Guide To Vague Relationships

Nov. 8, 2010
Megan lives in Baltimore, MD.

Basics

A vague relationship basically feels like a real relationship, only it’s harder to tell when it’s okay to cuddle.

Vague relationships can last anywhere from 0 to 8 years, but are usually just a few months long.

You can have a vague relationship with your co-worker, your friend, your friend’s brother, your brother’s friend, your co-worker’s brother, your brother’s co-worker, your friend’s brother’s co-worker, or your brother’s co-worker’s friend – but not your brother.

Vague relationships are vague because their boundaries are never discussed.

Their boundaries are never discussed because one participant thinks that makes things more “exciting.”

More “exciting” means it’s acceptable to pursue other relationships and sleep with other people.

Sleeping with other people is fun because sex is like TV.

Sex is like TV because it is visually stimulating and mentally engaging for short periods of time.

Vague relationships have lots of sex, but no commercials.

Recommended to have on hand at all times

Full-length mirror. This is the most effective and thorough tool for confirming your attractiveness.

Birth control. This can be in the form of pills, condoms, or good intentions.

A pet. Pets are reliable sources of affection. Generally speaking, the larger the pet is, the more affectionate it will be (excluding horses).

  • Average lifespan of a goldfish: 0-18 months
  • Average lifespan of a hamster: 1-3 years

How to Enter a Vague Relationship

Get introduced to an attractive friend of a friend, co-worker, brother of a friend, etc. Anticipate having a boring conversation. Feel surprised when the conversation turns out to be interesting. Make each other laugh.

Spend enough time talking to discover you have enough things in common to have sex that night. See each other once a week, then a few times a week. Make sure he calls you more than you call him.

An Important Equation

[(Sex)+(every time you see each other)] * [(Genuine Interest)/(uncertainty)]
———————————————————————————————–
Time – discussion(“Official Commitment”)

F.A.Q. #1:

“Should I ask about his ex-girlfriends?”

No. It is important to avoid the word “girlfriend.”

Sample Introductions to Friends

  • “This is my co-worker, Frank.”
  • “This is Amy, my friend.”
  • “My co-worker, Amy.”
  • “I met Frank at work.”
  • “Frank, my friend. We met at work.”
  • “Amy knew my brother from high school, actually.”
  • “Oh, my brother introduced us. He and Frank work together.”

Nice Thing to Overhear

“I’ve actually never had as much fun with a girl as I do with Amy.”

Four Steps to a Wild Thursday Night

  1. Text him, “I’m bored, want to come grocery shopping?”
  2. Wait a few hours before concluding that he probably read “grocery shopping” and thought “sweatpants” and possibly “marriage,” which is why he hasn’t responded.
  3. Swallow one Xanax bar and walk to Whole Foods.
  4. Tomorrow morning find three different kinds of lettuce and organic “Tea Tree Tingle” shower gel in your refrigerator.

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  • kumquatparadise

    bravo/spot-on

  • http://www.adamhump.com adamhump

    sweet

  • http://popserial.tumblr.com stephen

    nice

  • heather

    thanks megan boyle

  • http://twitter.com/_justvibing @_justvibing

    when you said 'brother, co-worker's brother' etc.
    thought it was another gay post
    but then realized it was written by 'megan boyle'
    u rock megan boyle

  • Matthew Brock

    shopping on xanax seems like the most dangerous thing anyone could do ever

  • Jordancastroisthepresident

    lol… sweet

  • audreyfennell

    i was in a long-term vague relationship. 3 years. xanax and my cat got me through it.

  • http://brianmcelmurry.blogspot.com/ Brian

    Awesome. Enjoyable. A reason why women have cats?

  • http://brianburke.tumblr.com/ brian burke

    this is great faq 2 made me make a squeaking noise at work

  • @srslydrew

    The possibility that any of this is pseudo-serious (even ironically) is frightening to me.

    Also, the fear that all of it is completely serious is terrifying.

  • http://heheheheheheheeheheheehehe.com/ tao

    sweet

    i felt emotional re ending

  • Trevor

    really good/exciting. i wish i could read an article like this or in this style every week.

  • Fredrick

    Rad

  • Michael I

    holy shit. so good

  • http://exitclov.tumblr.com exitclov

    YES! Yes yes yes. Now I can read this wherever I am in life.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=555371269 Bill A Pomerans

    damn
    felt 'melancholy' reading this piece

  • Madison Moore

    yes!!!

  • MandyBB

    I was actually sad when I got to the end of this one, because I wanted to read more. SO well-written.

  • brittany

    ew, i was in one of those for a year
    i don't think i allowed myself to be sober for more than ten minutes a day during that year
    which i think kept me alive

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Carlos-Ortiz/1279921705 Carlos Ortiz

    nice style,

  • meganboyle
  • http://twitter.com/WarofArt Joseph

    This is deep as fuck. Beautiful.

  • sara

    awesome

  • Victoria Trott

    i think i felt emotional watching this

  • http://twitter.com/givpplspace Ed Halliday

    If this were on Tumbler I would “like” and then maybe “re-blog” it. If it were on Facebook I would just “like” it.

  • http://www.facebook.com/baccho Baccho Umbertis

    I'm still waiting for the answer to FAQ #3…

  • johnnymendez

    I don't know how to use that Important Equation, you think you could walk me through one and show me your work? I don't know how to assign value to some of the ideas, plus I'm a little unsure what to do with the answer.

    [(Sex)+(every time you see each other)] * [(Genuine Interest)/(uncertainty)]
    ———————————————————————————————–
    Time – discussion(“Official Commitment”)

  • crystal

    this hit home. “write things to him and regret it”

  • Georgie

    i would comment too on facebook

  • Domino

    faq no. 3 : pretty much just described my life.

  • Anonymous

    this post did not feel overly homosexual. 

  • Genevieve

    I know I’m really late in discovering this – but Megan Boyle you are amazing. Everything you write is the perfect description of my life, FAQ #3 perfect example. Please never stop posting on TC

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