Yeah, a friend of mine and her husband have done a lot of these INS interviews, and they ask some pretty strange questions to make sure they are actually living together and generally acting like a married couple. Stuff like where in the apartment they keep the broom, or about the last movie they saw together, what…

I think the problem with photoshop is that it doesn't manipulate a person's appearance, it manipulates their image. We see all these altered images and it influences what we expect or want from our own appearance. Even when we know that these images of flawless women are manipulated by a computer, some subconscious…

Yeah, this can happen. One of my friends started college when we were both 22 after working a while, and he made friends with a bunch of 18 year old fellow freshmen. So I also became friends with them too, and now at 27 I occasionally find myself hanging out with these now-23 year olds and their younger friends and…

When I was in high school my mom and I would sometimes take my young cousins to the park. We got some terrific reactions as a 16 year old and a 46 year old caring for a pair of toddlers. About a third of the people assumed I was the mother, a third assumed it was my mother, and the other third asked because they just…

The google doc idea is brilliant. My family are not big on the holidays, but we all read the same types of books and have many of the same favorite authors. When a book that we all want to read comes out close to a birthday or holiday, it takes a lot of work to make sure that only one copy of the book is given (we'll…

My mother did the same thing. Or she'd offer to do the laundry (usually my job) and then "accidentally" put my clothes in her dresser.

Any chance she'd appreciate a charitable donation instead of a gift? That ended up being the solution for some of my hippy relatives- they truly did not want more stuff. Maybe your mom would appreciate a donation to Bikes Not Bombs or to a group that organizes outdoor activities (or music lessons) for inner-city kids.

Yeah, this should definitely be a case-by-case thing. My boyfriend is great at at cleaning as he cooks. I.... am not so great. Making him clean up after me would not be fair. Also, a lot of the times I cook with the goal of making dinner for both of us and then leftovers for my lunches (he works at home). So I get 4…

You should absolutely talk to him. At the very least, he needs to know how stressed out you are and why. And he may be able to help out more, but then again he may not. This may just be an hectic, stressful period in both of your lives, with no option for either of you than to grit your teeth, do your best, and accept…

That is a terrible system. My boyfriend and I are pretty similar in our tolerance for mess, but my standards are a bit higher than his. A task that I would do every other day, he would do twice a week. Something that I would do 4-5 times a month, he would do 3-4 times. So if we used your system, I would do 100% of the…

I don't think it has to do with other men's dating habits, I think it's about other men's messaging habits. These sites usually have more men than women, and many of those guys are sending out dozens of copy-pasted messages at a time. The women get overwhelmed with picking through all the messages, and either don't…

Oh god, I had a guy get mad at me once for wearing heels on the first date, even though, had his listed height been accurate, the heels should have left me a good 2 inches shorter than him. And he still got angry at me! Told me that wearing heels to make myself taller than him was "aggressive" and that "no one likes…

I almost didn't respond to my now-boyfriend's initial OKCupid message because of his height (I'm 5'6", he's 5'7"). When I think about what I almost missed out on, I feel like kicking myself. I can't believe I used to put so much importance on something so trivial. There was absolutely no reason for it, because I was…

Just tell him it turns you off. If it's easier for you, you can phrase it as "Oh no, I want to touch you back" or request that he touch you in some other way instead, but you don't really need an explanation. Turnons and turnoffs aren't things most people can explain- everyone has stuff they like and stuff they don't…

None of my relationships began with that "take your breath away" feeling, though I have experienced it. Never got the chance to follow up on the feeling, so I can't say how it works out in practice

It's a thing in some families, certainly not all. The first Christmas for which we were seriously dating, my boyfriend warned me that his mother was getting me a gift. So he helped me pick one out for her, and we've exchanged gifts very year since. I'm not crazy about the tradition, because what usually ends up…

I second the recommendation for hard cider. It was the first drink I really liked.

It sounds like the same combination of fragile skin + moisture + chafing that leads to diaper rash, so, uh, maybe try diaper rash cream? Also, pay attention if it ever coincides with the use of specific hygiene products, like new laundry detergent or body wash or scented pads/panty liners. Some products like that can…

You might be able to find cheaper items in the same makeup and fragrance lines she's mentioned. Sometimes perfume lines include cheaper lotions or shower gels, or you can buy the perfume as a rollerball instead of a full bottle. If she listed makeup sets or palettes, maybe see if some of the pieces are available for…

I don't think Ellen airs live, though throwing up in front of an entire studio audience would be bad enough. But if she has enough warning that she's about to throw up, she could just run off stage. It wouldn't be hard to edit out or reshoot, given the way these interviews are formatted.