Relationships ....that sink

I use e-mail, like about every person in the world these days. My particular brand of email account, one of the free ones of course, has news stories, sport stories and popular stories featured on its home page. I’ve noticed, over the years, that quite frequently some of these popular articles that have made it to the top of the page are articles that give dating advice and insight into the minds of girls and guys. I tend to catch up on the news stories while checking my e-mail but I typically skip over these “dating tips” articles. After all, no living person could actually explain how a girls mind works, much less her heart. When I say I don’t read these articles I say it a bit “tongue in cheek” since sometimes, when I’m really bored or the article accidently gets clicked, I read them; though mostly just for a laugh at their great “wisdom” that really adds no insight at all. It is interesting though, some of the views and thoughts the various authors share and how greatly they differ as well.
There have been times I feel I should write my own analysis of the whole scheme; since everyone else wants to tell us how we should think, dress and act I wonder if I should add my two cents as well. However, I really have no extra insight to add to the topic, it’s all so confusing when it comes to how guys should treat girls, at least those girls you think you might “like”. Do you open doors for them or is that offensive now? Do you talk to them or flirt or does that make you a creep? Do you ignore them or pay extra attention to them? The rules seem to constantly change. It is especially difficult if you are a good guy, a guy that just wants to be friends at first, not looking for a one night stand but for a girl that you would want to spend your life with. The thing is, if you aren’t careful two things can happen, and I suppose I can sadly say I speak from experience. First, you can be honest, tell them you like them, but that you want to be sure though before the relationship gets serious, towards marriage. The problem is, for some reason a lot of girls do not hear the “take it slow” and in two weeks are telling everyone you know that the two of you are going to get married; meanwhile, you’re still at the “getting to know them” stage. This can be humiliating and disastrous if you can not get on the same page as them quickly, not only to the relationship with them but with everyone the two of you know as well. Going the other direction can be just as risky, you can avoid being anything more than distant friends with them and avoid sending any messages that could seem like you are interested in them until you are sure that both of you could be great for each other, not an easy thing to know, as distant friends. In the mean time, you risk alienating them or yourself by keeping things distant and losing any chance the two of you may have had.
Like I was saying, I really don’t have much good relationship advice. Apparently no one does though from the popularity and number of the “advice” articles written by singles that are “still looking”. I’m just avoiding the whole “game” for a while, I have plenty to keep my busy and I’m tired of getting tramped on, don’t have enough heart left for it. I suppose if you’re a guy and you’re tired of the whole dating relationships thing but you want to settle down and get married, your best bet is to just get a mail order bride from some far away country that can’t speak a word of English. Just pick a country and I probably have an offer in my junk mail folder I can forward it to you; with the economy like it is you can probably get a pretty good deal too!