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Aphra Behn
"Love ceases to be a pleasure when it ceases to be a secret."
When to Take That Leap of Faith into Marriage
Dating
Healing a Broken Heart
Love
How to Flirt and Be Intimate With a Man - 3 Hot Tips to Turn a Guy On
Do you want to know how to attract the man of your dreams? This article will give you simple and direct instructions on how to flirt and be intimate with a man. No strings attached.
How to Make Any Guy Fall in Love - The Three Keys to Any Man's Heart
How hard has it been in the past for you to make a man fall in love with you? If you could have any man that you wanted and make him truly fall in love with you, how many more options would you have to connect with the relationship which you truly deserve?
Zelda Fitzgerald
"Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold."
Dating for Men - The Tao of Getting Out of a Slump
Dating
Nothing Else
Self Realization
How to Make a Man Fall in Love - Becoming Irreplaceable to Him
How can you become the woman who will make a man fall in love with you? Did you know that certain things about a woman's behavior can cause her to become unforgettable to a man?
How to Get a Girl's Number - Make it Happen in a Matter of Minutes!
Being cool and smooth when it comes to approaching a girl and knowing how to get a girl's number is a killer trait --- every guy would kill to have that skill. But here's the good news for you. This skill can be learned and as a starter, here are three easy steps on how to get a girl's number --- and absolutely make it happen in minutes!
Dating Tips: What Do Women Really Want From Men?
Dating
Valentine's Day Tip: Giving A Sensual Foot Massage May Be More Complicated Than You Think
Love
Ask Dan and Jennifer
Curiosity Creates Romance
Hidden expectations are one of the primary things that hurt a relationship. The expectations go beyond the desire to be loved for who we are. They have to do with us looking good and being right where our friends and family are concerned. The expectations include things like what we want this person to be like, [...] Related articles:When Fairy Tale Romance Goes Bad…Long Distance Relationships - Can They Really Work?Could Loneliness Be The Dawn of Real Happiness And Romance?The Secret to Lasting Romance: How Subtlety Could Save Your RelationshipDating and Relationship Advice - Can You Use the Law of Attraction to Find True Love?
How Do I Introduce BDSM To My Boyfriend? (Video)
Everyone has their fantasy or fetish, and everyone likes different things. It’s part of what makes us such a sexually diverse culture! Many people are into BDSM, or bondage, whether it’s soft BDSM or really getting into dominant and submissive roles. If you like BDSM, how can you introduce it to your partner without getting [...] Related articles:Asexual Wanting BDSM But Not Sex - Is It The Medication? (Video)How to Get Your Freak On - The Beginner’s Guide to BDSMIs It Normal For a Virgin to Be Into BDSM? (Video)BDSM 101 - Moving Beyond Plain Vanilla SexAre My Sexual Fetishes And Kinky Fantasies Bad? (Video)
How Can I Dump Him/Break Up If He Pays The Rent? (Video)
Taking that huge step to move in with your partner is a big decision. Before moving in with someone, make sure it’s what you really want. But what if the “damage” is done already? What if you’ve moved in with your partner and now you’re realizing that you just weren’t ready? How can you move [...] Related articles:I Think I Moved In With Him Too Soon. What Should I Do? (Video)In The Thick Of A Break UpBreak Up Confusion - Does She Really Want To Break Up With Me? (Video)My Boyfriend is a Total Liar! Should I Dump Him Or Give Him Another Chance? (Video)Long Distance Relationship - What Do I Do? (Video)
Are Your Words Making You More Relationship Attractive?
Have there been times when you’ve had a heated argument with someone and you wished you could have been a little calmer? Your Emotional Channels get so flared up, you lose yourself and you say things you wish you hadn’t? Or do you hold on to your resentments and when you do finally explode you [...] Related articles:How to Resolve Relationship Difficulties Without Making Your Partner WrongHow To Be More Attractive & Less Needy By Releasing The Fear Of Being Alone Today4 Financial Steps Towards Being More Relationship Attractive!Five Little Words That Strike Fear Into The Hearts Of Men (Video)Why Your Relationship Success Depends on Feeling Your Feelings
Sperm, Semen and Safe Sex - What You Need To Know (Video)
Sex education, unfortunately, is at a low nowadays. Although our society has evolved exponentially since sex was considered completely taboo – sex education is still primitive. Television shows, movies, music and even the Internet has taken sex to a completely new level, with songs about “booty calls” and nudity on prime time, but adults in [...] Related articles:Safe Sex: Can That Clear Fluid Really Get Me Pregnant? (Video)Is It Safe To Have Sex While My Wife Is Pregnant? (Video)How To Put On A Condom (Video)Should I Really Be Worried About STDs? (Video)Can I Get AIDS From Oral Sex? (Video)
What Women Want
I recently read an article about what women want, and your average woman commented on what ‘touched’ her most when it came to men. Some women wanted help around the house, some women wanted sex in a certain manner, some women wanted appreciation. It got me to thinking about what women REALLY want in a [...] Related articles:The Top 10 Online Dating Mistakes Men Make When Contacting Women OnlineTop 10 Things Women Wish Men Would Do Before, During and After SexEasily Meet The Hottest Women Anytime, Anywhere, and NEVER Worry About What To SayOnline Dating Question - I’m a Good Catch. Are all the Women in My Area Stupid?Relationship Wisdom From The Most Popular Sex Advice Book
Great Relationships Begin Within!
Consider all we attend to each day, and most of us simply find it hard to invest in a good relationship, let alone carve out the hours necessary to mend or tend a difficult one. If you’re day is anything like mine, it may go a little something like this: Dropping kids off after school, work [...] Related articles:Relationships Don’t Have To Be HardGreat Relationships Can Get You Lost In TimeHow to Deal With Feelings of Jealousy and Insecurity About Past RelationshipsLong Distance Relationships - Can They Really Work?How to Keep a “Financial 9/11” From Interfering In Your Relationships
Relationship Wisdom From The Most Popular Sex Advice Book
When I was seventeen, the United States was experiencing its least amount of sexual innocence in its history. That was in 1977. The pendulum swing away from sexual innocence and naiveté is still swinging wide. Back then I had questions about sex and sexuality that my mother appreciated but did not really want to answer! She [...] Related articles:Dating and Relationship Advice - Can You Use the Law of Attraction to Find True Love?Revealing New Online Dating Book…Love, Money, and Sex - Advice for a Lasting Relationship - Dan and Jennifer on Retirement Television (Video)Sex Advice From Tarzan and Jane (Relationship Humor)Top 10 Resources for Valentine’s Day Ideas, Tips, and Advice
Is There Such Thing As TOO MUCH Self-Help?
My answer to this question is: “yes.” I came to this conclusion in my mid-30s after asking myself this very thing over and over. At the time I was well, I guess what you could call obsessed with self-esteem-building, spirit-lifting, relationship-advising, co-dependent, neurotic, feminist, esoteric, astrological, paleontological, philosophical paradigms and relief. There was enough of [...] Related articles:Don’t Lose Yourself To Get LoveConfront the Confusion to Avoid the FightWhy Won’t He Tell His Family About Our Relationship? (Video)Is It Possible to Love Two Men? How do I choose?Relationship Happiness When The Love Of Your Life Hasn’t Shown Up Yet!
Online Dating - Doing It Right
While online dating was once considered the dating foray of the nerdy and desperate, many people are realizing how valuable online dating - or online “introductions” really can be. If you’re interested in online dating, here’s how to do it right! Setting Things Up Before you begin, I suggest you create a new email address – one [...] Related articles:9 Tips for Better Online Dating Profile PicturesOnline Dating - Can I Really Fall In Love Online? (Video)Frustrated with Online Dating? Nobody Checkin’ You Out?Online Dating Question - I’m a Good Catch. Are all the Women in My Area Stupid?The Top 10 Online Dating Mistakes Men Make When Contacting Women Online
That “Mothering” Tone Of Voice And Behavior Does Not Work For A Man: Which Means It Doesn’t Work for You!
“How can we have a loving relationship with anyone if we spend most of the time thinking about how awful it (the relationship) is?” ~ Joseph Bailey I found that awesome quote online today along with a woman’s wonderful response to it. She talked about how she used to disrespect her husband and denigrate her marriage. [...] Related articles:In Love With A Mama’s Boy? How To Make It WorkLong Distance Relationships - Can They Really Work?3 Ways to Make Your Long Distance Relationship WorkHow Can I Convince Her That A Long Distance Relationship Can Work? (Video)Sexual Penetration And What It REALLY Means…
Live to Love
Dear Sugar
Do, Dump or Marry? Thomas Jane
Now, before you go and choose "Do" automatically because Thomas Jane stars in HBO's Hung, about a well-hung man who decides to work as a male escort, just focus on his visible hotness. What will it be - do, dump or marry? Do, Dump or Marry? Thomas Jane Do Dump Marry
Grab Bag: Craigslist Doesn't Disappoint
What would we do without Craigslist? - The Frisky Why one woman quit lookin' for love online. - Lemondrop What are Michael Jackson's greatest love songs? - Your Tango Performance artist shocks apathetic Americans out of stupor. - The Onion Female confessional journalism and self-hate. - Jezebel Girlfriend just can't get past his porn. - Em & Lo 3 dating excuses; do you buy this? - Smitten
Oh Snap! It's Finally OK to Be Gay in India
While gay Americans fight for marriage rights, gay people in India are just winning the right to be homosexual. Today the high court in New Delhi overruled colonial-era legislation that criminalized homosexuality. Britain decriminalized homosexual acts in 1967, but its former colonies, including Malaysia, Singapore, and Zimbabwe still have strict laws against homosexual relations. View 10 Photos ›
Do You Identify as Bisexual?
Woody Allen once joked that being bisexual doubled your chances of getting a date on Saturday night. Part of the problem bisexuals have is that lots of people (even in the queer community) don't take bisexuality all that seriously. It's a phase, some say; just choose already, command others. What does it mean to choose a sexual identity that is fluid and nonfixed, something that contradicts the idea of identity itself? According to researcher Lisa Diamond, an associate professor of psychology and gender studies at the University of Utah who followed 79 nonheterosexual women for a decade, a woman's desire for both sexes endures throughout the years. "These findings are therefore more consistent with the model of bisexuality as a stable identity," she argues, "than a transitional stage." (Granted, Diamond had a small pool of research subjects, and they were disproportionately white and middle class.) There's no question that we're living in a time when young women feel less of a stigma in desiring women or having sex with them, but for some it is just a phase of faux-mosexuality. Do you identify as bisexual? (Notice you don't get a "not sure" option!) Source Do You Identify as Bisexual? Yes No
Do Tell: What Traits Do You Find Attractive?
We women have distinctive tastes. Unlike men, women have varying opinions on what is attractive. A study we discussed earlier this week asked people to rate pictures based on attractiveness. When heterosexual men looked at photos of women, they generally agreed who was hot and who was not, typically favoring "seductive and thin women." Homosexual men agreed on male attractiveness, too. But the women in the study did not hold consistent opinions. When showed a photo, one woman would find the person attractive, while another would find the same person unattractive. I've definitely noticed a difference in taste among my female friends. In college, my girlfriends and I would joke that we never had to worry about fighting over guys because we all had different types. Since we all seem to hold different opinions, I'm dying to know yours: what traits do you find attractive?
Find Out Who's Having the Best Sex
Hoping to discover a need for their new vibrators, Trojan condoms asked a market research company to conduct a survey about sexual satisfaction in America. By asking 1,000 adults in 10 different cities, the survey set out to find out which city has the most sex and which city has the best sex. Test your instincts and find out if you know who's having good sex and who's not getting any! Take the quiz
Artist Tracey Emin: "It Was Always About Sex, Not Money"
Writers and artists in the “confessional” mode are often accused of being narcissistic and self-indulgent. This may be true for certain male memoirists like James Frey (A Million Little Pieces), but I think we so rarely get accounts of women’s real lives that, self-indulgent or not, I welcome art and writing by women that gives me a window into their experience. Take Tracey Emin, an English multimedia artist who often incorporates details about her sex life into her work. Her exhibit “Those Who Suffer Love” in London at White Cube ends in a few days, and for those of us who can’t be there to see her envelope-pushing work, we can take a look at what’s in the exhibit, as well as work that made her famous. View Slideshow ›
Words of Wisdom
Sex Secrets
Sex Secrets Has Moved!
Dad's House
Two Weeks Without My Kids
Savvy Miss Love and Sex
The Dos and Don’ts of Fighting Fair
Simple Marriage
Ask The Readers: What The Difference Betwe...
Bound, Not Gagged
Profiles of male escorts
Intent
Independence/Dependence Lessons from a Sea...
Honey and Lance
I Got A World Beating Hummer and Then Pull...
Edumckaytion
Is There A Problem With Chicks?
The Seduction Chronicles
It’s The 4th Of July… Woo Hoo!
Dating Expert
I Am Not Physically Attracted to My Boyfri...
The Art of Manliness
How to Give Praise Like a Man
Psychology Today
Dangerous Dependency
Why Hasn't He
What does a kiss on the forehead mean?
Baggage Reclaim
Coping with feeling rejected by Mr Unavail...
Manslations
We are Experiencing Technical Difficulties...
Advice on Girls
Example questions to ask girls
flickr
Reverse Cowgirl
Do You See What I See?
Crazytown
Back in the Day
Me Love Bigfoot
I'm a Human Tweetbox
Portrait of the Artist with an Octopus
They Shoot Porn Stars, Don't They?
On the Beauty of Violence
Letter to a Young Writer
A Vintage Interview with Todd Phillips by Alex Godfrey
Why Write for Free When You Can Pay to Write? [Updated]
Love & Sex
Bridezilla dream come true: 24/7 wedding channel to launch
Most women have seen and perhaps enjoyed TV shows like "Bridezillas," "My Fair Wedding," and "Amazing Wedding Cake," or movies like "Bride Wars," "The Wedding Planner," and "My Best Friends Weddings." The success of such shows and films has…
Vibrators More Popular Than Marriage
Why vibrators are so common - and sooooo good for you -Carrie Seim, BettyConfidential.com Women in the United States are now more likely to own a…
Why We Need To Rethink Romance
Ross Douthat wrote an interesting Op-Ed piece in the The New York Times titled "The Way We Love Now" which analyzes the state of love, marriage and romantic contentment in 2009. Douthat wonders if we as a society have morphed into a culture of bed-hopping, cheating hearts and sexless, impossibly unsatisfied curmudgeons. Read: Cheating Myths Debunked
Is 21 too young to get married?
Kevin Jonas, the oldest Jonas Brother, is engaged to his girlfriend, Danielle Deleasa, after two years of dating. The couple met while vacationing with their families in the Bahamas. 21-year-old Jonas flew directly from his concert in Vancouver to Deleasa's New Jersey home to propose. "It…
Why Guys Cheat in the Summer
During the warm-weather months, men are more likely to be unfaithful. Find out why and how to spot the
Have You Ever Tried To Make Your Ex Jealous?
Don't front--I know you've fantasized about bumping into your ex in the company of a studly new boyfriend, looking your very best and totally, completely over what's-his-name. But how far would you go to unleash the Green-Eyed Monster on your ex? As far as Kate Gosselin from Jon & Kate Plus 8, who recently split from hubby?
4th Of July Resolutions
The year is halfway over (really it's halfway over on the 2nd of July, but who gives a Fraggle?) and you are desperately behind on your New Year's resolutions. Your swimwear body still makes you uncomfortable (it's OK, I think you're beautiful), you have yet to tackle the collected works of Dostoevsky (it's OK, Crime And Punishment kicked my ass too) and your kitchen has yet to remodel itself (it's OK, you're not going to be able to sell your place for a decent price in this economy anyway). Nonetheless, looking back at the grand idealism that is January 1st is not always pleasant.
How Should a Woman Pick Up a Man in a Bar?
Advice from three of Em & Lo's guy friends. This week they answer the following: What are the best ways for a…
5 Dates to Make Your Own Spark
Make your own fireworks this 4th of July with these Cosmo-approved date ideas! 1. …
Tango
Hugh Grant: Make-Out Champ
You know what we like hearing about? People who still got it and it looks like Hugh Grant still has IT. First of all, the New York Post's sixth page reports that Hugh Grant was spotted in the company of Drew Barrymore a few days ago (Monday, February 9th). They were ... Click on the headline to read the full text of this article.
Mickey Rourke Courting Courtney Love?
Is the whole world on crazy pills? Are we really allowing Mickey Rourke and Courtney Love the chance to date, mate and, possibly, procreate? Are we the only ones who think this is a bad idea? Seriously? According to Celebuzz, the former hunka-hunka burnin' love and current cautionary tale turned... Click on the headline to read the full text of this article.
Roberto Alomar Gets Sued Over AIDS Scare
Most of you know Roberto Alomar as a slick-fielding, clutch and power-hitting second baseman who played for the Padres, Blue Jays, Orioles, Indians, White Sox, Mets, and Diamondbacks. But Ilya Dall, an ex-girlfriend, claims that he's a guy who boned her bareback while he had the AIDS (Acquired... Click on the headline to read the full text of this article.
Will Leo DiCaprio & Bar Refaeli Marry Now?
Over the past couple of years, Leonardo DiCaprio has been seeing Bar Refaeli here and there. It's fair to say that he's been on her and off her regularly (wait for it). There was even a rumor that they were to be wed in Israel (clearly in a civil ceremony). ... Click on the headline to read the full text of this article.
Lindsay Price & Josh Radnor: Newish Couple
You know the show How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM)? It's good, right? You know the main character, not Jason Segel or Neil Patrick Harris' characters, the know-it-all, Ted Mosby (played by Josh Radnor). Yeah, that guy is pretty excellent, right? According to CelebAmour, old boy is dating that one ... Click on the headline to read the full text of this article.
MIA May Be Pregnant
Did you see that crazy outfit that MIA wore to the Grammys? That was weird. It was like smuggling a baseball in a cocktail napkin. Did you see the dress she wore to perform "Paper Planes"/ "Swagga Like Us"? That was weird. It was like a black and white ladybug ... Click on the headline to read the full text of this article.
Paul Walker Engaged To A College Student?
The man known as Piz Wiz (no one calls him that) appears to be off of the market, ladies. Paul Walker has become engaged to a woman named Jasmine Pilchard Gosnell per some reports. Be careful though, the Huffington Post (or Huff Po as the hipsters refer to her) tells ... Click on the headline to read the full text of this article.
Fringe Stars Get Secretly Married
We know. You're thinking, "OMG. Joshua Jackson got married. Wait wasn't he dating that Diane Krueger?" Yes, he is dating Helen of Troy Diane Krueger and they did not marry recently. And she's not even on that show, silly. The secret couple from Fringe, according to Celebutopia, is Anna Torv and ... Click on the headline to read the full text of this article.
Spencer & Heidi To Get “Divorced”?
Word Association… GO: Utter Devotion? Best Friend And Lover? Deserve Each Other? A Real Hoot? New Hollywood royalty? Beautiful on the inside and outside? If your response to all of those word associations was "Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt" then you are a big, crazy fan. And we have bad news ... Click on the headline to read the full text of this article.
Words of Wisdom
Tiny Nibbles
stay cool
Babeland
Pride 2009 at Babeland
Eros Blog
Two Stock Porn Views
The Sex Carnival
Links for 2009-07-01 [del.icio.us]
Susie Bright
What This Blog Needs is a Little Dada
Being Amber Rhea
Closed for business
Regina Lynn
Have I mentioned recently that I fangirl R...
Pretty Dumb Things
fucking with the Internet
Sex in the Public Square
Account Deletion Email
Lumpesse
Requiem
Sexerati
“The idea at the time that gay men would u...
The Blog Erotic
No Fireworks? 5 Steps to Revive a Boring ...
Never Too Late
Attracting Men and the Abundance of the Un...
Funky Brown Chick
Stephen Colbert’s Chew Toy for Cougars
Single Mom Seeking
Gulping sugar in the morning?
Videos
Christmas - Decorating a Front Entrance
Christmas - Decorating a Mailbox
Woman gets creamed in face
Chemisty in Your Mouth. More Science of Kissing
Unsafe Drinking: Consequences of Sharing Alcohol (College Health Guru)
The Beer Belly: Alcohol & Sex Appeal (College Health Guru)
TheFrisky
Quickies!: Jackson Funeral To Be Held At The Staples Center?
Michael Jackson’s funeral is reportedly being held at the L.A. Staples Center next Tuesday, July 7—the same date he signed his will seven years ago. [Starpulse] Director Michael Bay (who is behind the “Transformers” movies) agrees that his star,...
Gay Sex No Longer Illegal In New Delhi
The gay pride parade in New Delhi, India may have just ended, but supporters of the gay right’s movement rose that striped flag once again in celebration of the decriminalization of gay sex in the traditionally conservative country. While the New...
Love Conquers All In Japan
While most businesses in Japan are crashing, the hotel industry has found a way to “stimulate” the economy. Giving new meaning to the term “love shack,” the country’s love hotels are racking up some serious tail. Chock full of “amenities” like DVD...
Drug Addicted Women Paid $300 To Go On Birth Control
A controversial group called Project Prevention in Knoxville, Tennessee is paying drug addicts and alcoholics not to get pregnant. The group is traveling across the United States this summer in an RV, offering addicts $300 to be sterilized, or $300...
Quick Pic: Seal Takes His Pups For A Walk
...after kissing Mommy goodbye, of course. [NYC, 7/2/09]
Yet Another Kate Gosselin Project Postponed
Seems like everything Kate Gosselin tries to do these days falls through. The woman is getting divorced, “Jon & Kate Plus 8” is postponed, the release date for her cookbook/family advice book, Love Is In The Mix: Making Meals Into Memories, was...
Hypnotized To Lose Weight
As a true believe in diet and exercise as the way best way to lose weight and keep it off, when I read about people who go to extremes like getting hypnosis to hoax them into believing they had gastric band surgery, I am quite the cynic. Seriously,...
Vatican Thinks America Has Naughty Nuns
Nuns across America are not very happy with the Vatican. And since nobody likes an unhappy nun, this story is troublesome for me to report. It seems that nuns have been branching out into the community, not wearing their religious garb, choosing to...
Five Things To Know About Golfer Cheyenne Woods, Besides The Obvious
Sure, Cheyenne Woods is the niece of Tiger Woods, but there’s more to the Wake Forest golfer than that. The 18-year-old, who will turn 19 this month, made her LPGA debut last week but missed the cut by four shots. She’s currently ranked 93rd in the...
About
Reader Question About Dating Your Best Friend
A gent who asked me to refer to him as "stricken" has written in asking for some advice about how he can turn a platonic relationship with his best friend's friends with benefits into a dating relationship for himself. Or in other words, he's looking to ask out the woman who his best friend has been intimate with for the past year. Stricken says: "My best friend for many years has a friend with benefits he has been seeing for a little under a year now. He met her through a mutual friend and they drunkenly hooked up one night and continued the trend to this day. From the day I met this girl I have been crazy about her. Seeing her has been few and far between but when I do it makes my week. She's gorgeous, funny, amazing personality, basically the whole package. Today me, this girl, my friend and another mutual friend spent the day together and me and this girl and I really hit it off. She completely ignored my friend and spend the entire day flirting and joking with me. When we split off she called me and we spent about 3 hours talking on the phone. I'm completely convinced she feels the same way about me that I feel about her. Now my best friend was recently talking to me about seeing if he could actually date this girl or not and my advice on it. I am a loyal friend and don't want to do anything that would jeopardize our friendship but I als can't get this girl out of my head. Do I just forget about her because there is no way of making this transition? The only thing I can think of that would make this work is if I can get him to date someone else soon and then I could move in on this girl. Any other ideas? So readers, what advice do you have for Stricken?
Sex Tech Call for Inspiration: Sexuality, Genetics, Biotech, Wetware, and Body Mods
The passionate and committed folks behind Arse Elektronika are planning it's third conference for 2009 and has just posted a call for papers, workshops, machines, and (from what I've heard...
Crash and Burn Predictors
Whenever we see a commercial for the Bridezillas television show or read news about out of control brides and grooms, we cringe. Don't these people sense that their chances of having a happy marriage are slim? Dr. John Gottman has a mathematical equation that predicts with 94 percent accuracy whether or not a marriage will last. Now, a wedding planner, Samantha Goldberg, shares five signs that "are predictors of whether a couple will live happily ever after or bite the dust." The signs that Goldberg mentions in the Cosmopolitan article include choosing the wedding cake, interferring mothers, the wedding dress, the bachelor party, and how a couple argues. We agree with her. Red flags are warning signs. They are alerts that things are not right in a relationship and that the couple needs help. There are ways that a couple can lower their odds for divorce before they marry. Goldberg shared an example of an engaged couple she refused to work with because she was sure the marriage wouldn't last. It would be great if wedding officiants made the same decision when they recognized a couple in trouble. A couple could then postpone the wedding and attend an additional premarital workshop if they truly want a successful marriage. Photo: Don Farrall / Getty Images
Who Should Take Out the Garbage?
My husband and I have been married since October 2008, and we still haven't determined who should take out the garbage. In fact, at this very moment, there is a pile of recyclables in two bags at the entrance of our apartment in Italy. The plastic bottles and cardboard are mocking me as I type. At our home in the United States, where we spent last winter, I took out the garbage. It's my homeland, and I know where to put it. I feel free to roam my domain and do the tasks I've always done. But here we just let it sit until one of us just can't take the smell anymore. It's like an unspoken war because neither wants to give in and become the garbage person for our family. How do you and your husband or wife decide who takes out the garbage? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Unforgettable Weddings
Nothing gets in the way of love or at least a wedding, not even swine flu or gravity. Recently, one couple in which both bride and groom were diagnosed with swine flu 48 hours before the wedding went through with the celebration, and another couple fulfilled their dream of getting married in zero gravity. Bride and groom wore surgical masks for the swine flu wedding and the other couple was actually upside down in some of their photos. Any other crazy wedding stories to share? Let us know by leaving a comment in the Newlyweds Forum.
This Week's Unfaithful Politician -- Just a "Sparking Thing"
Mark Sanford referred to his year-long affair as "that whole sparking thing" and I got irritated. Sure, I was already irritated that another politician cheated on his wife. But to hear Mark Sanford describe his infidelity that way was the final straw in my irritability index for today. Yes. emotional affairs are often gateway affairs that lead to sexual infidelity. But give me a break. In his press conference, Mark Sanford rambled on about needing time away and the Appalachian Trail, then this guy used words like "innocently" and "casual" to rationalize his affair. No rationalization Governor. The bottom line is this: You didn't fall into this affair. You chose to be unfaithful. I like what Dahlia Lithwick and Hanna Rosin wrote about Sanford's comments. Dahlia: "To hear Mark Sanford tell it, one day youre home digging holes in the yard, the next youre talking to some woman about how she should get back with her husband for her two boys, and then youre swapping emails with her, and then, well ... 'that whole sparking thing.' This was truly one of the weirdest orations ever delivered ..." Hanna: "Sanford went on and on, taking questions, delivering long sonnets to the forbidden love between him and Miss Argentina. He spent the last few days with her holed up and crying,a detail Im sure his absolute jewel of a wife would love to know. He decided that yes, there was something real there from a heart level ..." Although Jenny Sanford asked her husband to leave two weeks ago, she is open to reconciliation. Would you give your husband a second chance if during a trial separation he left the country to spend time with his mistress?
Reader Question - She Can't Stop Lying. What Do I Do?
Fred asks: I'm 32, and I've been dating the same woman for the past two years. I love her, I think she's incredible, but I'm just learning now she's a pathological liar. For instance? She has a twelve-year-old daughter, but I've never heard of the child until recently. She's also told me she was raped, but that turned out to be a lie too. I really do care for this woman, but I'm confused and don't know what to do. Help? So dear readers, do you have any suggestions for this gentleman who is torn between the truth and his partnership?
Birthday Ideas for Married People
Negombo in Ischia, Italy is a great place to celebrate a birthday. © Photo courtesy of Francesca Di Meglio My husband is a big kid at heart, and he likes to make a big deal of his birthday on June 19. Last Friday, on his birthday, I gave him a travel alarm clock with all the bells and whistles -- temperature, alarm, date, and of course time -- in his favorite shade of blue. But I also made sure we both had the day off, and I told him we could go anywhere he would like. He opted to spend the day at Negombo, a thermal spa in Ischia, Italy, where we are staying at the moment. The weather was perfect, and we had a delicious lunch in between dips in the pools that are naturally heated with healing thermal ocean water and the ocean, which is accessible at the private beach. The best part? It was his birthday, but it was like I was getting a gift, too. My only problem now is that I don't know how to top this birthday celebration next year. That's why I thought we could all share birthday ideas. How do you celebrate your birthday or that of your husband or wife? What can a spouse do to make a birthday special?
'Round About Sex: Soft Core Autism Awareness
There are all sorts of ways to approach sex. Being a sex educator I tend to take the most direct route (which, ironically, doesnt always get me there the...
What Makes a Woman Sexy?
An article in this month's Women's Health (Buy Direct) discusses the male viewpoint of what makes a woman sexy. In a nutshell? Its all about the moments where women don't go out of their way to be sexy but rather when they just are. Driving barefoot, doing yoga and accidentally showing some skin while leaning over were all mentioned. Interestingly, the men that took part in the survey that the article was based on stated that (what they saw as) forcing sexiness was a turn off. So high heels are great, but not if you're obviously uncomfortable wearing them. Too much makeup, jewelry or skin showing were also mentioned as being not so sexy. But what about you? What do you think makes a woman sexy? Why? Reference: "SEXY BY ACCIDENT." Women's Health (08847355) 6, no. 5 (June 2009): 76-76. Consumer Health Complete - EBSCOhost, EBSCOhost (accessed June 23, 2009)
Ischia, Italy - A Honeymoon Paradise
Wordless Wednesday Honeymoon Castello Aragonese in Ischia, Italy makes for a romantic honeymoon spot for newlyweds. © Photo courtesy of Francesca Di Meglio Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples, in Italy is the home of my ancestors and husband -- and it happens to be a romantic destination for a honeymoon. My college roommate Lisa and her new husband Adam spent their honeymoon on a European cruise that brought them to Ischia for a few hours on Saturday -- and I happened to be available to serve as tour guide. The cruise docked in the middle of the ocean, and I watched as couples -- from newlyweds to those who must have been married for 40 years or more -- were brought in little boats from the ship to Ischia Ponte, the oldest town on the island. This is where you'll find Castello Aragonese, which had been used for everything from a fortress to a prison to a love shack for royalty and is connected to the island by a "ponte" or "bridge". You are also likely to find fishermen dragging buckets through the ocean to pick up fresh octopus. Restaurants and little shops that sell everything from limoncello, the island's signature after-dinner drink, and hand-painted ceramics line the main street leading up to Castello Aragonese. Some natives take a dip in the ocean at a nearby strip of beach. Lisa and Adam were at the tail end of their honeymoon cruise when they arrived, and they wanted to spend the day as a native would. So, I had them walk from Ischia Ponte to Ischia Porto, the capital of the island, where you can find more shops and restaurants and the San Pietro beach. There, we stopped for espresso before turning back to Ischia Ponte, where we ate a typical island meal of sauteed fresh clams and muscles and four pasta dishes -- linguine with clams and zucchini, spaghetti with tuna, gnocchi, and tubetti with muscles and pecorino cheese. Lisa and Adam said the food and the day were delicious -- just as a honeymoon should be. Where Did You Honeymoon? Favorite Wedding Day Photos More Wordless Wednesday Photos from Other Bloggers
Did They Wait Too Long?
Going through a divorce is one of the most difficult things an individual can face. Going through it as a celebrity must make the experience even harder to deal with. Getting divorced when your life is the subject of a reality television show certainly adds to the stress. Yet that is what Kate and Jon Gosselin are doing. I'll admit that we haven't watched their show. Yet from the news articles, it appears that they made no attempt at marriage counseling. Did they wait too long to get counseling? Is one or both of them closed to the idea of reconciliation? Kate is talking to the media about getting divorced to protect herself and the kids. Jon is talking to the media about how they are facing a crossroads in their marriage. Yet are they talking with one another? Their situation is so sad.
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