Singles in the News: 8/9/09-8/15/09

Encouragingly, "Singles in the News" is heavy on the singletude and light on the singlism this week! In fact, there were several contenders for the Singles With Singletude Award but no strong competition for the Singleschmucker. As much as I love using the word "singleschmucker," I hope the articles worthy of it are on the downslide. Enjoy!



8/9/09

"7 Stress-free Home Maintenance Tips for Single Women"
By Jessica Bram
SingleMindedWomen.com
Summary: In the wake of her divorce, the author admits she can't cut it at the handyman's bench and advises other singles who are daunted by do-it-yourself tasks to take advantage of professional help.

Singleschmucker Award
"As Economy Goes Down, Matchmakers' Market Goes Up"
By Jessica Belasco
Houston Chronicle
Summary: In case you've forgotten since last week, more singles than ever are turning to online dating in this bad economy. Really. It's not just some conspiracy to put more cash in the pockets of dating service bigwigs. After all, as the CEO of OkCupid says, "The last thing you want to do is go home to your lonely apartment and spend the evening by yourself." But you already knew you were alone and lonely, right?...Not the worst example of singlism I've ever seen but irritating enough to earn it this week's Singleschmucker Award.

"One Less Shelter for Families"
By Matt Batcheldor
The Olympian
Summary: A homeless shelter in Olympia, WA is closing its doors to families as it makes way for an influx of singles. Notice the paper's bias toward families, evident in the wording of this headline.

"Phelps, Mom of Olympian, Shares Her Story"
By John Henderson
Rocky Mount Telegram
Summary: Debbie Phelps, single mom of Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, speaks at a Single Women In Mission (SWIM) benefit, detailing her early life and struggles as a working single parent of three. Interestingly, she mentions that her friends and neighbors became as much a part of her family as her own relatives.

"SMW, Single Women, Single Payer Petition"
SingleMindedWomen.com
Summary: Here's a form letter that you can send to your Congressmen to ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 676, The United States National Health Insurance Act. If you're not already educated about H.R. 676, please take a minute to explore the preceding link to H.R.676.org and find out why single-payer health care is vastly superior to private insurance with a public option.


8/10/09

"District Love: More Men Wanted? The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Comical"
By Karen Dickerson
examiner.com
Summary: Though written with the D.C. dating scene in mind, this article could apply to many cities in which single females outnumber males, who are scarce at speed dating and networking events. The author asks why, and although she doesn't reach any definitive conclusions, she suggests an attitude adjustment for single ladies.

"Marriage Incentive Riles Single Women"
By Kanchan G. Burathoki
Republica
Summary: Infuriated at Nepal's plan to offer financial incentives to men who marry widows, hundreds of single women stormed Kathmandu. Their message: Help us be financially independent, not dependent on a husband.

"Single Women for Single Payer Healthcare: Sign the SMW Petition!"
SingleMindedWomen.com
Summary: SingleMindedWomen.com has a goal. They want to get 100,000 signatures on a petition for single-payer health care by Labor Day. It's getting harder and harder for hard-working singles, especially women, to afford quality health care. PLEASE sign the petition and support free health care for everyone. (Married women and men are welcome to sign, too!)


8/11/09

"Broken Vows Part 1: Once the Divorce Is Final, Over-40 Women Discover Unwelcome Challenges"
By Anne Rodgers
Palm Beach Post
Summary: When marriages dissolve, newly single women who sacrificed their individuality on the altar of coupledom must rediscover who they are and learn to enjoy life on their own. The interview subjects give some good tips, such as building a support network of single female friends. Says Pam Jett, a therapist with obvious singletude, "Unfortunately a lot of women are programmed to believe they're not whole people unless they're in a relationship. I try to help them find and reconnect with that sense of self."

"Girl Talk: The Condom Commandments"
By Ami Angelowicz
The Frisky
Summary: The article notes a disturbing trend toward condom-less casual encounters and lays down the law for single women regarding how, when, where, and with whom to use protection.


8/12/09

"New Book Exposes Challenges, Hardships and Joys of Single-man Adoption"
PRWeb
Summary: Well, not quite single. Author Paul Hampsch, who is gay, was in a relationship when he adopted two boys from Ukraine in 2001. However, due to discrimination there, he had to pretend he was unattached, and the adoption was conducted as though he was a single man. His book, A Family of Choice: A Gay Man's Story of International Adoption, should give aspiring single fathers a better understanding of what they're up against and how to play their cards right.

"Retirement and the Single Girl"
By Miriam Goodman
examiner.com
Summary: In the author's experience, even single women who are financially sound don't want to retire. Why, she wonders, are single women not interested in living their lives for themselves?

"Single in the City: The Perfect Partner? These Days That's Just a Fairytale"
By Rym Ghazal
The National
Summary: The West isn't the only place where singles are getting choosier in the dating game. Single men in the Middle East are also pulling out long checklists for their future mates, dashing some single ladies' hopes of a Cinderella-like end to their personal stories.

"Targeting the Homeless: Another Way to Incarcerate Men"
By Robert Franklin, Esq.
MND
Summary: Research indicates that homelessness is on the rise in this recession, especially among single men. The writer is concerned that police departments are trying to help these homeless single men into new housing--behind bars.


8/13/09

"Do Single Women Seek Attached Men?"
By John Tierney
The New York Times
Summary: According to a study called "Who's Chasing Whom? The Impact of Gender and Relationship Status on Mate Poaching" by Jessica Parker and Melissa Burkley, single women are significantly more likely to find a guy attractive when told he's in a relationship. (The article says the difference is over 3o percentage points, a figure echoed throughout the media, but this percentage is nowhere to be found in the original study.) There was no similar effect for single men when told that women were taken. The Oklahoma State University researchers theorized that men become more attractive to women when they show they can commit. However, Tierney has a theory of his own--that these women may be displaying a classic fear of commitment.

"Locals Lead Charge to House, Heal the Homeless"
By Marian Rizzo
Ocala.com
Summary: Florida transitional housing and rehabilitation centers are profiled. Two work with single men, one with single women and children. Another is planned for just single women.

"Palo Alto 'Cougar Convention' to Gather Older Women, Younger Men"
KTVU.com
Summary: A look at the man behind the National Single Cougars Convention, Rich Gosse of the Society of Single Professionals. In 2003, Gosse was ahead of his time, campaigning for governor of California on a platform of equitable treatment for singles. Here he talks about his inspiration for the convention and why he believes cougar pairings work so well.


8/14/09

"Are You Unknowingly Dating a Married Man Who[']s Cheating on His Wife?"
By Ruth Houston
examiner.com
Summary: It's scary that this web site has a columnist devoted solely to the subject of infidelity in New York! According to her, research shows that 20% of single women are currently dating married men...and don't know their significant others have wives waiting at home. Further, one in five men is a husband pretending he's footloose and fancy-free, and one-third of online daters are married. The author has a number of excellent pointers for any single woman who suspects she's dating a not-so-single guy.

"'Ask the Ladies' Dating Advice for Single Dads"
By Michael Ramos
examiner.com
Summary: A panel of single, child-free gals reveal their thoughts on dating single dads. (Hint: They're cautious but optimistic.)

Singles With Singletude Award
"New York Times Reporter Thinks Single Women Fear Intimacy; I'm Afraid He's Wrong"
By Bella DePaulo
The Huffington Post
Summary: Sociologist Bella DePaulo critiques John Tierney's New York Times article, "Do Single Women Seek Attached Men?" and does a thorough job of it as usual. Not only does she refute Tierney's hypothesis that single women are afraid of commitment by providing the results of attachment studies, but she also questions the claims made in the original journal article. For one thing, the participants were all college students, and the way youths 18-22 date and mate may not be generalizable to how more mature single women operate. For another thing, the study didn't actually measure how likely single females were to pursue men in long-term, committed relationships; it only looked at how they responded to a guy who was in a "current" relationship, suggesting a more casual affair. Finally, the single girls answered questions about how interested they were in the young man, but the researchers didn't ask how interested they'd be in dating him while still attached. This could have created misunderstandings that impacted the results. For a more in-depth look at misleading elements in this study and the New York Times reaction to it, check out DePaulo's rebuttal. Her article is, once again, the winner of this week's Singles With Singletude Award.

"Red Carpet Confidential: Vivica A. Fox Gives Cougar Tips"
By Valerie Nome
OK!
Summary: She does, but the actress also talks about how satisfied she is with her single life: "Every morning when I wake up, whatever Vivica wants to do, that's what we do. I don't have to answer to anyone. I'm having a great time in life...Right now, I happen to be single, and I don't have a problem with it. I'm not always searching. A man doesn't validate me because I'm happy with me." Fox's pro-single comments are so refreshing that Singletude can easily forgive her use of the third person.


8/15/09

"The Women DIYers Doing It for Themselves"
By Emma Wells
The Sunday Times
Summary: In the UK, more women than ever before aren't waiting for a man to role up their sleeves and tackle projects around the house. Though this article isn't solely about single women, it mentions the growing number of singles as a motivational force behind the newfound popularity of home improvement courses for women and interviews one unattached female who single-handedly (pun intended) renovated her entire house. Too bad the author can't stop herself from dropping a few singlist comments here and there to remind us that women still have a long way to go.



Do you have thoughts on any of the stories above? (When commenting, please reference the title of the article.)


Don't forget to enter the Singletude giveaway contest for your chance to win over $150 in prizes from SingleEdition.com!


Do you have a question for Clever Elsie about some aspect of the single life? Have a rant or rave about singlehood? Write in, and you just might see your question in a Singletude Q&A or your rant or rave in a Singletude Sound-off!

Internet Dating Is Not Like Ordering a Pizza by Cherie Burbach: A Singletude Review

In case you've been living it up on your summer vacation in Cabo while I've been slaving away over a hot CPU to serve up post after post of relevant, singles-friendly info and not feeling at all bitter about it, you may have missed that Singletude is currently running its first ever giveaway contest! The prize is a gift basket worth over $150 from SingleEdition.com. It also includes a book donated by online dating guru Cherie Burbach, Internet Dating Is Not Like Ordering a Pizza (IDINLOAP).

Burbach, a professional freelancer who is also the Dating feature writer at Suite101.com, knows that of which she writes. After joining an online dating service, she went on a dizzying 60 dates in six months, a figure that defies credulity, memory, and eight hours of sleep a night. She also met her husband.

If you've been reading online dating advice for any length of time, chances are many of the tips and tricks presented here won't be new to you. In fact, Singletude dispensed much of the same advice over a year ago in"Tips for Online Dating Success, Part I," "Part II," "Part III," and "Part IV." However, if the book's strategy isn't totally original, it is solid. The reason you'll find various Internet dating experts parroting this same advice is because it works. What sets Burbach apart from the others is that she conveniently collects all this wisdom in one volume and makes it easy to apply.

How easy? Well, instead of nebulous suggestions to "be unique" or "show off your personality," she offers step-by-step instructions with lots and lots of examples so you can see what that really looks like in a dating profile. Rather than leave you to figure out for yourself what it means to send a reply that's "open" but not "too familiar" or "pushy," she demonstrates several appropriate ways to initiate and respond to messages. In essence, reading IDINLOAP is like shadowing an Internet dating coach as she works the dot-com scene. Whether you've just jumped into the online dating pool or have been swimming in it for awhile without success, you'll benefit from observing how an expert navigates the waters.

Set in big, friendly type with generous spacing, IDINLOAP adopts a conversational tone from the outset, as though the author had stopped by for a casual, one-on-one chat (which is, by the way, the same tone she recommends for dating profiles). Burbach's formula for online dating success can be summed up as the right profile plus the right attitude, and she immediately sets out to show singles how to achieve both. She doesn't skimp; every stage of online dating is covered, from photo selection to first date follow-up.

Drawing on her experience as a professional writer, Burbach reveals the secrets to creating a magnetic profile, which aren't nearly as complicated as you might think. In fact, one of her simplest trade secrets is to write as though you're "describ[ing] yourself to...an alien," someone "who speaks your language but doesn't know anything about your world." Naturally, instead of just rattling off things you like to do and places you like to go, you would describe what those things and places are like, how they make you feel, and why they're important to you. The book's main tenet is that a successful profile isn't one that makes you sound better than you are but one that sounds exactly like you are so it will attract the kind of people who would be interested in you. Burbach's guided questions and examples teach you how to reveal yourself in your headline, profile essay, and multiple choice questions.

Another key part of her strategy is to help your potential date envision him- or herself with you, something you probably thought you had no control over. Don't worry. IDINLOAP will show you how to do that, too.

Soon, you may notice that Burbach's pointers for seemingly disparate pieces of your profile are transforming it into a thematic whole, a story of you that sparkles as more than the sum of its compelementary parts. This "big picture" approach is, to my knowledge, a completely fresh idea in the world of online dating advice and should add an impressive luster to any profile.

Thankfully, IDINLOAP doesn't push the online dating newbie out of the nest once the profile is complete. Burbach walks you through the search process, illustrates how to initiate and reply to messages appropriately, and will even hold your hand through the first date and its follow-up. Along the way, she provides a crash course in netiquette and steers readers away from the pitfalls that online daters unwittingly stumble into.

On that note, if IDINLOAP has a downfall, it's that its many "don'ts" may not be flexible enough for some readers. Burbach has very firm ideas about things like what you should and shouldn't show in pictures, the search criteria you should use, and how long your first date should be (exactly 60 minutes and not a second longer). Some online daters may find these rules too confining or not applicable. For instance, IDINLOAP is squarely aimed at singles looking for serious commitments, so those who want to date casually will have to adjust the guidelines to their own purposes.

Furthermore, the book's overriding philosophy is that online dating is a numbers game, so dating site members should make their searches as broad as possible and write to as many other members as they can. In Burbach's eyes, you can't figure out much about people until you meet them in person, so you should try to meet as many as will say yes to a coffee date. In contrast, the Singletude approach is to start searches narrow and work outward so you have the best chance of finding the ideal match for you. But, then, I'm writing from the perspective of someone who knows exactly what she wants, can detect it easily in profiles, and lives in a region with a lot of online daters. Also, I would find it overwhelming to juggle as many online contacts as Burbach recommends. In short, the Singletude strategy is based on what works for me; the IDINLOAP strategy is based on what works for Burbach. Either one may work for you.

If you aren't comfortable with the book's one-size-fits-all method, you can easily adapt it to your needs. However, most of the advice in this volume is not only sound but repeated again and again by Internet dating vets, so you will want to follow much of it to a tee. In addition, part of IDINLOAP's formula for success is a positive attitude that doesn't get much attention in most online dating how-tos. Everyone knows it's bad form to whine about your ex in your profile, but IDINLOAP's definition of a positive attitude is holistic, extending beyond smiling pictures and an upbeat headline to incorporate your expectations for the dating process on- and offline. Throughout the book, Burbach serves this slice of advice straight up to singles who are letting negativity interfere with their dating prospects and helps site members reframe the sometimes brutal online dating process as a light-hearted, experimental adventure.

If you're new to online dating, IDINLOAP is indispensable and could save you from costly errors and discouragement. On the other hand, if you've been around the cyberblock and are frustrated with Internet dating sites, this book may help you identify what you're doing wrong so you can finally meet your perfect match. Even successful online daters may find themselves refining old strategies with Burbach's advice. To win a free copy of Internet Dating Is Not Like Ordering a Pizza, enter the Singletude giveaway contest today!




Have you had success with online dating? If so, what are some online dating strategies that you would recommend? What are some online dating pitfalls that singles should beware of? If you've read Internet Dating Is Not Like Ordering a Pizza, do you have comments on the book?

Fun Link of the Day


Do you have a book or web site for or about singles that you would like Singletude to review? Contact Elsie!


Don't forget to enter the Singletude giveaway contest for your chance to win over $150 in prizes from SingleEdition.com!


Do you have a question for Clever Elsie about some aspect of the single life? Have a rant or rave about singlehood? Write in, and you just might see your question in a "Singletude Q&A" or your rant or rave in a "Singletude Sound-off"!

Singles in the News: 8/2/09-8/8/09

This was another fabulous week for "Singles in the News"! Once again, the media was abuzz with stories about singles. Read on for the latest!



8/2/09

"Malaysian Govt Seeks Cupid Services for Single Women"
Thaindian News
Summary: Malaysia wants to help its single moms become financially solvent and is on the right track with its entrepreneurship program for women. But now it also wants to encourage government-sponsored matchmaking. Is it a step forward or back for single women?

"Photo Gallery: Single Celebrity Working Women"
By Sabba Rahbar
Socialite Life
Summary: A collection of photos of unmarried female celebs is a tribute to Single Working Women's Week.

Singleschmucker Award
"Strong Families, Strong Nation"
By Esther Tyson
The Sunday Gleaner
Summary: In the hands-down winner of this week's Singleschmucker Award, a Jamaican principal blames single parenting for all her nation's woes, claiming, "There is no other single force causing as much measurable hardship and human misery in this country as the collapse of marriage." According to her, most marriages end just because couples have grown bored of playing house, and the consequences to children are dire. For support, she cites an article from the popular media, Caitlin Flanagan's "Why Marriage Matters," published in Time, to claim that "in all cases, the kids living with both parents, drastically outperform the others." Too bad she didn't consult Dr. Bella DePaulo, who refuted Flanagan's pop science in the Huffington Post, before passing such harsh, unwarranted judgment on single parents. She also agrees with Flanagan's bizarre conclusion that divorce equals child abandonment. If, as the author says, Jamaican youth are riding a wave of high crime and academic failure, could it be that this is due to poverty and a poor educational system rather than their parents' marital status? Tyson doesn't admit to that possibility. She also doesn't seem to understand that marriage and parenting aren't synonymous. The answer to poor parenting is to promote good parenting skills, not date nights for parents.


8/3/09

"All Star Inn Rennovation Almost Finished"
By John Reynolds
The State Journal-Register
Summary: Springfield, IL welcomes a newly refurbished apartment complex for low-income singles. The 19-unit building includes a service center that will help residents get back on their feet.

"Happy and Single Step 1: Be Your Own Boyfriend"
By Kaneisha Grayson
examiner.com
Summary: Grayson's Golden Rule is "treat yourself like you want your partner to treat you." To that end, she lists three perfect ways to please yourself.

"Olympian's Mom to Make a Splash at Local Charity Event"
Rocky Mount Telegram
Summary: At a time when single parents are routinely demonized, it's refreshing to see an article about a single mom whose parenting success is unquestionable. Debbie Phelps, single mom to Olympic champ Michael Phelps, has just released a book and will be the guest speaker at an upcoming fundraiser for the Single Women in Mission Network (SWIM). The charity event will support SWIM's transitional housing for homeless single mothers.

"What If It's Not Raining Men?"
By Lee Drutman
Miller-McCune
Summary: Dr. Daniel Kruger of the University of Michigan confirms the obvious: In geographical regions where males outnumber females, single men are less likely to settle down in their 20s. Where the opposite ratio occurs, they are, of course, more likely to marry. However, this principle only holds true until men hit 30, after which the majority start looking for long-term partners in earnest. Kruger proposes that this is because older men lose the physical attractiveness that would predispose single women to choose them for just casual sex. More interestingly, the article considers how sexual norms may be tied to disproportionate gender ratios and concludes that everything from the sexual revolution to the veneration of chivalry in the South arose from shortages in singles of one sex.


8/4/09

"Accidentally on Purpose: Unexpected-family Comedy"
By Sarah Jersild
KSFM
Summary: A new sitcom on CBS will follow a single woman who gets pregnant after a one-night stand and elects to keep the baby.

"[Men] More Likely to Seek Help for Debt"
IOL
Summary: South African men are more likely than women to approach Consumer Assist, a debt counseling and management agency, but of the women who seek financial help, singles outnumber marrieds.

"Men Who Do the Housework Are More Likely to Get the Girl"
University of Oxford
Summary: A new study out of the UK suggests that--big surprise--women prefer to live with men who contribute their fair share to the household chores. Countries in which couples divvied up the housework had more couples living together, leading the researchers to conclude that unmarried women considering the transition to marriage or cohabitation are asking, "'Will I be better off?' Women in less egalitarian countries are saying no." The ambitious study followed 13,500 participants, ages 20-45, from 12 nations for a period of eight years. The most egalitarian countries with the highest rates of live-in lovers were Norway, Sweden, the UK, and the US. Japan, Germany, Austria, and Australia fared the worst.

"Rich Dad Hawaii Offers Opportunity to Attend Rich Woman Event for Free"
PRWeb
Summary: No, it's not some tawdry speed dating event for sugar mamas. It's a seminar that teaches single women how to become financially independent. The seminar is led by real estate millionaire Kim Kiyosaki, author of Rich Woman: A Book on Investing for Women. Five winners of an essay contest will be admitted free of charge.

"Sexy Bachelor Pad: Designing for the Single Male"
By Tisha Leung
Cool Hunting
Summary: What's cool about this article is that it showcases an interior design firm that specializes in working with single men who want to spruce up their bachelor pads from college cheap to professional chic. The firm caters to single guys who don't have the time, desire, or artistic sensibility to pick out color schemes, curtains, and lighting fixtures. What's not as cool is that it supposes single men only want high-end digs to attract prospective partners. Isn't it okay for a guy to want to live in the lap of luxury by himself?


8/5/09

"Bittersweet Secular Wedding Ceremony on Jewish Day of Love"
By Xu Gang and Deng Yushan
China View
Summary: You may want to think twice about living in Israel if you're a Jewish single. Unless you can prove you're Jewish, the state might not let you marry legally. It happened to this couple.

"Blog Details Shooter's Frustration"
By Sean D. Hamill
The New York Times
Summary: On Aug. 4, 2009, a single, 48-year-old man named George Sodini walked into a women's aerobics class, turned the lights off, and opened fire with a semi-automatic, killing three and wounding nine before taking his own life. His blog reveals that he pinned all his hopes on finding a mate and, when that didn't happen, nursed a growing resentment toward women. The gunman said, "A man needs a woman for confidence. He gets a boost on the job, career, with other men, and everywhere else when he knows inside he has someone to spend the night with and who is also a friend." This tragic story is a perfect example of what can happen when a single person puts too much stock in matrimaniacal values and fails to develop a sense of singletude. Our society isn't blameless, either. Although nothing justifies Sodini's violent actions, his observations about singlism are accurate. It's unforgivable that Americans contribute to the loneliness, self-doubt, and depression that some singles face by continuing to reward only those in relationships.

"Dating: A Competitive Sport?"
By Katie Freeman
Elk Grove Citizen
Summary: The columnist ponders what reality dating shows teach young singles about picking partners.

"Keith Olbermann: Follows the Money in Healthcare Hang-ups"
By Josie Brown
SingleMindedWomen.com
Summary: This fall, Congress will vote on single-payer health care. Find out why a single-payer system is better for singles and everyone else, too. Then, find out how you can voice your opinion to your representative!

"Kudos to Women But Low Birth Rate Worries PM"
By Lee Hui Chieh
asiaone news
Summary: The prime minister of Singapore congratulates single women on their career advancement but worries that the corresponding decline in marriage and the birth rate will drastically reduce the country's population.

"Perpetually Single People Want What They Can't Get"
By Carolyn Bushong
examiner.com
Summary: Self-help author and professional counselor Carolyn Bushong says that too many singles are searching for partners who are out of their league. Her prescription for relationship success is to find someone who's your equal in every way. I wonder if she's ever heard of social exchange theory, which explains such iconic pairings as the Playboy bunny and the rich old-timer, the brainiac and the jock, and the artist and the muse as trade-offs in which one person fulfills a need that the other has. None of us is a 10 in every category, and it would be extremely difficult to match another person exactly on every measure, so many relationships involve give and take. Moreover, we tread in dangerous territory when we start rating ourselves and others as "better" or "lesser" catches. In dating, one man's Lady Macbeth, the woman scorned, is another man's Juliet.

Singles With Singletude Award
"Single and Running Out of Time to Have Children"
By Rachel Lehmann-Haupt
The Times
Summary: A 39-year-old single woman from New York recounts how a failed relationship forced her to confront the social pressure to raise a child within the confines of marriage. In this clear-eyed article, she wrestles with the unrealistic demand that singles "have it all" by 35, explores the many reproductive options available to single women, and refuses to believe that married women have it any easier. Through it all, she learns to respect and remain open to familial arrangements that defy the norm. In conclusion, she says, "I have discovered that women think about family in fundamentally different ways. Some see it through the lens of biology and genetics, and others see it through the lens of socially constructed patterns and taboos...As I've worked toward figuring out my own life, I've tried on all sorts of potential scenarios for size: single motherhood, co-parenting with a friend, adoption, and yes, even settling for something less than perfect love...I hope my experiences and my research will provide insight for others into how some of these different choices look and feel." Lehmann-Haupt's willingness to embrace a variety of paths to motherhood coupled with her rejection of matrimania earn this article the Singles With Singletude Award.


8/6/09

"Getting Naked, Getting Nervous?"
By Rita Charleston
The Jewish Exponent
Summary: Author Judith Sills talks about her new book, Getting Naked Again: Dating, Romance, Sex, and Love When You've Been Divorced, Widowed, Dumped or Distracted. The self-explanatory title makes it almost unnecessary to say that Sills writes about how to overcome the contemporary challenges facing singles dating at older ages, often after periods of long-term monogamy or celibacy.


8/7/09

"America's New Single Girl: In No Rush to Marry"
By Courtney Bee
examiner.com
Summary: The author speaks out in support of singles who put themselves first and marriage second.

"Friends With Benefits: A Primer"
By Tania Boghossian
examiner.com
Summary: FWB arrangements continue to spark unanswerable questions and debate.


8/8/09

"Balkans: Civil Society Plays Matchmaker"
By Vesna Peric Zimonjic
IPS
Summary: Mass emigration has left the Serbian single population unbalanced, males outnumbering females. In response, matchmaking organizations have sprung up to import single women from surrounding countries like Russia, Ukraine, and Albania. However, not everyone is eager to marry. Breaking with tradition, more Serbian singles are deciding that they "simply do not want to share their life--and income." Of course, a psychologist chimes in to explain why shunning marriage and child rearing is supposedly a poor decision.

"What Makes Short Men Attractive?"
By Alisa Chagnon
examier.com
Summary: The results of a poll of 150 single women shows that a man's personality is more important than his height.

"The Women Behind 'Mad Men'"
By Amy Chozick
The Wall Street Journal
Summary: The WSJ goes behind the scenes to cover the making of Mad Men, an AMC original TV series that examines the complexity of gender relations and the repressive traditional family structure in the 1960s.



Do you have thoughts on any of the stories above? (When commenting, please reference the title of the article.)


Don't forget to enter the Singletude giveaway contest for your chance to win over $150 in prizes from SingleEdition.com!


Do you have a question for Clever Elsie about some aspect of the single life? Have a rant or rave about singlehood? Write in, and you just might see your question in a Singletude Q&A or your rant or rave in a Singletude Sound-off!