Stop being ridiculous.

Sometimes, I just want to walk up to men that I know and grab them by the shoulders, look them in the eye, and say "Stop it! I'm not trying to marry you! I'm not trying to be your girlfriend! I just want to laugh with you, and have a good time, and get to know you!"

I'm a flirtatious person. Sometimes I stop myself, but mostly, it just happens. My grandmother was flirtatious, and my mother understands my ways. And geez, flirting is fun. If you're a man, and we get along, I have probably flirted with you. Chances are good that you have flirted back, and guess what? That's called chemistry. You know what it's NOT called? Love. You know what it's not called? Life-long commitment. It's called chemistry. Flirting is a chemical reaction. It's science, to be honest.

And as far as I'm concerned, as long as no one is seducing the other into inappropriate behavior, then all is well. Don't misunderstand me, and give me the cold shoulder if you think I'm interested. I'm not going to ask you to be my significant other. I don't roll that way. I would prefer for a man to initiate a romantic relationship with me, not me to him.

Even if I was interested, would that be a problem? You were able to be my friend 24 hours ago - have I suddenly become repulsive? Give me the benefit of the doubt, and just live your life. I'm a cool person, and I know a lot of cool people. It's okay for men and women to get along, and talk, and joke, and flirt. It's human nature.

And you don't know what the future holds. Maybe that person your have fun flirting with IS you're soul mate, and you're missing out because you're being weird and not just reacting to the chemistry between you and the other person.

People take finding a mate so gosh-darn seriously that that's all they are looking for. "Oh, oops, flirted with that girl but I don't want to marry her, I can never look at her or talk to her again." STOP IT. You're missing out on what could be a good, stable relationship - FRIENDSHIP - with another human being.

Don't be stupid. We're all so busy being stupid that we miss out on being people together. We all have something to offer another person, and sometimes we won't realize that until we break the ice with them, and sometimes joking around or being flirtatious breaks the ice. Flirting doesn't equal sex.

STOP BEING WEIRD.