Why Do I Have to Think Like a Man? by Rhonda Frost Shanae Hall

play their game. They do it to get you caught up in the moment.
    Casino owners look at the odds of each game that they plan to bring into the casino. They first weigh the cons and then determine the potential gain of every game they consider having on the casino floor. Next, the CEOs and gaming commissioners all get together and talk about how hard it would be to cheat at this game and what precautions need to be in place to limit the likelihood of an individual successfully cheating, or potentially ruining the integrity of the game itself. Needless to say, it can take several years after a game is introduced to a casino before it makes it to the casino floor. The reason for all of this is because the casino doesn’t play to lose—they play to WIN! There is not a game in the casino that is being played that doesn’t have a house advantage. Believe that. The house odds fluctuate depending on the type of game you are playing, but nonetheless they are all set up to draw a certain type of person—the rich, blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, the unemployed, the self-employed, annual visitors, or daily regulars. After the casino owners decide they want to have a certain game on the floor, they go through a careful process to determine the best way to win.
    Ladies, that’s what we want to do with this dating game. We have to reevaluate all the angles from which the game can be played . . . and PLAY TO WIN.
    Identifying What You Want
    Now let’s seriously transfer this casino analogy into the game of LOVE, SEX, and MONEY (aka, “The Relationship Game”). In this game, you are the casino owner, the boss. The first step before adding this new game to your gaming lineup is to decide what kind of customer you are trying to attract. Remember, this is your game and you are the head person in charge (HPIC), so you can be as honest as you want. If you want a Brad Pitt or Denzel Washington look-alike, then say that. If you want a man with more muscles than Arnold Schwarzenegger in the eighties, then write it down. You are the ruler, and whatever rules you set should be followed. The point is, don’t lower your standards for anyone during the building process. Again, this is your dream so don’t shortchange yourself.
    Let’s have fun with this first step. We will call it the “my dream man” step. There should be at least three qualifying characteristics. Physical, spiritual, sexual, and financial would be good starting points. If you were going to put them on a chart, it might look something like this:
    Name of Characteristics: (e.g., physical, sexual, financial)
    My Perfect Man Would Be: (Ideal requirements go in the boxes)

    Each stage has its own chart, so list everything that is important to you. Each section is graded on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest score. The person should have a minimum score of 80 percent before you even think about giving up the goodies. With a score of anything less, you are just wasting your time. All the items that he or she scored low on will eventually bother the hell out of you anyway. Take a moment to list your ideal person’s requirements for each section. Fill in the chart with the people that you are already seeing or dating. It will clarify for you if this person is someone that you will be happy with later on in life.
    Example: Physical Chart

    In comparing these two charts, Stanley is failing. We ain’t going to make it. So, save the cell phone minutes and move on. But, if you really like someone as a person, such as Stanley don’t try to force a relationship, transfer him to the just friends category.

    Okay, I’m going to keep it real with you, sex weighs more than any other category (not really but you feel me). Again, if your potential man falls “short” and I’m not talking about height, this may be a nonnegotiable. He can be a lot of things, but being built like a six-year-old boy is not one; we ain’t going to make it. I don’t care how much money he