Jackie Logan

So what do you think of Public Displays of Affection (PDAs)?

When you see a couple in a steamy public clinch does it make you feel warm and fuzzy or just plain furious?

To be honest it doesn’t bother me, I don’t understand the big deal. Couple’s in love want to express their love for one another and in this day and age I think it’s nice. Don’t get me wrong though, although a kiss and cuddle in the park makes me smile all dreamlike, I’m not saying that anything goes. I draw the line at open, indecent exposure or sexual acts in public, anything that goes beyond the realms of a standard game of tonsil hockey should remain strictly behind closed doors.

Just because a couple are canoodling in a shopping mall does not mean they are about to whip off their clothes, throw each other on the floor and put on a live sex show.

My opinion is that the media is jam-packed full of disturbing and depressing news stories designed to cast a shadow over our day. I think we should embrace PDA moments and be happy for the couple in love.

However, my friend Cat would disagree, she feels physically sick when she bears witness to a public display of affection and her blood boils when it turns into something more than a peck on the cheek. She positively fumes when the offenders are over the age of consent and I know she recently stormed up to a couple in their forties and really let them have it with her disaproval. I hate to point out the obvious but Cat is single and I’m quite sure if she was to fall head over heels in love tomorrow, her disgust for all things PDA may well be tested.

photo credit: benjamin_lebsanft

Whilst pursuing online dating I came across these interesting facts about Dating Customs around the World, which I thought I’d share with you, I think most of these customs apply to teenagers but will ring true to any age group:

In Afghanistan dating is rare because most marriages are arranged by parents, and schools are separate for boys and girls, which means there are few natural opportunities for girls and boys to meet one another. Across the country females have a 7pm curfew and males have an 11pm curfew.

In Australia teenagers tend to hang out in large groups and don’t become ‘coupley’ until they are 18 or 19 years old. Girls are not shy to ask guys out and the girl would be just as likely to pay for the date as the guy. Couples often attend dinner parties, barbecues and the beach, mainly social functions.

Dating is not allowed until the age of 15 in Central and South America. Once they begin dating it tends to be in large groups going to weekend dance parties. Teens also regularly gather at local clubs to eat and talk. The no dating rule clearly doesn’t hold true for everyone though. I also read of the case of ‘Pamela’ a 16 year old Argentinian girl who gave birth to her second set of triplets in February 2008 making her the mother of 7 kids!

In Finland, groups of as many as 30 teens attend cinema screenings. Finland women are traditionally quite quiet. Nightclubs and restaurants tend to be the most popular places to go to when dating in Finland.

www.connectingsingles.com/free_dating_online/Finland_free_dating_online.aspx –

Slumber parties are common in Italy and Switzerland, a mixed group of teenagers get together for parties at their homes and they stay and sleep there when the party is over.

A pandilla is a club or a group of friends with the same interests, like cycling or hill walking. It is common in Spain for teenagers to join a pandilla and then dating is done one-to-one and both girls and boys ask each other out and split the cost of the evening’s entertainment.

In Russia dates take place at dances or at clubs where teens eat or chat with friends. In small towns, teens meet in the streets downtown or gather around a fountain.

It is against the law to date in Iran. Teens are separated until they are of marrying age, then their families introduce them to each other and sometimes a courtship follows.

In Japan and Korea, the majority of high school students do not date or go to parties, as they would rather spend their time studying instead. Dating begins in college, when the men do the asking and pay for the dates.

photo credit: smellyknee

I read this article the other day about Sex Dreams and thought it was quite interesting. Everyone has a naughty sex dream at some point in their lives but even if you wake up feeling guilty, you can rest assured it is normal and you have nothing to feel worried about.

Having Sex with Your Boss

This can be alarming unless he looks like Colin Farrell & is young and charming to match, not likely in most cases, but sex with your boss dreams are surprisingly common.

This dream isn’t actually about you secretly having a fancy for them; you are merely indicating that you would like some of his (or her) success. It means you’ve developed a close working relationship and probably yearn for some of their power. Sex is a fast track to intimacy so it’s about your desire to get closer to the chief source of power.

Getting raunchy with your best buddy

You have no gay tendencies and the last person you’d want to throw down on a bed in a moment of passion is the best friend you have known since school, so why did you dream you were having orgasmic sex sessions with your best pal?

You are seeking support from the same sex and are missing the positives that close friendship can bring. If you are working in an environment where you are surrounded by people of the opposite sex or you haven’t seen your friend in a while you may experience a dream like this. It often means you admire personality traits in your friend and your mind could be hoping to emulate them or saying you would like a lover with similar qualities. Make time for your friend, if life is hectic spending time together can fall off the agenda.

Romping in Public Places

You are very self-conscious in the bedroom so sex in public places is not something you are likely to embark on. If you dream you are in a public place having sex and being watched by passers by then it probably means you want to be more open about something in your life. You may fear disapproval of a relationship and you are longing for things to be out in the open. You need to confront what’s not being said. You may fear disapproval, or be keeping secrets, but your subconscious wants to come clean, so it’s time to mend fences.

Bedding a Celeb

Whether you worry about this usually depends on who the celebrity is, Johnny Depp is understandable whereas Danny Devito would be harder to come to terms with. This is simply a case of wanting to experience some celebrity stardust for yourself. If it’s someone drop dead gorgeous then you could be craving security and money or someone to look after you. If it’s someone not so attractive then ask yourself what’s lacking in your own life that you may be subconsciously aware of.

You are a porn star

Your sex life is perfectly normal but in your dream you were doing all sorts of things you would never dare try in real life – hell, some of them you didn’t even no existed in real life.

This is your subconscious mind revealing your deep-rooted desire for a more exciting life. It could be the relationship you are in is no longer thrilling or it could be a hidden desire for a raunchier sex life. While many sex dreams should not be taken literally, this one could be. Doing things you wouldn’t normally consider often means that you are ready to explore your sexuality. Dreaming of these things gives your subconscious mind a chance to introduce them to see if your conscious mind would be receptive.

Doing your best friends boyfriend

Sleeping with your best mate’s man is a minefield of emotion. But does it mean that you want what she has? Or is your cheating heart telling you something else altogether? Unless you are craving a secret affair with her guy this dream doesn’t mean you are plotting behind her back. It suggests you are intrigued by an aspect of his personality. If you are in a relationship you may be searching for qualities you would like to see in your partner. Once you have identified what it is that he’s got that fascinates you, you can set about finding a partner that shares those qualities

The Best Sex you have ever had

Whether you are single or coupled up, this dream features Prince Charming – a Mr. Wonderful so marvelous any bloke sucks in comparison. You are in a glow of perfect love, as you sensually stroke and kiss and you are devastated it wasn’t real.

This is a wish-fulfillment dream and the simplest of all sex-dreams. Mr. Perfect is making up for what’s lacking in your life. When you dream of sex with the perfect man it’s your mind’s way of exploring what you look for in the perfect mate. It is also indicating you do not want to have to change anything for yourself.

If life and love are not going the way you want them to, start by working out where it’s all going wrong. If you are lonely, try dating online and if you are taken for granted, don’t suffer in silence.

Sex with your ex

Ex dreams are deeply upsetting, either you never want to see him again or you wish you could. It is mostly likely that you are dreaming about your ex because you have unresolved issues. You are looking for closure, and whether it is something unsaid, regrets or buried anger, your dream is working out your feelings of wanting to connect with them again. Accept that your dream was probably just a way of resolving some leftover emotion and let it go.

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photo credit: John Kratz

After doing some research I’ve been well warned that the ‘Free’ Online Dating sites are full of weirdos and perverts so I’m going to bite the bullet and pay for a few but I will also test out some free sites for my self. Internet Dating is definitely the way forward. At least I get to pick and choose before I meet up with any potential dates. I’m also much more likely to meet someone I like, rather than when I’m pissed in a bar, going home with Brad Pitt & waking up with Mr. Bean. It is proactive and far better than sulking in front of the telly drowning my sorrows in a bottle of red Bridget Jones styley.

photo credit: Stephanie Andrews