Sad, sad, sad...

Allow me if you will, to chronicle the gradual demise of a once fully functioning female.

1) Decide to start "dating" boys
2) Place ad on the List. Begin ending flirtatious conversations conducted in social settings with "So, you should call me..."
3) Date.
4) Realize that "dating" means connecting -- scheduling, meeting, talking, occassionally hugging (although not so much "liking"...) and get stressed/frustrated/bored
5) Decide to just like someone already.
6) Find out he's actually not available.
7) Decide to like someone else.
8) Find out he's COMPLETELY innappropriate for your purposes
9) Decide to like someone else.
10)Find out he, too, is unavailable. But continue "seeing" him anyway because he's cute and funny and whatever... it's not like you have anything else to do with your time.
11)Have a conversation wherein he intimates that it might be likely that he might actually begin to be liking you in a way that might engender more than lunchtime meetings.
12)Respond in a favorable yet still platonic way.
13)Check e-mail, phone, post office daily/hourly/minutely for ANY subsequent correspondence from him. (Nada.)
14)Get depressed
15)Wonder What the HELL??
16){sigh} Reconsider Inappropriate Boy who is at least still in touch...

Sad. It's been awhile since I was straight -- someone tell me, is this how it goes???