Terrified

We are all "terrified".
In some way or another, we are all scared of something.
I don't mean phobias. I mean that, on an almost common basis, we are confronted by our common fears.
The most common? I suppose it is the most human and most normal fear of being rejected, eschewed, laughed at. I see it every day, although it may be "masked" behind self assurance, etc.
I thought leaving high school would initiate me into the adult world, a great and wonderful place where people are mature, thoughtful, caring, and understanding. Big mistake, in one sense.
The biggest mistake I may have committed was that, in reality, I thought that becoming an adult would mean becoming mature and thus becoming more understanding of our human species, which is, realistically, difficult.
But in the end, is it bad to acknowledge that one is scared? That one doesn't know? Perhaps a rhetorical question.

"I'll be your man"

It may have been statistically proven, but it does seem to, for once, actually make a stereotype true. Namely that women like to feel they have a strong, dependable, reliable, independant, mature, self-guided man in their lives.
Rather strange, since men in their twenties have been known, again possibly statistically, to be slower to mature than women.
Many friends sigh when they see a male movie star on TV and say: "Why can't my boyfriend be like him? Why can't he simply grow up?"
What do guys say? I'm curious. Do women seem too mature? Too demanding? Too difficult?
So listen to James Blunt's "I'll be your man". To my female hormonal ears, I swoon. To a man? I'd like to know.

Relationships in general

I doubt anyone can argue that relationships are easy. They're messy, difficult, bruising, and paradoxically beautiful and fun.
I've been hearing from a number of frustrated friends lately. About? Boyfriends and girlfriends.
It seems to me that, in one's twenties, a lot of people I know and have befriended have swung either one way or another. Let me explain. Many of my friends have proclaimed their immortal love to their boyfriends or girlfriends, going as far as marriage, while others have shied away from any relationship, continually saying: "I like to keep things simple. I don't want to put a label on our relationship."
Translation? I want to see (aka go to bed with) other people. I want to see you, but I want to see other people.
Why does this make my blood boil? I'm not sure. After all, we are in our twenties, this is the time to party, to experiment, to live life to the fullest. However, to use an excuse as "I don't want to put a label on our relationship" seems weak to me.
Love and sex are a mess, it seems, for this generation, and probably for a number of others. Don't get me wrong, sex is definitely important, but so is love. What confuses me is that many of my friends ask "have you done it?" while few, is any, ask "are you in love?" Has love become obsolete, kitsch, ridiculous, embarrassing?
Well, that's the extent of my thoughts on relationships. Comments anybody?

The beast within

At a class I'm currently attending, my teacher said: "We all have an animal side and a more civilized, controlled side. It's our decision, at almost every moment, to choose which side we want to show to society."
Can anyone agree with this? In today's society, we seem to privilege the "wild" side of ourselves, yet on the outside we all present a reserved façade, a "normal" face. In other words, we say: every day, be focused, concentrated, a bit formal if you must, be professional and cool. But, if you want to be cheered on by friends and even family, be wild and let yourself go.
Think of "So You Think You Can Dance". All right, it's dance. Maybe it doesn't count. Be that it may, dancing is still performing and expressing oneself, and the more free and "wild" you appear, the more people seem to connect with your performance.
There's nothing wrong, at all, in showing one's "beast within". I would even advocate that being controlled and "civilized" is at best respectful, at worst boring.
I have to admit, I find the paradox confusing. Be cool and professional with strangers and party it hard with loved ones, is that the message?