Got a relationship problem? JASON GODFREY, our man about town, is here to help.
Got a relationship problem? JASON GODFREY, our man about town, is here to help.
Is there a right way to vent your frustrations in a relationship?
Well, the traditional way is to throw cutlery and appliances out of second-storey windows, I believe. No, this is definitely the wrong way to do things. Wanting to vent in a relationship is normal, but don’t vent to your significant other. If you need to complain, talk to a friend. That said, feel free to bring up your issues with your boyfriend in a mature and calm manner, and listen to what he has to say. But don’t vent about him to him – that’s just mean.
What is the biggest relationship deal-breaker for guys?
Bad hair – there’s no debate here. Especially the coiffed, blow-dried, poofy style popular in the ’80s.
I want to break up with my boyfriend – should I ask him to return the gifts I’ve given him? And should I return his gifts?
Of course! That’s what pre-dating agreements are for! Every gift given while dating comes with the caveat “it shall be returned upon termination of the relationship” – that’s why one never gives perishable foods as gifts. Seriously, don’t ask him to return the gifts you’ve given him. What would you do with them? Save money by regifting them to your new man? More likely than not, they’ll serve as constant reminders of the failed relationship, so why keep them in your life? Ditto for the gifts he has given you.
I always tell my girlfriends that when it comes to relationships, they should let their guard down and share their feelings. Now that I’m in a relationship myself, I find myself clamming up! What should I do?
This is easy – because you sort of answered your own question. Don’t clam up! You can’t be afraid of getting hurt. Canadian songstress Esthero once sang: “I’ll march in to my life and I’ll fight to stay alive. I’ll partake of the fruit and I’ll drink all the wine, get my face in the mud, make a fool of myself, get my heart torn apart, and then I’ll go love someone else.” So partake of the proverbial wine, get mud on your face and open up. That’s the only way a relationship can grow.
Have more questions about men and their romantically obtuse ways? E-mail Jason at magherworld@sph.com.sg, follow him on Twitter (@bigsmilenoteeth) and like his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bigsmilenoteeth.
