HE Confession #1:When a Man Is In Love

Love can be fun, great, or make you hurt profusely, but love is a term that used too loosely. When does a man know he's in love? Is it in his silence of her or the things he speaks of? A man knows he's in love without a shadow of a doubt when he's away from her and he can't be without. Without the warmth of her body, the sound of her voice, that leaves him in a trance. If she was a mountain of love he would be satisfied with a stone of romance. A man knows he's in love when it's not all about money, games, and fun. It's when he realizes he has a Jet Li and she is the ONE.....

SHE Confession #3: Valentine's Day...Not So Much!

Well it's Valentine's Day again and I don't have a Valentine. Part of me is okay with that and part of me is a tad bit....I don't know. I don't know because, having or not having a Valentine to me is not that big of a deal. It is actually what not having one signifies that gets me a bit. The reality that I don't have someone to love and someone to equally love me back.

Honestly, I'm in the middle on this whole Valentine's thing. A part of me dislikes the fact that a vast majority of us run around on one day a year only and make a big deal about lust, romance and love. We go through great measures just to show a person one day a year that we care about them. How corny is that! I'm just saying, really.... If you truly have these enormous feelings for them why does one have to fall victim to commercialism and show love on one day because everyone else is doing so? Doesn't it demean the whole idea?

Don't get me wrong since I'm all for the "Love Movement" and better relations between men and women, anything that promotes love I co-sign. I'm not some Valentine Scrooge just because I'm Valentineless. I just want to know what's up with showing your love, care or concern daily? If someone has my heart, HE does not have to wait until "V"day to know I care. HE will have numerous love letters, emails, text and simple daily acts of love from me to show for it. "Why wait for tomorrow, with what you could do today?" For tomorrow is not promised or guaranteed. You may never have the opportunity to do it again, say it again or be with that person again. Cherish each moment as though it were your last. Don't fall in sync and do what's expected for one day and then go back to whatever it was you weren't doing before....and no I'm not amped because I'm Valentineless.....yes, I made up a word.

Lastly, while I'm just saying...SHEs if you are going to celebrate Valentine's Day then understand that it is a two-way street. It is not another "SHE" holiday quite to the contrary popular belief. If you are expecting and hoping to receive thoughtful gifts, plans or gestures then I would hope you would represent the SHEs well and have the very same itinerary on deck. Happy Valentine's Day to all my SHEs and HEs. May you have all the love your heart desires. May you have love all year through.

Searching 4 Soulmate Candidate #1 & Only

“Hello. Is this Missing Persons? I’m looking for my Soulmate have you seen him?”
According to Greek Mythology, the first humans were created with 4 arms, 4 legs, 2 noses, 2 mouths and 2 pairs of eyes. Afraid of the power, Zeus split them in half, leaving them to find the other half of themselves. These people are believed to be called Soulmates.

Yeah, so that’s what the wallpaper on my crackberry currently reads. So this should be a clear indication of my Soulmate belief system or just how intense I am about the LOVE Movement. Like the soulful singer Sade, I too am a Soldier of Love. Despite the heartbreaks or failed relationships of the past, I still believe in love and that there is someone out there for me. I believe that everyone has someone that is just right for them. So with that being said I have to start off with a few thought provoking questions as I often do.

*Do you believe in the concept of a Soulmate?

*If so is there one soulmate for everyone, or are there multiple Soulmates for everyone in the world?

*Do you believe that there is not just a romantic/intimate Soulmate?

*Do you believe that you can also have a Soulmate in a friend, a sibling or distant relative as well?

Call me a silly or a corny romantic that lives in a world that either no longer or an even worse case scenario, never existed. Call me what you want but, I however, strongly believe in the Soulmate concept. Maybe it’s like walking around with a bag full of dreams or being caught up in a romantic matrix of some sort. Perhaps I must have overdosed on the fairy tales growing up, who knows for certain how I got this way……..or maybe I was just born this way. I know many of you can identify with the feelings I’m speaking on. The feelings you get when you have met the “ONE”. The “ONE” that makes you feel like singing every love song under the sun or the “ONE” that inspires you to write a little something like this:

Blessed that you are fortunate to live long enough in this life to experience such an inexplicable feeling for that someone special, a feeling you never want to let go of.... A feeling that makes you feel a little bit stronger, a little bit more compassionate, a feeling that has the ability to transform you into a better person while all the while leaving you feeling weak or at the mercy of the other. When you have this feeling, it’s the kind of feeling that no one can dare tell you how to feel, when to feel, why to feel or even think about suggesting you end it or change it.

This feeling is the most powerful feeling ever, it'll make you do things you never thought you would, and it will make you feel better than you ever felt before. However, it can also tear you in half in a matter of seconds. This intense feeling gives you the strength to take the good with the bad and make every minute feel well worth it and well spent.

Initially his physical stature caught my eyes but, his larger than life persona is what captured and locked my heart. As crazy as it may seem, I think I loved him long before we exchanged one solitary word or glance. His presence commands a great sense of familiarity, like I have been here, or like we have met before.

When ever he looks into my eyes the poet within me cease to exist for I instantaneously become speechless, for I’m basking in moments of this sheer bliss. I feel energetic passion when he touches me, a tenderness when he holds me close, a happiness when I'm graced with his presence, even if it’s just for a minute. Often left anxiously anticipating when our eyes will meet and our smiles will give us that sense of completion. His simple, sweet, sincere words touch & uplift me. His honesty and sincerity, intrigues me. A thought of him transcends me to a serene place then leaves me with an adolescent smile on my face. The intimacy that bonds two people happened and began with the eyes and the heart, long before the physical intimacy came into play. Some things happen beyond reason, like the wonder of how my feelings for him came to be and never cease to thrive or persist.-Soleilwriter

Now, the issue with this belief system is that these feelings needs to be felt by both parties involved for it to be that true Soulmate type connection. That feeling has to be a feeling that flows naturally. It shouldn't be a feeling that one has to force or create. It shouldn't be feelings that one has to put up all resistance against or take the fight or flight approach. The feeling you get will just simply be….a feeling that comes as natural as breathing.... Again, I cannot stress enough about how mutual things have to be. If all these things are not present then what you have is a one sided illusion or a grandiose imagination of a love affair. So what one may have perceived as a fairytale connection is more like an emotional one sided, heart wrenching amusement ride that leaves you feeling unsettled and uneasy. It leaves you feeling and writing heartfelt emotions about a love that is not reciprocated or simply cannot be. Figuring out where you are in a relationship or where you stand is easier said than done. Recognizing your Soulmate and knowing if he or she is the “ONE” is also easier said than done. All you can do is have a sincere heart and pray that love will come through for you this time around. Just remember that when all that has to be said has already been said or done, there is most certainly a lesson to be learned from every experience so never regret. Everyone one you meet along the way, whether just in passing or for a whirlwind minute, just know the encounter had a purpose. Even sugarcoated and optimistically thinking me has to unwillingly (rolling my eyes every bit of the way) admit nothing lasts forever, relationships begin, and sometimes they do unfortunately come to an end even when you don't want them to. Although, I may not have done a great job of accepting or practicing this in the past, I do try to be thankful for all the people that broke my heart. With every heartbreak, one has the ability to find oneself and in that, one is certainly sure to find one’s Soulmate.

Social Networking and the Relationship Upheaval

In the movie "He's Just Not That Into You" Drew Barrymore's character says:

"I had this guy leave me a voice mail at work. So I called him at home. Then he emailed me to my blackberry and so I text it to his cell. Now, you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by 7 different technologies....It's exhausting."

It’s true; relationships between men and women can be complicated enough. Then you add in the modern technologies of voicemails, emails, texting along with social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and then things can really get complicated.

I have a few questions to ask once again. I really need your insight on this one. By you leaving your 2 cents on this you wont believe how you maybe helping others, including myself. Here goes:

*If you’re married/in a relationship how you do handle the status situation on social networking sites?

*How do handle opposite sex “friends”, their friend request or comments on social networking sites?

*Should married/in a relationship couples get a joint social networking account?

*Do you have a problem with him/her having access to your cell phone?

*Do you think it is o.k. for a guy/girl in new relationship to text constantly when they can simply call? (I’m talking get to know you long, continuous text).

*Should someone end a relationship via email or text?

*Is it o.k. to find out what your significant other is thinking or really feeling about through his/her status or tweet along with everyone else?

*How do handle password situations?

*How should couples handle all the social movement and its technology?

Many couples have different views on these questions that often end up in bitter arguments. These are just a few questions for now. Some of my questions may sound silly but, these questions seem to be the center of hot topics as well as heated arguments with many couples of late. Feel free to add your question and please, leave your comments.

My Spin On "The Ugly Truth"

I finally saw "The Ugly Truth". I really enjoyed this romantic comedy because, like this blog it explores relationships and the different ways men and women see things. I know some people feel romantic comedies are often not a good reflection of real life relationships. (Some men absolutely detest them…lol!) Nonetheless, I honestly think Hollywood is getting better at removing some of the perfection and happily ever after fluff and replacing it with true portrayals of real relationship issues that couples face every day.

After watching the movie I left pondering on these thoughts: He/She needs to be who they really are in the beginning of a relationship. Don’t try and become this character or facade in order to get him/her. If one enters a relationship pretending to be something they are not then, most likely one will spend most of their time feeling like they not only cheated themselves but their mate as well. With time, one will not be happy being the person they've become. As the real them begins to seep out, he/she will be left dissatisfied with the real you. When it comes to matters of the heart one should be truthful with their partners about what they want and their expectations in the begining. Surprisingly one may just end up with someone who actually likes them for who they truly are. So that's my spin on "the Ugly Truth" without any spoilers ;-)

Relationship Limbo on the Road to Where?

Here's two neat, yet simplistic videos that touches on topics that many of us who are in tumultuous relationships seem to keep pondering on from time to time. You see, when two people are together, and they say they love each other but, seem to be at war more often than at peace. When you have a situation where it appears to be more bickering and frustration than a real loving exchange. It can be very much like the "War of the Roses" or a "Thin Line Between Love & Hate". Often refusing to communicate, refusing to listen or compromise. Often wondering what is the glue that keeps you together and is that bond worth all the pain and frustration.



A few questions to brew on:

*Why stay together if one is not willing to make changes for the better?

*Why make each other miserable if neither one is willing to live up to each others expectations of each other?

*Why is it so easy for one to only see their pain but not the pain they inflict on the other?

If you find yourself at a crossroads and you still feel stuck and you need a little help along the way please be sure to read: A Means to a Mend

5 Suggested Tips on How to "Date" or "Court" Each Other

Whether you have just started seeing each other, newly married or a veteran at the matrimony thing, I think it is important to make time to still “Date” one another. Remember back in the day, when our elders use to actually "Court" each other? I feel it is so imperative to always try and slow down from life’s daily hustle and bustle and get that quality time in with one another. Try not to even make it an option. I feel it helps keep the relationship fresh and the communication and passion flourishing.

Here are 5 suggestions on how to continuously "Date" or "Court" each other:

Tip #1. Don’t make your date itinerary a routine or a duty either. Always try something new if possible. If unable to...switch it up a bit with a little added twist and rotate the activities or outings. Make it fun.

Tip #2. Get creative and use your imagination and resources. I do understand that this can be a difficult feat (especially when a night out with the Boys/Girls) seems more appealing. All you can really do is try to make an assertive effort and you’ll be surprise how she/he will come around and may begin to look forward to your dates.

Tip #3. Plan your date night and plan a separate night out with the Boys/Girls so that there is balance. A separate night out with ones peers is necessary from time to time.

Tip #4. If an important scheduled "Date Night" or "Boys/Girls Night" event conflicts with each other, have some leniency with one other and make a joint decision to alternate or swap days.

Tip #5. Try and do things you both like, try some of things that attracted you to each other in the first place. Also, alternate between what you like and what they like with the hopes of appreciating or understanding each others interest even more.

So those are my 5 suggested tips. Feel free to comment with tips and suggestions of your own. Lastly, be sure to have fun loving, appreciating and re-discovering each other all over again.

I'm Not the Expert Just an Apprentice of Love

This is how I started off one of my twitter updates today: "Just because one likes to have grown up conversations about relationships doesn't mean one is implying that they are an expert on the topic". Let me tell you what prompted me to state that….

My Beau and I were having a conversation about this here blog. By the way I am still trying to get him to join in on some of the discussions the way Hank and Nelia did on their blog. Maybe even do a dual couple blog like mr. nichols and his wife do on their blogs. But, perhaps he is internet shy because he sure has a lot to say otherwise….lol.

Anyways back to what I was saying. I said to him that I by no means am trying or professing to be a relationship expert. I was married for a little bit over over 15 years and had my share of both good and bad. I also have been the one that many girlfriends and (strangers in the grocery store go figure) seek for advice on all sorts of things but, still I am not an expert, for I am learning and trying to find my way everyday. I too often seek the comfort of picking the brains of others for further insight on my personal situations.

With this blog I would like to be viewed as more of a Moderator more than anything else. It is just as I said in my blog description; I really want to focus on relationships between Men and Women and the issues they face daily. I hope that this exchange of different views brings further understanding to both men and women.

So yes, I optimistically would like the end result to bring forth increased unity as well as harmony amongst the sexes. I too want to selfishly benefit from these discussions and grow as a person as well as in my relationship with my Beau. So unlike many of the she versus he discussions that generally creates division amongst the sexes, hopefully we will have a reverse effect here at she versus he.

Discovering The Ugly Truth

When it comes to the "She Versus He" movement and my quest to help us understand each other, I found another great romantic comedy to check out called “The Ugly Truth”. Check out the movie synopsis below:

Abby Richter (Katherine Heigl) is a romantically challenged morning show producer whose search for Mr. Perfect has left her hopelessly single. She's in for a rude awakening when her bosses team her with Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), a hardcore TV personality who promises to spill the ugly truth on what makes men and women tick.

When a Bond Has Been Compromised

In a relationship, you find someone that you trust and you consider them to be your most highly regarded confidant. You share with them some of your deepest secrets and embedded insecurities that you wouldn’t dare share with anyone else. Such a gesture does not come about by doing small act or feat either. They earned this privilege by gaining your heart and your trust over time.

Everyday isn’t always a good day between two people. The two of you may not always see eye to eye. It may even get to the point where issues and conflicts become frequent visitors in your relationship. These communication isues shouldn’t really make much a difference right? After all, they are your most cherished confidant right?

Well, what do you do when your most cherished confidant goes and compromise your trust? This often occurs as a result of anger or some emotional based revenge. The very same secrets you shared with them are now being thrown back at you to hurt you. The very same insecurities that you divulged are now being used against you. What do you do when you are constantly being undermined by this person you love? What do you do when they use words to emotionally hurt or manipulate you because they know just exactly how to do it?

Do you:

a) Try your best to work it out by figuring out the emotional root of the constant betrayal and decide to forgive and forget.

b) Do you give them a spoonful of their own emotionally fatal medicine?

c) Do you acknowledge this as emotional abuse and decide to cut your losses and let go of the emotional roller coaster?

I would love to hear your answer and see how you would handle things……..

To Sacrifice On the Strength of a Commitment

Agreeing with Nelia in her post called: The Sacrifice Myth that a relationship between two people should be an “exchange of value”. I’m sure many go into it with that preconceived notion at least. However, many are often left feeling like it was more of a sacrifice in end as a result. I particularly like the way the definition of sacrifice is defined. “A sacrifice is the decision to give up something in return for something of lower value.” This sums it up in one sentence. This is how many are often left feeling when relations end in a disarray.

Yes, one should value what the other brings to the relationship. By all means the best way to show appreciation for ones worth is by reciprocating. But, you see this is where it gets a little tricky…. It appears that there is an assortment of us that are either wired differently or perhaps got the wrong memo. There are so many failed relationships due to the fact that someone in the magnificent duo forgot to value the others worth.

Even when that happens we continue to “add to the picnic” (as Nelia cleverly put it) with the hopes that things will change and get better. This often leaves us anticipating that our partner “will bring something to the picnic that we will finally enjoy” in other words changes for the better or evolve into relationship material.

So here are a few questions to ponder on:

When you love someone should you just give up after constantly coming up short at the picnic? Should one keep bringing the goods for the sake of sacrifice and the commitment to the relationship? Should one keep doing and hope the other will learn by example and eventually catch on? Should one just cut their losses and find a new picnic partner? Now, if one does that then does one run the risk of possible negative relationship patterns like mentioned in the above post. The risk of ending up with someone from that assortment of us that are either wired differently or perhaps got the wrong memo.

The Putrid Effect of an Ego

He loves me …he loves me not…She loves me…she loves me not. Many of us are not just sitting back picking petals off of a beautiful flower, wondering if the one who has enthralled our hearts truly loves us or not. The more prevalent question that seems to be demanding an immediate answer is just exactly how much. To what dept or degree does this pertinent individual actual love and feel for one? This I must say is a question that everyone has had to ask at some given point in a relationship. It doesn't matter who you are, where you are, if you are a man or a woman you must have had to ask yourselves this very same question. Actually some of us may find ourselves asking this question far too often, more so than we would actually like to.

Different things can spark or bring on the doubts and questions. Often our expectations of others lead us to doubt those we love and those that love us. Especially, when we feel that the people we love are falling short of what we feel they should be doing or bringing to the relationship. When in actuality it is often our past experiences that bring us to the brink. The brink of getting so caught up that we are just left standing with our insecurities and uncertainties to comfort us instead the person we love.

Another villain in relationships is our egos. Egos can be so huge and fatal that it can rob a relationship of its splendor and essence. An ego has the power to blind, mute, deaf and cause temporary memory loss in a relationship. An ego can cause you to no longer see what made you love the person in the first place. An ego can cause momentary loss of speech. When a simple sorry or I love you is needed an ego can silence one and prevent the words from coming out or ever being heard. An ego can make your partners words become some irrelevant like, annoying background noise that you just don’t want to hear anymore. The damage of an ego can be so grave that it causes one to forget why it all even mattered in the first place.

Now with the new found understanding of just how severe an ego can be to a relationship, don’t let it be a hindrance in yours. After all this is the person one truly loves right? Why can’t one just let all guards down, break all barriers and just simply be? No egos, no attitudes and insecurities allowed…It begins with us first and our love ones will follow. Just release and just be with and have the love that one was meant to have!

Karma’s Heartbreak Boomerang

A close friend of mine has been dating this guy who had (commitment issues) for as long as I have known her. She has pretty much stood by his side and remained patient out of her love and loyalty to him. She has tolerantly waited for him to get over his dedication and commitment phobias, only for him to inform her that he just got married to some random woman he just met. (jaw dropped…heart crushing...trying to pick oneself up off the floor shocker)

Perhaps my friend was not the one for him right? Well, if she was not the woman for him then why did he just not move on with his new life? Why is he currently refusing to be happy with the new “Wifey”? Instead, he is constantly attempting to contact and spend his time thinking of my friend (the woman he knows within his own heart he should have married).

I truly do not understand why human beings do these types of thing to one another. Why do men/women choose to string each other along if they are not sure what they want out of a partner or a relationship? Just because one can’t make up their mind should the other suffer? No matter how much you try you cannot have your cake and eat it too, at least not for long anyway. If we choose to continue to take the selfish route in our relationships, karma’s heartbreak boomerang will surely cross our paths with a vengeance. So before you go disregarding someone’s heart remember the feelings you spare may be your own.

If you have an opinion or if you can share your perspective and provide further insight as to why this happens please feel free to enlighten and share.

What A Guy Is Really Saying

O.k...Perhaps that's not all that guys think about or is really saying. Quite close maybe?

Scales and Balances of the Heart

I was having a casual debate about relationships with a friend of the opposite sex. We had a host of exchanges bouncing back and forth. You see, when it comes to relationships you rarely find a shared consensus when males and females point of views are involved. We could not agree on much of anything. Who wants to give in to the other side? He actually had the bravado to go on and say that "When it comes to a relationship between two people, there is always one person who loves more than the other." I immediately disagreed and replied with such assurance to his comment because; I did not want to believe that such a thing could even be remotely true. "When one truly cares for someone it should be sincere" I said "When it comes to relationships everything should be 50/50 right?........Love is love correct, or is it truly a constant game that ones not sure they really ever wanted to play in the first place?".............

Well, I will have to reluctantly admit that some years later after experiencing and witnessing the trials and tribulations of relationship matters both mine and others around me, that he was indeed correct. I now admit my observations with additional findings.... Yes, he was correct but, that unbalanced scale of lust, love or whatever one chooses to call it, can shift in the course of a relationship at any given time. So when one thinks that they are more at the receiving and advantageous end of the Relationship Scale beware, because overnight in the bat of an eyelash, one might find themselves at the less appealing end of the relationship measuring stick. One might find themselves reluctantly on the the least lucrative side of the emotional scale.

So word to the wise. Don't get too comfortable with putting minimal effort and think that ones partner is going to always go above and beyond for ones love and attention. The moral of this story is: Do unto others as you want done to yourself when it comes to matters of the heart. Karma can come back and give you something that you did not anticipate and send you on an bitter sweet emotional whirlwind.

Any relationship is under the control of the person who cares the most- Gordon Livington

Finding Out Why He's Just Not That Into You

“He's Just Not That Into You” is perhaps one of best portrayals that I’ve seen in a long time of men and women relationships. This movie kept me engaged from beginning to end. There are several points in various areas of the movie where both men and women can at some point relate to. Even if you think you wouldn’t be interested in this movie or didn’t want to be, I guarantee you surely will be. He's Just Not That Into You has a star packed cast but my favorites were Ginnifer Goodwin and Justin Long. Ginnifer Goodwin (Gigi) does an excellent job portraying that girl who, after tons of mixed messages from a guy becomes the obsessed stalker type girlfriend.

see also: SHE Confession #2: Another Missed Connection

Sasusaku wp by ~RavenxCorpse on deviantART

I truly love this Artist interpretation on the true emotions that exist daily between male and females no matter the age group. A great example of how the emotional balance yet different, some how finds a way to compliment each other.

Artist RavenxCorpse wanted to make a conception in connection with them. She shows the differences between them. Sakura has a nice personality, and she annoys the hell out of Sasuke with her love. On the other hand, Sasuke-kun is an avenger, and he doesn't seem to care about things, except his revenge. The Artist feels they are like day and night, so this idea inspired her to do this piece. She says she loves opposites; Sakura’s side being the cheerful and girlish one, and Sasuke’s side being the darker, and boyish one. In my interpretation of this piece I see a love that is so precious and that many of us often share. Although very different, day & night, positive versus negative, the two have found each others love and manages to make it the most electrifying relationship that some how absolutely works against all odds.....yup I got all that from gazing at this piece.

Emotional Differences

Man and Woman Idea by ~cqueror on deviantART

Note: how the guy has a club where his heart is suppose to be. I guess that means he has his mind on partying, bars, night clubs etc. Anything but a commitment. Whereas, the girl has a heart where a heart should be and her focus is on a true emotional connection, settling down and nothing but a commitment.