Guaranteeing a second date while on a first date

“This is all ammunition, Cart. All ammo. You want to be able to order a nice bottle of wine. 

Oh, and after dinner, if she says how she doesn’t want dessert, you suggest 

she pick one and you’ll split it. Women love that. Sharing dessert’s sexy.”

Vision in White

__________________

By Morgan - originally posted to Flickr as Cheesecake, CC BY 2.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10226856

Couples on Channel 4's First Dates were analysed, with some interesting findings

Mirror

__________________

She smiled. “Look how cute you are in your smarty-pants. Now why don’t you order dessert, 

so I can pretend to be self-righteous and not—then eat half of yours?”

They lingered. She’d forgotten what it was like to have a meal with a man she could have

long, twisty conversation with. One who listened, who paid attention—whether or not 

he was thinking about the possible bonus round at the end of the evening.

He made her think, she realized. And entertained her. 

Vision in White

Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

“I’m not as tidy as you.”
“Tidy’s such a fussy word, don’t you think?” He gave her an easy smile. 
“The sort that makes you think of your great-aunt Margaret and her tea cozies.”
“I don’t have a great-aunt Margaret.”
“If you did, she’d probably be a tidy sort with a tea cozy. I prefer the word organized.”


Vision in White

_____________________

You might recognize her name from her highly-popular book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. See how she will help clients “spark joy” as they declutter and organize their homes.

Better Homes & Gardens

_____________________

“Confused by closet organizers, I figured why not consult an architect?”
“You want an architect—a man—Jack—to organize your closet?”
“No, to give me a vision of what to use to organize it.”
Emma gave Mac a dubious look. “You’ve now entered Parker territory.”
“Maybe, but have you seen her closet? It’s like a layout in a magazine. It’s like 
what the Queen of England probably has. Without all the odd hats. 
Jack! Just the man I wanted to see.”
He stood in the doorway, tall, clad in jeans, work shirt, and boots—and very male. 
“I don’t want to come in there. You’re not supposed to touch anything at a crime scene.”
“The only crime here is that.” She pointed at her closet. 
“An empty closet with one stupid bar and shelf. You have to help me.”
“I told you we needed to design the closet when we altered the space.”
“I was in a hurry back then. Now I’m not. I know I need at least two bars, right—a lower one. 
And more shelves. Maybe some drawers.”
He glanced around. “You’re going to need a bigger boat.”
“I’m purging. Don’t start with me.”
He walked in, hooked his thumbs in his belt loops. “Roomy.”
“Yes, which is part of the problem. All that room, I’ve felt obliged to fill it. 
You can make it better.”
“Sure I can make it better. A kit from Home Depot would make it better.”
“I’ve looked at them. I want something more . . . More.”


Vision in White

👠 Girls Night In

“Clare,” Avery said as Clare walked to the door. “Saturday, I’ll bring a second bottle of

wine, something gooey for dessert. And my pj’s.”

“Even better. Who needs a man when you’ve got a best girl pal?”

Clare laughed as Avery shot a hand in the air.

The Next Always

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Slip into holiday PJs and enjoy a relaxing night with friends

By Purple Sherbet Photography from Worldwide! - 

Sharing love and happiness makes life more beautiful (CC), CC BY 2.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34945117

Lifetime 14 New Christmas Movies

Lifetime just announced their official holiday movie schedule and we can’t wait to watch them all. See the official schedule and start planning your Christmas movie marathons!

Better Homes & Gardens

Hallmark Just Announced All 36 New Holiday Films 

Get your coziest blankets and most festive cocoa mugs ready because Hallmark just announced the official schedule of all 36 new Christmas movie premieres (a record-breaking number of new flicks!) and we are totally ready to watch them all!

Better Homes & Gardens

__________________

“In that case, how about lending me a pair of pajamas?”

“Why don’t you put that in the oven on low, and we’ll both get some pajamas.”

“Deal. I feel like a chick flick. Do you feel like a chick flick? Dinner and a movie?”

“Sounds really good actually.”

Vision in White

Truth Behind the “Perfect” Shot

“We’re going to do even better. Let’s try a few in that same pose.”

Warming up now, Mac noted as she chatted Rosa up along with Emma. She tossed in quick directions. Tilt your head to the right, shift your shoulders. Halfway through she handed Rosa one of Emma’s long-stems, tried shots with the flower as a prop.

Vision in White

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By Cary Tse - Imported from 500px (archived version) by the 

Archive Team. (detail page), CC BY-SA 3.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71783389

Brazilian photographer Gilmar Silva put his career on a whole new level when he pulled back the curtain and let the public in on how professional photographers get the shots they're after. His series LUGARxFOTO is an ongoing look at how Silva makes magic right on site, using assistants and simple props to help him deliver the highest quality portrait to his clients.

MY MODERN MET

____________________

“What did she think?”

“She cried. In a good way. Must be a hormone thing. Tears just started rolling down her cheeks and scared the shit out of me. Then she said the best thing.” Mac paused, letting the memory glow inside her. “She said she was never going to think of herself as big and clumsy because she was magnificent.”

“Oh.”

“I know. I got teary myself. She wanted to order right then and there. I had to put her off until I tweak a little.”

Vision in White

Knowing someone is attracted to you really DOES make them more desirable

“Not to me. You were bright, vivid, confident.” Still are, he thought. Just look at you. “I feel like an idiot telling you this, but I keep tripping over it. I’m clumsy enough without putting up my own stumbling blocks. So, well. There.”
“Would the kiss the other night be the result of that old crush?”
“I’d have to say it played a part. It was all so surreal.”
She scooted forward again to pick up her coffee. “Neither one of us are who we were in high school.”
“God, I hope not. I was a mess back then.”
“Who wasn’t? You know, Carter, most guys would’ve used that high-school crush bit as a pickup ploy, or kept it locked away. It interests me, you interest me, because you did neither. Are you always so forthright over coffee dates?”
“I don’t know. You’re the only one I ever had a crush on.”
“Oh boy.”
“And that was stupid.” Flustered again, he raked his fingers through his hair. “Now I’ve scared you. That sounded scary and obsessive, like I have an altar somewhere with your pictures over it where I light candles and chant your name. Jesus, that’s even scarier. Run now. I won’t hold it against you.”
She burst out laughing, had to set her coffee back down before she sloshed it over the rim. “I’ll stay if you swear you don’t have the altar.”
“I don’t.” He swiped his finger in an X over his heart. “If you’re staying because you pity me, or because you really like the coffee, it works.”
“It is really good coffee.” She drank again. “It’s not pity, but I’m not sure what it is. You’re an interesting man, and you helped me out when I needed it. You give really good kiss. Why not have coffee?” 


Vision in White

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By Yeshi Kangrang omgitsyeshi - https://unsplash.com/photos/lrg2KrRiNbo, CC0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61725617

People feel more sexual desire when they feel confident about partner's interest

DAILYMAIL

____________________

“He had a crush on me in high school. What kind of man tells
you that? Puts the power in your hands that way?”



Vision in White 

Sometimes, a cat just walks into your life and asks to be saved

She started to crouch, then stopped, angling her head.
“You have a cat with three legs.”
“Triad. He was hit by a car.”
“Oh, poor baby!” Instantly, she was down on the floor,
stroking and scratching the delighted cat.
“It had to be awful for both of you. Thank God you were home.”
“No, actually I was driving home from school. They—the car in front of me hit him, and just kept going. I don’t understand how anybody could do that.
When I pulled over, I thought he’d be dead, but he was lying there, in shock, I guess. The vet couldn’t save the leg, but he does okay.”
Mac continued to stroke the cat down his length as she stared at Carter. “I bet he does.”


Vision in White 

________________

By No machine-readable author provided. Maxo assumed (based on copyright claims). - 

No machine-readable source provided. 

Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=296512

Bonds between humans and animals often begin with a need and a desire to help. 

mother nature network

________________

“So the three-legged cat could be a metaphor for his wounded soul, 
and his determination to live with the scars.”
“That’s good. You’d get an A.”


Vision in White

Winter Bird Photos

A movement caught her eye, and as she turned to follow it she saw the cardinal take its perch on the snow-covered branch of a maple. It sat, a single spot of vivid red, and sang. Mac crouched, zoomed in rather than risk going closer and losing the shot. Was it the same bird who’d smacked into her kitchen window? she wondered. If so, he certainly seemed undamaged and unruffled as he sat like a single flame on the white-laced branch. She caught the moment then, taking three shots in rapid succession, slight changes in angles that coated her jeans with snow as she inched left. Then the bird took wing, swooped over the frozen sea, through the bright light, and was gone. Emmaline, beautiful Emmaline in her old navy coat, white cap and scarf trudged toward her through the snow. 

“I wondered how long I’d have to stand there until you finished or the damn bird took off. It’s cold out here.”

Vision in White 

_____________________

As temperatures dip, look no further than your backyard 

to see how full of life this blustery season truly is.

BIRDS & BLOOMS

_____________________

He opened it carefully, peeling up the tape and flapped ends. And took out the photograph matted in a simple black frame. Against the black and white of snow and winter trees, the cardinal sat like a living flame. 

“It’s wonderful.” 

“It’s nice.” She studied it with him. “One of those lucky breaks. I took it early yesterday morning. It’s no bellycrested whopado, but it’s our bird, after all.” 

Vision in White

Celebrate your first Valentine’s Day

She leaned in to kiss him. 

“People in my business tend to work on Valentine’s Day.” 

“Understood.” 

“I’ll send you a schmaltzy, sloppy e-card. And I got you something. Major step for me, as it’s my first Valentine’s Day gift.”

Vision in White

________________

The first Valentine’s Day you share with your new sweetie is always the hardest. Do you make it a big deal or treat it like nothing special? What kind of gift is appropriate?

We’ve got you covered — here are some ideas for you and your boyfriend to have a great first Valentine’s Day together.

SHE KNOWS

Stunning Photos

Maybe happy ever after was bull, but she knew she wanted 
to take more pictures of moments that were happy. 
Because then they were ever after.


Vision in White

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Unforgettable Wedding Moments From Around the World

Many weddings are steeped in long-standing traditions, but yet each nuptial remains unique to the couple getting married. The best wedding photographers capture  these idiosyncrasies and new memories through a combination of documentation and artistry.

When this happens, the images transcend the genre and become

works of fine art photography.

MY MODERN MET

___________

The bride looked up. 
Surprise turned to amused delight, and to Mac’s pleasure, 
Alison threw up both arms, tossed back her head, and laughed. 
And there, Mac thought as she caught the moment, 
was the beginning of the journey.


Vision in White 

Making up

Considering, Parker picked up a white chocolate heart. 
“I assume you’ve already been through this with Laurel.” 
“Yes. Hence the chocolate. I blubbered all over her. 
I got most of it out, but if you don’t eat that
 so I know we’re okay, I’m going to start up again. 
It’s like a symbol. 
Men shake hands after they beat each other up. 
We eat chocolate.” 

Vision in White 

___________________

By Florida Memory - Man holding flowers in boat - Lake Tuscawilla, 

Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38184531

WHEN it comes to making up after an argument, 

men and women have very different ways 

of healing the rift.

EXPRESS

___________________

And her frown deepened when she saw the tulips. 

“Why are you sorry this time?”

 “I’m not sorry. 
Oh, the flowers. 

Funny thing. 
I was going to use them to bribe 

my sister into feeding me, 
then I ended up driving here.”

The Witness

People Who Hate Working Out Are More Intelligent

"I guess the bastard elliptical is doing its job. How do you keep in shape?"

"I use the gym three or four times a week, play basketball, that sort of thing."

She sent him a slitted-eye, accusatory stare. "I bet you like it. The gym."

"Yeah, I do."

"So does Parker. I think you're both sick."

"Keeping in shape is sick?"

"No, liking what goes into keeping in shape is sick. I get doing it, but it should be considered a chore, a duty, a necessary evil."

Bed of Roses 

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By Gesundheitshuette - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16548001

Those with a steadfast commitment to the couch potato lifestyle may be onto something after all. According to a new study published in the Sage Journal of Health Psychology, people who will find any excuse to skip the gym have higher levels of a trait called “need for cognition,” or a “tendency to engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive endeavors,” according to the researchers. In other words, those who lack any sort of athletic ability may make up for it in intelligence and a general love for deep thinking.

MY DOMAINE

______________

They'd passed mile three with Del taking the lead when Mac dragged herself in.

“There it is.” She bared her teeth at the Bowflex. “The enemy.” 

She scowled at Parker, who finished up her session with basic yoga poses to stretch out. 

“You're already finished, aren't you? I can tell by that smug look on your face.”

Savor the Moment

"How I Recognized (and Left) a Financially Abusive Relationship"

Like a traffic cop, Mac threw up her hand. “You paid her bills?”

He shrugged. “Initially she was trying to save for her own place, then . . . 

It got to be a habit.”

Vision in White

_______________

I remember the first time my then-boyfriend asked me for money and I didn't feel like I could say no. We were parked in the lot of a train station where he often picked me up. Since he'd recently quit a job he hated and was only working part-time, he needed extra cash for gas to keep picking me up and visiting me, he said. He'd calculated that half the cost of the drives he took for my sake came out to $20 a month.

Nobody other than a cab driver had ever asked me to compensate them for a ride, and the exchange felt oddly transactional for two people who had been dating for a year and a half. Plus, I paid for my own train tickets, which I thought made us even. But he said it would be hard for him to see me as much if I didn't pitch in that monthly $20, so I did.

But it didn't stop there.

GLAMOUR

_______________

Mac took a moment to absorb. “Let me just sum all that up, take it down to its basic formula. Because its one I know very well. She maneuvered you into providing her with housing—for which she paid nothing.”

“I could hardly ask her for rent.”

“She shared none of the household expenses, and in fact sweet-talked you into fronting her for her expenses. You probably lent her cash from time to time. You'll never see that again. You bought her things—clothes, jewelry. If you balked, she used tears or sex to smooth that out and get what she was after.”

“Well, I suppose, but—”

“Let me finish it out. When she got tired of it, or saw something shinier, she lied, cheated, betrayed, then laid it all out as your fault for not caring enough. Would that be about right?”

Vision in White

Best Relationships Start as Friendships

"I don't know. I need to think. It's complicated. He's a friend. Our friend. And he's Del's best friend. Del's your brother," she said to Parker, "and the next thing to a brother to the rest of us. And we're all friends, and business partners. Del's our lawyer, and Jack helps out when we need him. Plus he's designing the remodeling. We have all these connections, and they're all tangled up."

"And nothing tangles up the tangles like sex," Mac put in.

"Exactly. What if we end up having this thing, then the thing goes south. Then we're awkward with each other, and that makes the rest of us awkward with the rest of us. We have a kind of balance, don't we? Sex isn't worth upsetting the balance."

"You wouldn't be doing it right then," Mrs. Grady commented, and shook her head. "Youth thinks

too damn much. I'm going to start the wash."

Emma sulked over her pancakes. "She thinks I'm being an idiot, but I just don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Then set the ground rules going in. What you each expect from each other, and how you'll handle any complications."

"What kind of ground rules?"

Parker shrugged. "That's for you to decide, Em."

Bed of Roses

__________________

By Nina from Australia (Friendship) [CC BY 2.0 

(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The big fear about falling in love with a friend is that if the relationship goes bad, you're down both a boyfriend and a friend who might have comforted you through the breakup. It's a big risk, but when it goes right, it pays off big time. Falling in love with a best friend can be the best thing in the world. We all know the best boyfriends are the ones that feel like best friends you get to kiss, anyway.

YAHOO!

__________________

Resigned, Emma let out a sigh and decided she wouldn't wait for Jack to have a glass of wine. The trouble with friends, she thought as she went to the kitchen, was they knew you too well. Sex date, foreplay music, sexing underwear. No secrets among…
She stopped with the bottle in hand. Jack was a friend. Jack knew her very well. Wouldn't he…?
What if he…? "Oh, shit!"
She poured a very large glass of wine. Before she could take the first sip, she heard the knock on her door.
"Too late," she murmured. "Too late to change a thing. Time to see what happens, and deal with it."
She set the wine down, went to the door.
He'd changed, too, she noted. Khakis instead of jeans, a crisp shirt instead of a chambray. He carried a large take-out bag from her favorite Chinese restaurant, and a bottle of her preferred cabernet.
Sweet, Emma thought. And certainly another advantage of being friends.


Bed of Roses