Hate the player, not the game

It’s always very exciting to get interested in someone new. I love the game – the looks, the smiles, the flirty talks, the carefully crafted text messages, and all the other little things – to try to figure out whether that other person is interested in you, and whether you yourself are really interested in him.

To me, there has to be a little chase. It’s a thrill to try make an impression and to give out the best possible image of you, and to see how the other one responds. What’s crucial, however, is to find an equal match. I lose my interest in a second if everything is too easy, if I don’t have to make a bit extra effort.

Until now, I’ve never lost my interest because the game would’ve been too complicated. Yeah, until now.

Lately, I’ve been playing around with this one guy, who pretty much corresponds the typical example of whom mums warn their daughters. He’s ridiculously good looking, well behaved, and overall comes across as a really nice guy. We work at the same place (oops), so we see each other quite often. The way he seeks his way to me, the way he talks to me, he really makes me feel like I’d be the only girl in the world – there’s a fire in his eyes, and be damned that smile that’s so hard to resist.

The problem is that he seems to be fascinated by roughly anything as long as it’s wearing a skirt and a little lipstick.

After a few weekends of drunk dialing scored somewhere between interested and very interested on Sally's scale, last Friday we finally happened to meet in a club. I had been guessing that he might be the player type, but boy hadn’t I realized he was such a high roller.

I saw him at the entrance with one girl under his arm. Half an hour later he seemed to be buying a drink to the second, and a while later he didn’t seem to mind the third one trying to French kiss him. It seemed as if he’d done that all on purpose right in front of me, glancing at my way to see how I’d react. Oh, and did I mention he’s still officially in a relationship? (Although be it on the final stretch.)

Honestly, I don’t think I’m up for that. Apparently, I have a limit on how much I’m willing to gamble, and this one just doesn’t seem worth the risk.

Post by Jo

Managing Human Resources

Dodging, tackling and hooking co-workers

Last Saturday it was time for the summer party of the company I work for. The industry being IT, most of the workforce quite naturally represent men. Guys, cool guys, less cool guys, real geeks, and so on.

Anyway, on an occasion including company like that, open bar service, live music, casual mingling, and Finnish drinking habits – being a female wearing a dress and lipstick – it might be difficult to avoid any sexual references or raunchy talks.

So, at the party, a few times I found myself in a situation that went more or less across the vague line of appropriateness between colleagues.

1. Senior investor of the company touching my private parts. Or more like brutally groping my ass. Really, as if he was a 15-year-old making it to the second base for the very first time. You middle-aged, married, father of two, perv. Very awkward. Very uncomfortable. Definitely not cool.
    
2. Colleague from my team telling he wants to kiss me. Several times – but I couldn’t tell whether he was joking or being serious. Okay, being Italian and drunk might be his excuse, but in any case, it was rather embarrassing than flattering since other colleagues overheard that.
    
3. Mr Office McDreamy telling me about the problems in his relationship. And enquiring after my relationship status. After having flirted a few hours with me. Weird. But interesting. Really interesting.

In all my previous jobs my association with my colleagues has always been purely professional, so I was rather clueless, to be honest. Seriously – what’s the deal? Where’s the line?

Can you get involved with a colleague, or is it an absolute no-no?

Post by Jo