Send/Receive

Send/Receive. Send/Receive. Send/Receive.

It sounds like a game of fetch, and in a way it is I guess, but technically it's that annoying little button in my email program that I fanatically worry isn't doing its job. Do guys obsess over that button? I know a lot of girls who do - this gal included. And we time how long it takes them to respond to our emails. Right now, I'm at almost two hours. The official count is one hour, 47 minutes. I love email flirting. It's almost as cute and fun as text flirting. But who am I kidding? I just love flirting!

Again, it goes back to the song Tracing. "Always staring at the score, to figure out who's barely winning." I feel like if I wait two hours to write him back, then I'm ahead in some pathetic, trivial way. Who likes who more. Is that the game we're playing? It's certainly a game.

My good friend, A, is right here with me. Timing emails. A's guy waited two whole days. We were convinced that was it, their relationship was over before it even started, but then, out of the blue, the poor guy responds, mumbling something about being busy at work, and asks her on their next date.

We'd already written him off, gotten angry at him for not giving her a fair chance and then made our peace with his decision to blow her off. Maybe it's just not meant to be. Maybe he's still getting over his ex - you don't want to deal with all that excess baggage. Maybe he's just not that into you. Fine! Let him be that way! He's such a jerk!

But no. It turns out, it wasn't that at all. He was just busy and important, focusing on his daily tasks and probably innocently and absentmindedly let two days go past without an email. Having no idea that his actions (or lack thereof) were having such an effect.

And it's not that we don't also have very important tasks in front of us. Because we are smart, successful girls. Who also like a little email flirting. And where's the harm in that? That we like constant reminders of their feelings? And affirmations that they like us?

It all sounds ridiculous, but guys have their pathetic moves that they overanalyze also. Maybe it involves trying to figure out when is ok to go for second or third base. But we all have something we obsess over in the beginning. It's what makes it exciting and keeps us interested. They call it a game because it's fun.

One hour, 56 minutes...Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive...oh, he's good...ooo ooo! One hour, 58 minutes. Gotcha. Aw, honey, you're all mine. Tee hee!