yea... i have a good friend (a guy, but he has an awesome girlfriend) who suggested the "pretend boyfriend" idea... it definitely has it's merits. I have always been a terrible liar, a remnant from a childhood where I was absolutely not allowed to lie and with a mom who did not really understand about social lying (it's possible SHE might have aspergers, but if she does it is probably really mild)
anyways...
I just had an idea
you know how everything gets easier the more you do it? exercise gets easier, eating healthy gets easier, anything gets easier once it becomes a habit...
well (and this is something my therapist suggested too now that i recall...) maybe the attention is just hard right now because I am getting adjusted to it at first! and after I am used to it (maybe about a year from now? if I can maintain?)
I will have "dealt with" most of the awkward situations that might come up... ie, getting asked out by guys I'm not attracted to, having a guy grab my boobs, having someone ask for my number, being invited out on dates, being followed... whatever... all the creepy things guys do. anyways, once all that junk has happened, maybe i'll know how to deal with it, and i'll have a "procedure" in place already, and i won't be so stressed because I will already know how to react, i'll be expecting it, and I can prevent a bad situation from happening.
maybe situations that might have been stressful in the past (like being ignored!) aren't happening any more... so i have to learn new strategies (how to deal with attention) but once I've passed this stage... it'll be ok again.
hmmm.... food for thought.