Life Advice
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Unfulfilled by Long-Distance Relationship
Dear Annie: I've been in a long-distance relationship with my girlfriend for almost a year and a half. While it's been good for the most part, I feel like it might be time to call it quits. We video chat twice a week and text maybe twice a day, but it's not enough for me anymore. I brought this up early in our relationship, but she told me ...Read more
The trad wife trend is both fun and unsettling
I learned about the trad wife trend last year when a friend, on the cusp between Gen X and millennial, told me about these beautiful women who make videos of themselves cleaning the house, cooking elaborate meals or playing with their kids. All of these tasks are accomplished while the women are dressed in stylish clothing and wearing a full ...Read more
Millennial Life: Why Are We So Mad at Low-Hanging Fruit?
There's a saying you've probably heard a thousand times: "Don't go for the low-hanging fruit." You should avoid the easy, obvious choice and reach higher, stretch yourself, and go for the real challenge. But let's pause for a moment: Why, exactly, are we dismissing this perfectly good, reachable fruit? Have we learned nothing from centuries of ...Read more
Single File: Deadlines Unlimited
DEAR SUSAN: Responding to your recent survey:
-- How late in the week can a man call you for a date? ANS: Whenever he wants to, provided he doesn't show up at my doorstep unannounced! If I'm busy, I'll say so. If not, I'm happy to accept his invitation.
-- Do you think he respects you more if you set a deadline? ANS: No. Deadlines are for the ...Read more
Ask Anna: How to tell if a friend is 'quiet quitting' you?
Dear Anna,
One of my closest friends has been pulling away from our friendship over the last few years. It’s nothing overt or dramatic, but there’s a subtle withdrawal happening. She barely texts me anymore, and it used to be daily. She’s stopped initiating plans, and in the rare instances when we do hang out, she seems kind of distracted...Read more
Less texting; more dating
I did something a few years ago that I don’t usually do — I tried to prove myself wrong. What? I know! Let me explain…
As a dating coach who works with people in both the online dating space and dating in general, the advice I give is what I know to work based on both my 13 years in the business (and, since I’m a former economist, I ...Read more
From Hashtags to Policy: How Real-World Movements Turn Passion Into Power
Creating effective advocacy for activism is about more than passion -- it's about strategy, collaboration, and persistence. In a world facing issues from climate change to racial injustice, successful activism requires both a clear vision and a plan to turn that vision into reality.
Effective advocacy begins with a deep understanding of the ...Read more
Younger daters are tired of swiping. A host of new LA startups is vying for their attention
When Joseph Feminella matched with his would-be wife on Hinge in 2020, he was already growing tired of traditional dating apps. He told her he'd like to meet in person right away, and they met that night.
The pair were married three years later, and Feminella launched his dating app First Round's on Me nationwide in August after a four-year ...Read more
Single File: Lost & Found
Dear Susan: I was widowed in February after being married 35 years. My husband and I married in our 30s, so I do have some experience being single, but now I'm sort of lost. Our marriage was so close we kept our friends at the periphery, which only adds to my problems. Have you some back material I could download or purchase online? Thank you. -...Read more
Ask Anna: My partner's political activism is draining my relationship
Dear Anna,
I'm a 27-year-old woman, and my boyfriend (31) has always been passionate about political activism. I admire his dedication to causes like climate change and social justice, but lately it feels like our relationship is getting lost in the shuffle. Every conversation turns into a discussion about his latest march or organizing efforts...Read more
There's no future until there's a present
In today’s world of dating, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of a new connection, especially if you don’t feel one very often. But it’s important to remember that building a genuine relationship takes time and patience. Often, people put too much weight on a potential future before even establishing a present connection.
Just...Read more
Millennial Life: Let Me Sell You on TikTok Before They Try To Sell It
Over the years, writing in various capacities from public relations to this column, people have referred to me as a journalist, but I'd reply that while I was a trained journalist -- that is, that's what I had one of my undergrad degrees in -- I would defer to those active in the precarious industry. Most of the people I've respected the most ...Read more
Locals share wild 'only in LA' stories, from a freeway romance to a porn set surprise
LOS ANGELES — When I moved to Los Angeles from New York 20 years ago, I felt like I had landed in an alternate reality — a place where flowers bloomed year-round and a light drizzle was considered a valid reason to cancel plans.
Celebrities of varying sorts dotted the landscape. I spotted Keanu Reeves at the Griddle in West Hollywood and ...Read more
Single File: Life Engineering
There's a fiction circling singleworld that making your life comfortable and secure while you're unmarried consigns you to a life sentence there, with no chance of parole or reprieve. Well, this lady engineer is over the moon to announce that the myth is pure fiction! The reality? The more interesting you make your singleness, the more relaxed ...Read more
Ask Anna: Should I tell my boyfriend about a past infidelity?
Dear Anna,
I’m a 34-year-old woman who’s been in a relationship with my boyfriend for almost four years. We’re serious — and lately are talking more and more about marriage. But something from my past has been weighing on me, and I’m struggling with whether or not I should tell him.
About five years ago, in a previous relationship, I...Read more
Inside a network of Facebook groups helping millennials fall in love
PHILADELPHIA -- Nicole Kerr competed with 134 other women to get the attention of her now-fiancé Fran Smythe, a Deptford, New Jersey, finance manager looking for a “fun down-to-earth girl” to settle down with.
That’s because Smythe’s sister-in-law posted his photos to Date Him: Philly, a private Facebook group with over 20,000 members ...Read more
Leave sexy time for the bedroom... not your profile
Nearly all of my clients—probably 99%—express a desire for physical intimacy (which, for simplicity, we'll define as sex, however you define that) in their future relationships. For some, it has always been a top priority, while for others, it’s something they felt was lacking in a previous relationship, making it a key focus for the ...Read more
Millennial Life: The Waiting Room Wasteland
Waiting rooms have become a wasteland. I travel it with the same promised oasis in my hand, catching up on emails or scrolling through social media. However, I still like to peek up and look around to see who else might have drunk enough from the fountains that allow us to forget about the desert around us.
As someone who lives in an actual ...Read more
Single File: Life Lessons
--Readiness is all. The same person who didn't stir you 10 years ago might just knock your socks off today because you've grown and now see their better points ... and maybe -- just maybe -- because you're now ready to make the commitment. Stay open.
--How many people do you know who look at marriage as an experience rather than a commitment? (...Read more
Ask Anna: We're both introverts, and we never go out -- is this a problem?
Dear Anna,
My girlfriend and I are both in our early 30s and have been together for almost four years. We’re both introverts, and honestly, we’re happiest just hanging out at home, watching movies or playing video games. We hardly ever go out — maybe a dinner here and there or a small gathering with close friends, but we generally avoid ...Read more
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