Mixing it up...

So I will fully admit- I have been known to throw a mixed signal here and there. I work in a very male dominated industry so as to avoid any unfortunate incidences I keep a framed picture of me and my best friend (who happens to be a pretty great looking guy) on my desk. I have also been known to don a fake engagement ring, especially when I worked in men’s fashion because nothing says class like getting asked out when measuring his inseam! I admit I have also taken to wearing one when traveling and knowing that I will be stuck on a long flight- never once in all my frequent flyer miles has a cute guy ever sat next to me- I seem to be a magnet for the D-bags drowning in Drakkar Noir.

But really how odd is that? Girls are assumed to be the ones to be the head cases and masters of mixed signals. We are emotional and at times manipulative- opps I really did admit that be we all know it is true.
However, the boys of summer seem to have taken it upon themselves to mix it up and become the ones to get emotional. I actually first noticed it starting early in the season, when the nights were just starting to heat up- I had a flight in from Chicago and shock of shocks I had a delay! I had a blast people watching and didn’t think much of it because I had just spent some much needed fun catch up-time with a fabulous old friend. But Guy-of-the-Moment got so bent out of shape…how dare my flight delay ruin his plans that he had for us to celebrate my birthday??? What was US Air thinking??? By the time I got home he was pissy and the night ended with me going to bed alone. WTF? We could have still had a great night but his pissy mood ruined it. Jump forward a few weeks, and I forgot another Guy-of-the-Moment’s birthday, to clarify we were not actually dating (I have known him for years however) and I don’t ever remember birthdays if not for Facebook reminders. So a day late I called and sang and apologized for missing it- well guess what- he is still sulking!- another one bites the dust- no time for pity parties! I recently caught up with one of my most fabulous girlfriends who has been plagued with one of these backwards boys of summer for the last few months- what she thought was a hot successful bachelor has turned into a blubbering mess of tears and accusations of her not loving him enough. Yet another has been in the throes of this fantastic long distance summer fling with declarations of love and a future- come to find out he has a girlfriend that has been given the same promises and professions- isn’t Facebook a bitch!

So, with fall approaching and the nights cooling off, will the world of dating balance out? Will we, women, return to our emotional signal mixing ways or will the boys of summer keep crying???