Hey there, 100hookuprs! It seems like summer just rolled in, and yet it comes to an unofficial close with Labor Day this weekend. Put away your white shoes and sunblock, fall’s crashing onto the scene. While August delivered us a couple of bombs, there was nothing quite on the level of a Gigli, a Pluto Nash, or some of the true duds of Augusts past. September promises us some strange bedfellows: sequels, remakes, re-releases, and even a few original concepts. Am I the only one who finds it ironic that original concepts are now original concepts in Hollywood?

They say opposites attract for good reason, but every four years couples that sit on different ends of the political spectrum find themselves wishing they had done what their mother suggested and found a nice, likeminded Republican/Democrat to settle down with instead.

There aren’t many outstanding “inter-political” couples we can look up to. Up until last year we could cite Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrat Maria Shriver as peaceful partners, but they’ve since said “hasta la vista, baby.” Arnold’s back making movies and Maria’s no doubt back dating human-sized men.

I can fairly say I came to online dating kicking and screaming. I had survived the devastating endings of two long relationships. My faith in love was battered. I was scared, cynical, jaded about men and had zero desire to sign on to a bigger, better, faster heartbreak delivery system. But I found myself craving connection and having a difficult time meeting new people. And if I just created a username and password, I could respond to the question that I seemed to be asked at every cocktail party, “Have you thought about dating online?” by simply saying, “I am.” Thus allowing me to keep it moving to the cheese tray. Sign me up!

Dating is a healthy component of a single lifestyle whether or not you intend to marry. But knocking your head against your own wall of resistance to commitment before you are ready practically insures failure.

Summertime…and the datin’ is easy! Fish are jumpin’…and it’s time to catch one! This season is, in my opinion, prime time for dating. Work schedules tend to be shorter, vacations mean adventures with new people, and everyone beats the heat by showing more skin. So how do you turn a summer fling into a long-term romance?  Here are six simple tips on making your summer love last!

I recently served a large platter of this crunchy and refreshing salad to my family and guests. Everyone raved, and the platter was licked clean. Raw Brussels sprouts are mild tasting and not “cabbage.” I enjoy the crispy texture. I paired the salad with a creamy avocado dressing and buttery cashews.

Something that bothers women about men is the way that their behavior can be quite unpredictable. For example, a man and a woman are in a seemingly good relationship, and then out of the blue, he wants to end it, or she discovers that he’s been cheating.

Once a year, there is a rare opportunity to take advantage of a culinary delight. Zucchini blossoms are gorgeous yellow/orange flowers that resemble a lily. Most gardeners just ignore the blossom while waiting for the zucchini to grow and then harvest it. I, however, look forward to the blossoms and each year scheme to find them. I haunt the farmer’s markets and local gardens, waiting to scoop up the brightly colored treasures. Several years ago, I grew zucchini just to get at the blossoms.

Women spend hours in salons, too much time in bathrooms, lunch hours scouring lifebooker, evenings squeezing in spray tans, eyelash appointments, waxes, mani/pedis, laser appointments and the list goes on. Some of us do this for ourselves, but a lot of us do this for men. In the beginning stages of dating, women feel the need to look ultra-attractive as they want to be ‘ready for sex’ whenever it may happen!