Jennifer Aniston: An Idol For Dumped Women Everywhere

Jennifer Aniston has always been my idol. Before Brad, way back in the days of Friends – and I rocked my own version of the “Rachel” hair-do. I guess they don’t call her America’s Sweetheart for nothing!

I started to feel like I could relate to Jen in recent years after my own divorce. Living in a country town at the time we had our own Jen/Brad/Ange rumour mill, not quite Hollywood, but still. I separated from my husband a month shy of our fifth wedding anniversary. On our actual anniversary I found out he was seeing someone (who he met at work whilst we were still married), six weeks later at Christmas he told me they were moving in together, then six months after that on Mother’s Day I found out they were engaged. His wife has just delivered their twins – a boy and a girl.

I like to believe that I, like Jen, handled myself with poise and grace, and only ever passed comments that were off-hand and nonchalant like, what they did was “really uncool”.

Like Jen I also have had my John Mayer – the fool that thought it appropriate to discuss our sex life drunkenly in the pub to anyone that would listen. Granted it’s not the paparazzi, but needless to say that relationship tanked. I had the Vince Vaughan – the awesomely funny guy that just didn’t happen to work out for one reason or another. Then there has been the smattering of the Gerard Butlers, Orlando Blooms and Bradley Coopers that were fun to date but never really happened.

I get asked who I am dating on a regular basis and people always tell me that I will find “The One”. I don’t want to settle though. I don’t want to get involved in a relationship with Mr Right Now – I am happy to be patient and wait for Mr Right. Just like Jen did. And look what she’s found – a great guy who it appears she has an honest and fun relationship with.

To be honest, I was beginning to think that it would just be me on my own for a long while (something which I am actually quite at peace with). But Jen you have made me think there’s hope for me yet!

When did the Dik-Pic replace courtship?

As published on www.mamamia.com.au 31st July 2012

When did I become the girl that men thought it was okay to send photos of their penis to?

Has classic courtship and wooing of a woman really fallen that far by the wayside? I mean, I realise that times have changed and sex is really just not a big deal but when did it become the accepted practice to send a girl a picture of your appendage instead of a bunch of flowers?

I was recently dating somebody that was an avid penis-photo-sender.  And there were a few times were I casually mentioned that these particular images weren’t really a turn on for me (I mean really what girl has ever said “Now that’s a handsome penis photo!”)

Over one particular weekend we thought we would grab dinner and a movie. As things had been going so well, I was pretty certain what would be happening after dinner and the movie, so like any good girl scout I indulged in some pre-sex grooming and purchased some sexy lingerie.

Around midday I received a text message from my date spelling out what his intentions were for the evening (subtle = not!) accompanied by a photograph of his, ahem, package. Instant turn-off.

I made up an excuse and cancelled. It was honestly the biggest mood-killer I could have encountered. What happened to spontaneity? What happened to flirting? And the biggest worry for me was – why did he think it was okay to send me this? What did that say about me or his opinion of me?

I have been sent photos like this by three separate men. Is it me or is it just part of dating these days?

It’s not as if we are involved in a long distance relationship and we have to utilise other methods to keep the spark alive (Skype-sex anyone?). He lives 15 minutes away. Stop taking photos with your phone, take a girl out for a nice meal and you may find you won’t have a need for these types of photos again! I was planning on sleeping with you stupid. Dump a bucket of cold water on my head why don’t you!

I haven’t written this guy off completely but he’s going to need some training when it comes to how I like to be wooed. Wooing does not include photographs of his anatomy. It does include thoughtful messages, asking how my day was, a nice dinner and pleasant conversation. Perhaps then it will be worth the effort to shave my legs and wear sexy knickers.