Confessions of a Girl Talk Junkie

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I think I was away the day they gave out the typical guy gene. I'm not big into sports; I'll watch it once in a while but I couldn't tell you anything about stats, standings or players. Probably because I don't really care. I hardly drink, anything past two beers on a summer day would be considered a lot for me. I don't play poker, in fact cards bores the hell out of me. I have been known to get together with the boys and hit a strip club or two and partake in an evening of wholesome cultural entertainment.

This past Saturday I spent the day with some of the guys at a model train show (it really was a model train show, honest).  Sandy was having a girls' night in, and I arrived home that night just in time for Earth hour. I spent it in a candle-lit room sharing a conversation with five women, watching them indulge in alcohol and phallic-shaped food. When the hour was over I retreated to my studio to give them their time together.

Most guys I've talked to show no interest in doing anything like this, they'd rather go out with their buddies. Maybe I had the best of both worlds on Saturday, but the thing is I get a lot out of these moments.

So many people just seem to accept that men and women will never understand each other. Many women dismiss men and say we only want one thing. Maybe it's true that we think of it a lot (okay, constantly) but we're a little more complex than that. Really. And I've heard so many men say we'll never understand women. But how will we if we don't make the effort?

We have to try. Last year I began studying female psychology and sexuality. I've learned again as much about this (maybe more) from conversations I've had with some of you, as well as relationships while we talk about what you experience or what you're looking for. I get asked a lot if I ever get tired of listening to people talk about what's going on in their lives.  The truth is I eat this stuff up, in fact I seek it out. I'll never claim to know everything about women, I still have a lot to learn. But I know a lot more than I did a year ago, because I've made an effort to understand life from a woman's perspective. I'm proud to be a man but I think this is important. Taking time to listen will remove a lot of the mystery in the difference between the sexes, while leaving enough to keep things interesting. This is something I plan to do for the rest of my life.

Keep those e-mails coming. :)