TresSugar

Dear Poll: Do You Turn Your Phone Off at Night?

DearSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0700

We live in a very connected world, and while I do enjoy my alone/quite time, I also like to feel close to my loved ones, which is why I keep my cell phone on throughout the night - you know, just in case! I do understand how irritating late-night interruptions can be, so tell me what you do!

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Where Do You Stand? Our Oversharing Generation

DearSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 07:30:00 -0700

With Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace taking over the Internet, it's hard to escape from this oversharing generation we've created. With a push of a button, we can now track our friends through their cell phones, Twitter our life stories, update our relationship status, and tell the world whatever is on our minds. And while I think these easy methods of staying connected with friends and family are a great benefit of our time, I also think a little mystery can be beneficial to all relationships.

I know there's a lot to be said here, so tell me where you stand on our current obsession with oversharing.

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The How-To Lounge: Staying Connected

DearSugar — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 10:00:00 -0700

With busy schedules, demanding jobs, families, friends and hobbies, it's no wonder so many people have a hard time keeping in touch with their friends and family members. To learn some tips to help keep you feeling connected, read more

Since we live in the technology age, take advantage of e-mail and instant messaging. At the end of a long day, catching up on the phone can be a looming task, especially if you have been on the phone all day at work, so opt for sending an e-mail instead, but don't abolish phone calls altogether
Set weekly phone dates with out of town friends/family. The longer you go in-between conversations, the harder it is to get back on track, so aim for frequent yet short conversations so they aren't so daunting
Organize a girls' night, or a standing dinner date with your group of friends. The girls from Sex and the City
did a great job re-connecting during their weekly brunches, it gave them something to look forward to, a time to swap stories and tell secrets. My weekly girls' nights are always the highlight of my week!
On-line communities such as MySpace or FaceBook are geared more towards the younger generation, but they do provide an easy way to stay connected with old and new friends. You might even be surprised who you can find from your past on these networks
Blogging is another great and easy way to chronicle your life. Posting personal journal entries and adding images or videos can make it easy for your loved ones to keep track of your day to day activities
A friend of mine who recently had a baby sends out Ofoto links so she can share her pictures with her friends and family members - a good way to show why her hands are so full!

Although everyone is busy, it is still extremely important to make time to stay in touch with the people you love. If any of you have other tips to share, please do so in the comments below.

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Quiz + Poll: What's Your Romantic Attachment Style?

DearSugar — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:01:00 -0800

After reading a recent article about insecurely attached women, chronic stress and compromised immunity, I went looking for an attachment-style quiz. While the results of the study mentioned in the article are not conclusive, it's good to know there's research in the works.

In general, the study found, women with greater attachment insecurity had lower activity in their natural killer cells, key defenders against illness.

"However," he said, "it should be underscored that a causal link between insecure attachment, impaired immunity, and poorer health is far away from being proved."

It's possible that relationship insecurity alone is not enough to make someone vulnerable to illness, according to Picardi, but in conjunction with other factors -- like older age or chronic disease -- it might be enough to worsen a person's health.

"Clearly," he said, "a lot more research is needed to elucidate these issues."

Follow this link and you'll find a short quiz -- takes about 5 minutes -- that will evaluate your romantic attachment style. You'll also find great explanations and information about attachment style and how it's thought to influence our relationships.

Then come back & take the poll!

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Dear Poll: Do You Kiss For 10 Seconds Daily?

DearSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Finding ways to de-stress, especially during times like these, is critical for your health and your happiness, and according to Dr. Laura Berman, kissing can really help in that crusade. Of course kissing and cuddling makes us feel close to our significant other, but it turns out that couples who engage in that connectedness are actually eight times less likely to be stressed and depressed than couples who don't take that time for each other. She also says that kissing for a minimum of a 10 seconds every day is crucial for our happiness - not just a peck ladies, but a real kiss!

I know that we all have busy schedules so tell me, do you have time to kiss your special someone for at least 10 seconds every single day?

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Spanking Does a Couple Good?!

DearSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Almost all of you admitted to loving a little playful, grown-up spanking, but when you voted I bet you didn't know that spanking actually has the ability to bring couples closer! That's right, a recent study looked at the hormone levels in couples who attended S&M parties and the results showed that they rose in the person on the receiving end. But that connectedness doesn't have to be all about S&M - the results rang true in couples that participated in other shared activities too, although spanking might be a bit more fun!

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You Asked: His Libido Is Too Much For Me!

DearSugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:30:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

My boyfriend loves giving me oral sex. It's gotten to the point where he's like obsessed with it, and while I love him and thoroughly enjoy being intimate with him, I don't want oral sex everyday of my life! He actually got mad at me once because I told him no - I just wasn't in the mood for anything sexual - and he pouted the entire night. How do I make him understand that it's not just about what he wants without hurting his feelings or giving him the wrong impression? - Not on the Same Page Penny

To see DearSugar's answer read more.

Dear Not on the Same Page Penny,

While some women complain that they don't get enough sex, I hear you when you say that oral sex everyday is just a bit much! Clearly you two need to communicate your needs and desires because it sounds like you're on two different pages here. Sex is a great way to deepen your connection and share love with one another, but there are many other ways to experience that same kind of connectedness.

Talking about sex can be very intimating so be mindful of how you approach the subject. Make sure to touch upon the positives, reiterate how you feel about him, but also explain your desire to make sex special, not just something to cross off your daily checklist. Hopefully after a good heart to heart, you'll be able to set some new boundaries so you both can be happy and sexually satisfied. Good luck!

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Are You a Touchy-Feely Kind of Gal?

DearSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Orlando Bloom has been making his rounds all over Europe this Summer with his arms wide open! Now I'm not complaining, I wouldn't mind a hug from him myself, but I know that some people aren't as comfortable canoodling with their friends. I've always been a touchy-feely kind of girl, whether it's embracing family with a hug or kissing my girlfriends on the check after a night out, a little connectedness can really lift my spirits. Are you the same way? Do you welcome people with open arms or do you need your personal space? Of course, there's a time and a place for it, but overall, would you consider yourself to be a touchy-feely kind of gal like me?

Bauer-Griffin Online

Dear Poll: Have You Ever Stayed in a Relationship Out of Fear of Being Alone?

DearSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:00:00 -0700

When you fall out of love with someone, doing the right thing and initiating a breakup can be easier said than done. After being in a long-term relationship, you inevitably become attached to the level of comfort and connectedness you've established, so it's no wonder people have such a hard time letting go.

So ladies, even though it's not the most respectable thing to do, tell me, have you ever stayed in a relationship longer than you should have out of fear of being alone?

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Dear Poll: Is Sex Better When You're in Love?

DearSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:00:00 -0800

There seems to be some unspoken understanding that sex is better if you're in love with the person. Though I've found this to be the case, sex can also be amazingly fun with someone new or completely not your type. I know a few people that don't need that level of connectedness in order to be with someone, so ladies tell me, what's your vote? Does being in love actually make sex better?

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