Dedication.................... iii

Acknowledgements..................... v

Introduction.................... ix

PART I ~ ME
The Challenge to Cherish You.................... 1

1 Bimbo Meets NaughtABimbeaux:
Defining Our Terms.................... 3

2 What are You Pretending Naught to Know:
Excavating Your Truth.................... 15

3 Once Upon a Lifetime:
Lasting Impressions of Your 1st Prince Charming.................... 27

4 “Shoulding” On Your Life:
Confronting the “Celestial Should Committee” Myth.................... 57

5 Into Your Intuition:
When in Doubt, Trust Your Tummy.................... 67

6 The Choice Is Always Yours: A Parable of Power.................... 75

7 The Power of Your Words: She-Brain at the Ready.................... 79

8 Sisterhood: Holding You UP When You’re
Falling Down.................... 87

9 Tassels: The POWER of Alphabet Soup ~
It’s Academic, Girlfriend.................... 97

10 Cinderella Revisited:
aka CinderFella ~ It’s ALL About the Slipper.................... 107

11 Mirror, Mirror On The Wall,
He Might First See You at the Mall.................... 117

12 On A Clear Day You Can See Who You Are.................... 137

PART II ~ The BRIDGE
From Woman to the World Beyond.................... 149

13 Biology of Bonding:
Neuropsychobiology for Dummies.................... 151

14 Analyze This! Reading the Handwriting on the Wall,
or Maybe Just on a Nice Cocktail Napkin.................... 161

PART III ~ HE
The Relevance of Research When Choosing One’s Prince.................... 173

15 I Finally Got It: Men Don’t Get It
& That’s Just the Way It Is.................... 175

16 Mr. Right vs. Mr. Right Now:
The Joy of Mediocrity.................... 183

17 Mr. Right vs. Mr. I’ll Be Right Back:
The Joy of Commitment-Phobia.................... 191

18 Mr. Right vs. Mr. Always Right:
The Joy of Narcissism, aka “King Me”.................... 199

19 Little Boy Blue:
The Vulnerability of Grownup Little Boys.................... 219

PART IV ~ WE
Whatever Souls are Made of, Yours and
Mine are the Same.................... 229

20 Anam Cara: The Truest Friend of Your Soul.................... 231

About the Author.................... 243

Bread for the Journey.................... 245