Blog Posts by GALTime.com

By SMF Marcus Osborne for GalTime.com

Does your guy hate your best friend?Ok, maybe hate is too strong a word. Maybe a less harsh phrase like "incompatible personalities" lands a little softer. But for whatever reason, your guy and your best friend(s) can't quite seem to get in sync socially.

Whether there are constant, overt personality clashes or very subtle and consistent tensions between the most important people in your life, the long-term effects are no less devastating.

And poor you. Stuck in the crossfire. Forced to choose sides while simultaneously attempting to maintain an air of objectivity. Which of course, never works because by trying to stay out of their drama, you're drawn further into the melee by the opposing forces trying to sway your opinion.

And the one thing you know you can't do under any circumstances - you can't pick sides.

And while there's no surefire way to prevent the ones you love from sparring, you can at least arm yourself with a bit of insight on why your guy may be

By KyAnn Lewis, GalTime.com Sr Editor

New Ways to Read to Your Kids One of my favorite things to do with my daughter is snuggling up on the couch with a stack of books. As parents we know that reading to our kids is important, but you might not realize that HOW you read to your child can also impact their literacy skills.

It turns out that making just one small change in the way you read provides a big impact.

Here's the trick:

While you're reading, point out letters and words on the pages, draw attention to capital letters and demonstrate how you read from left to right and top to bottom.

Why do this? A new study from Ohio State University found that preschool children whose teachers practiced this technique showed more advanced reading skills one and two years later compared to children whose teachers did not do that.

Related: How To Raise A Reader

This small difference was validated by researchers. "Using print references during reading was just a slight tweak to what teachers were

By Danielle Miller, GalTime.com

Natural Help for Springtime Allergies Springtime got a head start on many of us this year and so did springtime allergies.

Those of us who suffer from allergies know how debilitating they can be, especially this time of year.

But taking a bunch of over-the-counter medication with a list of possible side effects to 'soothe' allergy aggravation seems almost as unappealing, at least to many of us.

Lori Reamer, registered dietitian and author of The Food That Fits: A Guide To Mastering Your Food Style suggests that there may be some steps allergy sufferers can take to alleviate allergy symptoms naturally.

Related: Experts Predict Worst Allergy Season in 10 Years

• Eating local honey! (Little research but a harmless non-invasive attempt!)

"While there is little research on (this method) the idea is that small exposure to local allergens over time increases tolerance. This is the best article I have read on the subject."

• Limiting/temporarily eliminating dairy and gluten

By Jessica Conway, GalTime.com

H&M Printed Pants in Black/Floral, $14.95If printed pants haven't caught your eye yet, you don't need to look any further!

Cropped, harem, flowing, and fitted styles are making a stylish appearance this spring, so we asked Claudia Estrada, CEO and designer of claudiae, to give us the lowdown!

Which prints are "in" this season? When you're shopping for a pair of printed pants, look for bright, colorful shapes, stripes, and geometric patterns. Some "it" colors this season that translate well to printed pants are aqua, fuchsia, black, and off-white.

Related: Lace! Floral! This Season's Must-Have Shorts

Forever 21

By Date Like a Grownup's Bobbi Palmer for GalTime.com

Sex After 40Ladies, are you looking for love and can't wait to hop into bed with your new guy?

Think of it: slowly undressing.... eyes locked.... savoring each other's bodies... lust so intense that you both might explode.... does the thought of this turn you on or strike fear in your heart?

As women we get better with age-- but sometimes insecurities about the aging process can creep in. Here are three myths about sex over 40 and tips to make your sex life more fun, less scary and hot, hot, HOT!

3 Myths and Tips for HOT Sex Over 40

1. There is not a room dark enough!

No matter how thin, in shape or fit you were in your 20s and 30s, let's face it, gravity and life have taken their toll. Afraid he's going to be turned off by that hand full of cellulite he sees when he grabs your butt, the stretch marks on your less than perky ta-tas or that extra roll around your middle? Take it from an oh-so-wise (super skinny)

By GalTime's Consumer Watchdog Mary Schwager

Moving Scams In any industry you have bad characters. But when someone comes to your home, packs up all your stuff, takes off with it, and won't give it back - that's a terrible time to figure out you hired a shady mover.

During all my years as a consumer and investigative journalist, I've fielded dozens of phone calls and emails from consumers in tears saying, "I was quoted my move would cost $1,000, the movers picked up all my belongings, and now they want $4,000 or they won't unload them off the truck!"

Unscrupulous moving companies and moving brokers bank on YOU not knowing the rules and hit you with the "real price tag" for your move when you're most vulnerable: After they've got all your possessions secured on their truck.

The US Department of Transportation, which regulates interstate movers, knows the scoop. The agency warns on its website: "Most moving companies are legitimate businesses that do quality work. But in recent

By Anastasia Nam for GalTime.com

Are you brave enough for purple? Dip dyed hair emerged as a popular trend in 2010, and it's still going strong in 2012. Celebrities have had the ends of their hair colored red, pink, yellow, green, purple, and even neon colors!

Not quite that brave? You can still get in on the dip dyed trend with a more natural look. Ask your stylist for a graduated hair color.

For example, if you have dark brown hair, have her gradually lighten it until the ends are honey blonde, or lighter. On the flip side, if your hair is naturally light, have your stylist try taking it darker toward the roots.

Although you could go the DIY-dip-dyed route, it's best to go to a salon and have an experienced colorist or stylist do it for you.

Here's why: Depending on your natural hair color, you may need to have your ends lightened first. For example, black hair is very hard to bring up to blonde, and your stylist may have to process it more than once to get the right tone. It may even require

By Colleen Donnelly, GalTime.com

Don't throw away your old pots and pans just yet...Although it is classic, durable, and extremely versatile, most people shy away from Cast Iron due to its high maintenance rumor.

However, the Krazy Coupon Ladies have compiled an easy Cast Iron cleaning and caring tutorial, which could turn a rusted pan a like new skillet.

Avoid buying a new pan, recover your old one

1. In the dry pan, pour an even ratio of coarse salt and vegetable or olive oil in the center. The Krazy Coupon Ladies usually start with ¼ cup of each.
2. Using 2-3 folded paper towels rub the salt mixture in small circular motions all over the inside and outside of the pan. You will see the rust lifting almost immediately, it is that easy!
3. Add more oil or salt if needed. If your pan is very rusty, you may want to repeat the entire process a second time.
4. Once you are completely satisfied with your clean rust free pan, throw out the salt mixture. Using mild dish soap, give your pan a good washing to get rid of