Blog Posts by Woman s Day

By Denise Schipani

You may not immediately believe that the same advice that helps you navigate your workplace, deal with your boss or advance your career would dovetail with smart ways to improve your romantic relationship, but think about it for a second. At work, you get along and get ahead by being courteous and solicitous, honest and upfront. Doesn't the same hold true of the strongest marriages? We sure thought so. Here, eight commonsense workplace tips that you can easily apply to your love life.

1. Think before you speak. Before you launch into a complaint or a potentially difficult discussion, always ask yourself, "Will what I say make me more or less likable to the person I'm approaching?" says Jennifer Hirsch, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in private practice in New York City and Washington, DC. At work, you don't want to charge into your boss's office slinging obscenities and being overly aggressive-and the same holds true when you're at home. "Take a moment, erase the

By Kristin Koch

Do you prefer to make love after the dishes are done, but he wants to get busy right after dinner? Is he raring to go as soon as the alarm goes off, yet all you can think about is that first cup of coffee? Just because it feels like you and your guy are never "in the mood" at the same time doesn't mean your sex life is doomed. Experts say it's pretty common for partners to desire sex at different times of the day, week, even month. But if increasing the frequency of nooky is what you want (and need!), here's how you two can get on the same sex page.

Early Romancer vs. Early Riser

He likes to have sex first thing in the morning. You like to get up and start your day as soon as the alarm goes off, so delaying your morning routine-even for a quickie-stresses you out. Plus, you don't exactly feel sexy when you have bed head and morning breath.

Synchronizing solution: "Many men prefer to have sex in the morning because their testosterone levels are higher,"

By Denise Schipani

Browse marriage books on the self-help shelf and the vast majority are about saving your marriage. While healing an ailing relationship is usually what we all want, sometimes it's wise to know when it's time to let go. Every marriage is different, but there are some universal truths. For example, if one or both partners refuse to put in the effort to save the marriage, it'll never get fixed. Another factor is time: "The clock starts ticking on the end of a marriage as soon as one spouse puts the [couple's] problems out in the open," says Bryce Kaye, PhD, author of The Marriage First Aid Kit. "The more time that passes after that without any effort made, the lower the odds are that you'll stay together." Here, nine signs your marriage may be beyond repair.

1. You've "uncoupled." Couples whose marriages are over, or nearly over, have usually uncoupled, or disconnected from each other, says Elayne Savage, PhD, author of Breathing Room: Creating Space to Be a

By Beth Levine

My friend Amy still can't believe it. She recently attended a friend's 40th birthday extravaganza organized by the friend's wife. No expense was spared -a lavish dinner at a top-tier restaurant, champagne, a chocolate fountain, the works.

"Up until the end, it was a wonderful evening," Amy says. But when the wife was given the bill, instead of discreetly taking care of it, she turned it over to the next person, saying, "Can you all figure out what you owe? I'm terrible at math."

"Hello? Who throws a huge party, expecting the guests to foot the bill?" Amy says, with exasperation. More people than you'd think. These days we all find ourselves in sticky money situations, and most of the time we never know quite what to say or do. In fact, Woman's Day reader Elaine Lee was so confused about who pays when that she turned to us for answers. So, Elaine (and everyone else), the next time you're in the middle of a do-I-or-don't-I moment, keep these rules in mind.

By Woman's Day Staff

At this time of year, it's easy to feel like a chicken (or, uh, turkey) with her head cut off. But don't let holiday to-dos overshadow the true spirit of Thanksgiving. This year, find ways to feel grateful every day, starting with this easy-to-make paper wreath that can hold family members' declarations of gratitude.

See 5 ways to help your kids understand the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Materials

• 26 squares of 4" x 4" light brown construction paper
• 26 squares of 3" x 3" white construction paper
• 26 squares of 3" x 3" dark brown construction paper
• 26 squares of 2" x 2" white construction paper
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
• 14" metal wreath base ($16.99; at Michaels stores)
• 52 stalks of wheat ($4.99 per bunch; at Michaels stores)
• Gold spray paint (we used Krylon Metallic Spray Paint in Gold, $7.99; KMart.com)
• 26 gold balls (we used style PF28214, $3.50 for 6; Fun2Bead.com)
• Strips of

By Kimberly Fusaro
Selling your home sounds easy enough. Just hammer a "For Sale" sign into the front lawn and start bringing in the buyers, right? Not so fast. If you want to get the highest possible sale price, you need to woo potential buyers. That's where professional home stagers come in: Like a Hollywood set, your home can be turned into a scene that buyers will want to latch on to. If you're serious about selling, you might want to consider hiring a professional home stager to transform your house into every buyer's dream-or just borrow these tips from the pros to get it in ready-to-sell condition.

1. Clear Out Clutter
Whittle huge photo displays down to a few frames. Pack up collections and knickknacks that are cluttering your bookshelves, desktop, dresser and end tables. "Show potential buyers your home, not your stuff!" urges professional home stager Jan Whitlow.

2. Let Light In
Pull up the shades and draw back the curtains! "Light creates a positive, cheerful

By Scott Gibson

Photo: © iStockphoto

Flooring takes tremendous wear and tear, especially in high-traffic rooms like the kitchen and bath. Bathrooms are highly susceptible to water damage, especially if the household includes tykes who splash in the tub or someone who's likely to leave the shower curtain half closed. In the kitchen, areas around the sink and dishwasher inevitably get wet, and the floor areas next to the range, refrigerator and sink will see more than their fair share of abrasive foot traffic.

Given these conditions, the best flooring options are those that stand up to traffic, are stain- and water-resistant and don't require a lot of maintenance.

Keep your new floors clean using one of these innovative vacuums.

Top Picks: Tile and Stone
Ceramic tile and natural stone will be trouble-free surfaces in either the kitchen or bath. Of the two, ceramic and porcelain tiles are more stain-resistant. Most types of stone should be sealed (and

By Olivia Putnal

While some foodies love to cook, and others go to fine restaurants, NYC-based Erik Trinidad expresses his love of all things edible by taking fast food menu items from restaurants like McDonald's and Taco Bell, turning them into gourmet-looking meals and posting the results on his site FancyFastFood.com. Originally just a joke with friends, his first creation was a McDonald's Big Mac and fries combo meal that he turned into a fancy steak and potatoes dish. But his project got such rave reviews, that he kept at it. Today, his site it full of creative reinventions of fast food items and he's even writing a book, The Fancy Fast Food Cookbook: Mock Recipes with No Bun Intended. WD rounded up our favorites, so take a look at these 10 works of culinary art.

Find out which fast food meals are the best and worst for you.

Chicken Cordon Deux (Kentucky Fried Chicken)

To create each dish, Trinidad says he first thinks up a pun between a gourmet meal and a fast food item, he