As I’ve said a time or two (or seven), I am not an educated man. I don’t have a degree in relationship counseling, or a degree at all for that matter. So the answers I provide to the questions below come from my years of watching—and experiencing—failed relationships, and the simple observation of the human condition. I’m not a professional therapist, and probably never will be—although Dr. Cory does have a certain ring of awesomeness to it…

With that being said, I’m about to lay down some righteous knowledge in response to relationship questions that were emailed to me. I’d like to make this a regular feature on Mad to Love, so feel free to email me your questions. Good? Good. Here we go. These are actual questions from actual readers. Enjoy:

Q. I dated a guy for two years, but he broke up with me in September. Would it be against guy code for one of his friends to date me?
-Anonymous

A. If I didn’t know better, I’d think this question was sent in by Barney Stinson in an attempt to get me to go against his mighty “Bro Code”. I would never, Barnacle! Regardless, the short answer is yes. If the friend of your ex were to try to date you, issues would more than likely arise in their friendship. But then again, if he thinks you’re worth sacrificing the friendship for, he may go for it anyway. Basically, you’re Kate Beckinsale caught in-between Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett. Congratulations!

Q. Is it bad that I actually have zero desire to date…and that I don’t believe in love even though I am a Christian?
-McKenzie

A. Comedian Kevin Hart has this saying in one of his bits that goes, “Do you, boo boo”. That’s my advice to you. The belief in love—or lack thereof—usually comes from the situations we’ve experienced in the past. Just because you don’t believe in love now doesn’t mean your Prince Charming won’t come along and sweep you off your feet one day. And if he doesn’t, it’s your life. Believe in what you feel is right. As far as the Christianity angle, I’d say no, it isn’t wrong because His love—which is holy and reverent—is much different from our human love. You can believe in the love of a Father without choosing to believe in the love of a man or woman. So…do you, boo boo.

Q. Typically, guys are the ones pursuing girls romantically, as it’s appropriate and Biblical for this to be the case. But how should girls go about showing interest in a boy while maintaining dignity and without scaring them off?
-Alyssa

A. This question was also posted on the Mad to Love fanpage on Facebook earlier this week, and since the answer is pretty in-depth, I’m going to address it in a full post next week. So stay tuned.

Q. In a relationship, honesty is very important, but knowing about your partner’s past can be painful. How much should you/are you expected to reveal about your past relationships, things you’ve done, etc.? Where do you draw the line between hiding something important and TMI?
-Maria

A. Fantastic question. In my experience, honesty is always, always, ALWAYS the best policy, but that comes with a caveat. You don’t want to spill your heart—and all its secrets—on a first date when you don’t really know if that person is trustworthy yet, right? So I’ve found it’s prudent to ration out your past (mistakes and all) as the relationship develops. Start with the smaller, less impactful stuff at first, and then as you get to know your partner better, you can determine if you’re comfortable enough with them to share everything. Just use a careful dose of discretion and you should be okay.

Q. Do you advocate dating around?  I have a mentor who says you should casually date, so you know what you want in a girl, but after 19 years single, I’m pretty sure I’ve got an idea of what I’m looking for.  What are your thoughts about saving it until you think you know the girl you should be with?
-Robert

A. A male reader! Hot dang. Crap, now I don’t know what to do with my hands… Not to go against your mentor, but I’m of the belief that all the females in the world know each other one way or another. So if you’re “dating around”, then you’re going to get labeled as a “player” or a “ladies man”. You might as well wear a sign that says, “I got the herpes”. As you said, you have an idea of what you want, so I’d suggest only pursuing someone who really rings your bell. There’s no need in wasting a young lady’s time—or yours—if she doesn’t hit the majority of the points on your checklist.

That’ll do it for this week’s mailbag. Thanks to all those who submitted questions. Remember that you’re getting this advice from a guy who actually saw Pearl Harbor and liked it. So…you know…caution.

(Feel free to follow me on the Twitter here, and become a fan of the Mad to Love fanpage here. Thanks for reading!)