Link Thursday: 1,000 Things You Didn't Know About Women (Part 5)

Hey peeps!

Time once again for the 'list'. Catch some more insight into the minds and thoughts of regular women out there.

Catch up with the initial posts in this series from here ... and if you want to read the full list in one go, head to the original post found on Esquire.com

So here we roll...

Enjoy!


*****

1,000 Things You Don't Know About Women

We asked the women in our lives to share their secrets about sex, relationships, and what we've been doing wrong (and right) all these years. Four months after our special issue devoted to women — and with continuing help from you on Twitter — we've reached a thousand pieces of wisdom. Hope they help.

No. 531: We love to cry, and we always feel better after a big sob fest. How much better? Pull down your pants. — Denise Marquez, 40, Rochester, N.Y.

No. 236: If something in your past will show up on a Google search, be prepared to explain it. — Julia Phillips, 39, Longmont, Colo.

No. 1000: We love you guys. — Stephanie Shaughnessy, 41, Pittsburgh

No. 193: Because we love security and fidelity, we also love love handles. Your six-pack anxiety only threatens us with the possibility you might care more about your abs than you care about us. —Alexis Justman, 23, El Centro, California

No. 658: Don't tease us. We're not your little sister. —Katie Holleran, 23, Winchester, Massachusetts

No. 863: If we don't spend the night, don't give up on calling us back. We were probably just wearing Spanx. —Alexis Justman, 23, El Centro, California

No. 386: When we are truly angry, we go silent. That is your opportunity to apologize, or run. Neither will save you. —Lisa Huber, 38, Teutopolis, Illinois

No. 274: Some of us keep imaginary tallies in our head. "He keeps Diet Coke at his apartment because he knows I love it: 5 points. He's liberal: 10 points. He brought me soup when I was sick: 15 points. He made banana pancakes: infinity points." Your kindness is noted, appreciated and will be rewarded. —Rhiannon Falzone, 26, Chicago

No. 417: If it ever comes down to picking between spending time with your girl and playing World of Warcraft you have bigger issues than not understanding women. —Brittany Brundage, 21, Orem, Utah

No. 358: Loading the dishes without being asked — it means more than you know. —Alexandria Pruitt, 24, Louisville

No. 789: Practice proper text message grammar. Abbreviations are okay. "LOL" is not. —Alexis Justman, 23, El Centro, California

No. 467: We like it when you have a lot of male friends. It means you can maintain a good relationship, like the one you have with us. —Alexandria Pruitt, 24, Louisville

No. 439: We gauge how good a father you'll be by how you treat your family. —Alexandria Pruitt, 24, Louisville

No. 562: We know our orgasms can be difficult. Just keep at it. —Alexandria Pruitt, 24, Louisville

No. 574: Most successful men have a strong woman by his side. That would be us. —Amanda Allen, 24, Salt Lake City

No. 725: You have the power to make us feel like the only girl in the room. Use it wisely (and often). —Katie Holleran, 23, Winchester, Massachusetts

No. 343: Those times you remember the small details of our stories — like a random friend's name — is when we can tell you care. —Alexandria Pruitt, 24, Louisville

No. 651: Never underestimate the power of a kiss on the forehead. —Katie Holleran, 23, Winchester, Massachusetts

No. 317: When you challenge your lady to a game and lose, lose with a smile. Not with a broken tennis racket... for instance. —Michelle Schindler, 25, New York

No. 697: Sometimes we think we're in love, and then we see your Facebook profile. —Alexis Justman, 23, El Centro, California

No. 259: Honestly, we don't mind watching hours of Grand Theft Auto if we feel included. —Katie Holleran, 23, Winchester, Massachusetts

No. 330: Take us to Florence. But not in the summer. Too many tourists. —Rhiannon Falzone, 26, Chicago

No. 105: A five-star restaurant is rarely better than eating cold pizza on the couch with you. —Katie Holleran, 23, Winchester, Massachusetts

No. 158: We like it when you stand in the dressing room with us. And give compliments. —Molly Rosen, 33, Chicago

No. 127: "I love you." It's better when it's rare, spontaneous, and really meaningful. —Katie Holleran, 23, Winchester, Massachusetts

No. 245: Women in their twenties may look good while doing it, but most of them are thinking about how they look while they're doing it. Which means they aren't thinking about what they are doing. After their twenties, we have learned that feeling good is better than looking good. We also know that right after we use our good stuff with you, we're going to get the cuddling all those twentysomethings are bitching about. —Lisa Huber, 38, Teutopolis, Illinois

No. 993: Red, black, silky, leather, animal print — if any of these are adjectives that can be applied to your bedroom decor, we may still sleep over, but don't count on a call back. —Alexis Justman, 23, El Centro, California

No. 740: Buying us a candy bar is a surprising — and effective — gesture. Who doesn't like a candy bar? —Katie Holleran, 23, Winchester, Massachusetts

No. 289: A woman has certain spots that are for touching, squeezing, and pushing. These do not include her buttons. —Michelle Schindler, 25, New York

No. 378: Girls like to whine. It's a fact. —Brittany Brundage, 21, Orem, Utah

No. 431: There is nothing sexier than following through. If you say you're going to do something, please do it. —Brittany Brundage, 21, Orem, Utah

No. 598: When we say we want to share a dessert, we really mean we want you to have just one bite and offer the rest to us. We were planning on eating the entire lava cake ourselves anyway, but this way we don't feel guilty. —Aimee Couture, 22, New York

No. 675: Keep in mind that we'll read any e-mail you might leave open on the computer. It's our nature. (And yours too, by the way.) —Leticia Frazao, 25, New York

No. 689: Please be the man we know and love, even when we're at a barbeque reunion with your frat brothers. —Aimee Couture, 22, New York

No. 399: Nothing is quite as comforting as a big, man hug. Safe, warm, firm, but yielding. —Danielle Maupai, 28, Green Pond, New Jersey

No. 849: If you want to impress a girl, tell her you've heard of Say Yes to the Dress and leave it at that. Your feelings about the show are not important. —Jessica Brunelle, 22, Boston

No. 833: There are two acceptable forms of hair product for you: undetectable and nonexistent. —Alexis Justman, 23, El Centro, California

No. 710: We would rather take a hot-air balloon ride than grab drinks. If you don't have a hot-air balloon, just be creative. —Aimee Couture, 22, New York

No. 590: Even if we assure you we don't believe in Valentine's Day, buy the damn flowers. It couldn't be easier. —Alexis Justman, 23, El Centro, California

No. 597: We won't judge you for that occasional girly drink. Just be sure to give us a sip. —Aimee Couture, 22, New York

No. 858: Life gets so busy, sometimes it's nice to have someone to make choices for you. Even if it is just the Friday night movie. —Dani Ruiz, 22, Encinitas, California

No. 514: We do enjoy the gift of expensive jewelry. We just like to pick it out. —Danica Peterson, 22, Providence

No. 182: It's better when you make the effort to do simple things often than trying to make up for making no effort by doing something big and over-the-top. —Chantal Marchessault, 22, Gulfport, Florida

No. 307: Don't go to strip clubs. Just don't. —Katie Holleran, 23, Winchester, Massachusetts

No. 530: When a woman brings you to a store to show you something on more than one occasion, do you think maybe she wants you to buy it for her? Maybe? —Danica Peterson, 22, Providence

No. 490: There is no excuse for you to buy us lingerie for our birthday, anniversary, and Valentine's Day, all in the same year. —Danica Peterson, 22, Providence

No. 822: Whistling of any kind tends to make us walk faster in the opposite direction. —Jessica Brunelle, 22, Boston

No. 808: We can almost always tell how much porn you watch on a regular basis after sleeping with you the first time. Like, don't rip the panties off before getting to second base. Better to be vanilla than embarrassed. —Alexis Justman, 23, El Centro, California

No. 770: We can tell when the gift was purchased at the last minute. But we still like it. —Jessica Brunelle, 22, Boston

No. 239: Your knowing the difference between stilettos and flats is totally adorable. —Chantal Marchessault, 22, Gulfport, Florida

*****

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: 1,000 Things You Don't Know About Women (Part 4)

Hey peeps!

Continuing once again with this list I started a few weeks ago. Women are full of insights about themselves, and what being a woman, especially in a relationship, is all about. Read on for some amazing tidbits from the mouths of women like you and me. Get your guys to listen, and authors - take a peek at how to make your heroine more 'real'.

You can view the last post from this series here (and grab the links to prior posts)... or you can go straight to the original list with its 1,000 tidbits from the Esquire.com website.

Enjoy!

*****

1,000 Things You Don't Know About Women

We asked the women in our lives to share their secrets about sex, relationships, and what we've been doing wrong (and right) all these years. Four months after our special issue devoted to women — and with continuing help from you on Twitter — we've reached a thousand pieces of wisdom. Hope they help.

No. 20: Putting your hand on the small of a woman's back is as potent and powerful as buying her two drinks. Just so long as you know the girl. Otherwise it's just weird. — Anna Ferguson, 27, St. Simons, Georgia

No. 78: Presentation counts. Wrap your gift and iron your shirt. — Merritt Watts, 25, New York

No. 88: We find your inability to ask for directions or go to the doctor every bit as bewildering as you find our inability to pass by a shoe sale. — Pat Morrissey, 50, Shamong, New Jersey

No. 442: For special occasions, it's the effort of taking us out that matters most, not where we end up going. Unless it's a McDonalds drive-thru. — Carly Hansen, 22, Santa Barbara, California

No. 934: A deep voice. And some stubble. — Amanda Rawson, 22, Worcester, Massachusetts

No. 12: We like wearing your pants. Not wearing "the pants" — wearing your actual pants. They fit better. — Stacey Berman, 22, Brooklyn

No. 567: You think lesbians are hot; we think gay guys are willing to shop, clean up after themselves, and keep up on gossip. You have your fantasies; we have ours. — Katharine Francis, 28, Lafayette, California

No. 124: Electronics clipped to your pants are sexy only if you're Batman, Superman, or any other kind of man who needs them to save lives, not send e-mail. — Rachel Sturtz, 28, New York

No. 900: There are pretty much no conditions under which sporting a soul patch is attractive. A trumpet virtuoso might be able to carry it off, but even he looks like he's hiding something small but terrible. — Katy Steinmetz, 25, Washington, D.C.

No. 205: We don't like it when you put your hands on our waists. You're not supposed to know about our Spanx. You're just supposed to think our tummies look that flat naturally. Mind your business. — Kirsten Hall, 35, New York

No. 400: Pay attention to the sides. The sides of her face. The sides of her breasts. The sides of her torso. The sides of her hips. The sides of her thighs. A woman's body is not a set of three or four important dots connected by unimportant skin. — Elspeth Golden, 44, San Francisco

No. 17: You court with flowers; we court with a higher frequency of waxing treatments. — Staci Brinkman, 27, Dallas

No. 325: We love the un-expected kiss. Especially the one when you stop us midsentence and make us forget what the hell we were talking about in the first place. — Stephanie Mitchell, 41, Dayton

No. 4: The baby talk is strange if there is no baby around. — Chontelle Matthews, 26, Bowie, Maryland

No. 671: Please do not ever, ever let us see you naked if you are still wearing your socks. — Pat Dunnigan, 47, Chicago

No. 722: Make your bed every day and change the sheets once a week. That vague goatlike smell guys get will remind us of our brother, and you will be sleeping alone. — Melinda Meggyesy, 31, Seattle

No. 356: Please remember that if we hang out with a bunch of guys, it doesn't make us one. — Christina Raine, 20, Richmond, California

No. 820: If the world were a beach, we would want you to throw us in the ocean and then protect us from the waves. — Krista Iovino, 32, New York

No. 501: We don't want a man more polished than us. Slightly wrinkled and smelling a bit of sweat and a bar of soap? Fantastic. — Christine Siltanen, 38, Portland, Oregon

No. 72: Lending us books is one of the most romantic things you can do. — Jessica Wakeman, 26, Bayonne, New Jersey

No. 100: We don't need special moves. Just do the regular ones right. — Katie Dinardo, 23, Brooklyn

No. 46: Don't use our makeup. — Maryann Fitzgerald, 47, Los Angeles

No. 11: We like our heroes flawed. That way, they can rescue us, but it gives us room to rescue them, too. — Beth Young Margulies, 36, Bethesda, Maryland

No. 63: The most chivalrous thing a man can do is let you have the last piece of bacon. — Sung-Hee Park, 30, New York

No. 204: We don't want to wear our bra more than you want to see us not wearing our bra. — Whitney Webb, 22, Blacksburg, Virginia

No. 318: We want to see you cry every once in a while-it makes you human. To find out how often is acceptable, divide the number of cries by the number of no-holds-barred, screaming orgasms you've given us. If the quotient is greater than 0.25, you're a whiny bitch. — Carrie Dienhart, 34, Kansas City, Missouri

No. 605: You only get to ask once about the threesome. — Crystal Taub, 34, Baltimore

No. 559: Please notice and comment on our choice of fragrance. We paid a lot for that teeny bottle of Chanel. — Hanady Kader, 25, Seattle

No. 801: We play with our boobs. Who wouldn't? Even though we complain about them, they're still fun. — Kelly Heintz, 23, Fresno, California

No. 48: When we say that nothing is wrong, we mean that you should know what is wrong without us having to tell you. — Lara Ehrlich, 28, Chicago

No. 3: Please don't write us poetry or compose us music. Unless writing is actually part of your job description, like if you are Tom Waits. — Brenna Ehrlich, 25, Brooklyn

No. 92: We don't want to get married tomorrow, either. There are a lot of celebrities we want to bang before we settle down. — Kelsey Allen, 21, Columbia, Missouri

No. 483: We don't like it when you pull your shirt off from the front. Be a man and pull it over your head from the back. — Molly Rosen, 33, New York

No. 915: We rarely ask a question we don't already know the answer to. So, we know you don't think she's hotter than us, or we wouldn't ask. — Lisa Huber, 38, Teutopolis, Illinois

No. 50: No, it's not all right that you didn't plan anything for our birthday even though we told you not to. — Carla Michelle Coley, 24, Washington, D. C.

No. 8: If you are making out with a girl and she didn't shave her legs, you have great game. At the beginning of the night, she wasn't planning on doing anything. — Janna Johnson, 24, New York

No. 23 We want you to never stop hunting us. Even if we married you. Remember why you got the gig. Don't make the trailer the only fun in the whole production. That's misleading. — Avril Dell, 46, Toronto

No. 744: Don't comment on our driving. There's a reason your insurance is more expensive. — Diane Vadnal, 20, Des Plaines, Illinois

No. 659: Know how to go to a nice restaurant and dine. Eating and talking together is phenomenal foreplay. — Joanna Breger, 36, Wilmington, Delaware

No. 77: We want you to think we are pretty. Every now and then, when we get all fixed up, act for a minute like we make it hard for you to breathe. — Shannon Purvis, 45, Novato, California

No. 516: We look into your minds by reading your magazines. — Lisa Alva, 49, Los Angeles

No. 668: Please don't splay your legs on the bus, subway, or airplane. We know you don't need all that space. Don't flatter yourself. — Grace Zerzan, 27, New York

No. 447: Sometimes, we just want to make out on the couch like we're back in high school. That includes your hands wandering and everything. — Kim Melton, 23, Albuquerque

No. 814: Most of us have considered a threesome. Just not with our boyfriends. — Melanie Smeltzer, 22, Phoenix

No. 15: It's not always chocolate or a foot massage. Sometimes it's Johnnie Walker Black on the rocks. — Caitlin Goldin, 24, Charlottesville, Va.

No. 61: If it's cold, put on gloves. Your balls are not a hand warmer. — Jennifer Wallerstein, 26, New York

No. 40: We think you're high maintenance, too. — Naomi Pabon-Figueroa, 25, Pittsburgh

No. 705: Men don't understand a woman's obsession with celebrity gossip — who's pregnant, who's getting divorced, who made a fool of themselves. It makes us feel better about ourselves. — Cassidy Parker, 25, Brooklyn

No. 39 Panties is a guy word. We call it underwear. — Elisa Benson, 26, New York

No. 5: We don't have penises. When we're fondling away, some encouragement and direction is appreciated. When we direct you as you're spelunking nether-ward on our bodies, don't be offended — be grateful we're preventing you from losing all use of your thumb for a week. — Beth Carswell, 32, Victoria, British Columbia

*****

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: 1000 Things You Don't Know About Women (Part 2)

Hey peeps!

I kicked off this series of posts last week. Want to hear about real women, and what they think of men, dating, men+dating, and romance in Real life? Look no further!

Originally from Esquire.com, here's the next 50 on this list!

Enjoy!

*****

1,000 Things You Don't Know About Women

We asked the women in our lives to share their secrets about sex, relationships, and what we've been doing wrong (and right) all these years. Four months after our special issue devoted to women — and with continuing help from you on Twitter — we've reached a thousand pieces of wisdom. Hope they help.

No. 552: Quote movies only when absolutely necessary. We like your own words better than those of that old guy on the bridge in Monty Python's The Holy Grail.—Eve Gleichman, 21, New York

No. 409: We love a chase. Not calling all the time gives us a chance to try new things to get your attention.—Alessia Viscomi, 21, Newton, Massachusetts

No. 337: Don't assume that your favorite beer is our favorite beer, too. You're not the only brew connoisseurs. —Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 419: We would also love to skip Sunday brunch with eighty-five family members in favor of sitting on the couch in our sweats watching reruns of The A-Team. We just have a better game face.—Beth Malonoski, 34, Norristown, Pennsylvania

No. 380: You aren't the only gender that can appreciate a big booty. —Felicity Slater, 22, Cambridge, Massachusetts

No. 446: Black coffee is sexy. Bringing black coffee to us in bed is sexy, too. —Kady Ruth Ashcraft, 19, College Park, MD

No. 304: Yes, we moisturize and walk around the house naked with rubber gloves on when you're not around. —Cassie Rodenberg, 22, Charleston, South Carolina

No. 780: If you plan a date a week in advance, we'll spend the next seven days planning our outfit. Starting from the second you hang up the phone.—Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 558: Listen to your gut feelings when determining if we're into you or not. —Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 521: If we are wearing white pants or shorts, we are looking to hook up. It's like code.—Mallory Farmer, 23, Boston

No. 231: Where do we put on perfume? Where we wish to be kissed.—Adriana Ball, 24, Miami

No. 794: One-armed hugs means we're friends. Two-armed hugs show you care. Squeezing the hell out of us says you love us. —Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 328: Those little nonsensical arguments, for us, are fun. They give us a chance to see how you deal with things. —Alessia Viscomi, 21, Newton, Massachusetts

No. 469: Among other tips: when buying clothes for us, grab a similar item from our drawer and match the size. Don't choose an XL because it's the first thing you found. —Cassie Rodenberg, 22, Charleston, South Carolina

No. 803: We love it when you go out and have fun with your guy friends, but stories involving not remembering your night tend to be boring. —Eve Gleichman, 21, New York

No. 861: Sometimes wingmen can do more harm than good, so be brave: do it alone. —Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 713: Glasses are to women what lingerie is to men. That's right: Bookish is that sexy. —Cassie Rodenberg, 22, Charleston, South Carolina

No. 355: Everything sounds better when whispered close to our ear.—Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 256: We'll judge your beer: opting for something better than Bud Light shows us you care about the finer things in life. —Eve Gleichman, 21, New York

No. 180: We'll never understand why you slap each other's butts when you're playing sports. And that's okay. —Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 95: The way we feel about your kisses on the back of our necks: Think ice cream in August.—Cassie Rodenberg, 22, Charleston, South Carolina

No. 955: We always want dessert. We always want you to order dessert. What we never want is for you to ask us if we want dessert. It's redundant. —Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 877: Replacing the roll of toilet paper counts as one of those "little things" that we love. —Beth Malonoski, 34, Norristown, Pennsylvania

No. 480: To women, shoes matter. If we see you in Tevas outside of a forest excursion, we'll do what we do whenever we see bad footwear: run the other way.—Cassie Rodenberg, 22, Charleston, South Carolina

No. 614: No matter how much we love you we will never care what level you've gotten to in Call of Duty.—Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 292: Sometimes we just wear nice clothes and makeup for no other reason than to look good.—Nicole Lee, 31, San Francisco

No. 404: Under no circumstance, besides enlistment in the Army, will we find cargo pants an acceptable choice. —Eve Gleichman, 21, New York

No. 368: Don't be surprised that we have condoms in our top dresser drawer. Be happy.—Katharine Smith, 27, Brooklyn

No. 200: "Chuck Norris would do it" is not an excuse for bad behavior.—Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 498: Though it might sound like a compliment in your head, never say, "It's cool that you can eat so much." —Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 663: If we just met you and we're making out on the dance floor, chances are it wasn't your dance moves that got you this lucky.—Dina Sanchez, 29, Brooklyn

No. 687: Sometimes we rely on your mother to say what we've been thinking. (Like: "You look like a slug in that shirt.") —Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 755: Though it may be cool that you saved all that time and money by going to Supercuts, we may not touch you for two weeks.—Lisa Gartner, 22, Washington, D.C.

No. 720: Always assume that what we contain in our purses is very necessary. When you need insect repellent, a Band-Aid, safety pins, or a moist towelette, you'll be grateful.—Cassie Rodenberg, 22, Charleston, South Carolina

No. 832: We secretly wish that we could rock out in our eighties hair-band t-shirt and ripped jeans sometimes too. We just don't try to revive the trend at the neighborhood barbeque.—Beth Malonoski, 34, Norristown, Pennsylvania

No. 401: We love it when you take us out to dinner. We'll love it even more if we don't have to watch you scrutinize the bill for a half-hour.—Eve Gleichman, 21, Brooklyn

No. 890: We prefer that you never use the word "bang" when referring to sex. —Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 980: We appreciate when you can admit you're wrong, but we also don't want you to say sorry too much. —Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 419: Stop worrying about why we take so long in the bathroom. Think of it as uninterrupted free time to watch Sports Center (again).—Beth Malonoski, 34, Norristown, Pennsylvania

No. 791: We like it when we impress you, whether it's the fact that we own and know the names of most tools, we can drive a stick better than you can, or that we aren't totally freaked out by bugs.—Carly Hansen, 22, Santa Barbara, California

No. 285: Most of us would rather watch Entourage than Sex and the City. — Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 198: We like safe drivers. High-speed chases only impress us when they involve Vin Diesel. — Eve Gleichman, 21, New York

No. 168: We remember every detail about a relationship. Every. One. — Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 996: When we go into a comic-book store, it's entirely likely that we're there because we actually like comics, and not because we were dragged there by a boyfriend. — Nicole Lee, 31, San Francisco

No. 937: We love the smell of your deodorant so much that some of us wear it. — Christina Raine, 20, Richmond, California

No. 370: After getting through a torturous line at a baseball game, we love it when we come back to find you waiting with our food. It's those little ideas you come up with completely on your own that score points. —Amanda Rawson, 22, Worcester, Massachusetts

No. 907: Your nipples make no sense to us. —Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 857: We like it when you take your fashion advice, but not your fidelity advice, from Don Draper. — Eve Gleichman, 21, New York

No. 772: Men don't realize that women notice everything. Including when you've worn the same underwear two days in a row. — Kellie Chung, 23, Boston

No. 847: Getting riled up at a restaurant turns us off. — Sharada Tolton, 21, Philadelphia


*****

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: 1000 Things You Don't Know About Women (Part 1)

Hey beautiful people!

A quick one today, because I'm hoping my Internet will cooperate. Yes, it is still acting up, no thanks to the torrential rains we've been having this week.

So, there's actually a thousand items on this list, and of course, cannot post them all right here, right now. What I'm doing is breaking the list into parts, that I'll post up every Thursday. 50 pieces every week - how does that sound?

Of course, you can bypass me and go read the full list on the Esquire.com site already. :) But I hope you'll be back each week to check out the list as it goes up here.

Without further blabbing, here we go!

*****

1,000 Things You Don't Know About Women

We asked the women in our lives to share their secrets about sex, relationships, and what we've been doing wrong (and right) all these years. Four months after our special issue devoted to women — and with continuing help from you on Twitter — we've reached a thousand pieces of wisdom. Hope they help.

No. 185: "Business casual": Easy for you, but bewildering for us.—Amy Keller, 27, Chicago

No. 218: What makes our skin crawl: cell phone holsters, crocs (really?), and when you leave your stupid bluetooth earpiece in 24/7. —Kelly Greene, 35, San Diego

No. 252: We know it's high maintenance, but, for the love of God, don't sleep on the decorative pillows.—Name Withheld, Portland, Oregon

No. 279: We love hearing about your family. Even when it's boring, it's good to know you think about them.—Alessia Viscomi, 21, Newton, Massachusetts

No. 989: We appreciate when you keep your condoms within close reach from the bed so we don't spend ten minutes waiting naked while you search the other end of the apartment. —Sarah Knowles, 29, Brooklyn

No. 944: We kind of wish we could chest-bump, too.—Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 964: Sometimes we want to be treated like a princess. Sometimes, we want to be treated like a sex object. It's up to you to figure out which of these we want to be at any given moment, because we certainly aren't going to tell you. —Julianna Mendelsohn, 29, Chicago

No. 896: Not all of us envy the whole peeing-while-standing thing. Seems messy.—Nicole Lee, 31, San Francisco

No. 850: If you meet us at a bar, please don't say, "I'd like to see you without your glasses." We could go blind, you know. —Amanda Bullock, 26, Detroit

No. 824: Be careful: singing to us can be totally cute. But only if you can actually sing.—Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 798: When we say "He was so great in the delivery room!" we are actually just happy that you didn't faint, gag or run screaming out the door.—Beth Malonoski, 34, Norristown, Pennsylvania

No. 726: We will be jealous of any picture of you and another girl on Facebook. It doesn't matter who she is.—Mallory Farmer, 23, Boston

No. 628: We think saying "ladies" at the end of any statement or question makes it kind of creepy. —Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 582: If we make it through an entire first date without seeing what color your iPhone case is, well, we just might fall in love.—Dina Sanchez, 29, Brooklyn

No. 340: If that piece of clothing does indeed make us look fat, simply say, "It's nice, but you don't look comfortable in it." Most of the time, it's true.—Nicole Lee, 31, San Francisco

No. 361: You cleaning your apartment is somehow incredibly sexy. Weird but true.—Amy Keller, 27, Chicago

No. 313: It's cute when you don't quite know how to dress, so long as your not knowing doesn't involve jean shorts or a fanny pack. We can only handle so much eyestrain.—Cassie Rodenberg, 22, Charleston, South Carolina

No. 155: It doesn't matter what your chosen profession is, as long as you love what you do and do it with passion, and it's legal and it doesn't involve being in a production of the Lord of the Dance.—Beth Malonoski, 34, Norristown, Pennsylvania

No. 396: We like it when you lend your favorite books to us. For several reasons.—Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 460: You'll lose points every time you use the word "pussy."—Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 505: When we ask you how we look, you lose points every time you answer with "fine."—Dani Ruiz, 21, Encinitas, California

No. 563: Some of us wouldn't mind if you bought us a good lap dance every once in a while. Just saying.—Dina Sanchez, 29, Brooklyn

No. 838: It's not that we like the flowers themselves, it's that the flowers mean you're thinking about us. And we love that. —Sherri Pitts, 43, Chino Hills, California

No. 763: When we run into an ex, we always play "Who Won?" And in our minds, we always won.—Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 870: We do want romance, but we don't want you to do these things because we intstruct you to. We want you to come by them naturally. —Julianna Mendelsohn, 29, Chicago

No. 925: We love it when you're in the mood, but we don't love it when you grind up against us while we brush our teeth.—Amy Keller, 27, Chicago

No. 972: We get to pick the baby's name. And it's not going to be your mother's maiden name. McCullen is a terrible name for a baby.—Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 790: Even the slightest idea of fashion can be very attractive. —Kourtney Cole, 22, Chino Hills, California

No. 748: We don't actually wear matching bras and panties all the time. Shocking, we know.—Nicole Lee, 31, San Francisco

No. 349: Hair starts growing in funny places when we turn fifty. Not much we can do about it. —Marie Mackler, 58, Takoma Park, Maryland

No. 973: The most important error most of you make when trying to figure us out is in thinking of us as mysterious, unknowable creatures who adhere to some cabalistic set of Girl Rules.—Anne Harding, 23, Wilmington, Delaware

No. 756: If you want your beer to be cold all the time, get a mini-fridge; don't let it take up too much room in our fridge. Unless you're chilling it for us. —Juliet Garlow, 20, Silver Spring, Maryland.

No. 535: We prefer an arm around us to holding hands pretty much any day. —Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 837: Shoes always fit. Hence our perpetually full closets. —Sydney Hayes, 19, San Diego

No. 265: The following posters on your wall are deal-breakers: Bob Marley playing soccer, Bob Marley exhaling, Bob Marley in green, yellow and/or red. Exemplars of the chill-bro variety are reserved, exclusively, for unwashed undergrads.—Eve Gleichman, 21, New York.

No. 125: It's okay for you to drink rosé. We know it's good.—Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 546: These days, with Facebook, chances are we know your favorite band well before our first drink with you. Something to keep in mind.—Robin Carol, 21, Eugene, Oregon

No. 673: Even we know this: The craziest girls are the ones who seem the most normal at first.—Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 737: Surprise field trips are the best, even if it's "guy stuff." If we roll our eyes, it doesn't mean we don't love the effort. —Amy Keller, 27, Chicago

No. 699: We say we love scary movies so we can cuddle up to you. —Alessia Viscomi, 21, Newton, Massachusetts

No. 595: Just because a model wore super-skinny jeans with pointy leather shoes and a plaid blazer doesn't mean that the ensemble is appropriate date attire for you. —Kellie Chung, 23, Boston

No. 880: If you call the movies "the cinema," we will only laugh. And laugh.—Dina Sanchez, 29, Brooklyn

No. 816: Seventy-five percent of the sounds we make during sex are purely for you. That's how much we care. —Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 914: Even if we're cool with your telling us a girl is hot, remember who you're coming home to. —Kourtney Cole, 22, Chino Hills, California

No. 859: We still like being asked on a proper date. —Robin Carol, 21, Eugene

No. 821: Even if we look sad, don't tell us that we look depressed.—Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 577: You should definitely buy us a drink. But know that it doesn't guarantee we'll stick around all night. —Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose California

No. 533: We agonize over text messages. For instance, a one-word response means you're not interested. Right?—Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 485: Though it might sound like it, Kegel exercises are not a military maneuver. —Marie Mackler, 58, Takoma Park, Maryland

No. 433: We think the clean-laundry smell of you in your undershirt is a thousand times more appealing than even the best cologne.—Dina Sanchez, 29, Brooklyn

*****

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: 14 So-Called Imperfections Women Obsess Over But Men Love

Hey peeps!

I'll admit I am puzzled half the time when my husband pays me a compliment. Why? Because his compliments come when I am least expecting them. For example, when I'm in sweats and the oldest T-shirt I own, without a hint of colour on my face. Or, when I'm wearing sneakers and not the peep-toe platform wedges that make me feel sexy as sin. And then I can be all dolled up to attend a wedding, and when he says I look 'nice', I can totally hear that he is saying that just to please me/he isn't any more affected than that by the look. And, he prefers me with glasses, not contacts.

So, based on that observation, it didn't come as a surprise to me when I stumbled upon this article. Yet, while we do know most men want a 'real' woman (yes, there are some out there not looking for the trophy wives, the Victoria's Secret Angels clones, the inflated airhead-y dolls), it never hurts to be reassured that what we sometimes see as down sides are actually pluses with our man.

I bet your heroine would love to know that too, and I'm sure your readers want to read about a woman 'just like them' who gets her HEA with the uber-handsome hero.

The article is taken from MSN Lifestyle, Love & Relationships section, and can be viewed in its original slideshow here. It's written by Meredith Turits.

***

14 So-Called Imperfections Women Obsess Over but Men Love

Step away from the mirror and stop agonizing over your alleged "imperfections." Why? Well, for one thing, you're gorgeous. And for another, the things you think are turn-offs are actually on guys' things-they-love-most-about-you list. Need proof? Read on!

by Meredith Turits

What Men Love: Your Lone Dimple

"My girlfriend has only one cheek dimple, which makes me love it even more."
—Philip, 24, New York City

What Men Love: Your Stretch Marks

"Stretch marks — especially on the hips … They're very personal and few men get to see them."
—Martin, 24, Boston

What Men Love: Your Gray Hair

"I find the strands of gray in my girlfriend's long, dark hair sexy. Silver and black are sexy. So is experience."
—Sean, 37, Brooklyn, N.Y.

What Men Love: Your Unique Nose

"Crooked noses, Roman noses … I like 'em. They give the face some character, and for some reason, I think they make a girl look smarter."
—Lucas, 34, Lexington, Ky.

What Men Love: Your Upper Arms

"I like girls who don't have muscular arms. I like squeezing them…it's fun to play with and makes them cuter."
—Steve, 24, New Brunswick, N.J.

What Men Love: Your Feminine Hips

"I've found that girls tend to be sensitive regarding fat on their hips even though I find it attractive and fun to feel and grab."
—Jon, 25, San Francisco

What Men Love: Your Curved Stomach

"While there's nothing wrong with a flat stomach, there's something beautifully feminine about that slight curve below the belly button."
—Ken, 33, New York City

What Men Love: Your Imperfect Eye

"When I was in college, I had a crush on a girl with an eye that had just a little bit of a drift. For some reason, it made her just that much hotter."

—Chris, 23, Baltimore

What Men Love: Your (Short) Height

"I love to spoon with short girls because they fit much better as the little spoon."
—Corbett, 27, Lawrence, Kans.

What Men Love: Your (Tall) Height

"I like tall girls. Long legs and perfect alignment!"
—Nelson, 31, New York City

What Men Love: Your Glasses

"I like it when a woman wears glasses. It tells me she's confident enough to know she's beautiful."
—Brian, 30, Sacramento, Calif.

What Men Love: Your Post-Baby Body

"The last girl I dated had a kid and disliked the fact that she had no hips, her boobs were 'ruined' from breast-feeding and that she had stretch marks. She had great hips and breasts, and the stretch marks were never an issue. A lot of women think they have 'imperfections' but I don't see them like that."
—Michael, 28, Kansas City, Mo.

What Men Love: Your Cellulite

"Cellulite. It's like rings on a tree stump or all those different hues you see when tipping a glass of really old red wine. I like it."
—Brian, 32, Brooklyn, N.Y.

What Men Love: Your Love Handles

"I'm normally not [explicitly] attracted to love handles, though the other day I saw a woman with them, and I had to leave so as not to get too lusty-eyed. If I think a woman is attractive or sexy, then she has no imperfections as far as I'm concerned."
—Zach, 27, Seattle

***

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey beautiful people

Okay - get your wet noodles ready; I deserve the thrashing I'm about to get... for, you see, I don't have much progress to show on the WIP.

Worse - I switched WIPs...

I did get some brush-off-the-dust moments on Against The Odds, my romantic comedy that revolves around the heroine's breast cancer diagnosis; however, no new words added to it.

That being said, I do have my priorities sorted - my focus isn't more on producing completed works now, but ensuring that the world out there knows I have books out & coming out this year (aka Marketing & Promotion!). And like I always maintain - no one wants to be nice to a cow... so the first rule of marketing & promo? Don't behave like a cow!

Which implies slowly but surely building relationships & friendships with people, esp readers (as fellow Noble Romance author, the best-selling Margie Church, has told me). So I've been a little bit more involved on Goodreads this week. Dunno the results of this effort, or if it's even borne fruit... but I can tell you I am enjoying meeting readers from all walks of life and discovering new people and their likes & dislikes.

In another way, I am once again learning how to juggle and adjust my routine - next week, I should have it smoothed out, whereby I can get some 'real' writing done too. Got a few freelance projects to settle this weekend, but next week, I hope to get back on the ball.

What are ye all up to this weekend?

Hope you have a nice Friday/Saturday/Sunday!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee