Just Ask Mason: Advice for Women from a Man's P.O.V.

Q: Where are you from?
A: I was born and raised in Orange County, California.

Q: What prompted you to start blogging?
I was reading Maxim one day and they had best of the year awards. One of the awards was for the blog Confessions of A College Call Girl. I started reading that blog and was completely interested in the blogging community. I didn't want to just start writing about myself so I started Ask Mason after a girlfriend of mine would refer people to me for advice. I enjoyed helping her and thought it would be fun to do it on a little bit larger of a platform.

Q. Tell us a little bit about each of your blogs.
Ask Mason (www.menanswer.blogspot.com) Is my dating advice blog. I answer any questions on there and it's also where I talk about dating and my points of view. Mason Stanley (www.MasonStanley.blogspot.com) Is my personal blog. I started it after Ask Mason. I figured that I was giving people advice and I know I'm not perfect so it is an insight into my life. I am always doing stuff and interacting with girls. A friend told me a while ago that I should have my own reality show because that would be entertaining. The blog was the next best thing.

Q. How has blogging affected your personal and dating life?
Blogging hasn't really effected my life too much. I did go on a few dates with a fellow blogger that I met through my blog, so that was an interesting experience. It is hard to be super honest and keep loyal to my blog when I know someone that I am writing about will be reading it. I keep my blog separate from my life. Some of my friends know I have a blog but I won't let them read it. I feel that I will have to censor myself if I know people I know are reading it. On the other hand, when something does happen then in the back of my head I'm always thinking about how I can write about it.

Q: What do you think is the single biggest mistake women make when it comes to understanding men?
When it comes to understanding men women always try to find out what games they are playing, or they are trying to interpret what a man means when he says something. Men are simple but women complicate men by over examining their words and actions.

Q: Is it worth pursuing a relationship with your guy best friend if you develop feelings for him? What about your boss?
Women don't realize it but a lot of the time their 'guy best friend' would pursue a relationship with them in a second. You are best friends with someone because you both mutually love each other as people. The romance will come when you start to fall in love with how they make you feel. I think it is 100% ok to pursue a relationship with a best friend and the best way to do it is to just be forward and put it on the table as soon as you know you want something more. It may distance the friendship but what will hurt more is seeing someone that you have feelings for with someone else.

Relations with a boss is a very touchy issue. There are a lot more variables in that equation. Will he treat you differently? What will everyone think when they find out? What happens if I get rejected? What happens if we date and then we break up? Will that be awkward? I wouldn't recommend trying to pursue a relationship with a direct boss, that would most likely put strain on the the work relationship or the extracurricular relationship. Although work is a great place to meet someone, dating someone you work with directly on a regular basis is never a good idea.

Q: What advice would you give to someone going through a rough dry-spell?
I hate the name "dry spell." It has such a negative connotation, but dry spells are normal and everyone has them. I actually welcome the dry spells, they give you a chance to reconnect with your friends. Your friends will always be there for you when relationships will come and go. I always appreciate and go out of my way for my friends. Dry spells also give you time to get over an ex or whoever you were dating before so you don't bring that baggage into your next relationship. I believe firmly in time between relationships so you can really get over someone and let go of all the baggage you have. A "dry spell" is a chance for someone to learn how to be happy and single at the same time and yes, that is completely possible. You have to come to the realization that you are single by choice, not by default. A dry spell is never a bad thing, it is always a great time to find yourself and in that you realize everything you have to offer.

Q: If a guy does not call after a first date should the woman make the move? What if he does not call after the first night in bed?
This is a new age of dating and things are starting to change. I am seeing a lot more women take the lead now and initiate the phone calls and dates and even approaches. It is never a bad thing for a woman to call after the first date. It will do nothing more than reassure a man that the woman enjoyed the first date.

There are no written rules of calling after the first date or night in bed that everyone follows. If you think he should call after the first night in bed and he doesn't then maybe he is reading a different rule book and thinks you should call. The first night in bed is always a different experience with everyone so why make the same rules for everyone? If he doesn't call then it is perfectly ok to call him. It will do nothing but reassure the man. I can recall one time that I didn't call a girl after the first night in bed and we didn't talk for a year because of that but if she would have called the next day then I guarantee we would have had something together. Guys have insecurities too and a lot of them are too proud to give into them so they just avoid situations where they would have to.


Q: What do you love most about being Single??????
I enjoy the freedom I have. I enjoy all the time I get to spend with my friends because I have some of the greatest friends ever. I love that my friends and I are all spontaneous and we are up for an adventure at anytime. I love being single because it is my choice. I am single because I choose to be. If I wanted a relationship right now I can have one but I guarantee it will be a meaningless relationship that will be draining on me and my partner. That was my last relationship and I promised myself I would never do it again. I believe that we have our bad moments to help us realize how good we have it.