re: Is it okay to pursue a girl already in a relationship?

I can't say I ever pursued a woman who was engaged, but I definitely pursued women who were in relationships. I took two different tacks. For one, I "put it all on the line" kinda like Jim did later on with Pam. My thoughts were that I had the right to tell her how I felt, and she had the right to decide what to do with that knowledge. It didn't end up working out, and I haven't spoken to her in a long long time.

For the other, I was a little older and a little more subtle. I think that was influenced by us being friends and then my developing interest in her romantically. :women and men can't be friends: We both knew that we would be good fits for one another, but she was in a years long relationship with someone she did care about but didn't see a future with. About two months after they broke up, we started dating formally. It was quickly a hot and heavy relationship. I wish I could say it ended well, but we just had different plans for life, career, family. I moved off, and we have barely spoken since then. If I had stayed down South, we would've likely stayed together.