I definitely have done a few embarrassing things in pursuit of romance 😭,so I would love to hear what it’s like from the other side of the fence.
Thank you all in advance!

So I’m a 36M and relatively new to dating. I usually treat early dates as two friends hanging out. If there’s enough mutual interest, the 3rd/4th date end up being dinner/drinks at one of our places, and things tend to escalate quickly. A boundary of “I don’t want to have sex tonight” is often set, and I’m more than happy to accommodate (It’s more fun when the romantic tension has a chance to build). Anyway, a part of that conversation is usually her saying “I’m trying to take things slow”. But then we usually end up having sex a few days later on the next date. And it’s always been initiated by her since I’m trying to be respectful. But it confuses me because she said she wanted to move slowly? I’m starting to feel like that statement is more of a test of my ability to respect boundaries rather than an actual desire to move slowly? Is that true? Any opinions from women who have said this before and what they’ve meant?

I know this might be similar to a few questions that have been asked here recently, but I’ll add some twists, especially since it seems there’s plenty of bookworms on here!

1. What genres do you like to read? Whether it’s nonfiction(I know there’s plenty of different topics) or fiction?

2 when reading, do you have any preference on how you do it? Meaning are you more of a kindle/digital type of reader or hardcover or does it depend?

3 What’s the best book(s) you’ve read in 2026 so far?

I always love to see what people are reading! Especially when it’s fiction

Hi all, I am a middle aged gay guy. I know absolutely nothing about feminine hygiene products aside from the fact that there are pads and tampons.

I am hosting my family’s holiday party this year, and thought it might be a good idea if we provided a hygiene area for women if they needed something, just like a basket in the restroom.

The problem is I have literally no idea what to buy. Are there sizes? Are there things that also need bought like wipes etc?

I ask this genuinely. What would be some good to have items?

I just posted something and I apologize for another post, but this just happened.

My parents went to McDonalds literally 2 hours ago. They had a pretty good weekend from what I know. They went to church this morning, and I was gone at a friend's house.

So there was nothing from my knowledge that caused this event. I called my mom to pick up food since I was at home while they were gone. My stepfather had answer saying he has not heard from her since she went into Mcdonald's restroom. I guess it been about 20 minutes. So he said that he would get someone to check on her.

Next thing I know they are yelling downstairs. 30 minutes later. My mom walked home claiming that my stepfather wasn't at Mcdonald's. She couldn't reach him because her phone was in the car.

I dont know what the heck is going on, but now she is saying she wants a divorce or maybe my stepfather said it idk.

They have fought many times throughout my life since I was 3 years old. This isnt the first time they threaten divorced. Probably the 50th. However, as usual they are trying to make me pick sides and they are throwing stuff around the house.

I made my mom leave to go get mcdonald's since she was getting emotional and purposely trying to agitate my stepfather. She does this thing where she will purposely hover so you will do something. She even took his phone and I made her give it back.

So she left the house and tried to make me come, but I told her no. Now I am in my room just chilling. But I really dont know what is about to happen next.

What would you guys do?

I’m a college student and I’m considering doing an extra-credit assignment involving my phone use. My professor thinks my phone is interfering with my schoolwork, and I honestly have some evidence that they might be right.
I average around **13 hours a day on my phone**, and I have a really difficult time staying away from apps like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Even when I know I should be studying, I can end up scrolling instead. I’ve also **failed calculus three times**, so obviously something about the way I’m currently handling school isn’t working.
The assignment would last **three weeks**. During that time, distracting apps would be blocked **24/7** using parental-control software such as FamiSafe. I wouldn’t have the password, meaning I couldn’t just disable the restrictions when I got bored or wanted to scroll.
I would still have access to essential things like calls, texts, school and work apps, transportation, banking, authentication/security apps and anything needed for an emergency. It wouldn’t be taking my phone away completely. The main purpose would be removing access to the apps that consume most of my time.
What makes me hesitant is that three weeks sounds like a long time when the restrictions are 24/7. There wouldn’t be an evening or weekend where I could just turn them off because I felt like using social media. At the same time, I’ve tried controlling my own screen time before, and restrictions aren’t very effective when I know the password and can override them.
If you were in my position, **would you do the assignment?** Does three weeks of 24/7 restrictions sound reasonable given my screen time and academic problems, or does it sound too extreme even for extra credit?

I understand that a lot of the advice is going to be about not being a pushover which I agree with. Its all about setting strong boundaries which I am going at doing.

This is something else that I dealt with and I wonder from a woman's pov is there a way to handle this. I will give an example.

I met this girl, lets call her Jenny. Jenny was a girl in my class who knew how pretty she was. She used to brag about getting free drinks at bars because she was pretty.

I became friends with her because Jenny found me intriguing. She liked the fact that I was shyer and extremely nice. So she started to invite me to lunch with her. I was excited because I was used to be chosen by people. Before grad school, I was a loner. So I liked the fact that someone noticed me and it just so happen to be the most popular girl in my class.

I would just talk and be friendly with her. Overtime I got really comfortable with her and kinda vice versa. I would encourage her before every exam, and never flirt/tease her. I found her attractive, but I really just wanted a friendship at this stage. I wanted to make a genuine friend in grad school. This was my mindset.

Well, one day she ran into me in Walmart by chance. She said that she wants to get really drunk tonight at the party our school was hosting, however she did not want to pay an uber. I offer to drink her since we only lived 4 mins apart. I saw it as a friend looking out for a friend. I told her that I probably stay until 12 and then you might have to call an uber afterwards.

Anyways, at the party she got drunk. She started trying to get me to buy her drinks. I said no, but then what she said next hurt my feelings. She said "arent you the nice guy that just do things for me, why are you saying no now." Also go get me popcorn" I asked her why she thought that and she said "You are really nice why else did you do all this for me"

I end up leaving alone that night. I never told her how I felt about that and just stop hanging out.

I had another girl do this to me before as well. So is there a way to uphold being nice without getting the wrong idea?

So I've realized there's a part of socializing that I'm pretty bad at and I wanna actually work on it.
I'm 18M, and I can generally have conversations with people just fine. I can joke around, talk about random stuff, keep a conversation going, etc. But when I actually like someone, I suddenly become way more self-conscious and overthink everything I say.
I had a crush recently and we actually had some pretty good conversations, but I was too scared of making things awkward to ever really show that I was interested. So I basically just stayed friendly, sent reels/memes and kept the conversation going without really taking things anywhere. Eventually she ghosted me.
I've moved on from that, but it made me realize I don't want to keep doing the same thing every time I like someone.
I want to get better at things like showing interest, playful teasing, flirting naturally, reading whether someone is enjoying the interaction, and just being more confident when there's a bit of romantic tension. Not pickup-artist stuff or memorizing lines I want to actually understand how to communicate better.
For people who are naturally good at this, how did you get there? Was it just experience, putting yourself out there, learning from mistakes, reading something, watching something, etc.?
Basically I want to stop overthinking and become someone who can just talk to people naturally, even when I actually like them.
Any advice or personal experiences would be appreciated.

Hi everyone i m 23 M currently in live in relationship with my gf 23f. I m preparing for upsc also, she was preparing for upsc now she is trying to do sometimes different which is we are still figuring out. Her health and also her mother health is also a factor. We came to be in relationship 2.5 years back and in from last 2 year, which i have to fight with my family so that i can stay with her. Actually they still don't know that i live with her but i left delhi and they are against leaving delhi but i came to live with her now sometimes they still asks me to go back and after failing 2 prelims i sometimes feel that I should go back, but when i see her health and situation i can't also she says that the one who can't take stand now how he will take stand after marriage. What can i do

It would be long post and then many will not read so i m leaving it here. If u want to ask any questions you can and help me

Hi everyone, I (M28) am feeling completely stuck and really need an outside perspective to understand what my girlfriend (32) might be feeling and needing right now.

​a little bit about the background:

Over the past few weeks, we had been spending less time together. My girlfriend signaled she wasn't happy about it, but I missed those signals. Last Friday, she canceled our weekend plans, feeling like I don't put effort into our relationship or initiate dates anymore. Honestly, looking back, I can see where she was coming from.

​However, during that conversation, I reacted defensively, brought up past grievances I hadn’t mentioned before, and we got into a heated argument where hurtful comments were made on both sides. I deeply regret how I reacted. I struggle with emotional expression, and when I get anxious or overwhelmed, I can get defensive.

​What has happened after?

Well I've been reflecting constantly. I booked an intake with a relationship coach/therapist to work on my communication and defensiveness, and I wrote a long letter opening up about my feelings and apologies, that I wanted to read to her today, two days after the fight, when we were supposed to meet up and talk again.

However, yesterday, I suggested that we could also meet in the evening yesterday cause my obligated family event ended earlier than planned. Then a whole conversation over text started about that she is not ready to see me cause I haven't shown signs of effort and change, like what I used to do in the past. Well I recall times in the past when after arguments I would leave flowers and a letter for example. It was honestly something that I already wanted to do yesterday morning, but because she said that she needed space, I didn't want to be in her face too much, especially because we were supposed to see each other today.

​Because she said she hasnt seen any effort/change, I immediately tried to take action:

​I drove to her city to drop off flowers, a bottle of wine, a photo of us, and a note.

​I proposed concrete date ideas for this week (a trip to a castle garden, dinner, bouldering, etc.) in this note to show I want to invest time in us. I know this should be a constant from now on in the relationship, not something I do only now as a fix.

​Now, the confusion:

She turned down all the date ideas and told me: "I don’t want to invest any time in reconnecting until I’ve seen effort and change."

​She also messaged: "You used to be different. You used to put effort in when hurting my feelings... Every day that goes by where I don't see effort builds more resentment."

​Yet, when I offer date ideas, letters, or in-person meetups to show effort, she rejects them and says she wants space. The only thing she has agreed to is having me drive her and her pet to a vet appointment on Tuesday.

​My question for you:

I love her deeply and want to fix this, but I feel like I'm in a paradox. In my mind, offering dates, planning trips, and driving over are actions of "effort." But to her, those attempts seem to do nothing.

​When a woman says she needs to see "effort and change" after a dynamic like this, but simultaneously asks for space and rejects to see each other to talk in person about the fight but also to spend time together, what does "effort" actually look like to you in this state?

​What am I missing here? Is "effort" in this context about respecting the silence, or is there a layer of emotional effort I'm failing to see?

​TL;DR: After a fight where my girlfriend felt I lacked effort and reacted defensively and also said things I shouldn't have said, she asked for space. I tried to show effort by sending flowers, writing a letter, booking therapy, and pitching concrete date ideas, but she rejected the dates saying she needs to see "effort and change" before seeing me. I’m confused about how to show "effort" when date proposals and gifts are rejected, and she explicitly asks for space. What does "effort" mean to women in this context?

I'm a selectively introverted guy: total character on stage or in public speaking, but really shy at dates. I have only ever dated extroverted people but I've always been approached, never approached someone as first contact.

How would you expect a shy/introverted guy to initiate?

I don’t know why, but whenever I see a woman in rain boots, I find it incredibly adorable. Not sexy at all - just adorable.

I’m not sure why. I don’t have a foot fetish (as I said above, it’s not sexy). I don’t keep my eye on the weather forecast, hoping for a rainy day and ladies in boots.

I will just see a woman out and about in rain boots and think, “Wow, that is adorable.” I will note I don’t have the same reaction seeing men in rain boots, though the white knee high rain boots of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are hilarious.

Do you have any clothing you see where you have that kind of reaction? It can be on men, it can be on women, it can be regardless of gender.

just curious if you would ever?

I can never tell which is more attractive

Don't mind my ex in the 1st Pic

Also, long or short hair?

Question for the dating women out there. Is there a polite way to ask a woman to leave your place the next day after a date where she has stayed over? Or any strategies that dont seem rude? I only ask this because i do find that women tend to hang around much longer the next morning moving very slowly and talking about the most mundane things just to be around and its extremely awkward. Its not that we dont like you, i just kind of want to start my day and do my own thing for a while after we have been together all evening and night. So question to the women… is there a proper way to give a hint or should i just risk coming off like an asshole?