I was 12 the first time my aunt asked me over Thanksgiving dinner if I had a boyfriend yet. Twelve. I was two years away from my first "official" date, and six years away from losing my virginity on the bottom bunk of a dorm room at Keene State College. So no, Auntie Franny, I don't have a boyfriend.
There's a huge difference between having sex with someone and being able to comfortably share the bed with them. It's a big step and in some cases involves a bit of compromise.
Have you ever had your parent or grandparent say something like, "Why should he buy the cow when he can get the milk for free?" It's so dehumanizing and silly, but of course they mean well, and you can't completely blame them — that was just their mentality growing up. Moving in together before you were Mr. and Mrs. just didn't happen. Now, it's practically all that happens. And guess what? Turns out, it's not hurting all of us "cows!"
Unfortunately, when Congress was at a standstill about raising the debt ceiling, Standard & Poor was unimpressed with how the United States was handling its fund. As a result, just this past weekend the S&P downgraded the country's credit rating from an elite AAA to a lesser AA+. Now, we're looking at wild swings in the DOW on Wall Street, financial analysts uttering the word "recession" again, and potentially higher interest rates as a result of the downgrade. Since finances are consistently a huge form of tension among couples, we were obviously concerned at this news. So to put things in perspective, we asked experts what the credit downgrade might mean for our love lives as we move through the rest of the year, and even farther into the future.
The tornado that has left Joplin in ruins is but one of the natural disasters the world has experienced lately. Recovery from said disasters can be difficult, and a new study finds that households are more susceptible to breaking up after a disaster strikes.
When Jennifer and Matt meet with their architect, Jennifer realizes what Matt is asking for is adult only spaces. Can you have a place that serves as a remembrance of who you were before you had children? Or, once you have children, are those lines permanently blurred?
When Matt proposes they build a new home, Jennifer is unsure. Because lately she's been feeling as if they lead their lives in parallel, and building will tie them to their lifestyle. But they fall in love with a lot and so must decide: Can you build a home to make your marriage better?
There’s no two ways about it: the holidays are a pretty stressful time of year. Sure there is joy and giving mixed in, but between shopping, travel, and entertaining (on top of all the other tasks that populate your daily life), it can begin to feel like you’re caught in a class five hurricane. Of course, all of this is nothing compared to a visit to the family of your significant other, especially if you are meeting them for the first time.
At home with two children, I’d learned a home could make you lonely and therefore unhappy. But could a home make you happy, and thereby improve your marriage? Or are you who you are, regardless of the space you inhabit?
Preparing for a date at home can be a nerve-wracking experience but these tips will help you get through it with ease.
My wife is addicted to porn—real estate porn. See, we live in less than 500 square feet. With a toddler and a baby, both of whom are growing rapidly, alongside their also-growing piles of stuff. We have a north-facing balcony that gets no sun until late afternoon, if at all. Plus, we live on the first floor, and have to deal with crowds from the Swedish national soccer stadium down the street. So she dreams a bit. Fantasizes. And the big newspaper here in Sweden gives her all the real estate porn she needs.
