One meal that’s a sure-fire hit with me is a noodle bowl.
Noodle Bowl
I love these things and am always anxious to dig into my lunch bag all morning.
Today’s noodle bowl included:
- Carba Nada egg fettuccine pasta (12 grams of protein per serving = Win!)
- Marinara meat sauce
- Fresh spinach
- Chopped portobello mushrooms
Nuts for Noodles!
Time for a Bite
As always, I enjoyed every last bite. Chomp!
And now, without further ado, I bring you Ryan’s second guest post. I can only assume it was inspired by the creepy men at our gym, considering he informed me of his idea for a post right after we were done working out this morning. I hope you enjoy it! 😀
Ryan’s Second Guest Post
I’ve always wondered how girls judge guys. Being a heterosexual male I’ve obviously never had to judge another guy from a dating perspective. However, I think I have a fool-proof method that may benefit you single ladies out there.
In full disclosure, I have no “game” when it comes to attracting girls. Somehow I got extremely lucky to catch the eye of the best girl I could ever imagine. But, one thing I do know is that I 100% passed the following test.
Obviously this “good guy” theory of mine could be completely wrong. Plus, I’m a guy and we’re always wrong… right? But bare with me, because I think my method for finding a “good guy” may have some merit.
Ok. Let’s set the stage. Frankly, being a guy trying to attract a girl is hard work. There is no handbook. No sure way to impress. Every girl probably looks for very different qualities, but if I were a girl, I’d have one staple quality I’d look for: A guy that looks me in the eye.
I’m not saying this a rule, it’s only my opinion, but eye contact would tell me all I needed to know about whether someone is a good guy or not. If a guy is attracted to a girl, he obviously can’t tear his eyes away from her, but which areas of the girl is he focused on? Face = Good guy. Anything else = Not good.
Good Guy's Guide: Where to Look
Of course a perfectly “good guy” could take a glance at the goodies too, but I think that most genuinely good guys will talk to you and listen to you while looking you in the eye… not the chest (or butt, though that would be kind of hard).
Obviously this rule won’t work for every girl. If you’re like the girl in the picture above who has made a career out of her sexuality and the desire to have men stare at her, then if a guy glances at the goods, it may get you excited and you’ll fall instantly in love with your boobie-looker.
But, the truth is that a single glance should be all you need to know. Guys aren’t stupid. We’re actually quite intelligent. Every guy knows that he shouldn’t be looking anywhere else but your face. We know it! But if he looks down, he either doesn’t care or takes you for a fool and doesn’t think you’ll notice.
Good Guy Test #2: Let’s say a guy holds it together with you but is constantly letting his eyes wander as other girls pass by. Same story as above, a guy knows he shouldn’t look. If he does, he’s either stupid or he thinks you are. Either way he’s not worth your time. Exception: There are instances with Julie and me, when someone walks by, causing us both to look. Picture your classic Wal-Mart mullet, sequined-covered leotard, no shoes, 10 babies. If you can look, he can look.
So that’s my theory. Take it or leave it. But I’d really love to know what you think! How do you judge a guy? What makes you think a guy is worth dating and not a total creeper?
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I love EVERYTHING about this post!!! I have one of the “good guys” and I agree with Ryan about what things are important.
P.S. I think I’ve seen that same lady at our Walmart 😉
Very enjoyable post!
Oh, and can I add holding open a door? From my experience, I’ve noticed only the good guys do this.
yes!!! a guy who holds open the door = keeper. however, guys who pull your chair out for you are a little much. ryan only does this on “special dates,” though he does always wait for me to sit first, which i think is kinda cute. 🙂
ha ha, yeah Jarod doesn’t do the “chair pull-out thing” either. That’s too “fancy” for us, ha ha ha!
i am going to disagree with you on the holding the door. i started dating someone that did that ALL the time, and well, he a) was cheating on his wife (i didnt know) and b) he wanted to not only sleep with other people, he wanted her to as well. like with other men.
so no, holding the door is sometimes just a ploy.
btw, hes divorced, broke and at the bottom of the barrel now with an exwife who DID marry a GOOD guy and he lost his daughter.
and yes, hes still a horrible person with other women.
yikes!!! maybe someone should hold open the door for him… and then let it slam in his face. just a thought!
hahahahahahaha
I had to laugh at this… I’ve never met Julie, don’t know her from Adam except reading her blog, but she always seems so sweet and cheerful. Her response is half way sweet (until you get to the slamming in his face part) and still comes across as cheerful. Priceless response, and also what this guy deserved (if not more).
what a novel idea!!!!
HAHA!!!
FANtastic! and oh so true! If there is one thing that will make me respect a guy like I respect a serial killer :O) its when they look at other women right in front of me.
SO disrespectful.
I need to find those noodles! Sounds good 🙂
Priceless. Can I just say, kudos to Ryan for using the term “goodies.”
Even better, boobie-looker. I think he’s coined a new term.
Well, seeing as I have never dated and don’t really feel the need to seriously date till I am out of college, I might not have to best view point. But I do agree with you Ryan. A guy should most definitely look me in the eye while talking to me and he should be more interested in my likes/dislikes, hobbies, personality, etc., instead of only how I look on the outside. Yes, you are a very lucky man! and Julie, you are a very lucky woman 🙂 I pray one day I will meet my Prince charming and that when we talk he will be looking deep into my eyes 🙂 haha
Great post Ryan! You’re so sweet- one of the good guys clearly 🙂
Manners and courtesy are definitely near the top of my ‘good guy’ list! The little things make the biggest difference to me!
Ryan. That is awesome. “Boobie-looker” was by far my favorite part! I totally agree with everything.
not that i’m a huge expert on guys… but i AM married to a very good guy so here’s my 2 cents 🙂
i think only good guys get (slightly) nervous on first/second dates. if a guy isn’t nervous, that usually indicates a great deal of cockiness. that, or confidence. some confidence is okay but too much means he ain’t worth your time because he’s too self-absorbed! 🙂
AGREED! i love it when you can tell they’re nervous. i think it’s adorable.
it is! i think on our first date my husband spilled coffee (or creamer, i forget) all over the table because his hand was shaking a little. so cute!
I completely agree! Guys getting nervous around you is a very good sign! It shows that they are genuine and that you aren’t just another random girl to him.
So true! My husband could barely eat on our first couple of dates b/c he was so nervous. I always felt like such a piggie on those first few dates b/c I’d be cleaning my plate and he’d only have taken a few nibbles, haha.
I firmly believe that guys who ask you questions and try to have a 2-sided conversation is a good catch. There is nothing worse than a guy who catches your attention, but then just talks and talks about himself…and you’re stuck standing there, just nodding your head. Boo.
I just laughed out loud with Ryan’s final question – I have used the phrase “total creeper” often lately when meeting new guys (who are in fact, total creepers!)
I 100% agree with the eye contact and the attention. I also find that when you’re first meeting a guy and getting to know them, sure you want some flirtation but if sex/anything sexual comes up a lot in that first conversation = total creeper alert! That guy is usually out for JUST the goodies.
The good guys tend to keep conversation on getting to know YOU, not your bedroom etiquette 😉
Hey Julie! Where can you buy Carba Nada pasta? Thanks! 🙂 And loved the guest post and totally agree with Ryan. I judge a guy by the conversation. You can tell if he’s listening to what you’re saying or just nodding his head to make you THINK he’s interested. Key: repeating what you say, answering your questions, answering with intelligent responses, looking in your eyes 🙂
i buy it online at netrition.com. they also sell it at the fresh market if you have one of those around you!
I ordered those noodles on line and I love them. I can eat pasta again! Are you eating your noodles cold or are you heating them up?
heat ’em up, buttercup!
Julie, you have yourself an amazing guy, right there! Not that I have to tell you that, of course. 😉
I completely agree with this….though I’ve never really thought about it! (So maybe not enough guys are lookin’ at my goodies??? I need some help from Ciara).
I have to go with the example my dad has always set – they do good things for others. I know that seems pretty simply and, well, obvious – but I think the *key* is that they do these things without bragging or even wanting to take credit. If a guy pays for a friend’s meal and tells me about it, well, so what? But if he does it without getting praised and even keeps it to himself, well….that’s a good guy right there. 🙂
don’t feel bad… guys don’t really look at my goodies often either. maybe ciara would give us a discounted rate for her “goodies class” if we took it together?
a nervous guy who works hard to make you happy and gain your trust is, in my opinion, generally a good guy.
i also feel as if when a guy tends to disclose plenty about himself is also a keeper.
those who are shifty, sketchy, don’t introduce you to people, and don’t tell you much are usually not the kind you want to keep around.
another gold star: when you learn he’s been talking about you to his family and friends. 🙂 ding ding ding, winner!
loveeeee this theory !! i also just emailed it to my friend because we are always trying to figure guys out and i loved every thing about this post !
ps – i read ryans first guest post for the first time today and was LOL-ing at work. (did i just admit i was reading pbfingers at work ?!! oops)
if it makes you feel any better, when i changed to self-hosted, apparently my blog was blocked for a bunch of people at work and i got a bunch of emails saying they were pissed they could no longer check it at work. 🙂 i think it’s a trend. 😉
im happy i’m able to read it !! 🙂
Thanks Ryan for a great post! You’re one of the few good ones out there! My husband used to open the car door, pull out the chair, etc. for me while we were dating, but now since we’ve been married for 10 years, not so much :(, but he’s still a great guy!
I love this post! I remember when I first met my boyfriend and first started dating, he always looked me in the eye, asked me questions and really showed that he was interested in what I was talking about. He is always a gentleman and always holds the door for me, even over 5 years later. There are good guys out there. 🙂
“…you’ll fall instantly in love with your boobie-looker.” <— definitely caused me to giggle!
I agree though that eye contact and focus are two ways to weed out the good guys. My mister also won me over by showing a genuine interest in getting to know me by asking me lots of questions and actually paying attention to my answers! He also confessed that he had been wanting to talk to me for a long time, but didn't have the nerve to approach me. A little flattery never hurts!
Great post! I love getting to see Ryan’s personality and why you two are such a sweet couple together. I totally agree with Ryan’s points! I would also add that good guys are patient and listen to what you have to say without getting defensive or up in arms if you’re trying to have a serious conversation (whether you’re in a relationship and talking about an issue or you’re just on a date talking about politics or other controversial issues). I also think good guys may think of themselves as such privately, but don’t go around proclaiming, “I’m a good guy!”
LOL This is one of my favorite posts ever! Especially because he did a Kim Kardashian diagram! I think you can tell a total creeper within the first 5 seconds. They generally have these crazy eyes…
What a cute post. This definitely had me chuckling. Go Ryan!
My hubby is definitely a good guy, he always opens the door for me (when I don’t beat him to it) and when I cook, he automatically cleans up with no complaints.
i’m going to add that a guy who wants to take you on an actual date is a good guy. My friends are always meeting guys who take their number and then want to “hang out” at their place rather than go out, which turns out to be code for hook-up only every time.
YESSSSSSSS! bring back ACTUAL dating!!! i was SO impressed that ryan took the effort to PLAN all of our dates when we first started dating. it was fun to go places and feel like we were really on a “date.” i tell him that he really did a great job of “wooing” me. 😉
amen!!!!!!!
oh, also a guy who takes the time to call you rather than communicate only through text message after meeting you and never calling.
Love it! I’m living in France right now and am dating a guy that always looks me in the eye when he talks to me. And when I catch him looking at me, he’s looking at my face with a huge smile. It makes be feel so good! If a guy can’t keep his line of vision in the right direction when we’re talking, I find it really distracting!
I agree with the eye contact thing. ( although it sometimes makes me nervous if the guy is super cute)
I have never had a boyfriend or a date really (unless you count a really awkward prom date, set up by a friend), but for me any guy who is good with children I find really attractive. Also his use of “potty words.” I think a guy should be able to talk to his friends with out using a curse word every 5 seconds.
P.S I love love love your blog.
I completely agree with you, guys good with kids are appealing. And cursing.. yeah. There are PLENTY of other words to use out there!
“We should be woo’d” as Helena said in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. IT’S SO TRUE. Sweep us off our feet, darnit!
I’m so happy to have found a keeper! After a couple of days of knowing each other he bursted out mid-sentence “You have the most amazing eyes!” It was done in the most genuine, non-cheesy, thinking out loud kind of way. Then he went out to buy me an espresso- then dropped the espresso because he was holding the door for someone- and went back out to get me another. Sold.
You and Ryan are a great couple, and lucky to have one another!
aw, this made me smile. so happy for you, gillian!
hahaha, great post, from the part about having a good lunch so you’re jealous of other people’s food to Ryan’s thoughts.
About Ryan’s post though, I think it’s not just about eye-to-eye contact vs. eye-to-boob contact (I think I should trademark those terms) but about being able to look at you in the eye at all. So many guys (maybe because they’re shy, lack self-confidence, are schizo, I don’t know) just can’t keep eye contact not because they’re checking you out but because they just can’t look you in the eye, they looking next to you, around you, hold your gaze for half a second… a good guy can just look at you. I’ve noticed that!
Also, I know your guy shouldn’t be all over other girls or anything, but I do believe in the idea that it’s biologically natural for guys to check out other girls. It’s not like he has to do it every five seconds, or tell you all about it, but it’s normal for him to check out another girl if she’s attractive, the same way we look at a passing guy if he’s hot. We realize it doesn’t “mean” anything to us, so we should realize it doesn’t mean anything deep to them either!
Haha I loved his guest post! He is soooo right… a good guy will appreciate the assets that the girl has, but will also respect her enough to pay attention and look her in the eye when talking, etc.
I am about to get married and me and my fiance do the same thing where we judge or look together, its kind of funny (such as like you said in Wal-Mart)! If he can look, I can look!
But… there is def. a fine like that should not be crossed!!!!
Great post Ryan! 😀 I definitely agree with the eye contact, even though I get really nervous and fail at this tremendously! 😉
I love this. “Fall in love with your boobie looker”…that line is priceless. I agree with both statements, especially number 2. I’ll admit that at this point in our relationship, I get kind of flattered when my boyfriend isn’t exactly looking me in the eyes, but he’s never checked out a girl in front of me. I love the “if you can look, he can look” rule too though, because my man and I have both done the “wow she’s gorgeous” look!
Another good guy trait: he treats his mom with respect. I hesitate to say that because my mom and I don’t have the greatest relationship, but in a man I think that it’s essential. He doesn’t have to be a total mama’s boy, but if he treats her like dirt that’s probably the way he’s going to treat the other women in his life as well!
i honestly feel like i check out other girls more than ryan does. i’m like “did you SEE her!?”
What a great post Ryan!! You two are so adorable!! Eye contact is a very important thing to me and I sometimes find my husband looking away (at the tv) when I am telling him something. So being the person I am, I’ll go stand in front of the tv and that gets the attention back on me…ha-ha. Of course, that only works if it’s not a White Sox game & Bears game…ha-ha. I wish you two all the best and you’ll have to come back to Chicago soon!!
LOL!!!
must be a gentleman!
no crude or rude comments, no staring, no being inappropriate.
some say nice guys finish last.
i say they finish FIRST!
i married one. 10 years ago 🙂
love this!
I agree with Ryan’s comments. I would like to add that I sooooo wish the book “He’s just not that into you” had come out earlier on in my dating years. I read it post-college, but while also still in my dating years. I read it while walking on the treadmill at the gym. I didn’t want anyone to know what I was reading, so was cautious to keep the book flat so noone could see. I can’t count the number of times I almost fell off the machine trying to stifle my laughs while still walking and fearing someone would ask what I was reading. Long story short, there’s alot of lessons in this book that I could have used so I would have known how to recognize a guy that “just wasn’t that into me” and that was ok because it was better in the long run to be with a guy that was. I think that even though I am now happily married to a guy that is crazy about me (and vice versa) I’d still crack up at the book if I went back and read it.
LOVE this post lol.
i have to say that when i met my husband i knew he was a good catch because he shook my hand and looked me in the eye. he was genuine, held open doors, and really cared. there are a lot of guys who will do the right things with the wrong intentions, but the really great ones will show that they genuinely care!
I could not agree more with the whole eye contact thing. Especially when hes looking at you and you catch him looking you in the eye. Another thing that I find so sweet is when he protects you a little bit. I’m not saying full out punch any guy that even so much glances at you, but if my boyfriend and I are out somewhere and there are lots of males, or just in a sketchy environment period, he will grab my hand and bring me a bit closer to him. Its a small gesture, but it makes me feel like he really doesn’t want anything to happen to me, or for any guy to think that they can even begin to get ideas in their heads!
I loved Ryans post! So true! I am lucky enough to have also married a great guy! We have been married almost five years and it’s funny because he’ll go to open my car door for me and I’ll yell, “are you crazy?! It’s -3 degrees outside today! Don’t open my door for me, just get in the car & start it!”. Lol! Maybe I should be a little more appreciative if his good guy manners!!
“If you can look, he can look.” – This is so true! My friends and I like to point out girls to our husbands that are outrageously dressed or just ridiculous looking. It’s so funny to see their reactions!
Hilarious and great job, Ryan! When my husband and I were dating he never let me carry any bags or push a shopping cart. I loved it :). The great thing is that after almost 4 years of marriage, he still does those things 🙂
Ryan is hilarious! Using words like ‘boobie looker’ & ‘goodies’ had me CRACKING up! 😀
I love ‘people watching’ too- so fun! It’s amazing what you see sometimes!
It always melts my heart a little when….
They remember the details of your conversation, or little things you like/dislike — even a month or so later.
Spontaneous surprises — like dropping your favorite coffee off at your office just to make you smile or if they kept you up late.
Kisses on the forehead — just because.
Openly showing they care about you in front of anyone — no crazy PDA though — ew. haha 🙂
Hahah! I LOVE this. 🙂
I pretty much have a flat chest so havent had any issues with guys looking there haha
But I am a model…and although I never come right out and say it, the guys assume (im super tall) or they find out from friends etc.
Its not that im ashamed of being a model but if that “title” is all that matters to a guy…im not interested.
Same goes for other women Im sure who have a high paying job or are extremely successful.
Guys need to look past titles and appearances and not only look into the EYES of a woman but also into her soul.
I refuse to add guys to facebook after one date, I dont show them any pictures…they can take me or leave me once they get to know who I am.
OH AND CHIVALRY COSTS NOTHING!!!!
amazing guest post! pleeeeeeease write about these kinds of controversial topics more:)
Sorry Ryan,
I’m going to disagree. I’m not foolish enough to believe that guys aren’t looking at other girls. Girls look too though. I think it’s a part of human nature. It’s when they start touching or talking about what they see that bothers me.
I agree. I find it funny that boyfriends or husbands could not care less if you say a guy is hot (well most wouldn’t), but if most girls heard their boyfriend or husband say that it would make them very jealous. I used to get so upset when my boyfriend would look at porn, but I know it happens and he means nothing by it. guys have to have variety, maybe not in real life, but in their head.
Fantastic post! I always love seeing things from a guy’s perspective.
I like a guy who is just a positive person. It’s so hard being with people who are constantly down, pessimistic and complaining. I can’t stand it. But learning about their personality I guess comes in the dating stage, not the actual “catching” of the person.
Hilarious but oh so true guest post!! =D
Loved this post!!
Us men are always wrong Ryan…always…if when we are right our better halfs wont admit it…its a never winning battle..i just accept it and move on