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DREAMSTIME/TNS

Younger daters are tired of swiping. A host of new LA startups is vying for their attention

Life Advice / Dating Advice /

When Joseph Feminella matched with his would-be wife on Hinge in 2020, he was already growing tired of traditional dating apps. He told her he'd like to meet in person right away, and they met that night.

The pair were married three years later, and Feminella launched his dating app First Round's on Me nationwide in August after a four-year ...Read more

Mary Katherine Wynn/Dreamstime.com/TNS

Ask Anna: My partner's political activism is draining my relationship

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Dear Anna,

I'm a 27-year-old woman, and my boyfriend (31) has always been passionate about political activism. I admire his dedication to causes like climate change and social justice, but lately it feels like our relationship is getting lost in the shuffle. Every conversation turns into a discussion about his latest march or organizing efforts...Read more

Irina Viatokha/Dreamstime/TNS

Erika Ettin: There's no future until there's a present

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In today’s world of dating, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of a new connection, especially if you don’t feel one very often. But it’s important to remember that building a genuine relationship takes time and patience. Often, people put too much weight on a potential future before even establishing a present connection.

Just...Read more

DREAMSTIME/TNS

Locals share wild 'only in LA' stories, from a freeway romance to a porn set surprise

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LOS ANGELES — When I moved to Los Angeles from New York 20 years ago, I felt like I had landed in an alternate reality — a place where flowers bloomed year-round and a light drizzle was considered a valid reason to cancel plans.

Celebrities of varying sorts dotted the landscape. I spotted Keanu Reeves at the Griddle in West Hollywood and ...Read more

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Ask Anna: Should I tell my boyfriend about a past infidelity?

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Dear Anna,

I’m a 34-year-old woman who’s been in a relationship with my boyfriend for almost four years. We’re serious — and lately are talking more and more about marriage. But something from my past has been weighing on me, and I’m struggling with whether or not I should tell him.

About five years ago, in a previous relationship, I...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Inside a network of Facebook groups helping millennials fall in love

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PHILADELPHIA -- Nicole Kerr competed with 134 other women to get the attention of her now-fiancé Fran Smythe, a Deptford, New Jersey, finance manager looking for a “fun down-to-earth girl” to settle down with.

That’s because Smythe’s sister-in-law posted his photos to Date Him: Philly, a private Facebook group with over 20,000 members ...Read more

Roman Samborskyi/Dreamstime.com/TNS

Leave sexy time for the bedroom... not your profile

Life Advice / Dating Advice /

Nearly all of my clients—probably 99%—express a desire for physical intimacy (which, for simplicity, we'll define as sex, however you define that) in their future relationships. For some, it has always been a top priority, while for others, it’s something they felt was lacking in a previous relationship, making it a key focus for the ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Ask Anna: We're both introverts, and we never go out -- is this a problem?

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Dear Anna,

My girlfriend and I are both in our early 30s and have been together for almost four years. We’re both introverts, and honestly, we’re happiest just hanging out at home, watching movies or playing video games. We hardly ever go out — maybe a dinner here and there or a small gathering with close friends, but we generally avoid ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

From don't to do: The simple secret to a better dating experience

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About two-thirds of the way through every meeting with a new client, I get to the part about what qualities or traits they might be looking for in a partner—physical, mental, etc. (The first, longer part is dedicated to learning about the client so I can write the best online dating profile possible.) From their answer to this question, it’s...Read more

José Luis Villegas/The Sacramento Bee/TNS

Flipping tortillas with chopsticks: California Asian-Latino families create their own culture

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Traces of Mexican and Chinese cultures are evident in every corner of the Salinas’ family Woodland, California, home.

In the living room, Chinese history books, paintings and dolls share space with family photos and high school diplomas. The family calls this area the “Chinese room,” said Jesse, a first-generation ...Read more

Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post/TNS

Mapmaker-turned-artist produces haunting portraits inspired by late sister's struggle with substance use disorder

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DENVER -- If eyes are windows to the soul, then the eyes in William Stoehr’s paintings convey the isolation and despair that come with addiction and depression. They are lonely and haunting, especially in one of the pieces he painted of his late sister.

Her eyes are dark and sunken. Perhaps she has been crying. In the bottom left corner, ...Read more

Dreamstime/TNS/TNS

Ask Anna: My partner's family doesn't like me!

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Dear Anna,

I’m a 21-year-old woman, and I’ve been with my boyfriend for almost two years. We’re really happy together, but there’s one huge problem: His family does not like me. I’ve tried everything to make a good impression — bringing thoughtful gifts, offering to help with family dinners and always being polite. But no matter ...Read more

Yana Kuznetsova/Dreamstime.com/TNS

Defining the relationship: Exclusivity, labels and commitment

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Many of us have heard the phrase “define the relationship,” often shortened to “DTR.” One might say, “We had the DTR talk,” or “We DTR’d it.” But it turns out that one person’s DTR talk is another person’s confusion… often when those two people are in the same exact relationship!

Every Monday on Instagram, I host “Ask ...Read more

Yana Kuznetsova/Dreamstime.com/TNS

How to combat the loneliness epidemic

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ATLANTA -- Monica Imani McCullough was an extremely shy child. The Atlanta resident lost her father when she was a teen and years later watched her mother lose a battle with Parkinson’s disease. She survived an emotional divorce, and in 2022 she was diagnosed with follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Though she had written a book on loneliness ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Tough reporter has a new assignment: help her 20-something neighbor get a girlfriend

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PHILADELPHIA — When you see Lisa DePaulo's byline, you don't think of the Cupid beat. In her career writing for publications like GQ, Vanity Fair, and New York and Philadelphia magazines, this tough cookie's element has had more to do with thugs and scoundrels who whack their girlfriends than nice guys looking for one.

But when her neighbor ...Read more

Rebecca Noble/Getty Images North America/TNS

Q&A: How to talk about politics with people who don't agree with you

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These days, there's no surer way to start a fight than to talk politics with someone who disagrees with you. And with election day drawing near, political conversations are increasingly difficult to avoid.

You could muddle your way through the next two months and hope for the best. Or you could take Tania Israel's advice and embrace the ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Ask Anna: Is it normal to have less sex after moving in together?

Life Advice / Dating Advice /

Dear Anna,

I'm 26 (F), and my boyfriend (28) and I have been together for almost three years. We moved in together six months ago, and ever since I’ve noticed a pretty big change in our sex life. Before moving in, we used to have sex several times a week, but now it’s once a week, or maybe twice if it’s, like, a special occasion. I didn�...Read more

Natalia Bratslavsky/Dreamstime/TNS

'I just want this dating process to be done'

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I got a text recently from a 40-year-old male client who I’ve been working with on and off over the last few years. It said this: “I’ve been anxious to re-start dating. I just want this process to be done.”

I answered, “When you say that you want the process to be ‘done,’ what do you mean?”

Every week, at least three clients ...Read more

Pressmaster/Dreamstime/TNS

Don't text your ex 'Happy Birthday'

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Your ex’s birthday is coming up, and you’re sitting there with your phone in hand, debating whether to send that little “Happy Birthday” text ... and, of course, which emoji to go with it. It seems harmless, right? Maybe even polite. And I get it. You want to show that you still care and remember the important things.

But, often, the ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Ask Anna: My partner is always on their phone -- am I being needy?

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Dear Anna,

I'm a 29-year-old bisexual woman. My girlfriend (30) and I have been together for almost two years, and we recently moved in together. I love her deeply, but I’ve noticed that she’s always on her phone — whether we’re watching TV, having dinner or just hanging out in bed. I’ve tried to brush it off, telling myself it's no ...Read more