Topic: romantic relationships

The Fine Art Of Rejection: How to Gracefully Say “No”

Ah, the awkward moment. Your friend or partner has surprised you with a sweeping grand gesture, and you realize that it’s not exactly your cup o’ tea. Your friend asks you to come on a really expensive bachelorette’s weekend, but you can’t afford it. Your boyfriend wants to introduce you to his parents, but you’re not ready for that milestone. Someone cooks you a massive roast chicken dinner, but you’re a vegetarian. How do you handle it? What do you say? More »

(Almost) Instant Pleasure: The Biology Behind Romance

Check out this post from Emily V. Gordon on Lemondrop.

Striking a major blow to those of you who think Matthew McConaughey films lack realism, researchers at Syracuse University are here to argue that falling stupid, stupid in love is not a social construct and is, indeed, a real biological phenomenon. More »

Happier Couples Talk Alike

Check out this post from Ronnie Koenig at AOL Health.

If you want to know if you and your sweetheart are perfectly suited to one another, don’t listen for those three special words — I love you. Instead, focus on how your loved one talks to you. According to a new study, well-matched couples mimic each other’s language and speech patterns during conversations, the Daily Mail reported. More »

Surprise! 1/3 of Men Want More Rigid Gender Roles

Cosmo did a survey of 1,500 men as part of the Cosmo Man Summit. The mag took a step away from its normally raunchy material to delve into how men felt about the ever-changing workplace environment and male-female relationships. The findings? 30% of men want gender roles to take a giant step backward, à la Mad Men.

Yep, about 1/3 of men would love to go back to a time where gender roles were more rigid, because that would make relationships less confusing. Your girlfriend has a high-paying job? Nonsense! You can’t call your female co-workers “sweetie?” Good God, man! More »

The World Is Full of Saps: 2/3 of Schmucks Believe In Soulmates

According to a recent poll, two-thirds of sappy Americans actually believe in soulmates. (Unlike Blisstree’s editor, who wrote this anti-soulmate screed on Blisstree a while back.) And apparently, she was right: Believing in soulmates isn’t always such a good thing — people who apply the soulmate ideology to their marriages are 150% more likely to end up in divorce court.

The poll showed that couples who view their union as more of a lifelong commitment have more success in their marriage. What do you think — do soulmates exist, or are you just kidding yourselves, people? More »

Diet Craze: Would You Go Vegan For Love?

We got this post from Sarah Jane Shagraw for YourTango, and thought you might like it. Let us know in the comments section if you’d radically change your diet to start or save a relationship.

Candlelight, red wine, freshly made pasta. Flirting at a small table in a corner infrequently visited by the waiter. Such are the makings of a great date.

But not if you can’t eat what they’re serving. What if you must start with a ten-minute interrogation: Can the scallopine be prepared without a dusting of flour? Can I forgo the bed of pasta and just have the red pepper salmon? Does the chef use anything to thicken the risotto? Embarrassing. Your waiter takes a few trips to the kitchen to speak with the chef, and your date progresses in fits in starts. And — let’s be honest — you might seem a little high-maintenance (think Sally Albright, the picky heroine who ordered everything on the side in the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally). More »

106-Year-Old Lady Credits Abstinence for Long Life

Isabella Blyth just turned 106. Her secret? Never being romantically involved with anyone. (Why didn’t we think of that?) Ms. Blyth has never kissed – much less had sex with – anyone, and it doesn’t bother her one bit. She claims she’s had a full life, and was too busy with church, family, and friends to even think about romance.

Do you think entirely avoiding all romantic interaction could possibly make you live longer? More »