Few words strike fear into new lovers' hearts like "high maintenance." High-maintenance guys and gals can wreck a romance with their need for constant and excessive attention. How can you determine if your honey is high maintenance before it's too late? Take this test to find out:
1. When you peek into your sweetie's medicine chest,
you find:
• A year’s supply of self-tanning items (Score = 1)
• Baldness remedies and gizmos for whitening teeth (Score = 2)
• Several hair-improvement products (Score = 3)
• The usual personal-care products, along with a few things you can't identify (Score = 4)
• The equivalent of a Hollywood star's makeup trailer (Score = -1)
2. You want to pop out for a quick bite to eat. Your honey:
• Asks, "How do I look?" (Score = 1)
• Takes 45 minutes picking out something "casual-looking" to wear (Score = 2)
• Asks for 15 minutes of prep time (Score = 3)
• Is rarin' to go (Score = 4)
• Spends an hour in the bathroom to achieve a "no fuss" look (Score = -1)
3. You get a coveted promotion at work.
Your darling's response is:
• Cool! What are you going to buy me? (Score = 1)
• Super! Can I borrow 20 bucks? (Score = 2)
• That's great! Where are you taking me for dinner? (Score = 3)
• I'm so proud of you! Tell me all about it. (Score = 4)
• Excellent! Now you'll have more money to spend on me. (Score = -1)
4. Friends throw you a birthday party. Your date:
• Pouts and says, "But what about me?" (Score = 1)
• Proclaims, "Tonight's all about you — except when it's about me." (Score = 2)
• Asks, "How long do we have to stay?" (Score = 3)
• Helps them plan it (Score = 4)
• Thinks it's for him/her (Score = -1)
5. While you're on the phone with your parents, your honey:
• Slips you notes that say, "Pay attention to ME!" (Score = 1)
• Keeps interrupting you to ask, "Do I look fat?" (Score = 2)
• Paces, taps foot or drums fingers while you chat (Score = 3)
• Gives you the space and time you need to take care of family business (Score = 4)
• Chatters in the background and then hollers, "Aren't you done yet?" (Score = -1)
Scoring:
Less than 0: Run for your life! Your honey is the epitome of high maintenance.
0-5: Orange alert. Bail! Bail! This person requires entirely too much attention to be any fun over the long haul.
6-10: S/he is either self-centered or just plain rude. Either way, you can do better. Cut your losses now.
11-15: A tad self-absorbed, perhaps? Check your gut to see if you can deal with these behaviors.
16-20: Lucky you! You've landed a high-quality honey with the right stuff.