Yea, the 'tests' are no big deal to me, really, unless they are overdone or overdramatic. Actually, it's a good thing since I began to recognize them - I just look at it as an opportunity to show the woman I have a pair of stones (without actually showing my pair of stones and getting arrested!).
Like I said, I don't blame women at all for using methods to get a small rise out of a man in order to see what he is made of. Quiet strength usually is the winning combo. Weakness is not attractive in a man nor a woman. Conniving is even worse - women know instinctively that in the courtship phase that a man who is too agreeable is probably hiding a bad nature. The genuinely nicer and genuinely more agreeable men suffer some blowback in this regard.
I work in self improvement and I use a variation of the remark you posted - 'Each of your successes have one common denominator - you. Each fo your falures have one common denominator - you.' A lot of people adopt a mentality that their successes are 100% to their credit, and that their failures are flukes and attributed to conniving, flukes, or otherwise placing blame on someone else. That is BS, and that kind of mentality leads to many problems in coping with life.
I have a galpal, yes, and we get along great. That being said, even after a couple of years together, I still field a test on occasion. Like I said, I look at it as an opportunity to show her I can't be pushed around, and I know that she admires a man who can't be pushed around. It satisifes both of us - that's the crazy world of romance!
LOL! It's great when it all works out, isn't it? That's another dirty little dating secret, too, imo. A good deal of success in finding the right person is just luck. You can meet someone who-in almost every respect-is really awesome, but there is just that magic "something" missing. Then you meet someone else who has almost identical qualities, but they have "it"...that little spark that makes chemistry between you.
How depressing is that, when you have to ask the question, "What do they have that I don't?" and the answer is "I don't know, they just do. Better luck next time." Ugh. I'm so glad I'm married! :)