Sunday, December 28, 2008

Mixed signals.

I've noticed a disturbing trend here in the East Village. The WALK/DON'T WALK lights have been misfiring, showing the red hand for "stop," AND the white walking-man for "go" at the same time.

I'm afraid this case of mixed signals has stretched beyond my neighborhood's traffic signals.

My job: They moved me out from Los Angeles, and pay me well, because they "value me for my creative abilities." Yet, they don't call upon me for these talents; not in a true sense. I find my role as a Creative Director is becoming more and more like that of a producer. My strengths when it comes to conceptual thinking and narrative storytelling aren't being mined, or even scratched at.

Now that I'm dating again, I've been exposed to a smorgasbord of mixed signals. I was recently at a club, talking to someone all night who showed serious interest, even asking me to leave the club and go hang out. Cool, right? I go to get my coat from coat check, and poof - a disappearing act.

I met somebody else who clearly explained we should have a strictly platonic relationship. Friends only. Okay. Then, this person text messages me to ask if I want to come to a "bit of an orgy." As if "a bit of an orgy" wasn't a mixed message in and of itself. How do you have a "bit" of an orgy? Hell, if I'm going to be in an orgy, I don't want some half-cocked (pun intended) "bit" of an orgy. I want a full on Roman-style distgust-fest.

And the other day I saw an online Sprint ad for a holiday promotion. It had a winter-like landscape with the word "calls" written over and over again in white type, falling through the sky like snowflakes. The message was supposed to be that this promotion gives you a ton of calls. All I saw were hundreds of "calls" dropping.

I guess if I'm honest with myself, I put out a ton of mixed signals myself. From what I say I want for myself not lining up actions that get me closer to them, to how I handle relationships of my own. I guess me and the white walking-man from the traffic lights are just trying to fit in, sending out mixed signals in a world where they're everywhere you look.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

We're all victims and perpetrators of the mixed signal game. There isn't a perfect model for how to meet a guy in the imperfect world of dating. For me, I try to be honest with myself at the time and then translate that honesty with the guy I'm interacting with. Many of us, like myself, don't have a problem attracting men. It's the one's I really want that I seem to repel. You, Mr. Greenspan, are a heartbreaker. Yes, you are. But that's the way it goes. Rejection sucks and we're all victims and perpetrators of it.

gspan said...

Why do people comment anonymously? Show yourself.

The J Way said...

Hi Jeff!

I just received your message. Thanks for calling. No, the previous comment is not from me because as you can see I do not leave anonymous comments. This is the first comment I've left on your blog.

Hope to see you sometime soon. We have a chess rematch pending.