> Breaking up isn't hard to do, I've realised - it's not sneaking a look at your watch whilst doing so. That's the difficult bit.

Heh, I didn't get that problem at all.

> A few days ago I found myself round at my (now ex-) girlfriends' flat, while she conversationally skirted around the perimeter of my imminent dumping. It took her a little over two hours to get to the point and when she did I got this drawn out "It's not you, it's me" speech which had me cringing internally.

Nope, I got the opposite, it was me and she wanted to end our engagement.

> Odd as it sounds, I would have been less insulted by that.
>
> Is this an odd thing? Is it too much to think that you can enter into a relationship with another person without suddenly having to walk on eggshells around them for fear that you might say the wrong thing? God forbid I should ever see someone for who they really are, and likewise I should be equally careful not to let my carefully crafted facade of "cool, responsible, never troubled, totally together guy" slip and let her see the human being beneath.

I definitely identify with this point. I'm just convinced that they'll never want to know me if they actually knew me, if you see what I mean.

> Gah. I'm swearing off of women. At least, until the next one comes along.
>
> Bo"Cynical? Me? Never."urne

One thing. I had sensed the coming storm. It's the sort of thing only the most self-centred and insensitive of individuals can't see coming, but when it did finally happen it sort of knocked me sideways.

It was also the first time in my adult life I had ever really been angry, but I didn't show it at the time. I just drove home very calmly and sedately, taking care to not exceed the speed limit for fear of being pulled over and ranting at the cop who did it. (I wasn't, BTW)

However, when I got home, I kicked my front door in and pounded the furniture until I felt better. My flatmate couldn't have been more shocked than if I had announced I was an evil alien warlord and was planning to take over the world. He said later, and I quote,"It was as if I had just been savaged by a teddy bear." Strange as it is, I welcomed that comment as it gave me a laugh and a much needed humour injection.

Bea"Jaded and cynical? Only on weekdays"sty