Close Friends? What's that?

Americans are more socially isolated than they were 20 years ago, separated by work, commuting and the single life, researchers reported recently.

Nearly a quarter of people surveyed said thay had 'zero' close friends with whom to discuss personal matters. "More than 50 per cent named two or fewer confidants, most often immediate family members," the researchers said.

"This is s big social change, and it indicates something that's not good for our society," said Duke University Professor Lynn Smith Lovin, lead author on the study to be published in the American Sociological Review.

Smith-Lovin's group used data from a national survey of 1,500 American adults that has been ongoing since 1972.

She said it indicated people had a surprising drop in the number of close friends since 1985. At that time, Americans are most commonly said thay had three close friends whom they had known for a long time, saw often, and with whom they shared a number of interests.

His Secret Desires!

Have you ever read a romance novel about a strong-willed woman who met a tough, 'dangerous' alpha-male man... and over the course of the story, she 'tamed' him and won him over... and made him fall completely and helplessly in love with her... to the point where he wanted to be with her forever?

We've all heard this one before... but does it ever happen in real life? The answer is 'yes'. Great guys get snagged all the time. Secretly, all men want to find a woman who gives them that 'forever' feeling, and when they do, they want to keep her all for themselves.

So how does this happen? How does a woman give a man that feeling that let him know she's the one? Well, most guys don't really think about this seriously. And even if they did, just as you don't want to have to tell a man how to turn you on, a man doesn't want to tell you how to make him fall in love with you. Like you, he just wants it to happen.

So, even though your man will never tell you or even hint at how you can completely capture his heart, you can bet he is secretly hoping you will do all the right things.

Make your man see you as his 'future' rather then just a 'casual partner'. Never waste time on a guy who wasn't up to your standards. Learn the art of handling conflicts, important situations, and 'the talk' that is very different from what most men are used to seeing.

Move It Right!

So you're all set to pop the question? Or asking her to move in with you? But are you ready for domesticity? There are some universally-accepted male things that women just can't stand. Here's a list to help you train yourself.

Give that remote a break

Just because there are 500 channels doesn't mean you have to surf through all of them in rapid succession. Women like to watch one thing at a time - and you can train them to watch two at best - so stop switching between sport highlights, a fashion channel and icky stuff on medical shows.

Save the hydrogen bombs

So you like to burp and taste it, not to mention the occasional fumigation aka passing wind. Flex your muscles, but remember it's a myth that women find bodily noises cute.

Aim, boy, aim

So you've been told to keep the toilet seat down? Not when you're taking a leak! Put the seat up, or do your job, put it back down.

Ten glasses for drinking water?

Just because you have enough crockery doesn't mean you use it all in one day. Want to count your eight glasses of water? If your girl has to do all the washing, do not use different glasses to do that. Stick to one.

Make the Moves!

You have known this man for years and now you have plan to move in with him. Living together? Sounds great, but what about the daily routine that you have been used to for years? Your mom might not have objected to pantyhose lying around everywhere, but your guy just might not like the idea. Keep these things in mind when you make that move.

No soaps please
Say goodbye to the neverending saas-bahu sagas of sacrifice and love. It's time you tune into sports and... more sports. All your fashion channels and tearjerker serials might have to take a back seat. No Opera or Desperate Housewives for you anymore. Get glued to sport shows and popcorn and beer.

...and let the slip not show
Your bra hanging loosely on the back of your door... your panty on the sofa... not any more. Fold them and keep them in, well, the drawers. Remember there's no place for undergarments on the bed. It's your altar of 'love'. Make good use of it.

Chitchatting... what's that?
Your hour-long sessions of girl talk might just have to come to an end. Rather indulge yourself in steamy sessions of romantic talk with your man. You don't have to ignore your friends completely, but the evenings you spent on chatting with your girlfriends will now be his. Bring your wild side to the fore.

Clean up the act!
So, you lived all your life like a princess? No dishwashing, no laundry... Or maybe a weekly load in the dishwasher and washing machine. But when you move in together, there's not only your stuff and his but home stuff as well. More linen, more dishes... and what's more, a budget too. So, gear up and plan how to balance it out.