God made men a little coarser than women. Usually we don’t like to admit when we’re wrong, late or lost. Sometimes though ladies, you have to let the guy win!
Women tend to take advice from their girlfriends about men, just as guys get advice from their buddies. Usually what ends up happening is the guy gets slapped in the face for being inappropriate and the girl gets stupid advice like “let him make the first move.” (I’m willing to bet the entire male race prefers women to be the pursuer, just as women prefer to be pursued.) Rarely are people given advice from members of the opposite sex that they can actually take home with them. (Pun intended) Ladies, I feel it is my due diligence to break the male code and actually tell you what we men are thinking. Here is a sure-fire list to finding and keeping the stud of your dreams.
Every guy loves a woman with Smarts. Not a bossy kinda brain but someone who can hold a conversation, especially in social situations. We’re not asking for a know-it-all, but if you can impress my sports buddies with trivia about the White Sox, then you’ve got an instant win. If a guy does nothing but talk about himself, he’s not the right guy. A real man should be interested in everything you have to say. But don’t hog the conversation either. Let a man impress you with his knowledge of fine wines and where to get great 1am deep dish. And girls, you gotta be smart enough to figure out our needs without us having to ask. I know it sucks, and we complain when you do it to us, but you should be able to figure out what we’re thinking. (i.e. sex, food, boredom and last but not least when to let him have his time with the boys).
At least attempt to enjoy the things your mate enjoys...he would do the same for you!
Be involved in Interesting activities. You don’t want your relationship to become monotonous. It will bore your man if you do the same weekend ritual over and over again. It’s therefore helpful if you involve yourself in special activities once in a while. For example, if you go out to see a movie with your man every Friday night, give your relationship something new by changing it up with a twist. Check out a double feature at the Brew and View, go see a play at Steppenwolf, or invite other couples over to your joint for a game night. Game nights work great for getting to know more about each other - besides, being competitive with other couples is kind of a turn-on. Choose activities where you can have plenty of opportunities to let him teach you something new. Never played darts before? No problem, since he’s a pro. You only bowled at birthday parties in middle school? That’s ok, because he cut class to go bowling in high school.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Cooking is truly a way to a man’s heart. This shows him you’re creative and you care enough to cook for him. And trust me, we will definitely appreciate this. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart, just show effort. If you don’t know how to cook here are a couple easy recipes. Also, if you’re not that handy in front of a stove, there are plenty of places around town where the two of you can take cooking classes together. And don’t forget, there’s nothing sexier than dessert.
You may be surprised, but please Listen to us. What we have to say may not be the most interesting thing you have ever heard, but so what. Find out about our hobbies; learn about our friends, our job and in my case “da neighborhood”. I love to talk about what I do and I promise I can always tell if a woman is listening, so pay attention. If your man is a writer, brush up on your grammar and literature. If he is a swimmer, work on your back stroke. It all boils down to teamwork. Do you think we really like to go shopping with you? Nope, but we do it anyway. Because we hope one day you’ll come to one of our softball games, or let us watch the Family Guy Marathon for 6 straight hours.
Last but not least there is Time. Countless men, who are in serious relationships with women, are guilt-tripped into feeling that they must continually “check in.” There are guys that can’t go for more than a few hours without having to call their girlfriends and give them reports on their activities. As my cousin Joey “The biker” would say, “I want to date a girl, not a prison warden.” Give him his guy time and space. Hanging out with our friends is no reason to make you paranoid. We want you to hang out with your friends, now it’s our turn to hang with ours. Trust me, I know I can get annoying, and I would rather not hang with my girl if she’s had a pissy day. Sometimes we need to man up and just spend some time by ourselves even.
Men like me are over grown children who want to be loved but not smooched at the playground in front of his friends. We are a lot of work and like old dogs at times. We like to get our heads rubbed and get constantly told how good we are at everything (you know what I’m talking about ladies). My current girlfriend does everything on the list and tons more and I am a very happy man. In return that makes me try harder: I cook for her (which I love to do, because I’m friggin awesome), get her flowers for the hell of it and call her just to say hi. My heart skips a beat when she walks in the door and that makes every moment that I spend with her worthwhile.
Love is an amazing experience……
Have a question you want to ask Cousin Vinnie? Need a handsome guys point of view? Send him an email toVinnie@Chicago.com. When Vinnie is not scoping the streets for new threads and great deals or giving advice, Hhe is a business developer for Chicago.com. Also to read more from Vinnie check him out at www.chicago.com/blog.
Give back while throwing down with the 
