Being Married Is Being Green

Mother Nature is happier when you're married. A new study shows that when a couple divorces, the two resultant households use 53% more electricity and 42% more water than the pre-divorce household. In addition to the added usage of energy resources, it also requires more houses and apartments. The study goes on to say that per household, one-person occupancies, are the largest consumers of energy.

Not that you needed an excuse to reconsider divorce if your mind has drifted in that direction, but Mother Nature will thank you. To read the full article, click here.

Why Flu In the Winter?

It's a question that's plagued scientists forever. Well, according to this article in the New York Times, researchers in New York believe they've discovered the reason why. You wanna know? Okay, we'll tell you. They say it has to do with the virus itself, saying it's more stable and stays in the air longer when air is cold and dry, the exact conditions for much of the flu season. Yep, sounds like winter to us.

Flu viruses are more stable in cold air, and low humidity also helps the virus particles remain in the air. That is because the viruses float in the air in little respiratory droplets, says Dr. Peter Palese, a flu researcher who is professor and chairman of the microbiology department at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and the lead author of the flu study. When the air is humid, those droplets pick up water, grow larger and fall to the ground.

To read the full NY Times article, click here.

Money, Sex and Love Survey

Elle and msnbc.com are asking people to participate in an anonymous survey. It's not a survey exclusively for married couples, but it does ask some interesting questions about satisfaction with your sex life and how money may be playing a role. It also asks a lot about the woman's role in money matters and how the man feels about it. The results don't come out until next March so we'll keep an eye on things and give you an update on the results when they're available. In the meantime, if you want your relationship and opinion to be represented in this survey, click here to take it yourself.

Holiday Tipping Tip Sheet

Kiplinger.com has put together a nice tip sheet on, well, tipping. We've broken out a couple of the tipping guidelines for you. If you want to read all of them, click here.

CLEANING PERSON
How much to tip: The cost of one visit if he or she visits weekly or bi-weekly, says protocol adviser Rosanne Thomas. Up the tip amount for a cleaning person who works more often.
Exceptions: If you use a cleaning service that works in a team, a box of chocolates for the team is customary.

HAIRSTYLIST
How much to tip: The normal cost of a visit for a stylist you've used all year.
Exceptions: If your stylist doubles as a confidante, include a small personal gift that speaks to his or her interests as well as a monetary gift. If you don't require as much attention from your stylist or barber, you may prefer to give only about $20 as a tip during your December visit.

PERSONAL TRAINER
How much to tip: $50.
Exceptions: The key question to ask yourself is whether you have an ongoing, above-average relationship with the professional, says etiquette expert Charlotte Ford. Tip at year end if you feel you've gotten above-average service year-round.

BABY SITTER
How much to tip: Nanny or au pair -- one week's pay and a small gift from the child; regular sitter -- one to two nights' pay; day-care provider -- $25 to $70.
Exceptions: Only give a holiday tip if you've frequently used the sitter during the year or you had to call on them in an 11th hour emergency, advises Thomas Blaikie, etiquette expert and author of "To the Manner Born."

Married Couples Greener Than Single Households

This one might be filed under the "no duh" category, but married households (I'd like to add that it would only make since that cohabitating couples would be included in this) use 53% less electricity and 42% less water than when the couple divorces and lives separately. This story (click here) says per capita, one-person households are the biggest consumers of energy, land and household goods, consuming 38% more products, 42% more packaging, and 61% more gas.

Just curious, do you do things around your house in an effort to be more green?

Santa Coming to Town--For Only Microseconds

Anders Larsson of the engineering consultancy Sweco told AFP that Santa Clause would have to travel 3,604 miles per second in order to jump from house to house to deliver one gift to every child on earth. He would have 48 hours to complete his journey touching on the estimated 2.5 billion homes. Did we mention this would include his cookie breaks too? To accomplish this feat, "he has 34 microseconds at each stop," says Larsson, to slide down the chimney, drop off the presents, nibble on his cookies and milk and hop back on his sleigh. Larsson also says Santa must live in Kyrgyzstan in order to accomplish this feat. You can ready the entire article here.

Best Games of 2007

Looking for that perfect household gift? Games are always a good play. About.com listed their top games for 2007. We'll spill the beans on five:

Cranium Wow - sculpt, draw, act and answer your way to victory. This is an update on the already best-selling game.

Luck of the Draw from Gamewright - In this one you draw something based on a subject card that you pull from a stack. Other players vote on which category, among 100 different categories such as neatest, tallest or prettiest drawing, fits the drawing. Not sure exactly how you win the game though. If you've played this, let us know.

Hot Spot from ThinkFun - The game pieces are built like robots that can only move in a straight line. The goal is to get the red robot to the “hot spot” which is the red spot on one corner of the board. There are other blue and yellow robots that the robot can jump over to get to his goal. You have to figure out the most economical way to get to the Hot Spot.

I Spy Eagle Eye Game from Briarpatch - In this one, match one of the objects from the cards in your hand to the ones on the game board. Whoever finds an object first rings the bell and wins the round.

WonderChess and WonderGo - Like chess? What if the chess pieces had prizes in them. That's basically what this is. You can stuff whatever you want inside the chess pieces (as long as they fit) and the person that captures the piece gets the additional prize.

If you have another game you think we should know about, let us know.

"The 12 Days of Christmas"... Not So Cheap

Think you could afford the cost of the 364 items in the holiday song " The 12 Days of Christmas"? Not unless you have $78,100 dollars to spend. Research conducted by PNC Wealth Management says the prices are up 4 percent from last year. "What's really surprising is that our index follows overall Consumer Price Index trends," Rebekah McCahan, a PNC senior vice president, says in a news release. "To think that the cost of a partridge in a pear tree would mirror what's going on at Target, for example, is pretty interesting." Here is a breakdown of the list:

Partridge, $15
Pear Tree, $150
Two Turtle Doves, $40
Three French Hens, $45
Four Calling Birds (canaries), $600
Five Gold Rings, $395
Six Geese a-Laying, $360
Seven Swans a-Swimming, $4,200
Eight Maids a-Milking, $47
Nine Ladies Dancing (per performance), $4,759
10 Lords a-Leaping (per performance), $4,285
11 Pipers Piping (per performance), $2,213
12 Drummers Drumming (per performance), $2,398

Merry Christmas, Right?

Eco Shopping Festival

Tis the season to be green, right? At the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium (California) between December 15th and 16th visitors can check out the best of what's eco-friendly. General admission is $10 and the exhibitor list is long. The big sponsors of the event are Whole Foods and L.A. Times. Some of the exhibitors include Airborne, Hoopnotica, Lazy Dog Designs and many more. This might be a great event to attend if you're in the Southern California area and you're looking for the perfect gift for a family member or spouse who keeps a constant eye on the environment.

Click here for all the details.

In The Spirit of Thanksgiving: Wine TV

Hey everyone, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd pass along a really fun and informative wine video blog I've been watching for the past several weeks. The host of the show is Gary Vaynerchuk or Vay-ner-chuk, director of operations at the Wine Library. Amazingly, Gary produces a new video blog every day! The videos are always entertaining and his descriptions of the smell and taste are vivid and encompassing. When Gary's done describing a wine, there's no doubt you'll know what you're getting when you pick up that bottle. Gary's never short of NY Jets references in his quest to build his army of Vaniacs to change the wine world. --Steve

One Mom's Quest to Boycott China

With all the China toy recalls that have happened, from products having lead in them to date-raped drugs, one mom decided that she'd had enough and made a quest to boycott products made from China. Eve Tahmincioglu, an MSNBC contributing writer began checking the labeling on all goods she purchased. She was shocked at how few options she had when boycotting China manufactured products. Tahmincioglu retells a story of how proud she was when she found a Yahtzee game that was made in the USA. When she brought it home, her husband looked at the package and read out loud: “Made in USA with dice made in China.” This wasn't the breaking point. She continued her quest and spoke with various efforts about what she was doing to see if they had any tips. In the end, she had to concede that it just wasn't going to happen.

You can read her full tale on MSNBC.com--it's only two pages and well worth it.

Woman Sues Husband for Share of Lottery Winnings

In my most recent Editor's Note (only found in the newsletter, by the way) I mentioned the results of our recent polls. One revealed that 83 percent of our readers have thought their spouse was cheating on them at one time. I find this statistic startling. In Florida, one woman was right--kind of. Donna Campbell is suing her husband Arnim because he won a cut of $10 million dollars in Florida's Lottery and never told her about it. Now, Donna cant find him to deliver the suit papers. Donna became suspicious when Arnim disconnected the phone and kept turning off the TV. She got more curious when she found out that he had purchased another home. She went online and that's when she found out that he had won.

What's the biggest secret you've kept from your spouse? Read the whole story here.

Love and Marriage

Have a happy Friday everyone!

A Lotta Love Letters

Patricia, 60, and Alton Hassell, 62, have been married for nearly 40 years. For the last 28 years, they've been writing each other love letters--every day! They met at Baylor and married before their senior year in 1968, according to the Waco Tribune-Herald. They would write love letters off and on to each other until 1980, when Alton decided they should up the ante and commit to a daily practice of it. Patricia was eight months pregnant and already looking after their 2-year-old thought that kind of commitment was perhaps a bit too much. The notebooks that they've written their letters in now weight more than 100 pounds. That's a lotta love. Every night before bed, they write their letters, exchange them, then discuss them. They say it's helped them keep the lines of communication open, through the good times and not so good.

When was the last time you wrote your spouse a love letter?

The World Believes In Marriage

A survey by ACNielsen, which got responses from over 25,000 consumers who were polled online in 46 countries last December revealed their views on love, romance and marriage. "Seventy percent of people surveyed say that marriage is for life (with American consumers topping the list at 78 percent) and three out of five (60 percent) saying that marriage is one of their lifetime goals," said Patrick Dodd, President, ACNielsen, Europe. Another surprising result is that in the U.S., more men than women believed that marriage is for life and relevant in today's society.

The study goes on to give highlighted results from various countries, some surprising, some not. To view all the highlights, click here.

The Orgasmic Diet

I know, I thought it was a daily dose of In-N-Out Double Doubles, animal style (it's a west coast thing), but it's not. Marrena Lindberg is a diet & fitness coach on AOL and also the author of "The Orgasmic Diet," a nutrition and exercise program designed to regulate a woman's brain chemistry and body functioning and bring her to mind-blowing orgasm. Here's a little taste of what her book has to offer:

Women on a typical high-carb, high-fat diet are literally starving for dopamine, the "feel good" neurotransmitter, hormone and key to all things sensual. Now you're thinking, How do I get my hands on that stuff? Fish oil supplements. Take 500 mg or more with the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA daily.

...Researchers have shown that women who eat a small amount of high-quality dark chocolate every day have better sex lives. Dark chocolate contains chemical compounds that mimic the chemistry produced by that I'm-in-love feeling.

That was a nice little tidbit. So what do you think? If your body only performs as well as the fuel you put into it, it makes sense that it would affect your sex drive. Do you have a "sexual" diet you adhere when trying to get in the mood or improve performance?

Movies That Make Men Cry

What movies make men cry? Are neighbors up north at CTV.ca have put together a list of 25 movie moments that are likely to get the waterworks going on the toughest of chaps. Did they leave any movies or moments off this list? Guys, do you cry during movies (wives, you can tell us if they're not being honest). Click here to go to the message board and talk about it in the entertainment thread. CTV.ca (click here) goes into greater depth of each moment, we're just going to list the movies below. Without further adieu....

- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
- Rudy
- Godfather II
- Dead Poet's Society
- Top Gun
- Braveheart
- The Deerhunter
- E.T.
- The Elephant Man
- Saving Private Ryan
- Field of Dreams
- Rocky IV
- Good Will Hunting
- Mr Smith goes to Washington
- Platoon
- Rain Man
- Star Wars
- The Shawshank Redemption
- On the Waterfront
- One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest
- Midnight Cowboy
- 'Little Caesar
- Gangs of New York
- Boyz 'N the Hood
- Major League

Whatever Happened to Commitment?

Okay, I realize this is a car commercial, but it touches on a painful truth in today's society. Obviously not everyone, but many people out there have forgotten that commitment isn't just a thing of convenience, but a vow through good times and bad. This commercial puts it in your face. Kudos.

Ok To Look?

An article by Men's Health, asks the question if a wandering eye means infidelity is around the corner? Their answer was no. But they did offer rules of catching a peek. Their first rule is to admit when they're taking a look. They do mention, however, that men shouldn't overdo any compliment about another woman. Their second rule takes a look at the glancers history. Is this how he picked you up? If so, then maybe it's something you should worry about. Their final blurb says that sometimes, men just take a glance at the action in their environment and are not necessarily checking out a particular woman. Unfortunately this advice goes sour in the closing paragraph when the author says, "And a woman who tries to squelch that right with paranoid accusations might actually provoke her man to follow up one of those glances with action."

Okay, a little slack since the audience of Men's Health isn't directly targeting married couples. But if you're on a date whether single or married and the man you're with does what this author suggests, that guy has serious character issues. These stereotypes are tired and guys should be given more credit.

Click here to read the full article.

Diamond In The Rough

What would you say to your wife if you accidentally threw away a 4.38 carat diamond? Probably nothing, considering it's probably twice the size as the one on her finger.

In 1972 Crater of Diamonds State Park opened to the public-the only public mining site in the world. Chad Johnson, 36, was digging and sifting on a Saturday when he unearthed the tea-colored gem. Unaware and thinking it was a rock, he put his equipment away in a locker. When he returned a few days later he took a closer look and saw that the rock was, in fact, a diamond. Johnson's find is the second-largest diamond uncovered at the park this year. In June, a Louisiana man found a 4.8-carat stone. More than 700 diamonds have been found there this year. Sounds like a great date spot nonetheless.

Breast Milk Boosts IQ

Two new studies reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that say babies who are breast fed and carry a particular gene get an IQ boost. The two studies of breast-fed infants involved more than 3,000 children in Britain and New Zealand. The average increase was nearly 7 IQ points if the children had a particular version of a gene called FADS2.

"Our findings support the idea that the nutritional content of breast milk accounts for the differences seen in human IQ," said Terrie Moffitt, a professor of psychological and brain sciences in Duke University's Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy. "But it's not a simple all-or-none connection: it depends to some extent on the genetic makeup of each infant."

In the end, the study says that the argument of nature versus nurture has a result that both benefit the growth of children.

TasteBook

During the holiday season it's very common to stumble upon a great recipe and immediately want to print it out and share with all your friends. Another scenario is friends and relatives asking you to make that same great dish you make every year. Have we come across a great gift option for you. TasteBook is a new site that launched with the help of CondeNet and Epicurious. This site allows you to take saved recipes, bundle them together and print out your very own cookbook. You can pick from over 20,000 recipes from Epicurious, which also includes recipes from Bon Appetit magazine and Gourmet magazine. Each book comes with 100 recipes, but because this hardcover book is constructed with a spiral-like notebook inside, you can start with say 30 recipes and add the other 70 to your book as you find them later. You can also share and e-mail your recipes to friends. A book with 100 recipes is $34.95.

Living Separately

According to 2006 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 3.8 million married couples who don’t reside under the same roof. This article from Self and featured on MSNBC, profiles a couple who have been married for 14 years, but not in the same home--ever. We interviewed a couple a while back where the wife Julie Harrington lives in California and her husband Ahmed Mohammed lives in the United Arab Emirates. You can read their article here. What do you think? Would you ever live separately from your spouse?

Processed Meat Boosts Cancer Risk

A five year report by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund conducted by an international panel of experts reviewing more than 7,000 subjects found that excess body fat increases the risk of cancer of the colon, kidney, pancreas, esophagus and uterus as well as postmenopausal breast cancer. Moreover, the report linked processed meat to cancer. Particularly, every 1.7 ounces of processed meat consumed a day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 21%. The article from USA Today suggests there could be several reasons why processed meats may increase cancer risk. Carcinogens have been linked to smoked meat and the nitrates and excess salt in processed meats. Basically they recommend that you don't eat hot dogs or pepperoni pizza every day, but that the occasional steak won't kill you. The full report can be found at www.dietandcancerreport.org

The Five Year Itch

This website (TopNews.in) says that scientists in the U.S., Russia and Scandinavia have determined that the honeymoon period in relationships lasts less than five years. They say that if a married couple makes it to their fifth wedding anniversary then they're much more likely to make it over the long haul. Though this article doesn't offer references, it does give reasoning to this timeframe. They say it's because couples are typically going through life changes in the first five years of marriage, such as finishing education, bearing children or establishing a career. It also makes sense, then, that the article says couples who marry later also have a better survival rate.

Will Your Marriage Last?

We've quoted this statistic before (click here), but it's worth repeating. Dr. John Gottman, University of Washington emeritus psychology professor says that 69 percent of couples are not compatible. That's astounding. Perhaps a credit to the institution of marriage is that divorce rates aren't that high, which means there are many, many couples out there who are making it work.

With that said, Dr. Gottman has developed a calculus equation that is able to tell within a 94 percent accuracy if a relationship will survive. Again, this isn't a new study, but it's worth putting out there. Furthermore, the equation will also calculate when the relationship will fail if it's heading that way. Dr. Gottman monitored 700 couples for 14 years and was able to run his calculation after watching only a 15-minute video tape of the couple's interactions. What was important was not what was said, but how it was said. This article (click here) breaks down how the study is scored goes into greater detail.

Wanna i-SOBOT?

It could be the hottest toy this holiday season, or it could fail miserably. One thing is for sure - the i-SOBOT looks pretty cool. The 6.5-inch, bipedal mechanical creature has attracted the eyes of many internet websites, blogs and popular gadget sites like Gizmodo and Engadget. The Robot even has a Myspace page with more than 160 friends. If Junior or - I'm guessing - the the men of the house want one, it's going to set you back around $300. The i-SOBOT can perform 200 actions, with some you can view here. Tomy Corp. sells the robot at amazon.com, e-toys and in Sharper Image stores. However, we're still not guaranteeing you will be the cool one on the block, though you will own 6.5-inches of expensive plastic.

What's Your Halloween Candy Personality?

We've probably gone a little overboard with all this Halloween coverage. But since we've already gone overboard, one more story can't hurt, right? The Washington Post has put together a personality sheet based on the candy you purchase. Here's a breakdown of some candy personality descriptions.

3 Musketeers: Does well in groups but is somewhat pompous. Prone to fancy costumes and arcane weapons. Wears hats in public that are ill-advised.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: Generous souls. Those who understand the salty in life, as well as the sweet.

Twizzlers: Sickos. Truly demented. Plastic people living plastic lives.

Twix: Both brittle and supple in social situations; sort of trapped between personality types.

For the full rundown click here.

Marriage Makes You Fat

Obesity researcher, Penny Gordon-Larsen says that recently married men and women in their late teens and early 20s gain more weight on average over five years than their single counterparts in the same age group. A typical married man packs on 30 pounds during that period, compared to the 24 pounds by non-marrieds. Married women add 24 pounds, compared to the 15 pounds of their single counterparts. Nearly 8,000 married couples were surveyed. Experts in Canada's Times Colonist say that the reason for the added pounds is because of changed routines--bigger meals, less time to exercise, etc. It also says that we typically bond with others who have similar habits, so we you plump up, you can bet your spouse will too.

First Wives Club

California's "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger may be a big guy and make big movies, but it's his wife Maria Shriver who was behind a record-setting conference on women this past Tuesday in Long Beach, California. Fourteen thousand women, and a few men, gathered to discuss the environment, the economy, volunteerism, family and soul. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman interviewed the likes of former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus to name a few. Friedman remarked that his wife asked him to please not embarrass her. The highlight of the conference came when Shriver interviewed the wives of the presidential candidates (Bill Clinton could not make the conference). During the question and answer, Shriver asked the women if they think there husbands would put their lives on hold as they had. Both the Republican and Democratic wives in an uncommon state of agreement responded with no answer at all. Guess there's a first for everything.

Right Brain or Left Brain

Which way is she spinning? If you think she's spinning clockwise, your right brained, if you see her spinning counter clockwise, then you're left brained, according to the Herald Sun in Australia. This might be fun to do with your spouse and compare your results. Here's what left and right brain mean:

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

The Trials of Same Sport Couples

The outcome of a marriage for career oriented couples is somewhere in the middle; if you have the same goals and outlook, the marriage will flourish, but if one wants kids and the other doesn't, for instance, the marriage could take a turn for the worst. The same scenarios ring true for athletic couples who compete in the same sport. On November 3 in New York, some wives will be biting their nails as they watch their husbands run in the United States men's marathon trials for a spot on the US Olympic Team.
New York Times reporter Aimee Berg has written a wonderful story showing you the trials and tribulations of just a few of the couples who have competitive careers. Check it out here

Saving Marriage, A National Priority

Editor's Note: Being that hitched is based in Southern California and ash is literally falling around us, we want to acknowledge that this post is not intended to diminish the state of emergency that California is in. As such, here's a link to numerous resources, including Red Cross information by county.

Saying that, Roland S. Martin of CNN wrote a column the other day stating that this country has declared everything from drugs, violence, HIV/AIDS, and guns a national priority. He wonders why marriage has not made that list. He was struck with this thought after watching "Why Did I Get Married?" Here's a little bit from his column:

I strongly believe that for too many of us, we've accepted the notion that marriage will be perfect; that we won't endure trials and tribulations. But that isn't true. In fact, where is that ever true than in someone's fantasy life? What's amazing to me is that when faced with difficulty on the job, so many of us will buckle down and work harder to prove ourselves worthy to keep that job. But at home, we'd rather leave, even if that means putting our kids through a divorce.

His column gets you thinking. You can read it in full here.

Hilary Said Saving Marriage Was Right Choice

In a recent interview with Essence magazine, Hilary Clinton said her marriage was worth investing in, but also remarked it isn't a decision for everybody. The 2008 presidential candidate tells the magazine, "I know the truth of my life and of my marriage, my relationship and partnership, my deep abiding friendship with my husband. It's been enormously supportive to me through most of my life. Now obviously we've had challenges as everybody in the world knows. But I never doubted that it was a marriage worth investing in even in the midst of those challenges and I'm really happy that I made that decision." She went on to say, "I think it's so important for women to stand up for the right of women to make a decision that is best for them." A poll released today by the Los Angeles Times and Bloomberg confirms that 30 percent of voters agree that Clinton did the right thing in remaining in her marriage to Bill Clinton "after finding out that he had an external affair." 16 percent said it was the wrong choice and 34% said it was neither right nor wrong.

We would love to know what you think about this. Please visit the hitchedmag.com message board here and join in on the discussion.

Put Some Broccoli On

It was something that you were always told to do. But few, if any, of us did. Researches have discovered that broccoli, among many other great things that vegetables do, can help reduce the redness and inflammation caused by sun damage and reduce the risk of skin cancer. In the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, lead study author Dr. Paul Talalay said the extract of the broccoli sprout boosts the protective systems of the cell to counteract the damage caused by ultraviolet radiation. The extract showed a 37 percent reduction in redness and inflammation caused by UV rays and lasted days after the broccoli extract was washed away. It's suffice to mention the broccoli extract does not act as a sunscreen, which unlike sunscreen, the extract does not absorb UV light, and Talalay stresses that people not replace their sunscreen. Perhaps the two will marry into the ultimate sun protection for you and your spouse's skin.

The Meaning of Flowers

Whether we're celebrating an anniversary or trying to make up, we give flowers to show that we care. But are the flowers you bring home really saying that you care? About.com breaks down an impressive list of flowers and what they mean. Here are just a few examples:

ALSTROMERIA: Wealth, prosperity, fortune.
ARBUTUS: Thee only do I love.
CARNATION: Fascination, distinction, divine love, woman, yes. Also the birthflower for January.
CHRYSANTHEMUM, WHITE: Truth, loyal love.
GLOXINA: Love at first sight.
HIBISCUS: Delicate beauty.
HYACINTH, RED OR PINK: Play.
JASMINE, SPANISH: Sensuality.
PRIMROSE: I can't live without you.
ROSE, BURGUNDY: Beauty within.
SALAL: Zest.
ZINNIA, WHITE: Goodness.

Read the full list here.

Just In Time For Halloween

Like the kids, nearly every adult likes to get dressed up during Halloween. From elaborate costumes to the just plain silly here is a run down of some costumes that may inspire you to get and your honey into the Halloween spirit from costumetribute.com

Wife Doesn't Want to Have Sex

I was cruising around the web the other day and found this article on Today. It's of a husband writing in expressing his frustration because his wife doesn't want to have sex and he's always the initiator. Dr. Gail Saltz was the expert columnist who responded and I think she did a very good job of taking the matter serious. She basically told him that his need for a sex life could drive a huge wedge between the two of them. After reading this, I thought, we can help! Our very own Dr. Trina Read wrote an article that offers tips for couples to initiate sex equally. It's titled aptly enough, "Initiating Sex." I know, we're clever. To read the Today article, click here. To read Dr. Read's article, click here.

Married To A Workaholic

It's one thing to be a hard worker, but it's another thing to be a workaholic. If you're married to a workaholic or if you are a workaholic, Forbes.com has some great tips to help you achieve balance in your marriage. There are two tips they offer that I think are particularly good. First, if your workaholic spouse has a structured work day, be sure to schedule in some relationship time and make them keep their appointment. Another tip they offer is to be sure and keep up with the regular date nights. We couldn't agree more--that's why we offer new date ideas every week in the "sex" section of the website! Check out this week's tips on picking the right Halloween party.

Are you married to a workaholic? Shoot us a note, we'd like to hear your story. Or go onto our message board and share your story with others.

Also, be sure to check out the "10 Ways To Survive A Workaholic Spouse" slideshow in the Forbes.com article.

Chocolate Cravings Explained

You might need a glass of milk to read this post. New research by Nestle (yes, that Nestle) say they may have figured out why some people crave chocolate. It's a gut thing. Or to be specific, it's caused by the type of bacteria inside your stomach. A group of 11 non-chocolate craving men and 11 chocolate loving men were tested. Perhaps the most interesting finding was that the men who ate chocolate had lower levels of LD (bad cholesterol). As if we needed another excuse to each chocolate. Read the full article here.

Husband to Donate Kidney to Wife

In Foster Kentucky, Candy Brown-Flora is about to get a little closer to her husband Steve. Flora suffers from a genetic condition called IgA nephropathy and currently requires dialysis six days a week. She was told that she needed a kidney transplant, but that it could take up to four or five years before she found a match. Her husband Steve, is not a match, but he's close. Flora saw a show on the Discovery channel (see TV is good for you), where they highlighted John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore. They discussed a program where Flora would be able to accept Steve's kidney. The couple, along wih friends and family are currently doing fundraisers to try and handle the medical bills. Read the full article here.

Why Poker Night and Golf Are Good For You

Guys hanging out with their boys is not just good times, but good for the heart--literally. According to a report from Healthiernews.com, a group of Sweedish researchers conducted a 15 year study with the results showing that guys with the greatest amount of social interaction — contact with many friends they saw on a regular basis — were less than half as likely to have heart disease, when all other factors being equal (smoking, weight, job-related stress, etc.). The research also showed that men who showed deep emotional attachment to their friends were only 58% as likely to develop heart disease as their loner counterparts.

So there you go guys, if you need an argument to go golf this weekend, you can tell your wife that you're doing it for your health.

Study Says Negativity In Marriage May Cause Heart Disease

It's time to get positive in your relationship. A new study, conducted by Roberto De Vogli, PhD and a researcher for the study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, says that couples and close friendships marked by negativity, such as conflict and adverse exchanges, boost the risk of heart disease. 9,011 British civil servants were asked to complete a questionnaire either between 1989 and 1990 or 1985 and 1988. They answered questions about up to four of their close personal relationships, but mostly about their primary relationship. De Vogli and other researchers suspect that people may mentally "replay" the negative interactions. "It can activate emotional responses, including depression or hostility," De Vogli says, in turn boosting heart disease risk. We at hitchedmag.com have strived to keep couples entertained, educated and inspired. Although studies like these aren't the most positive look at marriage, we feel it necessary to inform our readers, as well as offer tips and expert advice so they can make positive changes in their marriages and in life.

4 Foods to Fight Breast Cancer

Just about everywhere you turn right now, you're seeing pink. Why? It's breast cancer awareness month. Self magazine has an article on Yahoo! Health that discusses four foods that have been clinically shown to fight breast cancer, and a few that may increase your risk. For the foods that fight! Fish, cruciferous vegetables (Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are good choices), berries, and whole grains (the article says to shoot for 25 grams per day). For the items to avoid, this article says overeating read meat, and two alcoholic drinks a day. Get all the details here.

Coming Clean With Your Partner

Ruth Hayden, author of "For Richer, Not Poorer: The Money Book for Couples" says that couples should always divulge their financial information to their partner, because the truth of the matter will always rear its head at the wrong time. In the book she reminds couples that, "You're more than money-there are so many more facets to a relationship. Plus, everyone has some kind of a downside. And money baggage is easier to deal with than others." For more click here

Spouses Are Copycats

Do you have poor health habits? Well, it's very likely that your spouse does too. The same goes if you decide to start dieting and exercising. You see, new research suggests that spouses are copycats. Researchers examined more than 6,000 individuals who participated in the Health and Retirement Study, which has followed the health of 20,000 Americans over the age of 50 since 1992. The researchers found that smokers were five times more likely to give up cigarettes if their spouse had quit, the same applied to drinking.

What do you think? Do you and your spouse have the same health habits? Read the full article here.

Tips Before Tying the Knot

At the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Services, couples are taking steps to try and bolster healthy unions. The two day, six hour course titled "Before You Tie The Knot" looks to raise awareness of why some marriages last and some don't. The research-based program applies to all people of all backgrounds, which has been a problem in the past with other programs that are religion-based. What are your feelings on this? We'd like to know if you and your spouse have ever participated in something like this. Did it work? Do you wish you had participated? Discuss this and more on the message board here in our "Just Married" section.

The Truth, The Whole Truth

Remember that Census data that came out a few weeks back? Newspapers around the country quickly snatched it up and ran with it proclaiming the doom and gloom realities of marriage. Fortunately, Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers, Op-Ed writers for the NY Times decided to dig a little deeper into the numbers and found some interesting misconceptions. In the article they clarify:

The Census Bureau reported that slightly more than half of all marriages occurring between 1975 and 1979 had not made it to their 25th anniversary. This breakup rate is not only alarmingly high, but also represents a rise of about 8 percent when compared with those marriages occurring in the preceding five-year period.

But here's the rub: The census data come from a survey conducted in mid-2004, and at that time, it had not yet been 25 years since the wedding day of around 1 in 10 of those whose marriages they surveyed. And if your wedding was in late 1979, it was simply impossible to have celebrated a 25th anniversary when asked about your marriage in mid-2004.

Man, how numbers can dance. The great news is that marriage, while declining in number according to the data is as strong as ever. Marriages lasting past 10 years in the 90s were at a greater rate than in the 80s, and subsequently were greater than in the 70s.

Honey, You're Killing Me

Couples will joke around how their spouse will talk them to death. Well, a new study that's written about in the NY Times (registration required) suggests that the way a couple argues could substantially damage their health. Two factors played a role in health. The first is bottling up feelings to avoid an argument. According to the study, this seemed to only affect women. The second major factor was the manner in which a couple argues. By watching video, researchers were able to tell who was more likely to have heart disease based on the style of arguing. For women, their health was affected based on how warm or hostile an argument was. For men, the tone didn't matter, what affected them was if the argument was a control issue.

What's really amazing about this study was that the style of argument was as much of a factor for heart disease as smoking or high cholesterol according to Timothy W. Smith, a psychology professor at the University of Utah, who presented the study last year to the American Psychosomatic Society. The lesson here: be nice to each other and don't bottle things up.

Young Marriage Worked For GOP Hopeful

It's not too often when a couple gets married in their teens that it will have any chance of lasting; attitudes, goals, ambitions and a slew of other individual feelings set in, ultimately breaking the couple apart as they enter adulthood. But not for GOP presidential hopeful Fred Thompson. He married his then pregnant girlfriend Sarah Lindsey at 17. It's was reported that Thompson was not a very serious student during his high school days, but when his girlfriend told him she was pregnant, Thompson stepped up to the plate, working three jobs and eventually becoming a lawyer representing Tennessee in the U.S. Senate. For more on this amazing story of young love, visit United Press International here

Message In a Bottle

On August 18 of this year, Melody Kloska and Matt Behrs were married on a Lake Michigan beach. To seal their vows, they wrote them, stuck them in a bottle and tossed the bottle into Lake Michigan. A few weeks later, the bottle was discovered on the other side of the lake sticking out of the sand. Lynnette Dubendorf of Mears, Mich. found the bottle while picking up litter off the beach. She opened it, read the vows and realized an amazing coincidence. Her and her husband Fred, were also married on a beach at Lake Michigan and on the exact same day 28 years prior. Lynnette first thought about ignoring the letter, afraid others would toss items into the late and pollute it, but then decided the newly married couple would like to know. Read the full article on Yahoo! here.

DVR Could Save Your Favorite Show

Nielsen Ratings, a system developed by Nielsen Media Research to determine the audience size and composition of television programming, has begun to include into their stats shows that have been recorded on a persons Digital Video Recorder (DVR) up to three days after the original airing of the show. A true blessing for some of you I'm sure considering you might like a show, but it doesn't quite fit into your spouses TV-watching schedule. Naturally, it will also give more popular shows a boost as well. Studio execs will now be able to take into account those viewers who playback their shows, giving them the power to order, keep or cut a show. click here

Why Do Women Worry More Than Men?

Two new studies indicate there's an answer. There conclusion is that women are more likely than men to believe that past experiences accurately forecast the future. The research, involving both 3- to 6-year-olds and adults of both genders, tested how worried they were that a bad event that took place in the past could happen again in the future. The findings of these studies appeared in the Sept./Oct. issue of the journal Child Development. Furthermore, these studies found that children increasingly made these kinds of past-to-future connections as they got older, which yields insight into their cognitive development.