The other day, while reading a book or article, I came across a word I'd never seen or heard before in my life: milquetoast. Being the inquisitive word nerd that I am, I immediately set off on a two-pronged mission: First, to determine whether this was, in fact, a bona fide word, and, if so, what in the world it meant. I had an immediate hunch it might have something to do with breakfast, likely because it sounds like "milk and toast." But I was dead wrong on that front. To my surprise, milquetoast is indeed a word! According to my dictionary app, it means "a meek, submissive, or timid person." Synonyms include childish and unassertive. Now that you know the world's meaning, what comes to mind? To me, it conjures an unemployed 40-year-old man who still lives in his mother's house, plays video games most of the day, and lets whatever few friends he has walk all over him. Sounds rough, I know, but that's the scenario that played out in ...

If there's something about me that has never once changed over the years, it's this: I despise being thwarted for something I want from someone, and then seeing the person come around when they feel like -- acting as if nothing happened. It's a classic case of having their cake and eating it too. I've gone through this on several occasions with different friends. They may disappear for weeks, never bothering to answer or return my calls. Then, out of the blue, they decide to awaken from their slumber and reestablish contact, and I'm supposed to act like all is swell. I don't think so! And their excuses have bordered on the ludicrous, saying that they've been stressed or that they keep forgetting to respond. It's ironic how once I see them showing interest again (e.g., calling and texting), it is then I go into "payback" mode and call them at my convenience, not necessarily when they attempt to reach out to me. And here's an exam...

I've stumbled upon relationship and self-help books that actually encourage people to play hard to get with potential suitors. They argue that it keeps the other person on their toes and longing for more, ultimately resulting in an exciting relationship. While playing hard to get might work to some extent in the very early stages of courtship -- especially if your would-be partner is used to being asked out constantly -- it has no place in a serious relationship. Once things get more serious, playing hard to get becomes tantamount to childish games you might see in high school. (I was on the receiving end of such behavior with a couple of girls during my teen years.) Playing hard to get can seriously backfire on you. It sends the signal that you are too busy for or not genuinely interested in the other person. Even worse, it might convey that you have someone else on the side. I know a guy who employed this tactic to pique a woman's interest in him. While it seemed to...