Searches for “love,” not surprisingly, peak during February, with people likely looking for Valentine’s ideas and ways to spark a little romance in their lives. Searches for “sex” are fairly unseasonal, but do take a bit of a jump during the summer months (we imagine it has to do with all the extra skin we see during the warmth of July). The unfortunate part is where the “rejection” searches peak: right after the “love” ones do. We imagine that although you see a few thousand proposals during this romantic time, the breakups are probably pretty rampant as well, as are the confessions of unrequited love.

So what does that tell us? Perhaps that sex isn’t the “ultimate expression of love” like we imagined as kids? That maybe falling in love is not as likely a direct ticket to Sexville, and more a direct ticket to Misery City? What do you think?

1. Late night ocean adventures

If you’re fortunate enough to live near the ocean (or a lake, or a river, I guess?), you know that during the hottest days of summer it can be packed with kids, families, tourists, and (the worst) teenagers during the hot afternoon hours. However, around dusk the crowds start to dissipate, and it can provide a romantic (and much cooler) spot to spark some romance.

img @ torontospeeddate

2. Ice party

I don’t think much explanation is needed here. Freeze some cubes, pull back the covers, and get busy!

3. Embrace the heat

This may seem like backwards logic, but taking a hot yoga class together will invigorate your senses, cleanse your mind, lower stress and make the air outside seem cooler. Plus, studies have shown that practicing yoga heightens sensuality, intimacy and confidence in bed. And on top of that, men are visual creatures… watching a lady do a downward dog or dancer pose will definitely be a turn on. You may have a hard time even getting back to your apartment ;). And guys — don’t feel awkward taking a yoga class; it’ll improve your strength and flexibility. And the world’s manliest talent agent can do it, so can you!

The OKCupid blog is known for making charts and graphs somehow… interesting? And fun? Yes, it’s strange, but true. And their most recent blog post, called, “Don’t Be Ugly By Accident” discusses the interesting, odd ways that people judge photographs, as well as some statistics about peoples’ technology preferences. Our favorite? The stat showing that iPhone users have more sexual partners than other smartphone users!

According to the study, while Android users have an average of about 6 sexual partners, and Blackberry users about 8, iPhone users have 10 to 12 (depending on your gender) partners by age 30!

Many arguments are going around the internet about why this is, but one of the most prevailing ones is this: iPhone users’ sex lives, like their technology lives, are awesome… until something new comes along, and they’ve gotta get on that new thing, STAT.

And it doesn’t matter if that thing is the iPhone 7 or that hot new chick working at the Genius Bar ;).

img @ echospot

Part of a great relationship is feeling young at heart when you’re together, laughing and goofing around and not caring if you look silly. However, there is a certain level of maturity you should be able to expect from your significant other if you two are in a long term committed relationship. If you notice that your partner is exhibiting some of the signs below, it might be time to have a talk, or unfortunately, end it all together.

1. They’re financially unstable

Having money isn’t the issue here. In a state whose unemployment rate has been hovering over 10% recently, being financially secure is not a guarantee. However, being financially unstable is a whole other matter. If your boyfriend or girlfriend earns money, but blows it on non-necessities, or prefers to spend it on themselves instead of you, it could mean they aren’t mature enough to handle money. This is a sign you may not want to make an emotional (or monetary) investment in them.

2. Not just messy; gross

Sure all dudes are preternaturally formed as disgusting creatures, but generally they are just more accepting of bodily functions. And some women are just less concerned with personal hygiene. But for most of us, taking care of our cleanliness and having a moderately neat home are important traits, and if you’re dating someone whose home you believe could make you sick, it’s probably time to get out of there.

3. They’re not progressing

We live in a world these days where the idea of “success” has changed dramatically. College and then a 9 to 5 job are not immediate indicators of success, and creative types do have a chance of making it. On the other hand, if your boyfriend thinks his band is still gonna make it even though they practice once a week, or your girlfriend has asserted she’d rather be a housewife than make an effort, you two are no longer on the same page. Constantly working to improve your life is the essence of success, and everyone should want that.

4. They aren’t sexually selfless

Although a vivacious sex life is generally a sign of youth, a sex life that is generally aimed at pleasing yourself is no sex life at all. If you’re dating someone who is generally unwilling to satisfy your needs and desires, it’s probably a sign that their selfishness expands into other areas.

5. They don’t take responsibility

Your significant other could actually having trouble with the following four problems, but the true test of their maturity is whether or not they take responsibility for those problems. Perhaps they’re in a rough patch, but if they say, “I know I haven’t acted very maturely recently but I’m working on it,” you’ll know they’re trying. But if they blame their problems on their job, their family, or just society in general, this is the number one sign that points to immaturity. It’s probably time to head to a site like Match or Chemistry to find someone more serious about growing up.

img @ wikipedia

Savage Love is a great advice column from the Stranger Newspaper in Seattle, Washington. It’s written by Dan Savage, gay activist and media pundit who is a rather respected journalist in the LGBT community. Mine you, that doesn’t mean that his column is specifically for the gay community, on the contrary, a majority of the letters he receives are from straight men and women.

His advice is usually humorous, insightful, and interesting, and not at all the vanilla-flavored advice that you might read from Ann Landers or Dr. Phil. He gives his readers straight talk and his open minded answers sound honest and realistic.

Recent letters have included a young man interested in rape fantasies, a young woman trying to be better at sex, and a man who caught his girlfriend working for an escort service behind his back. Savage’s responses to each were hilarious and honest (“One of you is going to have to nut/ovum up and get selfish“) and are the type of answers that will help, even if they aren’t exactly what the reader wanted to hear. Like Dr. Phil, minus the stupidity and terrible ego and mustache.

Savage Love is a great column that we hope gets more recognition in the future. Good luck to Dan Savage!

img @ telegraph.uk

There are certain problems in a relationship that can be healed with time, a fancy dinner, and lots of sex. On the other hand, there are problems in a relationship that mean certain death to a couple, and ignoring those could lead to a very disastrous break up. If you notice one or more of these occurring in your relationship, you should get out now and save yourself the hassle.

1. You think you’re smarter than them

If one of you is living day to day thinking the other is a cute little dummy, the relationship is not going to work. You both have to have respect for each others’ intellects, even if they are in different areas. Just because your SO is better at math but not so great at spelling doesn’t mean you think they’re an idiot. But if you think their only discernible skill is oral sex, that doesn’t count.

2. You don’t care about your appearance anymore

If you start noticing they’ve been picking their nose in front of you without any shame, or if you’ve neglected to wear anything other than the frumpiest outfits around them anymore, it might be a sign that you don’t really see them as a sexual entity anymore. Perhaps you are still “best friends” but the lack of sex negates the relationship.

3. TV in the bedroom

Similar to the previous problem, preferring to watch TV or read a book in bed instead of having sex is a good sign that perhaps you two have lost your spark. Now, doing this occasionally isn’t a bad thing, we all have our “blah” days, but rolling over to watch Seinfeld reruns instead of having a romp every night isn’t healthy.

4. Spending more time apart

If you start preferring to go on vacations with your friends or even just alone, it might be evidence that you are subconsciously (or consciously) trying to distance yourself. Usually, in sync couples like going on vacations together. Perhaps not always, but shouldn’t you want to experience new things with your other half?

5. Masturbation increases

We’re not opposed to a little… er… self-service every now and then, but if you would rather take care of yourself than be naked with your mate, you obviously aren’t into them anymore. And if you find yourself taking care of business even with a fair amount of sex, it means you’re not being satisfied.

It’s time to move on, or perhaps just take a jaunt over to AshleyMadison…

Read more at the Frisky

img @ the sun

Despite the fact that sex is everywhere in the media, there is still a kind of stigma surrounding those who enjoy and take part in casual sex. Whether or not you are okay with the idea of casual dating, there are some reasons why a  sex life (whether you are in a relationship or not) can be good for your health.

1. It improves your immune system

In a recent study, scientists discovered that people who reported having sex twice or so a week reported higher levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that can protect the body against sickness, than those who were not having frequent sex.

2. It relieves stress

A healthy sex life has been proven to keep lower blood pressure and improve peoples’ ability to  handle stressful situations.

3. It burns calories

Move over, treadmill! Having sex can burn upwards of 85 calories for every half an hour. While that might not your daily dose of exercise, it’ll at least be a fun way to start the day!

4. It improves your cardiovascular health

While older folks have expressed concern that too much heart-pumping sexual activity might give them a stroke, this is rarely the case, according to English researchers. Out of 914 men that they followed, their frequency of sex was not linked to heart problems. Similarly, studies have shown that a healthy sex life (perhaps one between a couple that met on PrimeSingles) actually reduces the chance of a heart attack in men by almost half!

5. It can reduce prostate cancer risk

This is where it gets interesting. According to the British Journal of Urology, men who reported having five or more ejaculations a week lessened their risk of prostate cancer by a third! We suppose you don’t have to have a sexual partner to reap the benefits of this one, but I’m sure it’s much more fun that way !

Check out more health benefits of sex at WebMD.

Well, we’re gonna go ahead and put aside those earlier rumors that John Mayer and Taylor Swift are together… Apparently, in a recent interview with Playboy Magazine, Mayer was quoted as saying of his ex, Jessica Simpson,  “That girl, for me, is a drug… Sexually it was crazy… It was like napalm, sexual napalm…” And although talking about their sex life to magazine read by millions might sound a little on the scandalous side, we’re betting that Miss Simpson and her publicity-hungry father might actually take that as a compliment.

Full Story @ DateDaily

img @ elsaelsa

There have been countless studies done in the past few years that show overwhelming evidence that man is not a monogamous creature by nature. Although we have trained ourselves to believe that there is a “One” who will fulfill us for the rest of our lives, it isn’t exactly realistic to believe this. However, there are also studies showing that man craves companionship. The desire to have a mate to come home to is driven by our fear of being alone, so having a boyfriend or girlfriend is very desirable.

With these new revelations, there are certain couples who believe that an open relationship would fit their lifestyle. An open relationship is one in which the couple stays emotionally committed to each other, while exploring sexual relationships with others. Those who do this successfully claim it has saved their marriages!

Before you engage in an open relationship with your partner, however, you might want to ask yourself a couple questions:

1) Are you sure you shouldn’t just break up?

Sometimes the desire to cheat doesn’t just mean your hormones are acting up, it means you just aren’t attracted to your mate anymore. Perhaps there is someone out there who could satisfy you emotionally and sexually. Don’t stay in a relationship just for comfort. You should still want to have sex with your partner, and if you start sleeping with other people, chances are you’ll find someone out there you really like, and end up breaking up.

2) Are you both secure in your relationship?

If you know that you two are still “in love” but want to have sex outside of the relationship, you should first make sure that jealous instincts won’t kick in and ruin it. The second one of you gets hurt or offended by an extra-marital affair, the open relationship situation will be over.

3) Can you agree on boundaries?

If the two of you decide to indulge in an open relationship, you should set down ground rules that both of you agree on. Will you share your affairs with each other or keep them quiet? How often should you be with each other? Every night? Or is it okay to spend the night somewhere else? Will you participate in threesomes (If so, check out this article: >>> link to bcu article on threesomes)? All of these questions, and more, should be addressed before you decide to begin an open relationship.

Once you’ve decided you’re ready, head over to AshleyMadison.com… it’s a great place to start finding sexy mean and women looking to do exactly what you’re doing… As they say, Life is Short, Have and Affair…

Urban Dictionary lists approximately 300 definitions of the term “Player.” Of those, about 4 say that it can be a man or a woman. In general, the definition says ” a guy who is sustaining supposedly exclusive relationships with multiple girls simultaneously.”

However, switch the two genders and to most, the word being defined would be “whore.”

The term player, while occasionally used in a negative sense, is often considered impressive. Guys can easily say they are not looking for a relationship and just want to have fun, without being considered dirty or dishonorable. On the other hand, women who sleep with multiple partners are often considered to be “slutty.” With the changing times, though, and the popularity of shows like Sex and the City, Grey’s Anatomy, and Cougar Town, successful women who aren’t interested in settling down or having children are becoming more and more the norm.

So, yes, a woman can be a player, without being a slut. The only part of the definition that should be changed is “supposedly exclusive.” If a woman (or a man) is comfortable going out and having fun, possibly with multiple partners, the only advice we have is not to tell your partners that they are the only one you are sleeping with. You should let them know that you two aren’t in a relationship, if only so you two continue to practice safe sex. Visiting a site like OnlineBootyCall.com can increase your chances of finding someone who isn’t looking for something exclusive, as their tagline is “Don’t promise marriage just to get a date.”

Being a player is not just for guys anymore!