HEAR WHAT OPRAH HAD TO SAY ABOUT MEN

If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away.

If he doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay.

Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior.

Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.

Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship that's not meant to be.

Slower is better. Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy. I

f a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve then heck no, you can't "be friends". A friend wouldn't mistreat a friend. (Hahahaha!)

Don't settle. If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is.

Don't stay because you think "it will get better." You'll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better.

The only person you can control in a relationship is you.

Avoid men who've got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women. He didn't marry them when he got them pregnant, why would he treat you any differently?

Always have your own set of friends separate from his.

Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you.

If something bothers you, speak up.

Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later.

You cannot change a man's behavior. Change comes from within.

Don't EVER make him feel he is more important than you are... even if he has more education or in a better job. Do not make him into a quasi-god. He is a man, nothing more nothing less.

Never let a man define who you are.

Never borrow someone else's man. If he cheated with you, he'll cheat on you.

A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you.

All men are NOT dogs. You should not be the one doing all the bending...compromise is two way street.

You need time to heal between relationships... there is nothing cute about baggage... Deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship.

You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you... a relationship consists of two WHOLE individuals... look for someone complimentary... not supplementary.

Dating is fun... even if he doesn't turn out to be Mr. Right.

Make him miss you sometimes... when a man always know where you are, and you're always readily available to him - he takes it for granted.

Never move into his mother's house.

Never co-sign for a man. D

on't fully commit to a man who doesn't give you everything that you need.

Keep him in your radar but get to know others.

Halleluya!

As an full-grown adult, responsible, and attached (but not married) woman, I finally experienced the dread that most of us (at least my kind) feel when the hormones go haywire and the monthly female discomfort doesn't arrive. I suddenly found myself wishing, praying for THAT discomfort.

I didn't go to the doctor or do any tests as I was confident that it would arrive any day soon. But I was mistaken. When things like these happen, one is pushed to think or say, "Crap, what the fuck will I do with this???". And I did just that. It made me think of how my life and my priorities would change, and how it will affect my relationship with Bucky, my parents, my friends, my relatives.

Though I had so many fears (i actually remember trembling sometimes because of the uncertainty), it is not so tragic for me anymore. If I were in this situation 2 or 3 years ago, I would've felt dead with worry and panic. Now, I could financially support myself and a child. I have a fairly decent job, and I think I already have the skills of a mother.

But am I ready? For the whole shebang?

My gut-feel was, and still is: I am not. I still want to work abroad, shop and travel for myself without feeling guilty, drink and smoke sometimes, do whatever and whenever I like without any responsibilities. I am not ready to give up my shallow independence.

But will one ever be ready for these things? When can a person say that he's ready for parenthood and a lifelong commitment and responsibility. A parent cannot retire, as long as the chilren are alive, there's always looking and worrying after. I guess one can be ready financially, and to some extent psychologically. But we can never really know unless it already there staring at you in the face. Maybe that's how we get our dysfunctionality. Our parents always has some reservation about having us, and yet there is no other morally-correct choice but ... to have us. We just need to do our best and pray that we don't raise socio-psychopaths. I think I'm ready to cut my folks some slack. They had it harder.

So, I was in this quandary, when finally, one cold morning, my monthly visitor came. I've never been so happy. When I finally told Bucky, he was very much relieved (though he wanted to punch me because I made a joke about it- that I was on the way).

Im sort of thankful that this happened. It made me realize a lot of things. Like being more careful next time. =D