And now, a dance break

I know the Monday power anthem is still days away, but let's take a quick dance break. This YouTube video was apparently posted four years ago. I discovered it last night. Guess I'm not that hip after all.

Anyway, I love this song!

Plus, it gives me a chance to say that if you're attending Friday’s Latin dance night at VFW Post 665 in Columbus, some information has changed since our last article. Cover is now $5 for men, $2.50 for women and the 21-and-older event goes until 1 a.m. Dance lessons are 8-9 p.m., main activities start at 9 p.m. VFW Post 665 is at 1824 Victory Drive. 706-687-6656.

Cheating. Explained.

I was always sort of oblivious to the weather...until I lived in Wisconsin for four years. That's when I really understood the sky's ability to impact human behavior.

Sure, one cloudy day might not make a difference. But waking up to cloudy skies over...and over...and over...can weigh on your mood.

That's why I wasn't too shocked upon finding this headline: "Changes in weather add to birds’ marital woes."

Of course, the logic is a little more complicated than "it's cold, I'm depressed and I'm tired of this relationship."

Long story short: Research suggests that in birds, infidelity is more common in severe weather. Why? "Because birds seek different traits in their mates as conditions change." We're talking about food-gathering skills, not kissing talents.

Our reasoning might be different, but I can see weather impacting infidelity in humans, too. Based on pure speculation, I'd say we're more likely to cheat in spring and summer, when the warm weather brings us out of social hibernation and back into the party scene.

Also, those months are devoid of couples-focused holidays like Christmas, New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day.

What do you think?

Too much Sex and the City?

The CW has selected an actress to play a young Carrie Bradshaw on a show that will focus on the "Sex and the City" character's high school years.

The actress: AnnaSophia Robb.

Haven't heard of her? That's OK. Maybe the "Sex and the City" prequel won't appeal to die-hard "Sex and the City" fans. It might even weaken their obsession.

I know, I know. Apparently, you can never have too much of a good thing. But I'm not sure if that mentality should apply to "Sex and the City."

The first "Sex and the City" film was surprisingly good. The second was pretty "meh," though things could have been worse. But I thought we agreed that with the second film, we'd end our attempts to breathe new life into the series.

Then again, I know 20- and 30-somethings who are still absolutely psyched about anything related to the show -- new and old.

I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. "Sex and the City" had its glory days, but now it's time to move on.

That said, I'll probably watch at least one episode of the prequel.

Monday power anthem

Today's power anthem is an extension of the Oscars. If you missed Sunday's ceremony, read my recap here.

Have a great week!

More than friends

Remember your earliest romantic relationships?

It's hard to forget the thrill of "going out" without, well, never actually going anywhere. Not to mention "breaking up" without a long, involved conversation.

What's your earliest memory of romantically pursuing someone of the opposite gender?

One study suggests friendships become romantic at an average age of 10. Does that surprise you?

I think it sounds right. My first serious "crush" happened in fourth grade, the same time I watched people pass notes devoted to the complexities of "going out." By fifth grade, I was witnessing full-fledged love triangles.

Do you have similar memories?

Sweet dreams?

A recent episode of "Khloe & Lamar" gave me inspiration for a blog post. Judge me accordingly.

Anyway, the couple got into a huge (possibly scripted) fight because Lamar's insomnia was interfering with Khloe's sleep schedule.

Scripted or not, the conflict isn't confined to reality TV stars.

It's hard to find a romantic partner whose sleep schedule matches yours. Even if you're not sleeping in the same bed, you must contend with logistical issues like how to spend time together if you require drastically different bedtimes.

Exhibit A: My boyfriend recently got a new schedule that requires him to start work at 5 a.m. He goes to bed around 9 p.m. I usually end work at 7 p.m., which doesn't leave us much time to bond. But we make it work. Usually.

Are conflicting sleep schedules ruining your relationship?

If it's any consolation, some research suggests an eight-hour sleep may be unnatural. So staying up a little past your bedtime for a spontaneous date night might not be that bad after all.

Are you listening, honey?

What's wrong with settling?

You can probably respond to this post's headline quickly. In relationships, the term "settling" often generates all sorts of negative images. Maybe it's among many daters' worst fears.

Nonetheless, I found these study results detailed in a recent Daily Beast article:

A whopping 31 percent of adult men said they’d commit to a person they were not in love with — as long as as she had all the other attributes they were looking for in a mate — and 21 percent said they'd commit under those same circumstances to somebody they weren't sexually attracted to. The equivalent numbers for women were far lower.

But women have discussed settling, too. The Daily Beast piece points to Lori Gottlieb’s "Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough" as an example.

We need to think about the difference between settling and accepting the fact that no relationship will be perfect.

If we commit to a relationship that's fulfilling and enjoyable, yet hardly a storybook romance, is that settling? I don't know.