"The Coffee Shop Girl You Never Spoke To"

You've replayed it a hundred times. She stood three feet away, scrolling her phone. You had an opening. You composed the perfect line — after she was gone.

For all you know, she's married now. To some guy who said something. Anything.

Openers are cheap. Almost any sentence works when it's delivered within three seconds. The expensive part is the standing there, drafting and deleting, while the window quietly closes.

The "22 Rules" stripped out my hesitation. What to open with, how to keep it alive, and the one habit that costs guys more women than anything else: waiting for perfect.

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Dislike the Band Greenday?

"She Wants a Man, Not a Boy"

You asked her if she wanted to grab coffee. Then you asked if the time worked. Then you asked if the place was okay. Then you asked if she'd prefer tea.

Four questions. Four chances for her to say no. Four signals that you're terrified of making a decision.

Plan it. Pick the place. Pick the time. Tell her where to meet you. She'll either show up or she won't.

Either way, you look like a man instead of a scared little boy.

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immrtlwun

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Dookie was a great CD. I thought the songs from American Iddiot were good, but the radio killed them. If they weren't playing American Idiot, it was Holiday, or Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
 

Francisco d'Anconia

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Originally posted by immrtlwun
Dookie was a great CD. I thought the songs from American Iddiot were good, but the radio killed them. If they weren't playing American Idiot, it was Holiday, or Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
I don't listen to any of the Top-40 radio stations so I only hear those songs when I pop in the CD; that's why I think the album still rocks.
 

HBK

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I liked there new album, some good songs. However i can understand y people are callin them sellouts,its understandable. I remeber listening 2 greenday about 10 years ago, they were like THE band after the collapse of nirvana. It was just fun 2 listen to them, and not many people were into punk anymore as rap and pop started takin over the music scene.
I saw them lve this summer and thought they put on a great show, id agree that they have changee their music, but you know something people wernet taking them seriously for years
They have made the breakthrough into mainstream, but they have done it at a price.

I used 2 get hounded by my mates when i was in high school because i listened 2 punk rock like smashin pumpkins and sonic youth, but when that whole linkin park park pop rock started it was suddenly acceptible to the preps. One of my best mates is the greates prep ever, i meant this guy put carlton from the fresh prince 2 shame. He comesup 2 me recently and says i bought the new greenday album, "good for you" i said. 2 years ago this lad was listening 2 neil diamond and celine dion!
Music is about having fun,and meant 2 make u fell good. Who cares if they make a load of money, its all about the music in the end. So dont worry about it
 
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-I do not care about ‘what is punk and what is not' arguement. With American Idiot, Green Day have proven themselves to be much more talented, creative, and entertaining than most people give them credit for (nine-minute tracks, theatrical theme, acoustic melody..etc) while maintaining their catchy style. I blame radio for overplaying their music. It's Green Day copycats, Bands such as Good Charlotte, Sum-41, Blink 182, New Found Glory who I can't stand.
 

"How I Made Sure No Woman Ever Friend-Zoned Me Again"

She calls you when her car breaks down. When she needs help moving. When some guy she's actually dating treats her badly.

You're the listener. The reliable one. The guy who would treat her so much better, if she'd just open her eyes.

She won't. You trained her to see you as the low-effort option — the friend who requires zero risk and zero investment. Every favor dug the hole deeper.

The "22 Rules" break the pattern. You'll stop auditioning for a role she already cast and become the man she chases instead. It starts with Rule 1.

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penkitten

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Originally posted by TheRenegadesOfFunk
-I do not care about ‘what is punk and what is not' arguement. With American Idiot, Green Day have proven themselves to be much more talented, creative, and entertaining than most people give them credit for (nine-minute tracks, theatrical theme, acoustic melody..etc) while maintaining their catchy style. I blame radio for overplaying their music. It's Green Day copycats, Bands such as Good Charlotte, Sum-41, Blink 182, New Found Glory who I can't stand.
to be honest i like good charlotte also and i find blink182 to have hilarious songs.
 

Duke

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I do like some of their earlier stuff, although none of it struck me as terribly original.

I agree about the fake British accent and the simplistic song-writing, too. When they combine, they can get pretentious and annoying.

"This is a warning"

Nah, more like:

"This song is boooring!"

I'm really sort of miffed that they're still passed off as "punk," and not just because they're on a major label and on the radio all the time, but because they don't sound "punk" at all. They're more alternative rock.

Very opinionated band, but they seem to take the popular "anti-conformity" stances on everything.

It's too bad better punk with better song-writing never really took off like Greenday did.
 

American_Psycho

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Originally posted by TheRenegadesOfFunk
With American Idiot, Green Day have proven themselves to be much more talented, creative, and entertaining than most people give them credit for (nine-minute tracks, theatrical theme, acoustic melody..etc)
Yes, that truly is the pinnacle of musical creativity, isn't it?
 

The Bad Ass Canadian

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Originally posted by TheRenegadesOfFunk
-I do not care about ‘what is punk and what is not' arguement. With American Idiot, Green Day have proven themselves to be much more talented, creative, and entertaining than most people give them credit for (nine-minute tracks, theatrical theme, acoustic melody..etc) while maintaining their catchy style. I blame radio for overplaying their music. It's Green Day copycats, Bands such as Good Charlotte, Sum-41, Blink 182, New Found Glory who I can't stand.
A-Fvcking-Men!!!!!!!



I feel the exact same way.....


It really does hit a nerve with me, though, when people who have been fans of a certain band for years but the second that group hits the mainstream with a succsessful cd, they all cry "sellout" and disown them.
 

"Nervous Around Beautiful Women? There's a Rule for That"

I could talk to any woman I wasn't attracted to. Charming, funny, relaxed. Then a gorgeous woman looked my way and I'd become a sweating, babbling mess.

The fix took me years to find and ten minutes to learn. Nervousness and excitement are the same physical state — pounding heart, adrenaline, flushed face. Your brain just picks the label. And you can pick a better one.

Rule 16 shows you how. You feel the nerves, relabel them as excitement, and let that energy pour out as enthusiasm. Women notice the guy radiating it. They always do.

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golfguy

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Originally posted by Ricky
Greenday are just like the kids in school noone liked. The kids that got beat up by the popular kids.

As a guitarist though, it is really sad someone with such poor skills as the Greenday guitarists make alot of money, while great artists like Satriani and Steve Vai struggle.

I mean you hear Greenday and you can tell after all those years they still can't play to save their live. I could teach a 12 year old to play a greenday song in the first hour they learned to play guitar.
As another guitarist, I can somewhat agree with you're post, but comparing Green Day with the likes of Vai, Satriani, or malmsteen is irrelivent. They're TOTALLY different. I think Armstrong is an awesome guitarist for his type of music. His tone is pretty clean, plays everything pretty much spot on live, etc. He's not technical, or overly talented, but you know, it's fun to be able to pick up a guitar and be able to play something. I can't play Vai's stuff or shred along with my fav guitarists. I don't even have the time to practise to be able to have a shot at becoming nearly that good.

Music I enjoy rocking out to are Green Day, Fenix TX, Black Label Society (some of the solos are hard), Older Offsprig stuff.

I definately have an appreciation for the guitar and enjoy listening to technical stuff also.

Vai's awesome! Satriani is good! (I'd hardly say these guys struggle. hell..Vai has 2 big recording studios), Yngwie is good. A little monotonous by times but good, Joe Stump is good, My favorite guirist is Alexi Laiho, he writes some kick ass stuff. Dimebag was amazing too (I wouldn't say virtuoso good, but WAY better than average)

I know what you're saying though, and can somewhat agree with it. I hate seeing AMAZING guirists underapprciated. Everyone seems to worship bands like Fallout Boy, Good Charlotte, etc. When there are REAL good musicians out there that write their own music to being with, and play better stuff.
 

Scrumtulescence

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One of the most overrated bands in existence. They're not terrible by any means, but musically and creatively they are nothing special or innovative, and their whole political stance is bullshit. Particularly with reference to their latest album, there is absolutely nothing original, poignant, or deep about their message, nor does their music solve any of the problems it addresses. It's just "Bush sucks and we hate stupid rednecks", with monotonously repetitive power chords. They criticize political sheep incapable of free thought. Meanwhile thier fanbase is largely composed of people and highschoolers whose "Bush is teh new Hitler!" views and beliefs are about as well thought out and informed as your typical Bushie.

If Greenday really want to appear as though they've "grown up", perhaps they should wipe the goth makeup off their faces, drop the pompous "we're god's greatest gift to music" act (that should be reserved for bands that will actually be looked back upon as exceptionally musically talented), and mature creatively. Proverbially slapping a "Bush Sucks" sticker on your guitar does not make you a politically relevant force.
 

Wyldfire

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Originally posted by iHatePants
They sold themselves out!

I porbably dislike them for other reasons than yours.

Remember when they used to just rock about about stupid **** in their album "Dookie"? They kicked ass back then. But now they've gone all political and **** only because they know thats what the kids want to hear these days.

Plus thier new emo look really sucks.
Not true about them "selling out" or "getting all political". They just got older, grew up some and actually have views and opinions they want to use their music to convey. I saw a documentary on the band. The punk scene has the bad habit of hating on any punk band that makes it really big.

Oh well...their loss...Green Day is one of the few good bands that put out something good to listen to that gives people an alternative to rap.
 

Jester

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greenday's first 3 albums are so good i still listen to them 14 years after i picked them up.

when you get rich, you dont have a lot of issues to write about that the people who listen to your music will identify with.



Politically, what theyre doing is great. You can't produce a political song with a deep meaning that will sell.

You can produce a song that has the right political direction and will sell, but not really say anything....and thats what they did.

Capitalism is fine as long as it is regulated.

Dont want the plutocrats to take over do we?

ohhh ****, never mind. we havent had a good president since truman.

By the people
For the people

do republicans not understand that concept?
 

Mr. Unique

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I love their earlier stuff, you cant compare american idiot to the great dookie album. but i like these punk bands better

NOFX
Rancid
Against All Authority
A.F.I (earlier stuff was pretty hardcore, Now they suck!)
The know how
Anti-flag
pennywise
misfits
The offspring
 

"I just moved here from Florida."

That sentence contains at least five follow-up questions she WANTS you to ask. Where in Florida? What brought you here? How long have you been in the area? What do you miss? How does it compare to here?

She handed them to you on a silver platter. And you said, "Oh cool. I come here every week. I love this band. Ummm... pretty crowded tonight."

She smiled politely. Nodded. And never texted you back.

I was that guy for years. Talking too much. Listening too little. Panicking about my next sentence while she was literally feeding me the answers.

Then I found 22 rules that fixed the whole thing. Rule number one: shut up and listen. She'll tell you exactly what to say.

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Francisco d'Anconia

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Originally posted by TheRenegadesOfFunk
-I do not care about ‘what is punk and what is not' arguement. With American Idiot, Green Day have proven themselves to be much more talented, creative, and entertaining than most people give them credit for (nine-minute tracks, theatrical theme, acoustic melody..etc) while maintaining their catchy style. I blame radio for overplaying their music. It's Green Day copycats, Bands such as Good Charlotte, Sum-41, Blink 182, New Found Glory who I can't stand.
Bravo! :up:
 

Desdinova

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Honestly, Dookie wasn't my favorite album. Insomniac was.

American Idiot isn't a great album, but it isn't horrible either. Musically, I think Green Day lost the edge they had on earlier albums. However, AI has it's songs.

As for comparing Green Day to the likes of Satriani, you can't compare it. Most youth today become attached to music because of promotion, their friends like it, or it has certain "hooks" in the song. Just look at Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

Youth today don't care how good they play guitar. Just as long as it's liked by the majority (which results from promotion), it's all good!
 

penkitten

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Originally posted by Mr. Unique
I love their earlier stuff, you cant compare american idiot to the great dookie album. but i like these punk bands better

NOFX
Rancid
Against All Authority
A.F.I (earlier stuff was pretty hardcore, Now they suck!)
The know how
Anti-flag
pennywise
misfits
The offspring

what about
the ramones and motorhead and uk subs???
they were all excellent.
 
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