Q:
What’s your take on the whole “friends with benefits” idea?
A:
Ha! You’re asking me? My take on it is that it can be fantastic, provided both parties are aware of the rules. I think a better way to put it would be “people with benefits,” because, frankly, I don’t really want to fuck my friends. Bowling then sex or coffee then sex is pretty much just dating, as far as I’m concerned. When a friendship gets intimate, I have found that things get a little sticky and difficult to navigate. For me, that arrangement can be fun, but rarely long-lasting.
I decided long ago that I am simply a free spirit and that my indiscretions are my own business and need no explanation or titles. A simpler way to go about all of this is to maintain one’s need to remain single and make that known up front. Anything you do with or without a friend from that point on is fair and honest. To quote the talented Mr. Trent Reznor, “This isn’t meant to last/ This is for right now.” If you’re not a Catholic or a pigeon, multiple partners should be an easy lifestyle choice—provided there is no lying or misleading involved.
I am not a licensed therapist, guru, or magic relationship mender. This is sex and love advice from a guy who has seen both failure and success in the relationship department. I am a little jaded, a little disillusioned, a little sarcastic, yet very honest. Answers may be sincere, absurd, comical, or sometimes flat-out wrong. You'll have to consider the source, I suppose.
