MALE CALL

She's moving forward, but he's standing still

Q: I seem to be growing apart from my boyfriend, but not emotionally, like you might think. We love each other and have a lot of fun together, but I feel like my life is progressing and his is not. I graduated from college last year and have a decent job. He's still in school and shows little interest in graduating any time soon. He works part time, but only to make spending money (his parents are paying tuition). Is this an indication of what he's going to be like when he ''grows up?''

MALE CALL

Tips for being a good guest

Q: We had a young couple as house guests last year, and their behavior was quite startling. (They may be coming back at Thanksgiving.) They literally acted as if we were there to wait on them hand and foot. They left their room a shambles, they had opportunities to pay for things like a few groceries but never even offered, and they were very loud late at night (not watching TV, I assure you). Please advise your younger generation of the keys to being a proper house guest.
RELATIONSHIPS

Her romance is for the ages

They march for peace. They march for politics. But 73-year-old novelist Barbara Rose Brooker believes American women must also march for freedom from age discrimination.
MALE CALL

Say your piece and shut up

Q: My best friend is making some bad choices, and I'm not sure what I can or should do about it. She broke up with her boyfriend because he cheated on her, but now they're back together. Why she would go back to this guy is beyond me. He even hit on me once.
Provocative exhibit speaks to those who commit, permit domestic violence

Amid the stacks of books and the students on the computers, amid the hushed buzz of learning at the Miami-Dade Main Library, four mannequins varnished in red form a provocative exhibit about domestic violence.
Love, honor ... and blog: Musings on marriage are surprise hit

Perhaps the most important thing to know about Lee and Paul Reyes-Fournier is that they believe in happily ever after. They have been married, mostly blissfully, for 20 years. This despite four moves, several job changes, a stretch of infertility and, finally, the chaos of three children -- a teenager, a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old.
GAME DAY

Talk football like a champ

You know what football season means: beer, chips and crowding around the television with a bunch of dudes to whoop, holler and bump fists. But if you tend to save your fist-bumps for the smackdowns on Project Runway, you might feel a little out of place when the party chat revolves around whether the Broncos will cover against the Chargers or if the Redskins overspent yet again during the off-season.
MALE CALL

The who-pays quandry

Q: I'm a 23-year-old woman and have never really understood the whole ''the guy pays'' thing. I like to pay my own way, but I've definitely run into situations where the guy just totally insists on paying. My mother, on the other hand, believes it's polite to let the man pay. We've agreed to let you be the final say on the subject -- depending on what you say, of course!
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

Blue-collar boyfriend makes her happy, but ...

Q: I'm 47 and divorced. My ex was financially successful but the relationship was empty and unconnected. I've been dating someone for nine months whom I really love. The problem is he's not a professional, and won't be able to have conversations with my friends' husbands about business or important topics. And my family will think he's beneath me and unsophisticated. He doesn't have money, but he's thoughtful, caring and makes me feel so happy. I broke up with him and was so depressed I cried until we got back together. What should I do?
GAY MARRIAGE

Through tears, she blesses her dads' marriage

Chelsea Montgomery-Duban wanted to invite people to see inside her family, so she posted a video on YouTube. There the 16-year-old shares, through laughter and tears, the speech she gave at the wedding altar of the men she refers to as ''Dad'' and ''Daddy.''
RELATIONSHIPS

Getting even with the ex never seems to work out

It's got to be frustrating. First the marriage breaks up. Then the ex-wife goes out and writes a memoir about the emotional aftermath and how she found a fabulous new life by eating, praying and loving.
MALE CALL

Lighten up, guys; she's just looking for a good time

Q: I'm right around 50, own my own home, divorced years ago, have my own business and am not really looking for a husband. In fact that's the last thing I want. But, I do enjoy male companionship and intimacy. The problem is, the men I meet all want to jump into a serious relationship. Any ideas on how to enjoy some casual dating without attracting marriage candidates?
FLORIDA LIVING

Casino regulars at the Hard Rock are lucky in love

They hit the slots on the Hard Rock's opening day, and they've kept pushing their luck almost every day since. But when it comes to love, they've already hit the jackpot.
MARRIAGES

What's love got to do with it?

Mark and Jenny Sanford won't stop talking. For weeks now, I've been wishing they would hush about his Argentine affair, her exit from the governor's mansion, their wary distance as they decide whether to reconcile.
MALE CALL

What I learned on my vacation

Q: I just came back from a trip to Mexico with my boyfriend of about a year. Before we left, I was thinking this might be THE guy, but this trip has raised some questions. We've always seemed compatible, from mutual interests to things we find funny.
RELATIONSHIPS

Force of (co)habit: Will it make or break a marriage?

Mingling finances and intertwining your lives makes it harder to break up than if you'd stayed at separate addresses.
POP CULTURE

Get out of my Face(book)

CNN listed the 12 worst types you meet on Facebook. Our favorite: The Maddening Obscurist, the person who tries to be vague and coy but ends up annoying. The CNN list is good as far as it goes, but there are a few types we'd like to add.
MALE CALL

Ex wanted an adventure

Q: My boyfriend and I recently broke up. His issues were typical -- wasn't ready for a long-term commitment, didn't want kids, etc. I don't necessarily like that, but I understand it. But one thing he said that caught me by surprise was that I'm not ''adventurous'' enough in bed. I didn't question it at the time, but now it's bothering me, because he never said anything about that when we were together.
RELATIONSHIPS

Best friends forever? Well, maybe not quite

Have you ever had a full-blown falling-out with your best friend -- the kind that involves arguing, ignoring each other and even taking time apart? It can feel like a bad break-up, according to relationship experts, some of whom said it can be worse than a romantic relationship gone wrong.
RELATIONSHIPS

Belts may be tightening, but clothes are coming off

Nina Ann Friedman laughed when she heard the phrase ``recession sex.'' But then she thought about it, and concluded that she and her husband are definitely having it. About four times a week.