Nerds Do It Better

Being in a new relationship is a wonderful thing.  There is a care-free feeling that comes with this new person in your life and the courtship phase of a relationship brings out feelings you may not have felt for some time.  The thing is relationships are not easy.  Once we move past the initial smitten phase, reality sets in, and the relationship becomes something that must be managed like other parts of our lives. 

Loving relationships are hard work, which is why so many young relationships fail to make it past the three month marker.  This is when we really begin to see the other person for who they are.  They are not perfect; like us, they too have flaws.  If you care enough for the other person to want to be with them, you must be able to have the freedom to speak from your heart in regard to your feelings and what you want out of the relationship.  What follows are a few tips to keep communication open in order to move your new relationship to the next level.

Be proactive and take the first step.  Most of us are afraid to express our innermost feelings with anyone, let alone someone you’ve known for a few short months.  However, if you truly see yourself staying with this person, it is of the utmost importance that you break the silence and start talking about things that really matter to you.  Gauge the person and decide how deep you should go in regard to feelings, but remember: it’s better to find out now whether or not they are willing to open up to you.

Don’t force the other person to tell you any more than they want to.  Perhaps sharing feelings is important to you, but your new partner is unsure of how much he or she wants to divulge.  This is natural; it is more difficult for some to express themselves than others.  If he or she is still willing to listen to you, it’s a good sign.  Just make it clear that whenever they are ready to talk, you are there to listen without judgment.

Write a letter to your partner.  Sometimes it’s just easier to get your thoughts down on paper.  Writing a handwritten letter to your partner shows that you are willing to take the time and commit what you have to say as a record for them to look back upon.  Expressing the way you feel comes out much more personally when written down.  Think clearly about what you want to say and don’t ramble on.  A great method when writing down feelings and issues is to start with positives, move on to address concerns, and then reinforce the positive aspects of the relationship once again at the close of the letter. 

Gone are the days when dating was a term associated only with teenagers and people in their twenties; gone are the days when dates were looked on as stepping stones to a deeper relationship or marriage. Today, we’re seeing the emergence of 40-plus men and women looking for people they can see on a casual basis – they’re divorced, widowed or still single and looking for companionship in the prime of their life. Marriage is not necessarily on the cards, but if it does happen, it’s a welcome side effect of dating when you’re above forty. The 40-plus dating scenario is both different from and same as its 20-something counterpart, and if you’re confused by this statement, here’s an explanation.

What’s still the same…

•    The uncertainty that’s a constant companion when you’re meeting someone for the first time, especially when you’re being set up on a blind date.
•    The anticipation as date night gets closer, especially if you know the person and are hoping to take the relationship to the next level.
•    The doubts that plague you about the relationship status after you’ve gone on a few dates.

What’s changed…

•    You’re more mature now, having gone through adult life and its trials and tribulations and wiser for the same. You don’t tend to make the same mistakes you did when you were much younger and clueless about life.
•    You carry emotional baggage, from your past experiences and relationships. They may be good or bad or a mixed bag – they always affect the way you look at and approach your new relationships.
•    Your family may or may not approve, especially your children. It’s up to you to make them understand that you need your own life and get them to see your point of view; try not to antagonize them even as you pursue your own happiness.
•    The people you meet are also battle-scarred warriors who’ve been down roads similar to the ones you’ve travelled, so be prepared accordingly.
•    You may not meet people who’re the same age or one or two years younger or older than you. They may be either much younger or much older, so if you’re choosy, you may not find too many datable people out there.
•    There may not be any of the tender-footing and leading questions that open a traditional date in your 20s. Most people who date in their 40s take the practical, no-nonsense approach and are open about what they’re looking for in the relationship right from the word go.

Dating in your 40s and above may seem like an uphill task, especially when you’ve been off the scene for decades. But it’s like riding a bicycle – once you learn, you never forget. So get into the spirit of things with the right attitude, and watch life begin anew at 40. 
 

If your spouse has recently let themselves go a bit, how do go about telling them that they need to get in shape? After all, you’ve vowed to stick by them for better or worse, and weight gain is hardly the worst thing that can happen. But weight gain can lead to many health conditions, and if you’re truly worried about the health of your spouse you can’t help but to want them to shed a few pounds. Here are some tips and suggestions on motivating your spouse to get back in sexy, svelte and healthy shape.

Tips

Weight is never an easy topic to broach. Check out these tips to help get the ball rolling with your spouse.

1. Decide whether or not it matters to you. For some people, the weight their spouse gains may just not be an issue. Decide whether or not you really feel your spouse’s weight is something that’s affecting their health or your life together. If not, you may want to just let it go, and embrace them as they are.
2. Be gentle. Let’s face it, there’s no nice way to tell someone you think they’re looking a little rounder than before, but do your best to bring up the issue in a caring, non confrontational way. Realize that they are probably already well-aware they’ve put on weight and probably don’t really need you to point it out.
3. Understand they may be angry, hurt or upset. No matter what route you take if you decide to confront your spouse about his or her weight they’re probably not going to feel good about it; it is a sensitive issue for most. Be understanding that even if you’re talking with them with the best intentions that they may not react the way you’d like.
4. Don’t nag. If your spouse is making an effort to lose weight, don’t constantly nag or ride them about their food choices. Making them feel guilty will more than likely not encourage them to eat less, but instead to run to those comfort foods.
5. Provide support. For many people, losing weight can be an uphill battle, especially if it’s been years since they’ve hit the gym. Make sure you’re giving your spouse the love and support they need to successfully feel healthy can make a big difference.
6. Search for the root of the issue. Physical problems are easy to see in a person, but the cause of these problems may be something less obvious. Often there are underlying emotional issues that are contributing to weight gain and helping your spouse uncover and work through these can really be the first step in getting healthy.
7. Empathize. Losing weight is tough and your spouse will benefit from some empathy from you. Your spouse will feel more supported and it can help bring you together as a couple.
8. Work together. The best and most effective way to motivate your spouse to get in shape is to do it together. Then one person isn’t be singled out, you can support each other in fitness and diet plans, and work together as the team you should be towards a common goal.
9. Let them decide. If you spouse does want to shed some weight, let them be the boss of how they’ll go about it. You may have good intentions, but trying to control things won’t help and may even turn them off about the whole idea.
10. Make it fun. Doing active things doesn’t have to mean spending hours on a treadmill. Play tennis together, take walks, go hiking and do active things that are not only beneficial but fun as well. It will make it much easier for your spouse to stick to getting healthy and you’ll get to spend valuable time together.
11. Don’t provide unnecessary temptations. Because you are sharing a household, you can make it almost impossible for your spouse to lose weight if you constantly have junk food around the house. They may be able to resist the temptation some of the time, but no one is strong enough to resist is all of the time, so keep the unhealthy stuff out of your house if you really want to help your spouse.
12. Make it about health. While part of your motivation for getting your spouse to slim down may be about more superficial issues, the heart of the issue should be about getting them healthy. With numerous health consequences of being overweight, you don’t need any other motivation to work out and eat right.
13. Be positive. Even if your spouse doesn’t look quite as super-sexy as he or she did when you got married, it doesn’t mean there aren’t other things you love just as much about them, maybe even more now. Try to focus on those things so your spouse still feels valued, special and loved and it’s not all about the things you see wrong with them.
14. Make sure they know you love them. At the heart of your efforts to get your spouse healthy should be constant reminders of how much you love them, big or small.
15. Revamp favorite foods. Just because you’re watching what you eat doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy old favorites. Think of new, healthier ways to prepare your spouse’s favorite foods.
16. Don’t exclude your spouse. One surefire way to sabotage your spouse’s weight loss is to make them feel excluded from special occasions that involve food by not giving them a slice of cake or making them feel left out of the celebration. Leave the decision up to them whether or not they indulge.
17. Encourage them to visit the doctor. Weight gain isn’t always about simply eating too much. There are a variety of medical conditions, some more serious than others, that can cause weight gain as well, in ways that your spouse simply cannot control. Getting a full checkup can be a good idea in general, as it will let your spouse know just how much their weight may be affecting their health.
18. Eat at home. While there may be many healthy options when eating out, you and your spouse will be tempted to eat less and better if you eat out as little as possible. That way you’ll know exactly what goes into every meal you eat.
19. Be a role model. You won’t get far with convincing your spouse that he or she needs to lose weight if you are not looking so fit yourself. Taking action and eating right, working out and living healthy can go a long way towards encouraging your spouse to do the same.
20. Give them motivation. Both you and your spouse can set fitness goals as motivation to help make all the hard work really feel like it’s paying off. Plan getaways together, fun nights out or anything that both of you really enjoy that can act as a motivating factor to get in shape.
21. Eat together. Making mealtimes a part of the day when you come together as a couple can be helpful for a variety of reasons. You’ll get to talk and slow down while you’re eating as well as getting the chance to cook and prepare meals together that are healthier and better for you both.

Articles

These quick reads can help you find support, advice and information on approaching your spouse.

22. How to Accept a Spouse Gaining Weight: If you want to learn to accept your spouse in their new, rounded form, this article can help you to do so.
23. How to Tell Your Spouse to Lose Weight: Telling your spouse you think they look a little plump isn’t easy. This article provides some suggestions on making the process a little easier.
24. 8 Ways to Help Your Partner Lose Weight: Want to help your overweight spouse? This article is full of great tips.
25. How to Make Your Spouse Live Longer: Help your spouse live a long healthy life by getting them to follow these health tips.
26. Supporting Your Spouse’s Weight Loss Efforts: Read this article to learn some great ways you can be supportive of your spouse’s health goals.
27. Do You Help or Hound Your Heavy Spouse: Learn how the things you say to your spouse may be hurting rather than helping their weight loss.
28. What to Do When Your Husband is Overweight: Here you’ll find some pointers on how to act if your spouse isn’t quite the same active, healthy person you married.
29. Loving Your Overweight Partner: Learn to love your partner just as they are from this article.
30. Weight Management and Your Spouse/Partner: For Better or Worse: Even if your spouse has put on some weight, you can find ways to help them in this helpful article.
31. Gain a spouse and you’ll likely gain some pounds, too: It may not entirely be your spouse’s fault that they’ve gained weight. This article explains how it’s fairly common to put on weight after marriage.
32. Help Motivate an Obese Spouse: Get some pointers on giving your spouse motivation so they can feel good about their progress.
33. How to Get Family Support When Losing Weight: This article explains ways that you can help support and encourage your spouse in their weight loss.
34. Don’t Say This to Your Dieting Spouse: Check out this article to learn what things are not a good idea to say to a spouse about their weight.
35. How to Keep Your Husband Healthy: With obesity being tied to heart disease, stroke and cancer, this article explains some waysyou can help keep your husband in top shape.
36. Telling Your Honey, "It’s Time to Lose Weight": Learn to say and what to avoid when you think your partner needs to lose weight.
37. Violent Acres: What to Do About a Fat Spouse: Get some straight talk on telling your spouse you think they need to shed a few pounds from this blog entry.

Do It Together

The best way to get a spouse to make a lifestyle change is for the two of you to do it together. These blogs, tips and articles can help you make the most of your fitness goals as a couple.

38. Get Fit Together: Get in shape right alongside your spouse and this site can tell you how.
39. Partner Up: Lose Weight With Your Spouse: Form a great team to lose weight with advice from this blog.
40. Dieters Find Success with a Spouse: Find success for the both of your weight loss by working together, as this article states.
41. Weight Loss for Couples: Learn how to best lost weight with your spouse, partner or significant other from this article.
42. Couples Weight Loss: Build a Team That Can’t Be Beaten: Working together can make losing weight all the easier and this site can help you build a partnership with your spouse that will benefit both of your health.
43. How Couples Can Get Fit Together: Here you’ll get some great pointers on shedding weight right alongside your partner.
44. The Link Between Couples and Weight: Find out how couples influence each other in terms of weight from this article.
45. 7 Steps to Get Fit With Your Spouse: These seven steps can help point you towards a fit and happy future with your spouse.
46. Working Out With Your Spouse or Partner: Get some tips and advice on working out together with your spouse from this blog.
47. Ways to Get Your Significant Other To Exercise: Working together, as this article explores, can be a great way to motivate your significant other.
48. Gym Couples Work it Out: Making your gym routine into an activity for two can be a great way to spend time with each other and get in shape.
49. Healthy Eating Tips for Couples: Six Ways to Stay Slim Together: Eating together can be a great way to ensure you’re both getting the nutrition and healthy foods you need.
50. Diet Solutions: With Spouse: This site offers some suggestions to losing weight as a couple.
51. Couples Dealing With Weight Loss Together: Learn how your support can make or break your spouse’s weight loss plan.
52. Couples Diet Better Together: This article from USA Today shows how working together to get in shape really does benefit both of you.

Motivating Factors

There are a number of health issues that can be exacerbated by being overweight. These articles and websites address some valid health reasons you can address with your spouse.

53. Obese Couples Risk Lower Fertility: If you’re trying to have a child with your spouse, you may be surprised to find that his or her weight might be making it more difficult.
54. I’m No Longer Attracted to My Overweight Spouse: While health is central to losing weight, your spouse’s wright may very well be affecting your attraction to them as well, as this article addresses.
55. What Are the Health Consequences of Being Overweight?: This site gives some pretty good reasons why losing weight can be a great idea.
56. Study Says Obesity Can Be Contagious: If your spouse thinks his or her weight isn’t hurting anyone but themselves they may want to think again. This study shows that overweight people can often influence the behaviors of those around them.
57. Why Lose Weight?: Need a reason to start losing? The American Heart Association provides several on their site.
58. FDA: Lose Weight: The FDA lays out some reasons losing weight is in your best interest.
59. Staying Slim Improves Breast Cancer Survival Rates: Lowering your weight can have unexpected benefits, as this article explains.
60. Health Consequences of Obesity: Learn how your weight can affect your overall health.
61. Obesity and Disease Risk: Being overweight can increase your risk of getting many types of diseases and you can learn more about them here.
62. Smoking and Obesity Curb Sex: Find out how health factors like obesity and bad habits like smoking can affect your drive for and enjoyment of sex.
63. 7 Good Reasons to Lose Weight: Read this blogger-created list to learn some reasons that weight loss should be a priority.
64. 10 Health Factors for Staying Slim: This site lists some big health reasons why men should keep off the weight.

Inspiration

If your spouse is searching for something to get them motivated or inspire them to get in gear, have them check out these great weight loss blogs that show how it’s done, and give them support from others in the same boat.

65. Former Fat Guy: This blogger tracks all his trials and tribulations when it comes to weight loss in his blog.
66. A Weight Lifted: For women who are tired of constantly yo-yo dieting, this blog can provide some inspiration on losing weight the right way.
67. 101 Reasons I Hate Being Fat: Find some reasons to lose weight from this blogger who is tracking her weight loss.
68. Diet Blog: Here you’ll find some get motivation to lose weight from other bloggers and as well as news and information on health care and fitness.
69. Scale Junkie: Understand that being healthy is about more than a number on the scale from this blog about nutrition.
70. Get Fit Slowly: Follow these friends as they work to lose weight and get in shape.
71. Confessions of the Guy at Weight Watchers: This runner has lost loads of weight already, over a hundred pounds, and you can follow his progress here.
72. John is Fit: This blogger felt unhealthy and vowed to lose some of his almost 300 pounds by living healthy and eating right.
73. Fat Girl Dives In: Blogger Tina lost over 100 pounds, gained it back and now it trying to lose it all over again.
74. Journeying to Lose 200 Pounds: With 200 pounds to lose, follow along as this blogger tries to lose it and keep it off.
75. Losing It: This female blogger details how she is changing her eating and living habits to be healthier and happier.
76. A Life Less Sweet: Cutting out high fructose corn syrup may be a big help in losing weight, as this blog explains.
77. Escape from Obesity: This blogger and mother of five is trying to lose weight from her present size of 278 pounds and you can follow along as she takes it off through better eating and exercise.

Tips and Advice

These sites provide some basic tips and advice on ways to lose weight and get in shape.

78. How to Lose Weight By Drinking Less Alcohol: Beer and mixed drinks can have loads of calories you may not even realize you’re drinking. Your spouse, and you, can shed some pounds but cutting back on the booze.
79. Easy Ways to Lose Weight: 50 + Ideas: If you’re looking for some easy ways to get started on a weight loss plan for you and your spouse, these tips can provide some simple inspiration.
80. Wii Weight Loss Plan: Who says losing weight can’t be fun? Check out this site to learn how you can lose weight just by playing games on the Wii.
81. How to Lose Weight Watching TV: If your spouse isn’t ready to hit the gym just yet, get them moving at home with these exercises they can do in front of the TV.
82. 50 Weight Loss Tips: Get some pointers on losing weight from this site.
83. How to Lose Weight Safely: Don’t force your spouse into a dangerous crash diet. Read this site so you can ensure your spouse is losing the pounds safely.
84. How to Most Effectively Start Working Out When You Haven’t Exercised in Years: Even if your spouse hasn’t lifted a finger to work out in ages, this blog can help them to learn how to get up and get moving no matter how rusty they are.
85. Tips To Get Into Shape Without Leaving The House: You don’t need thousands of dollars worth of workout equipment to get in shape, this site tells you how to get fit in your own home.
86. How to Start Doing Yoga: Learn to do the downward dog and the mountain pose from this beginner’s yoga guide.
87. Weight Training 101: Weight training is an essential part of any workout routine and this site provides all the basics
88. Body Fitness Guide: From yoga to fitness supplements, this site provides a ton of helpful health and fitness information.

Marriage Advice

If you feel your husband’s or wife’s weight gain is putting a strain on your marriage, you may want to check out some of these marriage advice sites that can help.

89. A Good Husband: Here you can get marriage advice from a man’s point of view.
90. WifeAdvice: Check out this blog to read funny stories from this husband and wife duo.
91. Relationships in the Raw: Give this blog a read to learn how to better communicate with and improve your relationship with your spouse.
92. Ask April: Send in all your burning questions on marriage, including issues with your spouse’s weight, to this marriage and relationship advice blog.
93. Save the Marriage: If your spouse’s weight has put some tension between the two of you, learn how to work towards a better relationship from this blog.
94. The Marriage Counseling Blog: For those who aren’t quite ready to go to real marriage counseling, this blog can be a good first step.
95. Marriage Actually: This blog provides an honest look at marriage, both the good and the bad things.
96. Love and Relationship Advice Blog: Susie and Otto Collins, relationship coaches, authors, and speakers maintain this blog that can give you some great advice on your marriage.
97. Relationship Advice: Find some assistance in keeping your marriage running smoothly check out this blog.
98. Marriage Blog: Families.com provides a lot of helpful tips and ideas for making marriage solid.
99. The F-Word: Visit this blog if you want to learn to accept your spouse just the way he or she is.
100. Relationship Advice for Relationship Bliss: This blog deals with turn-ons and offs, relationship difficulties and more.

Everyone knows that eating chocolate and wearing fancy lingerie can spice up your sex life, but there are a number of little known ways to make things more interesting that you may not have considered. Whether it’s eating the right food, or just getting a handle on your stress level, there are many things you can do to get a better libido. Read on to learn about 100 of these solutions.

Lifestyle & Habits

Take a look at your everyday life to see if you’re interfering with sex.

1. Relax: Stress can weaken your libido, so stay cool.
2. Stop worrying: When your mind is strained, you may have a hard time getting in the mood.
3. Stop smoking: Smoking can cause low sperm counts and decrease your virility, so quit or cut down on this habit.
4. Establish good hygiene: Something as simple as remembering to floss can help make you feel more attractive and be more attractive to your partner.
5. Schedule sex: Although the thought of penciling in intercourse is not particularly sexy, it can help guarantee that you’ll be more sexually active.
6. Avoid steroids: Steriods can interfere with your hormones and decrease your sex drive.
7. Resolve cultural issues: If your cultural beliefs make you feel uncomfortable about sex, resolve them on your own or with the help of a therapist.
8. Improve your self esteem: If you’re feeling inadequate or just down on yourself, improve your outlook on your own or with the help of a therapist.
9. Resolve religious issues: Overcome feelings of guilt and discomfort stemming from religious beliefs.
10. Curb your alcohol intake: Excessive drinking can be to blame for low sperm counts and poor circulation, so avoid drinking too much.
11. Pay your bills: Avoid nagging worry over your financial situation, and you’ll feel more relaxed and receptive to sex.
12. Drink plenty of water: Don’t overdo it, but drink water throughout the day to promote vaginal moisture and overall health.
13. Wear loose fitting underwear: Men should wear underwear that allows for some breathing room in order to promote good circulation to the area.
14. Give longer kisses: Kisses that last 12 seconds or longer can reignite your passion.
15. Have sex more often: Having sex on a more frequent basis can help get the ball rolling and keep you more sexual.
16. Avoid high temperature baths: Although relaxing, hot tubs and saunas can hinder circulation, particularly for men, so they aren’t good for your sex drive.
17. Don’t set your laptop on your lap: Especially for men, laptops can increase the temperature in your groin area, which is detrimental to your virility.
18. Avoid sitting for extended periods of time: Sitting for too long, especially for men, can decrease the flow of blood to your sexual organs.
19. Stay active: Inactivity can decrease your sex drive, so be sure to live an active lifestyle.
20. Eliminate anxiety: Anxiety can be a strain on your libido, so learn to let go better.

Relationship

How you feel toward your partner can have a lot to do with the quantity and quality of sex, so follow these tips to build a relationship that’s more open to sex.

21. Communicate: Talk to your partner about sexual problems and feelings you may have to see how you can work them out together.
22. Avoid arguments: Choose your battles to have more positive feelings towards your partner.
23. Think positively about sex: Don’t think of sex as a chore, but instead as a fun and loving experience that you can share.
24. Spend time together: Get away from the hectic pace of life and just have fun together to get your spark back.
25. Show affection: Outside of the bedroom, show affection to your partner, and you’ll be more attracted to them sexually.
26. Do something new: Introduce a little novelty into your lives together, and you’ll produce dopamine, a chemical that helps fuel sex drive.
27. Take a vacation: Sometimes the hectic pace of daily life can get in the way of sex, so step out of your usual routine to spice things up.
28. Take a deep breath: The scent of your partner’s sweat can be a booster for your sex drive.
29. Go out on a date: Support your emotional connection by going on a date, and focus on building your relationship.
30. Avoid witholding sex: Don’t make sex a bargaining chip, or you’ll end up having less of it.
31. Share responsibilities: If you’re not having sex because you or your partner is burned out or too tired, learn to more evenly balance your responsibilities between you.

Health

Your health plays a major part in the way your body craves and responds to sex, so make sure you’re in tip top shape.

32. Sleep well: A good night’s rest can help you feel more energetic and make you more interested in sex.
33. Lose weight: Maintaining a healthy body weight can improve your self image, as well as make your body more receptive to sex.
34. Get regular screenings for cancer and STDs: Disease can easily interfere with a healthy sex life, so be sure to get checked out regularly.
35. Massage: Massage, even when it’s not a part of foreplay, can help increase your blood flow and make you feel energetic and virile.
36. Treat diabetes: Diabetes can interfere with regular sexual health and desire, so be sure to treat the disease the best way you can.
37. Get therapy: Speak to a therapist about your sexuality to uncover any emotional problems you may have.
38. Avoid saturated fat: Saturated fat can clog your arteries and prevent good blood flow to your sexual organs.
39. Support your circulatory system: Reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol to make your circulatory system more healthy and efficient.
40. Deal with physical ailments: Problems including constant headaches, endometriosis, diabetes, and arthritis can interfere with your sexual enjoyment, so get them diagnosed and treated.
41. Tighten your PC muscles: For women, exercising the PC muscles can lead to more fulfilling sex, which can increase your desire.
42. Screen for anemia: Get checked out for anemia, which can be a cause of low sex drive.
43. Talk to your doctor about depression: Depression can cause your sex drive to suffer, so find out if you’re affected by it.
44. Get treatment for sexual dysfunction: If you’re having physical troubles with sex, talk to your doctor about getting it taken care of.
45. Gain weight: If you’re underweight, your sexual functions may be diminished. This is especially true for women, who may cease ovulation if body fat levels are too low.
46. Evaluate your prescription drugs: Talk to your doctor to find out if your drugs are interfering with your libido.
47. Ask about hormone balances: Find out if you have a hormonal imbalance, and find out what you can do about it.

Activities

Engage in these activities to boost your sex drive.

48. Have sex anyway: Even if you’re not in the mood, have sex, and chances are you’ll get into it anyway.
49. Do yoga: Certain yoga poses will help improve the blow flow to your sexual organs, as well as improve your overall health.
50. Get aerobic exercise: Improve the blood flow to your sex organs by getting things pumping with aerobics.
51. Read a romance novel: Turn on the biggest erogenous zone you have by reading a steamy bodice ripper.
52. Stretch: Open up your body and flexibility with regular stretching.
53. Do something dangerous: Dangerous activities will trigger dopamine and stimulate your sex drive.
54. Role play: Adopt roles to play throughout the day or just out on a date to make things more interesting and set up a promise of things to come.
55. Avoid exercising too much: Extreme exercise can lower your testosterone levels, which help your libido, so keep exercise to a moderate level.
56. Compete: Being competitive, like in sports, can raise your levels of libido-boosting hormone testosterone.

In the Bedroom

These are a few things you can do with your partner to jump start your libido.

57. Use sex toys: Although intimidating for some, sex toys can make sex more interesting and enticing.
58. Watch porn: It does not work for everyone, but porn can help get you in the mood, or help you discover new things.
59. Be more adventurous: Keep the interest alive by being willing to try new things.
60. Get out of the bedroom: Explore new places to have sex, like the kitchen or your neighborhood park to spice things up.
61. Talk dirty: Whether you’re in the bedroom or out on a date, don’t be shy about talking dirty.
62. Fight boredom: If you’re bored with sex, think of new ways you and your partner can connect.
63. Leave the lights on: Toss out feelings of shame and embarrassment, and have more exciting sex with the lights on.
64. Explore by touching new regions: Get away from traditional erogenous zones, and touch your partner some place new.

Food

These foods can make you healthier, and foster a better sex life.

65. Eat a good diet: Overall, eating a nutritious diet full of fruits and vegetables will help you feel better and more in the mood for sexual activity.
66. Drink alcohol: Although drinking too much can have an adverse effect, alcohol, particularly high quality beer and distilled spirits, can improve your overall and sexual health.
67. Almonds: Almonds are full of fatty acids that will help with circulation.
68. Goji berries: Goji berries will help increase testosterone levels in both men and women, as well as improve sexual stamina.
69. Eat healthy fats: Your body needs fat to create hormones, so don’t cut fat out of your diet.
70. Black licorice: Black licorice can increase genital bloodflow by 40 percent.
71. Celery: In celery, you’ll find androsterone, which is a hormone that’s been known to turn women on.
72. Bananas: This phallic fruit can offer a shot in the arm to the male libido.
73. Avocado: These delicious gems are full of fatty acids that will support your circulatory health.
74. Avoid extreme dieting: Dieting too much or too harshly can leave your body devoid of the nutrients it needs for sexual health.
75. Asparagus: This vegetable is a good source for sexual health supporting vitamin E.
76. Nutmeg: Indian medicine uses nutmeg for enhancing desire, and its extract has been found to have the same effect as Viagra.
77. Chili peppers: Chili peppers contain capasaicin, which supports good circulation.
78. Eat protein: Protein offers plenty of energy that will make you more receptive to sex.
79. Avoid caffeine: Caffeine can reduce your libido, so do your best to avoid coffee tea, and soda with caffeine.
80. Basil: This herb increases your circulation and supports a sense of well being.
81. Soy: Eating lots of soy can increase your arousal, as the food’s phytoestrogens mimic estrogen.
82. Garlic: Although not great for sexy breath, garlic offers allicin, which can improve the blood flow to your sexual organs.
83. Avoid heavy carbohydrates: Pasta dishes will put you to sleep, rather than get you in the mood.
84. Brazil nuts: Brazil nuts are full of the amino acid arginine, which can boost levels of blood to the genitals.
85. Figs: Figs are believed to increase stamina, and are high in amino acids.
86. The smell of comfort food: Researchers say that men can be turned on by foods they enjoy, such as doughnuts, pizza, and strawberries.
87. Pumpkin seeds: In pumpkin seeds, you’ll find zinc, which helps men produce testosterone, and will help support a woman’s sex drive.

Supplements

Talk to your doctor about taking one or more of these supplements to help with your libido.

88. Take a multivitamin: Multivitamins can help promote your overall health and sexual wellness, as well as provide specific nutrients that you need for a strong sex drive.
89. Choline: Choline can help enhance levels of acetylcholine, which sends sexual impulses from your brain to sex organs.
90. Vitamin B: Vitamin B deficiencies can be linked to infertility, so be sure to get plenty of it.
91. Iron: Having an iron deficiency can leave you fatigued and out of energy for sex.
92. Testosterone: Testosterone is the hormone that is behind your sex drive, so higher levels of it can help raise your libido.
93. Manganese: Manganese ensures a healthy metabolism of the hormone estrogen.
94. Vitamin E vaginal suppositories: If vaginal dryness is the cause of your low sex drive, it can be treated with these suppositories.
95. Muirapuama and catuaba: In Brazil, these two herbs together are believed to increase your libido and support sexual potency.
96. Vitamin A: Vitamin A helps support imporant tissues for your reproductive health.
97. Zinc: Be sure that you’re getting enough zinc, as a lack of this mineral can cause impotence and infertility.
98. Vitamin C: Be sure to drink your orange juice, as vitamin C can help boost fertility.
99. Vitamin B5: Also known as panothenic acid, B5 is important for the creation of sex hormones.
100. Selenium: This mineral helps ensure healthy production of sperm.

If you’re a gamer, but your girlfriend isn’t, you may find yourself disappointed when you want to share your hobby with her. However, by selecting games she is likely to enjoy, you may be able to spark her interest in gaming. Although not every girlfriend will take to video gaming, we’ve compiled a list of titles that will give you a fighting chance to turn her from a newbie to a girl gamer.

Group Gaming

Group gaming is fun for the uninitiated, as it focuses on both social involvement and gameplay at the same time.

1. Mario Party: This board game style video game calls offers mini games and fun group games.
2. Boogie: Boogie makes a great party game, with a microphone for singing as well as dancing.
3. Halo: Halo is a great first-person shooter that allows you and your girlfriend to take down the enemy together.
4. Rock Band: Play together in a virtual band, with spots for guitars, drums, and singing.
5. Guitar Hero: Similar to Rock Band, Guitar Hero offers interactive play using songs that your girlfriend already knows.

Physical Games

The next time your girlfriend wants to hit the gym, suggest that she try out one of these games instead.

6. Dance Dance Revolution: Play Dance Dance Revolution with your girlfriend, and she’ll enjoy the rhythm and music.
7. Wii Fit: Wii Fit will challenge your girlfriend to maintain balance and build her fitness level.
8. Wii Sports: This game is full of fun sports, including boxing, bowling, and tennis.
9. Let’s Yoga: If your girlfriend enjoys yoga, introduce her to this game that will help her build a program of poses.
10. Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum: Whether she’s a fan of the Biggest Loser or just wants to get in shape, your girlfriend will have fun with this game.
11. We Ski: If you can’t afford to take your girlfriend on a romantic ski trip, give her the next best thing with this skiing game.
12. Let’s Pilates: Help your girlfriend learn a variety of Pilates exercises with this video game.

Simulation Games

Simulation games are great for gaming newbies because they offer a familiar action and make it more fun by turning it into a game.

13. Cooking Mama: If your girlfriend loves to cook, she’ll enjoy Cooking Mama, which is full of mini cooking games.
14. Burnout: Few things are as universally satisfying as crashing cars and causing damage, so get your girlfriend to check this one out.
15. Wii Music: This fun game includes hand bells, drums, and more, and can be played alone or as a team.
16. Karaoke Revolution: This game offers lots of singing fun, as it detects your pitch and rates your singing skills.
17. Animal Crossing: This life simulation video game takes place in real time, and creates a virtual life for anthropomorphic animals.
18. Order Up!: Put your girlfriend’s culinary skills to the test with this restaurant game.
19. Calling All Cars: In this straightforward, easy to learn racing game, you’ll catch criminals and take them back to jail.
20. The Sims: This highly addictive simulation game allows players to create lives for their virtual players.
21. Soul Calibur: Let your girlfriend take out her frustrations in this friendly fighting game.
22. Crackdown: Your girlfriend can crack down on crime in this shooter game.
23. Grand Theft Auto: In this free-roaming game, your girlfriend can steal cars, shoot others, and advance as a hardened criminal.

Puzzle & Mini Games

Often, non-gamers aren’t interested in committing to games that are designed to be played over long periods of time, so introduce your girlfriend to these games that can be picked up and dropped at her convenience.

24. LittleBigPlanet: LBP is a puzzle platformer and user generated content video game featuring knitted characters.
25. Touchmaster: Touchmaster is full of highly addictive and fun video games.
26. Boom Blox: This puzzle game features more than 300 single-player levels, plus 100 cooperative and competitive levels.
27. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves: Wario Ware’s microgames generally last fewer than five seconds each, and have quick actions that must be accomplished.
28. Dr. Mario: You’ll have to align vitamins to destroy viruses in this classic puzzle game.
29. Puzzle Quest: Combat in this game is a lot like Bejeweled, in that you’ll swap positions to create a row or column of like tiles, which are removed and the spaces left behind are filled.
30. Monster Lab: Play Frankenstein with this game that will allow you and your girlfriend to create a monster out of a variety of parts.
31. Puyo Pop Fever: This game arranges different blob-like jelly creatures to pop them and cast a spell on opponents.
32. Katamari: In this game, you’ll push around an adhesive ball to pick up objects.
33. Super Puzzle Fighter: In this game, you’ll drop and arrange gems into blocks that will be eliminated.
34. Super Monkey Ball: Similar to Katamari, Super Monkey Ball involves moving a ball across a set of platforms without falling, and collecting bananas along the way.

Familiar Games

Get your girlfriend hooked on gaming with the help of a little nostalgia.

35. Wii Virtual Console: Through the Wii’s Virtual Console, you can find hundreds of game titles that your girlfriend might have enjoyed playing growing up.
36. Tetris: Nearly everyone has played Tetris at some point in their lives, so use this game to pull your girlfriend into gaming.
37. Super Paper Mario: If your girlfriend played Super Mario, there’s a good chance she’ll enjoy this role playing game.
38. Price is Right: If your girlfriend loves The Price is Right, she may enjoy playing the pricing games on this video game.
39. Street Fighter: Your girlfriend may not like the blood, but try out this old school fighting game that you can play together.
40. Mario Kart: Mario Kart has been around since the Super Nintendo days, so your girlfriend may have loved playing this go kart racing game growing up.
41. Sonic: There are a variety of Sonic games available for current consoles that your girlfriend might enjoy playing.
42. Kingdom Hearts: If your girlfriend likes Disney characters, check out this game that offers Donald Duck and Goofy as companion characters.
43. Donkey Kong: Another old familiar game with lots of titles is Donkey Kong. You can even try the Jungle Beat version for those who are musically inclined.

Intelligent Games

Appeal to your girlfriend’s reasonable side with these games that will test her brain power.

44. Scene It: Available for the XBox 360, Scene It is a fun video trivia game about movies.
45. Brain Age: Brain Age is published for the DS, and includes a variety of puzzles, tests, and math questions.
46. Crosswords DS: If your girlfriend likes to complete crossword puzzles, introduce her to this game that will let her do them electronically.
47. Smarty Pants: Trivia for Everyone: Answer 20,000 questions in 8 different categories in a variety of difficulty levels for lots of fun.
48. Big Brain Academy: Your girlfriend will enjoy this game that will exercise her brain.
49. Professor Layton and the Curious Village: This point and click adventure game for the Nintendo DS requires players to solve brainteasers and advance the game.
50. Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader: Make the Grade: If your girlfriend is a fan of this game show, see if she’d enjoy playing the video game.

Dating is definitely not the same as it used to be. From online dating’s popularity to the new vision of life over 50, dating has moved from the traditional courtship to a more active and personalized endeavor, which is sometimes odd for those who are older or getting back into dating after a divorce or death. We recommend using the following resources and tips for knowledge and confidence to get back into the dating game.

Dating Sites for Seniors

Online dating sites are very popular and don’t hold the stigma they once did. From traditional matchmaking services to more modern online dating sites, these resources are sure to help you make a connection. All of these below are directed specifically at people at least 40 or 50 years old.

1. SeniorFriendFinder. Exclusively for singles over 40, this site offers free member profiles and almost 500,000 members. You can use email, instant messaging, and video messaging to contact members with a paid subscription.
2. Your Senior Dating Site. This dating site promises it’s about the people, so you won’t get advertisements, but you will get personal service and ease of use. Signing up is free, but you will need a membership to contact a potential date.
3. SeniorMatch.com. This site is only for singles over 50 and imposes a minimum age as well. This is one of the largest senior dating sites.
4. Primesingles.net. This site for those 40 and over has a fast sign-up and is easy to navigate.
5. 50YearsPlus.com. "A singles site for seniors with integrity" is how they describe themselves at this site. Enjoy a seven-day free trial to see if you like this one before buying a membership.
6. Executive Senior Dating. This matchmaking service conducts a 30-90 minute phone call with you and a matchmaking counselor to start their matching process.
7. Real Mature Singles. For those 40 and over, this matching service verifies that every applicant is legitimate before providing services.
8. Senior Singles Only. This matching service meets and screens all applicants in person. The applicants must be at least 40 and looking for a long-term relationship.
9. Dating For Seniors. For dating, friends, or a life partner, this online dating site offers opportunities for older singles. Your free basic membership must be upgraded to a paid subscription in order to have full access to all services.
10. Senior Passions. This free dating and social networking site offers the opportunity for "the next big love of your life, companionship, or just to make new friends."

General Dating Sites

These dating sites are not specifically for older singles, but they are very popular and usually have large member databases. You can specify what age range you are interested in meeting, so feel free to give these a try too.

11. Yahoo! Personals. Completely free, this online dating service offers a wide range of categories from which you can search. Due to the lack of cost and the popularity of Yahoo!, you are sure to find lots of potential here.
12. Match.com. One of the top online dating services, Match.com provides a huge member database. You can browse for free, but you will need a membership to contact any potential matches.
13. Chemistry.com. A part of Match.com, and working like eHarmony, this site relies on matching techniques to connect people. For those who have been rejected by eHarmony, Chemistry.com offers a great chance to try this method of online dating.
14. eHarmony. This dating service offers a unique approach to online dating. Instead of browsing for dates or waiting for someone to come to you, they rely on a complex personality matching formula and provide you with potential matches.
15. Perfectmatch.com. Using a compatibility system, this dating site emails you when a good match becomes available. Perfectmatch.com has been receiving lots of rave reviews recently.
16. SinglesNet. This free service offers most of the same services available in the for-pay dating services. Gaining in popularity, the database is over 5 million large.
17. Lavalife. Choose to look for dates, relationships, or intimate encounters on this site. You can create three different profiles for each of the three different categories offered or select only one or two of them. This service is totally free and has a huge member base.
18. Great Expectations. Combining online dating services and in-person matchmaking, this service meets every member in person and creates a match for potential dates. They also offer invitations to Great Expectations events where you can meet members face-to-face. This service is available in about 50 cities in the U.S.
19. Matchmaker. Answer questions about major issues to create your matchability with this site. The service is free, but you will need to pay if you want to contact a member.
20. Plentyoffish.com. This totally free site matches singles from around the world. Touting itself as a dating site for everyone, you can choose a specific type of dating environment such as older couples or Christian Dating.

Tips for Online Dating

Navigating the world of online dating may seem overwhelming at first. Follow these simple tips to help you create a great profile, know how to communicate well, and keep yourself safe.

21. Name. Choose a fun and creative name for your profile. Make sure it reflects your personality, too.
22. Profile. Keep your profile short, but succinct. Add humor and make it truly an extension of yourself. Proofread it and have a friend do so too so that there are no spelling or grammar mistakes.
23. Photo. Make sure your photo is of a good quality, recent, and reflects who you are. For example, if you love dogs, include your pooch in the photo too.
24. Respond to everyone who writes you. It doesn’t have to be much, but at least let the person know if you are interested or not.
25. Keep it short. When you first start correspondence with someone, you don’t have to tell your whole life story at once. Let it unfold slowly.
26. Make contact. Don’t just focus on one person. Be sure to contact several people who look interesting.
27. Be honest. Not only should you be honest about who you are and what you look like, you should also be honest if you are no longer interested in corresponding with them.
28. Don’t get too personal. Getting too personal or talking about sex can be very off-putting. Let the relationship develop in its own time.
29. Be safe. Don’t disclose any personal information such as a personal email address, IM account, or phone number until you’re sure you can trust the person you’re giving them to. Most dating sites provide email and IM accounts that protect your privacy, so take advantage of these.
30. In person. If you decide to move beyond the dating site, first talk by phone. After a few phone conversations, if you decide to meet in person, keep it in a public place and consider having a friend at a nearby table to secretly monitor the situation.

Opportunities for Meeting People Off Line

Don’t just depend on online resources for dating. There are lots of ways to find dates through more traditional routes. If you live in a senior community, there are often planned activities to meet new friends and partners. If not, get out there and enjoy learning or doing something new and you just might find a new partner, too.

31. Clubs. Join a club. With everything out there from the Elk’s club to a nature conservancy group, you are sure to find a group of folks with similar interests as you.
32. Volunteer. Volunteering can be a great way to meet people and stay social. You will be making a difference, too.
33. Book group. Combine reading with the social aspect of discussing your book to share an interest and possibly meet a dating partner.
34. Cooking class. Take a cooking class will not only get you out and meeting new people, you will be learning how to eat more healthily, too.
35. Cards. Playing cards is a fun and social experience. Find a group that meets regularly and join in.
36. Exercise group. Join an exercise group. Many groups are available that offer group opportunities such as aquatics, walking, or yoga.
37. Classes. Take an adult continuing education class and learn something new. Many universities and community colleges offer courses ranging from web design to throwing pottery.
38. Travel. There are many chances for group travel experiences that offer the opportunity for you to meet new people. The bonus to finding someone while traveling is that you know you both have the desire to explore and learn.
39. Dance. Take a dance class if you’re new to dancing, or sign up for a group that dances regularly if you already love to dance.
40. Get a dog. Not only will having a dog keep you company, but taking your dog out for walks, to local parks, or just around town with you opens up tons of opportunities for you to connect with other dog owners or just friendly animal lovers.

Articles

All of these articles touch on dating in your later years. From using senior dating sites to first date anxiety to flirting, these resources will help you feel more confident in your dating abilities.

41. How to Use Senior Dating Sites. This article offers good advice and tips for seniors on using online dating sites. This is especially helpful if you have limited experience with online groups.
42. Making the Most of the Senior Dating Sites. Another article on senior dating sites, this one suggests how to select an online service and some things to look for once you begin making connections with other singles.
43. Senior Dating Tips. This article offers some great tips for getting back out there on the dating scene.
44. Suddenly Single Seniors and Dating. Check out this article for great suggestions on dating, and specifically, finding someone through personal ads.
45. Seeking Love. This article offers real life stories and suggestions for dating when you are over 45. Here’s the proof that you don’t have to feel like life has passed you by just because you aren’t 20 anymore.
46. How to Overcome First Date Anxiety. Directed specifically at those getting back into the dating game after age 50, this article offers some great ideas to ensure you are feeling comfortable.
47. Seniors Dating. From ideas on where to look for a partner to some potential pitfalls to benefits of dating later in life, this article covers it all.
48. Mature Dating–Late Joiner. For advice on how to blend families in the later years, this short article offers helpful tips on how to facilitate the blending process.
49. Prime Time Women: Fifty is Not What It Used To Be. Find out why dating in your fifties is so great for women. And men, you can get tips on how to succeed with these dynamos.
50. How to Flirt Online. If you are giving online dating a try, this flirting primer will help you walk that fine line between showing interest and not showing too much.

Blogs

Blogs are a great way to learn from the experience of regular people. All of these blogs are either written specifically for dating over 50 or written by people sharing their experiences of dating over 50.

51. ChaiLife Atlanta. While this blog is specifically for Jewish daters over 45 in the Atlanta area, it also offers plenty of advice and support for those dating later in life, despite their location or religious affiliation.
52. You don’t have to be a "10" to find love after 50. Read an inspirational story about fate and finding your partner. This blog offers a sweet story of how an older couple found each other on JDate and the extraordinary circumstances of their lives.
53. Falling in Love at 49. Read about the coming together of this woman and her husband as they discover love. Browse her blog for other posts with advice on dating later in life.
54. Mature Dating: From Despair and Disappointment to Delight, Adventure, Ease, and Joy. This blog isn’t being updated anymore, but it contains lots of posts offering advice on dating after 50.
55. Misery Date. This entertaining blog post describes one woman’s approach to dating in her later years–and it’s all about embracing who you are and what you want.
56. Are You a Love Snob? Read about how some people approach love and commitment. This blog post will get you thinking about what is important in a relationship and what it means to you.
57. Over 50 and Single? Take a few minutes for yourself. Get tips on dating after 50 from this post. Use the search tool on this blog for other posts on dating from this 50+ writer.
58. Sex and Ageism in the Movies. This woman ponders the way Hollywood presents sex and romance for those in their 40s and 50s.
59. Safe Sex: Affection with Protection. As this writer states, "After more than a year of being single, what I have learned is this: Condoms are a fact of life." Find out which condoms rate high with this woman.
60. The Dating Game. This Baby Boomer writes about online dating after 50 and why it’s becoming so popular in this age group.

Dating after Divorce or Death of a Spouse

The loss of a spouse through either divorce or death can be devastating. Once you have given yourself time to grieve your loss, don’t stay mired in the past. Follow these suggestions to get yourself in a good place to start dating again.

61. Move beyond the past. You will not be able to move forward until you resolve your feelings about the break-up of your marriage or the death of your partner. Once you work through these feelings, you’ll find yourself in a much better place to go on with your life.
62. Rekindle old interests. Did you once have a passion for photography? Pick up that camera again. You may find that you can rediscover yourself through those interests you pushed aside years ago.
63. Find new interests. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to paint or go kayaking. Taking up new interests now will help you rediscover qualities about yourself you may have forgotten. It will also get you out and meeting new people.
64. Learn to enjoy your own company. After living with someone for a while, it can be difficult to enjoy doing things alone. Find ways to have fun on your own.
65. Take care of yourself. If you’ve gained a few extra pounds, find a way to get some exercise. Eat healthfully and take time to pamper yourself. If you feel good about the way you look and feel, others will too.
66. Lose the negative self-image. If you feel poorly about yourself, you are likely to attract people who will treat you badly. Make a list of your good qualities and remind yourself often of them. Work on building yourself up.
67. Reconnect with old friends. Track down old friends with whom you’ve lost touch over the years. Whether you find you’ve still got lots in common or you’ve both moved on, it will likely enrich your life anyway.
68. Develop new friendships. New friendships and support systems can help ease your transition after divorce or the death of a spouse. Find ways to connect with new friends of either gender.
69. Volunteer. No matter if you have a lot of free time or almost none, there is some place you can volunteer your time. Devoting some time working for others is a great way to discover new things about yourself. You can also spend time in looking after your pets. A dog can be very good companion, especially in troubled times.
70. Find a new job. Whether you are retired, you spent your life rearing children, or you’ve been working in a job you hate, get out there and find something fun you enjoy doing. You will meet new people and add a new dimension to your life.

Going on a Date

Now you’ve connected with someone and it’s time for your date. You will want to follow these tips to ensure everything goes smoothly and you and your partner have a great time together.

71. Show interest. You have accepted or asked someone on a date, so spend that time finding out about them. Try not to compare them to any ex partners, but find out what makes them unique and fun to know.
72. Dress appropriately. Dress in nice, clean clothes that reflect who you are. Don’t try to dress too young or too casually as you want to make an honest impression on your date.
73. Don’t go too fast. Loneliness or the desire to fill a gap left empty by an ex may drive you to want to find someone right away. Instead, slow down and appreciate the chance you have to enjoy meeting others.
74. Relax. Leave your insecurities about being on the dating scene at home. Have fun, enjoy your date, and you will find your date will appreciate you for just being yourself.
75. Don’t worry about imperfections. Your laugh lines show how much you’ve enjoyed life just as imperfections such as scars reflect the interesting life you’ve led. Don’t spend time worrying about these small character traits–enjoy your date instead.
76. Be accepting. Know that your date has also lived a full life that may not be exactly what you expect. Be accepting of the fact that your date may have commitments to children, debt from divorce, or any other number of factors that you might not have anticipated.
77. But don’t settle. Just because you are feeling lonely, don’t settle for less than what you deserve. A woman who always breaks your dates to be with her friends or a man who treats you with no respect are just not worth your time.
78. Be aware of old patterns. If you have a history of dating or marrying a certain type of destructive person, learn how to break the cycle. Especially if your past choices have lead you to dangerous situations such as drug abuse or violence, seek help to learn how to get away from your old patterns.
79. Whether to have sex. Whether or not to have sex with your date or how quickly to engage in sex may have a very different feel now than when you were twenty. Listen to yourself and do what you feel is right.
80. Practice dating. Let yourself go out with people who might not be the perfect match. This allows you to get back into the swing of things with a lot less pressure to make the date go perfectly.

Date Ideas

Whether it’s your first date together or your fifth, these ideas will spark conversation and help you learn about each other in an environment of fun, art, charity, or knowledge.

81. Picnic. Pack up a simple, romantic lunch or dinner and head out to a park. Sharing a meal together in nature is not only romantic, but it allows you the opportunity to get to know each other against a beautiful backdrop.
82. Get active. If you both play golf or tennis, take your first date on the go. After your game, you can stop off for a refreshing drink and snack to wrap up the date.
83. Museum. Visit a museum together. Wandering through the art or even deciding which type of museum to visit will tell you much about the other and is a fun way to spend the day.
84. Take a cooking class. With so many cooking classes available, you can decide on a type of class and pass a few hours learning how to prepare a special meal. Maybe your next date can be using your newfound skills to cook for each other.
85. Book reading. Attend a reading at a book store. You might discover you share a passion for the same books, author, or just reading in general.
86. Vino. Whether you have a nearby winery you can tour together or you can experience a wine tasting at a local store, share the fun of exploring wine together while you learn about each other.
87. Charity event. Attend a charity event together. The group setting may ease any first-date jitters and you will be helping a good cause.
88. On the water. Go out to a local river or lake and rent a paddle boat, kayak, or canoe. Whether you have experience or not doesn’t matter, it’s about having fun together.
89. See a play. Theater doesn’t have to be a big production or expensive. Many community and university theaters offer interesting, well-done, and affordable productions that you and your date can enjoy together.
90. Outdoor market. Head to an outdoor market such as a farmer’s market or flea market. Walking through and discovering what is available will allow the two of you to find out more about each other.

Sexuality

Your sexuality doesn’t go away after you turn 50. The following information and tips will help you stay safe, have fun, and enjoy the next level of your dating experience once you’ve found that special someone.

91. Aging. According to an AARP study, 49% of older couples engage in sexual intercourse once a week or more. That number drops to 34% in those over 70, but it looks like the myth of older couples not enjoying sex is just not true.
92. Antidepressants. Many people on antidepressants relate how their sex drive is almost eliminated. Most of the medications responsible for the loss of libido are SSRIs. Check with your doctor about take Wellbutrin, which has been shown to actually increase sex drive in one study.
93. Don’t stop. Not having sex can have negative effects for when you want to begin again. For women, the elasticity of the vaginal walls breaks down and for men, the blood flow is inhibited by lack of use. The good news is that if you don’t have a partner, masturbation will help keep everything working in proper order.
94. Sexual peak. While men reportedly have their sexual peak in their teens or 20s and women in their 30s or 40s, there is also information suggesting that men and women also have a psychological sexual peak that is different from the physical peak more commonly known. For both men and women, the psychological peak occurs in their 50s.
95. Having sex. Once you begin having sex with a new partner, always take precautions against STDs. Talk openly with your partner about your sexual health and use condoms. Just because pregnancy might not be an issue doesn’t mean you shouldn’t worry about STDs.
96. Condom care. Keeping a condom in your wallet is not a good idea. The friction and temperature changes can create microscopic tears in the condom that allow sperm to get through.
97. Polyurethane condoms. Condoms made of lambskin are effective against pregnancy, but they do not protect you from STDs. If you have a latex allergy, polyurethane condoms are a good alternative. Recent studies show that they are as effective against STDs as latex condoms.
98. Prostate health. A study published in the Journal of American Medical Association indicates that frequent ejaculation helps improve prostate health. That’s good news for men.
99. Dryness. Vaginal dryness can negatively effect the sexual experience for women and the reduction in hormones that occurs with age can produce more dryness. Try using a lubricant specifically designed to replicate the natural secretions such as K-Y Silk-E or Astroglide.
100. Kegel. These exercises have long been known to help women reduce incontinence after menopause, but they also help men to improve performance and enhance orgasm. Start doing Kegel exercises today.

Wedding planning is an exciting but incredibly involved undertaking, so it’s important that you take advantage of all of the tools you have at your disposal. One of the most useful of these tools is the Internet, which is full of advice, planners, and other great resources for pulling everything together. Here, we’ve shared 100 of the best of what the Internet has to offer for brides.

Motherlode

These sites are the ones you hear about often. They generally have full-service tools, vendor listings, inspiration and more, creating a one-stop shop for brides.

1. The Knot: This perennial favorite has it all-dresses, fashion, planning tools, and loads of inspiration. Just take it slowly, and don’t get overwhelmed.
2. Martha Stewart Weddings: Martha has awesome planning tools, crafty advice, etiquette, and so much more.
3. OneWed: OneWed offers planning resources, an active community of brides, plus free wedding websites.
4. Brides.com: This popular bridal magazine’s website is alive and well offering wedding style, planning, and much more.
5. WeddingWire: Wedding Wire is an awesome resource for brides. You can find vendors and ask them to bid their services, build a site, talk to other brides, and a whole lot more.
6. Get Married: Lifetime’s wedding site has feature video, planning tools, advice, and plenty of other useful resources for brides.
7. WeddingChannel: Here you’ll find resources for planning, lots of photo galleries, and shopping tips.

General Advice

Visit these sites to find answers to your wedding questions.

8. WikiWeddings: WikiWeddings has advice for just about every part of wedding planning.
9. Mahalo: Mahalo has a great collection of wedding how-tos.
10. About.com Weddings: About.com has an incredibly helpful and extensive collection of wedding resources and advice.

Money

With these resources, you can get your wedding budget under control.

11. How to Make a Wedding Budget: Mahalo offers some sound advice for putting together a wedding budget.
12. Easy Budget Wedding Worksheet: About offers a worksheet for figuring out your wedding budget.
13. The $28,000 question: Why are we all hypocrites about weddings?: Ramit Sethi offers some frank advice about financing and saving for your wedding.
14. Top 5 Biggest Wedding Money Wasters: About.com covers a few things you shouldn’t bother spending money on.
15. Mint.com as a Wedding Budget Tracking Tool: Find out how you can use Mint to stay on top of wedding finance.
16. How to Save Money on Your Wedding Ceremony and Reception: wikiHow shares a few pieces of advice for cutting costs.
17. She had a fabulous wedding on a budget: CNN profiles a woman who had an affordable wedding, and offers a lot of tips for brides who want to save money.
18. Revealing the Hidden Costs of Weddings: Investopia takes a look at some expenses you might not have thought of.
19. Wedding Budget Etiquette: This article simply breaks down the etiquette rules for wedding costs.
20. The marriage industrial complex: Salon interviews the author of "One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding" and breaks down the idea of the wedding industrial complex.

Wedding Planners

With these tools and resources, you can make wedding planning a simple task.

21. One Stop Wedding Planner: This online planner will cover all of your bases with ease.
22. Planganza: Organize your wedding, get vendors, and lots more on this site.
23. Why Hire a Wedding Coordinator?: Find out why a coordinator can help you save your sanity and money at the same time.
24. Wedding Control: Use this site to manage your invitations, guests, and more.
25. OurWeddingDay: On this site, you’ll find loads of free tools for managing your wedding.
26. Weddinic: This awesome tool will help you stay on task with wedding planning.

Guests

Get your guests organized and happy with these resources.

27. How to Organize Your Wedding Guest List with Complete Ease: Learn how you can make creating your guest list as painless as possible.
28. See You Then: Get all of your guests organized on this event planning site.
29. JotSpot: This family site can help you corrdinate schedules and get your family organized.
30. SimpleSeating: Use this tool to drap and drop your guests into seating arrangements.

Music & Entertainment

Get ideas for ceremony music, find a DJ, and more with these resources.

31. WeddingWire Music Database: WeddingWire’s collection of wedding songs offers the ability to listen to clips.
32. Wedding Music 101: Check out this advice site for advice on hiring a band or DJ, what to play and when you should play it, as well as tips for avoiding music mistakes.
33. GigSalad: Book your wedding talent on this site.
34. It’s a nice day for an iPod Wedding: CNet has a little bit of advice for couples who are thinking of using an iPod for wedding music.
35. Out Wedding Songs: This site has a song for every moment of your wedding-and other brides have rated and commented on what they think of them.
36. WeDJ: On WeDJ, you can find an awesome local disc jockey to play your wedding.
37. Top 100 Party Songs: This site lists all of the wedding favorites.

Invitations & Website

These resources are great for help with sharing information.

38. Wedding Websites: This site makes it easy to find the wedding website for you, offering lots of listings and reviews.
39. WeddingMapper: This tool is great for showing guests exactly where everything is.
40. Wedding invitation wording that won’t make you barf: Offbeat Bride has some great ideas for wording your wedding invitations.
41. What to put on your wedding website: Aisle Dash offers 7 things you should have on your website.

Fashion & Style

Check out wedding dresses, learn about alterations, and get style inspiration from these resources.

42. Bridal Gown Shopping Rules: A seamstress offers her advice for brides when looking for a wedding dress.
43. Wedding Dress Creator: With this tool, you can design your own dress.
44. Everything you need to know about having your wedding dress custom-made: The title says it all-this article has great advice for getting a wedding dress made just for you.
45. Custom Fit Tool: Brides.com offers a tool for matching your body type with a flattering dress.
46. Bride on a Budget: Finding Cheap Wedding Dresses: This article has some great advice for brides who want to save money on their dress.
47. Wedding Color Palette: With this tool, you can put together a color palette for your wedding.
48. 10 Resources to Help You Find and Purchase Blood-Free Diamonds: Check out this advice to find a diamond wedding ring you don’t have to feel guilty about.
49. Dress Your Wedding: David’s Bridal’s tool will help you visualize your wedding party.
50. Design*Sponge: Design*Sponge is one of the best places to go for inspiration and DIY ideas.
51. Etsy: Even if you don’t buy from Etsy sellers, you’ll get some awesome inspiration for wedding style.
52. The Great Bustle Debate: Get a look at a few different ways to bustle your dress here.
53. Wedding Dress Directory: The Wedding Channel has amassed a collection of over 30,000 gowns for inspiration and planning.

Health & Beauty

These resources will help you stay healthy and beautiful for your big day.

54. WeddingMakeup.com: This site has great advice and resources for wedding makeup.
55. Makeup Trial: Aislewalk’s makeup worksheet will help you plan your wedding day look.
56. Which Bridal Hair Style Should You Choose?: Style Hair Magazine offers ideas and inspiration.
57. How to Adapt your Makeup for your Wedding Day: This tutorial offers a step by step guide to doing your own makeup.
58. Taaz: Upload your photo to this site, and you can experiment with different makeup looks.
59. The Pre-Wedding Health Guide: 25 Things Every Bride Should Do to Stay Healthy Before the Big Day: Check out this article for some great advice on being a healthy bride.

Tech Tools

Take your wedding planning to the next level with these handy tools.

60. How to Plan a Wedding…Google Style: This blogger explains how she uses Google tools to plan her wedding.
61. Streamlining Family Projects with Google Docs: See how you can put together your wedding on Google Docs.
62. Backpack: 37Signals’ organization and collaboration tool is awesome for wedding planning.
63. Excel: A perennial favorite, this spreadsheet program is still one of the best tools for wedding planning.

Vendors

Find and manage vendors with these resources.

64. Selecting a Photographer for Your Wedding: Professional Photographers of America offers a few things to think about when hiring a wedding photographer.
65. Citysearch: Citysearch is a great place to get the truth about potential wedding vendors.
66. A Beautiful Affair of the Heart: Check out this site to find an officiant to marry you.
67. Yahoo! Local: Yahoo!’s directory offers an easy way to locate potential wedding vendors.
68. Wedding Cakes Across America: Check out this site’s gallery of cakes, and find a baker that will make one for you on this site.
69. Yelp: Yelp offers easy to find listings and reviews on local wedding vendors.
70. Wedding Cake Creations: This site has a great gallery of cakes, lots of advice, and a tools for finding your own cake maker.
71. Google Local: Find websites, contact information and more for wedding service professionals in your area with Google.

Green Weddings

Use these resources to plan a wedding that’s easy on the earth.

72. Portovert: Portovert is an awesome resource for finding an environmentally friendly location, vendors, and lots more.
73. Great Green Weddings: Any bride interested in having an eco-friendly wedding needs to check out this site.
74. How to Green Your Wedding: TreeHugger offers some tips and other great information for creating a wedding that’s light on the environment.
75. Ethical Weddings: From wedding gowns to suppliers, Ethical Weddings has you covered.

Parties

With these resources, you can get involved with planning all of the fun parties that will surround your wedding.

76. The Bachelor Party Photo Guide: Popular Photography has some advice for grooms who want to keep their night of debauchery a secret.
77. BridesmaidAid: This site has some great advice for bridesmaids planning a bridal shower. If you want to make creative t-shirts or party favors for the event, take advantage of this Customized Girl Promo Code.
78. Bachelorette Party Guide: Here you’ll find an awesome resource for drinking games, scavenger hunts, and more.

Wedding Horror

Look to these sites for both warnings and entertainment.

79. Ugly Dress: Don’t subject your bridesmaids to this.
80. Etiquette Hell: Check out the stories on this site to learn what not to do.

Blogs & Communities

Blogs and bridal communities are perhaps the most valuable resources a bride can have. They’re great about providing the latest trends, ideas, and tips that brides can use for planning, so be sure to check them out.

81. Wedded Bits: Brides.com’s blog has planning tips, trend coverage, and weddings in the news.
82. Hostess with the Mostess: The Hostess blog is good for any party, but brides will enjoy the fresh take found here.
83. Offbeat Bride: Ariel Stallings’ blog is an ode to brides that don’t want to mess with poofy dresses. Here you’ll find inspiration-"wedding porn"-for making your wedding unique and personal.
84. IndieBride: IndieBride’s Kvetch has a nice community of brides with great ideas.
85. Wedding Bee: Wedding Bee is a group blog for engaged women, but it’s more than just entries-the blog has a strong community as well as classifieds.
86. A Practical Wedding: Meg’s blog offers advice for planning a wedding that won’t drive you crazy.
87. Bridal Bar Blog: The Bridal Bar is an awesome blog to check out for inspiration.
88. WeddingWire: The Blog: WeddingWire’s blog is a nice mix of trend watches, current events, and advice for brides.
89. Elizabeth Anne Designs: Elizabeth’s blog practically defines wedding style, featuring breathtaking photos and lots of inspiration.
90. AisleDash: Aisle Dash is full of awesome galleries and advice.
91. IDoSugar: This new blog is full of great ideas and current events in weddings.
92. Polka Dot Bride: This Australia-based wedding blog is obsessed with cute style.
93. {ritzy bee blog}: Ritzy Bee is all about wedding details.

Miscellaneous

Find even more great resources for wedding planning here.

94. Wedding Vows: This site is full of sample vows, plus entire ceremonies and poems.
95. How to buy cheap flowers for wedding centerpieces: Find advice for cutting your floral cost at the reception here.
96. Napkin Folding Arrangements: Check out a variety of arrangements and learn how to execute them here.
97. Honeymoon Sex: Eight Adventurous Ideas: Grooms Magazine has some fun ideas for taking sex out of the honeymoon suite.
98. DIY Network: The DIY Network has loads of wedding related projects to check out.
99. Wedding Food Tips: Here you’ll find a variety of tips for food and alcohol.
100. 7 Tips on Destination Weddings: Smart Money offers some advice for couples considering a destination wedding.

There is no denying the impact that "Sex and the City" has made on the contemporary dating scene. Just ask any single, cosmopolitan woman and she will undoubtedly be familiar with the many adventures of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda. We could all learn from the show, as it bravely unmasks every dirty detail of finding love in the modern world. Below are the 10 most essential dating lessons from "Sex and the City."

1. It’s Okay to Be Single – This was perhaps the most important lesson that "Sex and the City" bestowed upon the world, particularly where women were concerned. Although singledom didn’t always bring happiness to the four main characters, the ladies sure made it look like fun 90 percent of the time.

   To be single means to be independent, and with a fairy tale-like Manhattan glittering in the background, the show made us all feel okay with the idea of being single. These women were not spinsters — they were cosmopolitan sexpots. Refreshing, indeed.
    

2. Sex Can Be Healthy – Let’s face it: sex changed for us all when the AIDS virus started taking lives in the 1980s. Although we learned more about the disease and how it is contracted by the time we entered the 1990s, this association between sex and death still permeated the single community. With that came guilt for those who still enjoyed casual sex from time to time.

   Enter "Sex and the City" in 1998 and we all breathed a sigh of relief — people were still having sex! Safe sex, in all its full-frontal glory, was a huge part of the television series. Although this probably didn’t endear the show to religious fundamentalists, most people applauded its candor and a wiser, safer sexual revolution was born.
    

3. Test the Waters Before Marriage – Who can forget Charlotte’s doomed marriage to the seemingly perfect Trey? After meeting what she thought was the perfect man, the ever-romantic Charlotte decided to wait until marriage to consummate their love, only to discover later that he couldn’t be intimate with her.

   Of course, some people still believe that sex before marriage is wrong. Those same people probably don’t watch "Sex and the City" for love lessons. Most of us need to test the waters before marriage, as intimacy is an integral part of a healthy relationship. Even if you plan to save sex for marriage, it’s important that you ask questions about your partner’s sexual health.
    

4. You Can Score Outside of Your League – Never underestimate your ability to find love with someone who is seemingly "out of your league." Is someone you are interested in really good looking or in a higher socioeconomic class? This doesn’t mean you weren’t meant to be. Chances are, the idea that you aren’t good enough is just your skewed perception. Believe it or not, true love transcends superficiality.

   In a Season Three episode, Miranda begins dating a hot NYPD detective and subsequently ruins the relationship because she is so self-conscious about her own looks. Of course, he finds her very attractive, but her insecurity gets in the way of what could have been a great thing. Charlotte, on the other hand, learns that looks and WASPy status isn’t nearly as important as her love for second husband Harry.
    

5. Don’t Change Who You Are – This is a constant theme throughout the show, which only supports the girl power vibe for which "Sex and the City" is so well known. Never lose yourself in a relationship in order to conform to the other person’s life or ideals. Carrie found herself changing for a few men in the show. Although Aidan was seemingly the perfect guy, he wasn’t perfect for her.

   One of the more hilarious episodes showed Aidan unsuccessfully introducing the great outdoors to Carrie, a concrete-loving New York City girl. Towards the end of the series, Carrie again found herself lost in a relationship with a man: Russian artist Aleksandr Petrovsky. After pushing her best girlfriends away and moving to Paris with Aleksandr, she soon found she was unhappy because she was living his life instead of her own.
    

6. Your Friends are the Best Sounding Boards – Not only did "Sex and the City" teach us that being single was okay, it glorified the tight bonds between friends. The ladies on the show shared every detail of their romantic lives with each other. Not sure what to think of your current love interest? Your BFFs could impart some valued, third party opinions.

   Of course, not all of us listen to sound advice, which was the case many times on the show. Charlotte was warned that she was moving too fast with Trey, and how many times was Carrie reminded how difficult Mr. Big could be?
    

7. Don’t Drag Out a Doomed Relationship – If the signs are there, don’t ignore them. Carrie found a very nice guy in Aidan, but she knew he wasn’t right for her. Still, she persevered, even sharing her coveted Manhattan apartment with him. Never mind her refusal to wear her engagement ring on her finger — when Aidan started messing with her apartment, we all knew there was trouble.

   Of course, the most painful attempt to "make it work" on the show was poor Charlotte and her unwavering devotion to Trey. Yep, a grown man who bathes with his intrusive mother in the room is probably one to avoid. Still, Charlotte agonized as she tried to be the perfect wife in an imperfect relationship.
    

8. Learn to Accept the Other Person’s Disinterest – One of the most memorable phrases ever uttered throughout the series was "he’s just not that into you." In fact, this even spawned a hit book and an upcoming film. After a flirty Miranda asks a date to come upstairs to her apartment, she is bewildered when the guy blows her off. How could he possibly decline what was a thinly veiled invitation for sex?

   Carrie’s boyfriend Berger informs Miranda that, "he’s just not that into you." Sometimes, it is as simple as that: he or she just isn’t into you and you need to move on. Don’t overanalyze it — just simply find someone who is into you. Yes, it might hurt your ego a little bit, but Miranda didn’t let it bother her that much. In fact, the always-logical lawyer reveled in its simplicity.
    

9. Stop Waiting for Perfection – Are you looking for that fairy tale romance? Do you believe in that one true soul mate who will enter your life in cinematic bravado? Then wake up now and realize that perfection rarely exists. Relationships are messy and loud — even the good ones. You really do have to work at it.

   Charlotte was almost childlike in her expectations of a "perfect" relationship. This would result in a lot of disappointment. Likewise, Carrie and Mr. Big would experience a cavalcade of break ups before they finally realized that they loved each other despite the fact that their relationship was far from perfect.
    

10. Opposites Can Attract – This isn’t just about someone who is out of your league, but someone who is your complete opposite. Although you may be looking for love in someone similar to yourself, you just might your soul mate in a person who is totally different.

    Would the work-obsessed and overly responsible Miranda ever dream she would marry a childish bartender? Surprisingly, it actually worked once she finally accepted that opposites really do attract, and can work to balance each other.

By Tara Miller

Divorce can leave you reeling, but when you start to pick up the pieces of your life and decide to move back into dating, it can feel a bit strange. If you were married for a long time, you may even feel too intimidated to try dating again. Have no worries, you can jump back into dating and actually enjoy finding out about yourself and meeting other people in the process. The following list offers ideas on how to get prepared for dating, how to go about reconnecting and finding dates, and what to do when you actually start dating.

Re-establish Your Identity

Being a part of a couple for a while will certainly take some of your individuality away. Take advantage of this time after your divorce to find that individuality again. Learn new hobbies, find old friends, and treat yourself with respect. This list tells you how to do that and more.

1. Let go of the past. You will not be able to move forward until you resolve your feelings about the break-up of your marriage and the divorce. Once you work through these feelings, you’ll find yourself in a much better place to go on with your life.
2. Rekindle old interests. Did you have a passion for photography before you got married? Pick up that camera again. You may find that you can rediscover yourself through those interests you pushed aside during the marriage.
3. Find new interests. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to paint or go kayaking. Taking up new interests now will help you rediscover qualities about yourself you may have forgotten. It will also get you out and meeting new people.
4. Learn to enjoy your own company. After living with someone for a while, it can be difficult to enjoy doing things alone. Find ways to have fun on your own.
5. Take care of yourself. If you’ve gained a few extra pounds, find a way to get some exercise. Eat healthily and take time to pamper yourself. If you feel good about the way you look and feel, others will too.
6. Lose the negative self-image. If you feel poorly about yourself, you are likely to attract people who will treat you badly. Make a list of your good qualities and remind yourself often of them. Work on building yourself up.
7. Develop new friendships. You don’t have to ignore your old friends, but often it is helpful to have a new network of friends who didn’t know you and your ex as a couple. New friendships and support systems can help ease your transition after divorce.
8. Reconnect with old friends. Track down old friends with whom you’ve lost touch over the years. Whether you find you’ve still got lots in common or you’ve both moved on, it will likely enrich your life anyway.
9. Volunteer. No matter if you have a lot of free time or almost none, there is some place you can volunteer your time. Devoting some time working for others is a great way to discover new things about yourself.
10. Start a new career. If you’ve been working in a job you hate or if you were staying at home with the children, after a divorce is a good time to start down a new path. Start taking steps to get you going toward that career you’ve always wanted.

Social Networking

One of the most popular ways to stay in touch with friends is through social networking sites. With many sites, not only can you keep up with friends you see every day, but you can also follow those who live further away. Some social networking sites also serve as dating sites, too. If you aren’t already familiar with social networking, after a divorce is a great time to discover it–you might be surprised to find so many of your friends already there. Check out some of these sites below.

11. Facebook. Find your friends on Facebook, then share photos, play games like Scrabulous, and keep up with what’s happening in their lives. Facebook allows you to adjust privacy controls so that you can choose who sees your profile information.
12. MySpace. Like Facebook, MySpace allows you to connect with friends and stay current with their lives. MySpace offers music on the profiles and you can personalize your page to your liking.
13. Twitter. If you just want to keep your friends updated and know what they are up to, Twitter allows you to type in a short update that goes out to your friends. If you like getting messages on your phone, have the updates go directly there.
14. Pownce. Share messages, files, links, and events with your friends on Pownce. Its aesthetically pleasing design earned itself a place in 10 Most Beautiful Social Networks.
15. Meetup.com. Choose an interest such as knitting, politics, or speaking French and find a group in your area. Meetups usually happen on a specified day of each month.
16. Classmates.com. Use this site to find old friends from high school, college, the military, and workplaces. You can also connect with people through specific interest groups. This service is free, but to have full access, you will have to buy a subscription.
17. Reunion.com. Reunion provides the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, family, and lost loves. With a free membership, you can create a profile and search for friends. With a paid subscription, you get other benefits such as finding out who was searching for you and sending messages to other members.
18. Flickr. Upload your photos and share them with friends and family on this site. Search for people you know or join a special interest group such as people who appreciate black and white photography.
19. Flixster. This is the social networking site for movie lovers. You can find your friends and share your favorite movies with them. Also, keep updated on the news from the movie world and meet other movie fans.
20. Last.fm. For music fans, check out Last.fm. Upload music and videos, discover new music, and share your favorites with your friends. You can also find new friends with similar taste in music.
21. Shelfari. Book lovers will love this site. Create a virtual book shelf of what you’ve read, are currently reading, or want to read and share with your friends. Connect with new friends in groups and share your book shelf on your blog or other social networking sites.

Online Dating

If you were married for more than a handful of years, dating is much different than it was when you were doing it before. Online dating is the most popular way to get out there and find a partner. The following list offers some of the most popular online dating services.

22. Yahoo! Personals. Completely free, this online dating service offers a wide range of categories from which you can search. Due to not having a cost associated with it and the popularity of Yahoo!, you are sure to find lots of potential here.
23. Match.com. One of the top online dating services, Match.com provides a huge member database. You can browse for free, but you will need a membership to contact any potential matches.
24. Friendfinder. This site is ideal for those who are starting to date again and just want to get their feet wet. Friendfinder is great for anyone hoping to find fun, friend, and maybe even love. There’s no pressure to hit it off romantically, so you can just enjoy the new people you meet.
25. eHarmony. This dating service offers a unique approach to online dating. Instead of browsing for dates or waiting for someone to come to you, they rely on a complex personality matching formula and provide you with potential matches. 
26. Perfectmatch.com. Using a compatibility system, this dating site emails you when a good match for you becomes available. Perfectmatch.com has been receiving lots of rave reviews recently.
27. SinglesNet. This free service offers most of the same services available in the for-pay dating services. Gaining in popularity, the database is over 5 million strong.
28. Lavalife. Choose to look for dates, relationships, or intimate encounters on this site. You can create three different profiles for each of the three different categories offered or select only one or two of them. This service is totally free and has a huge member base.
29. Great Expectations. Combining online dating services and in-person matchmaking, this service meets every member in person and creates a match for potential dates. They also offer invitations to Great Expectations events where you can meet members face-to-face. This service is available in about 50 cities in the U.S.
30. Matchmaker. Answer questions about major issues to create your matchability with this site. The service is free, but you will need to pay if you want to contact a member.
31. American Singles. This site matches singles of any age and background. Touting itself as a dating site for everyone, you can choose a specific type of dating environment such as older or divorced couples.
32. SeniorFriendFinder. This site advertises to 50 somethings. It has over 2 million singles in their system, and anyone can join for free.

Getting out There

You’ve prepared yourself, made connections, and have figured out how to find a date. Now it’s time to actually go out. Follow these suggestions to make sure your first dating experiences go well and you enjoy yourself.

33. Don’t talk about the divorce. Especially if you just finalized the divorce or it was particularly messy, the temptation to talk about the details will be strong. Resist the temptation and focus on the person across the table from you instead.
34. Keep child-talk to a minimum. If you have children, don’t spend the whole date talking about them. Keep to a maximum of about five minutes, then move on to something else.
35. Show interest. You have accepted or asked someone on a date, so spend that time finding out about them. Try not to compare them to your ex, but find out what makes them unique and fun to know.
36. Don’t go too fast. The unexpected loneliness of divorce or the desire to fill a gap left empty by your ex may drive you to want to remarry right away. Instead, slow down and enjoy the chance you have to enjoy meeting others or reconnecting with your interests.
37. Relax. Leave your insecurities about being out of the dating scene at home. Have fun, enjoy your date, and you will find that your date will appreciate you for just being yourself.
38. Be accepting. Know that your date has also lived a full life that may not be exactly what you expect. Be accepting of the fact that your date may have commitments to children, debt from divorce, or any other number of factors that you might not have anticipated.
39. But don’t settle. Just because you are feeling lonely, don’t settle for less than what you deserve. A woman who always breaks your dates to be with her friends or a man who treats you with no respect are just not worth your time.
40. Be aware of old patterns. If you have a history of dating (or marrying) a certain type of person, learn how to break the cycle. Especially if your past choices have lead you to dangerous situations such as drug abuse or violence, seek help to learn how to get away from your old patterns.
41. Whether to have sex. Whether or not to have sex with your date or how quickly to engage in sex may have a very different feel after being married. You may want to jump right in there again or need to take things slowly. Listen to yourself and do what you need.
42. Having sex. Once you do begin having sex again, always take precautions against STDs. Talk openly with your partner about your sexual health and use condoms.
43. Practice dating. Let yourself go out with people who might not be the perfect match. This allows you to get back into the swing of things with a lot less pressure to make the date go perfectly.
44. First relationship. Many experts believe that the first real relationship after your divorce is an important one for the healing process. Statistics indicate that this first relationship is very unlikely to last, but it provides you a chance to make the transition into your new life.

Dating with Kids

If you have children from your marriage, you have an added challenge to dating. Don’t be discouraged, though. You can and should get out there even with a family. These tips offer ways to make dating and parenting work together.

45. Talk to your kids. Let them know you will be meeting other people, but reassure them that you love them very much and no one will replace them. This article offers great advice for starting the conversation and keeping the lines open.
46. Don’t introduce every date. If you have your children meet every person you date, it can confuse them. Leave the introduction for that special someone who will be around for more than a few dates.
47. Let the relationship with the kids happen naturally. If you introduce your children and they don’t respond well, give them time. Don’t try to force the relationship to happen or you may drive them away.
48. Let parenting come in its time. If your new boyfriend or girlfriend is becoming more than just a casual date, don’t force him or her into parenting your children too soon. When all of you are comfortable with soccer practice pick-ups or disciplining the children, it will occur naturally.
49. Don’t let the kids control you. Your children may feel resentful that you are spending less time with them if you start dating someone. Don’t let their feelings stop you from dating. Listen to your children’s feelings and then explain that you like to be with friends just like they do–and reassure them that you love them.
50. Find a balance. You may feel that your children must always take priority over a date or that your need for a date must always take priority over the children. Neither way is healthy for you or your family. Find a balance and make time for both.

Even if you think you’ve got a satisfying sex life, there’s a chance you haven’t tapped into your full erotic potential. Role playing, bedroom games and chocolate syrup are all well and good, but to get you really going, we’re dropping these 15 gadgets into your lap to encourage you to try something a little…or a lot wilder. From robots to swings to teeny vibrators that hide in your underwear, you can make the most of these sexy toys with or without a partner.

Vibrators

These toys go way beyond the ordinary vibrator. Have fun with features like rotating beads, wireless remote control capabilities, and special-powered rabbit ears.

1. The Rabbit: Sex and the City fans will never forget the Season 1 episode in which Miranda and Carrie had to stage an intervention for Charlotte and this vibrator. There are several different versions of the vibrator, including models with swirling pearl beads inside, vibrators that can go in the water, and rabbits that focus especially on the G-spot. All of these vibrators come with a wireless remote control so you can let the rabbit get busy while you relax.
2. Hitachi Magic Wand: The website Holistic Wisdom ranks this vibrator as "one of the best sex toys available." Use the Hitachi Magic Wand as a body massager or as a vibrator with or without the G-spot stimulation attachment. Holistic Wisdom also considers this toy as one of the best sex toys for overweight men and women.
3. Vibro Pod: This vibrator is mp3 compatible, so your vibrations pulse along to the rhythm of the song you’re listening to. The Vibro Pod also features an 8-function mode so you can enjoy 8 different types of vibrations and escalations if you don’t have an mp3 player or just want to mix things up.
4. Cyberskin Passion Flower Strap On: This strap on is designed to stimulate your clitoris during masturbation, oral sex or intercourse. The woman straps the vibrator on, and the super quiet hum massages in all the right places without causing a distraction.
5. TongueJoy Oral Vibrator: This teeny vibrator straps onto your tongue, giving your partner ultimate satisfaction during oral sex. The vibrator is battery operated, chrome plated and comes with three different sized bands.

Sex Machines and Robots

For the truly experimental, these sex machines and sex robots offer other worldly sexual adventures.

6. Love Machine: This intense sex machine almost looks like a workout machine, but its dildo and PassionSkin Stroker attachments leave little to the imagination. The machine features a motor that can thrust and stroke you virtually anywhere, vibrating accessories, and different speeds to give you a customized experience on your back, from behind, on top, and any other way you like it.
7. Spinning Swing: This sex swing also comes with a stand, so you can set it up in any room in your house. The swing features 360-degree rotation and can hold up to 400 lbs.
8. Andy: Andy is short of Android, and she’s a beloved sex robot with an eerily human appearance. Andy is made with silicone, and she is able to mimic real-life breathing, moaning and sighing. If you ask nicely, Andy can even move around in different positions and urinate, if you so desire.
9. Infrared Electric Massager: This vibrator also comes with internal sleeves for women, allowing both partners to experiment with different textures and vibrations.
10. Peekaboo Pole Dancing Kit: Assemble your own pole so that you can treat your lover to a sexy striptease wherever you want.

Portable Goodies

Sex doesn’t just take place in the bedroom. Take your sexploration with you wherever you go with these fun toys.

11. Penis Sleeves: If you want to instantly grow your penis a few inches around or in length, try putting on one of these penis sleeves. You can browse vibrating sleeves, sleeves with special G-spot reach capabilities, and sleeves with solid tips.
12. Vibrating Panty Pals: You can have an orgasm whenever and wherever you want when you apply one of these battery-powered clitoris stimulators to your underwear. They come in three different designs: a red heart, a pink butterfly, and a purple star.
13. Masturbation Sleeve: The top of this sleeve resembles a woman’s vagina, and once you slip inside, pearl beads massage your penis according to varying speeds. The opening features a sucking motion to give you pleasure all over, and the toy also comes with a snap-on lid for easy transportation.
14. Blow Job Simulator: If you’re desperate for a blow job but don’t have a go-to partner, try out one of these blow job simulators. They come in designs as graphic as you like.
15. Hide Your Vibe Pillow: This toy looks like an ordinary leopard-skin print pillow, but it features a secret "magical" pocket "where you can easily ‘park’ your favorite vibe for long-long time."