Red Flags in the Breeze

I read this article the other day about "20 Red Flags a Relationship Won't Work"

The author's premise was that if one of these "red flags" waved more than twice with any given dating situation, that he knew to bail out ASAP - Do not Pass GO, Do Not Collect $200.

So it got me to thinking about what would be "red flags" for me.

First and foremost - lies. Catch you in a lie, and it's probably the kiss of death to any "future plans". I'm pretty good at spotting them, although I often don't let on that I've noticed. Lying is just not something I can tolerate, especially given things that have occurred in my past - and my own internal data processing systems.

GIGO - and if I don't have truthful input, I will make decisions based on faulty data - not unlike GWB. GODDESS FORBID that I should EVER do anything like GWB!!!

Secondly - unkept promises. This is, to a great degree, directly related to lying, in my opinion. It's so easy to say "I'll try. I can't guarantee, and please dont' be upset if I can't - but I'll try." rather than "I promise". If you promise something to me, I am going to plan as if it were already happening.

Third - keeping secrets. Ok, I'm probably one of the most "private" people around (for someone who is blogging, this seems an oxymoron, but... *shrug*). I don't flop out my entire life for everyone to see, and I'm pretty reticient to talk about me or my problems. I don't mind this in someone else, until keeping these secrets affects me.

An example would be me expecting you to be here for dinner, you don't call and cancel, and I make a HUGE dinner - which is then ruined waiting for you to arrive.

That sort of thing.

Or.... Not mentioning your live-in-girlfriend when you tell me you love me and want to be with me forever..... (Erick)

Just little stuff like that.

Annoyances, really.

Well, there is 3. I'm sure there are more that I can think of, especially once I get a chance to think it over with regard to mentally replaying some of my more spectacular romantic failures.

I'm thinking that I might be able to handle a few bad instances of the first two... but more than 1 of the 3rd would be an auto-deal-breaker. And the "Erick" scenario? NEVER AGAIN.