By Brianna Porter

It’s not unusual to sit through a few breakups on a television show before your favorite character finds their soul mate, but even with this expectation, this can make the series emotionally exhausting. Plus, it might start imitating your life, and that is an unnecessary walk down memory lane involving possible tears and junk food. I mean, is anyone else sick of most relationships being portrayed as destructive and challenging? Love is a battlefield, not a war. That’s why we’d like to take the time to spotlight some of the better examples of love — from relationships to self love — that should be accepted and celebrated as the new norm. Enough with glamorizing abusive relationships (lookin’ at you “Fifty Shades of Grey”)…give me realistic love, or give me death!

Glenn & Maggie- “The Walking Dead”

Maybe not the best definition of “realistic”, given the circumstances, but their situation really only highlights how strong their love is. Plus, their arguments, if any, will really only be about how they should plan on surviving…no resurfacing ex-girlfriend (though maybe in zombie form). If their love can survive a zombie apocalypse, it can survive anything!

Leslie Knope & Ben Wyatt- “Parks and Recreation”

Progressive, productive, and all-around adorable, Leslie and Ben really only fought when it was about whether their relationship was professional or not (very much unlike the usual jealousy-fueled arguments most television couples face). They are refreshing, inspiring, and thank goodness- drama free.

Ed Sheeran

Ed has always been a hopeless romantic, as seen through his music, but his new hit song “Thinking Out Loud” has got me thinking (though not as loud) about how gentlemanly he seems to be. While his relationship status is usually unknown, I’m sure whoever he is with (or has been with) is/was treated right. You probably will not find one Robin Thicke-esque song on any of his albums, which is great news for feminists.

Nicki Minaj

Her music has always been super fun and empowering, but her newest album “The Pinkprint” was all about being honest and appreciating who she really is. Plus, she doesn’t seem like the type of person to take anybody’s crap in a relationship…who knew the queen of rap was also the queen of self love?

Thomas Sanders

If you haven’t seen this vine star yet, do yourself a favor and check him out. His most popular bit is narrating strangers lives and filming their reactions (one involved one girl tackling her boyfriend to the ground unexpectedly, which was utterly adorable). In addition to being hilarious, he is also super sweet and teaches accepting and loving yourself and others. He claims he doesn’t hate a single soul, and that’s not hard to believe!

Jerome Jarre

It’s no secret that this french vine star loves life and himself, and he is undeniably funny. I’ve yet to see him feeling glum about life…and positivity is a key ingredient to a healthy relationship! If more men were like him, the world would be such a beautiful place…and also mostly French. But ooh la la…we wouldn’t complain.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

This couple has to be on this list…it is undeniable how much they love each other! They always stand by each other, have tons of beautiful children (whom they encourage to embrace their native culture and do not force them to conform), and have great chemistry on screen. Plus, their philanthropists. They’re just all around good people in a healthy relationship…let’s have more like them!

From Never Liked It Anyway, the number one destination for all things break-ups and bounce-back! It’s the place to buy, sell and tell all things ex! Sell your breakup baggage, tell your story and join the community of rock stars bouncing back better than ever! 

(Stories from our past: This week we explored our fascinating library of vintage articles and found one from 1977 about how our legs can reveal a lot about what’s going on in our brains. Read on and get a leg up on the signals others might be sending you!)

You’ve probably heard of body language–it’s all about what your body is saying in the way you walk, the way you stand, the way you sit, and in your overall body carriage. Bud did you know that even your legs have a language of their own? To someone who’s an expert at interpreting “leg language,” you might just be giving away your most secret thoughts with the simple crossing of your ankles.

And the way you move your legs can reveal something about you, too! If legs move slowly and seem tired, chances are you are saying that all of you is just plain exhausted. If legs move with agility and confidence, chances are you’re feeling “up” all over.

The brief guide below will help you to know some of the things your legs are “saying”–before they tell more than you might want them to.

1. If your ankles are “locked”–legs crossed tightly at the ankles and usually off to one side–you’re saying that you’d like to be saying more. You’re holding something back. If you would like a little prodding, this is the gesture to take, since your onlooker may just edge forward to help you out a bit.

2. If, on the other hand, ankles are easily crossed and your legs are frimly in front of you, it indicates that you have an organized mind. You are a person very much in control of your emotions. This is the pose Grandma considered very ladylike.

3. You’re agreeable–if not all that interested–when sitting with legs comfortably uncrossed, knees spread about a foot apart and feet firmly and parallel in front of you. Such a pose says you are not resisting the person you’re with and you probably don’t feel threatened. If you’re leaning forward in this position, you’re becoming more interested–if leaning away, less interested.

4. Legs that are crossed at the knee get their meaning from the direction in which the elevated foot is pointing. If the foot is pointing toward the person you’re with, you are showing interest. Of course, if the elevated foot is pointing away from the person, you are not interested. Further, if you’re moving or making circles with this foot, you’re nervous!

5. If you’re slowly crossing and uncrossing your legs, touching the inside of your calves, knees, or thighs, or have slipped a shoe and are balancing it on your toes–anything goes! Your’e indicating that the person you’re with is making you feel very comfortable and that you’re very interested!

6. If you’re sitting with one leg up and underneath you, you’re a pretty easygoing person. And you’ll most likely be agreeable–ready to cooperate.

Looks like leg watching now means more than just looking at legs that are lovely. It also means “reading” what they’re communicating. And now you know how to make your legs “say” exactly what you mean!

In honor of the hit film, 50 Shades of Grey, TruLOVEstories decided to really dig deep and find out what goes on inside a man’s head. We’ve compiled a list of 50 questions girls should ask guys while getting to know them. Some are sexy, some are flirty, some are just plain silly. No matter how you look at it though, they all will be great conversation starters and who knows, one or two of them could lead to your own erotic story.

1. Are you into brunettes, red-heads, or blondes?

2. What do you think is the sexiest part of a woman to kiss?

3. Which is better? Tight jeans or short skirts?

4. Describe your dream girl?

5. Money isn’t an object, describe your perfect first date.

6. Name your favorite romantic movie.

7. Would you rather be tied up or tie someone up?

8. At what age did you lose your virginity?

9. What is your biggest turn-on when it comes to dating?

10. What is your biggest turn-off about dating?

11. What’s the most romantic song to listen to while making love?

12. Are you into feet? If so, what do you like about them?

13. Should food ever be brought into a night of love making?

14. Do you genuinely believe in love at first sight?

15. Have you ever spanked or been spanked during sex?

16. Name the craziest place you’ve ever had sex.

17. What do you think is a woman’s best feature?

18. Are you a member of the mile high club?

19. How many dates do you require before having sex?

20. Do you enjoy phone sex?

21. What about sexting?

22. Have you ever made a homemade sex tape?

23. What’s your favorite place on your body to be kissed?

24. Have you ever bought lingerie for a girl?

25. Has anyone ever walked in on you while you were having sex?

26. Have you ever sent erotic pictures of yourself to someone before?

27. After getting a girl’s number, how long do you wait to call her?

28. Are you into bedroom role playing?

29. Where is the one dream place you want to have sex?

30. Talk about your first sexual experience.

31. Have you ever had a threesome? Would you want to?

32. What guilty fetish would you like to admit to?

33. Ever had a one night stand?

34. Do you prefer sex with the lights on or off?

35. Are you a good dancer?

36. How big are your hands?

37. What celebrity do you fantasize about?

38. Have you ever been skinny dipping?

39. What’s the most orgasmic thing a woman can do to you?

40. Describe yourself in three simple words.

41. Have you ever used any sex toys?

42. Do you like to be in control, or do you like to let a woman be in charge?

43. Do you really read Playboy for the articles?

44. Have you ever been so drunk you don’t remember having sex?

45. How often do you work out?

46. Ever tried online dating? Did it work?

47. If it was up to you, how many times a week would you want to have sex?

48. Hotter fantasy: The naughty nurse, cheerleader or cosplay character?

49. Have you seen the movie or read Fifty Shades of Grey?

50. What dirty thoughts are going through your mind right now?

Related Article: 50 Shades of Chicken

By Katherine Sharma

What better start-of-the-year topic for a fiction blog than sex. In this case, I want to pass along a humorous and cautionary reminder that even great writers can pen sex scenes that leave readers stunned–by incoherent, clichéd and unintentionally comic results. At the end of last year, the London-based Literary Review announced the winner of its 22nd annual Bad Sex in Fiction Award, and I would like to thank friend Maxye Henry for alerting me to this important event via a link to a Wall Street Journal article by Literary Review senior editor Jonathan Beckman.

For aspiring sex scene writers, Beckman provides advice based on the missteps of the many distinguished, best-selling authors who find themselves nominated for the unwanted bad-sex accolade. Beckman’s rule No. 1 for writing a good sex scene: Just Make Sense. Consider this passage from 2014’s bad-sex nominee The Snow Queen by Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael Cunningham: “It’s this, only this, he’s lost to himself, he’s no one, he’s obliterated, there’s no Tyler at all, there’s only…He hears himself gasp in wonder. He falls into an ecstatic burning harmedness, losing, lost, unmade. And is finished.” The reader also is lost in this confused stream, with a painful bump against “harmedness.” Rule No. 2: Don’t Destroy The Universe.

The 2013 bad-sex-award winner Indian-American Manil Suri scored his booby prize with a passage that began “Surely supernovas explode that instant…” as the lovers “dive through shoals of quarks and atomic nuclei.” Rule No. 3: Don’t Get Carried Away by Metaphor. Consider 2014’s bad-sex-award winner: The Age of Magic by Ben Okri, a past Man Booker Prize recipient. Okri begins with a character apparently mistaking his lover for a lamp: “When his hand brushed her nipple it tripped a switch and she came alight.” He proceeds to the-earth-moved clichés (“the universe was in her and with each movement it unfolded”) and concludes with a giggle-producing pop: “Somewhere in the night a stray rocket went off.” For more of Beckman’s amusing article, go to http://www.wsj.com/articles/when-good-writers-turn-bad-in-bed-1416503002

ABOUT  KATHERINE SHARMA

Katherine Sharma’s family roots are in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. But after her early childhood in Texas, she has moved around the country and lived in seven other states, from Virginia to Hawaii. She currently resides in California with her husband and three children. She has also traveled extensively in Europe, Africa and Asia, and makes regular visits to family in India. After receiving her bachelor’s degree. in economics and her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Michigan, Katherine worked as a newspaper and magazine writer and editor for more than 15 years. She then shifted into management and marketing roles for firms in industries ranging from outdoor recreation to insurance to direct marketing. Although Katherine still works as a marketing consultant, she is now focused on creative writing.

How to find out if he’s right for you.

Many states require a blood test for prospective marriage partners, but no state requires any test to determine whether a prospective mate has any personality deficiencies which are much more likely to destroy a union.

Whether you plan to marry a man or live with him first, the following test can help you rate your chances of working out a successful relationship with him, at least so far as your estimate of his capabilities are concerned. Answer these questions about him to the best of your ability. Score each “Yes” answer according to the points assigned. If you answer “No” the point value is zero. Scoring chart at the conclusion of the test will tell you your probability of success in such a relationship, to the extent that he is capable of contributing to it.

1. Is he willing and able to communicate? (10)

•  Can he express his feelings easily? (5)
•  Can he explain his needs to you honestly? (5)
•  Can he express anger without blowing his top? (5)
•  Is he willing to listen to your needs? (5)
•  Would he prefer to discuss rather than argue? (5)
•  Is he willing to compromise or does he insist upon his own way? (5)

2. Is he self-confident? (10)

•  Does he like himself? (5)
•  Is he sure of his manhood and his abilities? (5)
•  Does he acknowledge faults readily? (2)
•  Does he handle interpersonal relations easily? (2)
•  Does it take much to fluster him? (3)
•  Does he speak up for his rights? (3)
•  Is he sure of himself in his relations with you? (2)

3. Do you find him attractive? (10)

4. How knowledgeable is he about women? (10)

• Is he considerate of female mood changes, i.e., premenstrual mood swings? (3)
• Does he know how to respond to your moods without being hit over the head? (2)
• Is he honest with you but at the same time tactful? (3)
• Does he try to understand you? (5)

5. Does he have a generous nature? (10)

• Does he do things that make you happy? (5)
• Is he interested in giving rather than taking? (5)
• Is he generous about money or how it is to be spent? (5)
• Does he have a forgiving disposition? (5)
• Is he willing to consider your wishes and not insist upon having his own way all the time? (5)

6. Is he flexible? (10)

• Is he willing and able to change in ways that can improve your relationship? (5)
• Can he adjust well to new developments? (5)
• Can he make allowances for your mistakes? (5)
• Does he adjust well to the new rise in women’s consciousness? (3)
• If you take on new financial responsibility in the relationship is he willing to share your other burdens at home? (5)

7. Is he free of neurotic jealousy? (10)

• Can you be pleasant to other men without making him angry? (5)
• Does he resent time you spend either with your parents or your friends? (5)

8. Is he a good lover? (10)

• Does he consider your satisfaction before his own? (5)
• If he is too hasty does he try again as often as necessary to make sure you are gratified? (5)
• Does he have a healthy, relaxed attitude about sex? (5)
• Is he a gentle, yet vigorous lover? (5)
• Does he hold you fondly after he has been satisfied? (5)
• Is he free of hangups about any particular way to make love? (5)
• Is he willing to join you in experimenting? (5)

9. If marriage is considered, is he fond of children? (10)

• Does he have a warm relationship with nieces or nephews or if previously married, with his own children? (5)

10. Is he free of serious traits you find irritating? (10)

• If you’re a non-smoker is he also? (5)
• If you’re a non-drinker is he also? (5)
• Are his manners couth? (5)
• Is he free of annoying mannerisms such as scratching himself, smirking, or dressing too sloppily? (10)
• Is his voice pleasant–not nasal, or whining? (5)
• Are his speech patterns non-embarassing? (5)

11. Is he willing and able to meet your expectations in handling relationships with your family? (10)

• Is he free of the hate-your-mother-in-law syndrome? (5)
• Does he make an effort to be pleasant to your relatives? (5)
• Does he consider your wishes about them at holiday time and not just the wishes of his own parents? (5)
• Do you feel proud of him when he is with your parents? (5)

Score Yourself!

0-180 Don’t risk it.

181-213 Be prepared for some rough times in the relationship.

214-247 Join him. Chances are good.

248-280 Prospects really bright for a happy relationship.

281-328 Grab the guy quickly before someone else does.

Want to save money this Valentine’s Day? Stay in and make a delicious and romantic dessert for you and your partner. Here are two wonderful recipes:

…on Valentine’s Day–and all through the year!

These stories first appeared in a 1986 issue of True Love Magazine and we’d like to share them with you!

This Beautiful Gift of Love

Our love was born of God
Sent to us from heaven abovek,
So pure, honest, and simple,
This beautiful gift of love.

Our love binds us
By a cord of invisible power;
We need this precious love to live
Every day and every hour.

Our love givs us strength
To stand even when times are rough.
Our love will forever flow–
There will always be enough.

Our love will grow each passing day,
For it was sent from heaven above,
And no one will ever destroy our gift–
This beautiful gift of love

–Cindy McBride

Valentine Surprise

If I could, I’d buy the moon and stars
To place before your eyes.
I’d wrap up all the heavens
For a Valentine surprise.

I’d buy you clothes and racing yachts
And diamond rings galore.
A low-slung car, a brand-new house…
All this, my dear, and more.

But since I’m not a rich girl
And those loevely things aren’t free,
The best I have to offer
To you, my love–is me!

-J. Desper

Across The Years

You carved out our initials,
Enclosed within a heart,
Upon the sturdy oak tree,
And vowed we’d never part.

Since then our love has deepened,
Through laughter and through tears,
And like the strongest oak tree
It’s stood the test of years.

For time can’t dim that moment
You pledged your heart to mine;
In memory I treasure
Your first sweet Valentine.

–Marna G. Simons

Sweet Talk

I know you love me, darling,
Although sweet words are few;
I see it clearly, day by day
In the thoughtful things you do.

I feel so blessed that what we share
Is not a passing phase,
And more than soft, romantic words
Or a shallow, pretty phrase.

Yes, I know you love me, darling.
Sweet words are not your way,
But when I need them most of all
You know just what to say.

–Joyce Mayes

The Gift

Happy Valentine’s Day, my love.
As my gift to you
I will give you a day.

This day will have sunshine
As warm as your love,
A blue sky dotted with
Puffs of white clouds
As soft as your touch.

The green grass beneath your feet
Would give you comfort
As your arms comfort me.
And there would be millions of flowers
As fresh and sweet as your kisses.

A gentle breeze would touch your cheek
And bring memories of all our happy days.
But best of all, I’d share your day,
And if it were in my power,
I would give you this day
Over and over, morning after morning.

For the rest of our lives.

–Betty Hunter