Like a healthy relationship, the English language is constantly evolving, so it's no surprise that we're constantly discovering new love-related words. Some of these neologisms we hope to never hear again (cum dumpster, we wish we never knew ye), but some are delightful. Below, ten relationship slang words we hope will catch on in 2009.
Brides.com cordially invites you to view the weddings of 14 lucky couples. Sure, these 28 brides- and grooms-to-be are complete strangers, but you can get to know them all here. Among them is one lesbian couple, one vow-renewal, a couple from the coast guard, and one groom with the venue tattooed on his arm. The joint wedding is part of an annual contest in which participants submit their personal love stories. The couples will all be married atop the Empire State Building in New York City. While the landmark only opens its doors to weddings one day a year, the venue didn't accidentally overbook. (Sorry, Bride Wars fans! If you're looking for fiend-brides–or you are one–check out Bluefly's Bride Wars story contest, here). And no, it won't be crowded. Besides each couples' private parties of up to 20 friends and family members, guests are invited to attend the wedding marathon from the privacy of their own homes, where the online video streaming service Mogulus Pro, will provide a live high-quality broadcast at www.brides.com/esb.
The morning quickie: the perfect way to start your day. Read on for three interesting love and sex tidbits. A guide to twitter flirting, the Roe v. Wade anniversary and mobile dating v. online dating.
One of the misperceptions of the Tantra practice is that it inherently involves sex. Not so. The belief system is so much more about aspiring to a controlled state of mind than it is about sticking to specific rituals. Like so much of Buddhist and Hindu thought (to which Tantra is closely linked), at all times—including during sex—the goal is being present and "tuned in" to the moment. As one New York City Tantra guru told YourTango, her instruction can seem more like couples therapy than red-hot sex workshop. To start, she tells partners to place their hands on the others' hearts and describe the times they feel most loved or cherished by them. So, before taking it to the bedroom, try applying Tantra to other parts of your life and relationship—the results could be mind-blowing.
YES WE CAN kiss in Guanajuato, Mexico! In fact, public smooching in this city is now encouraged. The city's mayor, Eduardo Romero, has declared Guanajuato the kissing capital of the world to underscore a local legend and negate rumors of a kissing ban. Last week, conservative authorities of this Mexican city were criticized for passing a new anti-obscenity law that would summon fines of up to $115 for "obscene acts" or "obscene language that offends or bothers third parties." If this seems a little broad, well, it is. Many interpreted the "obscene acts" clause as a ban on public displays of affection–from sex (we'll take it) to smooching (not okay!).
Pamela Tames was letting menopause take over her life. But then, after an ugly wake-up call, she decided to face it head on. She learned how to take care of her changing body, wrote a book, and launched one of the most poignant, informative, and funny blogs about seasoned sex on the web.
The morning quickie: the perfect way to start your day. Read on for three interesting love and sex tidbits. Are you waiting for him to change his Facebook relationship status to "single" so you can swoop in? You may be a relationship status vulture. Are you a terrible person if you're relieved when your ex dies? And empty nest syndrome may not be as bad as once thought.
The post-coital blues are bigger than mere disappointment and more painful than outright embarrassment. They're a legitimate medical condition. And according to the New York Times, the most successful way to treat the condition is nearly as depressing as the post-coital blues themselves. Dr. Richard Freidman writes, "I thought that if I could somehow modulate my patients’ sexual response, make it less intense, it might blunt the negative emotional state afterward." In other words, Dr. Freidman decided that the best way to take his patients off their sexually induced emotional roller coaster rides was to make sex less fun.
Scientists are beginning to think human, sexual pheromones don't exist. Pheromones, we always thought, were the sexual chemicals that attracted people to one another. Now researchers say human beings don't even have the organs available to sense such a thing. Human beings do, however, have primer pheromones, which control physiological changes in the body. The reason why women's periods are sometimes in sync with one another. Instead, scientists think attraction is just good old-fashioned good looks and personality.
For all of its ridiculous moments*, last night's episode of The Bachelor made us realize one thing: the single parent experience is growing increasingly mainstream. Jason, the bachelor and single dad in question, has 10 remaining women on the show; two of them are single mothers, and all of them are gaga for his divorced self. The latest US census showed single parent homes have held steady at around 9 percent of all households for the past fifteen years. Meanwhile, the increase in popularity of online dating and the prevalance of divorce have made dating with children a common occurrence. In our not-so-distant past, unmarried or divorced parents risked facing judgment from the state, society and religious institutions for their status.
