You can ask him to be your boyfriend. Or, if you don't want to be that direct, you can tell him that you are interested in taking the relationship to the next level and you want to know what he's interested in. If he feels you're heading toward a committed relationship, it's fair to ask questions like, how long is this road to a relationship? Are there any obstacles that you see? How fast are we traveling?
My office went remote during the pandemic, an arrangement which became permanent, much to my delight. I love working from home for all of the reasons one might: from kids, to pets, to putting dinner in the crockpot on my lunch hour, to saving money on clothes, food, and gas. I have reclaimed HOURS of my day! I have time to exercise! It's amazing.
I am a bisexual, 50-year-old woman who enjoys threesomes, including with the most common configuration of a bisexual woman partnered with a straight male. All my past encounters have been amazing-open communication, everyone hot for everyone, natural transitions between constellations of two and three people interacting. However, last night I ended up in bed with a couple, and once we got our clothes off, something happened.
I wish this was a one-off blip in my regimented friendship schedule, but all through 2025 I played the world's slowest game of message tennis. I'd invite a pal for dinner, only for the world to turn, the seasons pass, grey hairs gather at my temples, before a date was finally locked in. This sentiment seems to be common among my circle.
My daughter came home from school the other day, talking about having to go get Valentine's Day cards. Ugh, oh yeah ... that time of year again. I'll need to get my wife a card as well, I suppose. I know how that "I suppose" might sound, but it's not what you think. My wife actually thinks they're a waste of money. The card is more for the kids than anyone.
People are using AI for so many things, from asking it to respond to their emails to telling it their most intimate secrets I've been thinking about what the increasing prevalence of AI means for human relationships. In a study by vantage point, nearly a third of Americans have had some form of relationship with AI. Esther Perel has been a psychotherapist for nearly four decades.
On my third date with my then-boyfriend (he's now my husband), we had sex. And like so many times before, I decided I'd fake an orgasm. But unlike so many times before, it didn't feel right. I dated a lot of men in my 20s, and faking an orgasm just felt easier and safer than telling them I had never had an orgasm with a partner before.
After I had checked out and said my goodbyes, I walked through the gate to catch my ride to the airport. This volunteer then blocked my way and cornered me. She went on a yelling, screaming rant, saying that I hadn't left my private room (which I paid $100/night for) clean enough for her liking, and that it's not her job to clean up after me.
To a large extent, research agrees that open, honest communication predicts higher relationship satisfaction, deeper trust between partners, and longevity of their shared bond. However, he says, there's nuance within that. A truth that might startle most couples is that more communication is not always better communication. He explains that discovering this doesn't mean now resorting to playing games or withholding feelings: Instead, they should try to focus on learning the difference between healthy expression and over-processing.
I'm trying to figure out how to support my sister, but I don't know how. When my older sister "Sonya" was a teen, she was assaulted by an adult. She got pregnant, and our parents refused to let her terminate the pregnancy or put the baby up for adoption. Sonya was an unwilling mom to "Simon" until she turned 18. At that point, she left him with our parents for extended periods of time while she tried to get an education and figure herself out.
DEAR PAYING: That Gabe earns more than you do should have been taken into consideration at the time you began living with him and his grandsons. Financial counseling might help you to determine what such an adjustment would mean in terms of dollars. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling is a reliable resource. Because these monthly financial disagreements could erode your relationship, please consider couples counseling in order to work out a plan that is fair for all parties concerned.
"Me and my girlfriend went on color hunting in Berlin this weekend," user Erikas Mališauskas shared on X. "We picked two random colors and had to make a 3×3 photo grid featuring that color. I got yellow, she got blue, here's the result." Commenters rallied together in agreement, saying how good of an idea this is.
The video posted Monday on TikTok showed Cruz, his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, older brother Romeo and Romeo's girlfriend Kim Turnbull seeming to mock the family drama by mouthing along to the instrumental opening of "On The Block," a 2021 song by Lil Maru. The caption on the video read simply, "Imagine hating and we're just here like." Cruz's video wasn't loading on TikTok at publication time, but you can see what was going on via an X share from user @LucyLuMerrygold.
Many parents believe they are being supportive when they say things like, "I'm just worried about you," or "We only want what's best for you." However, adult daughters can experience these same phrases not as care, but as criticism, control, or quiet disappointment. And it's brutal for a child to feel that from their parent. This disconnect was recently highlighted in an article by Avery White, who identified common phrases parents use with adult children that sound supportive but subtly communicate judgment.
Look, we've all been there - analyzing every "we should talk about our future" comment and wondering if that suspicious Pinterest activity means what we think it means. Whether you're dropping hints harder than an anvil or playing it cool, your love story has its own timeline. Choose LOTS of pasta, and I'll predict when your person will finally make it official!
I have been living together with my partner for the past 15 years with our two children and one daughter of my own. Our relationship was purely sexual at first, then we both got divorces so we could build a future together. This future has mainly consisted of making material and building choices (as he is very well-skilled) and raising our children.
When it comes to clutter, my parents were a case of opposites attract. My dad had a shorthand saying: "ABC." It meant "always be clearing." My mother, on the other hand, loved beautiful things and collected them without much rhyme, reason, or organization. I always followed my dad's footsteps more closely. Although I hold a doctorate and have a career in academia, I started a professional organizing company 17 years ago. Today, A Clear Path has 17 employees.
In today's fast-paced world, where couples are juggling work, kids, and endless to-do lists, understanding your partner's love language can be a game-changer for building a stronger, more intimate marriage. If your husband's primary love language is physical touch, you're in for an exciting journey! This isn't just about steamy bedroom moments-though those are important too. It's about those everyday gestures that make him feel truly seen, valued, and connected on a deep emotional level.
When your partner explodes in anger-blaming, threatening-you find yourself living on edge, walking on eggshells, trying not to trigger the next eruption. The emotional toll is heavy: confusion, pain, resentment, and a growing sense of helplessness about what to do and how to be. Being in a relationship with an angry partner is profoundly stressful and can undermine your well-being and the foundation of the partnership itself.
I had some messed up ideas around a woman's role and the influence of porn on that Jake was my first. I was 17 and he was 18. I lost my virginity way later than all my friends; sex had been so far out of my comfort zone. For me it was like social currency and I put a lot of pressure on myself to get it done.
True love is not transactional. If we only love on the expectation of being loved back, then it is not love, it is bartering. Love is unconditional. I love you, and that is all and everything. You do not need to do anything. You do not need to reciprocate. You do not even need to know.
