I have a different view on things. If a girl says to you, "Let's just be friends" you know it's over because that's as far as it gets since there is something about you that she isn't attracted to. I mean, you wouldn't tell a girl that was attracted to you, "Let's just be friends" unless you weren't attracted to them.
I am the type that doesn't put my girlfriend before everything else. I'm always challenging her to keep up, but we still have fun with eachother. And she's having fun in the relationship.
And I would never have my girlfriend as my best friend if I could do any different. Girls don't make good best friends in general, since you can't tell her about guy stuff, just like you don't really want to know about the logistics of her period. Besides, if you put her up top, things will be a wreck if you are ever to lose her. You can't always think you'll have her forever, many other factors come in.
For the most part DB9, you're right. Getting into the friends zone is hell, and that's the point where you give up romantic interest in a person. I need my boy's night out and I need my chill time with the guys. When I'm with my girlfriend, I just make sure she has a good time, cause that's kinda what girls want. They don't need to know your life story or your daily problems, they'll figure that all out as time moves on. I would get bored if anybody sat me down and told me all the problems they've been having and all of their issues and all the pessimistic stuff people naturally think.
Before my girlfriend, I was the nice guy type. The AFC, I told girls everything I thought they wanted to hear. I tried being open to them about my life and I tried turning them into a friend before I tried dating them. But they all saw me as was a friend. Girls and guys think differently. They want a man, not a girlscout buddy to tell them everything, they got girlfriends for that. Just like you want a woman, not some masculine girl who likes to watch football with you and drink beer.