In an effort to give her husband Bard a memorable 40th birthday gift, Charla Muller made a pact: the two of them agreed to have sex every day for a year, an experiment which both agree has transformed their marriage.

Their project, which is documented in 365 Nights: A Memoir Of Intimacy, surprised them both with the level of daily kindness it required. As Charla noted, “incorporating intimacy into real life” is important, and can contribute to a lasting and satisfying relationship.

The advent of dating websites has made the world of mingling more accessible and easier to navigate for many searching singles. The benefits of online dating systems are numerous; perhaps the most useful feature is the ability to find potential mates who fulfill certain specified criteria.

Unfortunately, people may at times exaggerate or embellish profiles in order to appear more attractive. An article in the New York Times suggests that men tend to lie about height and professions on the sites, while women generally fib about age.

Elisabeth suggests that people should make themselves look slightly worse on the sites, so that dates are pleasantly surprised when the two meet in person; Barbara counters that such people would not be offered dates in the first place.

Sherri asked the co-hosts and the audience whether she is obligated to tell her friend the truth; the ex’s business, personal, and family successes will stand in sharp contrast to her friend’s situations, and can result in hurt feelings and disappointment.

Joy says that in such a no-win situation, Sherri should take Barbara’s advice: mention the meeting, but don’t elaborate more than necessary.

The incident reminded Joy of a campaign rally for Hillary Clinton, where two male audience members were removed for chanting “Iron my shirt,” implying that Senator Clinton did not belong in the White House because of her gender.

Do couples need to get married to complete their relationships? A story presented on Good Morning America suggests that brides who have been left at the altar report mixed feelings about marriage.

While some people who maintain long-term relationships without marriage (as Joy has for the past 26  years) feel that they can enjoy the same level of commitment as people who do opt to be wed, Elisabeth and Sherri pointed out some practical considerations that may influence one’s decision.

For those whose weddings are religious ceremonies, the practice represents a commitment of faith, which Sherri says is more valuable than a piece of paper. Married couples enjoy spousal privilege in litigation; further, a spouse to whom money is bequeathed after a partner’s death is not subject to estate tax, as children are.

Some states have laws permitting common-law marriage, in which a couple is considered married after living together and performing the actions characteristic of married couples, despite not being united legally.

An article on CNN.com reveals some of the annoying habits people encounter in the workplace from boorish or thoughtless co-workers.

Elisabeth believes that only certain people should be confronted; wayward colleagues should be notified about their behavior, while the boss is off limits. Whoopi disagrees, saying that anyone who invades a worker’s personal space and impedes the ability to work well should be confronted.

The question of whether to broach other awkward topics also came up. Situations such as telling strangers about problems with their clothing or publicly disapproving of a friend’s romantic interest are difficult, but speaking up may be beneficial.

Jackie Collins, the novelist whose works frequently grace bestseller lists, visited The View to talk about the inspiration behind her sultry collection.

Collins claims that men cheat on their partners because they know that they can get away with it; Hollywood, in particular, seems to have its own set of rules regarding fidelity, which in turn dictates larger societal views about relationship expectations.

Research found that same-sex pairs tend to be more egalitarian on a number of levels, making partners able to relate to each other in ways that appear unattainable for heterosexual couples. Homosexual couples also seemed to make more of an effort to minimize the damage inflicted during confrontations.

]]> http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/06/12/gender-may-dictate-fighting-style/feed/ http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/05/21/sex-and-the-city-controversy/ http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/05/21/sex-and-the-city-controversy/#comments Wed, 21 May 2008 17:09:00 +0000 judith http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/?p=312

Given the criticism Sex and the City has received for being too racy, perhaps viewers should have expected the latest twist: apparently, the show influenced a 14-year-old girl (now 22) to start drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and having sex with random men.

That girl, who goes by “Lisa,” is now married with two children; although she sold her Sex and the City DVDs on eBay.com, she is looking forward to Sex and the City: The Movie, which premieres on May 30.

Sherri wants to know why it seems impossible to find a man who meets all of her criteria, which include being spiritual, having good credit, loving his mother, being faithful in relationships, and being able to laugh.

Joy’s advice is based on her long-term relationship with her companion Steve Janowitz; she says that if you want a man to stay faithful, don’t marry him.