meatballs na lang ang kulang

i have a friend who, after dating this guy several times, was told by the guy that the reason why he felt he had to stop was that he felt like he was just "meatballs" to her "spaghetti" -- nice to have but really essential to make things complete.

after the requisite laughter at the end of the narration, my friend turned to me and said, "you're also like that -- your life is so complete, so put together already that any guy dating you would just feel like meatballs to your spaghetti."

now for someone who doesn't even like meatballs in her spaghetti, that was more than slightly distressing! does that mean i turn men off cause i've got it all figured out? do i have to revert to helpless status and pretend i can't do anything by myself? when i tell people i can change the bathroom sink's p-trap (and i really can!) and replace the double lock on my front door (pretty easy), am i in effect telling the universe that (1) i can handle it and (2) - gasp - i don't need a man?

i'd like to hope all my hard-earned handyman skills aren't turning men off. and if i am the "complete" package already then let it be just something to make the total package even more attractive. yes, for men i guess it's nice to feel needed. but at the end of the day, wouldn't they want someone who isn't a shadow of the person she could be but someone who is living out her full potential every single day?

considering i'm still single, maybe my "i'm a survivor" stance isn't really the most attractive thing in the world. but then again, my brother has repeatedly dated a host of simpering wusses. yes, they're there for a couple of months, basking is unaduleterated love. but at the end of the day, their little helpless worlds are shattered once he deems them too needy for his taste.

so i think i'll stay the way i am and wait for that wonderful man who wouldn't mind being meatballs to my spaghetti. because while my spaghetti's complete, meatballs would it even better.