All posts by Em & Lo

Resolve to Love Better & You Could Win a LELO Ina Wave!

It’s that time of year again, when we think of all the things we’re terrible at, all the ways we’re failing as human beings, all the minor adjustments that will finally make our lives better, if not perfect. It’s mostly an exercise in futility and self-hatred, but there can be a silver lining to aspiring to be better — namely, the rare cases in which we actually do become better. Well, we’ve got to start somewhere and wishing for something may sometimes make it so.

So we’ve teamed up with LELO to encourage you to think of all the ways you’d like to love better in 2015. If you resolve well, or often enough, you could win a brand new INA WAVE,  the ultimate rabbit vibe for pleasure connoisseurs that rises and falls like an expert lover’s fingers, has 10 vibration patterns with adjustable speeds, and is 100% waterproof and rechargeable!

HERE’S HOW TO ENTER:

Between now and Friday, January 2nd, Tweet your New Year’s love resolution on Twitter.com. Don’t forget to include these three things in your Tweet:

  1. the hashtag #LoveResolution
  2. @emandlo
  3. @Lelo_Official

Examples of a #LoveResolution might include “buy more flowers,” “make-out like a teenager,” and “fight fair” (these will not be considered if you enter them as your own, duh.)

Feel free to submit your entries in the comments below also, though only Tweets that follow the guidelines above will be entered to win. Enter as many times as you like, though each entry should be a different resolution (NOT the same one over and over). You must be 18 or older to enter. And do NOT create multiple Twitter accounts to enter.

Deadline is EOD Friday, January 2nd, at 11:59 PST. We’ll pick one MVP winner (“MVP” being defined at our discretion) and announce the winning Tweet here on EMandLO.com as well as on Twitter on Monday, the 5th. If that winner does not claim their prize by replying to our private message within a week, a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck! And may the best resolve win an INA WAVE!

Your Holiday Horoscopes: A Caroling Tradition

Each week, we at EMandLO.com predict the course of your love life for the week with our own version of irreverent horoscopes — ignore our advice at your own peril. (Hyperbole intended for dramatic effect.) This week, nothing is sacred, as we take traditional Christmas carols and turn them into sex advice. Merry Xmas to you!

aries (Mar. 21st-Apr. 20th)
Said the Emma to the little Lo,
“Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky, little Lo,
Do you see what I see?
A ram, a ram, dancing in the night
With his horns ready for a fight,
With his horns ready for a fight.”

Said the little Lo to all the Aries,
“Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky, and email,
Do you hear what I hear?
A boy, a girl, they’re all on their knees,
And it’s not God they’re praying to,
Oh, it’s not God they’re praying to.”

Said the Little Lo to the mighty Em,
“Do you know what I know?
In Aries’ yards across the world,
Do you know what I know?
A boy, a girl shivers in the cold—
Won’t you give them some of your ‘gold,’
Won’t you give them some of your ‘gold.'”

taurus (Apr. 21st-May 20th)
Chestnuts roasting on a George Forman
The boss doing coke up his nose
Vicious rumors being spread by doormen
And folks dressed up like trashy ho’s.

Everybody knows a Trojan and some Astroglide
Help to make the office party bright
Buzzed Tauri with their flies open wide
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

gemini (May 21st-June 21st)
Rudolf, the red-nosed Gemini
had a very shiny nose (from the alcohol?).
And if you ever saw him,
you would even say it glows (from the alcohol!).

All of the other hotties
used to laugh and call him names (like Gin Blossom!).
They never let poor Rudolf
play in any reindeer games (like Spin the Bottle!).

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Em & Lo came to say:
“Rudolf with your nose so bright (from all the oral!),
won’t you ‘guide my sleigh’ tonight?”

Then all the hotties loved him
as they shouted out with glee:
“Rudolf the red-nosed luvver,
you’ll go down in history!”

cancer (June 22nd-July 22nd)
Hark how the bells,
Sweet silver bells,
All seem to say,
Throw cares away.

Get it in gear,
Don’t have no fear,
You’re young, not old,
Have sex that’s bold.

Ding dong ding dong,
You can’t go wrong,
With a dildo,
You big phat ho.

Oh how it pounds,
Making weird sounds,
O’er hill and dale,
Telling your tale.

To your neighbor,
And it will lure,
Them to your bed,
Making you red.

Don’t be ashamed,
Join in the game,
Neighbors can play,
And make your day.

leo (July 23rd-Aug. 22nd)
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
No, auld acquaintance be called up,
It’s ex-booty time!

virgo (Aug. 23rd-Sept. 22nd)
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks,
Dressed in holiday style.
In the air,
There’s a feeling,
of Dionysus.
People laughing,
Strangers passing,
Meeting stare after stare.
And on ev’ry street corner you’ll hear,

“Hey, hot-stuff!” “Hey, hot-stuff!”
“I want to get with you tonight.”
“You’re a doll,” hear them call,
Soon it will be Christmas lay.

libra (Sept. 23rd-Oct. 23rd)
Joy to the world! Libra is come;
Let bars let Libras in;
Let every dance floor clear space for the Libras,
and Libras will get laid,
and Libras will get laid,
and Libras, and Libras, they will get laid.

scorpio (Oct. 24th-Nov. 22nd)
Follow us in merry measure,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
While we tell of Christmas treasure,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Fast away the old love passes,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Pick a partner, be together,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Just ignore the stormy weather,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

sagittarius (Nov. 23rd-Dec. 21st)
We saw Sagi kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night.
You didn’t see us creep
In your house to have a peep;
You think all we do is work then go to sleep?
Then, we saw Sagi kiss a different Santa Claus
It turns out Sagi ain’t so snowy white;
But what a laugh it won’t be
If Santa One ever sees
Slutty Sagi kissing Santa Two in the night.

capricorn (Dec. 22nd-Jan. 20th)
Oh! You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
We’re telling you why:
Someone special’s coming to town!

They’ll spoon you when you’re sleeping,
They’ll screw when you’re awake.
They’ll spank you just because you’re good,
So be good for sex’s sake!

aquarius (Jan. 21st-Feb. 18th)
O Aquarius, O Aquarius!
No need to toot thy own French horn.
O Aquarius, O Aquarius!
No need to toot thy own French horn.

Be sure to keep thy lips zipped tight,
And thou will surely score tonight.
O Aquarius, O Aquarius,
Thy quiet charm is just like porn!

pisces (Feb. 19th-Mar. 20th)
You’re a mean one, Dear Pisces
You really are a heel,
You’re as cuddly as a cactus, you’re as charming as an eel, Dear Pisces,
If you can’t make your mind up then go play the field!

You’re a monster, Dear Pisces,
Your heart’s an empty hole,
Your loins are full of indecision, you have anti-commitment powder in your soul, Dear Pisces,
You wouldn’t touch a relationship with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!

You’re a rotter, Dear Pisces,
You’re the king of breaking hearts,
Spare a thought for the splotched tomatoes you leave behind you, Dear Pisces,
Don’t be a three decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce!

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The Naughty & Nice Issue

‘Tis the season to be sexy. So brush up on your sex etiquette for the holidays with our best festive advice below. This of course includes buying everyone you know our book 150 SHADES OF PLAY, now available as an affordable Kindle E-Book and the print version on sale for under 10 bucks, so you can give everyone a Merry Kinkmas!

What’s the Worst Holiday Present You Ever Received from a Partner?
Can you top reader H? They received an autographed photograph of Garth Brooks… and they’re not even a fan!


Rules for Surviving Your In-Laws This Holiday Season
Take long walks with your partner, let it go if you don’t get to share a bedroom, and much more!


How to Navigate the Crappy Holidays Alone
On counting your blessings and not impulse-shopping for a partner.


What’s a Good Holiday Present for a Man?
Bourbon, blowjobs, and gadgets, oh my! And check out how some of our other Wise Guys answered the question here and then here.


Your Call: Should She Dump Him Before or After Xmas?
Is it heartless to dump someone days before Christmas — or is prolonging the inevitable patronizing and worse?


What Is the Etiquette of Saucy Holiday Gifting?
At what point in a relationship is it acceptable to give a sex-related gift?


Wise Guys: Is a Striptease a Good Last-Minute Gift?
Should you unwrap yourself for your man this holiday season? (If you intend to, here’s how.)


Can I Give a Sex Toy as a Present?
Yes, but… it can’t be just any sex toy.


Wise Guys: Is a Saucy Love Ring a Good Gift for a Dude?
It is a kind of gadget, after all…


LELO’s Pleasure Sets: For Someone Who’s Been Naughty AND Nice
If you’ve met each other’s parents, then we think you’re ready to up the naughty factor a little…


Oops! I Slept with a Co-Worker at the Office Holiday Party!
Because not every kiss under the office mistletoe ends with a Jim-and-Pam-style happy ending.


How Not to Regret Your Holiday Office Party in 4 Easy Steps
Navigating the open bar, the micro-mini dress, and that dreaded Xerox machine.

 

The 12 Days of Kinkmas
Everybody sing: 3 fetish masks, 2 latex gloves, and a house slave in a gimp suit!

 


Em & Lo’s Sexy Holiday Gift Guide: $10 Edition
Extremely affordable gifts for every adult on your holiday list (not just sex toys!).

 


Em & Lo’s Sexy Holiday Gift Guide: $20 Edition
Not just sex toys! Meaning, you’ll find very affordable ideas for every adult on your list.

 


Em & Lo’s Sexy Holiday Gift Guide: $50 Edition

Give a little more thoughtfully to the adults on your holiday gift list.

 


Em & Lo’s Sexy Holiday Gift Guide: $100 Edition
And by “sexy” we mean, sure to please every adult on your gift list.

 


Em & Lo’s Sexy Holiday Gift Guide: Big Spender Edition

Money can’t buy you love, but it can buy you a pretty ‘effing awesome gift.

 


A Line-By-Line Take Down of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
Let’s stop kidding ourselves: it’s a date rape song.

 


150 Shades of Play Is On Sale!!!
Have yourself a merry little kinkmas with this book… the perfect gift for your best friend/partner/sister-in-law/White Elephant party. Now on sale for less than ten bucks! Also in E-book form!

Once More with Feeling: Why He Didn’t Call

cat_phonephoto via flickr

Dear Em & Lo,

I am interested in this man and I think he is interested in me.  I will call him if I am in his area and ask him to grab a drink with me and my friends.  This is usually last minute.  The past two times he was busy and it seemed legit.  However, he doesn’t ever make alternate plans.  I feel if he really wants to see me, he should try to see me no matter what.  What gives?

— Hung Up

Dear H.U.

Argh, don’t make us say it! Your letter is like a trap just to get us to write that stupid catchphrase! We really wish we could think of a more original response. Oh screw it, we’re just gonna go ahead and say it: He’s just not that into you.

Man, that feels good to just let it out. Overuse be damned, sometimes the commercialized old chestnuts say it best. Still, why do we feel so dirty? The only reason we’re being unoriginal is that so many daters — both male and female — are unoriginal in their lameness.

Um, are we supposed to pay someone royalties now?

We’d like to break it down for you and explain the nuance in our answer, but really, there isn’t any. You call; he’s busy; he doesn’t make alternate plans. There are a million things that could be going on… like, for example, he dislikes last-minute plans, he’s a very busy guy, he doesn’t like alcohol, he doesn’t like your friends, he doesn’t have your number, he’s just letting you take the reins, he broke his dialing finger. But every single one of these million things could be easily overcome if he was really into you.

Just not that into coming up with our own catchphrase,
Em & Lo

Retro Mistletoe Pics

Just to prove we’re not total Scrooges when it comes to old-timey holiday lovin’ — as perhaps recently suggested by our brutal take-down of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” — we’ve collected some cute, retro, mistletoe images from Getty to get you in the mood, Christmas or otherwise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What Romance Novels Taught Me About Love (and Lust)


by Aly Walanksy for YourTango | photo via WeHeartIt

Have you ever thought about reading Erotic Mind Control Stories or MC Romance novels? Or maybe you already read romance and erotic books? Or perhaps it’s just something you’ve never thought about before. However you feel about these types of books, some people criticize the romance drama, but there are things you can learn from it.

Boys get their first taste of sexy times through Internet porn and nudie magazines-but ladies, we have erotica. Or, as the publishers like to call them, romance novels.

Now, I’m not knocking romance novels. In fact, my adolescent dream (tells you a lot about me) was to grow up and be a romance novelist. As early as junior high, I’d go to the library to “study”-and find myself in the Harlequin corner, looking for the latest enticing bodice ripper.

Not to say I had a dirty mind. I didn’t. I don’t. I don’t think, at least. But much like my fascination with soap operas, romance novels opened my eyes into a world of fantasy, and romance. And obviously, sex.

For the uninitiated, most romance novels are fairly formulaic. Every book has a central love story, which will undergo some sort of major conflict and be resolved by the final chapter in a way that is simultaneously sexually and emotionally satisfying.

While the overwhelming theme of romance novels is romance-as per genre classification, obviously-any worthwhile one is going to have a whole lot of sex. And chances are, it’ll be pretty darn explicit.

1. The old-fashioned notion of romance.
When I was growing up, romance novels were fairly traditional in their mindset. Yes, there was explicit sex-but it was never graphic. (i.e. He would thrust into her welcoming warmth with his turgid length, but never would any body parts be called BY ITS NAME), and there were certain old-school conventions that were never avoided.

Generally, while the man may possibly have more than one partner throughout the course of the book, the woman would only be with this one male protagonist, and usually, after they declared their love for each other in some big climactic way. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) Ultimately, by the end of the book, they got married-or at the very least were engaged. Because, obviously. That’s totally what always happens, right?

This isn’t reality, but it was the reality of what publishers portrayed 15 years ago. As time went on, the new normal set in. But my mind was shaped by this bizarre erotic fairy tale view of romance and never quite escaped it.

2. Porn vs. Erotica is determined by presence of “feelings”.
I think the logic in the romance novels was that the development of the emotional relationship between the hero and heroine of the story made the sex an erotic portrayal of their feelings and not the porn it sort of was anyway. So what do we learn from this, ladies? Romanticize your torrid encounters. The better the sex, the more destined you are for a meaningful connection.

Movies, TV, romance novels-all have long subscribed to the notion that we are very susceptible to the seductive nature of the characters we fantasize about. And it’s true. My greatest fictional TV loves include Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s Angel and The Tudors‘ King Henry VIII. They are powerful, controlling men with absolutely possessive seductive qualities. It doesn’t go away. And it’s a version of this man that I’m attracted to in real life.

3. The forever love of fantasy.
I’ve always also been very into historical romances, or those set in the supernatural realm. Those that involve queens and kings and vampires and ladies, all involved in deeply sexy (err…romantic!) situations. For these, we’re obviously suspending our sense of reality. But we’re also bringing our own reality into the fantasy. We may not fantasize about a vampire falling in love with us one day (at least I don’t, personally)- but those characteristics of the hero in that novel, it’s going to follow you into your dreams, and your alone-time fantasies for some time to come. And that’s great- maybe even some role-play ideas will come out of it!

4. Romance novels could be female porn.
But not in that way-obviously, we know men react to the visual while women react to the emotional. Erotica plays into this. Have women (and men, I bet!) gotten off to these novels? Absolutely. But I think it’s also about bringing the ideas of the fantasy into their own romantic reality. And that’s a whole other story. And maybe not a good one. If your mind is shaped by the fantastical sexual non-reality- can real life ever live up to it?

More stories from YourTango:

This article originally appeared on YourTango.com

Dear Em & Lo: I Need a Gynecologist But I Can’t Tell My Mom

!Dear Em & Lo,

I have a BIG issue. I have been with my boyfriend for about a year and a half and something traumatic has happened three times now. On occasion, when the sex has gotten extremely heated and we are going at it, his member will slip out and pretty much stab me right above my vaginal opening. The first time this occurred there was so much blood and pain that I almost passed out. Now that this has happened three times (with about 3 months in between) I’ve noticed a large tear forming above my vaginal hole and I’m afraid its ripping my urethra. Even though I’m 20 years old I’m STILL not comfortable enough to tell my mom I need to visit the gyno because she is very anti-premaritial sex.

PLEASE help.

Thanks,

All Torn Up

 

Hi ATU,

We’re not doctors, so we’re not going to touch your genital problem with a ten foot speculum. But we will say this: You should definitely go to the doctor asap! You’re a sexually active adult, you deserve to see a gynecologist privately, and you have to take care of yourself.

As a 20 year old woman, you should have a gyno you’re seeing regularly, whether you’re sexually active or not — you have ovaries and a uterus and breasts that are all prone to disorders that have absolutely nothing to do with sex. Getting regular gynecological check ups at your age is just good sense, even if you’ve never been kissed! So making an gyno appointment does not automatically equate with sex — if your mother assumes so, she’s mistaken (she’s also mistaken about premarital sex, but that’s another article).

Frankly,  it’s none of your mother’s business what you’re doing (or not doing) sexually. What is discussed between you and your doctor is also none of her business. We normally wouldn’t condone lying, but if you’re mother is standing in the way of you getting the medical help you require and you need a cover, tell her you’ve been getting bad, heavy periods lately with lots of cramping. We’re assuming you can keep her out of the examination room with you? This will give you the chance to be honest with your doctor. And remember, there this thing called doctor-patient confidentiality: your doctor can’t discuss your situation with your mom if you don’t want her to (so make that clear!).

You could also go on your own, avoid your parents health insurance (and thus your mom’s involvement), and visit a Planned Parenthood near you; if you don’t have your own insurance, they can offer you services based on their discount fee scale, which many patients find very reasonable, especially when compared to other doctors’ offices. Good luck — and get thee to a doctor, stat!

Em & Lo

 

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What Men Really Think About Chivalry

Advice from three of our guy friends. This week they answer the following: “What do you think about traditional gestures of chivalry like holding open a door for a woman, holding out her chair at the restaurant, etc? You know, is it just the polite thing to do, are you annoyed you’re expected to do these things as if the woman’s a baby, does it make you feel good to feel like a caretaker, etc?”

Straight Single Guy (Chris): I don’t know how I compare to the rest of the world of single, straight guys, but I still open doors, hold chairs (though less often than the door), and buy dinners. I’m not exactly sure where in the realm of online dating and pornhub.com chivalry died, but it seems to me that all of my girl friends are going dutch or paying for meals on their dates. I’m not a rich guy, but if I can’t afford a nice dinner, I cook one. And if I can afford dinner, I pay for it. I hold doors open because it is the polite thing to do, not because I am stronger than my frail little trophy dates. Sometimes I help old ladies cross the street or out of a taxi. I carry stuff for people, men and women, and I say, “Thank you, sir” and “Can I help you, ma’am?” Maybe that makes me old fashioned, but I think it makes me fucking cool.

Gay Married Guy (Jon Ross): For me, at the heart of chivalry is respect and consideration and therefore it does play a role in gay relationships. However, chivalry does have very specific gender connotations that would be a little bit ridiculous applied to a gay relationship. I would be extremely put off if, for example, a date held out a chair for me at a restaurant. However, small gestures like holding a door for me, offering me a seat on a bus or train, or even offering me his jacket if I’m freezing would all be appreciated. In that respect both gay and hetero relationships are the same. However, guys can easily overdo it. No one should be treated like a frail and helpless object, rather with the respect and consideration everybody (well, most people) deserves.

Straight Married Guy (James Glazebrook): Yes, chivalry is antiquated but just like sonnets, bodices and horse-drawn carriages, it’s also romantic. I’ll always hold the door open for my wife, or carry stuff for her, or give her my coat when it’s cold — not because she’s a woman, but because I love her <sigh>. As for other women, I’ll hold the door open — I afford even men that courtesy — but, apart from that, they’re on their own. Pretty much all of the social conventions we haven’t done away with by now are those designed to get us what we want. Just like a salesman will shake your hand and say “nice to meet you”, the average guy is only going to lend you his coat if he wants to get in your pants.

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Our “guys” are a rotating group of contributors. This week’s Straight Married Guy is James Glazebrook of Manflet, our Straight Single Guy is Chris DiClerico, and our Gay Married Guy is Jon Ross. To ask the guys your own question, click here.

Your Call: How Can I Enjoy Sex When I Was Taught Not To?

photo via flickr

We get a lot of advice questions coming in at EMandLO.com, but sadly, we just can’t answer them all. Which is why, once a week, we turn to you to decide how best to advise a reader. Make your call on the letter below by leaving your advice in the comments section. 

Dear Em & Lo,

I am a 26-year old-woman who lives in a country where women are under much more pressure, where rape rates are quite high, and street harrassment is common. My parents are very nice people and not that close-minded, but still — I have been raised with myths like sex hurts, you bleed, you become a wh… etc, etc. Still, I have to hide that my boyfriend sleeps over from my mom & from the neighbors.

Well, my problem is, I tried to have sex for the first time when I was 19, and it hurt soooo much that I couldn’t do it. I realised it was called “vaginismus” and I tried to get over it, trying to have intercourse attempts with different men (all end up with pain and tears), going to doctors etc. Recently, I discovered feminism and their sex tips, I bought an external vibrator, and had my first orgasm. I also could insert (once) a dildo with lots of lube. But only once you see. And I still have this problem where I even can’t insert a tampon.

Now, my problem is, I have a boyfriend who is really nice, but he is a really big guy, and he is a little bit hyperactive and impulsive, even when I say that what he does is hurting me, he sometimes doesn’t stop. He’s very keen to show his physical strength or whatever. Knowing I have lots of sexual dysfunction issues, that leaves me very angry and frustrated and closes me up even more.

On the other hand, maybe I could enjoy his enthousiasm if I was able to have sex. I really, really want to have a fullfilled, regular, good sex life and I know that deep inside, I can be that grown up girl who enjoys sex in every way. And I love this guy, so I want to continue my sex life with him. But you know, it is so ridiculous to ask this seeing I am 26, but I am afraid of his “size” and, more concerningly, his “rapey” manners.

How can I get myself to be normal and get rid of these issues? Thank you, and have a nice day!

— Love Hurts (But Sex Hurts More)

What advice do you have for L.H.B.S.H.M.? Share your thoughts in the comments area below.

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Your Annie Horoscopes: 12-15-14

Each week, we at EMandLO.com predict the course of your love life for the week with our own version of irreverent horoscopes. This week, we take inspiration from the big holiday movie this season: a remake of the 1982 classic Annie. We have yet to see the new version — though we have high hopes, except for Cameron Diaz as Miss Hannigan — so all the horoscopes below come from the beloved 1982 version of the film.

aries (Mar. 21st-Apr. 20th)
Daddy Warbucks: Wait! There’s something interesting in that woman’s smile. I might learn to like her. Hang her in my bathroom.

Translation: Give someone a second chance to make a first impression this week.

taurus (Apr. 21st-May 20th)
Grace: You love money and power and capitalism? You know they’re never going to love you back.

Translation: Love and power and capitalism will never love you back.

gemini (May 21st-June 21st)
Annie: The sun’ll come out, tomorrow, so you gotta hang on till tomorrow. Come what may. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow. You’re only a day away.

Translation: Have you heard of Tinder, by any chance? Keep swiping, baby!

cancer (June 22nd-July 22nd)
Daddy Warbucks: Your teeth are crooked.
Grace: I’ll get them fixed.
Daddy Warbucks: I like them crooked.
Grace: I’ll leave ’em.

Translation: Don’t go changing, because you’ll eventually find someone who loves you just the way you are.

leo (July 23rd-Aug. 22nd)
Annie: I didn’t want to be just another orphan, Mr. Warbucks. I wanted to believe I was special.
Daddy Warbucks: You are special! Never stop believing that!

Translation: Don’t let the cheating bastards get you down.

virgo (Aug. 23rd-Sept. 22nd)
Miss Hannigan: What are you just standing around here for? You’re supposed to clean the bathroom and the kitchen before lunch, my little pig droppings, and if you skip the corners, there will be no lunch.

Translation: Trying to find the love of your life can sometimes feel like a full-time job with no pay. But the effort will pay off soon.

libra (Sept. 23rd-Oct. 23rd)
Orphans: It’s the hard knock life for us / Steada treated… we get tricked! / Steada kisses… we get kicked! / It’s the hard knock life!

Translation: When your Tinder date kicks you in the heart instead of kissing you on the lips, remember that life is a song if you know how to sing it. Aka The worst dates make the best stories. And, hey, it could be worse: You could be an orphan during the Depression, too.

scorpio (Oct. 24th-Nov. 22nd)
Miss Hannigan: Some women are drippin’ with diamonds / Some women are drippin’ with pearls / Lucky me, lucky me, look at what I’m drippin’ with / Little girls!

Translation: If you hang out with only losers, you’ll end up dating losers, and if you date only losers, you might marry one. Change your scene before it’s too late and you end up drinking alone in your bathtub.

sagittarius (Nov. 23rd-Dec. 21st)
Annie: I don’t need sunshine now to turn my skies to blue. I don’t need anything but you.

Translation: Lucky you, you’ve found someone to cuddle with during this long, cold winter season. Make sure you don’t accidentally screw things up after a couple of eggnogs at the holiday party!

capricorn (Dec. 22nd-Jan. 20th)
Annie: Girls are easier to get used to than boys.

Translation: If you’re struggling to find the perfect match for you, maybe the problem isn’t in the people you’re meeting, but in your search criteria. Perhaps you don’t even know what your perfect match looks like. Consider widening your search and be open to surprises.

aquarius (Jan. 21st-Feb. 18th)
Grace: How would you like to spend a week with Mr. Warbucks at his house?

Translation: Be prepared to be swept off your feet. And also: Feel free to use the term “Daddy Warbucks” during dirty talk this week.

pisces (Feb. 19th-Mar. 20th)
Annie: When my folks left me at the orphanage ten years ago, they left a note saying they’d come back to get me as soon as they could, and they kept the other half of this old locket so I’d know them when they came.

Translation: People lie! People break promises! People don’t always mean what they say. Especially in the pursuit of sex. People disappear, people stop calling, people Tinder under the table during first dates. People can be assholes. Move on, little lamb, before you get hurt anymore.

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How to Write a Love Letter Like Georgia O’Keeffe

“Blue Flower,” 1918

We’re not surprised in the slightest to discover that Georgia A-Flower-Is-Never-Just-a-Flower O’Keeffe was quite the steamy letter writer. Her love letters to the (ahem, married-at-the-time) photographer and modern art promoter Alfred Stieglitz were published as part of an exhibit at the Whitney Museum of American Art  a few years back. The two married eventually, and Stieglitz cheated on O’Keeffe eventually, too, so we guess karma already did all the judging for us. Which is not to say that you shouldn’t learn from (and take notes on) the passion conveyed in the following letter — it’s good stuff. We would just argue that, though more challenging, the same kind of intensity can be found in loving relationships that don’t have stakes-raising, taboo-tingling adultery at their core. We would also argue for better grammar and punctuation.

From New York

13 June 1918
You will be here in a few minutes I guess but I have to get up and write you – its necessary – I must – I’ve been lying here listening for you in the dark – my face feels so hot Aching for you way down to my finger ends – an actual physical ache –
As I came up the street into the sunset after supper – I wondered – can I stand it – the terrible fineness and beauty of the intensity of you – I do not know – may yet have to run away – it seems almost too much –
And lying here – wanting you with such an all ache – not just wanting – loving – feeling – all the parts of my body touched and kissed – conscious of you
A volcano is nothing to it
No words I know say the hotness – consumingness of it
Still I some way feel I can be quiet when you come can control myself
Feeling it grow though—I seem to feel that the moment will come when I cant control myself when I’ll be blind and mad
The woman you are making seems to have gone far beyond me – Almost out of sight

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Four Things You Need to Know About Casual, Anonymous, Tinder-esque Sex

by Aaron Kaplan for YourTango  |  photo via Flickr

Just as people were becoming more cautious about casual sexual encounters like anonymous sex and one-night stands, Tinder blew up on the “dating” scene, and people stopped being quite as cautious about risky rendezvous.

No one is saying you have to be a total prude when dating these days. Just because you’re being careful doesn’t mean that you have to take a vow of celibacy. You just have to use some common sense. For instance …

1. Skip the drugs and booze. These include such things as drug and/or alcohol filled parties where you don’t know a lot of people. While raves are usually attended largely by teenage and college-aged kids, there are many adults that like to pretend that they’re still teenagers. A lot of drugs are mood enhancers and act as aphrodisiacs. When you’re high and horny, you’re not going to be thinking about such things as condoms.

2. Wrap it up. Pregnancy isn’t the only thing you have to worry about when it comes to casual sex. There’s also the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). These run the gamut, from minor tempororary discomfort (like crabs) to infections that never go away (herpes). Some are even deadly, like human papillomavirus (HPV). Your random romp in the sack is the equivalent of playing Russian roulette.

3. Know thy partner. Anonymous hookups can be exciting and even fun, but it can also be one of the more risky behaviors anyone can engage in. You have no clue about the person you’re having sex with, and a lot of the encounters don’t even involve condoms. Worst-case scenario: Your hookup is a rapist or a a serial killer.

3. Bottom line: If you decide that your type of sex simply has to be kinky and risky, use some sort of protection against exchanging bodily fluids, even though it may not be 100 percent effective at protecting you against an STD, it’s better than nothing. And always make sure someone knows where you’re going. You certainly don’t want to become a victim of something simply because you wanted a little excitement.

This article originally appeared on YourTango: “The Tinder Factor: The REAL Risks Of Risque Rendezvous”

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Comment of the Week: Buzzkills Are Poopyheads


photo via Flickr

A good comment of the week doesn’t have to be Shakespeare or even Dr. Ruth. Exhibit A: This response by Dave W. to the post “How to Determine Whether Your Dating Age Gap Is Embarrassing“:

Sure, large age gaps have only a small chance of making it long term, but it’s a good sign if they can joke about it being creepy.  Anyone who truly makes an issue of it should be told to shove it.  Happiness is too important; buzzkills are poopyheads.

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“150 Shades of Play” Is Now Available on Kindle!


Our latest book, now available in a discreet Kindle edition

We get it: 150 Shades of Play: A Beginner’s Guide to Kink is not necessarily the book you want to be caught reading on the bus, or during your lunch break, and it’s definitely not the book you want sitting on your nightstand when your nosy mother-in-law (“Oops! You mean this isn’t the guest bathroom?!”) comes to visit for the holidays. Yes, we’re looking at you, Olive Kitteridge. Dear readers, you asked, and asked again, and you even said pretty please, and so we’ve finally got around to releasing our most recent book on Kindle. It’s on sale now for $4.99 on Amazon — or FREE if you subscribe to Amazon’s KindleUnlimited service. Oh, and if you already happen to own 150 Shades in print, then the Kindle version is a bargain 99 cents.

And here’s why the Kindle version is worth checking out, whether or not you’re already familiar with the book: Every entry is completely linked! Simply click on any bolded word in the text throughout the book that you want to learn more about, and you will be taken directly to that term’s entry in our kinky encyclopedia!

A refresher course on our book: If you — or someone you know — loved the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy by E.L. James but wished there been a little more guidance and information, then 150 Shades is for you! This helpful (and hilarious, if we do say so ourselves) illustrated A-to-Z guide to kink for beginners includes:

  • How to’s on role play, dirty talk, spanking, bondage & more
  • Important safety info missing from the Fifty Shades trilogy
  • A voyeuristic peek at all of Christian Grey’s “hard limits”
  • Tips on shopping for top-of-the-line kinky accoutrements
  • Notes on what the Fifty series got wrong about BDSM
  • Links between all terms for easy navigation of related topics
  • Everything beginners need to know to get their kink on!

So don’t hesitate! Get it for a loved one, or a lusted-after one, for Xmas (or should we say XXXmas?).  Not only will you be giving yourself, your partner or your friends a great [pick one: sexy / kinky / funny / outrageous / romantic / informative / entertaining / gag ] gift, you’ll be giving your two favorite friendly neighborhood sex writers a gift, too.

But don’t just take our word for what a great read it is; check out some of the praise the book has already received:

“I consider Em & Lo my adopted sex daughters, and they have made me proud once again with ’150 Shades of Play.’ Their sound advice, smart writing, and sense of humor empower women to give kink a try, safely and realistically.”
— Betty Dodson, sex educator icon & author of “Sex for One”

“For readers looking to tap their erotic potential, ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ is only the tip of the sexual iceberg. With their signature sense of humor and commitment to educate, Em & Lo take readers on a guided journey into titillating, and often taboo, territories and expertly navigate a diverse landscape of thrilling possibility.”
— Ian Kerner, PhD, GoodInBed.com founder & CNN columnist

“Unlike ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ this was fun to read, informative and didn’t take eight chapters to get to the sex part. Em & Lo have yet again taught me more about sex than all the extensive research I’ve done by watching porn.”
— Joel Stein, TIME magazine columnist & author of “Man Made”

So what are you waiting for? Have yourself a Merry Little Kinkmas!