After being married for 13 years to wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, actor Will Smith seems like he would be a good person to sit down and talk with about how to make a healthy marriage work. He recently spoke with Essence about relationships, schooling us on not only on love and marriage, but what men need to be happy.
He says that every man wants to marry their “homie,” avoid nagging by direct affection, give your man a little space, and keep things mysterious. Take a read below.
I am big fan of Astrology and LOVE =) I found this article very interesting and it makes good points about how our world has been for the past 14 years based on the Neptune-Aquarius relationship. Take a read below!
This spring, on April 4, Neptune moves into Pisces, ushering in a new era of enchanting, extravagant romance. Neptune changes signs once every 14 years, so this is a major shift. Here’s what it means for you:
Romance. Neptune is a highly romantic sign, so during this era true love will be your supreme motivating force. We’re not talking about practical love, focused on finding the right provider — Neptune’s love is the wild, passionate love that so many women fantasize about.
A return to the “real.” For the past 14 years Neptune has been in techy, intellectual Aquarius, which helped bring about the digital revolution but had some unfortunate side effects. As the ruler of delusion and illusion, Neptune in Pisces blurred the lines between our true selves and our digital selves. Think reality TV, auto-tuned musical acts and Internet-only friendships. Technology can certainly enhance our relationships, but isn’t it better to love in person and get your heart broken than to send text messages to a faceless beau? Neptune loves the pain and passion of true love and true experience; we only live once, so it’s best to do so with all our heart.
A cultural renaissance. Neptune and Pisces are both creative and artistic, so look for a complete renaissance in the arts, especially in the realm of film and photography, which are ruled by Neptune.
The triumph of the heart over the mind. Neptune in Pisces will be all about making choices and navigating life through intuition. We’ll stop seeing feelings as a result of psychology and start viewing them as expressions of and guides to our own unique souls. When searching for a love partner, throw away the checklists and follow your heart.
Life and love without judgment. This is the era of risktaking, so embrace your passionate side and don’t think about what you “should” be doing. Those who are willing to take chances, who live and love with all of their souls—those are the ones who will lead the most fulfilling, passionate lives.
Source: MSN
Forgot to de-friend your wife on Facebook while posting vacation shots of your mistress? Her divorce lawyer will be thrilled.
Oversharing on social networks has led to an overabundance of evidence in divorce cases. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers says 81 percent of its members have used or faced evidence plucked from Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social networking sites, including YouTube and LinkedIn, over the last five years.
“Oh, I’ve had some fun ones,” said Linda Lea Viken, president-elect of the 1,600-member group. “It’s very, very common in my new cases.”
Facebook is the unrivaled leader for turning virtual reality into real-life divorce drama, Viken said.
About one in five adults uses Facebook for flirting, according to a 2008 report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. But it’s not just kissy pix with the manstress or mistress that show up as evidence. Think of Dad forcing son to de-friend mom, bolstering her alienation of affection claim against him.
“This sort of evidence has gone from nothing to a large percentage of my cases coming in, and it’s pretty darn easy,” Viken said. “It’s like, ‘Are you kidding me?”’
Divorce attorneys spoke in broad terms about some of the goofs they’ve encountered:
Source: Herald Net
That’s CRAZY! But why I am I not surprised?? I’m not even a lawyer and I can pick up on flirty/potentially cheating evidence through my own FB Account! I see guys listed as “in a relationship” flirting with women ALL THE TIME. Even the guys that post up kissy face pics of their woman! Ladies, you are not innocent either … just a little more discrete!
I found an interesting article in the Tribune today which shows a correlation between romantic relationships and drug and alcohol use. Prior to this article, I had realized that people who are in stable relationships lead more sober lives versus the single man/woman. I believe if you are in a stable relationship, you tend to be more focused on how to improve your own life. When you’re in love, you’re HAPPY. If it is a loving relationship, you definitely would not want to risk losing the other person over something recreational like drugs or booze. There was an actual study performed about this … take a read below!
Marriage usually helps stabilize behavior, with people less likely to use drugs and drink once wedded. The same appears to be true of young adults in romantic relationships, a new study has found.
Researchers examined surveys of 909 people who were followed beginning in first or second grade up through two years after high school. They found
the typical person of age 19 or 20 who was not in a stable relationship were about 40% more likely to use marijuana and drink heavily compared with someone who was in a relationship. 
The researchers controlled for other factors that affect drinking and drug use, such as employment status. The people who were not in relationships were less likely than their dating peers to have used marijuana or alcohol in high school, however.
“For these individuals, the new freedoms of early adulthood and lack of social control from a partner posed the greatest risks in terms of escalation of substance use,” the authors wrote.
It could be that young people in relationships are getting support from their romantic partner that helps them avoid substances or that they are spending less time hanging out with substance-abusing friends or in bars.
“Even dating relationships activate mechanisms of support and control, although to a lesser extent than more serious relationship statuses of cohabitation or marriage,” the authors wrote.
“These findings show how bonding, adopting the behavior patterns of a partner and the interaction between these two processes influence substance use in early adulthood.”
The study was published Wednesday in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
It has long been known that the emotions involved in social relationships affect mental and physical health, but now it appears that social emotions can literally affect what we see.
(per Daily Mail UK) The research appears in the April issue of the journal Emotion, published by the American Psychological Association.
Psychology professors Steven Most and Jean-Philippe Laurenceau and their colleagues tested heterosexual romantic couples in a lab experiment. The romantic partners sat near each other at separate computers.
The finding? The more jealous the women felt, the more they were distracted by the unpleasant images on their screens – and the less likely they were to see their target images.
This relationship between jealousy and ‘emotion-induced blindness’ emerged only during the time that the male partner was rating other women, helping rule out baseline differences in performance among the women.
The researchers don’t yet know what will happen when the roles are reversed; in these experiments, it was always the women who searched for a target. Future research might reveal whether men tend to be less or more blinded by jealousy.
This study is pretty entertaining to me as I can only imagine how furious some of these women got while listening to their significant other rant and rave about another woman. It’s expected that ANYONE would have difficulty concentrating if their focus is consumed by uncontrollable emotions. I just hope my boyfriend doesn’t use this study against me!
The couple, who married in April 2008, are to take on both of their respective surnames.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, will now be known as Shawn Knowles-Carter, while Beyonce is to become Beyonce Knowles-Carter.
A source told the Daily Star newspaper, “They want to keep Knowles because Beyonce’s parents didn’t have any sons and they’re keen to keep the name going strong, especially if they don’t produce any children themselves.”
Earlier this week, the Knowles family suffered a blow when it was announced that Beyonce’s parents Tina and Mathew would be divorcing after 29 years of marriage.
In October, rumors surfaced that Mathew may have been unfaithful, with a paternity suit filed by Alexandra Wright claiming he was the father of her unborn child – an allegation he has denied.
However, in a statement the estranged couple claimed that the divorce would not be “an ugly, messy fight” and they would continue working together amicably.
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All I have to say is that Beyonce definitely has her man on lock! He ain’t going nowhere! Being a man of such caliber as Jay-Z, I’m kind of surprised that he has his wife’s last name attached to his. Not that it is wrong, but it’s definitely RARE. I have a feeling he did it for Bey. He loves her … there’s no doubt about that. Even though in the celebrity world, marriages tend to only last for 5 minutes, I believe these two will be together for a while. They seemed to have taken a lot of precautions in the past and currently to keep their relationship fairly private. I mean – we never even saw any wedding photos! Although her parents’ marriage is on the rocks right now, they’ve been married for 29 years so Beyonce definitely has been influenced throughout her life on a how to hang in there for a long-lasting relationship.
It may be just me that I’m surprised by the fact that Jay took on Bey’s last name. To me, there’s kind of this perception of “ownership” when you attach your husband’s last name to your own. Point blank, the last name tells the world that you are married – and WHO you are married to. Fellas, do you think that taking on your wife’s last name a downgrade to your masculinity?
(VH1) Jaimee Grubbs has come forward to claim that she had a 31-month long affair with Tiger Woods. The 24-year-old cocktail waitress allegedly has more than 300 text messages from the golf star on her phone, as well an alleged voice mail from Tiger left on November 24, in which he worries that his wife is on to the affair. (Us Magazine will have the message on their site tomorrow for you to listen – and cringe – to.) Tiger and Jamie’s trysts supposedly began in April 2007; Tiger’s wife Elin Nordegren gave birth to their first child, daughter Sam, in June 2007, and their son Charlie in February 2009.
Jaimee, who hails from Los Angeles, recently appeared on VH1’s “Tool Academy” with her then-boyfriend Shawn. She left after a couple of eps when it was revealed that her man had been seeing his ex-girlfriend behind her back during their relationship. If her allegations are true then this would mean that she was secretly gettin’ with Tiger while also being played on TV. In addition, TMZ is reporting that Florida cops will press charges against the golf star today.
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Wow, no wonder Woods wanted some privacy over this matter! There’s so much revealed here over a car crash. Although nothing has been proven yet, the fact that Jaimee has claimed more than 300 texts from Woods AND a story-telling voicemail leads me to believe that he MAY in fact be guilty of not only wreckless driving, but wreckless husbandry! WTF Tiger! I thought you were one of the few good ones in the Celeb world 
This article comes from one of my favorite sites, Marieclaire, written by dating expert Rich Santos. If you are feeling paranoid about a boyfriend’s loyalty, please keep reading below. Here are some red flags that may signal that your significant other is cheating:
Less Sex
Unless he’s Superman, he can only have so much sex. So, if he’s getting it from another source, you might notice. Whether it’s another woman or a porn addiction — even if he’s not cheating — a decrease in sex signals serious issues in the relationship.
Jumpy Cell Phone Habits
In a perfect world, we’d be open about sharing our correspondence with our significant others. Most of the time, we trust that we don’t have to worry about who is texting or calling them. But, if you notice that he is getting protective and/or nervous when he gets calls or texts, it may be cause for alarm.
Gushing or Talking About Someone Suddenly
You know that exhilarating feeling you get when you meet someone new and exciting? You want to tell the world about him. One of my exes began talking about a guy a lot near the end of our relationship — he just always seemed to be at her social gatherings that I didn’t happen to attend. Sure enough, after she dumped me, she began dating him.
Disconnect
Even though relationships ebb and flow naturally, if you’re sensing that he’s drawing away from you, then there may be someone else. Emotional disconnect should be investigated regardless of whether it’s caused by cheating. There’s a problem if he’s not laughing or seeming as passionate as usual. It’s hard to spread love/passion between two people, so the person who used to have it will feel it slipping away if it’s being given to someone else.
He’s Pulling Houdinis
If he’s disappearing, traveling, or unavailable to the point where you are starting to wonder, then he could be cheating. Also, these times tend to take on a pattern because it’s tough to synch up schedules, especially in secret.
Friends Acting Strange
His friends will certainly remain loyal to him in most cases. They will not let you know what’s going on, but they will definitely be racked with guilt, and their behavior may change slightly when they are around you while protecting his secret.
Caught in Other Lies About Other Things
If you catch him in a lie, your trust will naturally be damaged. Don’t hold a grudge — forgiveness is a good thing. You can forgive, but don’t forget. If he consistently breaches your trust, it’s establishing a pattern of behavior that leads to cheating. Do yourself a favor: If he keeps lying, whether these lies are big or small, get out while you can and don’t let him talk his way back in.
Been There, Done That
I always say: “Once a cheater, always a cheater.” If he’s done it before, he’s definitely capable of doing it again. It has nothing to do with you, which is why you can’t say that he cheated on his previous lover because she didn’t keep him happy. Cheating is a self-serving act in which the cheater doesn’t take his significant other into consideration. If someone is upfront with you that he’s made mistakes in the past, maybe give them a chance — but make it a long probationary period before you let your guard down.
Your Gut Tells You So
Don’t ignore your sixth sense. People are gifted at sensing when something doesn’t feel right. Whether there are red flags in your relationship that are clueing you in or not, if something feels off, don’t ignore this feeling. Usually that feeling is right, and something intangible may have led to you figuring it all out.
So I found this bizarre article in Harper’s Bazaar (lol, you like that? bizarre … Bazaar?) titled Diary of a Trophy Wife. It basically reveals how one “trophy wife” perceives her role in a marriage and what is important to her in life. It’s actually pretty disturbing. Maybe it’s because I’ve always been a girl who wanted to be good at EVERYTHING, that I can never just focus on being good at one thing and one thing only. After I read the article, I just realized that women who want to be trophy wives have low self esteem, are extremely dependent, not very intelligent and are rediculously VAIN. Granted, this woman does not speak for all trophy wives, but I have a feeling she is pretty much on point to how most of her equivalents think. Below is a quote from the article.
“Let me explain. I am a rare and precious creature. That is what my baby tells me. So it doesn’t serve me to look just okay. I have to look hot. He isn’t with me because I can cook! The way my boo puts it is that he has an investment in me. The Botox, collagen, facials, waxings, mani/pedis, hair color, blowouts, spray tans — that’s the “art” I put on my “canvas.” And when it comes to clothes, why would you cover up the Mona Lisa with a Beefy-T? So my baby wants to drape me with the best that money can buy. I can’t help it if my pooky wants perfection. After all, I am a representation of him in the world.”
Read the full Diary entry here, and let me know what you think? Is being a trophy wife really something to be proud of? Seriously.
According to TMZ.com, Nas’ lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan filed court papers (November 2), seeking to block Kelis’ request for $72,728 a month in spousal support.
Nas had been ordered to pay Kelis $44,000 in child support payments in addition to a one-time payment of $45,000 to pay Rogers’ attorney fees and for a forensic accountant.
In August, Kelis’ attorney Laura Wasser filed a motion seeking to increase amount to $72,728 in income based on the $240,000 the rapper earns per-month.
She also seeks $17,225 a month in child support, $72,728 in spousal support, $29,522 in back child support and finally, retro spousal support.
Kelis gave birth to their Knight in July of 2009. After six years of marriage, she filed for divorce from Nas in April, citing irreconcilable differences.
In September, the pair were seen together at New York hotspot Marquee and other events, sparking rumors that the reconciliation might be possible.
In October, the IRS filed a lien against Nas, because the rapper owes $2,584,206.31 to the government for unpaid taxes on income earned throughout 2006 and 2007.
Yikes! Nas seems like he’s in financial trouble. Do you think that Kelis is asking for too much? What are both these artists doing now-a-days to acquire income anyway?
