Tagged:

romance

April 16th 2010

On Boundaries: Be Like an Amoeba

- Katy Otto

Someone recently made a drawing for me of what she considered to be the ideal boundary structure a person can have. It was shaped like an amoeba. She said that amoebas have the ability to change shape and proximity at will, and in relation to their environments. She imparted this notion on to me, and drew a parallel with interpersonal relationships. “Look at it as you would having amoeba-like boundaries around your heart,” she told me. “That way, you are always protected but not at the expense of ever having anyone come close to you.”

March 30th 2010

Should Guys Be Making Love Instead of Just Performing?

- Laura Sessions Stepp

Thanks to Jessica Coen at Jezebel for pulling together a bunch of sex surveys published over the last year.

My eyes landed on this one: “Truth about Sex: 60% of Young Men Lie About It.” As Jessica put it, “Duh.”

However, there were a couple of nuggets in that particular survey, which was administered online by TRU, a respected youth market research company.* One was this: Of the 1,200 guys ages 15-22 who were interviewed, 78% said there was “way too much pressure” from society to have sex.

March 26th 2010

The Day Mr. Jump-the-Gun Broke All the Rules

- Stefanie

The other day Class Act and I went on a walk to enjoy the good weather. I was telling her that Miss Sassy Pants wants to make me a shirt that says “I’m not playing hard to get. I’m just dense.”

Class Act: “Yes, you do need the shirt.”

Me: “Well that’s the pot calling the kettle black!”

Class Act: “What?”

Me: “Remember Mr. Jump-the-Gun?”

Class Act: “He never asked me out on a date. What is the Rule?”

Me: “Don’t get worked up unless the boy asks you out on an actual date.”

Class Act: “See, it was different.”

November 13th 2009

Jane Austen and Rob Reiner: Ruining Romance For Real People

- Stefanie

The other night I was out to dinner with Hipster Boy, Calendar Girl, Sunshine Girl, and The Philosopher. The conversation soon turned to movies, as it often does. The Philosopher had recently watched Pride and Prejudice with his girlfriend (because he is a good egg and will watch chick flicks without much objection), and it left him with some lingering questions.

The Philosopher: “What is with girls and Mr. Darcy?”

He looked expectantly around the table for one of us to answer – and was met with silence.

Side note: There was a period of time when History Boy awarded himself “Darcy Points” whenever he did something he deemed chivalrous.

September 18th 2009

'Bright Star': Naked Passion, Fully Clothed

- Laura Sessions Stepp

In her new cinematic love story, “Bright Star,” filmmaker Jane Campion reacquaints us with delicious sexual passion and reminds us that it need not be accompanied by intercourse. I, for one, thank her for that.

Not that I have anything against "doing it." But many of today’s media and entertainment figures, as well as political pundits on the right and left, reduce the bountiful buffet that is sex to one dish – intercourse. One kiss and the young partners are bouncing on 300-thread count sheets. A sexy voice, lingering glance, hungry eyes, stolen kiss, tender touch, poetic language…all are hardly more than appetizers, and easily skipped.

August 13th 2009

Adventures in Dating: A Social Experiment - Part I

- Lauren Mann

I’m going to be honest. Growing up, I learned everything I know about sex, love and relationships from television. I think I entered the scene with 7th Heaven. Since Lucy started dating when she was 12, I figured I should start dating when I was 12. During my OC phase, seeing Marissa date Ryan, the bad boy, made me start peering over the proverbial train tracks, just to see what I was missing. Even now, my nights spent in Gossip Girl land make me yearn to date a guy like Dan - perfectly scruffy, perfectly witty and, most importantly, perfectly into dating.

8.10.09

Is Dating a Lost Art? What's Up With Dating?

You hang out. You hook up. But date? Few do that anymore. Lots of you say you’d like to go on a real date. What’s stopping you?
[8 min 15 secs]
 

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June 24th 2009

A Vindication of Love: Just How Much Should Love Hurt?

- Laura Sessions Stepp

An assistant writing professor at George Washington University taught a course a couple of years ago called “Love, American Style.” To her surprise, her students (all female) enjoyed discussing "chick lit" books like Bridget Jones’ Diary but were not inspired by deeply romantic novels such as Jane Eyre. Quick flings were okay with students, this professor told me, “but love was rarely mentioned. They were not that interested in it as a concept for their lives.”