kayte asks:
so this boy... i like him very much and care about him very much... but he doesn't allow himself to feel any emotions, and therefore won't allow himself to like me back, though i know he wants to in some way, through our interactions. [it's especially lovely because my exboyfriends have all turned out to be the same way, and i notice what an attractive pattern i'm building for myself.] but this boy... i'm practically chasing after him and i'm afraid of scaring him off. i know he likes me. but he won't let himself really like me, or ever do anything about it. and it's entirely frustrating because i really think he's wonderful, and it would be wonderful to be close in that way with him. how do i handle this--do i move on or keep trying?

p.s. is it bad to eat cookies for breakfast, every morning?

I was in San Diego several months ago, cramped into a room in a beach-side motel that we had dubbed "The Pink Palace." Picture pink. Picture stucco. And then picture a surf competition happening outside your window one morning where it was apparent from the bleating on of "Number 7... Number 7..." that surfer number seven was not showing up for his turn in the spotlight. Well inside this motel room (three of us, all buff, young, straight, men) were our provisions for the weekend. We had Fig Newtons and Sun Chips, and most likely would have had some cream-filled oatmeal cookies if we hadn't cleaned the local minimart out of their entire stock1 the night before.

I would wake up in the morning to the snoring of my companions, and being limited in my ability to reach either the door or the bathroom, resigned myself to reaching for the snack table for provisions. The Sun Chips gone, I reached for the Fig Newtons. Now Fig Newtons are a bit like cookies, so I feel that we can draw certain parallels in our discussion of the situation. Regardless, this carried on for several days, at the end of which I was feeling quite malnourished and fat, at the same time.

For you see, cookies really do not have any nutritional value. While they might say things like "May contain food" on the side of the packaging (sealed for your protection), this is a complete lie. Truth in advertising is dead, and do not let anyone tell you different. In fact, the only thing that cookies contain are fat (to make them taste good), and chocolate chips, because chocolate is the foundation for all non-food foodstuffs.

Remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You do not want to go filling yourself up with something that is not oatmeal at the beginning of the day. Or yogurt. Or, if you are on the run, an egg and cheese sandwich on a roll. But not cookies. Cookies are bad for breakfast.

Remember also that what you have for breakfast will effect how the rest of your day. Also remember that there is a fine line you have to walk when you are talking to boys. On the one hand, they like girls to chase them. It makes them feel important, and hot. Just like movie stars. However, if a boy has a girl chasing after him and he does not make any moves to return the favor, then it is most likely the case that he is not interested in what he thinks the girl has in store for him.

You see, perception is reality. You never said that you wanted to date this boy (and I do not know if this is your intention), but if you are chasing him, then he thinks that you want something very serious from him, and he does not want that sort of responsibility (mostly because he is a wuss, but that is not the topic at hand). What you should really do at this point is stop chasing and just try to be his friend. Perhaps you can bring him a cookie (though not for breakfast). Or just talk to him. Say "hi" a lot. And find out how his day is going. If things are "meant to be" then things will progress. And don't be afraid to move things forward, if the situation demands it. The nice thing about this situation is that you do not need to either "move on" or "keep trying" but can do both and see where your path forks off in the future. In the process of "moving on," the boy may find that you really are going away, that he misses your interactions. Then he will come after you. But if the boy is running away from you, then for goodness sake, don't chase him down like the paparazzi.

Even celebrities need their "me time."



1. They are the official snack cake of the revolution.