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 f...

When it comes to the many annoying habits people have, there's one that tops the list, or comes close to it: chewing with one's mouth open . Ugh!  Were these people not taught manners? I don't care if I'm on a date, in a meeting at work, or at a friend's party. When I see people chomping on chips or chewing gum with an open mouth, it not only annoys me to no end, but makes me want to exhort them to quit it. I realize not everyone is conscious of when they're doing this. That's why the best solution is usually to point it out respectfully, though it doesn't mean they'll kick the habit immediately. Sometimes it takes having a couple of people voice their annoyance for the culprit to put the kibosh on the behavior. The impact is magnified when a complaint is issued by one's boss, a hot date, or someone else whose acceptance is highly valued. If no one makes a peep, however, the offender will carry on with this most irritating quirk. If a...

As I've pointed out in other posts, being alone and being lonely are two completely different things. When people wish to be alone, they usually do so deliberately, whereas being lonely tends to be an undesirable consequence of a particular event, like breaking up with your boyfriend, moving to a new city, etc. People can desire to be alone for a host of reasons: To clear their heads To gather their thoughts To recharge after a long day at work To read or pursue other solitary tasks in a quiet environment They're not in the mood to be around people, especially after someone has done something to disappoint them And many more... Unfortunately, sometimes society makes people who crave alone time out to be weirdos. They're constantly given labels like "antisocial" and "stuck-up." Oftentimes, these descriptors have no basis in reality. Many people -- especially the highly extroverted, who thrive on social interaction -- fail to understand tha...