Tag Archives: chemistry

What Do You Do With A Bad Kisser?

Let’s set the stage…you’re excited. You waited to kiss her until the 3rd date since you really really like her and wanted to build a little anticipation. After a great night of flirting, little touches, laughter and lingering glances into a very interested second party’s seductively soft green eyes, you quite simply can not WAIT to get to the evening’s finale. The big moment comes at the front door when she tilts her face up to yours… you lean in for the kiss and… Continue reading

This Chemistry is Killing Me!

You know what drives me nuts? Justifying obvious red flags because “chemistry” has turned your brain into cat food.

I know, I know… we ALL do it. Everything from ignoring that you’ve never actually spent time with the person when they are sober to the odd feeling that they aren’t *really* telling the truth about what they want in a relationship… it’s all been bypassed because “she’s hot” or “he’s a good kisser” or some other variation of “chemistry hijacked my brain and I’m along for the ride.”

Continue reading

Post Date Wrap Up

“They had such a cool way of looking at the world. I really admire that. Not sure they’re really my type, but I want to give them another chance. I think I could grow into being more attracted…”

“Yup, a hottie! Well, they did have this weird thing about the end of their nose and their toes were seriously jacked. They may be too smart for me. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure I want to go out with them again.”

Any question as to which statement was a guy and which was a girl? Continue reading

What Makes a Bad Kiss a “Bad Kiss?”

Since so many readers jumped on the comment bandwagon on my Facebook feed about the bad kisser post, I thought a follow-up post on what constitutes a “bad kiss” would be appropriate. In my opinion, in no particular order:

  1. Excess slobber. If a towel or spittoon are needed for clean up after a kiss… there’s not likely to be another.
  2. Belief in adage “the more tongue, the better.” Please know in advance: yes, I still have tonsils and my wisdom teeth have been removed…you really don’t need to double check. Thank you.
  3. The Mamma Bird/Baby Bird Technique: Please refrain from opening hatch and waiting for me to deposit something. I might be tempted to get a worm from the bait shop just to see if that’s what you’re looking for.
  4. Blood. Any blood drawn and you get sent back over to the Vampire Academy for more lessons.
  5. Back pats or dry, hard lip pecks — nothing says “kissing my brother” (unless we’re talking Hilary Swank) more than that kind of body language.
  6. No Kiss at all. If you’re trying to skip the kiss ala “Pretty Woman,” I won’t be giving you the green card to move along to the other activities at which you are so obviously aiming.
  7. Face licking. Ewwww. Not even my dog thinks face licking is cool.
  8. Weird clicking or popping sounds that make me think you might be trying to imitate Larvell Jones in the Police Academy movies.
  9. Bad breath or body odor. Yup, I’m one of the finicky people.
  10. Lizard Kissing. I’m not a huge reptile fan so, in my book, the kiss is over quicker the faster the flicker.
  11. Mashing. If I’m worried about tooth chips or losing the top 3 layers of skin to stubble, I’ll skip the call to my dentist and dermatologist by avoiding further opportunities with a masher.
  12. Sucker Fish Kissing. If I’m worried about having hickeys on my cheek the next day, you are so done.
  13. Passivity. If you are about as responsive as a pillow, I’ll send you to casting for the next young adult movie featuring the joys of abstinence.
  14. The Air Block. Please make sure I can continue to breathe.

I’d love to hear about what you think makes a kiss “bad” or “good” so please comment away! And note that yes, I know that kissing is a personal preference thing. This list contains my personal preferences and I understand that you could find all of the above totally sexy. (However, if you do, please refrain from asking me out.)

Playing with Fire Makes for Nasty Burns

It started as something a bit naughty and perhaps forbidden. Oh the delight as butterflies danced in your tummy… when to see this delicious specimen of humanity again? Hard to keep your hands off each other. Definitely a challenge to not pass too much emotion right along with that sample of the wine in your glass. Sighs, giggles and lingering looks as you part. Loving the chemistry and excitement. You have no idea why you crave this person so much…

And when you close the door behind you, you know you’ve got to end it. That beyond all shadow of a doubt, this is NOT a good relationship for you. For whatever reason… you don’t have the same beliefs, he can be somewhat mean when your friends aren’t around, she’s dating another guy (and has been — seriously — for years), your kids HATE him, she’s an unrepentant addict, you only like each other when rolling around in the sheets… whatever the reason, you know that you’re spending time with someone who’s not your Mr. or Ms. Right.

You may not be able to explain to your body that you’ve got to end it once and for all, but your mind is all on board.  Continue reading

Hooking Up v. Intimacy: Mutually Incompatible?

Can a lifestyle of “hooking up” lead to true intimacy?

This seems to be the water cooler topic for the week… lust, hook ups, intimacy, twuuuuueeee wuuuuvvvv. Our dating culture tries to support all models of “finding love” but I’m kind of wondering which ones would really lead to something satisfying. In the spirit of transparency (coming up in a few paragraphs,) I’ll admit to a bias on my part. I’m a Christian. Lots of the wisdom in this blog comes from what God has taught me about living life in a loving and honest manner. Not the easiest path, but its certainly been a rewarding one. And when it comes to finding love… I’ve been just as prone to looking in all the wrong places as the next person — if I’m not careful. Which brings us to today’s topic, can love and intimacy exist side by side with hook ups and casual sex? Continue reading

Avoid the First Date Let Down

I’m realizing that the busier my schedule gets and the wiser I become in the ways of dating — online and otherwise — that long, drawn out bouts of emailing and calling without ever meeting can really create an interesting phenomenon. A house of cards built on a foundation of air.

Not only does your romantic stranger “know” more about you than you mother thanks to all those emails and wistful, late night calls… you don’t even know if any real potential exists with this person. That magic “C” word: chemistry. The person may not look like their photos or even remotely live up to the picture of charm, charisma and faux-love you have built up in your heart for this virtual stranger. They may not even smell right when it comes right down to it.

So what do you do when the build up just doesn’t match up? Continue reading

Why Didn’t He Call?

Scene: Anyplace where two interested parties are inspired to exchange contact information.

Situation: Boy asks girl for number. Girl gives boy correct number. Boy says “I’ll call you.” Girl waits many days for boy to call. Boy never calls.

So many answers for this question… and girls ask it constantly: ”Why didn’t he call?”

Please don’t read this as me saying the not calling is alright, I’m a big believer in doing what you say you’re going to do. But some of the funnier reasons I’ve heard girls use to excuse the delinquent behavior include things like:

  • What if he got in a wreck and flirts with death in the hospital? (If so, he’s not likely going to want to see the girl he randomly met out at the bar last week… just sayin…)
  • Maybe he lost my number or entered it in wrong on his phone so I should track him down… (And do you really want to go track down some guy who can’t even be bothered to double check with you to see if he got your number right?)
  • I think my friends scared him off and now he’s afraid to call because they teased him all night so I’d better call and let him know I really am still interested. (Ummm, yeah. That’s exactly what happened.)
  • His fingers could be broken and he became suddenly deaf and mute… (yes, this one tivos her soap operas for repeat viewings)
  • Maybe I should find him on facebook in case he lost his phone/charger and can’t get in touch with me. (If he really wanted to find you… don’t you think this would have already occurred to him?)

Well, you get the picture. Some pretty funny things go on in the mind of a waiting girl. Here’s the deal ladies. After traveling around the country, interviewing guys and girls — one thing comes across loud and clear from the men out there… if they don’t call you, they aren’t interested. Yes, it sucks and you want to know why they bothered getting your info in the first place if they didn’t plan to call. They have no good answer to that question, but here are some of the reasons offered up:

  • They don’t want to hurt your feelings and think not calling is the answer to that. (As if waiting in vain for a promised call is any better) Any number of reasons could have come up between getting your number and deciding not to call but the key thing to remember: they are deciding not to call.
  • They actually don’t remember meeting you because they were too intoxicated/met too many women that night/were just on a hunt for numbers/etc. These guys would legitimately look at you in confusion if you did manage to track them down because you simply did not make a huge impact. Key to remember: they don’t remember you enough to call.
  • They simply don’t care that you await a phone call, they don’t feel like calling.
  • Many guys think that asking for your number is a good way to exit the conversation but aren’t really interested in taking it further than the initial conversation. Key to remember: You aren’t likely to convince them to look beyond their first impression, so just let it go.

It doesn’t matter if they ooogled and googled over you. They could have claimed that you were the love of their life. They could have even convinced you to come home with them. But if they don’t call… they just aren’t interested. I’m sorry. The chances of them being laid up and dying in the hospital are extremely slim and if he comes out of it and wants to see you… you WILL hear from him.

This goes for the one and done. Or several dates and fizzle. If a guy wants to be with you, he will make the effort to be with you. If he isn’t interested in anything more than the time you’ve already exchanged with him, he won’t take it further.

This is actually great news when you think about it because that means the guys who DO make the effort, DO want to be with you. Its a great sorting tool if you can take your pride out of the equation and be clear eyed about the situation. My mom gave me solid advice when going into college rush (I know, I know… I went to a southern school – give me a break! But, its a lot like dating when you think about it)… she reminded me that not every house was going to like me and if they did, I wasn’t being true to myself. Looking back on it, she was right. If I’d pleased every house from the peace-loving nature girls to the high maintenance country club party girls… I would have lost myself in the process. Same with dating. Not every guy is going to like you EVEN IF HE ASKS FOR YOUR NUMBER. So be glad he’s not calling and open yourself up to the guy who is.

p.s. to my libby readers who think its silly to wait for a guy to call and just go ahead and call him yourself. It all depends on what you want — if you are looking for a guy to lead and pursue, you’ve got to let him. If you want to be the hunter/gatherer in the relationship, then definitely pick up that phone! If you want equal partnership… it can come from both ways — its more up to what you do IN the relationship than who starts it.

Using a “Schtick” to Get Someone’s Attention

Favorite “lines.” A “schtick.” Going in with a game plan… Do you use ‘em?

I’ve never really had a “schtick.” What I say when meeting a new person changes from person to person and situation to situation. What I say when flirting… well, that certainly evolves based on who, what and when. But I finally saw a “schtick” in action and couldn’t help but write about the experience.

Back story? I met a group of guys out a while back. The first time we met, there was lots of flirting and some interesting exchange of information. These guys… hot, charming, funny and draw every eye in the room when they roll in. What I didn’t realize (since at times I can be a bit dense about this kind of thing when it comes to personal recognition) was that one of the guys was rolling through his “schtick” with me. I thought we were just having some fun and light hearted conversation. He made comments about my hair smelling good (sticking his nose right up to my neck and breathing in), dancing a bit to non-existent music and insisting I join in, close talking to create intimacy, etc. While I enjoyed the obvious flirtation, my friend took a shine to him and stepped in to divert my attention to one of his friends. That diversionary friend and I became great friends and now I’m included in the group outings and occasional boys night out.

Which brings us to the “schtick” recognition. We all went out as a group a while back and I got to see my favorite neck sniffer in action with other women. All of the sudden I overhear, “Wow! Your hair smells so great.” (complete with neck sniffing) Followed by the rest of the “schtick” — one comment after another. I could hardly hold in my giggle as I realized what was going on and watched the women fall one after the other for the devastating smile, chiseled features, neck sniffing and a little impromptu bump-n-grind. My friend has a “schtick” and apparently, a good one.

So, the question is… are “schticks” bad/lame, a shortcut to connection and chemistry or, perhaps, a refuge for the shy? Do you use lines or schticks… why or why not?

Public Displays of Affection

PDA: Public Displays of Affection (otherwise known as making out where other people can see you, hear you or just generally be disturbed by you)

I saw a couple canoodling on a very crowded train the other day and thought, “I’m really glad that I’m not standing where that guy’s hand is moving since things are about to get really awkward if he touches the stranger behind his girlfriend in an incredibly inappropriate place…”

Now, I’m not particularly anti-PDA or pro-PDA, but in my humble opinion, there seems to be occasions where it might be more or less appropriate than others. So I thought I would share a few of the less appropriate…

You should probably keep your hands and lips to yourself when:

  • any elderly person with a heart condition is present
  • you have a dog that gets “inspired” by your frisky natures (if you start humping type activities at a dog park, well, you are either incredibly brave or enormously stupid)
  • your hand is in danger of touching a stranger due to close contact and roaming appendages (especially if that someone else looks like Mr. Clean)
  • you first meet each others parents
  • others may wonder if you are trying to disprove the Calvin Klein tag line: “Nothing gets between me and my Calvins…”
  • that ex you have a restraining order out on is anywhere in the near vicinity
  • you are in danger of becoming the latest subject in the defensive driving videos titled “Death on the Highway” or “Dead in 5 seconds” (yes, the SUV next to you has a CLEAR view of what you are doing)
  • you are at work, in front of your boss, on top of the copier, in the broom closet, etc. Whatever you dream about, in reality you are not McSteamy on “Grey’s Anatomy”
  • you are at church or temple (see previous note about heart conditions)
  • kids under the age of 12 have a direct line of sight into your soap opera audition
  • you are in the middle of a packed movie theatre (do the rest of us a HUGE favor and take a note from High School by sitting in the back if you plan to do any covert groping)
  • your roommate/house mate has to maneuver around you in order to get a drink of water, watch tv or just generally live in the same square footage you and your slobbery second are occupying

As a special note to the girls: please, please for not only your boyfriend’s sake, but everyone else’s as well… no snuckums, sugar baby, pookie bear or Italian stallions necessary. Yes, some of us live in the land of nicknames and endearments and the habit of calling each other honey, sweetie, babe, etc is perfectly normal and, at times, not even noticed by others. Its when you get into the realm of the unusual or terms that hint at bedroom behavior, that you need to firmly draw the line. For many guys, there is nothing worse than their girl dropping the L word in front of his friends and the expectant silence that follows. So leave the I love you’s for private usage and save both of you some embarrassment.

Brief kisses, holding hands, whispers, lingering touches on the small of the back, sweet glances, walking arm in arm, opening doors and holding coats… basically all activity inspired from affection instead of lust are actually quite charming and witnessed by most (bitter singles and lonely marrieds excepted) with something closer to inspiration than tolerance. But if others have to hear the slurps, see the groping hands or heaven forbid need to leave the area in order to shelter their children from the slobber storm, you have ventured into the realm of overt, inappropriate and frankly gross public behavior.