A chat client, in my experience, needs to do one thing besides facilitate a text exchange between two or more parties: It needs to inform you whether someone is or is not available to send and receive such messages. Gchat used to do that fairly well—in a small box of frequent contacts, it displayed which of your past…
Uptalk used to seem like a bad thing. The “Valley girl” speech pattern, wherein a speaker’s statements end with an upward inflection that makes them sound like questions, was first recognized by linguists in the 1970s and was long mocked as a sign of unseriousness. In 1993, New York Times writer James Gorman admitted…
Another round of emojis is expected in June to aid us in gradually phasing out unnecessary written and spoken language. Among the 69 potential useful selections are breastfeeding emojis, a Merman and Mermaid, a vomit emoji, and a genie, all of which seem pertinent to daily living.
Russian researchers say they have recorded the first “conversation” between a pair of dolphins. The dolphins, named Yasha and Yana, could apparently create sentences of up to five “words.” This is cool, and overwhelming. What were these dolphs talking about? Do you think they were talking about me?
Dear Abby, the widely syndicated advice column written by Jeanne Phillips (daughter of original Abby, Pauline Phillips) has had a long, uneasy relationship with what rape actually is. Her most recent column is a confusing cocktail of her old-fashioned bad views mixed with what we can assume was some kind of editorial…
Texting/sexting, direct messages, Twitter, Instagram DMs and online dating aren’t enough when it comes to getting to know a person. What a healthy relationship really needs is a lot less... how do you say... talking. If the human race is to survive, there needs to be a severe reduction in our level of interaction with…
Nobody likes complaining, but is it really that bad? Complaining feels cathartic. Complaining gives us something to talk about. Ninety percent of Seinfeld was just listening to four characters complain, and it was entertaining and relatable. Complaining can be harmful and obnoxious, but it can also serve a purpose. It…
It’s the middle of the night and you know you should be sleeping, but you can’t. Something is keeping you up: Maybe a coworker tried to throw you under the bus, or your friend said something rude. Whatever it is, you can’t get it out of your head, and you need to sleep for work tomorrow. It sucks.
Nothing sucks quite like a performance review. Even when you know you’re doing well, hearing about your weaknesses is never any fun, so it’s no surprise that I’ve never met a person who has said, “You know what I’d like? For people to judge me in my personal life like they do at work!” That’s why it’s so strange that…
The CDC estimates that you have a 50% chance of getting a sexually transmitted infection before you turn 25. Even though STIs are remarkably common, most people feel uncomfortable having honest conversations about safety with new sexual partners. Having an STI is never going to be a walk in the park, but sharing your…
Let’s get real: couples can start getting lazy initiating sex. Who here hasn’t tried to initiate sex by clumsily groping at their partner, or blurting out, “I guess it’s been a while. Should we do it?” It might feel easier, but it can also feel wildly impersonal. Let’s talk about how to initiate sex in a way that will…
People say that “everyone should work retail or service at least once in their lives.” I couldn’t agree more. Like many people, some of my first jobs were retail service gigs. One in a department store, another in a bookstore. I’ve long since moved on, but I learned a lot about the nature of people—and how that battle…
You’ve read our primer on how to share your fantasies with someone new, now you’re ready to actually act out those fantasies. Here’s what you need to know to help make your fantasies a reality.
Sometimes sharing your fantasies is as easy as, “hey, I’m into XYZ. Want to do it with me?” But not all of us have that level of comfort with our desires. Here’s how to feel more at ease divulging your fantasies.
Having an active social circle can have a ton of benefits for your professional and personal life. As an adult, that social life can often involve alcohol. If you’re new to the world of drinking, or all you know from your college days is Jägerbombs and keg stands, here’s how to enter the drinking world like an adult.
Being in a romantic relationship when one (or both) of you suffer from depression is a massive challenge. Depression can make your partner seem distant. They may feel like they’re a burden or close themselves off. None of that means your relationship is the problem. You two can tackle this together. Here’s how.
Not all of us lose our virginities at age 16 in the back of an old Camry. If you’re still a virgin later in life, it can feel like you’re the last person on earth who hasn’t had sex, but you aren’t alone. Whether you’re waiting for your wedding or just haven’t found the right person, here’s what you should know about…
Austin’s assistant city manager has resigned after widespread controversy over a training he organized for city staff on how to deal with their new, mostly female city council. The training warned that ladies talk a lot and are bad at math, and was, strangely, quite controversial.
You’re taught about history, science, and math when you’re growing up. Most of us, however, aren’t taught how to identify or deal with our own emotions, or the emotions of others. These skills can be valuable, but you’ll never get them in a classroom.
Typically "fake it 'til you make it" is all about pretending to be something you're not. In the workplace, it's less about external appearances and more about emulating the behaviors of successful people.
