Thursday, Dec. 01, 2011

He broke Steve and Mia’s rule

 

Q: I’m in my early 20s and working at my first job. When I started, I was told numerous times by friends and others to avoid interoffice dating.

But of course, on my first day there, I noticed a beautiful brunette girl. We ended up dating, and she admitted that she had recently dated another guy in the office, that things had ended badly and that he had certain . . . ahem . . . sensitive pictures of her. He wouldn’t leave her alone, so she was forced to go to HR, and he was moved to a separate part of the company.

I was concerned about this, even though she was very up front with me about it. One night I made a crack about her sleeping with our CEO (a stupid little office rumor) and she freaked out.

After that, it felt like every time we would get close to taking that “next step” physically or emotionally, she would run away. Finally she said we couldn’t date because we worked together. So I put on a happy face and accepted that.

Now, six months later, she’s spending a lot of time with a male co-worker. He even drove her car to work one day.

Is it wrong of me to be upset if she’s now dating someone else in the office?

Steve: This girl doesn’t learn from scalding, does she? One of Steve and Mia’s rules of romance is NEVER date a co-worker.

If things go bad — and they usually do — you mess up not only your social life but your work life, too. Forget her. But don’t forget Steve and Mia’s rule.

Mia: Steve’s right. Forget that woman, and remember another Steve and Mia rule: Go online. You may not meet the love of your life, but at least you’ll get to meet women outside your workplace.

Q: My girlfriend is into tattoos and piercings, and now she wants to get her private parts pierced. She asked me what I thought, and I told her I’d get back to her. I’m not sure how I feel about this. Is it safe?

Mia: It can be. But, excuse the pun, your e-mail is full of holes. What exactly does she intend on piercing — her clitoral hood? Her labia? And is she doing it for aesthetic reasons or to enhance her sexual experience? She might even be doing it because she thinks it will turn you on.

Since she asked your opinion, it seems like she’s open to talking, which is exactly what the two of you need to be doing.

Steve: Ouch!

Steve (not his real name) is 50-something and has been married to his second wife for 20 years. Mia (not her real name) is a 20-something single immersed in the dating scene.