes you fall in love with a fling. So you did indeed mess up.
Your Interest Level shot way up, but Marielas not an American citizen. Then you tried to get
rid of her but couldnt. Like my cousin General Love says, Sounds like youre a real strong
guy. Self-control is one of the main principles in The System, and you dont have any. I
suggest you start using The System again, my friend.
You might have thought that you would both move on after Mariela left the country, but when
it comes to a relationship, you should never make any assumptions. You certainly cant
assume that both of you had the same agendas. Mariela might have been thinking something
entirely different than you were since she was going back to the old country.
To you psych majors, you should never marry someone just to keep her in the country, which
was one smart move on your part. Because doing something like that is pressure. Its a rush
job. Whenever you have pressure and a rush job, youre going to screw up in a relationship.
Instead you left it to the powers of the universe. In other words, you said to yourself, Im not
going to take control of myself and make the right choices according to the rules of "The
System." But we already know that because you dont have any self-control.
Why are you worrying that Mariela will think youre cheating on her if you go after another
girl? You have to get something straight here, dude: Mariela is gone. She was gone from the
very first day you met her. You should have considered her immigration status when you
started this fling, Swain. Theres a chapter in my book about long-distance relationships.
Apparently you skipped that one. I suggest you go back and read it. You had my material in
your hands, but you didnt really perceive it. You might have read it, but you didnt grasp its
meaning and thats why youre in the fix youre in. What doesnt make any sense is that you
said that you were using The System at the beginning. Your problem isnt dating other
girls, Swain. Your problem is getting it through your head that Mariela is gone once and for
all. When you do, youll be able to move on and hustle other women.
Its not up to just you whether to travel overseas and see Mariela. Its up to both of you. Shes
in favor of your visit because youre going to her home turf. But if you do, youre wasting
your time and money. You should take that money and sign up for dance lessons so you could
pick up another woman.
Guy, youve lost all control of this situation already. Youre so out of control that its not even
an issue anymore. Youre doing nothing but beating a dead horse by visiting Mariela. Youll
go to see her, youll come back and then what? Youre right back where you started, except
that youll like her even more and youll be in a deeper hole financially and emotionally.
Of course this trip to see Mariela would violate every rule of The System. But since when
did you care about The System? Youre going off on a tangent when you say that youre
afraid of going all in. This girl digs you, but the problem is that shes not a U.S. citizen and
youre not a citizen of her country. You knew that from day one, the day that you met her, but
you just wanted to go out and party, and now look at whats happened. Like my Uncle Jethro
Love says, You got a case of sneak-up love.
My advice? Memorize my book and save your airfare.
Remember, guys: If you know that shes going to leave the country, dont give her your heart.
Dating At Work
Hey Doc,
I bought the The System a few years ago and have been using your concepts with a decent
amount of success with women. However, I would like to get your take on my current
situation.
I have worked with Sofia for the last few years. I wanted to date her but couldnt due to a
company policy against interoffice dating. I know that Sofia had interest in me too, not just
from her flirting and stopping by my office to visit fairly regularly, but because she told a
couple of other employees that she was interested in me. Both of us dated other people until I
recently ended my latest relationship a couple weeks ago. But Sofia is still dating the same
guy shes been dating for a while. She told a buddy of mine at work that she is not that serious
with him and that they are dating just casually. I can tell that this guy is trying too hard
because he sent flowers and gifts to Sofia at work.
Anyway, I just left the company for a new job. I could still feel a relatively high Interest Level
from Sofia as recently as two weeks before I left, but she seemed especially distant the very
last week that I was there, so I held off on asking her out on a date. We still talked to each
other, but she did not make as much of an effort to visit my office and chat like she normally
did. A couple of days before my last day, she told me that men only go after something when
they know they cant have it. Also, on my last day of work, she had her boyfriend come by
the office to pick her up for lunch. Out of the blue, she called me into her office, saying that
she needed my help with something. Her request seemed unnecessary, and when I went to her
office the boyfriend was there waiting for me to finish helping Sofia before they went out to
lunch. It seemed that she just wanted me to see this guy there with her.
I have to add that before picking up with her current guy, Sofia recently broke up with another
boyfriend who stalked her and it resulted in a restraining order. This might explain why she
was acting coolly to me. Or is it possible Sofia was just acting this way during my last week
to ensure my Interest Level in her remained high, so that I might still pursue her after I left the
company? In other words, was she just playing hard to get? I am thinking that maybe I should
wait a few weeks for things in her life to cool down and then ask her out, assuming she is not
that serious with her current boyfriend. Do you agree?
Antonio - who needs a strategy
Hi Antonio,
Why in the world are you talking to other employees about a woman you potentially want to
date? Its one thing for you to get information about Sofia from these people, but youre not
supposed to give them anything in return it will inevitably be misconstrued and result in
problems for you. To all you psych majors, talking to people at work about your love life is
very dangerous.
If Sofias telling people that she is only dating her current boyfriend casually, it means that
shes just waiting for the next turkey to come along and her current guy is already on the way
out. But youre still getting all this information secondhand, Antonio, so who knows what you
can believe? This is another problem you encounter when talking to others about your private
affairs you never get a straight story.
You made a mistake in not asking Sofia out on a date while you had the chance. As soon as
you knew you were leaving the company, you should have asked her for her number and
figured out if she was for real or not and if her boyfriend was actually on the way out. The
only way you could have done that was by simply asking her for her number and judging her
response.
Sofias statement that men only go after something when they know they cant have it is a
crock. That statement has nothing to do with anything and doesnt relate to you in the least.
Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Its a platitude that means nothing.
Why would Sofia want her current boyfriend to see you in her office? What was her
motivation in setting that scene up? Youve been working with her for years, right? Like my
cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Sometimes she just wants you to come over and fix her
computer. Youre just grabbing at straws here, my friend.
Then you try to tell yourself the fact that Sofia was stalked by some maniac has been
influencing her behavior toward you. This is just nutty, Antonio. Shes dating a new guy, isnt
she? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Apparently shes not afraid of
men. Again, youre clutching at straws.
Now youre trying to convince yourself that Sofia's using her current boyfriend to make you
more interested in her. This doesnt fit your logic because, by your own admission, she was
already acting coldly toward you during your last week of work. When a woman shows
Inconsistent Behavior, it means she has a low Interest Level. Again, youre trying to make
nothing into something.
Sofia isnt playing hard to get. She is hard to get because she has a low Interest Level in
you. On the other hand, you never asked her for her phone number and asked her out, so all of
the garbage flowing through your mind about this woman is nothing but conjecture. Like my
cousin General Love says, Youre grabbing at a plank of wood like a drowning man. Are
you sure you've read my book?
Youre not supposed to wait for anything now, dude. Just call Sofia and ask her out. If she
says she has a boyfriend, flush her number down the toilet, forget her and go on to the next
one. You had your shot.
Remember, guys: Dont try to second-guess her motives; just ask her for her number.
Lost Interest
Hey Doc,
I faithfully follow your articles and know you have fantastic advice. Sometimes its harsh and
hardly ever what a guy wants to hear, but I know its always true.
Anyway, Ali and I had been together for a year and a half. Her Interest Level was absolutely
through the roof because I used Challenge to great effect. She was constantly talking about
how crazy in love with me she was, saying I was the one and bringing up marriage and kids
at least once a week, although I thought we should take things slow and not rush into
anything. After dating for a year she thought it would be a great idea to move in together. I
badly wanted to, but I knew that based on your advice it might just be too soon. When she
begged and pleaded and got upset, I gave in and didnt stand my ground like I should have,
mostly because I got caught up in my own Interest Level. By the way, at this time I thought
for sure this was the girl I would one day marry and spend my life with. I was crazy about her
too.
Almost immediately I saw a change for the worse. I enjoyed living with Ali and thought we
were getting closer. However, I noticed her interest fading. I worked a lot and she spent a lot
of time at home by herself. I could tell she was getting lonely. Even though I tried to make
enough time for her, she still craved more than I could ever give. To fill the gap she started
talking to friends. One was a guy who she swore (and I really believed) was nothing more
than a friend. I have a lot of friends who are girls, so I figured that Ali was allowed to have
guy friends, too.
One day, after coming back from an outing with friends, Ali cried for hours and confessed
that she and the guy had kissed and nothing more. She said she felt bad because for a split
second she had felt something for him but immediately turned that feeling off. I thought that
this was most likely only a fraction of the true story. After she begged and pleaded, I chose to
let it go. I didnt want to ruin our entire relationship because of one stupid mistake.
After that, things were good again and I honestly dont know how she could have possibly
been any sweeter, more giving or a better girlfriend. I truly thought her Interest Level was at
99%. Maybe I got busy or just failed to keep watch, but somewhere along the line it dropped
down after a few months. Eventually she said the dreaded words: I need time to figure out
what I want and to be myself for a while. She claimed it was too much work trying to get my
attention. She recently moved out and is living on her own.
Doc, I feel like I had the one and I know I made a mistake with the maintenance, but
looking back, I really have to wonder what I could have done to make it better. I have two
questions. How do you ever keep things exciting and keep her Interest Level up when you live
together or get so close? It seems near impossible to use Challenge in a relationship like this.
Secondly, should I try again to make this work with Ali or forget her and move on? She
claims she feels we are still meant to be and hopes we can refuel our fire together. She calls
all the time and I do actually feel a spark coming back, but the big elephant in the room is that
we separated, and from what I understand once Interest Level has dropped so low its gone
forever.
Melo - who had it all and lost her
Hi Melo,
Let me say something to you guys out there. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts
says, The truth always hurts. Other love doctors lie to you and try to make you feel good.
They tell you that youre doing the right thing when youre not. I always give it to you
straight.
Most guys get caught up in their own Interest Level, my friend. When a guys interest is
beyond the stars, what happens is that he starts rationalizing and giving in and losing his
backbone then she loses respect for him.
You have to ask yourself why Alis interest in you faded. Were you still a Challenge to her?
Thats the key here. To you psych majors, if you continue being a Challenge, she wont get
bored. But in this case, Melo, you also had a needy woman. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says, Thats the last thing you want to marry. Ali should have had her own
life. You missed a big red flag there by not sensing that she'd be lonely without your constant
attention.
It was a mistake on your part to be so nonchalant with Alis guy friends. And she didnt need
to do more than kiss this other dude. Kissing a guy when shes supposedly in love with
someone else shows that she has no loyaty. Dude, you should have thrown Ali out in the street
when you found out!
You had no choice but to ruin your relationship with Ali after one stupid mistake, guy. What
youre missing is that this girl doesnt have a life when youre not around her, and she
therefore has to fill her time with another dude. What made you think she was going to stop
doing that? When Ali kissed that other guy, her Interest Level in you was not at 99% its
an impossibility. And when she moved out, you were out forever, so everything you say and
do with her afterward is a complete waste of time.
You just said what your problem was: You made a mistake by not using the maintenance
program. But again, this babe was a lonely girl to begin with. And thats the problem she
had no life of her own. What a girl like Ali does is make you the center of her attention, and
then she takes her neediness out on you and drives you crazy. Then she kisses other guys.
How do you keep interest alive when youre in such close proximity? Very easy use the
maintenance program in The System. Its not hard to maintain Challenge if you memorize
my materials.
Should you try to make it work with Ali or move on? Melo, whats the matter with you?
Apparently you didnt read the chapter in my book on going back. Ali might swear that you
have a future together, but remember that with her mouth she said she loved you, but with her
feet she moved out. And dont forget that you didnt separate. Ali dropped you. She moved
out and left you. Yes, her interest is gone forever and even longer than that.
Remember, guys: When the ether wears off, its over.
end up sleeping at the same apartment after a party and we would get a little romantic, but we
would never talk about it afterward because we were best friends.
I finally got the courage to tell Ashley that I had strong feelings for her and that I cared about
her, and she said she felt the same way. The only problem was that she wasnt ready for a
long-term commitment, even though I was. I told her that I understood and we continued
hanging out together.
Then Ashley started to act differently. I found out that she had been seeing another guy, and
even though we werent dating, it still hurt a lot. We talked one night, and I explained to her
that I understood she didnt want something long term, but that I couldnt wait forever. She
said she knew it wouldnt last long with this other guy and that she was willing to hurt him
but not me, because she cared about me more. She said she didnt want to hurt me by
continuing something that she wasnt ready for and that she didnt want to ruin something
special that we could have in the future.
Doc, what are my chances of stealing Ashley away from this other guy since he doesnt have
much time with her? She continues to tell me that she loves me and cares about me more than
anyone she has ever met. She said she knows we will end up together for a long time at some
point. But I dont know how much longer I can hold on. I do love Ashley, and there is no one
I care about more. She is my best friend, and I cant imagine going on without her in my life
in some way. Yet I know the only way I will ever get over her if I cant have her is by letting
go of our friendship and pushing her out of my life until I feel like I can handle it. This is the
hardest decision I have ever had to make, and I know letting go would probably mean the end
of our friendship. What do you suggest I do?
Simmons - who is hanging by his fingertips
Hi Simmons,
Your first mistake was falling for a friend. Your friend should fall for you instead.
You and Ashley might know each other better than anyone else in the whole world, but dont
forget for a second that you are in friendship mode. To you psych majors, the friendship mode
is not the dating mode. It might be the dating mode in your mind, but its not in hers, and
thats whats important. In other words, youre Ashleys girlfriend. Not boyfriend
girlfriend. The problem with being best friends with a girl is that one of the hardest things to
do in life is to transition from best friend to boyfriend. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says, The odds are 1 in 100, baby.
You should never have discussed your feelings for Ashley, pal. I see that you dont have
The System otherwise you wouldnt have made such a basic blunder.
But you insist that Ashley feels the same way as you do. Really, Simmons? If she isnt ready
for a long-term commitment, then she doesnt feel the same way about you. You should have
stopped hanging out with her when she told you that.
Ashley didnt start acting differently when she took up with this other guy. She was just
following her true romantic Interest Level in you, not her friendship level. You have the two
mixed up.
But you told Ashley that you couldnt wait forever for her. So youre giving a girl whos
seeing another guy an ultimatum? This really makes a lot of sense, Simmons! If she cared
about you more than this other guy, she wouldnt be seeing him at all. But she swears that she
doesnt want to ruin your relationship by dating. Like my cousin General Love says, Gosh,
and I thought politicians knew how to lie!
This other guy isnt your problem, dude. The problem is that Ashley has a low Interest Level
in you as a boyfriend. And thats what you dont seem to grasp. And you dont grasp it
because youre friends with Ashley. You keep getting the two friend and boyfriend
confused.
But Ashley continues to tell you that she loves you and cares about you. Simmons, when a
girl loves and cares about you, she doesnt see other guys behind your back. And, by the way,
this girl is very loyal, in case you havent noticed.
Sure, you and Ashley will end up together for a long time at some point like, maybe in the
year 2054. That being said, its true that shes your best friend, and thats all shell ever be.
Sadly, Simmons, youll never be able to handle it with her.
What should you do? Face reality and stop seeing Ashley.
Remember, guys: to go from a friendship to romantic love is nearly impossible.
feels horrible about betraying me. She even claims shes not going to drink anymore either.
What would you advise, Doc?
Elton - whose heart has been ripped out
Hi Elton,
You might think that Kelsey is everything you want and love in a woman, but what does she
love about you? Is her Interest Level in the 90s, like yours is? Does she have a great attitude?
Is she a flexible giver?
You couldnt object to Kelseys going away for six months for her career. She had to go,
regardless of your approval. If you would have told her to stay, you would have come off as
an unsupportive idiot. So this situation had nothing whatsoever to do with you, guy.
Its sweet that Kelsey called you her soul mate, but her confession has you thinking about her
past behavior all the time. All Kelsey did was move the load from herself to you, and now the
whole thing is on you. Isnt that great? Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Some
women are really stupid when it comes to making confessions.
But then she assured you that you have nothing whatsoever to worry about from her high-risk
past behavior. In other words, when shes stressed out and she has lots of problems and shes
trying to cope, she just runs around with as many different strangers as she can.
What do you mean that you two worked things out? Thats not what happened at all, dude.
Kelsey begged and kissed up to you and you took her back thats what really happened.
Now this gem of yours is having fits of depression. Which means shes due to go out and kiss
some strange men, right? She admitted to you that she had a drunken one-night stand at a
seedy hotel with some anonymous guy she picked up in a bar.
So now youre absolutely devastated. Rightfully so. I feel very sorry for you, Elton. I know
how you feel. You cant sleep. You think about Kelsey and what she might be up to all the
time. You think about her in the arms of another man and it absolutely kills you. When youre
not feeling that way, youre hollow. Im sorry that you have to go through this. But if you
would have read Kelsey more quickly, you would have picked up on all the red flags sooner,
and you would have gotten rid of her a long time ago.
Telling you that she didnt enjoy her one-night stand was small comfort, as you say. But its
nice that Kelsey toughed it out while she was forcing herself to be intimate with this stranger.
It must have been really hard for her to go through the experience.
Should you give her another chance? No. Shes had all her chances. You dont know what to
do? Its simple: Get rid of her. Pull your Interest Level out of the 90s, get my materials and
move on.
But Kelsey assures you this will never happen again, huh? She gets an A for assurances, but
an F for follow-through! Im sure she feels horrible for betraying you, but not quite horrible
enough not to do it. And shes not going to drink anymore? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says, Just wait until the next party!
trip on you that you didnt deserve. If youre texting her, youre not being distant. Using the
telephone might be a little stronger, but she could have just asked you to use it if she preferred
that method of staying in touch. To you psych majors, when a womans not getting what she
wants, she cant expect you to read her mind. Lacey should have simply asked you to phone
her instead. The truth is that Lacey was the one who wasnt communicating because she
didnt tell you what she wanted. In which case you would have of course told her that you
would be happy to phone her instead. But in the end, heres the most important point: Lacey
concocted an excuse to get angry at you because her Interest Level was dropping.
This babe should have never talked to her ex at the wedding. If it was over between them,
why was she interacting with this guy? Why prolong it if she supposedly digs you? What
happened at the wedding should have been telling you something, Gabor.
And why did her ex get bent out of shape? Hes got a new girlfriend, so why should he flip
when he heard about you? Hes nuts, and Laceys nuts for confronting him. But heres
something else: This is all Laceys interpretation of what was happening. Like my cousin Sal
The Fish Love says, You dont know what part she left out. And like my cousin Rabbi
Love says, The sin of omission is major.
The reason Lacey seemed different when she picked you up at the airport is because her
Interest Level had dropped dramatically. Her demeanor wasnt a bit different; there was a
big difference. Its rough hanging out with her now because her Interest Level is in the 60s
and its heading straight for the 40s.
Laceys supposed breakup anxiety doesnt make any sense at all. If she liked you but you
were just a rebound and were using The System, she would be easier to deal with. But you
have a whack job on your hands, my friend.
When Lacey says that she doesnt want to hurt your feelings, its because shes still interested
in her old boyfriend. Shes trying to rationalize her feelings, but her interest in you has taken a
dive or it was never even there in the first place. So forget the breakup-anxiety excuse, dude.
Lacey isnt over her ex, and thats the central problem here.
You dont have any time left with this girl, Gabor. She doesnt dig you. Shes just on the
rebound, and, like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, You happened to be the wall
she bounced off.
Remember, guys: When you go out with a girl on the rebound, you have to go in extra, extra
slowly.
An Older Woman
Hey Doc,
I bought The System several years ago and thought it was full of great information. I prefer
to get my dating/relationship coaching from a male perspective, which is why Im writing
you.
While living overseas, I met Cara, who was a 7 out of 10. However, I noticed some wrinkles
on her face, which made her look a little older than her actual age, and it turned me off as I
didn't want to date an older woman. She is 40 and I am 34. But I got to know her and we had
great chemistry. I started seeing her on a regular basis, to the point where I was staying at her
place most of the time. She treated me like a king, was a giver like Ive never met before,
flexible, a great cook and had integrity. I decided to move in with her for a month before my
return to the States. It was my first time living with a woman and part of my decision to move
in with her was out of my curiosity to see what would happen.
I got to know Cara better during that time, and her interest stayed in the upper 90s. I didnt
show her affection in public because I didnt want my friends to think that she and I were
boyfriend and girlfriend. She told me that I hurt her feelings by not being proud to be with
her. We had discussions about why I was not ready to begin a relationship with her and I told
her that it was due to the age difference. I did not have the guts to tell her it was her facial
wrinkles that turned me off, but I think she picked up on it. She kept insisting that age should
not be an issue and that I was missing out on a great relationship.
In the meantime, I got attracted to Gina, a girl in my dancing class. Shes my age and was also
attracted to me. The catch is that shes married and can barely speak English. I was turned off
when I found out she was married and did not want to get involved with her, which made her
come on to me more. As time went by, I couldnt resist her advances and we ended up getting
romantic a couple of times before I returned to the States.
Its been almost a month since I returned to America, and Ive been in touch with both Cara
and Gina via email. I pretty much know that my relationship with Gina will not take me
anywhere. Shes not available, does not have integrity (I am guilty of that myself) and we
wouldnt be able to communicate much. Shes not in love with her husband, but I doubt she
will get out of her marriage easily. Cara, on the other hand, is waiting for me with open arms
and is ready to start a relationship that will lead to a family.
I feel that I already failed my loyalty test to Cara. At the same time, I see this as a valuable
lesson: I should be with a woman I feel passionate about or else the chances of me cheating
on a woman I just settle for will be high.
Doc, I dont think my passion for Cara is going to increase to the same levels I feel for Gina.
However, I am aware that looks aren't everything and as the years go by, what really counts is
a persons character and values. But I dont want to be in a marriage in which I will not be
happy, like most people out there. I know that if I keep blowing Cara off, she will eventually
move on and I would hate to miss out on the possibility of a great relationship with her.
Should I stay with Cara (and her wrinkles) or should I find a younger woman (say, 24 to 31) I
am passionate about and hopefully possesses the same great qualities Cara has demonstrated?
Avery - who wants to find the right mix in a woman
Hi Avery,
Youve got two problems with Cara. No. 1: You dont like her face. I dont know what you
were doing with her in the first place. You dont have high interest in Cara. Youre just
wasting her time. Secondly, when you moved in with her, you really misled her. She thinks
youre really interested in her and youre not. You just moved in with her for the hell of it,
and youre going to end up breaking her heart. That is not what The System is about.
Whats more, if youd read my book, you would know that Cara didnt pass the Physical
Attraction Test. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Her face is wrinkled and you
dont like it, man.
Then you refused to show Cara public affection. Well, you shouldnt show affection publicly
because displays of affection are supposed to be private. Are you sure you read my book?
And of course you hurt Caras feelings because she sensed you werent proud to be with her.
She knows that you dont like her face. You dont realize how much you dont like Caras
face and thats your problem, my friend. You might be enamored of her character, but your
interest is only 55%, while hers is way up in the 90s.
When you told Cara you couldnt get in a relationship with her because of her age, that must
have made her really feel great! Women dig talking about their age, especially when theyre
older than the guy theyre in love with! You were very, very thoughtless there, Avery. Of
course she picked up on the vibe that you dont like her face shes not stupid, after all.
So what did you do? You jumped to Gina, who isnt available and cant even speak English.
Wow! Pal, you definitely did not read my book 15 times like you were supposed to. Now let
me straighten you out on something. The System is not to be used for adultery. You
shouldnt have committed it with Gina. And why would you be attracted to someone who
would commit adultery? Thats another problem youve got here.
Cara might be waiting for you with open arms, but you dont go for her face. So what you
have now is a woman you're not attracted to and a married woman.
Of course you have to be with a woman youre passionate about, guy. Your interest in Cara is
55%, but it should be 85%, and its not, because of her face. You keep dancing around the
wrinkle issue. You keep thinking that Caras great except for her age crevices.
The fact is that youre really not aware that what counts is a womans character and values. If
she were 10 years younger, her wrinkles wouldnt be there, right? And what about you?
Youre going to have wrinkles as well in another few years. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says,
You have to look in the mirror, my son.
You have to get rid of Cara because youre wasting her time and hurting her feelings,
and The System is not about hurting women. You have to find another woman, but it has
to be someone two to four years younger than you, not someone whos 24 or 25. Thats way
too young. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, A 24-year-old is going to look
at you as an old man, bro.
Remember, guys: If youre not physically attracted to her, dont waste her time.
Turned Off
Hey Doc,
Emma is 23 and Im 25. We met, I closed, got the number, waited six days or so to call and
landed the first date. At all times, I kept things light and funny and under an hour, and I was
given plenty of buying signals. Weve had eight dates since then, each ending with a
passionate kiss and a smile. I waited a week between each date to call or set up another one.
Our last date was shortly before Christmas. I told Emma that I was going to be out of town for
the holidays. The only contact we had was when she texted me Happy Birthday, sir, on my
birthday, which was December 30th. I responded with a thank you, and mentioned that I
thought it was very thoughtful.
I got back into town and called Emma the day after New Years and left a message. Several
days went by and I didnt hear back from her. This was very different from her previous
behavior, as she would always call me back immediately.
I know I should have waited a week and tried Emma again, but I decided to text her. I asked
her if she was free on a certain day to get together. She responded that she was busy with
work and didnt give me any counteroffer of any kind. Now any further attempts to contact
her have either been met with a vague response or no response at all.
I know this is a bad sign, but, Doc, Im so incredibly confused. I can usually tell if Ive
messed up in some major way, but what am I missing here? I have eight dates in with this girl
who always displayed consistent behavior, and now this? I know you say that you dont count
anything until 10 or 12 dates, but there has to be some sort of reasoning or logic behind this.
Could Emma be punishing me because I didnt contact her for 13 days while I was out of
town? I wanted to wait until the jinglebells were out of our heads and the holidays were
over to contact her.
If you could help me make sense of this, Doc, it would mean a lot to me.
Kyrie - who thought he did everything right
Doc Love's Response
Hi Kyrie,
The fact that Emma isnt responding to you now is indeed a huge red flag. Shes been very
consistent for eight dates and now, for some reason, shes getting turned off of you or she
was already turned off.
What I notice, however, is that through these eight dates Emma never asked you to be her
boyfriend. Usually by the time youve got eight dates in with a babe, shes asking you that allimportant question: Are you seeing anybody else? And Emma didnt do that. This is
something you should have picked up on, pal. It was another big red flag.
The fact that you can now hardly get a response out of Emma after practically begging her to
talk to you means that you are on the way out. Now, assuming that you were doing everything
by The System, you have to keep in mind that some babes will go out with you even when
they have little or no interest in you. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says,
What theyre doing is just wasting your time until something better comes along.
And Im also wary of Emmas age. Shes only 23. In other words, shes still a baby. I wish
she were a couple of years older and more mature because, as I point out in my book, from the
ages of 18 to 22, girls don't really know what they want. Emmas right on the border of that
age range. Like the great Doctor Freud once said, At that age, their brains arent fully
formed.
And now this? you ask after consistent behavior from Emma for eight dates. Unfortunately,
the answer is yup. Ive seen girls flake out after 18 dates, my friend. Youre not going to find
the reason or logic that youre searching for here because you never established a beachhead
with Emma. To you psych majors, the more time you have in with a female, the better it is for
you because you have a bona fide track record. Your situation is akin to that of a guy who has
made only two payments on a five-year car loan vs. someone who has made 30
payments. Even though theyre both on time, the guy whos made more payments has a much
better credit rating.
It is certainly possible that Emma is punishing you for not contacting her over the Christmas
holidays. But she wasnt your girlfriend, as Ive pointed out, and like my cousin Sal The
Fish Love says, She could have contacted you. The phone works both ways. Waiting for
the jinglebells to be out of her head was a good idea, but you told her that you were going
out of town, so you were covered. But if Emma is the ultra-sensitive type and you didnt
email her every other day and gush about how much you missed her, it might have been a
problem.
In the end, though, Im leery of Emmas age and the fact that she never asked you to be her
boyfriend, like I said earlier. Those two factors were enough to do you in. Now you have to
move on to the next girl, Kyrie. Make sure this one is more mature.
Remember, guys: The more time you have in with her, the safer you are.
Past Love
Hey Doc,
Let me start by saying that I consider you to be the single source of truth when it comes to
love and relationships. I purchased and studied "The System" and faithfully follow your
weekly columns. I cannot thank you enough for putting love and dating into perspective so
that I could be in a healthy relationship and become a productive member of society.
My issue is more on the love side than you typically address, but I figure this is a matter
that afflicts everyone at some point and has far-reaching ramifications. Some 21 years ago,
fresh out of college and in the Navy, I met my first love, Kelly. After nine months of bliss, I
was sent away for 14 months to a remote island for duty. We tried to keep our relationship
going, but then a great career opportunity arose in which I had to go back for more lengthy
training. However, at about the same time, her letters stopped flowing. In short, the distance
took its toll. Challenge was not there, interest dropped and, when I finally got back, Kelly had
moved on. As an emotional basket case, I made your classic Wimpus Americanus mistake
and wrote her a babbling letter. Fortunately, I had some good friends who prevented me from
trying any sort of contact with her. I missed Kelly to no end but forced myself to move on.
Fast forward 10 years. Im out of the Navy, have a graduate degree, international and
domestic career experience and a couple of broken relationships, and I got wise with your
guidance. I met an absolutely wonderful woman, Morgan, and weve been married for seven
years and now have a newborn son. Just recently my father passed away and I had a chance to
reflect. I began to think about Kelly. I searched the internet and found that her mother had
passed away recently as well and that she's married with three sons.
This whole thing has unleashed all kinds of emotions. I have rewritten a short letter to Kelly
over and over expressing my condolences with a small personal touch and am now
comfortable with it. I have not sent it because I have some reservations, which is why Im
soliciting your coaching. The left brain cautions: What would your wife think, what do you
really hope to happen and why play with fire? The right brain pushes in the other direction:
You are doing this for you and what better time to get closure for the both of you?
Im somewhere in the middle. Personally, I would like to know the facts of what happened
between me and Kelly and simply process them. I have no intention of jeopardizing anyones
relationship and, at the same time, am concerned about how my letter would be received. I
realize that this is not a question of Challenge, but of Interest Levels.
What do you think, Doc? Should I contact Kelly and resurrect the past?
DeMarcus - who cant decide which side of his brain to go with
Doc Love's Response
Hi DeMarcus,
First of all, I want to thank you for having the ability to set your ego aside and come to me
humbly. And let me point out that all I do is address the love side of relationships, from
asking for a girls phone number all the way to staying out of divorce court. Thats all got to
do with love, my friend.
The reason the letters from Kelly stopped flowing to you was because she ran into another
guy. To you psych majors, when youre not right in front of a girl and youre thousands of
miles away on some remote island, shes going to run into somebody else. I concur that you
had some really good friends who prevented you from trying to see Kelly, because that would
have been the stupidest thing you couldve ever done in your life.
Let me explain something to you, DeMarcus. When youre going with a girl and then join the
military and disappear for six months to a year, its going to be extremely hard to keep her.
Like my cousin General Love says, When you enter the military, you shouldnt even have a
girl. Its really tough to be away from a girl for that long. Shes going to go out with her
girlfriends, then meet her girlfriends boyfriends best friend, and then the four of them are
going to go out. In the beginning, theres nothing to it; then, all of sudden, she has feelings for
the guy and youre toast. This sad story has been told a million times.
Now, I feel badly that your father passed away, but what does that have to do with Kelly?
Trying to put the two together is a real stretch. When you went to search for Kelly on the
internet, right there you were committing cyber adultery. Now youre trying to bring up the
past, and the past is dead and gone.
You might be comfortable with the letter you wrote Kelly, but would she? I can just hear her
now: Whos this guy coming at me from the past? I barely remember him!
Your brain might be at war with itself, DeMarcus, but let me assure you that the left side is
the side doing the right thing. Why are you talking about closure for both of you? Kellys
already had closure. When she got rid of you she had closure. This thing was over 20 years
ago, man!
This is why we have the Bottom Line Factor in The System. The Bottom Line Factor says
that youre never going to try to understand why she did something youre only going to
go by her actions. And what were her actions? Kelly dropped you. You were too far away and
she met another guy. End of story. Theres nothing else to understand about this situation.
This thing was dead from the beginning because you were away in the military.
If you send the letter you wrote, youre going to come off as a loon because Kellys happily
married to some other guy. And the reason you want closure is because she dropped you. If
you had dropped her instead, you could care less about closure. You have to memorize my
book because your thinking is way off.
Should you resurrect the past? No! What is Kelly supposed to say? I always loved you deep
down so Im leaving my husband and Im going to go with you? So get rid of your wife and
kid, and Ill come to you and be in your arms? Thats what youre hoping for, dude, and
youre full of it.
Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Dont rock the boat.
Not Available
Hey Doc,
Greetings from a humble disciple. I met Carla at my job. She is the most beautiful girl on the
floor and every guy just stares at her and talks about her. But thats where it ends, because
they never actually talk to her. Well, I consider myself a self-confident guy and never had
trouble with women, so I started making jokes with Carla. It was really innocent, because I
had a girlfriend at the time and did not want to cheat on her, so I never crossed the line.
A few months ago, Carla and I began to talk a lot. She started touching me and even hugged
me. I really thought it was nothing. Looking back, I was a big Challenge to her. The only
problem is that she has a boyfriend.
A month ago, I broke up with my girlfriend and I realized how much I wanted to be with
Carla. At that moment, we were exchanging emails and she was giving me all the indicators
of interest. Three days later, I told her I was single. She was shocked because I never talked
about my relationship with my girlfriend, even though she used to tell me a lot of horrible
things about her boyfriend.
Well, we went out after work. The excuse was that I had to buy a gift for my mother for
Christmas. She started touching me again. After some small talk, I told Carla I was through
with the jokes and that I wanted more. I tried to get closer to her, but she asked me not to do
it. She said someone might see us. Then she said it was wrong, that she wouldnt be able to
cheat on her boyfriend, that we started as friends and should stay that way. After all this, she
kept saying things to turn me on and even grabbed my butt. I kissed her neck, bit her ear, and
she asked me to stop (but she wanted more because she pulled me closer).
Trying to stay a Challenge, I stopped. In the end, Carla told me I should wait a bit, because we
could be together when she broke up with her boyfriend (if that ever happens, I know). I
answered that I wouldnt wait and she could be a friend, since we couldnt have anything else
and it was better than not talking.
Our contact has pretty much ceased now. I know she will have trouble resisting me if we
meet, so I have to create an event where we could go out and have a little time to be together.
What I really dont know, Doc, is how to behave. Am I being a total jerk? Did I create enough
Challenge? Is Carla really interested in me but just having problems cheating on her
boyfriend? What do you think? What could I do to get her?
Billy who feels a little sleazy
Doc Love's Response
Hi Billy,
You say that youre my disciple. That means youve memorized my materials, correct?
Let me point something out to you right upfront. The jokes you made to Carla were not
innocent. You wanted something from her, Billy. So dont try to snow me, okay?
That said, your first mistake was talking to Carla. You shouldnt be talking a lot. You should
be listening a lot when youre in front of her on a date, not blabbing all kinds of garbage to
her before you go out on the first date.
How can you be a big Challenge to Carla when she already has a boyfriend? Shes the one
whos the Challenge because she has the boyfriend! Are you sure youre my disciple?
Why did you tell Carla you were single? Youre not supposed to be bringing up heavy
subjects, Billy. All you should have done was ask for Carlas phone number. Thats the
procedure. You get the phone number, ask her out, and if she doesnt have a boyfriend, shell
give you the right answer.
But here you are flirting with a girl whos not available, guy. And since shes not, you have to
disappear. You can kid her occasionally for 30 seconds or so, but thats it. You give her no
more time than that until she tells you, Guess what? I broke up with my boyfriend.
It was a complete waste of time to go out with Carla after work. Worse, you told her you
didnt want to joke around anymore and that you wanted more. Another huge mistake. Youre
not supposed to come on serious and heavy, pal. She should be coming on heavy and serious
with you. More mistakes!
When Carla asked you not to get close to her, right there you were dead. What does it mean
when she says dont get close? To you psych majors, it means shes not interested and/or she
has a boyfriend.
Carla might have bit your ear, but shes not leaving her boyfriend. Thats the main point here.
Youre getting a hug and a kiss, but Carlas not leaving her guy. And why are you all over a
woman who belongs to someone else? Shes not available!
Let me repeat this again, Billy: Youre not a Challenge if Carla has a boyfriend. You cant be,
by definition. Sure, you can be together if she dumps her boyfriend. But like my cousin Sal
The Fish Love says, Whens that going to happen 30 years from now? Are you really
going to wait in the wings for Carla and not date anybody else until she dumps her boyfriend?
The reason your contact with Carla has ceased is because you blew it with her instead of just
flirting with her casually at work and waiting for her to tell you that she got rid of her
boyfriend. Thats what you have to wait for now.
So forget about creating fake events. Carla doesnt want to go out, which she told you twice.
Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Barring a miracle, youre out.
Are you being a total jerk? Yes. Did you create enough Challenge? In this case, Challenge
isnt an issue. It doesnt make any difference if Carla is having problems with her boyfriend
because shes not going to drop him.
Billy, youd better reread "The System" ASAP because you missed 90% of it. You cant be
my disciple and still make the number of basic mistakes youre making.
Remember, guys: If she has a boyfriend, shes not available.
Ava and I have had our time-sharing hearings in court I pay child support, day care, etc.
Late last year, I also lost my job of 11 years and its been the worst year of my life, but to add
to this madness, Im seriously contemplating trying to get Ava back. Why? Because I cant
handle not seeing my son every day. The time-sharing arrangement this past year could have
been easier on all of us, but I believe Avas made it more difficult deliberately, and despite
her proclamations to the contrary, I think she still feels something for me. If she felt nothing,
all these issues wouldnt have been so difficult.
Avas family hates me, and I think this is one of our major problems. In all our time together,
she was never completely honest with me in regards to how she handled conflicts in our
relationship, not once in three years. There are also romantic incompatibilities. It seems like
nothing will ever change. But a part of me still wants to try.
Doc, I still feel something for Ava. Its not the strongest emotion in the world, and a lot of the
relationship wasnt good, but we didnt give it a fair shot to begin with. I believe somethings
still there, even though shes REALLY, REALLY still angry with me.
What can I do, Doc?
Gustavo who should have his head examined
Doc's Response
Hi Gustavo,
Your first problem is that you dated Ava on and off for three years. On and off never
works. So right there, in the very first sentence of your letter, youre already dead. Next, you
say you werent compatible. Guy, you cant live with a woman you dont get along with. In
your second sentence, youre dead again.
Third, you tell me that Ava talks too much. Gustavo, this woman is going to drive you insane
with her flapping gums. So what do you have? Its on and off, youre incompatible and when
she talks, it feels like a dental drill in your ear. What does all of that tell you, my friend?
Dead, dead, dead.
When Avas family asked if she got knocked up in order to trap you, it proved that they know
her better than you do. Unfortunately, your little son is going to be the big loser here. Like my
cousin Sal The Fish Love says, The poor little tyke has two kooks for parents.
I know youre distressed about the breakup, Gustavo, but if you and Ava are incompatible,
she did the right thing by getting rid of you. Why are you getting all uptight about it?
I have to agree with you that if youre trying to get Ava back, you are indeed mad. Your
Interest Level is in the 90s, and thats a humongous problem. I tell you guys never to let your
interest rocket that high, but obviously you didnt listen. And how much damage does this
woman have to do to you before you finally wake up? To boot, shes sadly going to be a lousy
mother to your son, and thats the biggest problem here. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says, You got yourself a real mess here.
Its OK that you cant handle not seeing your child every day. Thats the way fathers should
feel. But you went back and forth with his mother, you knew you werent compatible with
her, you broke up with her and when you were supposed to name your son, she pulled the rug
out from under you. When are you going to get the drift that shes a whack job?
But despite all the damage Avas done to your life, you still think she digs you. Whoa. Id
hate to see what would happen if she hated you!
What can you do now? I think you need to see a psychiatrist, Gustavo. Other than that, all you
can do now is dutifully pick up your son every week, be the best father you can and dont
badmouth his mother. Thats about all the choice you have in this quagmire. And like my
cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, And you get to do it for 18 years, brother!
Hopefully, after 18 years, your kid will realize that youre normal and his mother is loony.
Thats about the best you can hope for.
Remember, guys: if youre both nuts, the kids the one who suffers.
Expressing Feelings
Hey Doc,
I read your articles religiously, and theyve been a tremendous help to me.
Im 40, divorced for two years and have dated a handful of women in that time. I met
my current girlfriend, Brittney, two months ago, and we hit it off. Shes 31 and has two
kids, 14 and three. No dads are in the picture. Brittney is extremely smart and just
finished her master's degree, despite having two kids and working a job, which
impressed me.
Our relationship has progressed slowly and steadily, and we see each other once or
twice a week. I also have two kids from my marriage, and Im responsible for them on
a part-time basis. I follow your advice and never put any pressure on Brittney. I
always wait for her to initiate physical contact and will sometimes go a day without
contacting her at all. Im trying to remain a Challenge and keep her interested.
Not long ago, Brittney asked me to be her boyfriend and I accepted. The romantic
chemistry is there, but Brittney will rarely if ever tell me how she feels about me or
where she thinks we are. Ive told her that she needs to communicate more and she
agreed, but I still dont know how she really feels about our relationship other than
asking me to be her boyfriend. She constantly showers me with affection when we
are together and always shows me little signs that she is thinking about me, but
never verbally communicates anything.
Recently, I took Brittney on a date to a bar to meet one of my guy friends. My friend
asked her what she did for fun, and she said very straightforwardly, I hang out with
Wilt. That made me feel good. An hour and a couple drinks later, the dance floor
opened up and she asked me if my friend wanted to dance. I was a little surprised
that she would ask that, but I played it cool and leaned over and asked him if he
wanted to dance with Brittney. He declined, saying it was kind of weird. I was a little
irritated but didnt let it show. Then I went to the restroom and left Brittney at the bar.
When I got back, some other guy was talking to her. Her arms were crossed and I
could tell she was not being cooperative, but I feel as though she should have walked
away or said something that would have let this guy know she was taken. Brittney
and I went out and danced a bit before calling it a night.
Doc, how do I know what Brittney is really feeling and get her to say it? Was it odd
that she wanted to dance with my friend and that she didnt want to get away when
approached at the bar by someone who was clearly trying to pick her up?
Wilt - who is suddenly confused
But you insist on begging her to communicate more. So now youre pressuring her.
Youre contradicting yourself when you say you dont pressure her, because you do.
Other than showing up for your dates, being affectionate and asking you to be her
boyfriend, theres nothing more she can do. What the heck do you want out of her,
Wilt? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Youre like a woman
you want to hear all the verbiage. Forget the verbiage, guy. Only her actions that
mean anything. And so far this girl is getting an A+ for her actions.
Regarding what happened at the bar, you dont really know what it meant. Its true
that asking your friend to dance was a quirky move on Brittneys part, and it could be
a minor red flag, but I dont think she was after your friend. Maybe she was thinking
that he was a third wheel and she justwanted to be polite and make him not feel left
out. You have to give her the benefit of the doubt on this because of her past record,
even though its only been a couple of months. I prefer that it be more than a couple
of months, but thats all the time you have in with her. Again, you need my book to
thoroughly understand how this works.
As far as the second guy is concerned, you cant jump to conclusions because you
know nothing about the situation. Brittney might have known the guy. You dont have
any clue what their relationship is or was. And maybe shes slow to let a guy down,
too did you think of that? That might just be her style. No big deal. She ended up
with you that night, didnt she?
How do you know what Brittney is really feeling? Dude, this is why you need my
book. You know nothing whatsoever about the Bottom Line Factor. And the bottom
line here is that Brittney is a great girl.
What happened with your friend and the other guy at the bar are gray areas, and you
dont have 100% of the information you need, so you cant make a snap judgment
and condemn Brittney. What she did that night might have been nothing more than
quirkiness on her part and just the way she's wired. But none of it has anything to do
with her feelings for you.
Remember, guys: Only go by her actions, because theyre what really count.
was going nicely. I didnt ask for her numberbecause she was working and it was
the first time we really talked.
Six weeks later it was time for another haircut. Rain remembered our first
conversation and now we got a little more in depth on family issues and so on. She
said that she and a couple of her girlfriends had resolved that there would be no guys
in their lives until summer since they were so busy. When I walked out she wished
me a good time at a family party I told her about. I said it was going to be fun and that
I wished she could be there. She said But its not my family, though she was being
cute about it.
Being the salesman, I had to close the deal. I waited two hours, called Rain at the
salon and said Hey, I didnt want to bother you at work, but I was wondering if I could
give you a call sometime and maybe we could get together. She said Yes, but
remember that I dont want anything. If you want to go out thats fine, but Im going to
wait before I even think about dating. I said fine and she gave me her number
anyway.
I called Rain and left her a message. She phoned back several hours later but only
let the phone ring twice before hanging up. She didnt give me a chance to answer it,
which I dont get. Its like she wanted me to know that she called because her name
showed up on caller ID, but she either didnt want to talk or she wanted me to call her
back. I did, but then she didnt answer or return the call.
Doc, I want to know what I should do to make summer come much faster without
pressuring Rain. Im trying to think of some way of making her say to herself, I like
this guy and want to take it a step further. Any suggestions?
Jean-Claude - who doesnt want to have to change hair stylists
know her. Pal, you were coming on HEAVY with Rain, which youre not supposed to
do. Whats wrong with you, Jean-Claude? You havent even been out with this girl yet
and youre blatantly showing your Interest Level, which is a no-no. Like my cousin
General Love says, You have a lot to learn, soldier.
When Rain said to you But its not my family, she was throwing you another strong
hint. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Notice that the word NOT contains
the word NO? Dont flatter yourself that she was being cute about it, my friend.
What Rain was trying to tell you without coming right out and saying it in so many
words since youre her customer at the hair salon was FORGET IT.
Nevertheless, it was good that you attempted to close the deal with Rain. But when
she said that she didnt want anything, she was saying that she doesnt want you.
Guy, shes giving you Womanese at every turn here, but you dont hear it and you
dont get it because you dont have my book, which means you couldnt possibly
have read the last chapter, which is entitled WOMANESE.
But Rain told you that she would go out with you anyway on a non-dating basis.
That means youre squarely in the friendship mode with her, which is a complete
waste of time, and one more way in which Rain is telling you that SHES NOT
INTERESTED in you romantically. You want to go out on a date, but Rain doesnt.
She doesnt want to even have a first date with you, and thats what shes trying to
tell you in every way possible. But you have her in a delicate position since youve
trapped her at her place of business, and she had to think of some way to handle it.
Dating you without really dating you was her best solution.
When Rain only let your phone ring twice, it was symptomatic of wavering LOW
INTEREST LEVEL. The reason she never called you back is becauseSHES NOT
INTERESTED. She keeps on telling you that same thing, over and over, in every way
possible. Youre not listening, buddy.
How can you make the hot weather come early? Forget it, dude. This babe has
indirectly told you four times that she has no interest in you. She doesnt care for you
and she certainly doesnt want to take it a step further. Like my cousin Brother Love
down in Watts says, Bro, she just sees you as a haircut and a fat tip and thats it.
You want suggestions? Get my book ASAP and find a new barber.
Remember, guys: when she likes you, shell make it easy for you.
Im from India and I moved to Italy last year for my studies. Thats where I met
Dulcina six months ago. We became very close friends. She is extremely hot and
every guy in the neighborhood wants to be with her. I am just above average, and in
general most girls arent attracted to me. In my 24 years of life, Ive had only one
small relationship while she has had many men.
Despite our cultural differences, Dulcina and I have many things in common. I started
becoming very attracted to her, and I revealed this to her honestly. At that point she
told me that she wanted me only as a friend and nothing more, and I respected her
decision and feelings, and we continued our relationship as just friends.
At a party I got drunk and made out with a girl I had crush on and then told Dulcina
about this incident. She got extremely angry with me, saying that I lied to her about
my feelings for her and that I only want to sleep with every other girl I meet. After a
huge argument, she didnt talk to me for two days. I was confused by what
happened. After she calmed down, she told me that she did not know that she had
feelings for me and that this incident made her realize how much she loves me. She
said that she would love to see if we could have a relationship, but she didnt want to
tell anyone and wanted to try dating secretly.
Recently, Dulcina and I started living together, but since then everything has fallen
apart. She says that I have changed, she keeps criticizing me about everything, says
that my personality is not that of the guy she knew and that I am no longer a person
with solid principles and that she misunderstood me. We had a big fight, and now she
says that she wants nothing to do with me, neither a relationship nor a friendship. I
am really perplexed. I dont want to lose Dulcina in any way. What should I do, Doc?
Omar - whose head is whirling
month ago, she wanted to break up and I agreed to it. After the second week, I
totally stop communicating with her and it drove her crazy. Once a week, she would
text me and say that she missed me. I held my ground and didnt respond. I wanted
to wait at least a month before talking face-to-face with her about our relationship and
its future.
Long story short, I recently got together with Lena and she confessed to me that she
was seeing another person while we were broken up and that she actually got very
romantic with him when she was drunk, even though she didnt like the guy. She said
she felt awful about what she did, then asked that she and I get back together. I felt
so disrespected that I told her to never call or communicate with me again. But Im
torn, Doc. Lena is a good girl who is flexible and caring, and she has Integrity or
so I once thought.
Here are my questions: Do I have the right to be mad at Lena for cheating on me
with this other guy when we were officially broken up? It shouldnt feel like a betrayal,
but for some strange reason it does. Should I forgive her? I do respect her for telling
me the honest truth about what she did instead of lying or not telling me at all. The
truth really does hurt, but Im glad I know now so I can completely move on if I decide
to.
Im looking forward to your coaching. Thank you, Doc.
Adam - who feels crushed
talk about. You really have to read the chapter in my book called "Going Back," pal.
Its obvious that you didnt get that far.
So Lena was seeing somebody else when you were broken up. Like my cousin Fast
Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Man, she didnt waste any time, did she? Even
though she couldnt stand the guy, with enough Jack Daniel's she toughed it out,
right? Hey great girl!
Why would Lena want to get back together with you? Whats important is not that
she messed around after you were broken up, which is her right; the important thing
the only important thing is that she dropped you in the first place. So theres
nothing to go back to, my friend. Again, this whole thing is a dead issue.
But you felt so dissed that you never wanted to see or speak to Lena again, and now
youre being all uptight, Adam. What you should have said was Sure, honey, well
get back together, but Im busy right now with a few new girls, so Ill have to get back
to you. And then never called her again.
Despite her drunken spree with this other guy, you maintain that Lena has all kinds of
great qualities. Well, I have to agree that shes flexible, all right. Especially when
shes hanging out with strange men and swilling a lot of booze!
No, Adam, you dont have any right whatsoever to be angry with Lena forcheating
on you when you were officially broken up. To you psych majors, when she drops
you, what happens between her and any other guy is none of your concern. Youre
out and its over. Theres nothing to forgive shes not your girlfriend anymore. Let
me remind you again: she dumped you.
One more thing. You dont really respect Lena for telling you the truth about what
happened between her and this other dude during their drunken night together.
Respect isnt an issue here. Your heart is broken; thats what really happened. So
just admit it to yourself and move on.
And thats what you have to do now, ASAP: move on.
Remember, guys: Once she dumps you, you have no say whatsoever over what she
does or who she sees.
Susan and I met through mutual friends. We hit it off well from day one and things
were going great until one of our late-night conversations veered into her somewhat
secretive relationship. She was going on about how much she liked me and had
feelings for me, which I assured her were mutual. Then she threw in the but: Im in a
relationship and its kind of confusing. So I asked her to try to explain it to me as best
as she could. Basically, she is involved with another guy well call Joe.
Susan is 100% Chinese, so her family influence is very strong, which is nice because
Im a family guy myself. However, shes afraid to tell her parents about her boyfriend,
which is why no one else around her but me knows about him. She said she wants
us to keep things casual, which was fine by me because we were just hanging out
anyway.
This guy Joe, however, is in China for at least another year. They have been
separated by this distance for three months or so. From what I was told by Susan, he
is living with a very attractive Chinese woman.
Well, at this point, I was okay with the situation, but after many late nights of deep
conversation and going out to bars with Susan, I started to develop feelings for her. I
told her I dont want to be the guy who tears apart a relationship, but one night
something rather inevitable happened and we ended up getting very romantic.
We both enjoyed it immensely and she insisted that we do it again, but I told her it
cant happen again until she is not involved in another relationship. She smiled and
said she would take care of things and not to worry. However, when I last talked to
her, she said she really loves Joe and that the two of them talked and have decided
to have an open relationship.
I know that neither open relationships nor long-distance relationshipswork, and
Susans relationship with Joe is both. In the end I know their relationship isnt going to
work out. But she is insistent that it will and that she doesnt want to lose Joe.
Im confused about what to do, since Susan and I arent officially dating. And I
certainly dont want her to be with Joe. I plan on still seeing Susan and hanging out
with her, and we will likely get romantic again, but is it wrong of me to continue what
weve been doing knowing its going to damage an already failing relationship?
Maximillian - who doesnt want to be a third wheel
You might be dying to get romantic with Susan again, but all thats going to happen is
that youre going to get burned when the other guy comes back. Like I said before,
this whole deal is nothing but a waste of time. Youre No. 2 here, and the third wheel
you dont want to be.
Of course its wrong to continue what youre doing, but only because youre going to
get hurt down the road. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Bro, youre
playin with fire. My job is to protect your heart.
This girl is not available, so if I were you, my friend, I wouldnt hang out with her at all.
Remember, guys: When she has a boyfriend, youre wasting your time.
So far, weve been out on three dates. The lunch date, dinner and a movie, and a
double date with her best friend whom she considers a sister. She had to cancel our
next date because of a birthday party for a young family member she had forgotten
about.
I feel like Ericas Interest Level is pretty high, as several times during our dates she
reached for my hand, touched me playfully, and we kissed. She also futured me,
saying we could go to a bar for our next date since I had mentioned wanting to. I
estimate shes in the 70s or 80s right now as far as Interest Level is concerned. I
think Im doing a decent job with this girl, but decent isnt good enough. I need to
knock it out of the park, and, for that, Im calling on your valuable insight. What can I
do to drive Erica crazy?
Wit who is finally warming up to settling down
you dont know her at all. Ive said this before and I will repeat it again: Until you
get to 10 or 12 dates, you cant count anything!
Dont worry about your competition. Your competition is yourself. As far as Ericas
looks go, like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Beauty is in the eyes of the
beholder. If you find Erica attractive, thats all that matters. You say that you are
several cuts above guys that Erica has been out with. Is that because of your product
knowledge or because you just think youre better looking?
Did Erica counter-offer when she cancelled your last date? Did she set another date
at another time? You dont mention any of that. You might have my book, but you
dont understand it, guy; I can tell by your questions.
Its nice that Erica is affectionate with you and that shes talking about the future, but,
once again, you only have three dates in with her. This means you dont have nearly
enough information about her and you certainly havent gained a beachhead with
her. What can you do to drive her crazy? Memorize The System. Its that simple.
Show her manners and class, and never get all heavy and serious. And dont get
mushy keep it light and funny, and always be a gentleman. If you observe those
rules, youll have a shot.
Remember, guys: After three dates, you dont know anybody.
Finally, a year ago, Brianna started pushing me for the child really hard and she told
me that shed either get pregnant or leave me. At that point I gave in and she got
pregnant. We married a year ago and my son was born in June, 2012. Afterward,
Briannas Interest Level was probably in the 50s. She changed the rules (after the
marriage and the kid!), startednagging me almost to death and not caring about me
at all. She wouldnt let me eat, sleep, enjoy myself, etc. I now spend some of the time
with Brianna and the child, and the rest in my city. Recently things have really
deteriorated. Brianna calls me horrible names and threatens to divorce me. Ive
got The System now and have realized all my mistakes. But too late! If Id gotten it
a year and a half ago, everything would be different right now!
Doc, Ive lost some of my confidence with all the nagging. Were back together and
Briannas behaving normally and not nagging quite as much, but she doesnt touch
me, doesnt hug me, doesnt kiss me. Please tell me whether its possible to reverse
this process somehow. You say that once Interest Level dips under 50%, theres no
way back. But perhaps something could work out?
I would really like to keep my family together and not leave the kid without a father.
Calvert - who feels beaten down
But she told you that she had to get pregnant or leave you. Now think about this, pal.
Briannas saying Either I have a child or you have to leave me. That is an
ultimatum! I dont like ultimatums, which you'd know if youd read my book.
Ultimatums are not loving. Like my cousin General Love says, Theyre more like
gunslingers daring each other to draw first. Brianna should have tried to work this
out with you, but you got into a bad situation at the very beginning of this
relationship because of the distance. And the mess started right there, and you have
not been able to clean it up because of the distance and not knowing The System.
Congratulations on your child. The problem is that Brianna went andchanged the
rules on you as soon as the little guy arrived. Im shocked! Women never do that! But
seriously, being called names and being issued ultimatums is no fun. Well, I have to
say one thing: Brianna sure is a sweet and loving wife!
But now youve got my book and youre realizing all of your mistakes. Your first
and biggest was picking a woman who lives so far away. Of course everything
would have been different if youd gotten The Systema couple of years ago. Every
guy tells me that! If Briannas Interest Level is 51%, there are techniques you can use
to nudge it up. But if its below 51%, youre dead in the water, and the worst part is
that Brianna is the mother of your child. What you have to do is this: Dont touch your
wife, dont kiss her and keep it light and funny. If she wants affection, she has to
come to you. But you cannot reciprocate until she cuts out the nagging and namecalling and ultimatums.
And nothing can work out once Interest Level drops below 51%. Im sorry, buddy. Its
good that you would like to keep your family together and not leave your kid without a
father, but you should have thought of that before you got entangled in a messy longdistance relationship. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, Now the
best you can hope for is that your kid doesnt hate you for the rest of his life.
Remember, guys: If you want the odds in your favor, you have to memorize The
System.
I dated Britt for a year. We met when we were dating other people: She was married
and I had a girlfriend. Eventually, she left her husband and we ended up getting
together (she didnt leave him for me). We live about an hour away from each other,
so technically it was a long-distance relationship.
Throughout the first year, everything was absolutely incredible. Britt was the most
caring, loving girl I had ever been with. But whenever we would talk about the future,
she was inconsistent. Sometimes she would say that she was absolutely traumatized
by marriage and wasnt sure if it was something she would ever want to do again.
Other times (when Im assuming her Interest Level must have been astronomical),
she would tell me she wanted to be my wife one day. Her ex-husband was a jerk and
the complete opposite of who I am. Since we lived in different areas, our relationship
really only consisted of seeing each other on the weekend, but we never missed one.
We got along perfectly, our families and friends all loved each other, and I honestly
thought that she was the last stop for me.
One day, pretty much out of nowhere, Britt tells me she wants to take a big step back
and shes feeling too much pressure. Between our relationship getting serious, the
trauma from divorce, our different life goals (I want marriage and kids one day, not
anytime soon, and she isnt sure she ever wants either), the fact that she is turning
30 and is not sure what to do with her career, etc., she was feeling overwhelmed.
She said we moved too fast (we started dating only a few months after her
separation). Since I was completely blindsided by this and had not read your columns
at the time, I will admit I did not play it cool and I tried to fight for things to work rather
than give Britt the space she was asking for.
Two months later, and its all over between us. I havent seen her in a month and the
only communication we have is through emails. Its gotten to the point where its even
too heavy for me to even want to talk to her. She tells me she still wants to see me to
talk, but only if its going to be fun and not heavy. I cant help but keep blaming
myself, thinking I pushed too hard when she was unsure, rather than backing off.
What I would like to know is did I push her away even further when she said she
needed space, or should I chalk the emotional baggage from her past and her fear of
commitment up to the fact that I never really had a shot anyway?
Please go easy on me, Doc.
Vlad - who is without a clue
When Britt asked for some space, you made the situation worse and lowered her
Interest Level even more by trying to fight it. You reinforced the fact that you were
pressuring her. and pressure never works. When she tells you that she only wants to
talk to you if its fun and not heavy, shes once again verifying what I said. Britt wants
fun and not heavy and thats the key to The System. And the sad part is that you
read four articles and still didnt invest in the book.
Vlad, you did push too hard on Britt. Her emotional baggage wasnt a problem; the
problem was your pressure on top of that baggage.
You did have a shot with Britt, pal, but you blew it.
Remember, guys: Only allow her to talk about the future.
Counter Offer
Alexa started working with me recently, and right from the start, we hit it off pretty
well. Because I never like to rush into anything with a coworker, I decided to get to
know her a little better and take things slow. After three or four weeks, I got the
feeling that she was into me, and it became really obvious when her friends started
asking me how I felt about her. So I decided to ask her out, but the day I asked her
out for she had plans. She asked me to ask her out again when I was free.
A few days later Alexa called me wanting to know if I would like to go to the movies
with her that night, but due to a previous commitment, I couldnt. A week later I asked
Alexa out again, and she told me that she couldnt date me right now because she
has way too much going on and one of her friends mothers just passed away and
she felt that he needed her. Since she likes him, she said and this was a little
cryptic she said that it wouldnt be right for her to date me right now.
I knew that Alexa had a lot going on. Any time you go to college and work full time,
its hard to be able to do anything else, but I felt like what she said about her friend
meant she wanted to see him and not me. She asked if I was upset, and I told her I
was but that I would get over it, and if she changes her mind about getting together,
to let me know. She said she would definitely do that. Its been a week since we had
that exchange. Since then, she has complimented me on how cute she thought my
teeth and eyes are, and shes told me every other day that she will call or text me
but then nothing ever happens. Ive even caught her staring at me over the cubicle
walls, but I dont know what it means. I have read your book and still dont know what
to do. Am I being jerked around for some reason? I have no idea if Alexa is seeing
this other guy, and I dont know if I should wait for her or just forget about her and
start dating other girls.
But Alexa keeps telling you that shes going to call or text you, but then nothing ever
happens. Like they say in Texas, This girl is all hat and no cattle! And she stares at
you over the cubicle walls at your job, but you dont know what it means. Like my
cousin Sal The Fish Love says, It means she should see a psychiatrist.
You might have looked at my book, Dhani, but you havent read it once a week for 15
weeks like you have to, thats for sure; I can tell by what you did and the questions
you ask. Your problem is so clearly covered by the bottom-line factor in the Dating
Dictionary, its unbelievable!
Are you being jerked around for some reason? Yes, my friend and youre being
polite to yourself.
Should you go out with other girls or wait for Alexa? I think you should wait. Hey, look
at it this way maybe you can end up being best man for this other guy at Alexas
wedding!
Remember, guys: When you ask her out and she turns you down and doesnt
counter-offer, it means she doesnt care for you.
I would have told her if I did like her, and that I knew she didnt want a relationship at
the moment. I also told her I was glad she brought it up, because from what I saw, it
kind of seemed like she liked me.
I know that nothing will happen between us, but what confuses me is that Ireland
keeps texting me. Even after telling me she doesnt want a relationship, she always
finds a way to make conversation. Is this love creeping at my door? Or am I the crazy
one?
Putney who wonders if theres more behind her words
If you know that Ireland doesnt want a relationship, what in the world are you doing
spending all this time with her? This is all a big waste of time! You could be out
hustling other women, guy, instead of holding onto the receiver listening to Ireland
spill her guts to you every night. Whats the matter with you?
When Ireland said that she likes you as a friend but doesnt want a relationship, you
should have paid close attention. Because she said it all right there. Thats the
beginning and the end of the story, my friend. When you said that you didnt like her
and didnt want a relationship, thats a flat-out lie. Youre completely in love with
Ireland. So dont try to pull the wool over my eyes.
Now let me explain to you why this babe keeps texting you. Its a simple matter,
really. Youre her pal. Youre her brother. Youre her girlfriend. She feels she can
confide in you anytime. Youre her psychiatrist. Heck, youre more available than her
shrink! Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Youre everything but a date. In
other words, everything you want to be for Ireland, youre not.
Is Ireland crazy? No, youre the crazy one for thinking you have a chance with her. Is
love knocking at your door? No way. Youre hearing things, man. And yes, like I said,
youre definitely the crazy one. Get my book ASAP. Its your only hope. Remember,
guys: if you get stuck in the friendship zone, youre dead.
More recently, Morgan asked if she could go and visit her exs family because they
invited her to some sort of family event. At that point I told her that I was
uncomfortable with this situation and she shouldnt be staying in contact with her ex
or his family. She got upset and brought back the whole godmother-of-her-exsnephew issue.
Doc, what am I supposed to do here? Ive been very understanding of her position as
the childs godmother, but it keeps bringing her ex back into the picture. I feel like Im
going to lose Morgan if I havent already. Id love to know what youd do in this
situation.
Klaus - whos between a rock and a hard place
Hi Klaus,
Heres the problem with Morgans first request to babysit. If this were a one-shot deal,
it would be one thing. But its not. Youre talking babysitting on a continuous basis
here. When Morgan says she wants to babysit every Sunday night, it means she
wants to do it every Sunday nightforever. So what shes doing here is going into the
past, and thats not a good thing since the past includes this ex of hers. She should
have turned her exs sister down because she should have known that she was
inevitably going to run into this ex, which would make you uncomfortable and would
be disloyal to you. But Morgan doesnt know a thing about loyalty because she
doesnt see that its an issue here. And remember that according to the The
System, loyalty is No. 1 to a man in a relationship.
But Morgan insisted on babysitting her godchild. Now, you know if youve read my
book that I do not believe in ultimatums. However, in 1% of these situations, an
either/or response is justified. So you should have said to Morgan, Do you want to
babysit this kid, or do you want to keep me as your boyfriend? This woman is either
dumb or nave because she is going to run into her ex if she insists on this ridiculous
arrangement. Or like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Maybe this is
just an excuse to see her ex, whom she really misses, and babysitting the kid is the
perfect ruse to do it.
And Morgan did indeed run into her ex while babysitting. Dude, Im shocked! How
could something like that happen? But heres the most important point: why didnt
your girlfriend keep her mouth shut about seeing her ex? And why is she rubbing this
guy in your face? How is this a loving act in any way? How is it supposed to make
you feel that Morgan is running into this guy? Is it supposed to make you feel better?
But she insists that she wants her money back and thats all there is to it. Morgan
was stupid to lend her ex thousands of bucks to begin with. But the really big problem
here is this: Your girlfriend wants to spend time with an ex. Like my cousin Brother
Love down in Watts says, Babysitting aint got nothin to do with this situation no
more. Morgans not going to get the money back from her ex. If she hasnt gotten a
penny back over the last year, shes not suddenly going to start collecting now. And
her ex who no doubt wants her back is probably baiting her with some line of
BS like this: Hey, Im really trying hard to pay you back, but can we have coffee and
talk about it?
Now Morgan is being invited by her exs family to a family event. Like my cousin Sal
The Fish Love says, Why doesnt she just ask them if she can move in with them
while shes at it? But when you protested your discomfort, she brought up her
godchild as an excuse. In other words, its more important for her to be a godmother
to her exs nephew than it is to make the man shes allegedly in love with feel
comfortable and loved.
What would I do if I were you? Drop her ASAP. And thats what you should do, too.
Youve already lost Morgan. This is a girl you met on the rebound and she has no
feelings for you. So theres nothing to do but jettison her, the sooner the better.
Remember, guys: If she finds an excuse to see her ex, you dont own her.
Loyalty Is Everything
Hey Doc,
Im a loyal fan and I always recommend your articles to my guy friends. I met Shana
four months ago on an online dating site. Shes 33 and a knockout. We hit it off and
have been dating since. I always follow your rules and never contact her unless she
reaches out to me, and we only go out about once a week. Ive been working hard on
being a Challenge, and it has paid off with this woman. Her Interest Level is high
and shell do anything I ask. She always compliments me on how smart I am and
talks as if were going to be together forever.
Now heres where I think I went wrong. I started inviting Shana to some small social
get-togethers with some of my friends. Everyone liked her and she seemed to have a
blast. Two months ago, I planned a trip to a casino town to help my best friend
celebrate his advanced degree (hes 36). He was bringing his girlfriend, so I thought it
would be a great idea to invite Shana along. Shana had never met my friend, but I
suspect she had been checking out his Facebook page because at two separate
points she mentioned to me that she had a dream and that my friend was in it. I
thought it was odd since she had never met him but I played it cool and just laughed
it off, but it stuck in my head.
Now, usually Shana dresses very casually. But when we left for this trip, she showed
up at my place dressed to kill: short skirt, fresh pedicure/manicure, hair perfect, etc. I
was like, "Wow! You look great but for a car ride?" My fears were confirmed when
they met. I could tell immediately that Shana was very attracted to my friend and it
was difficult for her to hide it. She was giving him all kinds of signals, intently focusing
on anything he said, asking questions, following him around, being provocative, and I
would catch her staring at him regularly. Thank God this was only a one-day trip, but I
was hurt. I found it difficult to hide my attitude that night, though I never said why I
had it.
I was so angry that when we got to my place and we all said our goodbyes, Shana
came inside, and I simply packed up the little stuff she had at my house and handed
it to her. She teared up a bit, and I apologized for being distant the night before. I
never explained to her why I was upset because I assumed she must have known
and she never asked me why or what was wrong. I swore to myself I would never
contact Shana again because she disrespected me in front of my friends. Im the
guy she was supposed to be trying to impress, and Im the dummy who paid the bill
for her to be along for the trip.
The absence of contact for the past week has been eating me up, though, and now
Im wondering if I should have sat Shana down and explained to her why I was upset
and why I ended it. Im not sure I would have been able to do it without sounding
insecure or like a wuss. So Doc, did I do the right thing? Do you think Shana knew
what was up? If she reaches out to me, should I tell her she embarrassed me or do I
need to close the door on this and never speak to her again?
Portnoy - who has a lot to complain about
asked her if shed been to his Facebook page. Portnoy, her dream wasnt odd; it was
downright weird.
Then Shana went ahead and practically threw herself at your friend during your little
jaunt. And you have to look at it this way, too: She was also doing all this stuff in front
of the girl your buddy brought along on the trip. So she wasnt just insulting you; she
was also totally dissing this guys girlfriend because her Interest Level in your friend
is so high. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Shanas a real gem.
You dont owe Shana an apology for anything, my friend. You got it backwards. She
owes you an apology. Of course she knew what she did was wrong. This girl gets a
big, fat F in Loyalty. Shana did totally disrespect you in front of your friends. You
took the right approach by handing back her stuff and telling her to get lost. My hat is
off to you for the way you handled it.
So why would you want to talk to this babe now? She didnt just send up one minor
red flag here she sent up a whole field full of red flags with this friend of yours in
the short amount of time you were all together. And what can she say now? Gee,
Portnoy, youre right. I flirted with this guytwo dozen times and I was wrong and Im
never going to do that again. Gee, I dont know what got into me! Do you really think
youre going to have that conversation, my man?
Did you do the right thing? You did the right thing perfectly, buddy. Of course Shana
knew what was up. Shes not stupid. Thirty-three and beautiful? Come on, dude.
If she calls you up, tell her youd like to talk to her but you cant because your dates
in the bathroom. Then tell her to keep in touch.
Remember, guys: If she doesnt have Loyalty, shes worthless.
hints). For instance, when I asked her if we could get back together in the future, she
says theres a chance. She still flirts with me and touches me like I'm her boyfriend.
We take turns going to each others houses and spending the night. Basically it has
felt like we were together again but without the official title, so to speak.
One day, Suzi was showing me her new phone and I spotted the photo of a guy I
didnt recognize. She took the phone away from me, so I became curious. Eventually
I came to find out that she was talking to another guy. Later I found out they were
intimate after only two weeks of seeing each other. Now, I would think this is a
normal occurrence for relationships and affairs, but for Suzi and me, its different
because we were both saving ourselves for each other.
As you can imagine, Doc, this hurts me in every possible way. Not only is it painful,
but it is also embarrassing and demeaning to me and I cant discuss it with my
friends.
I am angry, jealous, lonely, frustrated and bitter, but I still love her. I dont know if she
still loves me. We have not spoken again for over a month, but she emails and texts
me that she misses me. I dont know if I even want her back anymore, and if I do,
what should I do? Is she still worth fighting for or is she a lost cause? Coach me,
Doc.
Ross who is reeling from his discovery
understand why Suzi got turned off by you (which you dont have a clue about) and
you would be moving on.
Of course you just want to see those imaginary hints. Suzi is just stroking your ego,
but theres really nothing there. Shell go back and forth and throw out all the
standard excuses: Im not sure what I want. Im mixed up. I dont know how I
feel. Eventually its over and you realize thatyouve wasted all your time with this
girl. But the more important problem is not that she dropped you, but that you dont
know why she dropped you, and without my book, you will continue to make the
same mistakes with the next girl and the girl after that. Like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love from East L.A. says, Its a vicious cycle, man.
Of course theres a chance you can get back together. And maybe you can hit the
moon with a bow and arrow, too. It might feel to you like youre getting back together
with Suzi, but shes on her way out. When she gets rid of a guy, she does it
gradually. To you psych majors, most women drop you gradually.
Why are you surprised that you saw a photo of a guy on Suzis phone? Shes not
your girlfriend, Ross! Of course shes talking to other guys. She dumped you, didnt
she? What else do you think shes going to do with herself? And let me straighten
you out on something else: You were saving yourself for her. She wasnt saving
herself for you. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Your capital in this relationship has
already been spent.
Of course you were hurt by what Suzi did. No guy likes rejection. Rejection is mans
most feared emotion. But when guys get the ax, they always want to know if they can
get her back, but they dont want to know why she got turned off. This is where most
men are stupid.
Forget what your friends think about this situation. Who cares what they think? Their
hearts arent broken, yours was. But without The System,youll never know why
Suzi dumped you and youll just continue your blunders with the next girl.
Suzi is just a girl whos turned off. Like most women who get turned off, she will go
back and forth for a little while until she finally puts you out of your misery.
You might still love Suzi, but until you get my book, youre going to continue down the
same road of failure with every woman you go out with for the rest of your life. And
hopefully you wont have kids, because theyre going to be raised by some stranger
after the judge gives them away.
Does Suzi love you? No. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, If you dont know
if a girl loves you, that means she doesnt. Suzi might text you that she misses you,
but does she tell you how her dates with the other guy are going? Of course you
want her back, dude; dont try to kid yourself. Youre dying inside. If she came
running back to you, youd marry her on the spot.
When you say the words worth fighting for, you imply theres some type of chance
that you can get Suzi back. But theres no chance here. When a girl doesnt talk to
you for a month and sees another guy, it means you had your shot and you blew
it. You couldnt hold her.
Theres only one piece of coaching I can give you now, and its the same coaching
most guys need: get "The System"!
Remember, guys: If you dont know why she dropped you, the next girl will drop you
for the same reason.
under which to ask for her number. And, as I mentioned, we are both kind of on the
rebound.
Heres my question: can I interpret her chat about personal things, coming to my
desk and writing me emails later, smiling, etc. as buying signals? Should I ask for her
number? (I know you think that the workplace is not the best place to hustle phone
numbers.) Or should I wait until I gain more Confidence and Self-Control?
Warek who is skittish about taking a shot
You say you should have gotten Sashas number when you were in the kitchen. Well,
why didnt you? If you read my book three times and it says again and again to ask
for the phone number, why didnt you do it? All you have to say to Sasha is, Whats
your phone number? Its that simple, pal. Four little words, and its all done. If I gave
you a million dollars, you could do it, right?
Of course you can be a Challenge if you and Sasha work and play together. You just
dont understand The System yet because you only read it three times. You dont
grasp yet that all you have to do is keep your mouth shut and flirt with the other girls
in the office in front of Sasha toremain a Challenge.
But youd rather keep waiting until the circumstances are ideal. Warek, there are
never going to be perfect circumstances to ask for a girls phone number. If youre
standing next to the president and shes there too, youre still going to have to ask for
her phone number.
Dont worry about Sasha being on the rebound. You dont really know her
circumstances and she doesnt really know yours hopefully. But way too many
people where you work know that youre interested in her and vice-versa. Like I said,
I dont like it. And like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Too many wagging tongues can
only lead to trouble.
Of course Sashas giving you buying signals. So just ask her out. What are you
waiting for? Why wouldnt you ask for her number if you like her? But, no, you want to
wait until you have more Confidence and Self-Control. Like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love from East L.A. says, By that time, shell be married to some other guy.
Remember, guys: You can only judge her Interest Level when she gives you or
doesnt give you her phone number.
Hopeless Romantics
Hey Doc,
Ive just learned about "The System," but I could sure use your coaching now.
Im 23 and every relationship Ive been in has been a disaster. For example, after six
years of chasing one girl, she turned around and told me Im not dating material and
then blamed me for her suicide attempt. Im a good guy, but that threw me over the
deep end. I was in a bad state over this when Pamela, a girl I knew from college,
asked me several times if I was okay. I finally lowered my defenses and opened up
about what was going on inside my head. After everything Ive been through, it takes
a very special girl to even catch my attention, and she did.
After coming back from a semester break, I decided I was going to ask Pamela out
for coffee, expecting her to say no. She said yes. We went out, and it was great and
weve continued to see each other. Our relationship is not perfect. Pamela has had
to cancel dates quite a few times, but we have rescheduled every one of them.
Weve had coffee, lunch, dinner, gone bowling and even went to a hockey game.
Recently I decided to ask her to officially date. She said she needed to think about it,
but she told me that she enjoyed the time we spend together.
Weve now graduated, and last week we were having lunch and I was telling her what
everyone in my family thinks I need to do with my life. Instead of moving back home
across the country, I have chosen to stay here in the east and spend as much time
as I can with Pamela before I lose her. However, she was the one who said she
thinks I should stay until I find a job. I guess Im asking what you think. Am I crazy
and just seeing things, or do I have a real shot with this girl?
Doc, Im a God-fearing American who has been called a hopeless romantic for the
past seven years. Ive never had a good relationship and my role models growing up
were not exactly the best. You may think that this is sappy or pathetic, but I believe in
the old ways, and trust me, I see them as dead everywhere. I believe in honor,
integrity and the whole nine yards. I have even told Pamela this, and she said she
likes all that stuff, too. I just dont know what to do as far as shes concerned.
Thank you for your time and insights.
Franck who wishes he lived in another era
Its nice that Pamela got to know you, but why in the world are you making her your
psychiatrist? You should only be giving her good information about yourself. This tells
me what another one of your problems is, Franck. Youve confused the word honest
with open. Youre supposed to be honest with women, but not be open with them
about your negative issues. You should only be giving to Pamela from your positive
pile.
Why would you expect Pamela to say no to coffee? Youve got a negative attitude,
guy. Part of being a great salesman is knowing youre going to be successful. Like
my cousin Rabbi Love says, Youve got to have the belief that youre going to make
the sale. Otherwise, you shouldnt be trying.
Why is Pamela canceling dates? What this says is that she makes a date with you,
but if something more important comes up, she cancels. And it seems that a lot of
things come up for her that are more important than you.
But you asked her to officially date anyway. To you psych majors, whenever a
woman needs to think about it, that means the answer is no. Women say yes, or they
say they need to think about it. Women say yes, or they say Im not sure. Women
say yes, or they say, Can we talk about this later? But Pamela maintains that she
enjoys the time you spend together. Great! Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says,
Maybe she ought to get a collie.
Then you went and spilled what your family wants you to do. Why are you talking to
Pamela about your trials and tribulations and what you should be doing in the
future? You should be making this girl laugh, pal. You should be making her feel
comfortable. You should be having fun with her. What you shouldnt be doing is
making her into your mama or your shrink.
Let me explain something to you, Franck. You cant lose Pamela because you dont
have her. Remember that she said that she had to think about it? That means you
dont have her. Just because she suggested you hang around until you find a job
doesnt mean shes head over heels for you. Yes, youre crazy and just seeing things,
man. You dont have a shot with this babe.
You claim youre a hopeless romantic. Know what a hopeless romantic is? Hes
someone who doesnt face reality. A hopeless romantic is someone who does things
all wrong and rushes into rejection. Its great to be romantic, but not hopeless.
You might not have had good role models in the past, but thats where I come in. Im
going to be your role model now, and youre going to memorize my materials.
Otherwise youre going to continue on this disastrous course of doing everything
wrong.
You say youre old-fashioned and believe in all those classic qualities. Well, The
System believes in honor and integrity, too. Your problem is that you have those
wonderful qualities mixed up with pouring your guts and soul out to someone who
doesnt even know if she wants to be with you.
Remember, guys: When you bare your soul to a new date, she loses respect for you.
The past few months have been fantastic. Honestly, Alicia acts the way she did when
we first got together. We aren't technically dating, but she has expressed several
times that she wants to try it again, and that she feels like she did when we were
doing well. I let "The System" guide my decision-making, and am constantly aware
of my own Interest Level in Alicia, not letting it go above the 90s.
Now when Alicia says I love you, I make it into a joke. She is now the one looking to
see me, and expresses how she misses me if Im too busy to see her. She is now
jealous of other females I just casually spend time with. Despite her jealousy, she is
always happy to be with me, a total change from before our breakup.
My question is this: Do you think its possible to win a girl back by following "The
System"? You mention in your book that you should move on, because once theyre
gone, youve lost them for good. Yet in this situation I feel that I regained control by
practicing independence and a small degree of much-needed selfishness. Why did
Alicia come running back so quickly and aggressively? Do you think this situation can
be sustainable when we begin dating again?
Dash who is stunned how well "The System" works
But you maintain that Alicia is still very much in love with you. Yeah, shes so in love
with you that she treated you like crap at the end, then dumped you. Like my cousin
Sal The Fish Love says, Id hate to see how shed treat you if she didnt dig you.
Of course you have to read her actions toward you, and that shows that youre
learning something. But youre contradicting yourself, Dash. First you tell me that
youre leaving Alicia, but now youre starting to bite on her bait again, and Alicia
knows it.
What do you mean you two arent technically dating? If youre seeing Alicia, youre
dating. So come on, guy, dont hand me double-talk. I wasnt born yesterday. And
make sure that you read the chapter in my book about going back and how
it never works.
Youre making Alicias declarations of love into a joke because they are a joke. Dude,
what really happened here is that Alicia couldnt make out with anybody else after
she dropped you. Then, when you started running around with a bunch of other
babes, you made her jealous. Thats all there is to this situation.
No, its not possible to win a babe back. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, When her
Interest Level hits 49%, I dont care if you hit the lottery; she will never take you
back. The reason you lose a girl for good is because she has a memory bank and
she remembers all your silly antics that turned her off in the first place. So youre just
playing with Alicias ego here. Her heart doesnt care about you. Like my cousin Fast
Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Theres something loony going on between any
girls ears who drops you and then gets turned on when she finds out youre going
out with other girls.
Like I said earlier, Alicia came back to you quickly because she couldnt make out
with anybody else. And so nobody else would have her but you. No, this deal is not
sustainable because Alicia will bolt again. And like my cousin General Love says, If
she goes over the hill once, shes not trustworthy anymore.
Remember, guys: If you work "The System" from the beginning with a woman, you
never have to clean up a mess.
Broken Dates
Hey Doc,
I was recently introduced to your materials and have begun to read The System. I
met Brianna at work seven months ago; we started joking around, chatting online and
eventually went out for drinks a couple of times. I remained a Challenge and didnt
give this girl too much information about me so she would have reasons to continue
seeing me. Eventually, after a few more dates, we kissed and got quite romantic. Ive
always had problems finding women whose personalities match my easygoing,
independent attitude, but I could really feel good chemistry with Brianna.
After a month or so, I told Brianna that I wanted to take things slow, since I wasnt
sure that I was the only guy she was seeing, even though she always said I was. But
something just didnt feel right and it was holding me back from getting serious with
her.
Three months after we first got together, Briannas work department was moved. This
is where things started going bad. We began to see each other less and I told her
that I had my doubts about where we were going. Eventually she stopped answering
my calls and texts, and then said that she was ignoring me because she knew it
wasnt going to work.
I stopped calling Brianna. But after a while she contacted me and I told her that I
didnt want to throw things away due to a lack of communication and understanding.
She told me she wanted to start over and get to know me, that she hasnt felt this
attraction for someone in a long time, but that she was confused and depressed for
seemingly no reason and that mylack of communication in the first phase cooled
things off for her. Its been two weeks since we had this talk and agreed to start
things over. I tried to set up two dates, but she backed out at the last minute on both
of them.
Doc, I noticed Briannas interest drop from a solid 90% at first to somewhere near
50% now. I understand that there are many fish in the sea, but its rare for me to find
girls that I have good chemistry with like this one. What should I do?
Phill - who needs some good ideas
study. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, You cant pick up a text on neurobiology and
know everything there is to know about the subject after 15 minutes. Thats common
sense.
The reason I demand that you guys read my book 15 times in 15 weeks is because
you have so much garbage between your ears. And every time you read it, youre
going to learn something new from The System and your awareness level is going
to grow.
When you remark that you didnt give Brianna too much information so that she
would continue wanting to see you, you dont know how much you said in that
sentence. To you psych majors, when you dont give a babe a lot of information,
shes going to actually miss you!
But when you talk about how well Brianna and you get along, youre not talking about
Interest Level hers, which is all-important. Youre talking about personality vs.
Interest Level here, and unfortunately for you, one has nothing to do with the other.
They are two separate issues. Are you sure you have the right book, Phill?
Now why in the world did you tell Brianna you wanted to take things slow? Huge,
huge, huge mistake! Why are you baring your soul to a stranger whos not your
girlfriend? To boot, youre talking about something heavy here when youre supposed
to be the class clown and the court jester. Guy, when youre with a girl youre not
supposed to be serious about anything.
Brianna tells you that youre the only guy shes seeing, but you dont believe her. Like
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, As if shed tell you the truth anyway. Your
intuition might indeed be telling you that somethings rotten in the state of Denmark,
but on the other hand, you could just be insecure because you dont understand
anything about women. Did you think of that?
Why are you blabbing to Brianna that you have doubts about where you two are
going? Do you think shes going to push her Interest Level up to 95% just because
youre insecure? Its all right to talk to me about whats bothering you, but you cant
talk to her about your doubts because you cant persuade a woman to push up her
interest. You might just as well come right out and beg: Honey, would you please
add 20 points to your Interest Level? Come on, dude! Its not going to work.
Brianna didnt stop contacting you because it wasnt going to work between the two
of you. She stopped because her Interest Level was below 50%. If its below 50%,
youre out. If its above 50%, youve got a chance. So what does that tell you, Phill?
Brianna started getting in touch with you again because she couldnt make out with
anybody else. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, As far as shes
concerned, you were the only guy left on the planet. And thats the only reason she
called you. But she cant start again and get to know you because you can't start over
- period. One shot per woman per lifetime, remember?
But she insists that she hasnt felt this kind of attraction in a long time. So thats why
when her department moved, her heart went with it, right? Whos she kidding? And
why would you believe her, man? This babe is doing nothing but giving you double
talk when she says your lack of communication turned her off.
Now, Brianna digs you so much that she broke two dates in a row. Wow, all I can say
is that this girl really digs you! And what did I tell you, buddy? You can't go back.
Once its done, its done. And she already got rid of you once - and for all.
Youre wrong about Briannas Interest Level. Its not around 50%. Its below 50%.
Broken dates mean below 50%. Kept dates mean above 50%. I hope Im not
overloading your brain circuits here, Phill!
Dont kid yourself that you really get along with Brianna. She broke dates, didnt she?
You might have chemistry in your mind, but she has exactly zero chemistry in hers.
What should you do now? Study my materials because you dont have a clue.
Remember, guys: If you have my book in your hands, please memorize it.
I know Demis dated a load of idiots men who didnt value her, especially the
father of her two kids. After several months, I opened up to Demi about how I felt.
And upon my insistence to show that I want something serious, I made her introduce
me to her children, and weve met each others families. I love her kids to death. I
may not be their real father, but I would love them as if they were mine if I were given
the chance. They adore me as well.
I know Demi has issues. We are not having any more laughs. Weve been arguing.
She still insists that she doesn't want a relationship, just someone to count on.
One of the reasons we started arguing recently is that she says I make plans for us,
instead of asking her if shes free. She says she doesnt like being told what to do, or
having her life planned out by someone. I can see her point. But I may have made
the mistake of telling her that Im willing to wait.
Which brings us to this week. I told her Id pick her up after work, make her dinner
and wed watch movies. She said no, she had a date. For someone not looking for a
man, this totally confused me. Jealousy took over. I was furious. Its not a date, its
just hanging with a friend, she said. BS, I thought. A date is a date. We got into this
whole discussion, and she said shes free to do as she pleases, that Im not her
boyfriend, I dont her pay her bills and that she doesn't like to be told what to do, etc.
Then she said that my telling her what to do scared her.
Doc, Demi matters a lot to me. But I recognized that one of my biggest mistakes is
that Im too available for her. I want to get out of this zone. I think we need distance. If
I put some between us, hopefully shell realize how much she misses me and will
finally admit to herself her feelings for me and act upon them not just in a drunken
session, but in an actual, genuine, sober admittance. And if I never hear a word from
her again, then I know she wasnt the one, no matter how badly I wanted her to be.
Doc, why does Demi only want to get physically close with alcohol, but not sober?
And why for a woman who claims she doesnt want a man, is she suddenly on a
date?
Her birthday is coming at the end of the month. I wanted to do something for her, but
now Im hesitant. Please tell me what to do.
Dumont - who cant believe how depressed he is
Hi Dumont,
First of all, why dont you have "The System"? You have a big problem with a
woman, you realize youre making all kinds of mistakes, but youre taking absolutely
no action whatsoever to make yourself a sharper guy with the ladies. So what kind of
So now Demis on a first date with this other guy. You dont know anything about their
relationship, Dumont. And you dont even have a relationship with her, so you have
no rights here. Who are you to tell her who she can go out with? And like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, She wants a man, just not you.
Heres what you do: Write Demi off and memorize my materials. Otherwise all the
mistakes you made with Demi are going to be made with the next woman you go out
with.
One more thing. I feel sorry for Demis kids. I dont want her driving around with them
when shes half-looped. She should be in a rehab program, like I said, because she
has a huge problem. Shed better get over that problem before she becomes
anyones new girlfriend.
Remember, guys: If she doesnt like you, you cant force it.
her. In short, here was a Beautiful Woman with a heavy attitude and a sharp tongue
who was on the express train to Marriageville. Then again, our senses of humor
matched, our educational levels made conversation easy, and I believed there was
an opportunity for us as we got to know one another since she was lavish in praising
my virtues, which was good for my ego.
Ten to 11 months into the relationship, her Interest Level began to wane. She wanted
to see less of me. By month 15, I told her that if she did not start getting her act
together, the relationship would collapse on its own. After several attempts by both of
us to perform CPR on the dying relationship, she finally told me to love her enough to
let her go because she could not wait 10 years to get married. I walked away with a
bow. Now, several months later, she is dating another gentleman. I would like to think
I got off the SS Titanic before it left port. What is wrong with this woman? Did I miss
an opportunity by mishandling a difficult but promising lady?
Norbert who is still puzzled
You say Meaghan is a tough nut to deal with. She humiliates you in front of other
people, including her kids. To you psych majors, you dont want to marry someone
whos tough to deal with. You want flexibility. You dont want hard-headedness. Like
my cousin Rabbi Love says, Why would you want to make your life a torment?
After the very first time Meaghan snapped at you in front of her children, you should
have walked forever. Once a woman is disrespectful toward you, shes out. And like
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, If she never offers to pay at pricey restaurants,
you should take her to McDonalds.
But you decided to become Meaghans gardener and babysitter instead. Like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Sounds to me like youre her stooge.
Plus, she has man issues. All guys let her down, and youre going to be just another
dope in that group. Another wonderful sign is that she hates her dad. That means
shes really going to treat you well!
Norbert, your problem is that your Interest Level is in the 90s, you dont have The
System, and you dont see how dangerous this womans attitude really is. Even
without my book you should have seen that shes nothing but trouble. The problem
when a guy doesnt have The System and his Interest Level is in the stars is that
he rationalizes all the negative stuff, just like youre doing now. So let me fill you in on
the truth about Meaghan: Shes nothing but trouble. You should have bailed on her at
the very beginning.
What does educational level have to do with emotion? What does your degree have
to do with the way someone treats you? Zip, thats what. But you begged Meaghan to
help save your relationship. In other words youre asking a woman to change her
entire personality after shes been a certain way for 40 years. Is any person going to
change after 40 years? No way!
You did get off the Titanic before it left port. But you should never have bought a
ticket for the boat in the first place. Whats wrong with Meaghan? Shes a structured,
hardheaded, spoiled woman who gets her way with weak men whose Interest Levels
are too high. Thats all she is. So dont worry about what you missed. This lady
wasnt promising from day one.
Remember, guys: When you know you have a nutcase on your hands, leave sooner
rather than later.
I reconnected with Chantelle, who I was friends with in college, this past summer at
an alumni function, and I could instantly feel the vibe that she was into me. She kept
touching me, saying I looked better now than in college 10 years ago, etc. We ran
into one another a month later and she asked me to go to the next alumni function in
a few weeks. Since I was kind of interested in her at that point, I showed up. Right
away, she showed interest again, and when she found out that I wasnt married,
she became even more interested and touched me more. She had recently been
divorced and had a young child. We ended up going to a few bars after the event,
and she continually expressed her interest in me, calling me her man, saying we
could do great things together, etc. We ended up kissing quite a bit and the night
turned very romantic.
Afterward, we planned on meeting up again. Chantelle has some family members
that are ill. One recently passed away, and she has a parent whos dying, so it was
tough for us to meet, but eventually we did, about 10 days later. That date went well,
too. We made plans to get together again, but I was busy with my parents coming to
visit, and she with her child and family illnesses. So we decided to get together once
my folks left and both our schedules cleared up. But when I dropped her an email
asking what her schedule was like, I got no answer. I let a few days go before
dropping her a text message. Still no answer. Basically it became like pulling teeth to
get her to respond. I decided to email her saying that I liked her, but was wondering
what was up and what she was thinking. I asked her to just be honest with me. I
finally got a response saying she was busy with her dad's illness, a busy work
schedule and her child.
I emailed and texted Chantelle a few more times over the next two weeks before
she finally responded that her dads illness has taken all of her time and that she was
casually dating someone else, but that this dating wasnt the reason for the cold
treatment (I call BS on that one). She said that she wanted to remain friends and
appreciated me being concerned about her. Now, what confuses me is that she was
the one who initiated the interest, and was the one who expressed her feelings first,
and only then did I show mine.
Whats my next move to win her back?
Ivo - who is really confused
First of all, why did you wait a month to ask Chantelle out? If you were interested in
her, why didnt you ask her out right away like you were supposed to?
All of Chantelles touching was great. To you psych majors, when she touches you
its a very powerful go sign. But you have to remember that you have to have a lot
of time in with the girl, plus a lot of green flags like touching in order for it to mean
something substantial.
Kissing Chantelle and getting very romantic with her at the end of the first night was a
huge mistake. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, What you did was give
away the store for free. The key to dating is withholding, not giving, which you
dont know because you obviously dont have my book. And thats what most guys
dont understand in the beginning of a relationship.
Ivo, you dont ask a girl what her schedule is like. You ask her out for a specific,
individual time and day. For instance, Thursday, Italian food, 6 oclock. Black and
white. No gray areas. And she will or wont accept it. You give her the date and then
let her worry about her schedule.
When you sent Chantelle emails and dropped her text messages and she didnt
answer, it meant you were out. Its that simple. When you get highly inconsistent
behavior from a woman two minutes after she was coming on heavy, thats another
reason for not kissing her. And its not like pulling teeth to get her to respond, its
pulling low interest level.
But you continued to bug Chantelle and told her that you liked her. This is called
begging, my friend. Begging lowers Interest Level even further. Think about it: a girl
doesnt return your messages and then you tell her you like her. Like my cousin Fast
Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Why dont you send her two dozen flowers and an
engagement ring while youre at it?
Then you asked Chantelle to please be honest with you. Ivo, thats the best and
funniest thing Ive ever heard in my life! Did you ever for a second think that she was
going to tell you the truth? When she told you how busy she was with all the different
things in her life, you should have said, Hey, when you get un-busy, give me a call,
then written her off.
But you emailed Chantelle a few more times after all that. Like my cousin Uncle
Jethro Love says, My God, boy, youre beatin this horse to death! In other words,
you have no concept whatsoever of letting females chase you, being a Challenge,
and that she should be wondering what youre doing with other women. None of that
comes into play with you, Ivo. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Youre just an open
book!
Now Chantelle is casually dating someone else. Her dad might be on his deathbed,
but she sure found time to get out with another guy, didnt she? But, hey, dont take it
personally, Ivo! On the other hand, it is true that this other guy isnt the reason for her
icy treatment of you. No, the reason shes treating you cold is because she doesnt
dig you!
Dont be confused by what happened. You gave away too much too soon, my friend.
You can show your interest by your actions, but you should never verbalize
them. When you told Chantelle that you liked her, you might just as well have
ended it right there. You had just two dates in with this girl. You have no basis for a
relationship with her after only two dates.
How do you win her back? You have to hit the lottery, dude!
Remember, guys: If she goes out with you twice and doesnt want to see you again,
its OK to date other people.
you have to remember that if it doesnt work out, it could very well get messy.
Because two things happen in a relationship: you get married or you break up. Most
of the time youre going to break up. And if you break up with Jenni, remember that
youre going to have to see her, she might talk to the boss about what happened, the
boss might side with her, etc. There are any number of scenarios here, and none are
good.
Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Youre really opening up a can of worms here,
boy. So what you have to do is keep playing it cool, but when you get Jenni alone
again, get her phone number! But you have to do everything on the sly in order to
avoid complications. Remember, youre working with a whole bunch of other people
and half of them want to take Jenni out themselves, and theyd love to find out about
what youre up to so they can undermine you. Not to mention that everyone loves to
gossip about whats going on in the office as it is. A dating relationship right under
their noses just adds fuel to the fire.
You can try to estimate Jennis interest all you want, but you dont really know what it
is because you didnt ask for her phone number. To you psych majors, nothing starts
until you ask for the phone number. So youre getting a little bit ahead of yourself
here, buddy.
You shouldnt be sending Jenni any emails or text messages at all. You should
be strictly business with her. But you definitely should get her phone number at the
next opportunity.
Just remember that if you go out with Jenni and break up with her, you have to see
her all the time. And in a small office, someone is going to sense what happened
between you. Above all, you dont want your boss to sense it because if you get
married to a girl at work its OK, but when you break up with her, it isnt okay. The
head honcho is going to know that theres friction between the two of you, and that
isnt good for business.
Remember, guys: When you hustle a girl at work, you have to be extremely cautious.
bad thing. I learned a lot from your methods, mainly not to rush in and to take my
time.
My question relates to Laura, who I met when we were both teenagers. We used to
make out back then, but I didnt consider it to be anything serious. I came across her
online profile a while back, and lets say she had indeed blossomed. Instead of being
superaggressive, I took my time and really tried to read her Interest Level through
emails. But Doc, she didnt bite.
We exchanged flirtatious banter but didnt meet. I got tired of the cat and mouse
game, so I emailed her and called her out on everything I wasnt happy about. I said
that her inconsistency made me aware of how uninterested she was. I also included
in the email that it would probably be the last time she heard from me! Surprise,
surprise! Five minutes later shecalled, but I stood my ground and didnt answer my
phone, so she sent an email telling me that because she fell in love with me a
decade ago, she didnt want to get her heart broken again. She also claimed that she
was completely unaware that I felt the way I did, and when we started chatting again,
she had butterflies but really didnt think she stood a chance!
I really do like Laura. Shes that old-fashioned gal who has good values and is a
keeper. But Im wary that what shes saying is Womanese for something else. Finally
I replied to her message but didnt spill my guts. I did mention that because girls are
always chasing me, I dont really know how to pursue a girl Im interested in. Weve
been in contact ever since, but I really dont know how to proceed. Do I go in strong
and ask her out? Do I go in slowly? Or do I sit back and do nothing?
Derrick - who doesnt feel too smart right now
my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, There are plenty of handsome, smart guys who
go to law school. It sounds like youre just pumping your own ego here, Derrick. And
again, none of that stuff means anything unless you really know how to deal with
women. You are correct that a little intimidation isnt a bad thing. But youre blowing
your horn about stuff that doesnt intimidate; thats the problem.
Find out what else Doc Love has to say to Derrick after the jump...
You are also correct that you have to take your time and not rush in if you dont want
to get destroyed. Thats the single most important thing in my book. Ninety percent of
the guys out there rush straight into rejection.
But Derrick, you cant read a womans Interest Level through emails. You can read
her interest only by asking her out and sitting across from her and talking to her.
What youre doing is changing the rules of The System. You have my book, and it
says you dont communicate with a girl by phone or email or carrier pigeon. Are you
sure you read it even once? So why didnt you meet Laura? Why didnt you ask her
out? If she says no, you just throw her number away, like it says in my book.
Why in the world were you baring your soul to Laura about everything you werent
happy about? You never talk about your feelings with a woman, especially your
gripes. Dude, you have to read my book 15 times, because its obvious to me you
didnt get it after just one reading. The only good thing about my book is that its
under your ceiling.
How do you know how interested or uninterested Laura is in you? You never closed,
so you cant know what she thinks, because you never asked her out. You kept going
back and forth with your silly emails. Then you went and told her she wouldn't hear
from you anymore you threatened her. Who are you, Macho Boy? Like my cousin
Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, A cool guy never threatens; he just walks
away. When it comes to Self-Control, you get an F, Derrick!
You might think you stood your ground with Laura, but you dont have any ground to
stand on. Like my cousin General Love says, Youre actually standing in quicksand.
It never ceases to amaze me how guys take stands on things that dont count.
Its fair enough that Laura doesnt want to see you again. "You Can't Go Back" is a
chapter in my book. Did you read that one, man? Of course she was unaware of your
interest in her, because you never asked her out. You tried to build a relationship on
emails, which cant be done. Again, your problem is that you didn't close.
How you feel about Laura doesnt matter. The only thing that matters is HER Interest
Level in you. And since you never asked her out, you cant judge her Interest Level at
all. So youre nowhere. You say you didnt spill your guts to Laura. Pal, you didnt
have any guts left, because you already spilled them when you told her how unhappy
you were and threatened her.
The only way to pursue a girl youre interested in is by saying Hi, whats your phone
number? So let me reiterate: Theres only one way to proceed in this situation. ASK
THE GIRL OUT. It doesnt matter if you go in weak JUST ASK HER OUT. Forget
strong and fast and slow ASK HER OUT. Do what I tell you in my book. Its all laid
out for you there. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, When you have the best
coaching available, theres no need to flounder around.
Remember, guys: If you dont ask the girl out on a date, how can you tell if she likes
you?
Too Available
Hey Doc,
Im in kind of a strange situation. Ive been working with Emily for a couple of years
now. Im 25, and shes 40, divorced and with three kids. Shes a really nice person.
Ive grown closer and closer to her, to the point where I visit her at her house for
dinner, we go out to the movies, just the two of us, and after work we both go out
jogging together. In other words, we were like boyfriend and girlfriend. When we
started doing things together, shed just come out of a five-year serious relationship,
but we were friends when she and her boyfriend were still together. Before that, she
divorced her husband for that guy. When they broke up I was there for emotional
support.
Anyway, Emilys been single for the past four months. Ive always dropped everything
to help her whenever she needed something. I know one thing I did that was wrong
was coming on strong with her and telling her how I felt about her. She said that
everything I told her made her feel special. She liked that I told her that I loved her.
Heres the problem. Emily has another side as well a wild side. She really craves
kissing other guys. Recently she met a 27-year-old guy on Facebook and they
started chatting. He is big and lives at the gym. She mentioned that she is going to
have a romantic evening with him, no strings attached, because she has very strong
physical needs. She knows how I feel about her but she said she is not ready for
any serious relationship. She asked me to come to a party where she was going to
see the other guy and told me to be strong. I went, got drunk and ended up on her
doorstep at 3:00 in the morning.
Since that night, Emily and I havent spoken a word to each other. Weve seen each
other for three straight days at work, and its really getting hard. I dont want to leave
my job and I know she doesnt either. It was supposed to be no strings attached, but
shes still chatting every day with that other guy. At work Ive been acting as if I dont
care, but it kills me inside when she texts Macho Boy. No question it would have
been better if we werent working together since she would have been easier to
forget.
Please coach me.
Etan - whos dying inside
behavior. You should have noticed her wild side before you gave this woman your
heart.
Emily might have very strong physical needs, but to fulfill them she doesnt think of
you. Instead, she thinks of a stranger on Facebook and not the guy whos been fixing
her sink and taking care of all the other chores around her house. Thats a bad sign,
dude.
Of course Emily is ready for a physical relationship just not with you. Shes going
after Macho Boy, isnt she? Shes serious as heck with him, right? And youre the one
whos been doing all the work in her home all this time!
But that humiliation wasnt enough for you. You went to a party where Emily was
going to be kissing another guy. Any woman who would ask you a guy whos in
love with her to come and meet some other guy who shes dying to kiss, is sick. In
fact, youre sick too for putting up with it. And like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, Not only that, but youre doing an imitation of a doormat at three oclock in the
morning.
Dating someone you work with is covered in "The System," which Im sure you
dont have. And if you do, you certainly havent read it like youre supposed to. Etan,
your problem is that you fell in love with a woman who wasnt in love with you. Its
that simple. And this woman NEVER loved you. But you let yourself go head over
heels for her, you gave away the store, youre too available, youre not a Challenge,
and she knows she can do anything she wants with and to you which means that
youre just one big WIMP. To you psych majors, how can any woman respect a
wimp?
Remember, guys: If youre going to date a woman at work, make sure you have
another job lined up.
Before we get into my question, heres a little bit about me. I hope I dont come
across as pompous, but I think I fall into the 10% of men who are just naturally
charming. I have been my whole life, ever since I was a kid. I am in sales and I have
a very good sense of humor (I was class clown in high school), so I have no problem
talking to women and can instantly make them laugh. I am always the life of the party
and the first one to start dancing at a wedding. As a result, I develop chemistry with
almost every woman I talk to.
Heres my question: Since I am very playful and have a good sense of humor, over
the years I have developed a lot of friendships with women. Now that Im back on the
market, one of these friends, Lara, has shown a lot of interest in me. She always
showed interest before, but now that I am available, she is showing very high interest
and I want to date her. I have never been interested in dating any of my other female
friends except for her. There is just something about her that I find intoxicating. The
crux of my question lies in whether or not you feel a sustainable romantic
relationship can be forged out of a friendship. I value her as a friend, and we will
be forced to see each other if we ended up breaking up because were in the same
circle of friends, so I am unsure of the next steps to take with her.
What are your thoughts on this situation? Can a long-term romantic relationship
develop out of a friendship, or am I wasting time and risking alienating a friend?
Zen whos unsure how to handle her
Let me explain something to you. When you have a lot of female friends, youre
overlooking the fact that you could be spending time with a woman who could be a
potential girlfriend. Thats what you dont seem to realize, so youre wasting your
time, Zen. To you psych majors, its inefficient to date women who are your friends
because most of them dont want to be any more than that to you. Therefore your
assumption that you develop chemistry with all females is wrong, and The
System is an efficiency system. If you want to maximize your time, Zen, date
women, dont have friends who are females.
You might want to date Lara, but how does she feel about you? And like my cousin
Sal The Fish Love says, You might find her intoxicating, but is she drunk at the
sight of you? Youre trying to change from friendship mode to dating mode, but
this is bad because youre going to have to see Lara if it doesnt work, and odds are it
isnt going to over the long haul.
Yes, pal, a romantic relationship can be forged out of a friendship but its rare, like
one in a thousand. But if you want to give it a shot anyway, what youre going to have
to do with Lara is ask her for love advice about the various other women youre
dating. The rule is that you should never talk about other women, but youre going to
break it in the interest of trying to find out whether Lara has any real interest in you.
This is what I call advanced class. Every time you see Lara youre going to ask for
counseling about the two hottest women youre seeing the most. If Lara insists that
shes the one you should be seeing, youve got a chance with her. Another thing
youre going to do is make all the other girls in the crowd laugh, which you seem to
be doing now. But again, remember that youre going to have to see Lara all the time
if you come on to her, and the odds are that its not going to go well.
Dude, you are both wasting your time with Lara and you are risking alienating a
female friend. Like I said, the transition from friendship to romance happens rarely
only once every thousand times. And dont forget, if Lara doesnt feel the same about
you as you feel about her, youre going to be uncomfortable seeing each other for the
rest of your lives.
Remember, guys: Skip being friends just date.
situation is that Ive been dating a girl named Lisette for the past eight months. The
only real problem we have is that she goes to school 75 minutes away, but she
comes home every weekend and three months during summer. I know from your
book that you shouldnever do long-distance relationships, but up until last week,
everything was going great. I have to say I never saw a problem coming with Lisette.
Anyway, last Friday, I got a text that said, We need to talk about our relationship. I
called Lisette and asked what was up. Her response was, Are we sure we want to
do this over the phone? I said I didnt care. She then said, A long distance
relationship is harder than I thought it would be. I shot out of the holster that if she
was having problems with it, then her Interest Level was just too low and we should
break up. I wanted to strike first, figuring it would be better to be the dumper instead
of getting my heart smashed in.
Seven days later, I received the following letter from Lisette:
I need to be straight with you, and pen and paper is easier than words spoken. Long
distance was part of it, but not completely. When I asked you out eight months ago, I
didnt know what to expect. I actually wanted the long distance between us because
being separated keeps emotions in check and doesnt allow for my feelings to
overwhelm me. I know it sounds crazy, but what I didnt expect was how incredible
you are. You made me comfortable yet nervous, you made me laugh and learn, but
most of all, you made me want to be a better person. The reason I texted you the
other day was because you scare me. I have started to become attached to you and I
cant stand it. I didnt know what was going to happen and I feared I would say
something that I wanted to say for a while. Ive had a pressing urge to write this and I
dont quite know why, but you deserve to know the truth.
Doc, what the hell am I supposed to make of this? Does it mean that Lisette is
overwhelmed with love for me and that shes scared, or that shes lost her interest in
me? Am I supposed to come on stronger to Lisette now or leave her completely
alone? Ive tried calling her several times but am not getting an answer. Please coach
me, because Im totally lost now.
Burt whose jaw is hanging open
If you know from my book that you should never do long distance relationships, why
in the world were you having one? You say that you should never get into a longdistance thing, but thats exactly what you did. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, So whose fault is it that youve got troubles now?
If you never saw a problem coming with Lisette, that in itself is a problem. The entire
point of The System is that it prepares you for problems because it increases your
awareness. You wont have to be on guard, but youll be more aware and, hence,
youll be prepared to anticipate problems and deal with them as they arise.
Let me explain something to you, buddy. When a babe says that you and she have to
talk about your relationship, it means you're dead in the water. But when you told
Lisette that her Interest Level was too low and that it was time to call it quits, you hit it
perfectly, my man. Like my cousin General Love says, Soldier, you deserve the
Medal of Honor for bravery. It was also good thinking to make a preemptive strike
rather than wait to get your heart crushed.
Now, let me get this straight. Lisette writes you a letter telling you that shes met a
guy she liked you but then doesnt want to get involved with him? Like my
cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, This girl doesnt need a guy she
needs a shrink. Then she goes on to add that the feeling of love, which makes
everyone in the world feel better, she cant stand. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says,
This chick dont make no sense. This is all just a smokescreen for the fact that
Lisette has met another guy, one she does have a wild and crazy Interest Level in.
When she says you deserve to know the truth, the question is, whats the truth?
Whats really going on here? Another guy is the answer.
So what should you do with this? Guy, you already did it and it was the right thing to
do: You got rid of Lisette. So theres nothing to answer now. Shes not overwhelmed
with interest for you shes lost it altogether. At this point, youre supposed to not
only leave her completely alone, but youre supposed to forget her too.
The fact that youre not getting an answer from Lisette after repeated calls to her
verifies the fact that she has a new guy, and thats what she didnt tell you in that
letter that is supposed to be telling you the truth but really says nothing. No response
from her really ties the whole thing down, pal. Youre out and shes history.
Remember, guys: Long-distance relationships never work.
Id like an answer for something that my friends cant seem to help me with.
Anastasia and I have known each other for seven years, and now were a couple.
Shes everything I want in a woman shes beautiful, sweet and always wants to
help. Everyone else is more important to her than herself. She has a sense of humor,
shes smart and she understands me. I want to spend my life with her.
So heres the situation. We live an hour away from each other. I see Anastasia two or
three times a week, and we keep in contact every day by phone. My concern is
that she has an ex, Brett, who is still in her life. She says she was deeply in love with
him before they broke up, and they still see each other where they work every day.
One night I asked her, If you could travel back in time, which of your boyfriends you
would choose to be with? Unhesitatingly she chose Brett. I was totally disappointed.
The thought that I am No. 2 is just driving me nuts. When I asked Anastasia if she
loved me, she said yes. When I asked how much, she said enough to want to be with
you.
So I console myself now with the thought that Anastasia is still with me and tell
myself that I can make her forget Brett altogether. But I dont know how to make her
forget him and I cant ask if shes forgotten him because that will do nothing but
remind her of him.
Doc, I am always gallant, a nice guy and a gentleman. Im confident, too. I am always
there for Anastasia when she needs me. If she needs time alone, I give it to her. But I
dont want to be No. 2. I dont know if I can handle it, and I need some coaching
to make me No. 1. What also concerns me is that Anastasia is in closer proximity to
her ex every day than I am. What if something gets rekindled between them? I wont
stand a chance because Im not there.
Sven who wants to understand how to keep the girl of his dreams
You might want to spend your life with Anastasia, but wheres her Interest Level?
Does she want to spend the rest of her life with you? Thats the only thing that
matters, my friend, but you dont know that because you dont have my book.
Let me explain something to you. The reason Anastasia should never have been
your girlfriend in the first place was because of Brett, especially when she lives too
far away. And why did you ask Anastasia that ridiculous question about which of her
boyfriends she would choose? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says,
Dude, are you into suicide or something? Why did you set yourself up just to be
hurt?
When Anastasia unhesitatingly chose Brett over you, you should have walked
straight out the door right then and there. You should have stood up and said,
Youre still in love with that guy, plus you see him every day at work, and then split,
and that would have been the end of it. Sven, what you have to realize here is that
you never owned this girl in the first place. The Dating Dictionary says, Are there
any ex-boyfriends lurking in the background? And the answer in this case is a
resounding yes. But, again, you dont know about that because youre not familiar
with my techniques.
To take it further, the thought of being No. 2 drives you batty because you were never
No. 1. And you accepted the position of No. 2 voluntarily. You knew Anastasia
worked with Brett, you knew she lives an hour away and that she spends eight hours
a day with this guy not to mention that he was the love of her life. You had to see
what was likely to happen here. The point is that you were never No. 1 for Anastasia
and you will never be No. 1 for her. You were finished with her from the start.
Anastasia might have said she loves you, but she loves the other guymore. She
might want to be with you, but not enough to make you No. 1. And how are you going
to make Anastasia forget someone else? Think about it logically, Sven. Can you put
a gun to Anastasias head and order her to forget Brett? Are you going to force a pill
into her mouth to give her amnesia? The very best thing you said in your letter was
that asking her about Brett is going to do nothing but remind her of him. Bingo! You
finally get it, pal! You came in as No. 2, youre always going to be No. 2, and youll go
out No. 2.
Youre not a nice guy, Sven; youre a weak guy. You made Anastasia your girlfriend
when she was in love with someone else. And so this was a dead issue from the
beginning and you had no shot with this girl. Of course youre always there for
Anastasia when she needs you. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Youre
just like her butler. In fact, youre a butler who kills Challenge! By the way, Sven,
does Anastasia also tell you what corner to stand in and when to exhale?
Dont worry about the flames being rekindled between Anastasia and Brett. They
were never un-kindled!
Remember, guys: If a girl is not available, shes not available.
Doc, do you think Im doomed? Sandra encourages me to keep looking for work and
not give up. She compliments me and tells me Im special, even though I feel like a
lowlife. She sees something in me I sometimes fail to see in myself because of my
job situation.
But isnt it going too fast? Do these kinds of things work out?
Keen - who cant believe his luck
you cant hide it from her. You shouldnt want to even if you could because its too big
a deal in your life. But as long as youre not saying I love you every five minutes,
you can remain a Challenge. Being unemployed is not anti-Challenge in itself.
Make sure you dont tell Sandra everything about yourself. The only thing she knows
is that youre unemployed. She doesnt have to know more. To you psych majors,
Challenge has to do with not blabbing about your feelings and not being too
available.
Dude, you can spoon-feed yourself by seeing Sandra only twice a week and staying
off the phone with her. If you abide by my principles and know what youre doing, you
should be all right.
You say you rarely return Sandras generosity, but you should. You should tell her
how much you appreciate her.
Up to this point, youre handling everything well. Just make sure you keep your trap
shut about your feelings and express your appreciation to Sandra on all of her
generosity. And dont forget to spend a lot of time beating the bushes for a job.
Yes, this relationship can work out. But Sandra wont put up with your unemployment
forever. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, If youre out of work for
a year or more, shell start asking herself, What the hecks wrong with this guy?
Remember, guys: Most women wont allow themselves to like you if youre out of
work.
Lying Girlfriend
Hey Doc,
Im 26 and a major fan of your profound work The System, which should be
mandatory reading for every male before he leaves high school. I unfortunately have
only been a student of your work for the past three months and I fear I'm a bit late, as
I may have totally messed up my relationship.
I met Patrice, 25 and very attractive, eight months ago at a friends wedding. I got her
number and we went on a date. It went great. I was cocky and funny and kept the
conversation about her.
Patrice and I had wonderful chemistry and I enjoyed being around her. By the night
of the third date we were making out. She initiated it, as I always remained reserved
and a Challenge. It was a fantastic experience, but did present a red flag because I
thought that making out after only three dates was kind of fast. Patrice and I decided
to date exclusively. I made a comment that if a woman has been romantic with more
than five men I would find her too promiscuous. She did not take the comment well,
and I should have never made it. She later revealed to me when discussing our pasts
that she had been romantic with seven men prior to me. I accept that this was a
foolish move because I was talking heavy topics well within the initial 60-day dating
period.
Patrice proved herself to be a Flexible Giver with an Interest Level in the 90s, and
she gave me no reason to question her loyalty to me. Four months ago, however,
she admitted to me that a questionable male friend she initially suggested to me
was platonic was really a past lover. I became suspicious of their relationship when
she mentioned that they were still friends and that his dad would be linking her up
with a job in his company soon. She assured me that nothing was going on between
them currently. I was very hurt and turned off, but decided to try to forgive Patrice
despite the situation not sitting well with me because of my pride and the fact that she
and her ex might be working together.
I have become insecure and suspicious that Patrice may not have been fully truthful
with me about her past. I recently had a conversation with a mutual friend about the
discomfort I was feeling and she revealed to me that Patrice did not mention another
guy she was with and therefore was romantically involved with a total of nine guys
prior to me. Patrice has said she loves me and did not want to chase away the only
great guy she ever dated. However, I do not know if I can trust Patrice to tell me the
truth. I also feel like Patrice has been around too much and may have been too easy,
and I do not trust the working relationship between her and her past lover.
Doc, am I being an uptight Macho Boy letting my ego get in the way of a great girl?
Should I leave the past alone or should I dump Patrice before I end up getting myself
hurt?
Liam who feels like he may be walking into a trap
immediately if what I say in my columns makes sense to you. Because every guy I
talk to says the same thing: I should have gotten it sooner.
Making out with Patrice after the third date was a big mistake. You should only kiss a
girl on the doorstep after a date. Youre on a date with this girl to find out whats
between her ears. Thats whats important here. In the future, when a girl comes on
to you physically, just tell her youre shy.
Patrice might have been kind of fast, but you went along with it, Liam, didnt you?
She didnt have to put a gun to your head to get you to make out with her, did she?
So you were just as out of line as she was. Finding it slutty that Patrice was with
more than five guys was the stupidest sentence that ever escaped your lips, dude.
You mean to tell me that you havent fooled around with a few girls yourself? What if
Patrice threw that same accusation back at you? And why are you talking about her
past? Why are you talking about other men? Why are you talking about a heavy
subject? No, no, and no!
So Patrice didnt take the promiscuous comment well. Really, Liam? Like most
men, you talk too much. And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says,
Once it escapes your mouth, its too late. What Patrice has done in the past is done.
Its what she does in the future that counts. So get off Patrices past if you havent
blown it already.
The real red flag here is when she admitted that a platonic friend of hers was really
a lover and you caught her in a lie. But again, youre bringing up past relationships,
which is a no-no. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Men want women to be on a
pedestal. So why would you ask Patrice a question that will knock her off that
pedestal? Dumb, dumb, dumb!
That said, Patrice shouldnt take the job with her exs father. Taking it goes against
loyalty. Like my book says, there shouldnt be any ex-boyfriends or their fathers
lurking in the background. This has nothing to do with your pride, guy, but it has
everything to do with respect. When you have a steady girl and her exs father is
going to get her a job, theres a rat somewhere and you should be smelling it.
Then came guy number nine. But I dont care if Patrice was involved with 40 guys,
and whats more, this information came from a third party. Was that third party there
watching Patrice and guy number nine? How does she know what was going on
between them? And why were you talking to other women about your love life?
Another mistake! Maybe this mutual friend doesnt like Patrice and wants to
undermine your relationship with her. Did you think of that? Patrices problem is not
her past its you, asking all these stupid questions!
No, youre not being a Macho Boy. Patrice is a liar. But her past has nothing to do
with this situation. Youve mixed apples and oranges here. However, she doesnt tell
the truth and the situation with her exs father is not acceptable.
What should you do now? Leave the past alone and get rid of Patrice because shes
a liar.
Remember, guys: when she lies, shes out.
danced. When we got to her place I told myself I had to kiss her. She had no
objections and things got a little intimate.
After I kissed her, Bridget suddenly bailed on our next date with the excuse that she
needed to catch up on work. She got a promotion with her company and says she
needs to be caught up before she starts her new position. Im not sure what to think
of that excuse. I waited five long days to get in contact with her, asked her out for
dinner and she gave me the same excuse of needing to work. She did, however,
apologize for being flaky and said with a laugh that she knows that there are a few
things we need to discuss after our last date but she did not give me any counteroffer.
I honestly thought I had it right this time, Doc. I thought all the signs were there and
that kissing Bridget was what she wanted me to do. Now I dont know what the next
step should be. I really feel like the next move needs to be on her, but am fearful that
if I leave her alone shell disappear.
Declan who is extremely confused
you have more important things to do. This was your big mistake, pal. Heres the
point: It was already a done deal!
But you went out with this girl when it was already over and you took her to your
house. Instead of going out for drinks with her, you should have told Bridget you had
a girlfriend. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, You have the shortest memory in
history, my son. You had your shot with this girl and it was over. Why were you
wasting time with her again?
Then you went and talked to her friends about your dates. Another mistake! You
have to remember that Bridget already lost interest in you in the past. This is a
second go-round. Dont you get that, guy? Nevertheless, you ended up kissing
Bridget, who doesnt like you. Great!
And of course she bailed on you right after you kissed her. Im shocked! This proves
that shes had it with you. She keeps giving you the excuse that she needs to work
so she cant possibly see you. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Its obvious
shes in love with you.
Declan, when a babe says that she needs to discuss something with you, it means
youre out! Finito. When she says shes flaky, that means youre history. Of course
she didnt counter-offer. Women with high Interest Level make counter-offers.
Women with low interest break dates. This is very, very complex stuff, my friend!
Yes, you did it right this time, buddy, but unfortunately you did it the second time
around. You did it with a girl you got dumped by before and it was already over.
Therefore, there was nowhere for any of this to go.
Remember, guys: if you dont memorize "The System," you wont keep her.
Well, Krystal wound up leaving me again for him. Then, two years ago, she once
again left him and told me that I am the man she really loves. We have been together
ever since. This past February she told me she wants to marry me and I bought her a
ring and weve been engaged since then. Since our engagement, weve argued
numerous times over finances, because the wedding she wanted was more than we
could really afford.
Last week we went out separately with our friends and my phone died. When I
charged it in my car at three in the morning, I messaged Krystal and explained, but
she blew me off. The next day she said she feels a distance in our relationship. I
asked her who was at the bar she was at last night and she named some people
including her ex-boyfriend. I was furious. I felt that, because shes my fiance, she
should have had more respect for my feelings.
Well, our fight went on for a few days and now Krystal is calling off the wedding. She
says our relationship is irreparable. She gave me back my ring and is prepared to
cancel the wedding date. I am devastated, as I have put my faith in her numerous
times, although she didnt deserve it. I thought that maybe this time she had finally
grown up and matured. Can you offer me any insight and coaching?
Lonnie who feels like he got shafted
take her back repeatedly after she dumps you for her ex, youre telling her that its
okay to treat you in a horrible, unloving manner. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, Cant you find anybody else in town to date?
When you get engaged, youre supposed to sit down with your fiance and go over
all the financial arrangements for the wedding, from clothes to food. But you gave
Krystal a ring before you had this all-important discussion another huge mistake.
You never should have given her a ring before you agreed on how your money was
going to be spent when it came to this wedding.
Why were you furious when Krystal mentioned that her ex was at the bar where she
was partying? Her behavior towards you has been consistent all along, guy. She
treats you horribly, then you have a little peace; she treats you horribly again; you
have a little peace again, etc. Then she begs, and you take her back and then she
runs off to her ex again, etc. This is an endless, vicious, predictable cycle. You
shouldnt have been surprised in the least. And why does this cycle constantly repeat
itself? Because youre weak and you dont have any cojones.
The best thing you said in your letter was that your fiance should have some respect
for your feelings. But the problem is that she has no respect for you because you
never earned it. When you take a girl back after she treats you like dog crap, why
would she have any respect for you? You never earned respect and you never
negotiated respect. See how this works, Lonnie? Its good that you finally got The
System, but youre seven years late!
Likewise, Krystal never deserved your faith. And like my cousin Rabbi Love says,
Where did your faith get you, my son? Ill tell you where into nothing but more
pain.
I got news for you, guy Krystal is never going to grow up. But whats wrong here is
not merely a matter of growing up. This is the way shes wired. And shes wired to
treat you like crap. And because of your low self-esteem, youre wired to take her
back and be miserable again and again. Eventually you two will have kids and theyll
be miserable too, because they dont know right from wrong. And they wont know
who to marry because theyve grown up in a lousy household. Like the old Chinese
saying goes, The cycle will continue on.
You want insight and coaching? Start memorizing my materials and forget Krystal.
Remember, guys: When its over, dont go back.
there. A measly five months for all of these major developments was way too little
time. They should have been spread out over two to three years. Its obvious that you
werent going by the techniques in my book when you got together with Natasha in
the first place. Now its too late.
You cant just cut your losses now, buddy. And youre also going way too fast on the
subject of leaving Natasha. Aside from the fact that you both rushed into this whole
mess, you and she have a loving, respectful relationship for the most part. The
problem is that when you dont have anything else interesting to do, youre only with
each other all the time and that will kill any womans Interest Level because you
present absolutely no Challenge. That said, you have to remember that you cant
be thinking solely of yourself anymore. You are a family now and you have to
consider the child thats going to arrive soon and getting married.
How can you tell the difference between entering a new phase of a relationship and a
real decline in interest? Simple: no fighting and you two arent fighting.
Remember, guys: When you kill Challenge, you kill the relationship
We got to know each other through the same study group in school. She invited me
out to lunch. We had a great time. Since then, weve met to do date-like things once
every two to three weeks for nearly a year. At first I wasnt attracted to her, but as
time went by, I began to notice how subtly beautiful she is, and how intelligent and
creative, too. My interest started going through the roof, but I knew she wouldnt
consider dating until shes accomplished her goals.
If I ever had a shot with Jeanna, I may have blown it recently. She came over for
breakfast, and she started talking about her dating philosophy, which upset me. She
asked, Why are you so uncomfortable? and I said, Because I like you as more
than a friend. A big mistake according to The System. She was concerned, saying
that she hoped we could still be friends. Then I made another mistake: I told her we
could. After all, we were friends before I was attracted to her. I should have taken that
moment to end the friendship.
So now heres my plan. Im going to stop hanging out with Jeanna altogether. Likely
shell move on and forget about me. Meanwhile, Ill use"The System and meet
other women. If she wants to hang out with me, Ill blow her off. Soon after, Ill call her
and ask her on a date. No more hanging out as friends. If her Interest Level is high
enough, shell agree. If she declines, Ill just continue to meet more women.
I understand this is a long shot, Doc, but could it work?
Kirk whos still trying to understand
Jeannas goals are very admirable. If she runs into the wrong bum and falls for him,
though, she wont reach them. But this girl sounds sharp. Anyway, you dont have to
worry about what Interest Level Jeanna has in some guy who comes along, because
she only has 49% interest in you. Youre trapped in the friendship zone, remember? If
she had 51% interest in you, it would mean that theres a little interest romantically.
But youre out of luck on that one. And thats why you have to read my book once a
week for 15 weeks.
Now let me explain something to you, my friend. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love
from East L.A. says, If she meets someone she has 90% interest in, shell forget all
about college fast. Jeanna just hasnt met anyone whos knocked her socks off yet.
The point is that its going to be harder for you to get to her. If her interest in you is
55% to 70%, shes going to opt for studying. If you had used Challenge on Jeanna,
which you didnt because youre her friend, then you might have had a shot at her.
Guy, you never do date-like things you date. Period. You used the back door into
the friendship zone, and all you did was reinforce being trapped in the friendship
zone.
You might have discovered belatedly how beautiful and smart and creative Jeanna
is, but she doesnt have those same feelings for you. Its her feelings for you that
count, not yours for her. And you have to keep in mind that when she reaches her
goals, it doesnt mean shes suddenly going to dig you. Shes not going to say to
herself when she gets her Ph.D: Oh, now Im allowed to like Kirk! You already shot
your wad with her, pal. She already knows everything there is to know about you
on the friendship level.
You told Jeanna you liked her as more than a friend? I cant believe you read my
book once and said that to her! Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, Youre
begging, paisan. And begging is a chapter in my book, by the way. To you psych
majors, you never come on verbally with a girl. The girl always comes on to you first
and you just say, Honey, you have great taste in guys. Thats all.
You can be friendly with Jeanna, but all the time you were with her, you should have
been talking about other women and asking her for love advice. Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, She would have thought that you were a Lothario. "The System
says you dont talk about other women when youre dating a girl, but when youre in
the friendship zone, you can yak about other women all you want. Because then
Jeanna will say, Well, what about me? Why dont you take me out? Im tired of
hearing about those other girls! Thats ideally what you should have been working
for, Kirk. But you dont give a friend a lot of time, like you did. Were not here to
be friends with girls we have buddies for that.
And, no, your new plan cant work. Youre way too deep in the friendship zone, and
the quicksand is about to close over your head.
Remember, guys: When you start as a friend, youre going to stay stuck as a friend.
but I felt like an idiot for not being able to just not be insecure. She reassured me that
she liked me, and that she was happy seeing where our relationship would go.
Doc, what can I do to avoid this in the future? I really like Fern, and I want to give this
relationship a chance to become something legit. Can you coach me not to jump off
the cliff when I dont hear from her?
Dion who cant seem to control himself
You mention that Fern is the mother of more than one child. When you were freaking
out over not hearing from her, how did you know that something didnt come up with
one of them? Youre all over this woman as if she was already married to you. Then
when you finally talked to her, you accused her of being too busy. Dion, when you
talk to Fern, you should find out what the problem is, not write her off to her face. All
you did was put her on the defensive. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A.
says, You come off as a really uptight guy.
The second biggest complaint from women is that men dont listen, which you proved
when you forgot that Fern told you she would be out helping her mom. The first and
biggest complaint is that men come on too heavy. They spend too much time
hanging around in the early stages of the relationship. Does this ring a bell, Dion?
Youre smothering this woman already and you hardly know her.
So youre screwing up with a nice girl. What can you do to avoid this in the future?
Get my book, read it once a week for 15 weeks and I guarantee this will never
happen again. Of course I can coach you to not jump off the cliff when you dont hear
from Fern because thats what I do.
Remember, guys: if you like my columns and dont have my book, somethings wrong
with you.
it, however, Id like to have one last shot at saving our relationship. What can I do to
put myself on Ash Lynn's priority list again? Shes not the average chick that likes
love notes and surprises and roses. She would see those things as smothering her.
So with that in mind, how can I get her to re-fall in love with me or be drawn totally in
by me... again?
Denton who is an ex-player
youve been through many women and not many relationships, just the way I can tell
that you didnt read my book 15 times, which is what you have to do.
Sadly, you cant keep Ash Lynn now, because shes gone. Youre not on any of her
lists because you did not heed my warning in The Systemabout revealing your
inner wussiness. And youre not losing Ash Lynn, my friend shes already lost.
Shes gone. You blew it with her a long time ago. And dont worry about her leaving
you at some point in the future shes already left you.
You dont seem to be able to get that through your head. You dont have any last
shot at saving this relationship because its already over. The only thing you can do
to possibly put yourself back on Ash Lynn's priority list is disappear. When she calls
you, tell her, Id like to talk to you sometime, but I have a date and she happens to
be in the bathroom right now. If Ash Lynn's Interest Level is at least 51%, that tactic
will pull it back up.
Ash Lynn might not like love notes and surprises and bouquets of flowers, but youre
beyond all that anyway, Denton. Youre talking about a woman from the past now.
What you should be talking about is the new girl youre going to meet in the future
that youre not going to bring out your inner wussiness with. And like my cousin Sal
The Fish Love says, Howd you get conned into that anyway, man? So dont give
a second thought to the tactics that will smother Ash Lynn. Youre getting sidetracked
onto another issue here. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says,
Youve got four flat tires and youre talking about a transmission problem.
The only chance you have now with Ash Lynn is making yourself unavailable,
Denton. You have to vanish and hope it brings her back.
Remember, guys: romantic love is highly conditional.
her significant other is going to leave for a year, but the fact that after I went through
the effort to explain it she couldnt form even a thought about the deployment really
threw me. Why wouldnt she want to understand why Im leaving or my thought
process?
At times Miras selfish about what a relationship is about. To me its about give and
take. But 90% of the time its me giving and her taking. Take her pets, for example.
She has two small dogs that annoy me, but I deal with them. I want a boxer dog
when I get a place of my own, but because her dogs are so small, she says they
wont be safe. Its absurd to think that if I get a puppy that it won't naturally
understand theres a size difference between them. I even suggested training them
so they would get along, but Mira resisted, saying she doesnt have enough time to
do both training and school. I work 40 hours a week, go to school four days a week
and still find time to do anything she needs around the house.
The trend continues with our living situation, a meager arrangement in an apartment
with her father. We share a 12x12 bedroom with all her stuff and my stuff, much of
which are my important documents and childhood memories, and of course those
wretched dogs. I want a place to call my own, but she insists that its best to live with
her dad until we save at least $10,000 to furnish an apartment. I can easily furnish
one for $2,000, but she wont have that. I even suggested moving after she finishes
school, but she rejected the notion, saying she would never want to leave San Diego.
Ive seen Asia and most of the United States and its beautiful out there, yet shes
reluctant to even move out of her dads apartment.
Doc, Im no slouch. Ive paid my dues in life and make a respectable living while
trying to get an education. When do I draw the line and sever the ties with
someone who cant get out of her comfort zone? Miras a great girl with a big heart,
but just how far does that go when it doesnt suit me even in the near future?
Barton whos desperately seeking answers
Now let me get this straight. Youre leaving a girl whos deeply in love with you for a
whole year, and she doesnt want to talk about it? Do I see structured here? Do I see
hard-headed? What do you think, Barton? And like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says, If she couldnt form even a thought about you being away for a year,
maybe she doesnt have a brain. Ill tell you why Mira doesnt want to know about
what youre thinking: Because shes childish and immature.
I know lots of people that have both big and little dogs and they get along fine. And
Im very impressed with the way you handle your life, Barton. You sound like a hell of
a catch. But guess what? Mira doesnt see it. Worse, she doesnt appreciate it.
Your big mistake was moving in with this girl, my friend (and by the way, the divorce
rate for people who live together before marriage is higher than it is for those who
dont). All the things Mira refuses to do should have been massive red flags for you,
Barton. Remember the old Elvis song, Hardheaded Woman? The lyrics go like this:
Well, a hard-headed woman, a soft-hearted man, been the cause of trouble ever
since the world began. Sadly, thats where you are, dude. Youre in a world of
trouble because of Miras temperament. Again, you never should have moved in with
her, and when you discovered that she was unable to negotiate anything at all with
you, you should have dropped her instead of getting closer.
Mira might have a big heart and high Interest Level, but shes not a giver. Shes the
opposite a taker. And shes not Flexible again, shes just the opposite. Shes
Structured and shes Hard-headed. So what you have in Mira is a terrible and
dangerous combination a hard-headed taker. What you should have instead
is someone who sits down with you and negotiates and who is a flexible giver.
Since youre only 24 years young, if you stay with Mira, your future doesnt look rosy.
Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, You can look forward to living in pain for the next
60 years.
Remember, guys: Red flags are red flags for a reason.
Adulterous Relationships
Hey Doc,
Ive been with Cara for just over a year. When we met and started dating we were
both married. We left our spouses and moved in together. Im 46 and shes 43 and
we had each been married for over 20 years. Cara is very attentive, loving and
caring. We are very much in love. But I am very stupid, as you will see.
Anyway, Cara was married to a doctor who completely controlled her life. When she
met with her attorneys during the divorce proceedings and told her story, they all
cried. The doctor was mentally abusive, dominating and critical. But hes also
very rich (hes worth $10 million-plus). They lived in a mansion but slept in separate
rooms for 10 years. She had a couple of affairs and so did he. She basically stayed
for the security, since security is a very big issue for her. I was married to a very
unaffectionate woman who had lost respect for and interest in me. I also had several
affairs. I am not rich (Im worth half a million), but have no debt, a paid-off house and
my own business.
Caras divorce was ugly and stressful. Towards the end of the process, there were
several meetings with her ex for settlement talks. During one of them he convinced
her that he had terminal cancer. He told her he had proof that I was cheating on her
(I am not). Cara is very caring and has a very big guilt complex, so she began
speaking to her ex again and a few weeks later I came home to a note saying she
went back to him and felt she needed to take care of him and give him another
chance.
Three days later Cara called me, said she made a mistake by leaving me and asked
to come back. I allowed her back, and two weeks later she did it again. She came
back 12 hours later. We talked and she said she got spooked because of her exs
constant warnings that I would cheat on her and she would end up poor and broke.
Then she spooked and ran again, was gone for 12 hours and called me. She said
how much she loved me and couldnt live without me. Three days later I let her come
back. We had three weeks of bliss and then she was gone again. She called me 12
hours later and showed up at my door three hours after that. This time I told her she
couldnt come back. I told her to take some time and go and live with her mom or rent
a hotel for a while but not to talk to her ex. Of course we are talking again and she
wants to come back.
Doc, Im an idiot and want Cara back, but I dont trust her. Everyone says Im crazy
and my brain tells me the same, but I cant let her go. Do you think we have a
chance?
Zachary who knows she cares about him
Lets get something straight here. You and Cara committed adultery with each other
to kick off this so-called relationship. So how in the world could you possibly trust
each other now when your entire connection is based on deceit? The answer is that
its impossible. Before Cara met you and she was married to her doctor, she
demonstrated no respect whatsoever for the institution of marriage. Why is her
attitude going to change now?
And let me straighten you out on something, Zachary. Security isnt just the big issue
for Cara. Its the only issue. This babe goes strictly by the money who has more of
it. Thats it. Nothing else matters to her. And you might have a half a million in the
bank, no debt and your own business, but youre forgetting what else you have an
absence of morals.
The reason Cara went back to her doctor ex-husband had nothing whatsoever to do
with her being a caring person. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, She just went back
to the bank. Do you really think that shed care enough about the doctor to go back
to him if he was broke? The answer is no. But like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says, His pile of gold is bigger than your pile of gold by about 20 times.
That said, the relationship between the doctor and Cara sounds like a match made in
hell. But then the relationship between you and Cara isnt much better. You
contradict yourself when you say that you told Cara she couldnt come back to you
but now youre talking again. To you Psych majors, when you tell a woman she cant
come back, that means youre not going to even talk to her. The problem for you is
that Cara keeps working your high Interest Level in her even though shes not going
to leave the bank. But like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, If you hit the lottery,
shed drop this other guy like a bad habit.
You say that you dont trust Cara, but the truth is that you dont trust anybody and
neither does she. Like I said before, the two of you committed adultery when you first
met. So what do either of you know or care about trust? Trust has never been an
issue in your life keeping it or otherwise.
Do you have a chance with Cara? No, you have no chance with her whatsoever. This
thing was sick from the beginning, it was sick in the middle, and it will end up being
sick. This is your reality, dude. Youre a sick puppy and Caras a sick puppy. The only
thing you can do now is get my book, memorize it and stay away from Cara. Youre
no good for her and shes no good for you.
Remember, guys: A relationship built on adultery will die on adultery.
Mixed Messages
Hey Doc,
Four months ago I got together with Marina, a colleague from work. Shes 31 and a
secretary with whom I have regular contact every day. We started dating after one
drunk and very nice night, even though I didnt want to mingle at work. At the
beginning her Interest Level was quite high (I would say 60% to 65%). She was
a Flexible Giver and even invited me to a weekend at her parents place.
Unfortunately, I didnt know The System at the time (Im going through it now) and
as I had certain reservations about our relationship (she is 31, two years older than
me and already talking about kids and family). I wasnt being the best boyfriend. I
said to her that we were just a fling and I was going back to my home country (Im in
the United States for two years for work). I noticed that her Interest Level started to
drop, but not too much because she was still hanging around and cooking at my
place, etc.
Then we went on vacation separately. At first she was enthusiastic and we chatted
online every day. I could see that she was really into me. She even promised that she
would do everything that she could to keep me until next summer so that we could
spend a proper holiday together. Then I noticed that she was experiencing some
mood swings. I began to feel that something was changing. The day she returned
from vacation she broke up with me, saying that she needed time and space to think
about what she wants in life.
For the first two weeks after the breakup I didnt want to accept it. We were
constantly in contact and I tried to patch things up. It wasnt the best idea because
she doesnt like pressure, so I left her alone. When we talked, the talk would always
be the same. She said she was sorry that I had to go through this, she doesnt know
what she wants, etc. I kept telling her that I wanted us to get back together, which
she also said that she wanted. But every time we tried something concrete, she got
scared and shut down.
Marina has now started to avoid contact with me at work (even though its
impossible). Her Interest Level has dropped significantly (I would even say its below
50% now). I want to apply The System to this girl, but Im not sure if it's worth it
now.
Doc, the bottom line is this: Im not sure if Marina is being honest with me anymore.
Ive started to lose trust in her. Theres no giving from her side. She has lost her
Flexibility. On my side, Ive lost my Self-Confidence when it comes to her.
Sometimes I lose my Self-Control and discipline when I text her. I believe Im no
longer a Challenge to Marina because she believes she can have me any time she
wants. Are Marina and I hopeless for the future?
Gideon who is starting to feel like there is no hope
in the United States because you dont want to go back home and risk losing her.
Unless you do that, this babe is gone forever.
When you talk about Marinas trust and honesty and Flexibility and Giving, youre
way off-base, guy. She has been trustworthy and honest all along. Youre the one
whos been untrustworthy by calling your relationship just a fling. If you had had my
book "The System" a year before you met Marina and read it 15 times, shed still be
with you right now. But of course youd still have to stay in the United States.
Are you two hopeless for the future? Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A.
says, You have as much chance with this babe as you do getting hit by a meteorite
when youre taking a stroll down the street.
Remember, guys: when you insult a woman to her face, expect her Interest Level to
drop.
She's Disrespectful
Hey Doc,
Ive read your book a couple times now and I always read your articles, but Im
having trouble with a situation.
Darcey and I have known each other for two years. Shes a member of the group of
friends that I study with at college. Shes not what you would call drop-dead
gorgeous, but she has her own style that is unique, and when she gets done up she
is easily the most beautiful girl in the room. The reason I mention this is that even
though shes 21, she hasnt had many boyfriends. Sometimes I feel like shes read
your book because she uses many of the tactics you describe. She doesnt initiate
contact, she isnt affectionate in public and shes kind of shy so she doesnt blab
about herself or ask me a lot about myself. For this reason, our first few dates were
pretty shaky. I had no idea if she liked me or not. Imagine two people who seem to
have interest in each other but show no affection, no physical contact and the
conversation is somewhat one-sided because Im filling in the silence thats what it
was. I could tell she was really nervous when we first went out and may have been
trying to hide her Interest Level because she holds her cards pretty close to her
chest. Shes warmed up a bit though, and over the past two and half months shes
been very Flexible and seems to have a good attitude. We didnt tell any of our
friends/classmates/family about our relationship. It wasnt a secret, but I just figured
shed eventually tell someone and it would all come out. It never did, however.
Last weekend we were out with a group of friends. Darcey was much more outgoing
and more affectionate than usual (she wasnt trying to hide our secret anymore). But
what happened later in the night was a little unsettling. While a group of us were
dancing, I looked over to see her legs wrapped around the waist of my best buddy
(he is also in our circle of friends). He seemed to be stunned at what was going on. I
didnt want to make a scene and just kind of ignored it. After all, showing jealousy is a
no-no in your book. Other than that, the night went well. She draped herself all over
me, kissed me and ended up going home with me.
Doc, Im a little confused and I have been thinking out the possibilities here. This is
what Ive come up with: (1) Darcey was unaware that she shouldnt come on to my
friend due to her lack of relationship experience. (2) She was overcompensating for
the fact that she wanted to get my buddy dancing (he got dumped after a six-year
relationship a couple months ago and is still kind of beaten up about it). (3) She was
trying to make me jealous because I was sitting back and not drooling all over her.
(4) She has no respect for me and didnt care about my feelings.
Im considering saying something to Darcey about what happened. Do you think this
is the right way to go? Should I tell her that she has crossed the line and that what
she did was disrespectful (regardless of her intentions) or should I brush it off and
just keep it in the back of my mind in case something like this happens again? The
benefit of me bringing it up now is that it will show that Im not afraid to call her on it
and might force her to have some respect for me. If I dont bring it up, Im worried
shell think Im a wimp.
Bonzo who doesnt want his time wasted
The reason Darceys holding her cards close to her chest is because her cards have
nothing to do with you. She might have seemed Flexible and had a good attitude
over the past two months, but you have no indication whatsoever of her Interest
Level.
Bonzo, the most revealing thing in your letter is that Darcey told no one in the whole
world about your relationship. Why do you think that is, pal? Think maybe shes not
really interested in you? But who cares if it came out or didnt? And who cares what
other people think? When she wrapped her legs around your best friend, the picture
became as clear as its ever going to become. What it meant was that she has low
Interest Level in you and high Interest Level in him. Notice how all of a sudden this
shy, introverted girl came alive and threw herself on another guy? She came out of
her shell because of her high feelings towards that other guy.
We dont care at all what your friend thinks, by the way. That scene on the dance
floor had nothing to do with making you jealous. But it had everything to do with
disrespect. Think about it. Darcey is supposed to be with you and she has her legs
wrapped around another guy. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts says, So
what would you tell me if I was your younger brother, bro? But you say that other
than that, the night went well. Boy, can you rationalize, Bonzo! Like most men, I must
add.
Darcey might have gone home with you, but like my cousin Rabbi Love says, That
was just to make up for sinning with your friend. She was disloyal when she threw
herself at your friend, guy. You shouldnt have taken her home. What you should
have done instead was dropped her off and thrown away her number!
Now lets look at your rationalizations. First, Darcey did it because of her lack of
relationship experience. If you really believe that one, dude, I have a bridge Id like to
sell you. Second, she was trying to help your friend. Sorry, more rationalization. So
numbers one and two make no sense. Lets look at number three: She was trying to
make you jealous. Darcey wasnt trying to make you jealous she just dug your
friend and thats why she wrapped her legs around him. And number four? Bingo! But
its not just that Darcey doesnt have respect for you. She has no Interest Level in
you. And if shes not interested in you, why would she be respectful?
Saying something to her now is a complete waste of time. So youre not going to tell
Darcey anything. Youre going to walk away and never call her again. This is why we
have the Bottom Line Factor. You dont go out with a girl youve been with for two
and a half months only to watch her wrap her legs around another guy. Simple.
One more thing. Darcey doesnt dig you. Therefore she doesnt even care if youre a
wimp.
Remember, guys: when your girlfriend wraps her legs around another guy, its time to
leave the relationship.
You gotta coach me Doc. Is Roxanne testing me? Did I do something wrong? If so,
what?
Mats who is hopelessly confused
The reason that Roxanne wont respond to your messages and phone calls is
because youre out. Let me say again that, while I can help you to understand this
situation in the short term, youre really doing a lot more things wrong in front of
Roxanne than you know youre doing wrong. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love
says, You dont know what you dont know.
When Roxanne says shes weird and trying to adjust to you, it means her Interest
Level is 49% or less. But when she agreed to being exclusive, it indicates that you
also have a nut-job on your hands. Let me explain something to you: When you see
inconsistent behavior, its because (A) youre not going by the techniques of my book,
or (B), shes a loon. But no matter what, the bottom line is that she has no interest in
you.
Roxannes not testing you, pal. Women who test you like you. Roxanne doesnt like
you. She hasnt liked you since the day she saw your face. So shes not testing you.
Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, You already flunked.
Did you do something wrong? Yes. When you read my articles, you should have had
my book for deeper guidance. And you should have told Roxanne, As soon as I
move, well go out on our first date. Until then, Merry Christmas!
Remember guys: If you dont pass the Physical Attraction Test, youre out.
Then she asked me to lunch, but I couldnt go. To make up for this, I went out and
bought movie tickets for after work. She agreed to go. I dont think it sounded like a
date, and I dont think she thought that way either. But then she left work early and I
didnt see her and basically I felt stood up. The boss called me in later that evening
for a quick meeting, and I guess he called her too because she was also there. After
the meeting I didnt even look at Mackenzie and I made way to my car. She rushed
after me and said that she had looked for me after work. She said that she was sorry
she couldnt find me and thats why she left and went home. She hugged me, told me
she loved me and said maybe we can hang some other time. That was the end of the
night.
The next day when I came to work I saw only one coffee cup, and it wasnt mine.
Mackenzie came in five minutes later, sipped her coffee and for the rest of the day
she was all business and no fun at all. It was as if I wasnt even there. She was cold
to me and I didnt even do anything wrong.
Doc, my question is this: What happened to the friendly Mackenzie? And was she
ever interested in me at all? How should I act when I see her again?
Zenon who is ridiculously confused
When Mackenzie invited you to lunch, you should have counter-offered for another
time. You should have said I cant make it today, but I can make it tomorrow. Since
you didnt, it shows me that you dont know The System at all. Reading all about it
isnt the same as actually memorizing it, pal.
Now let me get this straight. You bought movie tickets before asking Mackenzie out?
Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, You put the cart before the horse, boy. If you were
going to take her to the movies, you should have asked for her phone number first.
You dont just go out and buy movie tickets, Zenon, and expect Mackenzie to go
along, especially when you work with her. You got way ahead of yourself by equating
her gesture of bringing your favorite coffee as something that should be reciprocated
with a much heavier gesture movie tickets. You were rushing this whole thing, guy,
and worse, you put pressure on this girl. You say that you didnt think inviting her to
the movies sounded like a date, but it did. The fact that you felt stood up proves that
you thought it was a date. You cant have it both ways, Zenon.
Why didnt Mackenzie give you a reason for leaving work that afternoon? All she had
to do was call you and leave a message on your answering machine saying she
couldnt make the movies. So basically she did stand you up, my friend. But you
asked for it because you went about the whole thing wrong.
When you came in the next day and Mackenzie gave you the cold shoulder, you
were out. The major mistake you made was the rush-job with the movie tickets. You
put pressure on her too much pressure. And even if her Interest Level was above
50%, putting pressure on her lowered it, because thats what pressure does. If she
had high Interest Level, she would have asked you out, and thats what you should
have waited for. But you couldnt control yourself.
Mackenzie acted like you werent there anymore because for her, you werent after
you blew it. You say that you didnt do anything wrong, but you did. You bought
movie tickets for someone you work with and it wasnt clear to her whether the
gesture was social or romantic. Again, too much pressure.
And now youre worried about a missing coffee when you should be worried about a
broken date. You might have looked at The System, but you never memorized it,
otherwise you wouldnt have made all these mistakes.
What happened to the friendly Mackenzie? You turned her off when you pressured
her with those movie tickets. Was she ever interested in you? Yes, she was slightly
interested, but you didnt go in slowly enough. Like most guys, you rushed into
rejection.
When you see Mackenzie from now on, act like nothing ever happened. Smile, be
cordial, and thats it. And dont talk to any of the other women in the office about her.
Remember, you have to work with this girl. Remember, guys: Unless you memorize
The System, you dont have a chance.
Learn To Say No
Hey Doc,
India and I have been together for four years. Weve had several differences, fights,
arguments, etc. As a whole, the relationship has been 60% good and 40% not so
good. A couple of months ago we got into a huge fight. She broke up with me, but
since then weve talked about our problems and issues. Although were not formally a
couple anymore, she still needs me to do things for her. And she still comes over and
stays with me on the weekends.
I have expressed to India that we cant be friends right now if she is entertaining other
men for example, texting, talking on the phone, going out on dates, etc. Ive asked
her if she was doing so and she said no, she's not doing any of the above. I know
that people sometimes have opposite-sex platonic friends to talk to about their
relationship issues. I do, and I tell India. She even knows the names of the women I
talk to. These are women/sisters/close female friends of mine of over 15 years, so
theres no need for me to be secretive about it with her. I ask her if she has male
friends she talks to and she swears no. But I know differently. She does have a male
friend she talks to. But she wont be honest with me about it, which makes me even
more curious about him.
Doc, Ive been able to gain access to Indias phone and text logs. Over the past two
months Ive noticed a new number appearing on them. But what really alarmed me is
that over the last eight days theyve texted each other 175 times, and they still
continue to text back and forth, but without actually talking on the phone.
Ive called the guy and asked him who he was, and of course, he wouldnt say. Ive
repeatedly asked India if shes talking or texting anyone and she still denies it. She
also says that if she was interested in anyone else she wouldnt be seeing me.
What should I do? Why would a woman only talk to a man via text so much and not
the phone? This really sucks because I cant tell India that Ive seen her call log. I just
want the truth and dont know how to get it.
likes him a lot. When a girl falls in love with somebody new, they text a lot. No big
deal. Steverino, wake up! India dropped you. She doesnt owe you anything. Youre
kind of a half-boyfriend now. When India says that shes not interested in any other
guy, its a candidate for the lie of the year award.
What should you do now? Very simple. Get The System and get rid of this girl
ASAP. And who cares how she communicates with this other guy? I dont care if she
does it with a tin can and a string, the point is that shes talking with another guy.
She told you that she wants to get rid of you and youre just holding onto a reserve
position until she makes the final break. Like my cousin Brother Love down in Watts
says, Youre like a second string backup. In other words, youre yesterdays food.
Forget about Indias text and call log. Youre getting hung up on nothing here. This
stuff is nothing but smoke. The real problem is that you and India argue 40% of the
time. The texts are a non-issue. Of course shes talking to a guy. Like my cousin
General Love says, Shes looking for a new adventure. Youre yesterdays
newspapers, Steverino. Indias interested in the new guy and shes not interested in
you its that simple.
You want the truth? The truth is that you and India dont get along. And since you
dont utilize The System, she treats you accordingly.
Remember, guys: if you do the wrong things, she cant stay in love with you.
Self-Esteem Issues
Hey Doc,
Two years ago I met Chynna on an online dating site. But during those two years, we
only went out five times. At first I thought she was attractive (not a knockout, but
maybe a 7.5 out of 10), not overweight, and she was an absolute sweetheart. Our
dates went well. The only problem was that I just didnt feel any chemistry with her,
so I decided not to ask her out again. A month or two would pass and Id think, "You
know, Chynna wasnt so bad. Ill give her another try. Wed go out again and still no
chemistry. Heres some additional background: Shes 50 and Im 49. And shes very
religious (goes to church, has Bible study in her home, etc.).
Finally I realized it wasnt fair to Chynna to keep asking her out when it looked like
things werent going to blossom between us. An entire year went by (I just had no
desire to see her). Then, a couple weeks ago, I did it again. I asked her out to see if
this time would be the charm and it was. I started to feel something for her and we
made tentative plans to see each other the following afternoon.
After we made plans for the following day I gave her the smooch test. I dont know if it
was my imagination, but she looked absolutely shocked. That was not a good sign.
To top it off, the next day she canceled our plans for that afternoon. I guessed that so
much time had passed with nothing happening that she put me in the just friends
category and I made her uncomfortable when I kissed her (hence the broken date). I
accepted that this was my fault and just wrote her off.
Five days later Chynna called and asked if Id go shopping with her and I agreed.
She asked me to stop by her house the night before so we could look at ads and see
what stores we wanted to visit. Before I left, I kissed her twice and she kissed me
back (I didnt sense an overwhelming amount of affection but she did kiss me back).
Our shopping time together was 100% light and funny no heavy subjects. One
time I rested my hand on top of hers while we were talking and got no response and,
once again, had to wonder where I stood.
I decided that I wouldnt make any effort to kiss Chynna when we parted ways that
night because I didnt want to come on too strong. But when we were about to part
she stood facing me so I kissed her. She really kissed back this time and we shared
a couple of long, deep kisses.
I cant explain it, but this woman, who I once had absolutely no romantic feeling for, is
now all I think about. Do you think I have trust and credibility issues I need to
overcome because there were so many dates over such a long time period with
nothing happening? Could Chynna be thinking, He has a history of going out with
me and then disappearing? Should I act like we just started dating and stick with the
plan of asking her out once a week?
Harry whos scratching his head.
Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, At least we know shes not hanging out at the bars
and getting drunk every night.
Now let me straighten you out on something, Harry. You never make tentative plans
to see a woman. You make plans, period! But what I really dont like here is that you
keep coming back to this woman when you have no interest in her. Dude, you must
be striking out with other women or have low self-esteem or both. In other words,
something must be screwed up with you. When a woman doesnt pass the Physical
Attraction Test, and you continue going out with her until you see the light,
somethings not wrong with her the problems with you. Its the inconsistency in
your feelings thats dangerous here. You dont necessarily have to be head-overheels in love with a woman the first time you see her, but there has to be some little
spark there for you to go on seeing her. So like I said, either you cant score a date
with someone you really dig, or you have low self-esteem.
When Chynna broke that date with you, a huge red flag should have gone up in your
mind. This is the type of inconsistency you should be on the lookout for, and this
situation is nothing but a bunch of inconsistencies. Think about it. At first you go out
with Chynna and you dont care for her. Then she agrees to go out with you after all
of your indecision about her but cancels the date. So now youre both being
inconsistent.
Agreeing to go shopping with Chynna was a mistake. You only go shopping with your
girlfriend. Going shopping is not a date. A date is when you go out and put a show on
for a woman and have a great time. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A.
says, Youre not here to be her chauffeur.
You went to Chynnas house and looked over ads? Like my cousin Sal The Fish
Love says, You should have offered to fix her sink and paint her house while you
were at it. Youre not supposed to touch Chynnas hand, guy. Shes supposed to
touch you. Theres a chapter on touching in The System, but you obviously dont
have it memorized. But then you say you didnt want to come on too strong with
Chynna. Its a little late for that, isnt it? And your kisses shouldnt last over a second
and a half you have to build Challenge. Harry, you dont have any clue what
youre doing with women.
Yes, pal, you have some issues here, and theyre not positive. Of course Chynna has
to be thinking that you have a history of disappearing, because thats your modus
operandi. And no, you shouldnt be asking Chynna out anymore because she broke a
date. Besides, youve both given each other so many mixed signals that you have
nothing but a mess on your hands. Remember, guys: When she breaks a date, shes
out.
Lasting Relationships
Hey Doc,
Recently Ive been reading your columns, and Im also interested in The System
and plan to use it to help guide me so I can better understand relationships and how
they work. Ive only known about your materials for a couple of days and I have yet to
read your book, so bear with me if my knowledge is off.
I had to leave for military training early on in my relationship with Candace. We had
some discussions about it, and it was a difficult thing for us, but we felt as if it would
be too much for us to handle staying together when wed only been dating for a short
period of time. Exactly one month ago we got back together, and Im happy to say
that its been fantastic. We talk every other day and I see her three times a week.
Weve met each others families and friends, and Ive taken her out on a date at least
once every week. Shes both loving and caring and everything I look for in a
woman. We have discussed my military life, and though its not easy, she supports
me 100% and can cope with it better now that she has a clearer understanding of
what I have to do (I have to leave for training again but it wont be quite so long or far
away this time). But theres something that concerns me.
Last night Candace said that she loved me, and though it took me by surprise, I told
her that I loved her too. Though at the moment it seemed completely harmless,
something tells me that theres a red flag here now that I think back on it. Im worried
that we may be rushing a little and that she may feel the same way. Shes the first girl
Ive said "I love you" to and Id like for this relationship to last. Candace is an
incredible woman and Id hate to lose her. Id like to hear your opinion on this and
how I can make this relationship last. Whats the key to a long-lasting relationship
and how can I keep her Interest Level up? Also, do you think this love that we have
for each other is too fast-moving?
Id appreciate your coaching, Doc, and look forward to reading your book.
Bip whose head is swimming
Exactly when are you planning on buying and using The System? In a year or a
year and a half when its already too late to do something about your deteriorating
relationship with Candace? I dont mean to pressure you or anything, pal, but its the
most important tool youll ever have in your hands when it comes to women. Why in
the world would you want to be without it? What seems strange to me is that it would
have taken you only one minute to order the book, but it took you a half-hour to write
a letter. What sense does that make?
Meeting Candaces family and friends already demonstrates to me that youre moving
way too fast. Meeting friends comes after Candace is already your girlfriend. And this
girl is not yet your girlfriend. And meeting families comes after six months. So you are
indeed rushing here. But without my book for guidance, lets hope youre not rushing
straight into rejection, like so many men do.
You say that Candace is the epitome of the great woman, but the truth is that you
dont really know what to look for in a woman since you dont have The System.
Thats your problem. On top of that, you havent been acquainted with Candace long
enough to really know anything about her.
You might think that Candace has a better idea of your military situation, but when
youre off in Afghanistan for six months, is she going to be loyal to you after having
only a few dates with you and shes not officially your girlfriend? Thats the question
you havent asked yourself, Bip.
You shouldnt have told Candace that you loved her. To you Psych majors, when you
tell a woman that you love her, you kill challenge. That concept is explained in great
detail in my book, which, unfortunately for you, you dont have. And that book, let me
remind you, takes all of one minute to order.
Why are you worrying that Candace feels youre rushing things? Like my cousin
General Love says, You didnt put a gun to her head to get her to say she loves you,
did you?
You might want your relationship with Candace to last, but youre really not prepared
for that because you know nothing about Interest Level and you nothing about
Challenge, except very superficially. By evidence of the many phone calls you and
Candace make to each other, youre moving way too fast here, which will murder
both Interest Level and Challenge. And you know nothing whatsoever about the
dangers and psychology of long distance relationships. Its one thing for you to go out
of the country for three to six weeks, but when you go out for six months and
Candace starts running around with her girlfriends, they are going to meet guys. And
thats trouble.
My friend, the only way you can make this relationship last is by having my book
overnighted to you. Then you have to memorize it, because you have to keep this girl
interested in you when youre away for a long period of time. Most guys cannot do it.
Whats the key to a long-lasting relationship? Im glad you asked that question,
because its fully explained in my book. But like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East
L.A. says, The trick is making sure that she likes you more than you like her.
Yes, your love with Candace is way too fast-moving. Like I said earlier, you dont
meet her family and friends until shes your girlfriend. Youre not taking things in
order, dude. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, Youre putting the cart before the
horse. In other words, slow down! Youre doing everything backwards.
Remember, guys: When youre not right in front of her face for a long period of time,
shell tend to roam.
Don't Be A Pushover
Hey Doc,
I read one of your articles and figured I would ask you for some coaching before
purchasing your book. I am at heart a nice guy, and, as I have discovered, this
appears to be my main problem.
Kacey is the woman Ive waited my whole life for, but Ive made many serious errors
with her. We have known each other for many years, were best friends, but she has
been a continuing source of heartache for me. We have separated and gotten back
together many times over the last few years, usually as a result of her being fed up
with my poor self-esteem or the severe depression I developed as a result of her
rejection of me early on.
Last year I finally stepped away from Kacey of my own accord. Between her poor
treatment of me and her lying, I decided I had to leave or go insane. After some time
apart, the greater part of a year, Kacey messaged me, wanting to be friends. I agreed
hesitantly and decided to take things slowly. For the most part, I have handled this
time around with her much better, especially since Ive impressed on her that how I
feel about her has not changed since the day we met.
So this past year has actually been pretty good. I have given up on dating Kacey,
and I even met another nice woman I was interested in. However, that went nowhere
as she has her own issues and is not interested in me. I have done my best to be a
supportive and caring friend to Kacey, and even though I love her dearly, I did my
best to give her good advice while she was in a relationship with another man (which
my ego has still not quite gotten over). Not more than a couple of months ago her
partner left her, leaving me in a rather strange position.
So now Im in a jam. I know damn well there is something between Kacey and me
and everyone (except for my family) thinks we are a perfect couple. But I have come
to realize that my own foolish behavior has messed a lot of things up between us as
far as dating goes. I know that Kacey loves me because during our times apart she
becomes moody and often cries because we arent talking (this is straight from her
mothers mouth), but I dont think Kacey realizes it herself. Unfortunately Ive been
exactly the weak, pleading, spineless nice guy that I tried not to be, and I feel like
this has raised a barrier between us.
Doc, do you think there might still be a chance for me to make things right? I know
that there is the potential for a lifelong love here. I know I have found my soul mate
and even she agrees.
Bubby who cant seem to be strong
But you say that you and Kacey are best friends. I got news for you, Bubby: best
friends and heartache dont go together in the same sentence. And you have not
separated and gotten back together. What you really mean is that Kacey has gotten
rid of you a bunch of times and then taken you back. Lets be honest, please. Then
you say that she constantly lies to you. But how could that be when shes your best
friend? Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, Your reasoning here is all backwards, my
son.
Kacey didnt want to be friends with you again. She just wanted you back so she
could play with your emotions again and she was bored. And since you have no
cojones, you fell for it. You didnt agree hesitantly to see her again when she
messaged you, Bubby. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, You
jumped at the chance. And you told her you loved her all over again, after everything
she put you through. So by telling her that you adore her, you think shes going to
treat you better? Your logic is astounding, Bubby!
Its no surprise that a new girl wasnt interested in you. Youre not trained for a new
girlfriend, pal. Before you can go after a new girl, you have to memorize my book and
get rid of Kacey but not until then.
You havent been a supportive and caring friend to Kacey. Youve been nothing but a
co-dependent in a sick relationship. To prove it, you helped her out with another
guy that she was kissing. On second thought, you dont need The System after all!
Youve got it all down, Bubby!
Of course youre in a strange position. Like my cousin Sal The Fish Love says, You
got left with the leftovers. The other guy is through with Kacey and then you picked
up what he didnt want. But you say now youre in a jam! Bubby, have you ever
thought about stand-up comedy as a profession? But youre convinced theres
something between the two of you. Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, The only thing
between you two is a truckload of bad memories.
Nevertheless, you maintain that when a babe gets moody and cries, its because she
has high Interest Level. How did you happen to arrive at that conclusion? You say
youve been weak, needy and spineless, and thats the barrier between you. Like my
cousin General Love says, Its more like the Great Wall of China!
Bubby, theres no chance of making things right with Kacey. Because you do
everything wrong, she has no choice but to treat you the way she does. If you did
things right in other words, if youd had memorized my book years ago Kaycee
would never be depressed and moody, and shed be helping the homeless all
because she was in love with you. But you go right on thinking about getting The
System later. Whats the rush, right?
Second Chances
Hey Doc,
I own The System and Im a Doc Love Club member. Your book has really made a
big impact on my life and helped me to put my ego in check. Im in my mid-30s, have
read your book 16 times, and Im the first to tell you I need to keep reading it because
I still make mistakes. But I keep a log of my mistakes, and Ive been improving. I tend
to learn slowly and need to put more effort into things than the average guy, but once
it clicks for me, I get better at it than most.
Im currently living in Las Vegas after spending most of my life on the East Coast.
This is the hardest place Ive ever lived in regards to meeting single women because
guys far outnumber women. Its so bad Ive contemplated moving back East, but
when I read your material I realized that I needed to better myself to stand out from
the average single guy. Ive been dating a lot, but have trouble finding a girl Im really
into who has a high enough Interest Level in me.
This is where Ana enters the picture. Shes my sisters friend and was divorced six
months ago, after a 10-year marriage. I read your warnings in the book about women
on the rebound and how long it takes them to get over a divorce. Ana, though,
showed high Interest Level in me but I always made myself scarce. Finally I decided
to ask her on a date. She accepted. The date went really well. I went in planning to
go very slowly, as you suggested. I kept it light and funny and was a gentleman. I let
her touch me and at the end of the night I saw she wanted to kiss me, but I didnt go
in for the kiss since it was the first date. She gave me a big hug and stated that she
wanted to go out with me again. I simply said I had a wonderful time tonight and
smiled. The next morning she sent me an email thanking me again and telling me
she had a good time. I again followed The System and responded with Youre
welcome. I had a great time too. I didnt ask her out again since I wanted to wait a
week.
Now heres the problem. Over the weekend, Ana hung out with my sister. She told
my sister that she planned on seeing me again. They evidently talked a lot about me,
and my sister told Ana how much I liked her and really put a lot of pressure on the
relationship. My sister knows I am looking for a wife, but Ive tried to hide how much I
like Ana from her. Basically, she undid everything I accomplished on our first date. I
am sure my sister was well-intentioned, but I feel like she sabotaged me. Ana then
emailed me that she wasnt ready to date anyone and wasnt looking for anything
serious and that we should just be friends. I knew it was something my sister said,
and she admitted it. Then I made a mistake by telling Ana that she shouldnt listen to
what my sister said and that I wanted to keep dating her and after just one date I
wasnt even thinking about anything serious. After I sent that email I went back to the
good book and read through the chapter on Begging. Unfortunately, Doc, I realized
that I was begging.
How should I have handled this? I dont know how much this lowered Anas Interest
Level in me. She replied that she wanted to continue to get to know me, that she
really does like me, but right now she can only get to know me as a friend. I realized
that begging wasnt going to get me anywhere, so I changed my tune. I told her I
thought it was a great idea and that we can be friends as long as she behaves
herself. Since then I have been teasing her about stalking me and she seems to have
fallen in line with the joking and flirting.
Doc, am I out for good? You say one chance per girl per lifetime. Does this count as
my chance? I am continuing to date other women, but Imforcing myself to go out with
them, as my interest in Ana is in the 90s. I feel like she is exactly what I want and that
if my sister hadnt interfered, The System would have worked Anas interest up into
the 90s. When I get down about it, I pick up your book and keep hammering away.
Tell me what to do and I will do it, even if means moving on.
Sterling who rarely deviates from the rules
Theres a chapter in my book on blockers, and your sister is a blocker. But again, it
didnt help that you spouted off about your feelings. Did you actually think that your
sister wasnt going to say anything to Ana? Guy, when you let that happen, you
murdered challenge. You became an open book for Ana. When youre talking to your
sister about your love life, you have to do it on a need to know basis. You should
have just said, Yeah, Ana seems like a nice girl. Thats all your sister needed to
know. To you Psych majors, women tend to tell other women about whats going on
in their love lives.
What do you mean you tried to hide how much you liked Ana from your sister? You
should have just said Shes an average girl thats all. That said, your sister did
sabotage you. As the old saying goes, The road to hell is paved with good
intentions.
Instead of begging Ana, you should have just let her cool off for a week or two, then
called her up out of the blue, pretended that you knew nothing about what your sister
said, and asked her out for another date.
When you told Ana you could be friends if she behaved herself, that was a very sharp
maneuver, my friend. You were being funny in a situation where most guys would
have been defensive and uptight. In spite of the fact that youre probably on the way
out with this babe depending on how much damage your sister did its great
that you kidded her. I want to congratulate you on a very slick move there.
No, youre not out for good because you havent asked Ana out for the second
date and she hasnt turned you down yet. So this isnt your one chance per girl per
lifetime. What youre going to do is let Ana text or email you, but youre not going to
answer her. Youre going to wait a week, call her out of the blue like I said, and ask
her out.
Your interest in Ana is way too high, dude. It should only be from 80% to 89%. But
hers should be in the 90s. When a mans Interest Level shoots into the 90s, he
doesnt act the same. Mens personalities change when theyve flipped over a babe.
Sterling, you brought this situation on yourself because you have a big mouth. Like
my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, The last person you tell how you
feel is a girls girlfriend. I dont know how you can read a book 16 times a book
that tells you in every other paragraph tokeep your mouth shut and not express your
feelings and then still blab your guts out to your sister and not expect her to open
her mouth to her best friend. Come on, man, wheres your common sense?
Heres what you do: Back off and take a shot at Ana later.
Remember, guys: When everything is going well with a girl, keep it to yourself.
Patty doesnt want to go out with you again, so waiting for any gesture from her now
is a waste of time. If I were you, I would just forget this girl, throw away her number
and chalk it up to your ineptitude. If she happens to contact you, go out with her
but its not going to happen. Shes turned you down twice with no counter-offers, so
why would she contact you now? Why would she contact you at all?
Remember, guys: when youre dating a girl and then disappear for five months, you
cant just pick up where you left off.
Texting Women
Hey Doc,
I just read The System after a bad breakup and let me tell ya, I was nodding my
head the entire time.
Anyway, my question is in regard to the fact that almost no one talks on the phone
anymore. Most recently, Gwyneth gave me her number after I messaged her once on
a dating website. I waited 10 days to contact her. Maybe I misplayed this one, but I
texted her (instead of phoned) to go out for a drink, which she agreed to. I met her at
the bar and I feel as though I carried myself quite well. I was neatly put together, kept
eye contact, asked her a lot of questions, we had some good mutual conversation,
and I made sure I answered the questions she asked me with confidence, but with a
degree of vagueness. She gave me good signals (playing with her hair, laughing a
lot, asking me personal questions). I dropped her off with a hug (that she initiated)
and without making any plans, I bid her farewell.
I decided to stick to The System and not text her the next day even though I
wanted to. Sure enough, the next night she texted me thanking me for the drink and
said she had a great time and to let her know if Id like to get together again, and she
also apologized for jumping out of the car so quickly, because she was nervous. To
keep her laughing I replied with, My pleasure. So you mean you didnt have to pee
really badly? She asked me what I was up to on the weekend and there I was,
caught in a texting conversation, which happens so commonly in todays world, and
also was what doomed me with the last girl I dated.
I dont want to be rude and not respond to Gwyneths questions, because she can tell
that I read her texts, but I want to keep Challenge going, show control, and not text
with her every couple of hours. I know correspondence (texts or phone calls) should
only be used to set up the next date, but how do I react to a girl who keeps texting
me and asking me questions? Should I just not respond even though she can see
that Ive read them? Also, because Ive texted with her a few times now, is it too late
to change the pattern?
And you have to be careful with the bathroom humor. If youre dating an ultraconservative girl, she might not dig you talking about off-color subjects. What you
said was a borderline joke and it might not go over the way you wanted it to. Now, if
Gwyneth is your girlfriend after six months and you know her well and youre buddybuddy with her, it might be a different story. But when you dont know a girl that well,
you are better advised to walk the straight and narrow in the beginning. You dont
want a crude, offhanded remark to turn her off.
Instead of getting bogged down in a texting conversation with Gwyneth, you should
have said, This weekend Im tied up. But we will see each other again. Now, in one
sense youre talking about the future when you say something like this, but what
youre really doing here is buying time. Because what you want to do is wean
Gwyneth off the habit of texting you.
It would be rude not to respond to Gwyneths text questions. Any time somebody
leaves you a message by email or text, you have to answer. But like I said, what you
want to do is stall for time. So heres how to respond to Gwyneth when she texts you:
I had a great time, too. And let it go at that.
How do you react to a girl who keeps texting you and asking questions? You just say
this: Its so much more fun to do all of our talking face to face! If she texts you
again, repeat the message: I much prefer doing all this communicating face to face.
Keep saying it until Gwyneth gets the message and stops texting you all the time.
Again, you are obligated to respond, but, Thanks, looking forward to seeing you
again is sufficient. Keep it short and sweet, and dont ask her out.
No, its not too late to change Gwyneths texting pattern because you havent done it
all that much with her. But keep in mind that, like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from
East L.A. says, Its bad news to start a pattern with any girl. And if you back off from
her, shell want to know why, and shell start to smell a rat. So like my cousin Rabbi
Love says, If you dont start a bad habit, you wont have a bad habit to break.
Remember, guys: since texting kills Challenge, use it only to get the date.
Long-Distance Dating
Hey Doc,
First I want to tell you that I believe 100% in what you teach because it all makes so
much sense! I have even wondered if you are a prophet who has come to help
mankind (Im being serious!) or just a genius. In any case, you could have more
impact on society than Da Vinci if men just listened.
Anyway, I just started reading The System and Im not finished yet, but I will never
in my life put it down. I was recently dating a very dangerous creature, Tina, and I did
everything right (for a guy without The System).
I was Confident and I knew through experience to make her chase me. She had 90%
Interest Level, and there is no better feeling in this world than to have a Beautiful
Woman worship you. She is special, incredibly smart, speaks four languages, and is
social, funny, Giving and Flexible. In other words, a gem.
I know there are no second chances, but this situation is very unique. I met Tina
while studying abroad. She lives in Europe and I live in America. We agreed long
distance didnt work, but we stayed in touch through Skype and messaging and when
I had Self-Control and kept it light and funny I could see her interest shoot straight
through my screen. It got to the point where she came to America to visit me a few
months ago and we had a blast. I made her laugh every single day and she gave me
the I feel like Ive known you all my life line, which, as you say is Womanese for
Bingo!
But when she returned to Europe, I got too Confident, started relying on her
emotionally and listened to my ego. We argued a bit and I ignored her for a few days.
I thought she would come back apologizing and begging, but I forgot she was a
dangerous creature and her Interest Level dropped. An Olympic athlete, movie star
and model came into the picture (this guy is actually real), and I found out that they
kissed and Tina liked him. When I found out, I happened to be drunk and I insulted
her very badly. She later tried to explain to me that we were not exclusive and she
loved me and would be my girlfriend if we were in the same country, but it was
impossible. In any case, I was too hurt and I stopped talking to her.
One month later, I am still as miserable as the first day I lost her. She never lied to
me (I think); we were not committed and I made a big mistake by losing my SelfControl. I do not want a relationship with her, but I am wondering if she is someone I
should keep in touch with. I am not sure where her Interest Level is now, but I
believe its above 60%.
What can I do to not lose this diamond in the rough forever? Should I apologize for
insulting her and losing my Self-Control and restart a light and funny but limited
contact? Or should I throw away her contact information and pictures?
Claude who is sad because he couldnt control himself
So youre here and shes there and an Olympic athlete, model and movie star comes
into the picture. He might be all those things, but the most important thing is that he
lives right across the street from Tina and you live 4,000 miles away! Thats the real
problem.
Who told you that Tina kissed this other guy? Theres only one person who could
have told you that she digs him Tina! You werent there you were on the other
side of the world. So shes telling you that shes making out with some other guy. If
that doesnt tell you that its over, nothing will! What does she have to do, marry him
for you to believe it?
To you Psych majors, the problem with being drunk is that you do things that you
wouldnt normally do. Its called lack of Self-Control. But Tina was telling you the
truth: you two werent exclusive. How could you be? Youre in America and shes in
Europe!
Nevertheless, she said that she would be your girl if you were in the same country.
So at least shes being rational, man. Youre not. Tinas a good girl. But if is the
critical word here.
Claude, you havent memorized my book yet. You said you werent finished reading
The System. You have to be knocking this book off once a week for 15 weeks to
absorb its full effect. And its only 210 pages long. Youre not doing your homework,
buddy. Remember that when you used the principles of my book, everything went
right.
You never had this girl, Claude. You couldnt have her because youre not on the
same side of the Atlantic Ocean. Tina even told you that. But your ego is so big that
you dont want to listen.
So why would you want to keep in touch with somebody youre in love with whos
kissing a movie star now? Youre lying to yourself again. Tinas Interest Level is not
above 60%. Its below 50% and that means youre finished and it's time to back off.
What can you do not to lose Tina forever? Win the lottery and buy a house down the
street from her in whatever country shes living in. Thats your only shot. So call her
and tell her you had too much to drink, youre sorry for insulting her and you really
think shes a nice girl. Then never speak to her again. Yes, throw her number and
pictures away if you finally want to face reality. Unless, that is, you want to attend
an Olympic wedding!
Remember, guys: long distance relationships never work.
call her once in a while, right? I dont want to give the store away, but Im not sure
how to proceed with the phone. I already mentioned to her that I dont text,
since texting does nothing but decrease Challenge. I consider this not a longdistance relationship, since we are not a couple yet, but once Eva comes back, Id
love to see where things could go with her.
Giovanni who is confused about the phone
gets back into town, then youre going to disappear for 90 days. Shes not your
girlfriend or fianc. Youre not going to be talking to her regularly and trying to build a
relationship by long distance on top of one measly date.
When you told Eva that she could call you, it was a big mistake, another attempt by
you to slay Challenge. You should have said When you come back from Florida,
well go out and thats it. Yes, what you said was anti-Challenge. Like my Uncle
Jethro Love says, You killed it, boy. And you dont tell a girl what youd love to do.
You had one date with her and youre already blabbing to her what youd love to do
with her in the future. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East L.A. says, Too
much mush.
What you have to do for the next three months is be the Ultimate Challenge to Eva:
Youre going to have no contact with her whatsoever. No other guy in your position
would do that. Every other guy, after just one date with Eva, would be champing at
the bit to communicate with her on a weekly basis. Youre going to be different,
Giovanni.
You cant know anything about a future with Eva, so you shouldnt even be thinking
about it. Youve had one date with her, guy. How can you think about a future with a
woman after one date? And a two-hour, rushed lunch date, at that?
If Eva doesnt want to see you when you get back, thats just the chance youll have
to take. Like I said, any other guy would call Eva but youre not. Your interest is
simple you tell her to call you when you get back. Thats all she gets. Yes, its
possible to push Challenge too far, but not in this case because youve got only
one date in with this girl. And this has nothing to do with manners and class and
being gentlemanly. Were talking about romantic love and Challenge here. If you call
Eva once a week for three months, you will be giving the store away. But at least you
told her you wouldnt text. Good for you.
So youre going to wait for Eva to get in touch when she gets back. Remember, guys:
after one date youre nowhere with a girl.
mutual. She is the most ideal Flexible Giver that Ive ever met. We went on a first
lunch date which was very pleasant, and extremely light and funny, and she showed
clear signs that she wanted to meet again. Afterwards we talked on the phone more
and felt even more compatible.
We moved on to dinner dates and she was the one who initiated hand contact and
gave me quite a few tight hugs when we were saying goodbye. No kissing though.
The whole experience was quite overwhelming compared to all the other dates Ive
had over the past year.
Anyway, after our last date she suddenly made the remark that she has not dated
anyone except for me after her divorce, and that she thought the process of meeting
at least a certain number of men was important for her in order to try to figure out
what kind of a man shes really looking for. Openly suggesting what she was
intending to do right after very passionate dates and phone calls caught me off guard
and I felt a little disturbed. We ended the conversation with mixed feelings.
The next day Ginger called me, wanting to talk about the issue and how she did not
want to hurt me. I tried to apply your principles and said, of course, date other guys,
you should, and I will date other girls, then whatever time brings, it brings, right? We
had another very passionate date a week later and I thought things were back on
track.
Then, a couple of days later she sent me a text message explaining how she bought
this special crystal that supposedly helps a person to clear her thinking. She started
being more formal in her communications with me. A couple days later she asked me
if we could talk. She said she was totally confused, and that even though she
thought she was ready for new love, she now feels that she has to settle some things
in her head before shes ready for any relationship. Now she doesnt even want to
date anyone for the time being, meaning me, and she thinks we shouldnt talk for a
while.
Doc, should I move on or is there still some potential here? I hate to see this go down
the drain, especially after a year of dating quite a few women and finally finding what
I thought was the one. Ginger is a Libra, if this means anything, which means shes
indecisive, even though she claims that she knows what path she has to take now,
which is to not get involved in any relationship.
Collin who is an incompatible Cancer
starts calling you Mister, youre in real trouble. For a guy whos read all of my
columns, Collin, nothings sunk in!
Saying that she has to settle some things in her head before she can have a
relationship is the biggest con women have run on men since Eve told Adam to bite
the apple. And now she doesnt even want to talk to you. Man, you have this girl
mixed up with someone who cares!
What you have to do is memorize my book and throw this girls phone number away.
She liked you at first, but you butchered Challenge with the telephone, and now
youre paying the price. This thing isnt down the drain, pal, it was flushed out to the
ocean a long time ago.
You might have thought Ginger was the one, but she didnt think you were the one.
So youve got it all backwards. The mans interest doesnt mean anything. And her
being a Libra doesnt mean a thing either. Like my cousin Rabbi Love says, You
should have told her you were a Libertarian and confused her a little. Collin,
anybody who talks about what path to follow and looks into crystals for advice about
their love life is a whack job.
Remember, guys: the most important factor in a relationship is the womans Interest
Level, not yours.
Dating Tricks
Hey Doc,
Im a new reader, and let me say your stuff is great! Ive just recently gone through a
divorce after being happily married. Long story short, she was unfaithful the end.
Moving forward, Im learning a lot about myself, and Ive realized that Im not as
wonderful as I thought I was. Going to therapy once a week has forced me to realize
a few things: 1. I cant show affection towards a woman, out of fear of being
rejected. 2. How damn emotionally needy I am. 3. When getting to know a woman, I
have to prove myself worthy by verbally throwing up on her.
Anyway, Ive now met what seems to be a really genuine lady, Summer. Well, they all
seem that way at first, dont they? She has a great job, owns two homes, and just
seems to have her stuff together. Weve hung out frequently for the past two weeks.
Our dates have been really fun, andweve shared paying for them. Shes made it
very clear from the beginning that she was not going to get physically romantic with
me right away. Either shes with someone else or shes truly not an easy lady. Our
communication has been 50/50 between one another, and it seems to be moving
forward slowly. Weve kissed passionately, but thats all. She's done a great job of
not teasing me and has kept her cool. Of course, all this has gotten me crazy! During
one of our make-out sessions, I made it clear that if she views me as a friend or has
someone on the side, to please be truthful and not waste my time. She replied
Absolutely not. I want to see you.
Okay. Ive read The System, and it all sounds great. However, if its not who I really
am, then isnt following it just playing a game? If Im genuine and truthful with myself,
and that scares a woman off, then I guess she wasnt the right one. The right one will
respond the right way. If The System isnt who I am, then playing the game would
be tricking someone into liking me, and sooner or later you just have to be yourself,
right? Why not be yourself, and run off all of the women but the right one? Am I totally
off-base here?
Spencer who wants her to know how he feels
Then you told her that if she sees you as just a friend or has someone on the side, to
just tell you the truth about it. Guy, can you think of a better way to put yourself down
in front of a woman?
And now you think that following The System is just playing a game. But heres
where youre not thinking straight, Spencer, and its your main problem and the
problem that all men have: since men are homo sapiens, they want to treat women
as men. And thats what you want to do. When you start doing things differently
because shes a woman, youre not playing a game, youre doing simply what she
likes which is something that wouldnt work with a guy.
Dude, you can always be yourself. But just dont verbalize it to her. Its not a matter of
the right woman responding the right way. If you do the right things, shell be the
right one. Shell follow you because shell have high Interest Level.
The System is going to be who you are. Because youre going to start treating
women as women, and when you do that instead of treating them like men, youre
going to be more successful in your relationships. And youre not tricking a woman
into liking you by following my techniques. Youre treating her like a female, not a
male. Youre tricking yourself when you try to treat a woman like a man and expect
her to put up with all your negatives like a guy would. A romantic relationship is
conditional. Your friendship with a guy is unconditional because hes your buddy.
When you say be yourself, what youre really saying is that you want to treat the
woman like a man. Thats what you dont seem to get.
Yes, Spencer, youre totally off-base. What you dont grasp is that you have to treat
women differently. When you talk to a priest, or a CIA agent, or a cop, you change
your personality and approach with each one of them. But you dont say youre not
being yourself, do you?
Remember, guys: shes a woman, not a man.
Avoiding Rejection
Hey Doc,
I havent read any of your books, but I have read a few of your articles on AskMen.
Im 45 and I met Chandra, 41, online. She has been in a few relationships since her
divorce. We started talking on the phone after a few emails and graduated to talking
on the phone every night. We talked for hours, about everything and nothing at the
same time. I thought we were looking for the same things.
After four weeks of talking we met at a coffee shop. She had what I was looking for:
shes athletic, down to earth, smart, and caring. The feelings I had talking with her for
a month instantly connected with my physical attraction. My comfort level with this
woman was high. We ended up going back to her place, where nothing happened
but a little teenage make-out session. The first clue that she wasnt into me was that
she thought my kissing was different. I was embarrassed that she didnt like my
technique. I thought I totally blew it.
To my surprise, she called me the next day. I went back to her place and we spent
the afternoon together. She even made dinner for me. When I left, I was a little
disappointed that she didnt ask me to stay the night. I wasnt looking to get intimate,
but to just be together.
The following night Chandra told me that shes been so independent for so long that
having someone want to be with her so much was new to her. I said, "Why waste
time?" I wanted to build a relationship/history with this person. We saw each other
often for the next week or so. We talked about spending the holidays with each
others families and a future trip together. This made me think that Chandra could see
a future together.
Then I saw something that shocked me: Someone texted her and asked if she
missed him. I looked at her phone and read the history of their texts. She was
chatting with and seeing him the whole time we were talking! She even got together
with him the night before we met for the first time. This was devastating to me. From
the texts, I could see that she was really into him. They had an intimate relationship
where she wanted more, but he didnt. Now I get that we werent seeing each other at
this point and had no commitment to one another, but I still felt betrayed. As the days
went on she got more secretive with her phone. The final straw was one evening
when we were watching a movie. During the first 10 minutes she texted and listened
to her voicemails and totally ignored me. I finally asked her who she was talking to.
She said it was a client who needed an appointment. Of course I didnt buy it. I got
physically ill knowing that everything was falling apart. The next morning we parted
ways.
Its been a week since Ive seen Chandra. I got a text from her but didnt respond and
she hasnt contacted me since. I know we were just dating, but I feel like I connected
with her. I told her how I felt even before I saw the texts from that other man. As you
can see, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I want to be in a fulfilling adult
relationship.
Doc, should I contact Chandra or just force myself to let her go? Should I confront
her about what I saw?
of playing it cool or not rushing in. And you read some of my columns on AskMen?
Its stupefying.
Chandra never said she wanted a future with you. You said it and she just looked at
you. Why were you shocked about the other guy? Chandras not your girlfriend. And
by the way, you should have been going out with three other women besides
Chandra until she asked you to be her boyfriend. Why were you devastated that a
woman youve been out with only a couple of times is being hustled by someone
else? And youre 45 years old? My friend, you are very naive.
How could you feel betrayed if you and Chandra had no commitment to each other?
Again, she wasn't your girlfriend. She never said she wanted to see you exclusively.
She never even said she liked you! There was nothing there, Hack. Again, like most
men, you were flying by your own Interest Level.
Now let me get this straight. After you discovered that Chandra was seeing another
guy, you still hung around her? Like my Uncle Jethro Love says, You aint only
dumb, youre a glutton for punishment, too!
Nothing fell apart, man, because you had nothing to begin with. So you and Chandra
didnt part ways because you never were an item. You were just someone to talk to
on the phone and hang out with while her real love interest decided what to do. There
was nothing romantic coming from Chandra towards you in any area ever. Again,
you werent dating. You were just wasting lots of hours with Ma Bell.
Do you think that wearing your heart on your sleeve is how to behave in a
relationship at 45 years old? And again, its not what you want, its what Chandra
wants. Thats what you dont seem to get. Hack, you dont know how to approach or
handle an adult relationship. And you dont know how to keep it, and thats why you
dont have one.
So theres nothing let go of. Youre not holding onto anything but a lot of air.
Remember, Chandra digs the other guy not you. Do you think it bothers her that
you found out about him? The only person it bothers is you, because like most men,
you rushed into rejection.
Remember, guys: only the womans Interest Level counts, not yours.
I have a question for you. Normally I wouldnt even ask, but I dont have a clue with
this woman. And not to be cocky normally I have enough people knowledge to
figure it all out myself, but this was a new one on me.
Last Sunday I went alone to a lounge caf to drink some wine and relax after a long
day of work. I planted myself on a chair in front of the bar, I talked a bit with the
owner, who I know, and when he served my third drink, he said it was from a single
beautiful girl. I was baffled. A few minutes later she came out of the restroom and sat
closely next to me. And yes, she was gorgeous. I couldnt believe my luck. We talked
a bit and out of nowhere she grabbed my arm and said Youre my husband tonight.
I looked around. At the bar there were no ex-boyfriends, just a few 80-year-old men.
(I always look around to make sure there are no jealous ex-boyfriends lurking in the
shadows.) I was stunned, but also a little bit high, and I said OK, why not. We talked
and I found out that Beverly was 29 years old going on 30 later this year. (Im 24, by
the way). We laughed and talked, and I took her out on the floor for a slow dance. We
talked more, and drank more, and when another guy sat at the bar she proudly
announced to him that I was her husband of many years.
Now heres the wrinkle. At midnight I left the caf with no woman, no number, no
nothing. Now I didnt ask Beverly for her number, but I have to wonder why an older,
single woman who was a complete stranger just said to me that she wanted me to be
her husband. Maybe she was on drugs or a psycho, but she seemed too sweet and
normal to be either.
So Doc, what happened and what were Beverlys intentions? Did she want me to ask
for her number, or kiss her, or challenge her and give her affection, or was she just
bored?
Quick who was slow on the draw
did for a living, how long shes been in town, etc. In other words, you should have
conducted a soft interview to get a feel for where she was coming from by how open
and honest she was with her answers to these probing questions. But you did
nothing.
My friend, the biggest mistake of your life was leaving that caf with no woman, no
number, no nothing. To you Psych majors, you have to ask for the phone number.
Dude, why in the world wouldnt you ask for the phone number when a woman asks
you to be her husband for the evening? You have to ask yourself this question,
Quick: Why didnt you ask for Beverlys phone number after she came on to you so
strongly? How did you think you were going to see her later on if you didnt have her
phone number? Did you expect to just run into her on the street? Did you expect her
to show up at your front door? This is the equivalent of being in the first grade in The
System. Asking for the phone number is basic.
You want to know why a beautiful woman would ask you to be her husband. The
answer is that you dont know which is why you gently probe, get her phone
number, then take her out and find out later. Meanwhile, you enjoy her for what she is
a good-looking woman who happened to hustle you, and thats a very good start.
You want to think that maybe Beverly was on drugs or a psycho case, but maybe
she was just being cute and funny that night because she had too much Gallo wine
to drink and she was just playing with you, and theres no more to it than that. Like
my Uncle Jethro Love says, Youre making a mountain out of a molehill here, boy!
Maybe telling you that you were her husband for the evening was just a way for
Beverly to be verbally affectionate with you in order to get the ball rolling, drink wine
with you, and dance with you. Its that simple. But again, you didnt ask for her phone
number, so you dont know anything for certain.
What happened and what were Beverlys intentions? To have a good time with you
that night by dancing and drinking with you, and to be sweet and nice to you, but you
dropped the ball because you were so flustered trying to figure out what was going
on rather than just saying to yourself Dont look a gift horse in the mouth get her
number!
What did Beverly want from you? She wanted you to ask her for her phone
number. She didnt want you to kiss her. She didnt want you to Challenge her or
give her affection. And she wasnt bored. She liked you, guy, but you didnt close the
deal. In other words, you didnt ask for the order i.e., Whats your phone number?
Remember, guys: When a woman comes on to you, you have to ask for her phone
number.
what you think my chances are of re-igniting things down the road with Holly if I do
the disappearing act.
DeMarius who still feels like somethings there
And youre a blabbermouth too, DeMarius. Youre not supposed to tell a girl how
much you dig her. And you dont send her poems either. She gets poems after shes
your girlfriend and youve been going with her for three or four months.
When Holly started breaking dates, it meant you were out. Like my cousin Rabbi
Love says, Your little fling with a 19-year-old lasted all of 10 minutes. When she
started telling you everything that was wrong with her, she was just rationalizing for
her low Interest Level in you. What happened was that you turned her off, but she
placed the onus of guilt onto herself. So actually it wasnt her who screwed up, it was
you. Of course shes dating someone else because shes not interested in you!
Your disappearing act comes way too late, dude. Now youre out with both your
fiance and Holly and the chances are one in a million for reigniting anything with
either of them. Finally, you shouldnt even be hustling new girls because you havent
memorized my materials. When you go after new babes, youre going to make a fool
of yourself like you did with your fiance and the 19-year-old.
Remember, guys: when youre out, youre out.
Living A Fantasy
Hey Doc,
Over the past few years Ive read a number of your columns, and now I have a
question of my own. If you could give me any insight into this situation, I would deeply
appreciate it.
When I was in college I fell head-over-heels in love with Marilyn. I had several
girlfriends before her, but I felt like she was the one. We were best friends, but we did
not date because at first she was not attracted to me. By the time we both developed
the same feelings for one another, I messed up and broke her heart the day after she
agreed to go out with me. Then she got into a relationship with another guy who had
been chasing her all year long. We did not speak to one another for six years.
Six years have passed, and recently we began talking again because we both live in
the same city. She says she has forgiven me, and apologized for her part in the
heartbreak. She also admitted to all the feelings she had for me. After we finally
decided to meet in person and I asked whether she was single, she revealed that she
was still with the guy she rebounded to six years ago, but that she is not happy and
has discovered he may have been unfaithful to her for years. By the way, Id been
dating another girl, Susan, for only a month when Marilyn and I decided to meet up
again.
Two months have passed and Marilyn is still with her boyfriend, though it seems like
the relationship is falling apart even more, and I am still with Susan. I told Susan
about Marilyn, and said that she shouldnt have to deal with this while I figure things
out, but Susan was willing to stick with me regardless.
My feelings for Marilyn have not changed. She is my first love, and possibly my true
love. In the years since college I have certainly been able to attract and date many
other desirable women, but none of them have made me feel the same way. Even
though we get along and have a great time together, Susan does not make me feel
this way, either.
Marilyn has given me some buying signals during our in-person meetings. She has
held my hands, let me hold hers, and even kissed me on the cheek. We teared up a
little while apologizing to one another during our first meeting. There are a lot of real
and strong emotions between the two of us that we never expected to have to
navigate again.
Should I just ask Marilyn directly how she feels about me and tell her how I feel,
despite her boyfriend? Or is my best move to keep doing my own thing, give Susan a
chance, and wait and see what happens? An older mans coaching would certainly
be appreciated.
Faried who is torn and an idiot
interest was always in the other guy. Youre hoping now that somehow Marilyn is
going to rebound to you but Ive got news for you its not going to happen.
Now youre talking to Susan about Marilyn. A huge blunder, Faried. You shouldnt be
talking to your girlfriend about your feelings for another woman. Youre fixated on
Marilyn because you never got over the fact that she rejected you years ago.
Let me ask you a question. If Susan doesnt make you feel like Marilyn does, why are
you with her? Marilyns not really giving you any buying signals. Shes just using you
as her psychiatrist to talk about her relationship with the guy shes really in love with.
So this is nothing but more fantasy on your part. She already told you that shes not
attracted to you, didnt she? When did she ever tell you that she was attracted to
you? Never, thats when. And thats a very bad sign.
This thing about navigating emotions with Marilyn is nothing but more make-believe.
Youre the one with strong emotions and Marilyn has zeroemotions. Think about it:
she didnt contact you for six whole years and shes been in the arms of another man
all that time. Does that say that she cares about you? Like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love from East L.A. says, Youre in love with a fantasy. And youre completely out
of touch with reality and life, my friend.
No, dont ask Marilyn anything, guy. Its a waste of time because she doesnt dig you.
And its also a waste of time to stick with Susan. Youre in love with Marilyn but shes
in love with the guy shes been with for six years. You cant beat six years. As far as
Susan is concerned, drop her. Youre wasting her time and your time. And you never
liked her to begin with.
Remember, guys: unless you memorize The System, youre going to get yourself
into trouble.
indicated her interest is very high. Recently I made the career decision to move
closer to Marinas area for work. I asked her if itd be okay to sleep at her house on
the Murphy bed a few nights a week while I got settled, and she agreed. I was more
or less stuck at her house, but why wouldnt I want to stay if it seemed like we were
having such a great time together?
During a snowstorm one night, she decided that she was going to her friends house
to spend the night, leaving me to go and stay with a friend of mine. I believe this was
an indication that Marinas interest was dropping. She wouldnt have done it if it still
was in the 90s.
I was naturally angry the next day, which was Valentines Day, but quickly shook it off
and gave her the usual treatment of flowers and a gift. We had plans to go to dinner
when she became very flaky. She said she felt stuck now that I was staying at her
house all the time and feeling overwhelmed with balancing everything in her life. Uh
oh, here it comes.
She didnt want to go to dinner and said she needed space. I tried to talk to her about
it, then left. Three days later I went back to get my computer. She still wasnt ready
for me, though she seemed loving and affectionate. We kissed and I left. A week later
she invited me to dinner and we began talking. When the idea of us came up, she
got a bit strange, and I quickly turned the date to the positive, making her laugh, and
letting her do all the talking. But when we were parting, she said she still feels
overwhelmed, but she initiated a kiss. Im leaving out details about her gearing up to
graduate from college and having a lot on her plate. Nonetheless, I know that her
Interest Level was dropping, otherwise she wouldnt act this way.
Doc, is it time to move on? Has Marinas Interest Level guttered? Or does a woman
sometimes really need space even when dealing with a man she still has high
interest in? Where do I stand? Am I abandoning ship by thinking I need to move on
right now even if we havent formally broken it off?
Carmelo who doesnt want to get dumped
But heres the problem with Marina. When you started my book you were already on
the way out. Sadly, this is where most guys are when they come to me. Like my
Uncle Jethro Love says, They call the fire department when the house is already
burned to the ground. They dont call me when the problem is just starting and the
issues are still small and manageable. They get my book when the womans Interest
Level isnt dropping only a few points, they do it when its going south for 50 points.
That said, it was good that you at least presented the appearance of Challenge. To
you Psych majors, when youre busy, youll stay away from her instead of
smothering her.
I hope that when you made the decision to move to Marinas area that you told her it
was for the job and not her. Nevertheless, it was a huge, huge, huge mistake to tell
her that you wanted to stay with her while you moved. Like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love from East L.A. says, You should have stayed at a Motel 6 for $39 a night.
Instead of staying stuck at her house, you should have gotten out, dude. You might
have been having a great time with her, but she wasnt having such a great time with
you.
When Marina decided to go and spend the night at her friends house during that
blizzard, right there you were out. Its good that you recognized that her interest was
dropping, but as I said earlier, its best to buy The System before youre having
troubles with her. All you guys can get women to fall in love with you, but most of you
dont know how to keep them in love with you, and thats the problem.
Now let me get this straight. You showered flowers and a gift on a woman who
doesnt want to stay in the same house with you? Hey man, thats smart! Carmelo,
when a woman even utters the word space, youre lucky if her Interest Level is
51%. Very, very lucky. When Marina initiated a kiss, she was really just kissing you
off. Let me explain something to you, my friend. A lot of stuff on a womans
plate cannot lower her Interest Level in you. Only you can lower her Interest Level
in you.
Is it time to move on? Yes. Is Marinas interest in the gutter? Yes. Does a woman
sometimes need space even if she has high interest? Impossible its an oxymoron.
Where do you stand now? Out! Dont fret over abandoning ship. Like my cousin
General Love says, The ship is already on the floor of the ocean. And Marina is
being formal. She said the word space and she wanted to go and stay at her
friends house. Thats as formal as it gets.
Remember, guys: Every guy whos bought The System says he should have gotten
it sooner.
For those of you who dont have The System, what you mean when you call
yourself the biggest Wimpus australianus on earth is that you are practically the only
guy in Australia born without a backbone and the ability to ever say no to a woman.
Murph, the way you are going to create Challenge with Shaya is this: Youre going
to keep your mouth shut. That means youre not going to blab about all your
insecurities and fears. When anything comes out of your mouth, its going to be funny
and light. There will be no heavy conversations of any kind. And youre not going to
touch Shaya she will have to touch you if she wants contact. Also, youre not going
to be showering her with compliments. Like my cousin Fast Eddie Love from East
L.A. says, In other words, you have to treat her like she was your sister. And youre
going to continue treating her like your sister until she comes around.
Let me explain something to you. If you do the opposite of what you did to drag
Shayas Interest Level down to 51%, thats exactly how you are going to drag it back
up. And yes, you can most certainly start over again if her Interest Level is indeed no
lower than 51%. But like I said earlier, youll have to keep your trap shut and let
Shaya initiate affection and romance, and you will have to let her come to you. When
she enters the room, let her approach you. Let her kick off all of your conversations.
You just sit back and wait.
Again, if Shayas interest is 51%, its definitely possible to get it back up into the 90s.
But heres what I find most disturbing, Murph. My book includes a maintenance
program, which is one of the most important and profound parts of The System. So
I have to assume that you skipped over that section for some mysterious reason. To
you Psych majors, the principles that got her in the first place are the principles that
are going to keep her. Once you get married and are living under the same roof, the
way you keep Challenge alive is by not coming on to her verbally or any other way.
And again, make her initiate touching, kissing, everything.
I know that youre dying to spend all of your time with Shaya, but you dont utter a
single word about how much shes dying to spend all of her time with you. You dont
even mention how much she likes you other than that she digs you about 51% of the
time.
Guy, if you had my book before you met Shaya and you went by the Maintenance
Program, you wouldnt be in the mess youre in right now, thats for sure. So now you
have to go back into the Dating Dictionary, study and memorize the Maintenance
Program, and return to the techniques that won Shaya in the first place. Keep it light,
keep it funny, no heavy subjects, no negatives, and no put-downs. Like my cousin
Rabbi Love says, If the room is quiet when youre together, let it be quiet. Then let
Shaya fill the void with her voice.
Remember, guys: If youre engaged to a woman and you dont have my materials,
youre headed straight for divorce.
The biggest mistake you made was telling the beautiful Stefanie that you liked her a
lot. To you psych majors, the key to women is patience. Patience is discussed at
length in The System because its such an all-important quality. But you lost your
patience, dude, and thats why youre in the fix youre in right now.
When you told Stefanie how much you dug her so early in your dating relationship,
what happened was that her Interest Level probably dropped from 85% to 65% just
from that comment alone. Throw in that shes coming fresh out of a divorce, and no
doubt she doesnt want to feel any kind of pressure and your remark generated
lots of it. Since she just got out of a pressure-cooker relationship, hearing you lose
your patience and start coming on heavy to her was the last thing she needed.
Kissing Stefanie on the side of the head was another mistake. Like my cousin Sal
The Fish Love says, You kiss your grandmother on the side of the head, not your
girlfriend. You should have kissed Stefanie on the mouth. But it is a good sign that
she told you that you could kiss her because it demonstrated that she
wasnt completely turned off to you. But if her Interest Level is as low as 51%, you
might very well be almost out. Worse, it could be 49% and Stefanie is just wasting
your time.
This babe could have committed to something if you hadnt scared her off by telling
her how much you fancied her. In which case you could have made her come to you
and ask you to commit to her. Thats what The System teaches you to do, but you
did it backwards, my friend. You didnt have any patience, and this was the result.
What is Stefanies Interest Level now? Either 55% or 45%. Given those numbers, this
is what I would do: I would call her and ask her out, but not for a Friday or Saturday.
After each date, I would wait seven to nine days before calling her for another date.
The point is this: You have to create an atmosphere here where Stefanie misses you.
So you cant come at her hard because if her Interest Level is only 49%, nothing is
going to happen anyway. But if its 51% or 55% or 60%, you have a chance of
boosting it back up. The keys are that you have to have a fun date. You cant talk
about your feelings. You have to keep it light and funny. And, again, you never ask
her out for Friday or Saturday until she brings it up to you. Like my cousin Fast Eddie
Love from East L.A. says, If she bugs you about seeing you on the weekend, theres
hope.
We dont know yet if Stefanie is trying to make you back off without coming right out
and saying it. Of course you should start working The System on her now. What
would you be waiting for? And this just shows like it does for every other guy who
got my book that you should have had it sooner. Then you would have known
what to do with Stefanie because theres a good chance that youve already blown it
with a good one.
Is it too late to work my principles on Stefanie? It all depends on her Interest Level.
Remember, guys: Coming on heavy with a girl in the early stages is never a smart
move.
you to Beware! Stay out of harms way! Thats whats really going on here and thats
what the problem really is. Youre not listening to your gut, which is trying like hell to
protect you, but you wont let it.
You dont know that Bill isnt going to make a move on Jini. But how do you know
shes not going to make a move on him? You got it backwards, man! And you cant
be sure that Jini isnt going to cheat on you precisely because she has a past of
cheating.
Remember, guys: When you catch her in a lie, its time to move on.