vacation, all i ever wanted

Here's a novel idea: You don't have to spend every waking second of your life in a relationship.

It's not an earth-shattering revelation for most people, but the obsessive-compulsive daters described in this article are a different story. The MSNBC piece describes the importance of dating detox -- simply taking a break from dating when it causes you excessive stress.

One of my favorite new terms pertaining to this idea is "manbatical." According to Urban Dictionary, it refers to a woman's decision to temporarily refrain from dating and/or having sex.

Repeat now and use often.

Is it harder for men or women to go on dating detox? I say men. They're usually the ones out looking for a new relationship -- not just a booty call -- just days after severing long-term romantic ties.

Which is kind of disturbing, because you don't know if a guy in this situation really likes YOU, or just likes the idea of having a relationship.