He really does want to be involved but for some crazy reason he just can't come out and ask. T^2, you said guys hate to ask. Why is this? Enlighten me please!
OK... Kimmerz... and any other woman reading this... this is a huge insight into a male and can really give you all a clear leverage with us... I AM breaking the code here, I hope you all know...
We men think this way because...
We pee standing up...
See, it makes perfect sense...
lol
OK, no... seriously, we want our girls to be happy. We do NOT want to do something with them if they do not want to do it. So rather than looking foolish (because we guys are LOATHE to look foolish by having to ask directions) we round about way poke and drop thoughts about some event or restaurant, waiting to hear key words like...
OMFG that would be SO cool to go there... or get that... or see them...
If we do not hear those key words, we pretty much conclude that we are barking up the wrong tree and therefore we can comfortably know that we DID NOT make a fool of ourselves...
Of course, T^2 may have a different thought on that or a different way of saying it... I'll be popping some corn and pulling up a chair to read all the opinions on this topic of, "why do men..."
On the theory of him being controlling? Yeah... I don't think, so much...
If he was trying to control... like the unable to ask directions... most men don't really have a good sense of manipulation. More often then not, we just steam roll over everything if we want to control it... In the same way that we punch our friends in the head and then go for beer with them...
I'll be popping some corn and pulling up a chair to read all the opinions on this topic of, "why do men..." 
