Devilish fun on Halloween

I couldn't let Halloween go by without posting this photo of my dog in her devil costume. Yes, I am "that girl." Happy Halloween!!!

Monday power anthem

Happy Halloween! I picked a scary song for today. Enjoy.

It was nice to see the massive pre-Halloween crowd downtown Saturday night. Confession time: I hadn't planned to dress up this year. My boyfriend was going out of town Friday and Saturday. And, um, who goes to a Halloween party alone?

But my boyfriend called me Saturday afternoon and said he was on his way back to Columbus. Woo hoo! Cue the last-minute costume. In the end, I dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood. No complaints.

Seize the day!

Good news about men. Maybe.

You might want to jump up and down upon reading research suggesting that men are more likely than women to say "I love you" first in a relationship.

But hold on. Read this slight disclaimer first.

Rather more predictably, the research did show that men wanted sex for the first time after a few weeks, while most women preferred to wait a few months.

(A researcher) added: "It can be argued that men's falling in love and exclaiming this love first may be a by-product of them equating love with sexual desire.

"But research shows passionate love and sexual desire are distinctly different mechanisms."

Thoughts?

You scare me. I love you.

Haunted houses certainly have drawbacks. Masked men with chainsaws are often involved, not to mention those horrifying body-distorting mirrors.

It's almost enough to make you avoid haunted houses entirely...until you hear this news.

Scary places can help your relationship.

It's true. RedEye explains the science behind the process:

Basically, when your body is physiologically aroused -- and not necessarily in the sexual way; we’re talking skyrocketing blood pressure, drenched palms and a heart rate like a dubstep bass line -- your brain mistakenly links that feeling with whatever’s in your environment.

So if you’re in your date’s direct line of sight as his or her heart goes pitter-patter, he won’t just blame the slasher flick—he’ll convince himself you’re a heartthrob.

Interesting, huh? But remember: Not everyone shares your passion for scary things. So don't push the idea if references to "Psycho" make your date's face turn pale.

Halloween costumes for men

During my annual trip to adult costume retailer Night Moves (2723 Manchester Expressway, Columbus), someone told me most men have a simple goal when it comes to Halloween costumes.

They want to look "not dressed up, but dressed up."

Sigh. Must be nice.

Most women have to consider a whole slew of undergarment issues and temperature concerns. Often, double-sided tape is involved. Then, you get to the party and spend the entire night self-conscious about your bare midriff, while your boyfriend savors the nearby keg in his "chick magnet" getup.

Or maybe that's just me.

Either way, I think most of us can agree female Halloween costumes get a whole lot more judgment than spooky getups designed for men.

Nonetheless, Glamour offers a handy guide for women: What your man's Halloween costume says about him. Apparently, someone dressed up as a Chippendales dancer still has a chance on the meet market scene. Who knew?

Weigh in, readers: When it comes to Halloween costumes, can guys mess up?

Monday power anthem

Seriously, the name La Bouche should speak for itself. Enjoy this trip back to the '90s and have a great Monday. You totally wanna be my lover. Or not.

Seize the day!

Dating: When to give up

After your Saturday night date, the waiting game begins. You check your phone constantly, wondering if a technical glitch has prevented you from receiving the all-important call.

By Sunday, you accept the fact that technology isn't the culprit. The sad reality? Maybe your date just isn't that into you.

When should you bow out of the waiting game and rejoin the dating game?

That question has stumped daters for quite some time. Fortunately, there's now an answer.

Monday at 11:48 a.m.

If you go on a first date Saturday night and don't get a follow-up call or text by 11:48 a.m. Monday, your chances of a second date are pretty slim, according to these survey results.

And now you know. Do you believe it?

Halloween: Revenge of the Sluts

This weekend, I'll make my annual pilgrimage to Night Moves (2723 Manchester Expressway), where I'll survey this year's collection of female adult Halloween costumes.

The selection probably won't include any ill-fitting ghost getups.

Instead, I'll see sexy nurse. And sexy police officer. And sexy cowgirl. You know the drill. Nothing new here. In another key part of the tradition, we'll inevitably hear debates over whether these sexy costumes empower women or demean them.

My take? If you've got it, flaunt it. Unless you're wearing a sexy bunny costume to a cubicle job, I could care less.

Nonetheless, I was interested to find at least two articles online defending sexy Halloween costumes. Learn more here and here.

I'm not sure if the hate for sexy getups is really that widespread. Even people who don't wear them generally accept them as a fact of life, at least for one night.

What do you think?

Yo Side Of The Bed

New research suggests "women care what side of the bed they sleep on, but men usually don't, so women often get their way."

Does this surprise you?

I'm a little surprised. I don't prefer a certain side of the bed, but I've noticed that guys seem very picky about this issue.

Tell me if you have a favorite side of the bed, then get all emo while listening to the song that accompanies this post.

Black wedding dresses

Black wedding gowns have moved out of goth territory and into the mainstream fashion world. Well, maybe.

The Huffington Post offers this photo gallery of Vera Wang's Fall 2012 Bridal Collection, which is heavy on tones like nude and black. Coincidentally, I viewed the gallery shortly after spotting a silver wedding dress during a Facebook stalking session.

I've never been a fan of puffy white wedding gowns, and to some extent I find the unconventional hues appealing. But it's hard to break tradition when it comes to wedding fashion.

Then again, we were told for decades to never wear white to a wedding unless you're the bride. Now white seems like one of the most popular wedding party colors. I'm talking to you, Kardashians. And Pippa Middleton. Wouldn't it be weird if we got to a point where everyone except the bride wears white to a wedding?

What do you think?

Monday power anthem

Today's performance is one of my favorite power anthems so far. It comes from the Chamber Singers at Jesuit High School, the all-boys campus where I looked for dates in high school. Also, my brother is a JHS graduate. Go Marauders!!!!!!!!

Anyway, this performance is awesome. Taylor Swift even tweeted about it, so you need to watch.

As much as I complained about the local Catholic high school system during my teenage years, I look back and realize high school was one of the coolest experiences of my life. I hope one day I can teach my daughters how to write test answers under the hems of their uniform skirts. KIDDING.

Seize the day!

Sweetest Day is awesome

I love being reminded of my California roots, but I'm just as proud of my Midwestern ties. You likely won't find surfers or movie stars in the Midwest, but an inexplicable hometown feeling dominates the area.

I'll happily escape into memories of beer and brats whenever something reminds me of the region.

Like Sweetest Day.

The holiday falls on Saturday (Oct. 15), but I'm not surprised if you haven't heard of it. Sweetest Day is basically an October version of Valentine's Day. It's celebrated mainly in the Midwest, according to Wikipedia.

UPDATE: After writing this post, I got a phone call from my parents, who wanted me to remind you that Sweetest Day started as a chance to give candy to orphans, poor people and similar sectors of society. Learn more here.

I've watched couples in Wisconsin and Illinois exchange candy and balloons in October. Initially, I reacted with a confused "huh?" Then, the holiday kind of grew on me.

Even though it's not as mainstream as Valentine's Day, Sweetest Day is still inevitably criticized as a Hallmark holiday. But celebrating Sweetest Day in a state outside the Midwest -- say, Georgia -- is appealing. It's nice to receive gifts without the pressure to compare them to the roses on your co-workers' desks.

So give Sweetest Day a chance. At the very least, the sweet holiday is a chance to forget the relationship world's sour moments.

Extreme couponing in dating

Nearly one in five U.S. adults have used a coupon on a first date, according to these survey results. Would you do it?

I think it depends on the coupon. I wouldn't mind if my date got a Groupon that let us have a fancy dinner we couldn't enjoy otherwise.

It's a little tacky to bust out a $3 coupon at Steak 'n Shake, however.

Acceptance of coupons has grown amid our rough economy. I have no problem dating someone who's on a budget -- as long as that person is equally aware of my financial constraints.

What do you think?

Marriage o'clock

I recently spent 15 minutes trying to back out of my boyfriend's driveway. Alone.

It was a colossal waste of time. I could have just asked my boyfriend to back the car out himself, or at least shout directions through my window. Instead, I aimlessly navigated the process myself -- and nearly damaged my car.

The strange thing? I got an adrenaline rush when the ordeal was over.

When you're in a relationship, there's often a weird sense of elation that comes with accomplishing a task alone. I get a high from moments that remind me I haven't yet become one of "those girls" who can't even drive a car in a husband's absence.

I love my independence, yet I cringe at the suggestion of spending my whole life alone.

That dilemma slightly summarizes the essence of this essay from The Atlantic: "All the Single Ladies." It's hard to succinctly explain what the essay is "about," but it starts off with the writer breaking up with her boyfriend when she was 28. Ten years later, she remains unmarried.

It's an interesting read that details issues too complex for this concise blog post. (Among those issues? A concept of "marriage o'clock.") Read it and tell me what you think.

National Pet Peeve Week

SFGate informs us it's National Pet Peeve Week. Stop tapping your nails on your desk. You're annoying me. Just kidding.

Anyway, the SFGate blogger gives some highlights from a list of common dating annoyances. What's the No. 1 dating pet peeve for both men and women? Smelly dates.

Um, duh. I totally agree.

Aside from basic grooming concerns, my top pet peeve in dating involves a failure to embrace basic gratitude. You can never say "thank you" too often, daters. Even if you know the relationship won't last, you can still thank your date for buying dinner.

Do you agree? What's your biggest dating annoyance?

Pole dancing for dummies

As promised, here's my highly anticipated column about my brief enrollment in a Las Vegas Stripper 101 class.

I graduated, despite my instructor's critique that perhaps I was holding the pole too tightly. I suppose there are worse mistakes to make.

Anyway, I imagine it will be quite some time before a mainstream stripper fitness class comes to Columbus.

Note to any bar owners who are reading: This would be a great promotion for a girls' night out. Say, 8-9 p.m. on a Wednesday. Charge a $10 cover, teach a few lap dance moves and you're done. Call me for all your publicity needs.

Of course, discussions of stripper fitness classes and pole dancing tutorials usually come with debates over whether the activity furthers female empowerment or female degradation.

I dismissed those issues during my Las Vegas class and focused on claims that I'd burn 500 calories.

Sure beats the treadmill.

Monday power anthem

Happy Monday! I'm fresh off a five-day vacation in Las Vegas. Sorry I didn't mention my trip earlier. It was kind of a spontaneous thing. Sometimes you have to succumb to an urge to get married by Elvis. KIDDING.

Anyway, I had a great time and I'm writing my Tuesday column about this interesting experience.

In the meantime, enjoy today's power anthem and seize the day! I promise to post lots of updates this week to make up for my absence.

Redheads have more fun?

For a nearly three-year time period in my younger days, I craved red hair. This naturally led to many experimentation sessions involving at-home dye kits. I'm still not sure my tresses have entirely recovered. Sorry.

Anyway, I flashed back to the memory after reading this Glamour blog post suggesting redheads are very romantically, um, active...partially because the color red "provokes and arouses people" the most.

Surprised?

There seems to be a strong social fascination with red-haired women, but I've never heard my female friends offer concrete opinions of guys with red hair.

Weigh in: Is hair color a genuine attraction factor in the dating world, or are these studies overblown?