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You Asked: He Hasn't Called — What Gives?

DearSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:30:00 -0800

Dear Sugar,

I met a cute boy at a law school function on Saturday night and after a few cocktails and dances, we ended up at a bar, just the two of us, and kissing ensued. It was lovely and he offered to walk me back to my apartment. (I insisted it wasn't necessary seeing as how we live on opposite sides of Manhattan, but the boy could not be dissuaded!) Though he never made it beyond my apartment doorway, we exchanged the cutesy "let's do this again soon" texts after he left. So now, it's Monday, and he has yet to contact me again. What gives? — Surprised Sascha

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I Need Your Help . . . Apartment Becomes Un Pet-Friendly

PetSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:15:19 -0800

Another TeamSugar member needs our help! Our latest question comes from crystal tomlin26 who's in a sad predicament with her precious pets. She writes:

We live in a condo complex in California where they have not enforced the one pet rule in the 4.5 years that we have lived there, and now they are. I really don't want to have to get rid of my babies – could there be any possible solutions that I haven't come up with?

If anyone's experienced this situation before or has any advice, we'd all appreciate it.

What's on the Thanksgiving Menu For My Dog?

PetSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:00:13 -0800

Introducing large quantities of rich "people food" into a pet's diet on Thanksgiving is bad for their tummies! In fact, some typical holiday fare should never be fed to pets. One sure way to be certain no one slips up is to place the appropriate portion of your furry friend's normal snacks in a convenient location. Point out the healthy treats to your guests and encourage them to pamper your pals with extra petting or playtime . . . not to feed the snacks all at once.

The following items should never be fed to pets:

Turkey bones
Turkey skin
Stuffing with onions
Salty or spicy veggies
Pumpkin pie
Sweet potato casserole
Any desserts, especially chocolate

What tidbits are North-approved for tomorrow,

You Asked: Does He Just Want a Friendship?

DearSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:30:00 -0800

Dear Sugar,

I met this guy in college and developed a major crush on him, but nothing ever happened. After graduating we kept in contact via email, then after a couple months, we met for coffee. We got to talking and he told me that he's been attracted to me for some time now, but informed me that he was in a relationship with someone else. He said he needed to figure things out on his end before getting me involved. I let him know that I too am attracted to him, and that I still wanted to maintain our friendship.

He emailed me about a week later and suggested we meet up again — I agreed. This time we went to a cafe in the evening and talked for several hours. I know he is with another girl so I wanted to be respectful, but the whole time we were together I was thinking about how much I like him. When we left the cafe, he told me he wanted to do it again sometime, but what does all this mean? Does he just want to be friends? Is he keeping me around just in case he and his girlfriend break up? Am I setting myself up? Please help! — Unclear Claire

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Don't Leave Home Without It! 15 Pet Travel Essentials

PetSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:15:13 -0800

If you're taking a trip with your pets this holiday season, there are a couple items you'll obviously need (like your furry friend) and others you may not have thought about. Curious about porta-potties, poopie bags, and pheromones? I bet you are, so I've gathered the things I wouldn't leave home without – and provided some reasons why you shouldn't either! See them all when you start this slideshow.

You Asked: Is It Normal That He Kept Pictures of His Ex?

DearSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:30:00 -0800

Dear Sugar,

When I broke up with my boyfriend, I was devastated. We were head over heels for each other but things just weren't working out so we ended it. At one point when I was trying to get over him, I threw away all the pictures I had of him and us, all the CDs he made me, and anything that reminded me of him. I've completely moved on and I'm actually married to someone else, but I recently found pictures of my husband's ex-girlfriend in a desk drawer. I know that everyone moves on from past relationships differently, but is it normal that he still has photos of this girl years later? I understand that she was an important person in his life, but why does he need reminders of her now that he's happily married to me? — A Little Annoyed Amber

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Open House: Would You Register For a Housewarming?

casasugar — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 08:30:18 -0800

In Philip Galanes's latest Social Q's column, a 32-year-old woman wrote in saying that she'd decided that marriage wasn't for her. However, since she'd been in eight weddings and had to contribute oodles of presents over the past decade, she wanted to register for gifts for her housewarming party.

Galanes advises,

But the difference between their weddings and baby showers and your housewarming scheme is that their sole intent was not to rack up gifts. Don’t get me wrong: a housewarming is a great idea, and you may nab some nice loot. No gift registry, though. The party should be for celebrating your new place with friends, not for telling them how to outfit your kitchen.

This situation reminds me of an episode of Sex and the City. Can you guess which one? Find out when you

How to Introduce Sex Toys Into the Bedroom

DearSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:30:00 -0800

Here's a tidbit of information that may comfort you. Only 30 percent of women are able to orgasm during intercourse alone. That means that most of us need a lot of attention paid to our lady parts. If you're too shy to use your own hand, or your man can't quite coordinate having sex while touching you at the same time, then using a sex toy, such as a vibrator, will work wonders! Introducing these kinds of intimate items into your love-making session may be embarrassing though, so here are some different ways you can do it:

Some guys might take it personally if you just whip out a sex toy — they could feel inadequate — so talk to your guy about it first. Explain that your desire to try a sex toy doesn't have anything to do with his ability to please you (even if that is the case) but rather that you think it'd be fun to add a little excitement to your sex life. Remind him that sex toys can benefit him too — a win-win if you ask me!
Pick out a toy together. If walking into a sex shop seems a little too overwhelming, check out an online store such as GoodVibes.com. This way you can take the time to browse the items together without running the risk of bumping into someone you know — a potential awkward situation! He may also be more excited and less intimidated if he's involved in the process.

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You Asked: How Can I Stop Being Used?

DearSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:00:00 -0800

Dear Sugar,

My last relationship was pretty hot and heavy, and when it ended over six months ago, it was because of his personal reasons — he said he needed more time to concentrate on his career — not because our feelings for each other had changed in any way. We remain friends but every time we have hung out, we have hooked up. All my friends tell me he is a jerk and that he's just using me, but when I'm with him it's like all the bad things he's ever done just disappear. I really want to stop hooking up with him so I can finally move on, but I'm not sure how to do that. Do you have any advice? — Being Used Brenda

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To the Rescue: Bloat

PetSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:15:51 -0800

While bloat is a fairly common (even deadly) ailment, it is not another way to say a pup is overweight! Much like pharyngeal gag reflexes (aka, reverse sneezes), it has a serious scientific name: gastric torsion. This occurs when a deep-chested dog has a full tum (of food or water) and then engages in vigorous activity or exercise. Pups like this Great Dane have stomachs that are not attached to their ribcages, so when it's heavy and full (the "before"), it can flip around and block the intestinal track (the "after").

What other breeds are commonly bothered and how can you prevent this? Find out when you