Long Relationships

Pinched from Hanlie

1) Are your parents married or divorced?
Married, the last time I heard. I wouldn’t be surprised if they now don’t ‘believe in’ divorce.

2) Are you a vegetarian?
Ha. At the moment, I’m as close as I ever will be, but I love meat too much to ever go all the way.

3) Do you believe in Heaven?
That would really depend which concept of heaven you’re talking about.

4) Have you ever come close to dying?
Yes.

5) What jewelry do you wear?
A silver necklace with two ankhs on it is almost always around my neck. I always have a stud in my nose. My wedding ring on my finger.

Other accessories come and go as the mood strikes.

6) Favorite time of day?
Sunset

7) Do you eat the stems of broccoli?
Yeah… Why wouldn’t you?

Do you wear makeup?
Rarely. My skin is entirely too sensitive for me to wear it more than just every once in a while.

9) Ever have plastic surgery?
Nope.

10) Do you color your hair?
I used to, but I stopped when I was told you can’t donate coloured hair.

11) What do you wear to bed?
To bed? Pajamas. In bed? Nothing.

12) Have you ever done anything illegal?
Of course. Hasn’t everyone?

13) Can you roll your tongue?
Oh yeah.

14) Do You tweeze your eyebrows?
Occasionally. I wish I could go get them waxed.

15) What kind of sneakers?
The kind that fits my feet…

16) Do you still own vinyl?
Vinyl what?

17) What is your hair color?
Dark brown.

18) Future child’s name?
I think that’s something that will be discussed when we figure out if I can get pregnant or not…

19) Do you snore?
Nope.

20) If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
To a house bought and paid for, owned by me and my husband.

21) Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Nah, pillows are good.

22) If you won the lottery?
House. Clothes. Car. World Trip.

23) Gold or silver?
Silver

24) Hamburger or hot dog?
Australian hamburger, thank. Everything else is not worth the calories.

25) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
SUSHI!

26) City, beach or country?
Country. Preferably by mountains.

27) What was the last thing you touched?
My mouse.

28) Where did you eat last?
Right here at my desk. I had some grapes and strawberries.

29) When’s the last time you cried?
About a month ago.

30) Do you read blogs?
All the time. I love blogs.

31) Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex?
I do quite a bit. Guys’ clothes are more comfy most of the time. HAHA.

32) Ever been involved with the police?
Nah, they’re a bit too straight and narrow for my tastes.

33) What’s your favorite shampoo, conditioner and soap?
I don’t really have favourites, though I do use Dove soap because they don’t put bloody laurel sulfate in there.

34) Do you talk in your sleep?
I’ve been told I do. In different languages, even.

35) Ocean or pool?
Ocean.

36) What’s your favorite song?
And so it Goes - Billy Joel

37) What is your favorite color(s)?
Green, blue, purple

39 Ever met anyone famous?
Met in person? Famous authors, yes. On the net, some other famous authors. I’ve met some bands and musicians, too, but not beyond the ‘hello, sign this, on your way’.

40) Do you feel that you’ve had a truly successful life?
I don’t think I have lived long enough to give an answer to that.

41) Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
I’m a twirler.

42) Ricki Lake or Oprah?
Neither.

43)Basketball or Football?
Aussie footy.

44) How long do your showers last?
Longer than I do.

45) Automatic or do you drive a stick?
I don’t drive these days, but I drove an automatic in the States.

46) Cake or ice cream?
Ice cream.

47) Are you self-conscious?
Usually.

48) Have you ever drank so much you threw up?
No, but I’ve drank so much I *wanted* to throw up.

49) Have you ever given money to a tramp?
Not that I know of.

50) Have you been in love?
Still am.

51) Where do you wish you were?
In that house I mentioned before…

52) Are you wearing socks?
Nope.

53) Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
No, and I don’t intend to.

54) Can you tango?
I wish.

55) Last gift you received?
Pens! Lovely pens from my husband.

56) Last sport you played?
Frisbee in the park a couple weeks back.

57) Things you spend a lot of money on?
Travel.

58) Where do you live?
On Earth.

59) Where were you born?
See above.

60) Last wedding attended?
My wedding a couple years back.

61) Favorite alcoholic drink?
Hmmm. Hard to pick just one. I do like a Smirnoff, but a grasshopper with creme de cacao added in really hits the spot sometimes. On a hot summer day? Gin and tonic.

62) What did you do last weekend?
I can’t really remember. That’s kind of sad. Hmm. Bloody. I can’t think at the moment.

63) Most hated food(s)?
Most things with “in a can” or “on a stick” as their main selling points.

64) What’s your least favorite chore?
Probably dusting or doing the dishes.

65) Can you sing?
Of course I can sing. Singing well is something else entirely.

66) Last person you instant messaged?
Not a clue. I haven’t IMd for a long time.

67) Last place you went on holiday?
Western Victoria

68) Favorite regular drink?
Water

69) Current crush?
????

It’s been a while since I’ve done a meme. Fun stuff. I found this one at Book Lists Life

What are your middle names?

Mine is Louise (bleugh) and his is Edward.

How long have you been together?
Four years this coming October. Two years married this May.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Well, it wasn’t long at all before we became a couple. There wasn’t any actual dating involved.

Who asked whom out?
There was no ‘asking out’ really. More just confessions of attraction.

How old are each of you?
Doesn’t matter.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
Neither. I’ve never met his, he’s never met mine and there are no plans to change that.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
The financial stuff is hardest, I’d say, because there is so much we’d like for our lives (house, dog, kids) but we can’t because of finances.

Did you go to the same school?
Hahaha. No

Are you from the same home town?
We’re not even from the same country.

Who is smarter?
He is.

Who is the most sensitive?
Hm. I think I’m more outwardly sensitive. He’s sensitive, but he’s good at internalizing things.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
I don’t know where we go the most… Probably Indian.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
From Melbourne to New Zealand.

Who has the craziest exes?
I couldn’t tell you, really. Mine aren’t that crazy, just mean. I don’t know enough about his to say if they were nutters.

Who has the worst temper?
Me. The man is very good at keeping a lid on things. He sulks, goes quiet, etc, but he never, ever yells.

Who does the cooking?
Both of us.

Who is the neat-freak?
Neither. I’m neater than he is, but we’re not neat-freaks at all.

Who is more stubborn?
He is. Hands down.

Who hogs the bed?
Probably me.

Who wakes up earlier?
Him. I am not a morning person.

Where was your first date?
We didn’t really date… The first place he took me when I arrived here was a place called Smokin’ Joes.

Who is more jealous?
I think me, but it could be that he just doesn’t say anything.

How long did it take to get serious?
Not long at all. A matter of weeks, I’d say.

Who eats more?
I do.

Who does the laundry?
Both of us.

Who’s better with the computer?
He is. It’s what he does for a living…

Who drives when you are together?
He does. A.) It’s a manual. B.) I don’t drive.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Participated on a writer’s conference panel. Went to a naturopath. Made my health a top priority. Applied for a job in Australia.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t really make them… I just try to make every year better than the last.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My lovely friend Jenera.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope.

5. What countries did you visit?
I didn’t leave the country.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
More money… A house. A dog. Good health. Weight loss.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 5 – First wedding anniversary

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Hm. Probably being asked to be a speaker on Conflux panels.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I don’t consider it a massive failure, but I didn’t get the aforementioned job. I do consider the fact that 2008 went by so fast with me thinking about/doing work most of the time a failure.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing that I haven’t been dealing with most of my life.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Dungeon Siege II – PC Game. I know, I know, but it was more than just a game for me. I don’t really care to explain it all, though.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My husband, as always, puts up with a lot. Not to be ego-driven, but I reckon mine did on occasion as well. I took some big steps in 2008.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Just the way of the world – prejudice, blind hatred, intentional ignorance, close-mindedness…

14. Where did most of your money go?
Paying bills, as always.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The prospect of getting a house, a dog, starting a family, etc.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
When I Ruled the World - Coldplay

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:i. happier or sadder? ii. thinner or fatter? iii. richer or poorer?
1. A bit sadder because of the lessons I’ve had to learn, a lot just in this past month. 2. The same. 3. A tiny bit richer, as we’ve started and stuck to a savings plan.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Relaxing. Enjoying life. Doing things that make me happy.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Work.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
At home with my husband.

21. Who did you meet for the first time?
Nyyyyyyssssssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes. With Nyssa. Kidding. No, I didn’t, but I stayed in love and I think that’s important.

23. What was your favourite TV program?
Two and a Half Men or NCIS during the first half of the year… I kind of stopped watching television again.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate? No. Dislike? Yes.

25. What was the best book you read?
Of the whole year? Eon by Greg Bear

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Pete Murray

27. What was your favourite film of this year?
Wall E

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was another year older and I had a very quiet birthday

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Paying off one (or all) of my student loans, winning the lottery

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Comfy

31. What kept you sane?
Writing, taking time to relax.

32. What political issue stirred you the most?
Entirely too many of them, as far as I’m concerned.

33. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
It’s way too easy to get caught up in work and paying bills, but it’s not as satisfying as taking time to live.

34. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
And so it goes, and so it goes…

Yeah, I know, this is so cheating rather than putting up real content, but I’m so addicted to memes… Forgive me? I’ll give you eggnog.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Almost always wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Artificial all the way.

3. When do you put up the tree?
I still haven’t put up the ‘tree’.

4. When do you take the tree down?
I don’t really remember. Whenever the mood strikes.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Someone had me try eggnog when I already had a bit of orange juice in my glass. I recall that being nice.

6. Favourite gift received as a child?
THE BOX – a Christmas tradition from childhood. Every year we each had ‘the box’ filled up with all kinds of fun odds and ends.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
My husband.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Me. Haahahaha

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Nope

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Neither this year.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
A horrible, horrible dress, sweater, scarf, had, shoes ensemble from my mother one year. I shudder to this day.

12. Favourite Christmas Movie?
White Christmas. Hands down. (I don’t actually know why I, or anyone else for that matter, says ‘hands down’.)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
This year – November. Nope, that’s wrong – October. Last year was October as well.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yep.

15. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas?
Chocolate. I heart the little chocolate bells. Yum yums. None of that this year, though.

16. Lights on the tree?
I suppose I could if I wanted to. I used to always love lights on a tree, but we have this funny little cheapie thing here that doesn’t come up to my knee and would probably get drowned by a standard length of lights.

17. Favourite Xmas song?
I’ll Be Home for Christmas

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Stay home. We don’t have anywhere to go! Hahaha.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Prancer and Dancer and Donner and Blitzen. There’s Comet and Cupid and… Eh, that’s all I can remember of the song.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas morning with me and the man. As a kid, presents from the siblings on Eve and the rest on the day.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
People.

23. Favourite ornament theme or colour?
Um, I dunno….

24. Favourite memory of Christmas?
THE BOX. See #6

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
A house would be nice. One that we owned and all that. So would a dog, but that leads to needing a yard, which we don’t have right now, yada yada.

I found this meme over at Jenera’s blog and thought it might be fun to share a little bit about Mr. JM. Feel free to join in. Leave your answers or a link in the comments.

1. He’s sitting in front of the TV: what is on the screen?
Oh, probably the cricket when we’re in the right season. Otherwise a documentary.

2. You are out to eat: What kind of dressing does he put on his salad?
He eats salad? No one told me that. He does make me a fantastic dressing for my salads.

3. What is the one food he doesn’t like?
Tripe

4. You go out to the bar: what does he order?
A Guinness if he’s spoiling himself, a James Boags (if it’s on tap) if he’s relaxing, and a red wine if he’s watching his diet.

5. Where did he go to high school?
Orbost High

6. What size shoe does he wear?
Almost exactly the same size I do. (I have big feet.)

7. If he were to collect anything, what would it be?
Strange and interesting artifacts from around the world.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
Ham, chicken and cheese.

9. What would the husband eat every day if he could?
I don’t think he would voluntarily eat anything every day. I’d go with seafood in general.

10. What is his favorite cereal?
He doesn’t eat cereal. He’s doing smoothies now, but his usual is oatmeal.

11. What would he never wear?
Pink

12. What is his favorite sports team?
Probably the Australia cricket team

13. Who will he vote for?
I don’t know if he will vote. He might just write “piss off, you lot” the next time he has to go in. (We’re talking Aussie elections, by the way.)

14. Who is his best friend?
I don’t know that he has a ‘best’ friend, really.

5. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn’t do?
Forget about things. Hehe.

16. How many states has he lived in?
I’m pretty sure he’s only ever lived in two - Victoria and Western Australia. I could be wrong with that, though; he has moved a lot.

17. What is his heritage?
We’re not entirely sure, but he has some Jewish in him.

18. You bake him a cake for his birthday: what kind?
Lemon meringue

19. Did he play sports in high school?
Footy, I think.

20. What could he spend hours doing?
Surfing the internet, watching videos, researching his various interests

As you know, I’m running a little behind on things, so this question is actually from last week. It’s an interesting question, though, and I would like to take the time to answer it.

Love Question 16:

These days, for every marriage almost half ends in divorce. People no longer treat marriage as a ’till-death-do-us-part’ arrangement unlike the past. Instead when things get rough, divorce is a very viable option because a divorcee no longer faces any social stigmas associated with a failed marriage.

So, for Love Q #16: Is the idea of marriage outdated?

How to begin this one…

It’s my opinion that the news, newspapers, etc play up the sad and dramatic stories because they know that’s what will draw people in. In many places, crime has gone down and yet people are more afraid to go out of their homes than ever. That’s because crime gets reported; people (like cops) doing their jobs well doesn’t get reported.

So while the world is certainly changing and marriage isn’t quite the concrete building it used to be, I don’t think it has yet passed into the realm of ‘outdated’. Marriage is more than just ‘sticking with someone’ no matter what. It’s commitment, bonding, a declaration of love, and so much more (if you want it to be).

The idea that marriage is meant to keep you together forever? Yeah, perhaps that is becoming ignored, if not outdated. Marriage, the whole thing and all its meanings, outdated? Not quite yet.

My lovely friend Jenera put out an open tag on her blog and, well, I always find it hard to resist a tag. And hey, this way we’ll all get to know some weird things about each other. Fun, right?

First you post the rules:

1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules on your blog.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks you possess.
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

So on to my six quirky things…

1. When I (used to) eat M&Ms, I eat them in twos.
2. I have a tamagotchi. Yep, that’s right. It’s all mine, not passed on from someone, bought as a present for me. I’m a kid at heart.
3. I don’t think tattoos are especially quirky, but I have two – one on each wrist – and I’m planning on getting more.
4. Before I came to Australia, I hated broccoli, mushrooms, pumpkin, sweet potato, all sorts of things… Now I love them. I think it’s my husband’s cooking.
5. I absolutely love strategy/planning/’god’ computer games. Sim City especially. Building cities and civilizations and watching them flourish? I love it.
6. I love, love, love office supplies. Pens, papers, notebooks, etc. Mmmm.

Haha. Now you know more about me than you ever wanted to know now.

I am going to do what Jenera did and invite everyone to participate in the tag. Either leave a comment with your answers or leave a link to your answers on your blog.

It’s that time again this week and Short Sweet Love Poems has another thought-provoking question for us to answer. If you answer these questions on your own blog, be sure to leave me a link in the comments.

In many relationships, people grow out of love. They change along the way with one partner drifting further and further away from the other on an emotional level.

It is a sad situation but I think it is also a reality among many married couples today.

My question to you this week for Love Q #15: Should couples stay together for the sake of the kids when love is no longer present? Can it work?

While I have no doubt it can work at a functional level, I don’t believe couples should stay together just for the kids.

It’s no secret that the things we observe in childhood influence us as adults. It’s been proven in studies (you’re going to have to take my word for it because I can’t find the study I have in mind) that we are attracted to people with similar backgrounds. With those things working for most of us in our relationships, we’re likely to repeat what our parents have done in both good and bad things.

While you could argue that divorce might lead to a higher chance of divorce for the children, isn’t demonstrating doing what is good for people involved is better than staying in situations simply for the sake of others? The children may not understand at the time, but if you are open and honest about what is going on, they eventually will.

What do you think?

I was wondering when the topic of money was going to come up…

From Short Sweet Love Poems…

Let’s talk about money this week, shall we?

There are certainly pros and cons to this issue. For instance, if you pool your money together, you are taking steps to save for the future. On the other hand, if you have separate accounts, there is not much pressure to account for money spent which may be better for the relationship as a whole.

For Love Q #14, let me pose this: Should you have a joint account with your partner? And should you keep tabs on what he or she may be spending on?

I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary in a relationship to have a joint account with your partner. I do with my partner in part because we needed ways to prove that I was really here for good in my Spousal Visa application. It’s also convenient in that our shared account is our shared expenses account – like groceries. I can pick things up, he can, or we can.

I think what is important is not to have *only* a joint account. You need to have your own personal account as well for freedom and a sense of privacy.

I don’t think you should keep tabs, but that’s a matter of trust in the relationship. My husband trusts me to pay my bills (student loan, medical) with what I earn. I trust my husband to pay our household bills with what he earns. The rest goes in our shared account, and a little bit to each of our personal accounts.

Keeping tabs is, I think, a way of saying you don’t trust the person. And if you can’t be open and honest even along the lines of, “I use about $__ a month just for comfort stuff for me” and be open for discussion, then something is wrong there.

We have another good question this week from Short Sweet Love Poems that could get a bit interesting…

When we first start out on a relationship, we will usually try to look our best. We will think a little (or a lot) of what to wear, which perfume to put on and so on. After a while, though, when the excitement has died down and we start to get comfortable in the relationship, many tend to slack on their appearance.

Which brings me to Love Q #13:

Does appearance matter in a relationship? Should you always try to look your best for your date?

This is a fun one. I reckon that on the first date, you should go somewhere that you’ll get really messy. Paintballing, four-wheeling, etc. It breaks the ice quite nicely, getting down and dirty (not in a naughty way) on the first date.

That being said, appearances to matter to a certain extent. While I think constant ‘flawlessness’ is a bit much to expect of anyone (and could border on an obsessive compulsive disorder), I also think that your appearance tells other people how much you care about yourself.

No one wants to be with someone with really bad hygiene and neither does anybody want to be with people who don’t care about themselves in general. If you can’t muster up the energy to care about yourself, can you really maintain a healthy relationship?

I’d love to hear what you think. Leave your comments here or leave me a link to your blog where you answered the question.

Have a great day!

We have another interesting question this week from Short Sweet Love Poems…

Some people go by the saying that honesty is the best policy. So, they would rather reveal everything to their partner upfront, including details of their past relationships.

Would you want your partner to know how many people you have slept with in the past? Or how you have cheated on someone you once dated, for example? So, talking about your past relationships to your current partner can indeed be a difficult issue.

On to Love Q #11:

How frank should you be with your partner when it comes to your past relationships? How much of the details should you reveal?

This can be a bit tricky depending on the relationship and the questions asked. Obviously, it’s not exactly comfortable to have your partner asking, “What did you like best about sex with so and so?�? Then again, I see no reason to lie about how many people you’ve slept with. (As long as someone isn’t asking you about it on the first date.)

Overall, I’m more on the side of honesty is best, but that’s in part because my partner is honest with me when I have questions. We also both know that we can trust each other not to hold our past against each other.

Then again, if you’re with someone who is going to hold your past against you, then maybe you shouldn’t be with that person in the first place.

But yes, if the questions don’t get too ridiculous and don’t make you uncomfortable, there’s no reason to lie.

What do you think?

Happy Sunday! Or something like that, right? It’s the end of a long weekend. I hope you all had fun. Here is the other Love Question from Short Sweet Love Poems that I missed while my site was down.

This one should get interesting…

Interestingly, I read an article recently that mentions that a third of Australian males polled by a men’s magazine hoped to marry a virgin. And slightly over 40% prefer their women to have had 5 partners or fewer.

If men still prefer their prospective wife to be chaste or not so sexually promiscuous, then should a woman be more cautious of when to allow sex to creep into a relationship?

Anyway, let’s have a look at Love Q #10:

What stage in a relationship do you think two people should be at before they start sleeping together?

OK, maybe this question will bring up moral and religious issues on one hand and freedom and liberty on the other. Whatever it is, it would be good to read different opinions. I’m looking forward to it if people are ready to take up the challenge of stating their views!

Funnily enough, my Aussie husband used to like to joke about his virgin bride…

This is probably going to get me in a bit of hot water, but I’m going to say it. I think the view of sex in the United States is entirely too stuck up. The sexual education sucks and sex is often made into some ‘dirty’ thing. Sex happens and people need to get over that and start dealing with it.

*steps off soap box*

This is another hard one to answer because people are so different. If it’s a matter of one partner putting on the pressure, then they shouldn’t. Pressure shouldn’t have a part in losing your virginity. But if you’re both consenting, both are mature enough to realize all the implications (they differ based on beliefs, etc), have both thought about it in a non-heat of the moment time, have protection, and want to do it, then go ahead.

Only you can truly know how you’ll feel about it after. How it will affect your beliefs. You have to step up and start taking responsibility for your thoughts, beliefs, and your body at some point.

Woo hoo! I’m glad to be back and doing the Love Questions meme from Short Sweet Love Poems. I do enjoy the questions and reading the thoughts of others.

This week we have a very interesting, tough question to answer (in my opinion) so let’s get right to it, shall we?

In the US, statistics show that the average marriage age for men is 27 while for women is 25 in recent years. In the UK, the average age is slightly higher with 30 for men and nearly 28 for women.

However, I’m sure we have also come across people who marry very young when they are still in their teens on one extreme as well as people who marry when they are past 40 on the another.

For Love Q #9, consider this:

How young is too young to get married? To put it another way, what is your ideal age to get married and why?

I knew this one would be coming eventually. This is a bit of hard one to answer, because people are so different. Two teenagers who are eighteen years old can be completely different in terms of maturity, and that’s what I think it comes down to – levels of maturity.

I guess, for a minimum, I’d go with eighteen. It’s when you’re recognized as an ‘adult’ by society and are allowed to go and die for your country, so why not? Again, it can be a bit young if the people involved aren’t mature, but then again, some sixteen year olds are ready to get married and can make it work just fine.

I think the US statistics are a pretty ideal age, in the end. 25 means you’ve been through university (hopefully) and know a bit more about life that way. 27, for men, means they have had a couple extra years beyond that to settle down and get themselves straight a bit.

I’m just going to stop now. I could go on about this forever because people can be so different. I know people who got married at 18 and people who have gotten married at 50, and the majority of them are doing fine.

Hello and happy Thursday everyone! (It’s almost Friday. It’s almost Friday…)

Short Sweet Love Poems has provided another interesting prompt into the world of love, relationships and dating. As always, if you decide to participate, leave comments here or leave a link to where you have answered the question.

On to the question!

When you decide to go on a first date with another person, you would naturally have certain expectations of him or her. And if the person fails to meet those expectations, that might well end up as a turn-off and there certainly won’t be a second date to come.

Some people find being late is a huge turn-off. Others can’t stand their dates chatting on the cell phone, leaving them waiting for the conversation to end. Talking about an ex in detail is also a big no-no to many.

So, for Love Q #8, let’s share this: What would turn you off when it comes to the first date?

Is it bad it feels like ages since I’ve gone on my first date? To be honest, I haven’t ever had a first date. There was a kind of one, but not really.

Anyway, enough about me.

As far as annoyances go, the biggest complaint from first dates would be the date who only talks about “me, me, me�?. First dates happen because you’re getting to know each other. Both people.

I’d like to add on another one, though. Someone who tries too hard. It’s the first date, not your final exams. Relax, talk to me, have fun, flirt a little… Don’t have a fit if there is something imperfect about the night and definitely don’t try to make me fall desperately in love on the first date. (It isn’t going to happen Casanova.)

What do you think?

Short Sweet Love Poems brings us another love and relationships question to ponder this week. Remember, you can answer here or on your blog. If you answer on your blog, be sure to leave a link here and on the SSLP site so we can all read what you have to say.

Many people believe that love is everything in a relationship. We all marry for love expecting that it will see us through the good and bad times. Love gives rise to passion and can make our lives happier.

Is love alone enough in a relationship?

Ah, this is going to be an interesting one.

While I think it’s incredibly romantic to say that love alone can carry a relationship, I don’t think that’s true. I want to believe it’s truly, very much so, but I simply can’t.

First you face the basic needs. Food, water, shelter, etc. We all know that. Barring the basic necessities, though, I still think a relationship needs more than just love if it wants to survive long term.

There is trust. There are things in common – you need a few of those if you ever want to get along. You need to be able to communicate somehow.

The mix is different in every relationship, but it remains that every relationship needs more than love.