Don't complain of being single if you're...

Don't complain of being single if you're super picky, which is the boat one of my friends perpetually finds himself in.

He's gregarious, polite, and an all around good guy. However, when it comes to women, he seeks near-perfection: a slim, highly attractive woman -- we're talking Victoria's Secret-esque -- who doesn't smoke, drink, or party. Oh, yeah, and she should attend church regularly.

Saying my friend has high standards is an understatement. He refuses to even consider women who are a couple of pounds overweight.

While some may say his refusal to budge on his criteria is admirable in that he sticks to his guns, others might lambaste him for his ostensible shallowness.

What provides ammunition to the latter group's argument, however, is the fact he often complains of being single.

Well, little does he realize that his problem is of his own making. If you're going to disqualify the vast majority of the dating pool on account of what you find to be unacceptable looks, you are going to have a harder time finding dates. It's only common sense -- and simple math.

As a result, he comes along on many of my outings with my wife, cementing his status as the third wheel.

Sometimes I feel my friend wants a very attractive girlfriend he can show off to the world, much like he does his car.

What I've reminded him of countless times is that beauty is only skin deep. It fades as we age and should be secondary to a person's inner qualities, from honesty and compassion to intelligence and their sense of humor.

I've asked him the following: What good is having a beautiful partner if their inside is dark and rotten? That's no recipe for a long-term, fulfilling relationship.

He concedes that a great personality is important to him, but refuses to abandon his neverending quest for finding a "10."

I only wish him the best in finding a good woman, but I think my friend -- like many other guys out there -- is being too picky. He has set his expectations so high that no woman seems to meet his stringent criteria.

I hope that it won't take a train wreck of a relationship with a physically attractive yet vain, heartless woman for him to realize there's more to life than looks.

Sure, there has to be a physical spark between both people, but what really matters over the long haul is how the person treats you.

Is she communicative?
Does she trust you?
Does she treat you with respect?
Does she support you in your goals?
Does she respect your friends and family?
Does she see a future for the two of you?

These are the kinds of things that call for high standards -- not whether she has the ideal face or perfect body. It especially bothers me when the people who are most insistent on great looks aren't anything to write home about in that department themselves. Hypocrisy, anyone?

No one is perfect. Just like the products we buy, people come with their flaws, whether physical or personality-wise. I can only hope my friend realizes this sooner than later and tweaks his requirements at least a tad. He certainly isn't getting any younger.

Women vs. Men: Who likes to backstab more?

Whether it's on TV or in the workplace, the general consensus seems to be that women gossip, backstab, and stir up more conflict than men do. But, as with every other topic, I thought it only fair to put this so-called stereotype under the microscope. If you watch reality shows like Celebrity Apprentice, you'll notice it's the women who spend far more time bickering. While the men do at times become embroiled in tit for tat, it's the women who are portrayed as meaner and more hostile. In the workplace, I have noticed that women seem to gossip far more than their male counterparts. I haven't really seen any cases where a person blatantly backstabs the other, but I have caught both men and women in little white lies. If it is true that women are generally more into backstabbing and gossiping than men, why is this the case? I believe that it isn't fair to make a blanket statement like "all women play these games while all men keep to themselves and pre...

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it? After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

Men prefer to marry brunettes

Study after study shows that men prefer blondes as girlfriends or mistresses and brunettes as wives . It seems many men see brunettes as more trustworthy and loyal. What's more, even though participants claimed that blondes are better in bed, they feel brunettes are better kissers and more affectionate than blondes. I find these results to be rather interesting. In my high school and early college days, I actually had a preference for blondes myself -- that is, until I hooked up with my now-wife. From that point on, I deemed brunettes as more attractive and marriage material, probably because they reminded me of and more closely resembled her. I think we can blame Hollywood, shows like Baywatch, and Playboy for painting blondes as wild, big chested, promiscuous and loose. (Yes, I know that there are brunettes in Playboy, but they seem to be in the minority.) When someone tells a man to think of an attractive blonde, who do you think likely crosses his mind? More likely than...

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