First off, Happy Valentine's Day to all of you lovebirds who are married or in relationships. Whether you wanted stuffed animals or kisses (of the romantic or chocolate variety), I hope your honey has succeeded at expressing how much you mean to them today, though that should really happen daily. For those of you flying solo this Valentine's Day, there could be many reasons why this is the case. Perhaps you're not interested in a relationship right now. Maybe you just got out of one recently and wish to spend the next few months having fun with friends. If it just so happens that you're a little blue about being single, don't despair. The right person is out there -- you just have to be patient. At the same time, you need to do your part. Get out there and attend social functions where you can meet people. See if there are any dating sites to your liking. Ask friends and family whether they might know any prospects. They say life happens when you're ...

I've stumbled upon relationship and self-help books that actually encourage people to play hard to get with potential suitors. They argue that it keeps the other person on their toes and longing for more, ultimately resulting in an exciting relationship. While playing hard to get might work to some extent in the very early stages of courtship -- especially if your would-be partner is used to being asked out constantly -- it has no place in a serious relationship. Once things get more serious, playing hard to get becomes tantamount to childish games you might see in high school. (I was on the receiving end of such behavior with a couple of girls during my teen years.) Playing hard to get can seriously backfire on you. It sends the signal that you are too busy for or not genuinely interested in the other person. Even worse, it might convey that you have someone else on the side. I know a guy who employed this tactic to pique a woman's interest in him. While it seemed to...