If an online date makes you uncomfortable, you can pause or leave. You do not need to establish wrongdoing before deciding that you do not want another…
Confessions & Secrets
Private Photos on Holiday: What the Discovery Did—and Did Not—Show
A couple has been exclusive for more than a year. On holiday, he opens the bathroom door and finds her taking intimate photographs of herself. He is…
Relationships & Desire
I Cared About Her. I Wasn’t Sure We Should Attend the Wedding Together.
After becoming single, David grew close to his neighbor, Claire. Walks became dinners, and the relationship became intimate. They enjoyed parts of the…
Relationships & Desire
Does Height Matter in Dating? It Depends Who Is Dating.
Some people have a strong height preference. Others barely think about it until a profile asks. Attraction is personal, but the way a preference is…
Playful Escapades
My Girlfriend Was Getting Attention. I Was Providing Commentary.
My girlfriend, Megan, is striking. I knew this when I asked her out. Somehow, I was still surprised to discover that other people had functioning eyesight.
Relationships & Desire
We Scheduled Intimacy. By One-Thirty, We Were Both Resentful.
After years of difficulty around sex, my wife and I agreed to make time on Saturday evening. I felt hopeful. When Saturday came, she was tired and…
Playful Escapades
Reality Television Would Turn a Quiet Sex Life Into a Desert Emergency
“It’s been a while,” a woman says on a reality dating show.
Bedroom Talk
When Is the Right Time for Intimacy in a New Relationship?
There is no number of dates that guarantees a good decision. Waiting can suit one couple; becoming intimate earlier can suit another. What matters is…
Bedroom Talk
When Intimacy Feels One-Sided: Say What Is Missing
It is possible to have an active sex life and still feel overlooked. The issue may be whose preferences set the pattern, who is expected to adapt, or…
Playful Escapades
I Returned to Dating at 45. My Expectations Were Still 30.
After a decade-long relationship, I returned to dating at forty-five and discovered that the other people had been aging while I was busy. This struck…
Confessions & Secrets
“You’re My Person” Was Not an Agreement About Exclusivity
He was in his early thirties. She had recently left an eighteen-year relationship. Within weeks of meeting, she was telling him, “You’re my person,”…
Playful Escapades
The Handbag Was Expensive. My Explanation Was Getting More Elaborate.
I bought a Chanel bag and told my husband it had cost two hundred dollars at a thrift shop. The bag was beautifully made. The explanation had several…