Setting Up Your Bachelor Pad

Written by Guest Blogger Voltaire with commentary from the Love Kudos

Before going out on a date or even to your local bar, you should always be prepared should things go well at the end of the night. Whether your pad passes the lady’s "test" or not could be the difference between heart-pounding success and mind-numbing failure. Not only should you make sure that your hair is well groomed and that your breath is fresh, but you should be sure to pack some condoms in your pocket and, as we'll discuss in this posting, ensure that your home is well arranged for when your date / one-night-stand / etc. comes back to your place.

The Single Side of Life ... The Upside

Written by Lindsay K. of Love Kudos

I've thought about it, whined about it, and cried about being single.  Now I am choosing to be my own devil's advocate and talk about why being single is actually pretty great and should be enjoyed to the fullest. (I have my independence; ability to chose whenever I want to go to sleep or eat dinner, and have the benefit of dating whoever I want.) The expression, grass is always greener on the other side, possess some truth as indicated by all my co-workers and married friends. They want to live vicariously through me and constantly come to me to hear my latest dating adventures or stories from my downtown outings with friends.  Your single life adventures let's you really appreciate when you finally do meet that person you want to spend your free time with.

Burned, Bruised, and Boooo!

Baggage!  If you have dated, fallen in love, then it's probable that you have some type of baggage from past relationships.  Hang ups?  Emotional walls? What are we supposed to do with all this stuff?

Yeah, baggage sucks, but we have to find a way to deal with it. If it's our own luggage or your perspective woman's stuff, the following are some hints into the mind of the Walking Wounded.

'Married & Mortified' asks Love Kudos a Question.

Written by Lauren K. and Lindsay K.

Dear Love Kudos,

I was talking to a girl for a while at an event, just chatting it up when a friend of mine came up and blurted out, "Oh, by the way, he's totally married and has a kid." It was mortifying especially because the conversation was totally innocent, at least from my perspective. That said, I don't wear a wedding ring because I lost my original one and have not replaced it yet.

At what point in a conversation does a married guy, who innocently doesn't wear a wedding ring, have to disclose his marital status? Can't a guy just talk to a girl?!

Can you help me out?

-Married and Mortified

Don't Judge Me By My Color (Code) or Should You?

The Jdate Color Code Test Analysis 

Written by Lauren K. and Lindsay K. of Love Kudos

Recently, Jdate felt the need to add some "hard" science or psychological testing into their online matchmaking methods. Therefore, about a month ago, they introduced to the site Dr. Carmen's Color Code Personality Test.

Here is how it works: there is a series of questions about the reactions you had to situations when you were a child and you choose “the best” answer, which may or may not accurately describe you. It creates a personality type that, instead of a Myers-Briggsian “ENFJ,” assigns you a color. 

Rekindle your Romance for Valentines day

Stumped over what to get that special succulent lover in your life?

Reuben Munoz book review comes to the rescue with the perfect solution. 

 Check today's post for info on how to get your own copy of 'Succulent Container Gardens' by Debra Lee Baldwin ... it'll be love at first sight! 

ranchoreubidoux.wordpress.com

Also, Check out a new free mini-book from NY Times Best-Selling Author 

Dr. Ian Kerner, sponsored by K-Y Brand.   

Gender Bias in Dating ... Does it still exist?

Written by Lauren K. and Lindsay K. of the Love Kudos

Do girls just want to have fun?  We are second guessing the lyrics to Cyndi Lauper's 1983 hit sound "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."  When it comes to online dating, it seems like most of the guys out there are just trying to have some fun by dating around, and have no intention of settling down with one girl.  Why do these men play around? Because they can without major consequences. 

After you get past the first "winks" or "flirts," then come the email questions.  The type of questions which are appropriate depends on who's asking them.

A Valentine's Treat for your Sweet!

Valentine's Day Romance Guide

Written by Lauren K. and Lindsay K. for Couples and Singletons

Valentine's Day can be an even trickier holiday to handle than Christmas or Hanukkah. We want to address a few questions that might come up as you are shopping for your Valentine. When is it appropriate for a guy to give that naughty lingerie? Can a girlfriend give a Hallmark card that says, "I love you," if you have not even said it to each other out loud?  If you just started dating, can you ask her to be your Valentine?

We would like to help you out with those burning questions, but first here is the Valentine's Day guide for couples and singletons.

Fatties, Flies, and Botox

Written by Lindsay K. of the Love Kudos duo

I don't like to admit it, but we live in a superficial world.  There have been televisions shows like "Dating in the Dark," in which a couple's first date is in complete darkness.  The purpose is to eliminate the physical aspect of the initial get to know you stage.  Unfortunately, as we age, our metabolism slows down and if we don't  increase our physical exercise and/or lower our caloric intake, we will become all to familiar with the freshman fifteen or twenty, thirty or forty, etc.  And how can we maintain that taut, glowing skin, full of collagen that is so appealing to our suitors? Unless you resort to botox, resilin, or swear off the sun from the age of 16, you are bound to succumb to having wrinkly, sagging skin.

Is this happening to you?

Online Dating Advice: Content Matters ... Who knew? Love Kudos did

From the OkCupid Blog by Christian


OkCupid analyzed over 500,000 first contacts on their dating site. Their program looked at keywords and phrases, how they affected reply rates, and what trends were statistically significant. The result: a set of rules for what you should and shouldn’t say when introducing yourself online. Let’s go:

Rule 1

Be literate

Netspeak, bad grammar, and bad spelling are huge turn-offs. Our negative correlation list is a fool’s lexicon: ur, u, wat, wont, and so on. These all make a terrible first impression. In fact, if you count hit (and we do!) the worst 6 words you can use in a first message are all stupid slang. 

11 Reasons He Dumped You

One of Marie Claire's dating bloggers shares some of the reasons why he's bailed on relationships in the past.

By Rich Santos (for the full article: MSN.com)

I was flipping through a Women's Health recently (I admit it), and I noticed an interesting poll. Women cited the following reasons as the most common breakup reasons: He changed. We weren't compatible. He cheated on me.

When I was little, it drove me crazy when my parents supported "No" with "Because I said so." I always wanted a reason. I'm not sure if knowing why always helps, but perhaps if you know common reasons guys break up with girls, you'll at least be able to see it coming. So, here are mine:

The First Down and Two Minute Warning in Dating

First and Last 10 minutes of a First Date - The Love Kudos Analysis


Written by Lauren K. and Lindsay K.
 

It has been proven that the first and last 10 minutes of a date are the most crucial. How you begin and end your date can determine your relationship fate.  Will there even be a 2nd date? A study conducted by Artemio Ramirez and Michael Sunnafrank with college students on the first day of class, suggests that within just 10 minutes of meeting, people decide what kind of relationship they want with a new acquaintance. We definitely bring all of our past experiences and stereotypes with us when we meet a person and size them up. To put things into football terms, we are calling the first ten minutes of a date, the opportunity to get a 1st down and the last ten minutes of the date, the "two minute warning" time.

Top 10 Commandments of Online Dating

Written by B. Katz of SingleEdition.com for JPeopleMeet.com
Graphics added by Lauren K. of  Love Kudos

Turning the Ten Commandments into a comedy routine. We apologize in advance if anyone is offended. Lauren says, "Remember to laugh and know that all rules are meant to be broken at times."


Let's face it. Internet dating can be like you're suddenly living in Sodom or Gomorrah - there are few rules to live by, good deeds to perform or books with lessons to teach us. To help you fulfill your obligations when there are essays to fill out, pictures to upload and Internet etiquette to remember, here is a helpful list of commandments to guide you: