He said/She said.

I have a love/hate relationship with communication.

It is fascinating, exhausting, frustrating, and extremely important to me.

I took a class on the psychology of interpersonal relationships. I learned a great deal about the different methods of communication people employ, which, don't get me wrong, is incredibly enlightening in and of itself. However, I wish more time had been spent discussing compromise; how two people of varying communication styles can interact in a clear and (hopefully) non-stressful manner. I mean, really. How am I supposed to confront someone who doesn't like confrontation?

*via text message* "I have decided not to wait until you get home to tell you that you're a dick."

"..... So, yeah. You're a dick."

How it sounds to me: "I want to talk about this in person, but I also refuse to keep my anger to myself until the next time I see you, since I feel as though I am justified in my hurt. I feel better knowing that I'm not hiding my frustration, and I would much prefer to be aggressive-aggressive, before I am unintentionally passive-aggressive."

How it sounds to him: "I am going to be an outright bitch and insult your character because of something you have already apologized for."

The problems continue, however, since the communication styles differ in terms of resolution as well. It's not enough that an emotional language barrier caused the situation in the first place, it must also try to prevent an expedient and mutually satisfactory conclusion. I immediately want to discuss it so that I don't carry my anger around with me. He wants to ignore it until he feels calmer and more capable of dealing with the situation. Either way, one of us is going to have to sacrifice more than the other.

It bothers me that there isn't an easy solution to this. It bothers me that although I technically "got what I wanted" by talking about it tonight, he is still upset by the events of the evening. It bothers me that after talking about it, and after apologies are made on both sides, I can honestly say, "I'm alright now" but all he can say is, "I will be alright."

I mean, for Christ's sake, we put a man on the moon; you'd think we'd have this interpersonal relations shit down to more of a science.