We all tend to use labels when it comes to our relationships in life.  She’s my best friend or he’s my brother, my uncle, she’s my co-worker and he’s my boyfriend.  There are people out there however that don’t feel the need to use labels like these and come up with different terms.  I think so long as both parties are aware of the rules and what they want to call each other it really doesn’t mater.  By definition, people that are dating exclusively and that go on vacations together and attend important events with each other; they are probably in a relationship.  But if they don’t want to call it that, who are we to judge?

The two are dating exclusively, go on vacations together and attend important occasions with one another. Still, both cling to the notion that they are not, and do not want to be, in a relationship.

Welcome to the non-relationship relationship — the faux relationship. Can a relationship that begins with a faux foundation blossom into something genuine? Or, like many a string of faux pearls, will it remain pretty to look at, but artificial to the core?

Does it really matter what we call a relationship (monogamous, friends with benefits, open relationships, etc.)? Perhaps it’s more important “to understand that relationships are what the two people in them make them to be,” says relationship expert Brenda Della Casa, author of “Cinderella Was a Liar”

“It can be hard for more traditional types to accept that two people can be in a relationship that has a different set of rules, but if it works for the two people in it, that’s what is most important,” she says. Difficulty arises in the faux relationship just as with any other relationship, when the rules change.

Still, Della Casa explains that, “as long as they are open, honest and respectful of one another and themselves, these situations can work fine — for a short period of time.”

Honesty may be the best policy when it comes to relationships, but what happens when the policy is modified?

“Feelings change” moment to moment, says Beverly Hills celebrity author and psychotherapist Dr. Fran Walfish. “A faux relationship can begin on clear and mutually acceptable terms but, as time progresses, one partner may find his or her feelings deepening or vice versa.”

Another fissure in the faux relationship formula occurs when an individual (knowingly or unknowingly) masks his or her true desire for a real relationship. Basically, an individual conveys to his partner that he doesn’t want to be in a relationship, but inwardly truly does. Perhaps he has been hurt before, and therefore, believes that a faux relationship will protect him from harm.

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Do you think that labels matter when it comes to relationships?  Share your thoughts with us by commenting below.

Keeping the boredom out of your dating life is crucial if you want to maintain your sanity and if you want to keep the romance going.  As soon as you get bored in dating the relationship won’t last much longer.  Pretty soon you’ll be looking elsewhere for someone you can have fun with.  Keep the fun in dating by trying out something different on your dates.  Try volunteering together, or playing a board game that you haven’t played in years.  There’s always something new to do and ways to keep it fun.  Keep the spark in your relationship by trying out some of these date ideas.

No. 5: Physically demanding volunteer project
If you were to choose a background song for our first first-date idea, it would have to be “Let’s Get Physical.”

For this unique date, you volunteer to work on a physically demanding project. You might choose to join a group, such as Habitat for Humanity, that is helping to build or repair someone’s house, or you could join a project clearing weeds or trash from a city park or helping to build hiking trails in a wilderness park.

Even if you and your date don’t click, you won’t have wasted your time. You’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you contributed to your community, and you’ll also have gotten some fresh air and a good workout.

And if you do like your date, even better. You’ll have a chance to see what your date looks like in a sweaty, clingy T-shirt.

No. 4: Play a game of Monopoly
For this date, bring out the old Monopoly set and play a game. What makes this date unique is that the game is only an excuse to closely observe your date’s behavior.

Is your date excessively eager to buy up all the railroads? Does he pout if you buy a property that he wanted? Does she look a little too happy when you land on one of her expensive properties?

There are so many things you can learn about people by watching them play. Does he insist on lining up all the money into perfectly parallel stacks?

Worst of all, does your date cheat? If so, better to find out now before you’ve gone any further.

Don’t use any shortcuts. Play the full version of the game. If, four hours into the game, you’re still talking to each other, that’s a good sign that you might be very compatible.

No. 3: Go silent
Pretend that a scientist in a white lab coat has directed you to go on a special kind of date.
On this date, you and your companion may not speak to each other or touch each other. All communication must be nonverbal, either through gestures or through your eyes.

By the end of the date, two things may happen. You may have gotten used to the lack of direct communication. If it feels like it’s normal — if it makes you feel like you’re an old married couple — than you better run. The first date is way too soon in the relationship to be falling into that kind of rut.

If, on the other hand, the moment you are allowed to talk and touch, you fall into each other’s arms and start babbling away, you’ll know that your date may be a keeper.

No. 2: Horror movie marathon

For an unusual first date, try a horror movie marathon. You may be able to find one in a nearby theater — of course, that’s a lot easier around Halloween than other times of the year — or create your own at home with a stack of rental films.

There’s nothing like being scared together to see if you are really compatible. Is one person a screamer and the other a comforter? That would work. If you’re both screamers, though, you will just egg each other on. If you’re both calm comforters, you’ll be frustrated that there is no one to soothe.

Also pay attention to your date’s popcorn-eating behavior. Try making just one bowl and see what happens. Does your date hog the bowl, making it hard for you to reach? Does your date drop kernels on the floor? If your date passes the bowl each time he or she takes a handful, you’ll know you’ve got a winner.

No. 1: Try something new
For a unique date — and a unique life experience — do something that neither of you has ever done before.

It could be going to the opera, riding a hot-air balloon, having lunch in a nearby town you’ve never seen or anything else that is new for you.

The trick is to pick something that is way outside the norm for both of you, not only something you’ve never done before, but something you’ve never even thought of doing.

If your companion is a dud, at least you will have an adventure and a break from the routine, and you might even discover a whole new interest. If your companion seems promising, observe how he or she handles the unfamiliar situation.

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How do you keep the spark alive in your relationship?  Share your thoughts with us by commenting below.

Sometimes we as women just need to take a break from all that is men and get centered back in our Goddess selves.  It’s always important to take the time for you to recover and rejuvenate.  By taking a ‘detox’ from men for a while you can get re-centered and remember what it is you’re truly looking for and wanting.  Taking this time for yourself will also all you the time to do the things you’ve always wanted to do but just don’t have time for when you’re in a relationship.  And when you start doing this you will end up being even more attractive anyway because you’ll be loving your life.  When you’re ready again you’ll have no problems picking up dates.

Instead, she advocates a short-term “detox” from today’s hookup-heavy dating scene, which she paints as being fuelled by booze and social networking, and full of women working hard to appear ecstatic with no-strings-attached sex, while secretly feeling disappointed, unsatisfied, and longing for something more meaningful.

This picture is augmented by anecdotes and studies showing women masochistically stalking exes on Facebook and “self-selling” online, feeling pushy if they initiate contact with men rather than waiting to be approached, and getting caught up in competitions over who can appear to care less, like waiting a day to reply to a text. Some of these ideas are borrowed from the books Strimpel cites, such as Female Chauvinist Pigs and Living Dolls; much is based on the author’s own experiences and those of her friends, which are turned into gossipy case studies that kick off each chapter.

Strimpel’s style is breezy and intimate, and she’s not afraid of making jokes at her own expense. She’s also sharp enough to realise that the advice she gives – cut out anything that smacks of “junk-food love” – can come across as punishing, so she recasts it as a pro-feminist exercise in independence. Gender pigeonholing is snappily analysed; Germaine Greer, Naomi Wolf and Simone de Beauvoir are among those saluted in an appended reading list; and the diet’s stated aims are “being – and feeling – awesome” and “to feel whole… entirely separately from men”.

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Do you take a break from dating sometimes to center yourself again?  Share your thoughts with us by commenting below.

The winter months can be a time to hibernate and burrow under blankets with a good book.  However, your dating life will tragically end if you simply disappear under a pile of blankets on your couch.  You need to get out there and continue dating and have heaps of fun doing it whether it’s cold out or not.  So bundle up, stay warm, pack hot chocolate and try on some of these fun romantic date ideas for couples in the winter.  Besides, body heat can warm you up afterward right?

1. Ice Skating
Ice skating is by far one of my favorite winter date ideas! It’s so much fun to do, so romantic and definitely one of the few winter date ideas that’ll get you cold enough to want to curl up in front of the fire. So ladies, strap on those ice skates and take your man to the nearest skating rink!
2. Snowboarding
Even though I’m not a snowboarder, one of my co-workers is obsessed with snowboarding. This is the perfect active winter date that is sure to get your blood pumping. It’s also a great way to snuggle up with your man in a cabin for the weekend!
3. Skiing
This is another one of those sports that goes hand-in-hand with snowboarding and truthfully, it’s so romantic. I actually love cross-country skiing, which is really just walking with skis on, but it’s still fun! Imagine it, skiing at dawn or at dusk, holding hands with your boy down the slopes – how romantic!
4. Getting Hot Chocolate
If you aren’t one of the snow-bunnies out there, how does curling up at your favorite coffee shop with some hot cocoa sound? This is truly one of the best winter date ideas that I’ve ever been on! It’s cute, it’s cuddly and it’s one of the few dates that doesn’t cost a ton either.
5. Strolling the City
While it might seem a little weird to be strolling through the city in the winter time, but truthfully, the winter is the best time. The crowds aren’t there, the snow is glistening and everything is totally magical. This is truly one of the winter date ideas that I love to go on!
6. Sledding
Remember when you were a kid and you loved sledding? Well ladies, it’s so much better when you’re an adult! Imagine it, your man wrapped up behind you as you take the slopes? It’s so much fun!
7. Wine Tasting
Wine tasting is not just for the summer time, there are actually some great wine tastings that you can do at your local restaurants. You could even take a wine class together, just to learn about all of the different wines. Personally, I love curling up near the fire with a glass of wine, it’s relaxing and totally awesome!

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What fun romantic date ideas do you have for the cold winter months?  Share your ideas with us by commenting below.

Whether you’ve been dating someone for a while or you’ve just met it can be fun to spice up your love life by finding some fun romantic date ideas for couples that are original and unique.  Sometimes that can be difficult to do; so why not take advantage of technology to help you out?  There are several apps available for your iPhone, Android or BlackBerry that can help you discover new date ideas that you’ve never thought of before.  Take a look at these examples.

For instance, Nifty Date Ideas ($0.99), despite being named by someone directly out of a time machine from the 1950s, has an awful lot going for it. Not only does it provide hundreds of date ideas and conversation starters for happy couples, but it also has a video scavenger hunt that you and your date can participate in with other users. Not only do you get ideas for dates, but you’ll be able to spend some time bonding and laughing at the videos people have uploaded for the scavenger hunt.

If you’d like something a little less silly than video scavenger hunts, Romantic Ideas+(free) might be what you need. The app contains several ideas that might spark some more romance between you and your sweetheart, including arranging special days off from work to be spent with your significant other, to simply giving them a sweet pet-name. You can also chat with other app users to share romantic tips.

If you like your date ideas with an element of gambling, there’s Slots of Love – Romance Ideas & Tips ($0.99). This app works a lot like UrbanSpoon in that users can lock elements like price range, who the activity is geared toward and how much time it takes and then search the app to see what activities comes up. If you only have a general idea of what you want to do with your loved one, this is a great way to narrow down the choices available to you.

Or you can just take a page out of Paul Simon’s book. Rather than think of 50 ways to leave your lover, you can use the free 50 Ways to be Romantic app to find a laundry list of romantic ideas. Things like “renew your wedding vows” or “give him a bright smile when you see him” cover all sorts of relationships from those deep in marriage to early courtships.

Or maybe all of these apps are just a little too serious. If your romance is in the beginning stages, you might be better served with something that is light-hearted and silly. With ideas like “crank your favorite tunes and dance,” Free Random Fun Ideascould really work between platonic friends. But if you’re not trying to rush things into a romantic relationship it might be just what the doctor ordered.

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Do you know of other ways technology can help you create a fun romantic date?  Share your thoughts with us by commenting below.

Body language is everything.  Over 90% of our communication is done through body language and is not spoken verbally.  So therefore, it would behoove us to learn what body language we are projecting as women and what his body language is saying to us.  There are some obvious ones; such as when he’s leaning into you to talk to you he’s probably interested and if he’s not looking at you or making eye contact he probably doesn’t care that much.  But there are a few tips and tricks in the below article that I found interesting and thought I’d share.  Check it out below.

Do’s:

• Be self-aware. It’s the No. 1 most important fact to know what signals you are sending.

• Smile. It’s infectious.

• Hair flipping or primping is a known turn on. “We might be playing with our hair, but we’re really saying, look at me. Those are the little signals that hit off on a man’s paternal instincts,” she explained to “GMA.”

• Be more open.

• Be engaged.

• Stand tall and hold your head high.

• Look your interest in the eye and break eye contact by looking down and looking back up.

• Touch as often as possible on nonsexual areas.

• Wear natural scents such as vanilla and lavender.

• Expose your wrists — they are but one of several erogenous zones.

• Point your body in his direction.

• Tilt your head to the left (studies show this is more sexually attractive).

• Nod your head when he is speaking.

Don’ts

• Limit texting, as it is a one-person sport.

• No sitting on your hands.

• Hunched shoulders are a turn off.

• Dart your eyes all over the room – it makes you look insecure.

• Cross your arms in front of your body (not only does it indicate you are defensive, but studies have found we absorb less information when we close  our body language).

• Keep your hands in your pockets.

• Stand with your legs crossed (scissor stand).

• Get too close until you gauge his interest.

• Don’t rub your hands together.

• Rub or touch your nose.

• Slouch in a chair.

He is interested if …

• He looks at you and his eyebrows go up – this indicates interest

• His pupils dilate (recognize lighting).

• His lips part slightly.

• He looks you up and down slowly.

• You are his sole focus of attention (you are the only one in the room, metaphorically).

• He touches himself, anywhere, while looking at you (runs his hands through his hair, fixes his socks, brushes his suit jacket, etc.).

• A shoulder flash (which is a speedy lifting of the shoulders) conveys interest by demonstrating harmlessness.

• Posturing — erect stance, chest out, shoulders back, stomach in.
• Leans his upper body toward you.

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What body language signals have you picked up on?  Share your thoughts and experiences with us by commenting below.

Every zodiac sign is a little bit different and it’s a great idea to try to cater to that sign when planning a date.  If you try to take a Scorpio to a raving party you might not have as much success with your date if you had instead planned a one on one date.  Being aware of your partners Zodiac sign can be helpful.Granted, signs aren’t always accurate and you can’t swear by them; but they can be helpful in some ways. You can at least get an idea as to what they might like and what they might not from their sign.  After that, you’re just going to have to get to know them and figure it out from there.

Aries: Take Aries to a Broadway show with bonus backstage access to meet the stars, or an outdoor sporting event where they can shine. Aries are magnetic, energetic and make dating fun. Awesome!
Taurus: Ruled by Venus, Taurus loves the little luxuries of life, especially a great meal. Take them out to a relaxing evening for two. Follow dinner with a movie where you can sit close. Cozy!
Gemini: Witty Gemini loves communication in any form. They also like to learn. Whisk them off to the latest exhibit at that great museum you just read about. Later, chat about your day over coffee while holding hands across the table. Magic!
Cancer: Show Cancer that you have a romantic side. Any place that’s quaint and quiet with a touch of candlelight will make the moonchild beam. It just might get you one of those famous Cancerian hugs. Bliss!
Leo: Impress your royal date with an elegant dinner, a touch of romance, and tons of attention, and they’ll scratch your back in return. Purr!
Virgo: Body conscious Virgo would love a bike ride or a Pilate’s class. Showing your physical side will wet their appetite for love. Later, share the kitchen and whip up a healthy meal together. Yummy!
Libra: Make Libra happy with a balance of fun and sophistication. Make an entrance at a classy club, walking arm-in-arm, and show everyone what a power couple you two make. Yin and Yang!
“Anyone can attract a fun partner by having a fun sense of self.”
Scorpio: Deeply passionate and astute Scorpio could be into almost anything, especially if it’s one on one. They’ll be trying to figure you out, so just be as mysterious as they are, giving only little hints here and there. Intriguing!
Sagittarius: A socially active first date will light a spark in this fire sign. Taking them to a party or a fun, crowded place brings out their true love of adventure. Flame on!
Capricorn: Dates that lend a sophisticated and refined style appeal to Capricorn’s love of finer things, but they’re no snobs. Whatever you do, do your best, and come prepared with an agenda. Superb!
Aquarius: A perfect chance to double-date; Aquarians do great in groups. Try something they’ve never done before. How about zip lining for a first date? Exciting!
Pisces: This water sign loves to be close to water. A quaint outdoor restaurant where you can watch the boats come into the harbor and get to know each other at a table for two is a perfect first date. Magic!

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Do you base decisions in dating on Zodiac signs?  Share your thoughts with us by commenting below.