"Imperious Interruptus"

Dilbert Knows.

Have you ever been in a situation like this before? Here you are talking to a cute girl, having a great conversation, and another guy comes up and starts talking to her. This probably doesn't seem like a huge problem, does it? Well let's say they start talking about a date they went on one time, or when they hung out with some friends, or back in elementary school, or anything you weren't really apart of and you have no idea what they are talking about.

Solution A would be to stand there awkwardly and either wait for a time to cut in or.... continue standing there awkwardly.

Solution B would be to walk away. But wait... you can't just leave, that'd be rude. But you can't interrupt their conversation. So it's back up to Solution A. No more quick and easy route, you must stand there awkwardly for what seems like an eternity. Your only hope is that another person will come and invoke the right of IMPERIOUS INTERRUPTUS. Why? Because then you are no longer a 3rd wheel. At least you can talk to someone else or have more of an excuse to escape.

Solution C would seem the best route to take. Politely say "Well it was good talking to you". And then walk away. As simple as that. Problem is... when the situation occurs, how come it never seems "as simple as that?!" Oh right, because you are letting another cute girl slip through your fingers to another guy!!

Option D: Be a man, get a spine, and punch the guy in the face and then ride off into the sunset with your lady on a white stallion! j.k. DON'T do that.

What would you do in this situation?

The Good Side of Bromance

Part II of the Bromance Series. Last time I talked about some of the poor Bromances out there and how often they end up with bros trying to kill bros. That ain't cool. This time I will share some examples of good Bromances. A true Bromance is synonymous with "Brotherhood", but more commonly amongst two bros rather than a bunch of bros. So here are a few examples of successful Bromances (note how they save each others life on multiple occasions, they don't try to kill each other!):

Harry Potter and Ronald Weesley

Is there a better Bromance than these two? They become instant life-long friends from the moment they meet. It is true they have their differences and their quarrels from time to time, but what succesful relationship doesn’t? In the end they pull together and save the wizarding world. Ron ends up marrying their other best friend, Hermoine. None if them at any time ever felt like a third-wheel. In fact, Harry ended up marrying Ron’s sister… and Ron was okay with it! Talk about weird --talk about awesome!

Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gambgee 

Perhaps one of the best examples of a good Bromance in all the history of nonhistorical fiction: Frodo and Sam. Would you carry your friend up the side of an enormous  volcano just to return a ring? After he had told you togo home (not accurate to the books, but I like it!)? After you had walked and climbed hundreds of miles and almost died??? I thought not.  

Two friends, nigh unseparably. Travelling to the edge of darkness, putting their lives on the line for one another. No two brothers in fiction hold such loyalty and willing to sacrifice so much for the other, than these two little Hobbits.

Capt. Jack Sparrow and Will Turner

NOT.

Apollo and Starbuck

Very few – actually… very, very, very, very, few – probably remember these two iconic characters from the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica. These two friends were as close to brothers as you can get. They were always loyal to one another and did whatever they could do, fighting side by side, to destroy their enemies. (Do not compare to new Battlestar Galactica where Starbuck is interestingly enough… a girl?)










CHUCK NORRIS   'nuff said.

The Levels of Flirtation

The 9 Levels of Flirtation:

1.      Visual
2.      Verbal
3.      Slight Touch
4.      Hanging out with Interest
5.      Formal Date
6.      Hand Hold
7.      Hold Hug
8.      Cheek Kiss
9.      Lip Kiss

Some of the following steps can be interchangeable, however you do not reach a level of flirtation unless you take part in all he preceding levels. For instance, a formal date is not necessarily a level of flirtation unless it is someone you hang out with whom you have interest for. Also, if you Hold Hug each other before you Hand Hold, then you are not at a level 7skipping level 6. You are merely acting on level 6.

Visual. Any silly or ridiculous non-verbal gestures that cause the member of the opposite sex to laugh or smile. Even looking at someone because they are cute and turning away when they look at you is considered in some degrees as flirting.

Verbal. This one is much more vague. Are you actually flirting or just being friendly? This includes anything said that hints to more than friendship whether in a joking manner or a serious manner. More often is this used in a jocular setting.

Slight Touch. Inclusive of any intentional physical contact with the opposite sex that is not intimate. This could include a hug, a poke in the sides, a hand touch or stroking of arm, et cetera. The only exception would a simple handshake, eps. when meeting someone for the first time.

Slight Touch is the most commonly used level of flirtation. If someone resorts to this method of flirting right away, then in most cases it means the person doing the flirting is generally just a flirt. Never confuse this right away as a sign of interest because in many cases there is nothing deeply personal. More over, it is a sign that level 3 is the flirter's most comfortable method of flirting.

Stealing and misplacing items of a person, i.e. a cell phone or a calculator (knowing that person will soon be in need of), is a common way of flirting that falls under the category of Slight Touch. In other words: Teasing.

Hanging out with Interest. Not the same as Hanging Out, clearly. This is often done by pairing off. Whether it is simply you and the significant other, or a larger group where you spend most of your time with that significant other, it is the same.

Formal Date. Now here is where you can arguably say this is no longer flirting. According to Dictionary.com Flirting is: "to court triflingly or act amorously without serious intentions". For some people this is where they begin to take action, while for others they are still trifling without serious intentions. Either way, the second definition is: "to trifle or toy, as with an idea." Those questions still buzz around in your head. Do I actually like this person? Is this person good for me? Is there someone else out there better for me instead?

Dating to date (such as asking a good friend to a school dance or a group date activity) is not flirting. It is much similar to hanging out without interest. Friends just being friends. But when two people begin forming an interest for each other, and then they go on that formal date... They are acting under level 5 of the Levels of Flirtation.
 
Hand Hold. Typically the first big move. Often times the most nerve-racking one on this list. Simply put: Inter-digitating. Locking fingers between fingers. Holding of the hand. Clasping of the phalanges.

Hold Hug. More than just a hug. This is holding.

Cheek Kiss. A kiss on the cheek. (Probably could've figured that one out)

Lip Kiss. The flying of sparks. Stupefy. Flipendo. Expelliarmus.

Bros Don't Kill Bros!

The best way to Bromote the Brotocol of Bromance is by watching this video.

Now, there is nothing wrong with a healthy Bromance, but there are certainly some things you want to be careful of. Take these two examples for instance:

Harry Potter and Voldemort  These guys were practically blood brothers. In this scene below, Harry gives Voldy a great big hug as the lose balance and fall of the castle and down a thousand foot cliff. Both of these guys killed each other at least once and in the end things don't turn out so well for "You Know Who".

 Obi-Wan and Anakin  Their story is not much different. They start off as best friend, clinging to one another for dear life. After a while though they have a little dance on a volcano (sparks flying and everything) and Obi-Wan leaves his padawan to die. Not to worry though, Anakin later gets even as Darth Vader and takes out ol' Ben Kenobi (and I don't mean on a date...).

It's not always a Bromace you want to watch out for!  A true Bromace is synonymous for "Good friends". In most cases, guys don't try to kill you when you make them mad. It's the women you want to be careful of! Jack Sparrow can attest to that on many occasions! It cost him his life once! 

"Take what you can! Give nothing back!"

The Peacock's Tail

The other day I was doing some research on... Flirting. I came across a website that explains the basic Do's and Don'ts of flirting. I found it very interesting that, according to this website, flirting is one of our most basic instincts. If that is true, well that explains so much. Take a look for yourself:

"Flirting is much more than just a bit of fun: it is a universal and essential aspect of human interaction. Anthropological research shows that flirting is to be found, in some form, in all cultures and societies around the world.

Flirting is a basic instinct, part of human nature. This is not surprising: if we did not initiate contact and express interest in members of the opposite sex, we would not progress to reproduction, and the human species would become extinct.
According to some evolutionary psychologists, flirting may even be the foundation of civilisation as we know it. They argue that the large human brain – our superior intelligence, complex language, everything that distinguishes us from animals – is the equivalent of the peacock's tail: a courtship device evolved to attract and retain sexual partners. Our achievements in everything from art to rocket science may be merely a side-effect of the essential ability to charm." http://www.sirc.org/publik/flirt.html