Falling in love! What a romantic phrase! What magical words! Does it not bring a smile to your face when you hear those sweet words? It doesn’t bring a smile to my face. I have coldly analyzed that well worn phrase and here is what I have discovered. Continue reading Falling In Love
Author: FAL
Fighting Fair – Do You Know How?
Do disagreements and conflicts turn into angry confrontations that hurt you and your partner? Continue reading Fighting Fair – Do You Know How?
First Date Dos
The following are six things to do so the first date doesn’t end up being the last date — unless you want it to be. Continue reading First Date Dos
Forgiveness… What’s It For?
“If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive.” – Mother Theresa Continue reading Forgiveness… What’s It For?
For Women Only
A few years ago, a poll in the National Enquirer found that the majority of women would rather go out to dinner than have sex. Continue reading For Women Only
Friends & Lovers
I am learning to see my love partner without distortion; to value her as highly as I value myself; to give without expecting anything in return; to commit myself fully to her welfare. Continue reading Friends & Lovers
Friends or ex-Lovers
It is opening night of the new hit movie Cruel Intentions. Continue reading Friends or ex-Lovers
The Girl With the Rose
John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. Continue reading The Girl With the Rose
The Good News About Dating as a Grown-Up
Take heart-you aren’t the only one who hates dating games. Your Boomer peers are fed up, too. Like them, you have learned to be more straightforward, and get to the point. You know that life is short and games take time. Continue reading The Good News About Dating as a Grown-Up
A Man’s Guide to a Civilized Divorce – Relating to Your Wife
Between the decision to divorce and the physical separation, you and your wife are stranded between two worlds: your past life together and your future lives apart. It is only natural during this period of limbo that emotions run high. Even the slightest miscue can lead to an explosion that could irrevocably damage your chances at a good divorce. The problem is that, because the relationship has changed, it is hard to know how to act. Continue reading A Man’s Guide to a Civilized Divorce – Relating to Your Wife
A Man’s Guide to a Civilized Divorce – Managing Your Finances
Needless battles over money derail more divorces in the early stages than any other issue. Money is a source of power, so to be without money makes us feel powerless. At this point in your divorce, you want to avoid any behavior that will frighten your wife about money. Here are some simple rules. Continue reading A Man’s Guide to a Civilized Divorce – Managing Your Finances
A Man’s Guide to a Civilized Divorce – Parenting & Social Issues
At this stage of your divorce, it’s critical to maintain the parenting status quo. If your wife has been the parent in charge of the children, now is not the time to assert your equality as a parent. Your relative parenting roles will be negotiated soon, and in your anxiety to maintain your role as father, do not precipitate threatening struggles over the children. Continue reading A Man’s Guide to a Civilized Divorce – Parenting & Social Issues
Haste Makes Waste
A friend plans to remarry. You have mixed feelings. Continue reading Haste Makes Waste
HIS Midlife Crisis!! Will Your Relationship Survive?
You are in a committed relationship, married or involved on an exclusive basis. You thought everything was glorious. Or, at least as glorious as it gets-all relationships have some rough spots. Continue reading HIS Midlife Crisis!! Will Your Relationship Survive?
How Lazy Parents Make Happier Kids and Stronger Marriages
My mother always said that the best parents are lazy parents. Continue reading How Lazy Parents Make Happier Kids and Stronger Marriages
How Satisfying Is Your Relationship?
The Relationship Satisfaction Test was developed in the 1980s by a Texas psychologist, and is easy to take because it only has seven questions. Continue reading How Satisfying Is Your Relationship?
How Should We Plan For Retirement?
When it comes to imagining our retirement, most of us are in uncharted territory. Continue reading How Should We Plan For Retirement?
How to Break Up With A Woman
Before we get into the “how to” of breaking up with a woman, we must first define her. Continue reading How to Break Up With A Woman
How To Buy A Car – Tips for Women
Gene is a used car salesman in Phoenix who prefers making deals with men. Continue reading How To Buy A Car – Tips for Women
How To Buy A Car – Be Prepared
A few basics will help to give you the bargaining edge. Continue reading How To Buy A Car – Be Prepared
How To Get From Hmmm? to HIM!!
PIP=Potentially Interesting Person Continue reading How To Get From Hmmm? to HIM!!
How To Grocery Shop Like A Woman
Rita and I split up our household five years ago. It was fine with me. Continue reading How To Grocery Shop Like A Woman
How to Successfully Pursue Single Women
In our experience and observations, one thing has become clear: Single women are much better at the game of seduction than men are. Women seem to be born with the instincts, or at least learn them at an early age, of how to play hard to get, how to tempt men, and how to master all the subtleties of male/female pursuit. Continue reading How to Successfully Pursue Single Women
How to Meet People: Unpack Your Bags
When I was married, the majority of my friends and acquaintenances were married. We all seemed to have the same interests. When I entered the single life through divorce, it was as if I had been dropped into a vat filled with couples. Continue reading How to Meet People: Unpack Your Bags
Husbands Who Love Men
Loraine’s Story: My husband of thirteen years died after a long illness. I was left with a load of debt and three children. I went back to school, prepared myself to earn a living, and managed to get my kids educated before I dared let any thoughts of men creep into my mind. Continue reading Husbands Who Love Men
In Sickness and In Health
Can you think of a better time than to show extra attention to your mate than when she (or he) is sick? Continue reading In Sickness and In Health
Joined at the Heart – Family Redefined
Book Excerpt: Joined at the Heart: The Transformation of the American Family by Al and Tipper Gore.
Chapter 1 : Family Redefined
Joined at the Heart – The Transformation of the American Family
The Fadleys’ story offers a vivid illustration of how much the American family has changed over the past two generations. Both Dick and Susan were born in the early 1960s — he in 1961, she in 1962 — which proved to be the fault line of an era. America in the period right after World War II for the most part seemed conservative, traditional, and homogeneous. Continue reading Joined at the Heart – The Transformation of the American Family
Joined at the Heart – The Consequences of Divorce
Now let’s slow the story down again and look at a crucial trend that began to emerge into public view during the 1960s: the rising incidence of divorce. Continue reading Joined at the Heart – The Consequences of Divorce
Keep the Lovin' Comin'
Nothing builds a bond between two people like genuine affection and lovemaking. Continue reading Keep the Lovin' Comin'
Five Secrets of Lasting Love
Here’s the bottom-line truth we discovered from our decades of work with couples in long-term relationships: People can endure long-term relationships in many ways, but they will only thrive if they do five things. Continue reading Five Secrets of Lasting Love
Learning to Love the One You're With!
If you have recently come out of a relationship, heed this word of caution. It may be wise to distance yourself from relationships for a while. Continue reading Learning to Love the One You're With!
Let's Do Lunch
Is the only time you spend with your spouse during the work week, those few hours after coming home from work and before going to bed? Continue reading Let's Do Lunch
Letting Go
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover, fifty ways to leave your lover. Just slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, Stan, Don’t need to be coy, Roy, just listen to me. Continue reading Letting Go
Love and Tears – And So It Begins
It takes a minute to have a crush on someone… an hour to like someone… a day to love someone… but it takes a lifetime to forget someone. Continue reading Love and Tears – And So It Begins
Love and Tears – The Difference Between Fantasy and Reality
I left you hanging with the preparations to travel to JoAnne’s and what it felt like. I took the train to the City. It didn’t take more than about 90 minutes to get there. I had to transfer to the Metro and take one of those colored lines out to her particular part of suburbia. She had given me her cell phone number (just in case she wasn’t at the station when I got there). She wasn’t. Continue reading Love and Tears – The Difference Between Fantasy and Reality
Love In The Classifieds – Do You Dare?
Reading the “personals” column in the newspaper used to be a source of great amusement for many of us and our friends. We certainly wouldn’t have considered answering an ad, much less placing such an ad! Continue reading Love In The Classifieds – Do You Dare?
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
Love is a multifaceted experience. Love incorporates every aspect of our being. Continue reading Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
LoveNote for Singles Only!
Trust your heart! It always tells the truth! Continue reading LoveNote for Singles Only!
Love Online
Looking for the newest way to meet people? Want to expand your circle of friends into the rest of the world? Want a relationship without entanglements? Join the Internet crowd in Cyberspace. It had to happen, computers turning into our link to virtual friends and lovers. It’s the “now” way to solve the age-old dating dilemna. Continue reading Love Online
The Lover's Touch
The Lover asked: “How would you like me to touch you?” Continue reading The Lover's Touch
Maturity in Relationships
Maturity, in general, is many things. Maturity in a love relationship is everything! Continue reading Maturity in Relationships
Men You'll Wish You'd Never Met
Not every man you’ll meet will be a candidate to share your toothpaste. Continue reading Men You'll Wish You'd Never Met
Merging After Fifty
“What’re we gonna do with this crummy old throw rug,” he asked as we prepared to merge households. Continue reading Merging After Fifty
Diving Into The Dating Pool… Again
Learning to date again after having been in a marriage or other long term relationship can be challenging. It’s easier to get back into the dating pool when you have friends who are getting into it with you. If you’ve been in a long committed relationship you may not have any single friends — yet. Keep your eyes open because finding suitable single friends should be your first priority. Along the way you may also find your next love connection. Continue reading Diving Into The Dating Pool… Again
New Beginnings!
Alone again? Perhaps it’s time to invent a new beginning. You can do that most effectively by working on you; preparing for love. There is no shame in starting over. Continue reading New Beginnings!
Ode To Jenny
She talks and talks and talks… Spitting out a torrent of words. Drowning me in noise. Stopping only to catch her breath. Providing me not with a moment of silence to respond. Imprisoning me with her chattering. Praying for the strength to be patient and understanding. Continue reading Ode To Jenny
Pamper Yourself
Feeling down in the dumps? Blue? Now’s the time to do something nice for yourself. Continue reading Pamper Yourself
Are You In A Relationship For the Right Reasons?
There are so many complexities to a good relationship that it is difficult to know what exactly makes them work. Continue reading Are You In A Relationship For the Right Reasons?
Powerful Beyond Measure!
Perhaps there are some biological changes that go on as we grow older, however my experience has taught me that those years we call mid-life are often when most of us begin to be uncomfortable with the direction our lives are taking. Continue reading Powerful Beyond Measure!
The Price of Gratitude
Long before we get to the table laden with turkey, cranberry sauce and over-sweet yams, we are face-to-face with the challenge of gratitude all month long. Continue reading The Price of Gratitude
Pumping Gas – It's Easy
Well, if it’s so easy, why is it that every time I pull into a gas station that offers both full-service and self serve, that there are so many paying an extra ten cents a gallon for full service? Continue reading Pumping Gas – It's Easy
Putting Your Best Foot Forward
Should a man be who he really is on the first date? Continue reading Putting Your Best Foot Forward
Is It Really A Breakup? – A Quiz
This quiz can be helpful, but mostly it is a good way for you to distract yourself when you might otherwise be out keying your ex-boyfriend’s car. It may make you feel better to see if your breakup is really legitimate. Continue reading Is It Really A Breakup? – A Quiz
Is It Really A Breakup? The First Few Days
From the first moment that you have the wind knocked out of you by hearing in one way or another that the relationship is over, you must ruthlessly prioritize doing as little as possible. By that I mean you must accept that you are in shock and that you should expect nothing from yourself other than to keep breathing. Even that may seem like a stretch, but you can do it. Continue reading Is It Really A Breakup? The First Few Days
Is It Really A Breakup? Shared Pets
This mostly comes up if you live together, though some people share pets without living together. Common sense dictates that, with rare exception, if the pet belonged to one of you coming into the relationship, it should leave the relationship with that person, even if it now feels as if the pet belongs to both of you. With a mutually acquired pet, if he has broken up with you, etiquette dictates that the choice is yours. So if you feel that having the pet around is going to make you feel better, keep it and say that in a month you will be willing to discuss a more joint arrangement. Continue reading Is It Really A Breakup? Shared Pets
Is It Really A Breakup? Work, Or Getting Out Of It
Unless you are among the very lucky or very unlucky, you have a job. If your boss or your clients are cool, you can tell them that you and so-and-so are over and you need a few days to get yourself together. Be careful here. Most bosses and most clients are not cool, even though they pretend to be. Revealing any vulnerability may come back to haunt you later. If in doubt, lying is best. Isn’t this worse than a cold? Continue reading Is It Really A Breakup? Work, Or Getting Out Of It
Is It Really A Breakup? Friends – Reaching Out
As I’ve said, it’s essential to get in touch with one or several close friends immediately. It is wise to call someone who is a very tolerant listener because you are not ready to have a real conversation just yet. For now, skip calling anyone who is going to lecture you on how he or she knew this would happen, or on how much of a jerk your ex was, or both. Continue reading Is It Really A Breakup? Friends – Reaching Out
The Question of When to Say Yes
Being newly single means having to sooner or later face the delicate question of whether or not to have a sexual relationship before commitment. As a mature single, the rules and guidelines that guided you in your early single life may no longer apply or they might need updating. For the person whose personal, religious or moral convictions dictate sex within marriage only, there is no answer but one: NO!! Not unless we’re married. For the vast majority of singles the issue of when to enter into a sexual relationship is much more complicated. Continue reading The Question of When to Say Yes
Refusing to Get Caught Up in the Blame Game
One of the things Rush Limbaugh is famous for is talking about the influence of the liberal media. He says that for the most part, all the information we get from the media (Television, Radio, and Newspapers) is slanted and biased. I want to go a step further with this and say ALL the information we get from anybody is slanted and biased — towards the person delivering the message. Continue reading Refusing to Get Caught Up in the Blame Game
Ran Into An Old Lover the Other Day…
I ran into an old lover the other day. I hadn’t seen her in ages. I was unprepared for the accidental encounter. Forced smiles. Mumbled pleasantries. Hastily exchanged phone numbers. An awkward hug and a peck good-bye. I wish I had run into a brick wall instead. Continue reading Ran Into An Old Lover the Other Day…
R&D: "How Should We Plan For Retirement?"
When it comes to imagining our retirement, most of us are in uncharted territory. Continue reading R&D: "How Should We Plan For Retirement?"
Relationship Health Profile Test
How healthy is your relationship? How would you score in Dr. Phil’s relationship test? Continue reading Relationship Health Profile Test
The Relationship Lottery
Every year millions of people begin a romantic relationship hoping to win the Relationship Lottery. They say “okay” to an offer for a date, not really sure they want to enter the lottery once again. Continue reading The Relationship Lottery
Relationship Practice… and Practice… and Practice
Most single people will get into an important intimate relationship sooner or later. Several, in fact. Continue reading Relationship Practice… and Practice… and Practice
The Rules for Online Dating
Rule 19: Keep Your Ad Up Until You Are Exclusive
Women take down their ads prematurely. They have two dates with a guy and think “He’s the one, that’s it for me, I don’t want to meet anyone else,” or they want to show Mr. Right on their third date that they are committed to him and him alone by taking down their ad. We think this is a big mistake. Regardless of the reason, we think the only time to take down your ad is when you are exclusive, he has said “I love you,” or he has asked you to take down your ad-and he has taken his down too! Continue reading The Rules for Online Dating
Same Event. . . Different Scores!
Or… If We’re in This Together, Why Aren’t We On the Same Team? Continue reading Same Event. . . Different Scores!
The Scorecard
Relationships are to women what football is to men. Women like to read about relationships, talk about relationships, dissect relationships, even root for and against them. They argue over trick plays and strategies, and on occasion, offer their insights to close friends once they have proven successful. And just as in football, women also wear protective padding when necessary. Continue reading The Scorecard
The Second Time Around
Book Excerpt – Chapter One: Putting The Past Behind You Continue reading The Second Time Around
Seven Tips for Preventing Infidelity
1) Maintain appropriate walls and windows. Keep the windows open at home. Put up privacy walls with others who could threaten your marriage. Continue reading Seven Tips for Preventing Infidelity