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View Full Version : Living with boyfriend who is so sweet, but maybe just not the right guy for me


ATLgirlie
05-21-2008, 10:35 AM
Hey! I have been struggling with my current situation. I moved-in with my boyfriend of just over 1.5 years about 3 months ago. He's 27, I'm 26. He's in school and works full time, and I am already graduated and have been working full time for about 2 years now.

He's a great guy, and everyone loves him, my friends, my family, and me of course. But, about 6 months ago, I had to break-up with him because he was not being mature and serious about our relationship. He has a lot of single guy friends and they hang out watching sports, smoking pot, and pretty much being lazy ( they don't ever go out accept to the liquor store). And not to mention his roommate is a ghetto Asian drug dealer (pot) that I can't stand! For awhile there he wouldn't return my calls promptly (like within 24 hours) and it seemed like he was getting high and didn't want to talk or just didn't care, ignoring my calls and never even bothering to check his voicemail, thus not being serious about our relationship. I had the last straw when I confronted him about these problems and told him we needed to have a serious chat. He said he couldn't deal with it at the time, so I left and told him he better call me to talk the next day. Well, he didn't and that was enough for me to break-up with him and not talk to him for about 5 days (it was soo hard). After that, he came around and said that he didn't realize how serious our relationship really was. I took his apology and after that he straightened up. Things got better, but it always seemed like something was still missing.

I don't mind his friends, but they are all on this non-goal, let's get stoned or party mentality. And this one guy, this ghetto Asian, we'll call him, Jim, is the only friend I cannot stand, but I act humane to him even though I don't like him. So, my BF lived with Jim for about 3 years. My BF tells me this is because he had no other options for a roommate, but this Jim guy is such a negative influence. So, finally, my BF decided not to be roomies with Jim after the lease ended, otherwise, I would have seriously contemplated ending it for good, but Jim is still a part of the friends group. Now Jim hates me so much, that he ignores me when I even try to say hello, won't make eye contact, and is a total immature ass when it comes to my presense. So, that is that, I am about sick of Jim, especially since he makes me feel so awkward, it just makes me not want to hang around my BF's friends when Jim is there. I dread it. I try to be nice, but end up feeling humiliated because Jim just ignores me and is so immature.

Ok, so I was living in this great loft, but it was hellishly cold, so I had to find a place to move. At the time, BF was trying to find a roomie too and talking about how he could try and afford a place on his own so he won't have to room with Jim. I was unhappy at my place and then the tornado hit Atlanta and ruined a few building in my complex creating a mess, leaving me homeless for 3 weeks, and turned my apts into a construction zoned. So economically, it made sense to move-in with my BF. So, I did. And it's nice, economically, but I am starting to feel like he may not be the one. I feel like I have put myself in a complicated situation and I feel trapped. He's a great, sweet guy, but he's just not right for me. When we talk about these things, he just conforms and says he'll do whatever it takes. But, I just don't know if that is enough. I have a few pet peeves about him, that I can't shake. 1) He talks ghetto slang ever now and then (major turn-off for me), and all the time around his friends (who are white). 2) He's not as experienced as I am sexually, and is very hesitant about initiating or being aggressive to me (which is what I like, a dominate male type). Plus he is not creative about coming up with fantasies or even taking advantage of me when I tease him around the house, he just kisses me on the cheek and smiles. 3) He's sooo into cuddling and soft kissing, which is nice, but in moderation. I get that more than sex from him. 4) He smokes pot almost everyday. He does it because "he's bored" and I just want to shake that habit but its hard when its around so much (plus mr. jim is the supplier). 5) He's not inspiring to me. Sexually and intellectually. But, it's great that he works FT and goes to school, that's tough, but he's been in college since 2000. I started in 2001 and graduated 3 years ago.

I am just frustrated and I don't want to waste each others' time. THe worst thing is every time i bring up these problems, he wants to change and conform, but I just don't now if he's the righ guy for me. He's a sweetheart and so loveable, but I just feel like I need more. I can't play the teacher throughout our relationship, that will get old. I am just worried that he may say he wants to change, but really that up to him, not me. I am not going to try and change him, I just tell him what I like and want. Some guys never change, I know that.

vankelly
05-21-2008, 02:03 PM
Honestly, if he was the one for you, you would know it. You shouldn't have to change your partner to make him right for you. He should just be right for you.

I would look for a new roommate and move out.

AsianGeek
05-23-2008, 09:59 AM
I think you should really ask yourself "can I see myself getting married to this guy?". And if so the second question you should ask yourself is "can I live with his faults?". If the answer is no to any of these two, you should look elsewhere.

deerheart
05-23-2008, 03:59 PM
There's a book called "Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay: A Step-by-Step Guide to Help You Decide Whether to Stay In or Get Out of Your Relationship" by Mira Kirshenbaum.

The book is essentially for people who are on the fence about whether to dump their mate. The book is a series of questions that gets you thinking about what's going on in your relationship and whether it's worth it.

Also, if you decide to move out, arrange your new living situation before dropping the bomb on him and breaking up for good. Trust me, you don't want to try to find new housing and still be living with your ex.

starrynight
06-04-2008, 01:53 AM
It could be part of his personality, but smoking a lot of pot lowers a person's libido. So somehow you gotta help him to cut back and eventually quit. He's not happy if he's smoking it all the time. Some people are happy and just do it on occasion, but he doesn't sound like he is in a healthy place mentally.

You have a lot invested in this relationship, so I can understand why you don't know if you should end it. It seems like you have just outgrown him. I guess it's best to move on.

teardropp176
06-05-2008, 05:23 PM
So true to all the advice above...hope you are handling it okay. Remember, lying to yourself to make thinks works won't just hurt you, but both of you in the end. :)

nlfl1
06-07-2008, 01:05 AM
There is some good advice on this board, If you are questioning things at this point, if you decline to handle your concerns, you will be wasting your time regardless if you decide to be happy as a couple and adjust or by moving on. If you don't deal with it, you could wake up one day years from now feeling like you lost years of your life with the wrong person.

ATLgirlie
06-20-2008, 11:46 AM
Thanks for all the advice. It is very helpful. The hardest thing about this is the fact he is so willing to do whatever it takes to make things work, which is a great quality, but at the same time, for our future when he has married me and there is no willingness to work for it anymore, where does that go? It's such hard decision to work things out or come to that final end. One always wants to hope for the best and same adjustment, but how far does that really go for long term.

I have decided to try and make lists of our expectations, give about 3 months to work on them, and come back to the lists and evaluate if there has been success.

Thanks again, for all your advice. :)

twentyfive
06-23-2008, 05:58 PM
Thanks for all the advice. It is very helpful. The hardest thing about this is the fact he is so willing to do whatever it takes to make things work, which is a great quality, but at the same time, for our future when he has married me and there is no willingness to work for it anymore, where does that go? It's such hard decision to work things out or come to that final end. One always wants to hope for the best and same adjustment, but how far does that really go for long term.

I have decided to try and make lists of our expectations, give about 3 months to work on them, and come back to the lists and evaluate if there has been success.

Thanks again, for all your advice. :)

Well he also needs to know that list and know where to improve on and then it's fair. Women can't expect a man to try and change if they don't know what is wrong. Tends to be a misconception that men are mind readers haha

But on another note, he might try and work it out now and after marriage may not. But some guys don't need to work things out prior to marriage and fail to try after marriage. Nobody knows what the future holds for them, as the future is a figment of the imagination.

Guess I'll go into future detail. Your frontal cortex allows you to "paint a picture" of the future that you see in your mind. It can create the image well, but it can't create the emotion's. So if you're in a good period in your life and your emotional state is great, your future will look great. If you're in a terrible emotional state, your future won't look so bright. There are a few exceptions where your mind can create fake emotions such as, "what if you caught your wife cheating when you walked into your bed room?" But other than those, it's not safe to base your future off what you see. (This I learned from the book, "Stumbling On Happiness", and no it isn't a self help book but a psychology book on how the human brain interprets the past present and future.)

If he's trying to make to make a effort see how it goes and see if he really cares about having a great and happy and meaningful relationship with you now. If not, it's time to leave. Just my 2 cents.

evy031
06-24-2008, 10:41 AM
Well this is an interesting situation and somewhat similar to one that I have close experience with. To me, it sounds like you need to end it immediately and not lead him on anymore. It sounds like he is pretty much head over heels for you (willing to change his life, drop his friends, etc.) and even that is not getting the job done for you. You seem to desire a driven, powerful man and your bf is just the classic "nice guy". Your feeling trapped may even lead to you mistreating him eventually for no good reason other than resenting him for your situation. I don't see any way that your bf can accomodate your wishes for a partner.

SunnyBunny24
06-26-2008, 12:48 PM
if he's given u enough reasons to lose trust in him then don't waste anymore time with him. if it's just habits of his that u don't like and he's willing to change for u, then try to work it out with him. habits aren't that easy to break n u can be that positive influence in him that will motivate him enough to pull through...enough for him to hold on to what is more important and healthy and break loose from what is not. however, it shouldn't have to be such a struggle at both ends. if it is then its a lost cause. good luck.