Excuse Me, Dear, But Your Paranoia is Showing

I can't say I care for the company of many women much.

There is a reason why women are stereotyped as sneaky, emotional, manipulative, insecure shrews.

This I learned in junior high.

I think it has something to do with hormones.

Because once the hormones hit during puberty, girls turn into creatures. Weird, crazy creatures from the deep.

And so often women don't grow out of it.

For years after having been hurt excessively by the behavior of 3 women in particular, I surrounded myself with male friends and did not have any women friends to speak of...acquaintances certainly but not close girlfriends.

Now I've managed to surround myself with several lovely women friends - women who are smart, funny, and, above all, secure in themselves and unlikely to try to manipulate the people in their lives.

However, I've been burned...badly.

And while I have most certainly moved on from the "I hate her" stage to the "I couldn't give a rat's ass less about her" stage, I don't forget.

So, when my hackles get raised - in essence, start witnessing behavior that is similar - I have a tendency to rush to paranoia...to protect myself...to close myself off...to become guarded, weary, tight.

Deserved?

Time will tell.

But the warning bells resounded and I am on guard.