What a Day

Not only is today, April 15, the dreaded tax day, it's also the anniversary of the Titanic's sinking which occurred in 1912.

These two seemingly unrelated instances that just happen to share a date do however share what we see as a very obvious warning, reminder, lesson, whatever you'd like to call it.

Simply enough, don't procrastinate.

Tax day is an even bigger nightmare for the people who wait til the last minute - it can cause stress of enormous proportions in your relationship when one or both of you stall the work on your returns til the last minute.

And as for that famous unsinkable sinking ship, there's an Erma Bombeck quote that captures the message: "Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said, 'No, thank you,' to dessert that night. And for what?!"

What are you waiting for in your love life? What's making you procrastinate to the point where you're very likely to regret your inaction? What aren't you saying to someone because you think there's plenty of time for it to be said?

We don't encourage rushing through the Five Stages of Dating, but we also don't encourage silence. Miscommunication and mixed signals are what drive the stakes through potentially good relationships. Open up, dig deep, and indulge in the dessert that your relationship can be.

→ Have you ever regretted not doing or saying something? Read more!

Love or Money?

The findings of a recent Harris Interactive poll show that, due to the recession, 42 percent of Americans are holding off on major life decisions, including marriage and children.

This has begun to create a whole slew of additional problems for couples.

Women who felt like the man in their life was getting ready to propose may now be wondering what happened to his devotion. He's suddenly more distant or stressed or reluctant to talk about the future. Does that mean he's no longer interested? Is he rethinking your relationship?

Men who thought their relationship was moving to the next level may feel trapped in an economic dilemma. They want to provide the woman they love with the ring and wedding she wants... but at the moment there just isn't room to make it happen.

Paranoia and mistrust in relationships can fester in times like these, and communication can quickly go downhill. Do you have the relationship skills to come out unscathed on the other side? If not, it's time to talk about it. We're always here for you.

→ Do you feel like your relationship has changed for untouchable reasons over the last several months? How much do you think it could be related to economic stress? Read more!

How Do You Escape?

An article in today's New York Times states that, because of this economic nightmare, "In a recession, what people want is a happy ending." Makes sense.

So how are people trying to get this relief?

Apparently, through Fabio and the like. Harlequin book sales are way up and romance novels in general are flying off the shelves. During the Depression, Gone with the Wind was everyone's book of choice for escapism. Now? It's all about the Twilight saga and its unreal and ultimate leading man, Edward.

Is there anything wrong with sinking into the pages of a book to try and block out reality for a while? Absolutely nothing suspect about that at all. It's what you take with you when you leave those pages that can get you in a heap of trouble... especially in your relationship.

Just because the economy is in dire straits, that doesn't mean your relationship has to end up there as well. But if you're escaping to books (and movies), imagining the kind of happy endings/romance that you're not experiencing, what room are you leaving in life for real love? Whether they're sitting in the other room, or are still out there waiting to be discovered?

If you're struggling with fantasy vs. reality, we're here whenever you want to talk. You can tell us why you're in love with a book character - and we'll help you figure out how you can project that love onto the real person in your world.

→ Romance books - have you allowed them to take you away? Or can you keep your head about you when it comes to the rogues and gents that kiss your bookmark? Read more!

Dead Sexy

MSN Entertainment named their 10 Sexiest Men Over 40. They are:

1. George Clooney
2. Denzel Washington
3. Brad Pitt
4. Barack Obama
5. Hugh Jackman
6. Anderson Cooper
7. Van Jones
8. Hugh Laurie
9. Gavin Newsom
10. Javier Bardem

→ Do you agree? Disagree? And do you think anyone is missing from this list? Read more!

When You're in "Wuv"

Couples who communicate in positive ways with each other are more likely to stay happy in their relationship. This information, gathered by recent studies, isn't so much of a shocker, right? But you may be surprised to learn what is included in the "positive communication" cagetory.

Turns out, that utterly adorable Schmoopie, Honeybunny, or Schnookums that your partner calls you is the glue that holds the two of you together. Nicknames, made-up language, even ooey-gooey baby talk are all methods of positive communication for couples - and they're all methods of creating intimacy in a relationship.

It may be sickening for you to observe couples acting unabashedly lovey-dovey in public, but there's no need for you to be an exhibitionist couple if it doesn't suit you. Just don't be afraid to get mushy at home with your sweetie pie - even being funny can do the trick. It's the inside jokes and the intimate details that only the two of you share that strengthens your relationship.

It's when these endearments begin to dwindle that you need to look further to see what's happening in your relationship, especially if the number of "I love yous" have also gone out the window. The intimacy of your language and communication make up the heart of your relationship. If you're in a situation where the norm has changed to something that just feels off, call us to talk about why the sweetness in your love might be going sour.

→ Are you willing to reveal the nickname or habits that you and your pookie share? Read more!