Merry Christmas!

Happy holidays to all. I'm really glad I could have this day off to spend with those I love. Today I've baked a pumpkin pie, protein chocolate muffins, and finally made a Christmas cocktail to sit down and relax before dinner (roast beast and mashies). The drink is a Christmas Cranberry Coconut Mojito, and is very refreshing with a hint of Floridian holiday! All you'll need for one drink is 

- an ounce of Bacardi

- 1/4 ounce of Malibu rum

- handful of fresh or dried cranberries

- 1/2 of a lime

- fresh mint leaves (mine were picked fresh from my step moms garden!)

- agave nectar

- soda water

- ice

Put mint, lime, cranberries, both rums and agave in the bottom of a tall glass. Muddle together, twisting the muddler at the bottom to release oils from the mint. When you have sufficiently released all of the oils and juices, put ice in the cup, top with soda water and stir (or shake) gently. If you're shaking watch out for exploding shakers! Another good idea for the other half lime and remaining mint is to muddle it up alone in soda water and agave and pour the remaining into an ice cub tray. Then, whenever you're craving an easy Mojito, throw the ice cubes in a glass and top with rum and more soda water. As it melts it will become another delicious Mojito!

Delaying Sex

Have you ever entered a relationship that got very intimate very quickly, only to watch it crumble just as quickly a month or two later? This seems to be a recurring trend as more and more people become immersed in the “hooking up” culture. Hooking up seems to be everywhere – TV shows, the Internet, and blockbuster movies such as No Strings Attached and Knocked Up. But what does this seemingly innocent term really mean? Many people have different definitions, but in this context I am going to use Justin Garcia's definition of “brief uncommitted sexual encounters between individuals who are not romantic partners or dating each other.” In brief, it is physical relations without long-term commitment. And while many studies have found that this is perfectly healthy for both males and females to engage in, it raises the question what its effect on healthy relationships might be.

Why are couples engaging in sex early on more often than before? For one, I believe that the high sexuality used in media has an impact on individuals of all races, gender, and ages. We all know that sex sells, and those in charge of commercials, media, albums and movies may know that even better. Therefore we are seeing more highly sexed images, lyrics, and plots in our everyday life. The American Association of Pediatrics states that “casual sex and sexuality with no consequences [depicted in the media]” is running rampant. So when individuals are bombarded with this idea that casual sex is okay, and everyone is doing it, they are more likely to engage in it themselves. Besides, sex is fun and it makes you feel closer to your partner. Why not give it a try before you get too invested?

Well, not so fast. Many studies have found that there is a link between delaying sex and more stable relationships sprinkled with better communication and more trust. Which all makes sense, if you think about it. If you give yourself time to get to know a person before engaging in sex, you will be able to communicate what feels good to you (leading to better sex), and what you’re thinking and feeling (leading to more satisfying relationships) among other things. Unfortunately, the opposite seems to happen. Googling “talking to your partner about getting tested” comes up with many results on how embarrassing it is and how uncomfortable it can make both of you feel. While sex is an embarrassing subject for some people, I believe that if you are close enough to someone to let them please you sexually, it shouldn’t be too hard to talk to them about getting tested (or what it is that you like in bed, among other sexually charged topics.) And waiting to have sex with someone helps you increase your communication skills before you delve into the complicated relationship that having sex can sometimes create.

            It is also found that when couples have sex early on, the reward parts of their brain can keep them in relationships that they may not otherwise want to be in, according to Dean Busby, study researcher of Brigham Young University's School. People can experience a sort of sex haze, in which they think they are interested in someone as a sexual partner, but it is just due to the hormones that are released during sex. This can be problematic when couples are not otherwise compatible, but think that they really care about one another. Down the road it can lead to volatile breakups and emotional scarring. If you wait to have sex with someone, you can learn if you really like them as a person before all those hormones start to interfere.

Finally, it is an age-old fact that men like the chase more than they like anything else. If you make them work for the sex, they will value it a lot more because they worked so hard for it! (And no woman wants an easy man, either.) As a sidenote, this is not all to say that everyone should avoid casual sex. Not at all. If you want to have sex with someone because they turn you on, by all means go ahead. But if you like someone and see yourself being in a long term relationship with them, delaying sex may lead to a healthier and more satisfying relationship in the long run.

Nudes

The best guys to send nudes to are guys with girlfriends, cause they're definitely gonna delete that shit.

My friends keep asking if I've been smoking crack but I think I'm just in love.

Do me a favor

Do me a favor and DON'T tell me if my ex hook up is here. I'd rather my surprise at seeing him appear genuine, and then I don't become immediately self conscious and desperate looking. We may not even run into one another, and it saves me the heart attack. Thanks! Xo

Guy in the car next to me eating a Popsicle,

Don't be shy. Do your thing man no ones judging you.

.

I love how Brent booty calls me at five pm. Isn't there a time frame for that shit?