Dating doesn’t have to be as complicated as so many of us make it. Give online dating the old college try, keep it simple, and don’t go too far with the first date! The Online Dating Craze Chances are, you know at least one person that has an online dating account. Heck, chances are, YOU have an online dating account. Let’s face facts. Meeting your other half just isn’t as likely to happen in the old school, organic fashion. Simply take into consideration how many people you interact with face-to-face with every day compared to how many people you interact with on Facebook (or your preferred social media site). The math is pretty clear. First Encounters When you’re ready to take that first step–whether i...

The following suggestions may seem like they come from ‘Dating for Dummies.’ But you would be surprised how many people don’t seem to know the basics. Recently, I had an online acquaintance ask me for advice on what to do when he meets his online crush for the first time. I hope this helps him…and you! 1. Ask questions and listen to their answers Don’t get overly personal in the beginning. Keep it light. Ask questions about their job or passions. Listen to what they say and find a way to relate. Show that you are paying attention by asking follow-up questions about their answers. 2. Say their name Numerous studies have shown that everyone’s favorite word to hear is their name. Don’t sound like a cra...

You’ve met someone online that seems really fantastic. The two of you have chatted a bit and clicked. Now you’re ready to take that next step and meet in person. Make the most of your chance and think about the following things ahead of time. 1. Timing Is Everything Arrange the date in the afternoon or early evening. If you hit it off face to face, there’s room to hang out longer without the pressure that late night can bring. If things don’t end up going too hot, then both of you still have your night open for other things. 2. Location, Location, Location! Give some real thought to where you’re going to meet. Either person’s home is a bad idea. Choose somewhere neutral and avoid anywhere too ...

One of the big benefits of social media is making new friends and the possibility of even making a love connection. But there are definite dos and don’ts when it comes to trying to add strangers. Men in particular seem to be very adept at unintentionally coming off as creepy douchebag stalkers. If you use social sites like Facebook and OKCupid, follow these pointers and you will be much more likely to be accepted. Don't get the boot before you even get started. Follow this guide for making first contact. Read Their Profile Even the most gorgeous appreciate being treated as more than just a pretty face. Take 5 or 10 minutes and actually bother to read the person’s profile. Only creepy stalkers don’t go beyond ogling s...

I have written so many times about the importance of rediscovering old friendships. After something that occurred this past week I simply can’t plug it enough. Like many people in their late 20s and early 30s, my life 10 years ago was immensely different from the way that it is now. Different job, different city, different set of friends. I was in college and for the first time and I was meeting a lot of people that I hadn’t known since elementary school and reveling in it. A few of them I quickly formed a very deep connection with. But life inevitably gets messy. Through my first year and a half of university I was in a difficult relationship. While I would make friends on campus, hanging with them off of campus became increasi...

Meeting people isn’t easy. Few of us are following the same cookie-cutter lifestyle road map. Many of us are focusing on our careers before we jump into marriage and starting a family. When we do get to that stage, it can be difficult to meet that someone who is right for you. This is why more than 40 million people in America are currently on at least one online dating site. Why Do We Date Online? Set-ups can be messy and there’s so much pressure. Even if you meet someone at work that you are interested in, it is illegal to date a co-worker in many places. If you meet someone at a club or a bar, your judgement might be compromised. Online dating gives you a chance to check out someone before you commit to spending an hour or mo...

Asperger Syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder that affects more than 400,000 families in the United States. AS is a condition that is difficult to both diagnose and treat. In 1940, Hans Asperger was the first to characterize a specific set of behavioral patterns in a group of his patients. AS is described by the individual having obsessions, few facial expressions, a hard time interpreting body language, peculiar patterns of speech, and poor social interactions among other signifiers. People with Asperger Syndrome also have a tendency to be extremely sensitive to sensory stimuli, creating other difficult factors in dealing with everyday life. In spite of the large number of children diagnosed with the condition and the number of adults l...

Throughout our lives, we’re all in relationships. Unless you somehow manage to spend your life completely alone isolated from any other human being, during your time on earth you will probably experience the full spectrum. Familial relationships, friendships, work relationships and, oh yes, romantic relationships—they are something pretty poignant that all cultures have in common. In a way, they sometimes have a life of their own. Anytime more than one person is involved—and that’s pretty much the formula for any basic type of relationship—no one person has absolute control over it. Add in emotions, prerogatives, agendas, goals…they can get tricky. It’s not always possible to steer them in the direction that you want them to g...

While I have always been enamored of children in general—even when I was still technically a child—I do not have any of my own. However, I clearly remember being one. Even at 30 years old, my childhood experiences as one and among them have contributed a huge amount to the ‘adult’ human being that I have become. About 6 months before I moved out of the US for the first time, I ended up working with an autistic boy that was about 4 years old named Logan. While he could not even speak at the time, he, too, made my life brighter. I had abandoned Art School to pursue a degree in Psychology. In an attempt to further my vague ambitions, my mama introduced me to a company providing home care to various individuals. Understanding my penchan...

For too long neighborhoods in America have ceased to incorporate the true idea of “community.” Many have fallen into the habit of isolating themselves from their neighbors. This has resulted in an increase in crime, drugs and gangs and so often it is children that pay the price with not only their lives and freedom, but with their spirit. Stephanie Mann is working on changing all of that. Ms. Mann knows far too well what it’s like to grow up without a real sense of community around her. Like so many others, Stephanie was from a single-parent family. As a child she lived in New York, Washington, Arizona, Florida—just to name a few of the places she briefly called home. “I was a nomad as a kid. So I understand the importance of gett...