Dear Lulu Jeh: I’m a founder of a tech start-up in the early launch stage (read: I’m broke), and am hanging out with this corporate lawyer I met at a networking session a month ago. She’s amazing: gorgeous, intelligent, and ridiculously well-paid.
So far, she hasn’t made an issue over my depressingly tight budget, but there have been a few awkward occasions when her idea of casual meant heading to The Pawn, while mine was to chow down at a cha chaan teng. My question is: are we doomed? — Empty Pockets
Hi EP: That depends. Are you going to be the next Jack Ma? Pending that verdict, I think the main problem here is not her earnings, but rather your threatened self esteem.
It’s hard for finances to align when both of you are at such different phases of your careers, but hey, she must have liked what she saw at that networking session or you wouldn’t even be talking about where to go on your next date.
My advice is for you to just be completely honest with her: you’re not in a position to splurge — but you’ll (hopefully) make up for the lack of bling with your glowing personality, smarts and amazing sex. It doesn’t seem like she has an issue with your empty wallet, but do you? — Lulu
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