Men, is your dating life DOA? Not to worry! These top-secret tips from NYC's #1 professional matchmaker will put the "life" back in your love:

1) Don't be a douchebag! Yes, it's true that ladies loooove douchebags - but they love non-douchebags even more! You can get plenty of trashy booty by acting like a jerk, but if you're interested in some seriously high-class love, acting like a decent, considerate guy will skyrocket your love life to a new dimension.
2) Expand your horizons! Have you gotten complacent about dating women of your own race? There's a whole world of color out there - why not incorporate some into your dating life? In other words, try a new hue!
3) Pick up that phone! Texting's fun, and it can get pretty steamy - but if you really want to blow a woman out of the water, pick up the phone, call her and have a conversation. It'll make your sexting that much hotter…
4) Go veg! Everyone knows the HOTTEST ladies these days are vegan or vegetarian, and they want veg men! If you go veg, you'll have the corner on the hot veg chick market - milk it! (Or, if you opt for vegan, soy milk it!)
5) Fix things! Or at least pretend you can. Nothing turns on a woman like a handy man.
6) NO cross-dressing - ever! No matter how hipster or artsy your lady is, no matter how much she says she's into pushing gender boundaries, your woman does not want you in a dress. Not even on Halloween!
7) NO crying (at least in the beginning)! Yes, women like emotionally sensitive guys. But too much too fast is a turn-off, so hold back on the tears for at least the first three dates.
8) NO mooching! In other words, don't hit the restroom when the check comes. Ever!
9) NO mock turtlenecks! And you guessed it - not even on Halloween.
And last but NOT least - pay close attention, guys…
10) Go on a date! You got her number, your sexting's been amazing, you've even chatted with her on the phone. Great stuff - but THAT'S NOT DATING! How to effect an actual date experience? Set a specific day, a specific time, a specific place - and show up. That's a date! You'll end up leaps and bounds ahead of all those other guys who are clueless about the "dating" part of dating. And you'll find that dates can actually be the most rewarding part of the dating adventure.

Flirting's a language - and just like with any other language, no one's born a fluent flirt. If you want to know how to flirt like a pro, you've got to learn the signs. Follow these flirt tips and practice till you're an expert flirt.

1. Choose Your Targets

You don't have to have a crush on someone in order to flirt. Practice flirting with random people you see every day - people who might not even be on your dating radar - on order to hone your skills. That way, you'll have some flirting experience under your belt when you approach the people who really matter.

If you've developed feelings for one of your best friends, you know how scary it can be. Should you tell your friend you're in love with them? What happens if they don't love you back - will you lose their friendship? Get the answers to these questions and more. (The only answer I don't have is whether or not they like you back. You'll have to find that one out on your own.)

1. Make Sure You're Sure You're Really in Love

There's a difference between having a passing crush on someone and truly being in love. For instance, if:

• You're on the rebound from another relationship
• Your friend is on the rebound and acting vulnerable
• Your friend got a new style and has been looking extra cute lately
• Your friend just started dating someone, and they're spending less time with you
• Someone said that you and your friend would make a cute couple
• You and your friend became close only recently

Then you might just have a temporary crush on your friend. Give it a couple of weeks and see if those feelings disappear on their own. If they do, you'll be relieved that you never said anything.

2. If It's the Real Deal, Is It the Right Time?

Even if you're sure of your feelings, you shouldn't necessarily reveal them to your friend. Don't drop the bomb under any of these circumstances:

• If they're dating someone, it would be unfair to sabotage their relationship by sharing your feelings.
• If you're in a relationship, you need to decide who's more important to you. If your friend wins out, then you should break up with your bf/gf no matter what. It's not fair to date someone who's only 2nd place in your heart.
• If your friend's going through some major stress - like if they've got a big game or test coming up, or if they're coping with the death of a relative - hold your tongue until their stress has passed. It would be selfish of you to throw them one more bowling pin to juggle.

3. How to Tell Your Friend That You Love Them

So you've decided that you really do love your friend and that the timing is right. Here are some tips on how to tell them the big news:

• Don't just blurt it out in the middle of a conversation. Plan on a time and place where you can be alone with them, face to face.
• Look in their eyes and drop the bomb with a short statement like, "I'm beginning to like you as more than a friend."
• Don't use the word "love," even if you're sure you're feeling it. "Love" is a big word, and you might scare your friend off whether they have feelings for you or not.
• Keep your tone upbeat. If you act like you're revealing something horrible to them, they might react like it's bad news.

4. What If They Don't Like You Back?

By having this conversation with your friend, you've made the decision that it's more important to reveal your feelings than to live a lie by hiding them any longer. Even if your friend doesn't like you back, you're still better off than you were before, because now you know how they feel about you. (I know, I know...it doesn't feel like much of a consolation prize.)

Your friend is probably hoping that you'll both be able to forget this conversation ever happened and go back to being friends. That might not be so easy for you. If it hurts too much to hang around your friend, take some time to get over your feelings. You might be able to be friends again down the road, but don't rush it. Do what's best for your heart.

Dropping the L-bomb on someone can be a scary thing.  What's the best way to say "I love you" - or is saying it even the right move for you?  Get "I love you" advice for every scenario, whether it's your first time saying it or your ten millionth time.

17
You look at their picture constantly

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When you are on the phone with them late at night and they hang up, you still miss them even when it was just two minutes ago

15
You read their texts over and over again

14
You walk really slow when you're with them

13
You feel shy whenever you're/they're around

11
When you think about them, your heart beats faster and slower at the same time

10
You smile when you hear their voice

9
When you look at them, you can't see the other people around yyou, all you see is him/her

8
You start listening to slow songs, while thinking of them

7
They're all you think about

6
You get high just from their scent

5
You realize that you're always smiling to yourself when you think about them

4
You would do anything for them , or anything to see them

3
While reading this, there was one person on your mind the whole time

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You were so busy thinking about that person, you didn't notice 12

1
You just scrolled up to check and are now silently laughing at yourself

I’ve heard some vicious stories, from so many women, about  getting played worse than a yo-yo, since they weren’t able to tell a ‘Womanizer’ from a decent guy.

Well, it’s basically this, if he’s too good to be true than you better run. A Womanizer is a Casanova because he has perfected his game to a tee. He’s so good that he’s able to seduce women– and it can be a proper woman– into the bed room, in the wink of an eye.

 

So,  here’s a few tips on how to spot these emotional blood suckers:

·         They are  ADDICTED to the the challenge, chase and game of love.

·         He disguises himself as a gentleman and seduces you perfectly well sans flaws; He’s basically so good, you wonder if he’s for real.

·         They struggle with low self-esteem so their notches up their belts make them feel a little better about themselves.

·         He’s impeccably charming. They have exquisite verbal skills and use that to their advantage.  Women are easily baited verbally and Womanizer’s  are very in tune with w omen’s emotions, thus, they know how to entice a woman’s ear with sugary pleasantries and feign concern over their diatribes about personal or work life.

·         He’s handsome, well groomed, stylish and has perfect manners.  Though, he says it’s because of his profession,  it does  makes you wonder where exactly did he learn that from?

·         Pay attention to your gut feeling about him,  is there something strange about the way he looks at other women? What is that mark on his neck?  There is a reason why women have intuition…

·         He has severe commitment issues.

·         He overly wines, dines and gifts ( flowers or candy)  you– until you gift him back at night.

·         He’s extremely sensual and knows exactly what a woman wants because he’s had practice from his past conquests.

·         He’s not very up front about his true  intentions and tends to be very vague.

·         If you heard through the grapevine about his sordid past being a player, man whore or a seducer,  then there may be a speckle of truth to that  rumor.

·         They QUICKLY lose interest in you when you don’t give them what they want..

·         Once you figure him out, and it all fizzles: don’t expect to maintain anymore contact with him  since your  only use to him is over.

·         They ignore having guilty feelings or may not feel guilt at all, as strange as this sounds, this is also a huge indicator on identifying one of them..

Though this is a long list, it’s imperative that women need to sharpen their detective skills if they assume they  are dating one of these  womanizers. It’s not always so easy to tell from first glance or even from first impressions, whether or not the guy they  are ‘presumably’ seeing is a cad. They  do cloak themselves in human civility so well. So  just  remember   not get lost  into his dreamy eyes, charming one-liners or quickly agree to stay at his place that night.

They break hearts fast and move on to the next bed post. A word to the wise, don’t end up like Britney Spears, please don’t end up like her.  Would you want to star in a music video about being screwed over by these Womanizers?

 

1. Cook dinner. When your sweetie gets home from a hard day at work, have a meal waiting for him or her! It doesn't need to be anything elaborate, but it can save them some time, and help them unwind.
   
2. Have someone else cook dinner. Better yet, have someone else cook! You can either order in pizza, Chinese or gourmet, or hire a local chef to come to your house to create a masterpiece in your own kitchen. This is a great way to say "I love you!"
   
3. Send flowers or a gift to work. Catch them when they least expect it! Send a bouquet or a gift to your honey at work. It will make coworkers envious and let your love know you were thinking about him/her.
   
4. Show up at work. Instead of having something delivered, bring it by yourself. Or show up at lunchtime and ask her out to an impromptu lunch - even if it's a walk to the deli to pick up a sandwich.
   
5. Plan a trip and don't tell them where you're going. Take a day or a weekend and plan a trip to a place your honey has always wanted to go…an amusement park, a bed and breakfast, or the closest city. Tell your sweetie to pack a bag, but refuse to tell them where you are going - if necessary blindfold them on the way there. Or if you're planning on spending a night at the finest hotel in your town,  pack the bags yourself and leave a note telling them where they can find you. Once they figure out your surprise, you will be a hero for planning something so romantic!
   
6. Make something. Go to a make-your-own pottery place and create a custom vase. Or make a card on your computer. Or knit a scarf. Taking the time to make something for your mate always means more than picking something up at the mall, so let your creativeness shine through!
   
7. Compile pictures. Collect pictures of the two of you and create a photo album or a CD-Rom showcasing your memories. Alternatively, create a photo collage and frame it as a gift. It will show your partner that the memories you share mean so much to you.
   
8. Send them to a spa. Pamper your love by banishing them…to a spa! Whether it's one service, or a day of relaxation and/or beauty, this will be a surprise that will last for a long time. Even better, surprise them with a couples massage at a spa. Here, you receive massages side by side, so you can experience the relaxation together!
   
9. Write a poem. So you're not Shakespeare, but a sonnet from you is more magical. Take pen to paper and, using your lover as your muse, try to create a few lines describing your love. It need not rhyme, just be sure to let your feelings come out. You can even copy it onto parchment paper and create a scroll. Finally, rather than just hand the masterpiece over, why not read it to the intended…the impact will be greater!
   
10. Serenade. Sing them a song! A love song, while preferred, is not necessary - get as goofy as you want. You can even create a movie scene by singing from the street so that your lover must come to the door or window to hear your music. Even if it's just karaoke, a classic serenade is a romantic ploy that never goes out of style.
    
11. Paint a portrait. Pull out your watercolors (or Crayola's) and draw your lover's portrait the way you see her. It is something that can be fun for you both and your talents will surprise her. If you are more prone to stick figures than still life, though, you might want to explore any of these other options…
    
12. Clean the house. Or even just a room. Make life easier for the one you love my making sure they come home to a serene environment. Putting the dishes in the dishwasher, Swiffering the floor and tossing the garbage is enough to make your partner sigh when s/he walks in the door.
    
13. Pick them up from the airport. Is your sweetie away on a business trip? Why not show up at the airport with a sign and a smile? Sure, the company could pay for a limo, but after a long flight home, your face (and thoughtfulness) will outshine any company perk!
    
14. Striptease. Not for the faint of heart, but you can take your lover's breath away with a little taste of a striptease. For amateurs who may be a little self-conscious, you need not go all the way. Even the idea will surprise your mate and leave him wanting more!
    
15. Place perfume or rose petals on the sheets. With some scented lined spray or actual rose petals, you can transform your bedroom into a royal boudoir! Add some candles and soft music and your sweetheart will be shocked at the new mood in the room!
    
16. Draw a bath. After a long day or at the beginning of a fun weekend, draw a bath for your honey. Be sure to pull out all the stops - bath oils, salts, bubbles, scrubs, candle, magazines. Then watch your honey blissfully melt into relaxation!
    
17. Light candles. Find every candle in the house, bring them into the living room and light each and every one of them. When your partner walks into the room, it will be a beautiful romantic wonderland!!
    
18. Jump in the shower. Next weekend, when your honey takes his morning shower, surprise him by jumping in with him! It will kill two birds with one stone - you get clean and he gets a surprise!
    
19. Buy tickets. Surprise your companion with tickets - to anything! A movie, a play, a concert a museum….it will be an outing you can both enjoy - together!
    
20. Massage. Instead of sending your sweetie to a spa, do it yourself. Pamper her with a personalized massage. She will love you for it! Be prepared - you may be called upon often for a massage once she learns of your massage prowess!

Do you know the difference between real and counterfeit love?  Just like any counterfeit object or characteristic, it can be tricky to know and identify the real from the fake.  Sometimes, even experts can’t tell what is genuine and what is not. 

The fake stuff resembles the real thing in many aspects.  The facade can look exactly like the true article.   So when it comes to falling in love, if the object of your affection looks good, sounds reasonable, and seems to feel the same way you do, you may not get it that she is not what you think she is.

Even your friends and family could be fooled.  You may hear people say, “You two are just the perfect couple.  You are so lucky to have found each other!”  People will often give you the opinion you want to hear.  So you have to be aware of the red flags when you meet someone.  When you combine chemistry with hope, loneliness, and longing, you might not be able to see if the love is real or not.

Dating has taught me a lot about the way that people experience emotions. One of the most amazing realizations I made was that a lot of people (both men and women) force themselves to care about people they do not truly care about, leading to disingenuous emotions and, ultimately, a disingenuous relationship. 

Most people equate this type of fake love with something sinister, as though someone is pretending to love someone in order to get something from them. I don't think that's the case. I think people convince themselves they need to care about someone for a variety of reasons, including: