Blog Posts by HowAboutWe

by Scott Alden for HowAboutWe

Maybe you're not looking for a long term relationship. That's fine. Maybe you're not even looking for short term dating. Okay. You're just here to get laid. Cool. There are other sites out there for you. Just Google your intentions and you'll find a cornucopia of hook up services, ready to click. Please go there now.

Related: Would You Ever Date A "Never-Nude?"

For the rest of you, who are looking for soulmate, a bowling partner, or something in between, we're glad to have you. We also understand that, while you may be on a dating site to go out on dates, you're interested in sex, too. It's cool. Everybody is. Sex and dating go hand in hand.

Related: 5 Perfectly Good Reasons You Might Be Single

Because we can assume that most people on a dating site are, in fact, interested in having sex at some point, we can safely say that there is absolutely no reason on earth to mention sex in your profile, or (please please please no) in a

By Chiara Atik for HowAboutWe.com

While it might seem unromantic to meet someone for a date before work, breakfast dates can be completely awesome. Here's why you should meet your next date at 8 am instead of 8 pm.

1. It's Just Quirky Enough

A breakfast date is the perfect date for people who want to break away from their "let's meet for drinks" dating rut, but don't want to stray too far from their comfort zone. Waking up early to meet someone for coffee and eggs at a diner is just unusual enough to feel special and fun, but really you're still just meeting someone at a restaurant for a meal. Sometimes, the simple act of doing something out of the ordinary with someone is enough to create a spark.

Beware The Guy Who Spends Too Much On A First Date

2. Easy Conversation Starters

Worried you'll need something to talk about? Bring a copy of today's paper! You can easily use the headlines to start a conversation: "Hey, did you hear about _____?" Just make sure it's nothing too

"Slut" is a funny word. Not funny haha, but funny strange. The meaning and the power of the word changes drastically depending on who's using it and to whom they're speaking. Between some women friends, slut has become almost a term of endearment. Some women like to be called a slut in sexual situations only, because it turns them on. The word has even been re-purposed by women as a symbol of power and the freedom to have sex with who they want to when they want to (ie. The Ethical Slut or Toronto's recent "slut walk").

Related: Guys, Stop being Jealous And Just Get Better At Sex

Now, maybe it's the result of backlash against political correctness. Maybe it's confusion. Possibly, it's just straight-up douchebaggery. But it seems that men are still using the word "slut" as a means of shaming and judging women for their sexual practices and style of dress.

Related: What Sex Means To Men - 6 Deep Dark Secrets

The Gloss anonymously interviewed seven men from different

By Chiara Atik for HowAboutWe.com

If you have sex with someone, do you have to stay the night? Offer sleepwear? Fold a person's clothes as you remove them?

The Frisky has compiled a list of examples of poor sex etiquette. Some of their examples, such as "ask before you try anything kinky" and "always be prepared to use a condom," are hard to disagree with. (These basically boil down to "Be safe and always wait for consent.")

But other, more specific "rules" seem a little...stringent?

Related: Morning-After Etiquette: When Is A Date Officially Over?

"Ruining clothing. Do not throw our cocktail dress on your unswept floor. Do not chuck our bra and panties with the dust bunnies under your bed. Do not cover our new pants with lube. We're all for ripping off clothes in the heat of the moment, but be mindful of our duds."

I guess I don't really understand like, what the guy is supposed to do in this situation? Rip off my bra in a fit of passion...and then carefully fold it and place it

by Scott Alden for HowAboutWe

Activity is what makes you famous on dating and social networking sites: Every time you upload a new picture, answer a profile question, send a message, "like" something, "wink" at someone, or even just log in to your account, that's activity. And it's what gets you noticed.

Related: 8 Things About Sexting That Actually Turn Women On

On HowAboutWe, the most attention-getting activity is, of course, posting or reposting dates. Each time you post a new date, you show up at the top of the feed on any user's "date stream" whose match criteria you meet. So the more often you post dates, the more likely you are to get noticed by people who are looking for people like you.

Related: 6 Bits Of Information That Should Never Be Relayed Via Text Message

Easy, right? Sure it is. But if you're looking for an even easier way to increase your chances of getting hits, just log in everyday. Every time you log in on HowAboutWe, your gorgeous mug floats

By Chiara Atik For HowAboutWe.com

Late last year, a guy friend of mine emailed The Date Report and asked if exclamation marks are too "girly" for male use. He said he'd sometimes write them in emails, but then decide that unless a situation called for an extreme reaction, the exclamation marks made the tone of his email a bit too...effeminate.

As much as I wanted to tell him that, no, of course a punctuation mark can't be anything but gender neutral, the truth is there is something a little bit feminine about them. (Does this stem from the social construct of women being expected to be agreeable and affable, while men are expected to be cool and unexcitable?)

Related: Are Exclamation Marks "Girly?"

The female prickliness regarding how men express themselves on the Internet can be summed up with this gChat from my friend, regarding a guy she was messaging with on HowAboutWe:

If you asked me whether it should be acceptable for a woman to use any mannerism or affectation that society

by Scott Alden for HowAboutWe

Science just keeps on cranking out helpful little studies about you and how you date. This time, researchers at the University of Kansas have determined that you flirt in one of five unique ways: traditional, physical, polite, sincere or playful.

But which particular courtship/pickup style do you use? And how do you tell? And why would you want to know anyway?

Understanding the methods that you've come to use naturally, just because of who you are, can help you improve your game. Plus, it might give you some insight into why you attract the kind of people you do, and how to attract the people you want.

So, which description rings most true for you?

By Chiara Atik for HowAboutWe.com

It's hot, it's muggy, and it's only going to get worse. For those of us who are braving the summer sans climate control, it's time to start looking for a summer fling with a blessedly frigid apartment.

In an article about summer in New York for the Village Voice, Jen Doll describes the phenomenon of "air-conditioner-based relationships":

Related: Fill In The Blank: "I'd Date Someone For Their _____."

"When night falls and you are forced from your mechanically cooled office or after-work drinks environment, you will, with unprecedented perseverance and clarity of vision, become radar-focused upon gaining entry into the homes of persons with powerful new air-conditioning units offering five-figure BTUs. Look forward to an array of new 'friends with benefits.'"

Oh, this is true! So so true! Whether or not you'd ever date someone exclusively because of their air conditioning, the quest for a cooler climate becomes inexorably linked to your romantic