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BY TIM DOWLING Confront the average man with the prospect of a serious emotional discussion and he'll take it as a signal to begin immediate evasive action -- by starting an argument, staring blankly at the television, or perhaps faking a brain hemorrhage. Men regard emotional self-exploration as both risky and unnecessary . It's not so much a case of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" as "Do not remove back cover. Danger of electric shock." So how do you coax a man into opening up and speaking candidly? There are no easy answers, but below are some ideas worth trying before you resort to communicating with hand puppets. 1. Ease into it. Most women's attempts at heart-to-hearts fall apart with the first sentence because they almost invariably lead with that conversational bomb threat, "We need to talk." (Even worse is the oft-tossed "Can I ask you something?") Men tend to panic in situations like this, and when you tell him ...

BY ALLISON FABIAN Don't declare war every time your man messes up -- if you're into him long-term, here's how (and when) to pick a fight. "Constantly riding your mate will put your entire relationship at risk," warns Sam Horn, author of Tongue Fu! How to Deflect, Disarm, and Defuse Any Verbal Conflict (St. Martin's). "The key is to strike a balance between the battles you choose to fight and those you choose to let go." Ask yourself these six key questions when determining which conflicts are worth waging war over. 1. What's really bugging you? He shows up for dinner at your place an hour late because his basketball game went into overtime, and then he spends 10 minutes bragging that his jump shots would have made Michael Jordan slink off the court in shame. Meanwhile, the only shot you're thinking about is the one you'd like to take at him. Hold it just a second! Although he should have called and he still hasn't apologized, you need...