http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/relationships-blog.html Articles are added at least once a week, and this is the place to find the newest content. en-us relationships Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:02:23 GMT Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:02:23 GMT frankie-minus-johnny.com http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/the-holidays.html Thanksgiving brings the spirit of gratitude to the holidays, and there may be a bit of magic in that. Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:24:52 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/getting-what-I-want.html I've been in the unusual position lately of getting what I want - in several areas of life. Surprisingly, it's making me a tad uncomfortable. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:34:04 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/women.html Just as a man's dating behavior is fairly transparent, women are also not so hard to figure out. Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:08:32 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/hes-just-not-that-into-you.html The book, "He's Just Not That Into You," presents a philosophy that is very hard for me to accept, but I cannnot deny that its premise lines up with my own personal dating experience thus far. Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:17:43 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/play.html In adulthood, I have a hard time giving myself permission to simply play. But, play can be a method of letting go and actively engaging in the world. Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:32:02 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/colorguard.html In my formative, adolescent years, I was involved in the activity known as Color Guard. My time in the Guard helped me to develop confidence and a profound sense of innate strength. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:40 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/gossip.html Gossip isn't nearly as terrible as we make it out to be - as long as we take it with a grain of salt and acknowledge the function it serves in society. Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:41:19 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/energy.html The transfer of energy between people is a cornerstone of living, even though many of these transfers aren't talked about. In order to lead a fullfilling life, we have to give energy back. Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:56:04 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/meditation.html A meditation practice is a crucial part of my efforts to live more in the present. Feelings of exuberant excitement have made meditation difficult for me in the past. Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:41:58 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/accountability.html Accountability is something that separates us from the apes and allows humans to flourish, as a species. But it's a challenge to be accountable to each other in the contemporary world. Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:24:26 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/change-the-world.html Sometimes the world just doesn't change on our command. I deal with the ensuing frustration by changing myself, in small ways. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:09:32 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/music.html Developing a unique taste in music seems like an essential step in grounding each of us to a sense of personal identity. At age 27, I am just now realizing my own specific musical identity. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:48:07 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/physical-attraction.html Physical attraction is a mysterious and largely uncontrollable criterion that we all use to find mates. It has a huge influence on who we choose to date, and that can be a little bit scary. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:18:48 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/present-moment.html The present moment is the only true reality; it is the place where life actually happens. Meditation is a method that has helped me to become present. Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:30:57 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/happiness.html Happiness is often talked about as the ultimate goal in life, but in reality, it's not an end-goal. It's a one, small part of our day-to-day experience. Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:24:24 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/religion-experiential-spirituality.html I don't have a religion, but I do access spirituality on an experiential level. This works for me, but it also makes communication with those that do adhere to a religion somewhat difficult. Sat, 23 May 2009 01:51:11 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/self-hate.html Setting realistic expectations grounded in truth may not instantly transform me into a superstar, but it will help increase my self-respect and decrease my self hate. Mon, 18 May 2009 23:21:54 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/meaning-2.html I find it difficult to discover meaning in ordinary moments, but sometimes I have a transcendent few minutes that gives me faith in the idea of genuine fulfillment. Tue, 12 May 2009 22:39:38 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/worry.html Worry and anxiety can take off like a runaway train, wreaking havoc on my life. This is a strategy of escapism that interferes with the true, genuine experience of living. Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:13:20 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/bad-boys.html There's no such thing as Bad Boys or Nice Guys. Putting men into one of these two categories is a gross over-simplification of the male gender. Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:23:40 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/dating-and-personal-development.html Early dating experiences are often chaotic and clumsy, but they might also be early, earnest attempts at personal development. Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:36:50 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/pretension.html Pretension doesn't just exist in wealthy socialite circles - it's everywhere, and it has the potential to cut us off from people if we don't acknowledge it. Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:07:18 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/television.html Television is my favorite entertainment medium right now, and I feel strongly that we all need an accessible art form in our daily lives. Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:37:14 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/rejection.html Rejection makes us deal with the reality that other people are "better" than us in some aspects, and it's also a powerful tool for growth. Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:13:01 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/slut.html When we call another woman a slut, we're usually deflecting our own insecurities about sexuality. Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:53:54 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/angry-woman.html An angry woman is scary. But there's nothing more scary than the fear that causes the anger in the first place. We have to acknowledge and deal with that fear. Sun, 22 Feb 2009 04:04:56 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/drama.html There's no such thing as being "drama-free." Petty drama is all part of growing up and waking up. Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:43:31 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/career.html Relationships provide important feedback that we can use in our career development throughout our lives. Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:30:17 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/valentinesday.html Valentines Day is an equal opportunity for enjoyment and bonding - no matter how much you might "hate" it. Sat, 14 Feb 2009 12:35:53 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/relationshipadvice.html Relationship advice simply doesn't work, and on some level, we already know this. Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:55:37 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/romantic-comedies.html Romantic comedies only give us a very small piece of the complexity inherent in starting or ending relationships. Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:30:04 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/inspiration-versus-comfort.html We need both inspiration and comfort in our long-lasting relationships. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 02:08:11 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/online-dating-tips.html Here are some more specific tips about online dating that I've gleaned from experience. Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:29:06 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/onlinedating.html Online Dating is a fantastic tool to meet potential mates - no taboos and no stigmas necessary. Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:26:26 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/beliefs.html We seek intimacy with people with similar beliefs to our own, but our beliefs inevitably change and evolve BECAUSE of our intimate relationships. Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:10:31 GMT http://www.frankie-minus-johnny.com/marriage.html Is marriage really necessary anymore in light of how many different forms commitment (or lack thereof) takes in todays world? Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:57:33 GMT