[ dReamyComposuRe ]

by Dr. Bethany Marshall We all want to find a great guy. But let's face it—how many of your exes seemed fantastic at first, only for you to find out later they were Mr. Wrongs? Well, no more bad boys, mama's boys, or anything of the sort! Dr. Bethany Marshall shares her shopping list for a healthy man in this excerpt from her book, Deal Breakers When you first meet a man , whether it's online, at the grocery store, at a bar, at school, or at your job, you should feel that he wants you. It may be conveyed by a look, a touch, a compliment, curiosity, or attention to detail. And it must, within a short amount of time, be conveyed in person-not online, through a text message, or on the phone. And definitely, it should be backed up by his willingness to make a plan and move the relationship forward. If he's not interested enough to call in advance and make a plan, he's not interested enough to invest his emotions in a relationship. Conversely, constant calling, e-mailing...

by Ian Kerner, PhD How familiar does this scenario sound: Girl meets less-than-stellar guy. Girl dates less-than-stellar guy. Girl gets broken up with by less-than-stellar guy, and girl sinks into a horrible funk over losing, quite frankly, a guy who probably wasn't worth her time in the first place. So what's with all the tears? When he's not that into you, who stops to consider that maybe, just maybe, you aren't that into him either? Ian Kerner, PhD, asks this eye-opening question in his book Be Honest ‑- You're Not That into Him Either , and shows you how to raise your standards to find the great love you deserve. Playing It Safe: When You're Only into Guys You're Not Really Into "I tend to find myself in relationships with men I know I'm not that into because it's safe." ‑-Olivia, 31, advertising sales, Atlanta One of the possible scenarios for falling for a man who you were never that into to begin with, or who reeled you in simp...

by Sherry Amatenstein From quirky comedies to sweeping epics, Hollywood loves a good love story -- and so do we! But what can you take away from the theater (other than leftovers from a six-dollar bag of popcorn)? Relationship advice. Here are 10 relationship tips you'll find amid the lights, cameras and all that action. Men and women are never "just friends" In When Harry Met Sally , platonic pals Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal fight their mutual passion for most of the movie. (If they'd given in earlier the film would have been a short!) Not all friends of the opposite sex should fall into bed, but the lesson here is that there will always be a tinge of regret about the road not taken. Sure things might get complicated, but it's usually a risk worth taking. And as Billy Crystal points out early on, chances are that you were never really "just friends" in the first place. Any connection strong enough to sustain a friendship that spans many years is pr...

Listen up, guys! Women love it when you: Own a pair of really nice shoes and actually wear them Brush the hair out of our eyes Are able to hold a baby or push a stroller without squirming Plan an evening out from soup to nuts, from finding a movie to making the dinner reservations Kiss creatively Handle our emotions with grace and compassion Have impassioned, informed opinions about women writers and women's issues Can distinguish between being courteous and being wimpy Know how to inscribe a card with a heartfelt, personal message Demonstrate respect for others by standing up when your mother comes to the table, giving up a seat on the bus for a pregnant woman, asking your dad for his opinion and really listening, etc. Show genuine, platonic interest in your female friends' lives Are playful around dogs, cats and kids Make the bed in the morning and fold the laundry -- competently Offer juice, soup and TLC when we're sick Do the come-from-behi...

If you've given up trying to understand the opposite sex on your own, why not go straight to the source for the real scoop? Check out these results of a nationwide survey for the irresistible answers to that age-old question: What attracts the opposite sex? What Women Need to Know: 20 Things Men Find Irresistible Listen up, ladies! Men love it when you: Have the ability to tease, be playful and take a joke Know that men are not, in fact, from Mars, and women are not from Venus Wear our T-shirts and boxers Call us out of the blue (if we're dating; not if we're practically strangers) Kiss creatively Have a social conscience and enjoy a good debate Have an easy-going attitude about watching or participating in athletic events occasionally Are comfortable leading the whole way in bed Ask for advice about non-stereotypically male stuff (yes, guys usually know what CD player to buy, but we like to be taken seriously about other things too) Are charming ...

by Sherry Argov You've heard that nice guys finish last, but what about nice girls? In this excerpt from her book Why Men Marry Bitches , author Sherry Argov reveals why men actually prefer a confident, secure woman (Argov's definition of the word bitch ) to one who lets her man take the reins in a relationship. She surveyed real men , who spilled exactly what makes or breaks their opinion of the women they meet — and it turns out that having your own life, making your own plans and not letting him win all the time only makes you more attractive. So who says being a "bitch" is a bad thing? Not these guys! Here's what they had to say: "The worst thing a woman can do is see a guy every night of the week. That's how she becomes his good-time girl on his 'reserve list.' What will happen is, the guy will start coming over at nine o'clock and then he'll leave by ten-thirty. If he gets access or what he wants from her anytime he wants it, he won...

By Andre Cross Women: can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. This common expression relates well to the problematic issue of long distance relationships, because when your relationship is put to through this particular test, its time to decide which of these opposing statements applies to you the most. i'll go to the moon for you The path of life tends to pull people in different directions. Some random turn of events can sometimes have the power to decide the fate of a couple. For instance, if a man is being relocated across the country due to a promotion at work, and his woman is doing just fine in her present career, they inevitably end up going their separate ways. Sometimes young lovers are forced to call it quits because they end up attending different colleges in different cities, states, or even continents. What can one do in such a situation? Is the relationship worth pursuing or should they just forget about it and part ways? what is a long-distance ...