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Ask Anna: My boyfriend was sexting an AI -- is it cheating?
Dear Anna,
I’ve been with my boyfriend for almost two years. He’s a total tech guy — the kind who buys every new gadget, talks to his smart home like it’s a pet, and stays way too late tinkering with AI tools “just to see what they can do.” I’ve always thought it was kind of endearing, if occasionally exhausting.
But last month, ...Read more
Ask Anna: My boyfriend was sexting an AI -- is it cheating?
Dear Anna,
I’ve been with my boyfriend for almost two years. He’s a total tech guy — the kind who buys every new gadget, talks to his smart home like it’s a pet, and stays way too late tinkering with AI tools “just to see what they can do.” I’ve always thought it was kind of endearing, if occasionally exhausting.
But last month, ...Read more
Single File: Agree or Disagree? (Part 1)
Here's another quiz for your enjoyment. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
--Being single means being alone and lonely.
--Single women have a tougher time than single men.
--Men don't want the same things from a relationship as women.
--All women should marry and have children.
--A woman is incomplete without a man.
--...Read more
Ask Dating Coach Erika: I feel him pulling away. What do I do?
We have a range of questions today, from hairpieces (!!) to the ghosting (hint: don’t do it) to someone slowly pulling back after a number of great dates.
Let’s get into it…
Q: On our third date, he admitted that he's bald and wears a hairpiece. Am I wrong to feel cheated?
A: If somebody does something to enhance their looks to make ...Read more
Ask Dating Coach Erika: I feel him pulling away. What do I do?
We have a range of questions today, from hairpieces (!!) to the ghosting (hint: don’t do it) to someone slowly pulling back after a number of great dates.
Let’s get into it…
Q: On our third date, he admitted that he's bald and wears a hairpiece. Am I wrong to feel cheated?
A: If somebody does something to enhance their looks to make ...Read more
Millennial Life: The Hours Before the World Wakes
The hour or two before sunrise was the hardest time with a newborn. When the schedule was two to three hours between feedings, it was the last stretch that felt the longest. You watch the clock and calculate how long until the next one, your mind foggy but still somehow alert to every rustle and sigh. Sunrise meant survival; one more day ...Read more
Ask Anna: When is love not enough to make a lasting relationship?
Dear Anna,
I’m 27 and have been with my boyfriend (29) for almost three years. We care about each other deeply, but lately I’ve started to notice how different we are in our day-to-day lives. I’m someone who likes structure — I meal prep, budget and plan things out weeks in advance. He’s more of a “let’s see what happens” kind ...Read more
Single File: Answer Me This
Feeling a bit jumpy from the day's news -- and grind? Well, you're invited to kick off your shoes, pour yourself a cold drink and have fun. This is going to be a fall of brain ticklers, where you can kick back and relax and then fast-forward your answer. Oh -- one more thing: There just may be some current events tossed into the columns, so be ...Read more
Millennial Life: Some Repeating Thoughts on Aging
I'm catching sight of, over the hill of another year, the third year of my 40s. I suppose that could be a surprise for those of you who haven't been reading this column long enough and were lured in by its title. That's right, us millennials? Solidly middle-aged.
At a civic engagement group a few weeks back, a speaker in their 20s lambasted the...Read more
Ask Anna: Why do I keep obsessing over people I can't have?
Dear Anna,
I'm a 32-year-old woman with a problem I've recently learned is called “limerence,” and it's destroying my life. Every few years, I become completely obsessed with someone — usually someone unavailable, like a coworker who's married, a friend's partner or someone who's made it clear they're not interested. It starts innocently ...Read more
Ask Anna: Why do I keep obsessing over people I can't have?
Dear Anna,
I'm a 32-year-old woman with a problem I've recently learned is called “limerence,” and it's destroying my life. Every few years, I become completely obsessed with someone — usually someone unavailable, like a coworker who's married, a friend's partner or someone who's made it clear they're not interested. It starts innocently ...Read more
Single File: Defensiveness (Part 2)
Continuing on this most important issue for the ladies -- defensiveness -- I'm asking you to observe yourself the next time you're with a man. Are you tense, on the edge of your seat, afraid he'll try to jump your bones? My nationwide survey found that men -- most of them, anyway -- do not expect sex on the first several dates. Could it be that ...Read more
Ask Dating Coach Erika: Should I lie about my age online?
Q: After some consideration, I decided to change my age online to 62. I just think 62 sounds better than 65 (and everyone tells me I look young for my age… and I certainly don’t feel 65). What do you think?
-- Susan, 65, Baltimore
A: I would strongly recommend against lying about your age. Yes, you'll likely get more hits, but at what ...Read more
This podcaster who will solve your emotional dilemma by pairing you with a stranger
PHILADELPHIA -- George had a problem, and he had reached out to Yowei Shaw for help.
After a decade-plus relationship, his wife had come out as queer and divorced him. (George is a Midwesterner using a pseudonym.)
Shaw, the Philly-based creator and founder of the new podcast Proxy, listened to his story and began her search for help.
The ...Read more
Millennial Life: How About We Just Try Doing It Right
There's a difference between doing something and doing it right. You can check a box, sign your name, make the announcement, and hold the press conference. But that's not the same as solving a problem. And too often these days, we're watching leaders choose the performance of action over the practice of responsibility.
Doing it right doesn't ...Read more
'Marry Lisa' billboard campaign attracts scores of potential suitors to woman seeking love
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- After years of always being the perpetual bridesmaid, Lisa Catalano of San Mateo, California, laid down her soft-pink bouquet, hung up her strappy blue satin Maid of Honor dress and drafted a text to her friends:
“I’m officially announcing my retirement from being a bridesmaid,” she wrote. “The next wedding I’m ...Read more
Ask Anna: Screening out phone time on date night
Dear Anna,
I'm in a polyamorous relationship with my girlfriend of two years, and we see each other once a week due to other partners and our demanding work schedules. I completely understand that she's often exhausted when we finally get together, and I'm fine with low-key dates like ordering takeout and watching TV. The problem is that even ...Read more
Single File: Defensiveness -- Fortress Thinking (Part 1)
ATTENTION "SINGLE FILE(R)" EDITORS: THE FOLLOWING COLUMN WAS PREVIOUSLY RELEASED IN 2017. THANK YOU. - CREATORS
If you've been with me for a while now, you've probably gotten the message that most of the rough spots in single life are not lethal in themselves but can stir up major mischief when they get out of hand.
The same rule applies to ...Read more
Ask Dating Coach Erika: Should I have a backup plan?
This week, we have three very relatable dating questions:
Question: I really like Gerry and don’t feel like sifting through other profiles. But is that wise? Should I still go through the motions as backup options until my three-month Match subscription ends, in case Gerry and I fizzle? I know he likes me.
-- Jane, 62, Orlando, Florida
...Read more
Millennial Life: Life in the Whelm
There's a word we should live again. I would like to be whelmed and not overwhelmed. Not underwhelmed and just whelmed. It's the state of being fully present in the flood of life, not drowning in it but not standing on dry land either.
That's where I want to live most days, especially on days with one-on-one meetings, but from flow to overflow ...Read more
Inside Life Advice
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