As one of the rare straight dudes into theater (particularly Shakespeare [PBUH], though I have dabbled in musicals), there was something I wanted to mention about the advice you wrote this week for No Good At Acronyms.

So much of our culture (particularly Hollywood, though Broadway isn't always much better) tells us hetero guys can't have any emotions other than (1) rage, (2) mad passionate love for a woman, which is really not enough to express the range of human experience. Broadening what we allow ourselves to feel can be difficult, but it's so worth it! In particular, I know my life got better when I learned to accept that I can love my friends (even the female ones!) as friends in a truly meaningful way without it having to be about sex and romance. Sometimes the logistics of people's lives just work out so that's the kind of love that fits, and thinking of might-have-beens doesn't really help anybody. However, expressing how you feel to a friend can be a good idea, as long as it's an in control kind of love, not a painfully-exploding-really-all-about-gratifying-your-desires kind of love.

As much as I love show tunes, Dan, that's what I think most straight dudes actually need to hear.

Can't Think Of A Good Acronym

P.S. BTW... my littlest sister told me a little bit ago that she's JC from this column. Thank you for taking care of her at a time when I had moved away so I had no idea what was going on and she didn't feel comfortable talking to our parents about it. You do good work.