The Friend Cheating Conundrum
Note: This is not based on anything that has happened to me. Really. I just think it’s an interesting topic. Imagine this scenario. You have two friends who are dating. Somehow you learn that without a doubt, Person A is cheating on Person B. Do you tell Person B? What I’m really interested in is [...]
30 Rock Explains Relationships in Two Lines
On 30 Rock this week, there was a line that both made me laugh out loud and offered a key insight about relationships. Liz: What makes a guy get bored in a dating situation? Jack: Questions like that. The only change I’d make is to replace “bored” with “lose interest in.” I say that because [...]
5 Unique First Date Ideas
My recent 18 first dates were pretty normal. For the most part, we just went to get drinks. Nothing wrong with that. It’s low-key, a short time commitment, and you can always up the stakes and go to dinner or just call it a night without any awkwardness. Perhaps even more enjoyable than those were [...]
What You Do When You Get Nervous on a Date
During my recent 3-month nonstop dating adventure, I realized that there are three types of people out there (I could say “two types of women, because my sample group is all female, but I’m pretty sure this applies to guys too): People who talk too much when they get nervous on a date, people who [...]
Dating Primer: Who Takes Care of the Check?
You’re on a first date at a restaurant. The bill comes. Pause it right there. This is a defining moment of a first date. Both people have decisions to make, behaviors to pick, things to say. So much can go wrong (although probably not wrong enough to ruin the date). Here’s what I think is [...]
18 First Dates
After dating two women back to back for a total of 5 years, I needed a break. I was intentionally single for about 5 months (for the most part), and I stayed single for a while after that. But I wanted to be more open to meeting women again, and I felt that my heart [...]
To Call or Not to Call
Ah, the age-old question. People (65% women, 35% men) have been asking this question for centuries. The earliest reports date back to the agrarian societies of Mesopotamia (“To carrier pigeon or not to carrier pigeon?”), and they continue to this very day. These days, the question applies to a number of technologies beyond the phone. [...]
My Best Relationship Advice
“What’s wrong?” I shudder at that question. I’ve been asked it many times by girlfriends over the years. It never leads to anything good. “What’s wrong? I can tell something’s wrong. Just tell me. You’re acting weird.” Okay, here’s the truth: Yes, something’s probably wrong. There’s a 15% chance that it has nothing to do [...]
The Psychology of Sex #7: Match.com
Although I’m a completely open person who is comfortable talking about pretty much anything with anyone, there are two circumstances in which I’m exceedingly shy: Initiating a conversation with a woman who is a complete stranger. Walking into a crowded room in which I know very few people. Unfortunately for me, those two areas eliminate [...]
I’m Not That Guy
I’ve read a lot of profiles in my week on Match.com (and OkCupid, thanks to their awesome blog that sucked me in). So far I’ve been “winked” at 36 times on Match, and I usually check out the person’s profile before deciding what to do next. There are a few things I look at right [...]
The Kids Aren’t Alright
Recently I talked to my grandmother about one of the biggest choices in her life. “Grandma,” I asked, “how would your life be different if you didn’t have any kids?” (Grandma had 8 kids.) “Oh….oh I can’t even imagine that,” Grandma said. “I had the time of my life raising my kids. And now they [...]
One-Way Streets
Note to anyone who might possibly think I’m talking about you: I’m not talking about you. Tonight I was on my way to a publishing company meeting when I turned onto a one-way street and realized I was driving in the wrong direction. At first I froze, but then I was like, “What’s the worst [...]
Is There a Perfect Woman for Me? Survey Results!
Last week, I created a survey and posted a link to it on my blog, craigslist, Facebook, and Twitter. The intent of the survey was to determine if there is such thing as the “perfect woman” out there for me–on paper, at least. I thought I’d get somewhere between 15-20 people to respond to the [...]
A Brief History of Breakups
I’ve had an idea for a blog entry for a while called, “The Break Up: How to Get Out of Concerts and Relationships.” This item has sat on my blog idea list for months now and I haven’t written it, so that says to me that I’m not all that interested in writing about it. [...]
The Rules of Morning Breath
Morning breath is a fact of life. It’s inevitable, and it’s never good. Show me a person with good morning breath, and I’ll show you a well-written episode of Grey’s Anatomy. So the question here is: What are the rules for dealing with morning breath when you wake up next to someone? The key, in [...]
Vegas #5: Travel in Packs
How well do you travel in groups? What conflicts have you experienced in group travel? What’s the ideal number of people to travel with? When I’m dating someone new, I consider the first road trip or flight together a good test for how the relationship is going. It’s a great way to see someone else [...]
What I Want…the Little Things
A while back, I posted my most commented and controversial post ever, What Men Want…Rather, What I Want (the play adaption is coming to Broadway in May 2011). The post involved very specific dealbreaker-type requirements for the type of woman I want. On occasion since that fateful day, I’ve thought of little attributes for a [...]
Is It Okay to Ask for Her Total?
Have you ever asked a date how many people they’ve slept with? As a rule, I don’t ask this question. I don’t think it’s fair to put someone on the spot in that way. I love talking about past relationships, and through that, over time, I gain a rough idea of the total partners she’s [...]
22 Topics to Allegedly Avoid on a First Date
There are a number of topics that are considered “taboo” to bring up on a first date. So, when should you bring up these topics? They’re great conversation fodder. And when they eventually come up, what do the answers mean? Are there any of these that are dealbreakers for you if your date’s answer isn’t [...]
The Chase Theory
Can guys and girls be friends? Short answer: No. Long answer: I believe that men and women can’t be friends, regardless of attraction. I learned the two laws of men and women way back in preschool: Guys chase women. Women like to be chased. Thus is the paradox of an attempted friendship. The guy’s instinct [...]
Is It Easier to Choose a Hummus than a Woman?
A few days ago I was at the grocery store. Two of the items I was in the market for were spaghetti sauce and hummus. In the sauce aisle, I found myself looking at a sheer wall of sauces as far as the eye could see. There were dozens of varieties and brands and shapes [...]
Love Languages
Years ago, my parents told me about the five love languages: Gifts Quality time Physical touch Words of affirmation Acts of service The languages, I learned, could be applied to any type of relationship (familial, friend, romantic, work, etc.). The premise is that you should figure out your love language–the way that you feel most [...]
