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"Friendship with your BFF is one of the best things life has to offer. But being friends with your former flame is one of the trickiest. I&amp;amp;#8217;ve navigated these risky waters myself and identified the pros and cons of keeping an ex as your buddy!Before we break down the pluses and the minuses, let&amp;amp;#8217;s all agree on the golden rule of post-breakup friendship: Do not, I repeat, DO NOT attempt to go straight from dating to friends. A cooling off, getting-over-it period is crucial, so you can meet again, as pals, on neutral emotional ground. Pro: He gets you He knows how you got that scar on your eyebrow, why your boss sucks, and how to get you through Aunt Josie&amp;amp;#8217;s Christmas party without anti-anxiety meds. In an age where your life is on Facebook, Twitter and who knows where else, we think that people know us, but really, very few do. If you can keep things platonic, it may be worth keeping him in the loop post-coupledom. Con: He might bring too much baggage back into your life If you two can&amp;amp;#8217;t even have a latte together without dredging up an old argument, or if his &amp;amp;#8220;quirks&amp;amp;#8221; still drive you INSANE, well, you&amp;amp;#8217;re probably better off sipping coffee alone--or with someone new. Pro: He&amp;#x27;ll offer a male perspective You&amp;#x27;ve gotta love female friends. But sometimes, it&amp;#x27;s nice to hear from a guy you&amp;#x27;re not romantically involved with. Most guys I know won&amp;amp;#8217;t sugarcoat their opinions when you send a disastrous text, reveal a little too much skin, or date someone who doesn&amp;#x27;t deserve you. I appreciate that! Con: He might try to win you back Sure, your ex-turned-friend will tell you straight up that your new boyfriend is unbearable, but is he only saying that because he still likes you? Is he trying to sabotage your new relationship? Don&amp;amp;#8217;t you have enough to worry about?! Bottom line: Some exes can make great friends and others you should cross the street to avoid. Only you can know who belongs in which category. It just depends on how much baggage you both have&amp;amp;#8212;and feel like schlepping around! Are you still pals with your ex-boyfriends? How long did you wait post-breakup to hang out again? Do you think you&amp;#x27;ll get back together? For more&amp;amp;#133; *Shut up, Shallon. Four reasons why I talk about my exes! *Surviving a run-in with an old boyfriend! *Do you stalk your former flames on Facebook? Photo: Jupiterimages "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/blogs/single-ish/2010/11/the-pros-and-cons-of-being-fri>