the monday moan

Last week, I wrote a review of this book, "The Panic Years." It's advice for girls freaking out during the "oh my gosh I'm not married yet" phase of their life.

But the book's author is unique in that in addition to emphasizing female empowerment themes, she also gives readers advice on how to secure a fiance. Among that advice? Make a time line. If your man doesn't cross certain milestones by the designated time, ditch him and move on to someone more worthy of marriage, the author contends.

That's where today's question comes in. Here's what the book says about the two-year mark:

If you've been dating your boyfriend for more than twenty months, it's no one's fault but your own. "No emotionally mature guy will date his girlfriend for more than two years without proposing," says Felix, 26. "It wouldn't be fair to drag it out and lead her on. If a guy can't commit by then, he's wasting her time. You should really know by a year, or else it's not right."

Now I'm all for being realistic, but this sounds a bit extreme. Especially considering that the first year of a relationship is largely spent getting used to each other.

I'd like to hear your thoughts -- guys in particular.

(P.S. = You can read my review of "The Panic Years" here.)