Dear Tuffy Luv,

Firstly, I can’t believe I’m graduating in a month and am meant to become a real, live, moneymaking member of society.  But what I am really worried about is what to do about my current relationship situation.

I’ve been dating my current boyfriend (we’ll call him J) since September.  This is my first serious relationship and it has been amazing.  A few bumps in the road, but I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been this happy and in love (yeah, I’m one of those nauseatingly happy couples — I apologize).  Problem is that J is British and he goes back home after graduation.

When we first started dating, I had the attitude that it was just for fun.  When my friends would ask me where I saw it going, I would answer something like “Everything is great, but since he has to leave in May, it kind of has an expiration date.”  Over the course of college, I have seen a few friends try a LDR and it has never ended well for any of them.  As a result, I’ve always had the attitude that it was something just not worth trying unless the two parties involved were hoping for some serious emotional torture.  Also, J is not at all my usual type, so I figured that it wouldn’t ever get to the point where I saw him as the guy I wanted to spend years and years with.

Obviously, I was wrong (as we all often are in these situations).  I want to stay with him, and I know he wants to stay with me too — he has made comments about me visiting him in England after graduation.  But, the pessimist that I am, I can’t help wondering if we haven’t been dating long enough to have the deep trust necessary for a VERY-long-distance relationship to work.

So, my question is… should I try this LDR thing? Or should we just go our separate ways until the logistics change–in an effort to avoid hurting each other and ruining what we could possibly have in the future? Either way, do you have any advice for how I should approach the situation? How to make an LDR work? Or how to break up with him (it kills me to even suggest this…) while making him realize it has nothing to do with how much I love him?

Thanks,
Wishing April Could Last Forever

Dear Wishing April Could Last Forever,

Disclaimer: This question is totally from a year ago. I had meant to answer it, but Aunt Tuffy sometimes gets overwhelmed by the volume of questions (sorry!!) and puts things aside and forgets to come back to them.

So, Wishing April, I apologize that my answer is a year late. But I’m publishing it anyway, because I think it could be useful to other girls in your situation.

So, it’s like, well, I think you should go for it.

I know. I know. I hate LDRs. I believe I has made that a-clear.

But in this case, you seem so into him. Sometimes, girl, love really is enough. And you won’t know until you try.

So, I say, what the floop!!! Throw caution to the wind and crap!!!

Look, you sound crazy about the kid. And it’s against all odds, right?! I mean, like, what’s to lose? You’re already expecting it to fall apart when he moves. If you’re really serious about this guy–which you totally seem to be–I think you owe it to yourself (and to him!) to see if it can work out.

Tips: Okay, you need a plan for this. So my advice is to have an end date. In other words, if you guys are still together in [X amount of time], then one of you will move so that you can be together. The two of you should start putting plans for the long term: whose home turf can you both find work at? Is it more important to be near his family or yours? What do you guys want for your potential future together and how can you make it happen?!?

If you can’t do that, then it wasn’t meant to be.

But if you guys can make a plan, and it’s a plan you don’t like, and you still love each other and want to be together, give it a shot!

If it doesn’t work out, hey, you saw it coming.

And if it does work out–well, you’ll have taken a chance on the love of your life and won it all.

Wishing April, I really hope it worked out for you!!! If you see this, let us know! (Post your real first name [which you signed in your email] so Aunt Tuffy knows it’s really you.)

Hearts & Skulls,

Tuffy Luv

Question?! Answer: Ask Tuffy Luv.

[Lead image via Jean Lee/Shutterstock]

Dear iPad (also known as little mac),

I never knew what I was missing in life until I found you. The ease in which I can search for things, write scholarly articles, and watch reality TV amazes me.

Your lightweight no-need-to-pretend-I’m-breaking-my-back-while-lugging-you-in-my-bag is fantastic. Not to mention how the envious stares, whenever I slowly take you out of said bag, make me feel like the six-foot model I’ve always wanted to be. You’re like the liposuction I never knew I wanted to get.

While your looks are on par with none, it’s your personality and brain that really have me hooked. The best friend, oh-hey-girl-check-out-this-magazine, mentality of your apps. The organization of my hectic — okay insane — life. The instant notifications for emails rejecting yet another application, although are disappointing, still make my day. And that little ping I hear every time a Words With Friends move is made, well it’s almost as good as buying three pairs or new shoes (that’s right…three freakin’ pairs).

Basically you are the electronic best friend I never knew I needed. Plus I can fit you in cute bags AND you never talk back. You even take pictures of me without being asked, so I mean you’re basically the perfect best friend.

Well little mac, thank you for a great beginning…I look forward to the rest of our lives together. Oh and I promise to get a keyboard so I can stop typing on your face.

xoxo

Courtney

Kim Kardashian responds to being flour bombed!

Trend spotting: Celebs in colored denim

AnnaSophia Robb as the new Carrie Bradshaw

Fans flock to Hunger Games!

Eggplant fashion? Check out Pixie Lott’s look

Alberta Ferretti for Macy’s!

7 ways to turn yourself on!

Are you actually ready to fall in love?

Wish you had smaller  boobs?

Project Runway All Star’s Winner!

Whitney Houston on cocaine at time of death

14 things science says guys love! 

‘Mad Men’ review by Maureen Ryan

Snooki now carrying a baby doll in preparation of motherhood!

Dear Don, this is the last time I give you love advice

3 easy ways to recreate old or thrifted items

Spring cleaning: 5 ways to freshen your relationship

Mom puts 7-year-old on a diet in the worst Vogue article ever

What do you do when the honeymoon phase is over?

Dear friends who thought I would stop ranting about Valentine’s Day once I was in a relationship, I’m sorry; you were mistaken.

I know I’m not the only person that rants about V-Day (coupled or otherwise). My new favourite Tumblr account, Occupy Valentine’s Day, proves it. Created by Outdated: Why Dating is Ruining Your Life author (and Executive Editor of Feministing), Samhita Mukhopadhyay, the site is collecting stories of love that are not limited to the commercial definition. The site wants to change the culture of romance. For my contribution I’m going to share some facts you might not have known about V-Day.

• In the United States the cost of the 189 million red roses sold around February 14 adds up to a whopping $1.6 billion.
• California produces more roses than any other state, but Columbia and Ecuador produce 90% of roses sold in the US.
• 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent in the US, which if attached could make a chain wrapping around the world five times over.
• According to National Geographic the holiday originates from a “raucous annual Roman festivals where men stripped naked, grabbed goat- or dog-skin whips, and spanked young maidens in hopes of increasing their fertility.”
• National Geographic also reports this year V Day will generate $17.6 billion in sales. Up from last year, this shows the economy is getting better.
• 8 billion chalky conversation hearts will be produced this year.
• 11% of Americans get engaged on Valentine’s Day.
• Condom sales will increase by 20-30%.

• American Idol: all drama but no music?

• Check out 17 WTF Valentine’s Day themed sex toys!

• Glee star Mark Salling once a bird-loving hippie

• Ryan Reynolds vs Ryan Gosling: who’s hotter?

• Giuseppe Maggio photographed by Bruce Weber- HOT!

See the Red Dress Collection 2012 fashion show!

Orgasmless sex isn’t just a female thing!

A new kind of Valentine’s Day

Think you know it all when it comes to sexy time?

Proposition 8 was overturned, and now we have to see that lesbian comedienne Ellen Degeneres as the new face of JCPenney? Where on EARTH will I shop now? Ladies, we’ve got to do something about this. Let’s protest that crazy talk show host so that her homosexuality doesn’t taint all our kids’ back-to-school clothes and our Christmas shopping.

Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating the thought process of a member of One Million Moms, a conservative group that’s got their high-leg briefs in a twisted bunch because out and proud Ellen Degeneres is the new JCPenney spokesperson. The group issued a statement following the company’s announcement:

“Funny that JC Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of their customers are traditional families. More sales will be lost than gained unless they replace their spokesperson quickly. Unless JC Penney decides to be neutral in the culture war then their brand transformation will be unsuccessful…By jumping on the pro-gay bandwagon, JCPenney is attempting to gain a new target market and in the process will lose customers with traditional values that have been faithful to them over all these years.”

Fox News contributor Sandy Rios, who supports the One Million Moms perspective, summed up this week’s Hot Button Issue while on The O’Reilly Factor: ”The problem is that Ellen DeGeneres has chosen to act out her lesbian lifestyle and marry her partner, it’s what that represents,” she said. “And the fact that JCPenney is supposed to be middle America, the place where families shop…and people who believe that marriage is between a man and woman and children should not be exposed and propagandized in homosexuality have a moral problem with that.”

Well I’m sorry, Sandy, and the members of One Million Moms, but America—the land of opportunity, the land of the free and the home of the brave—is changing. And for the better. Thank goodness it’s been allowed to change, or else women would never be able to proudly make a buck in any workplace and we’d still stupidly have slaves everywhere who each only count as three-fifths of a person. Though the country has managed to acknowledge the basic human right of being considered an entire person to these minority groups, why can’t such a given be also applied to those who aren’t perfectly heterosexual? Those who choose to be both free AND brave?

If you’re protesting Ellen’s employment with JCPenney, you’re asking that the company discriminates based on her sexual orientation. Hm, discrimination definitely sounds like one of “the negative influences our children are forced to contend with”—you know, the part of society’s “filth” that you should be working to fight, rather than avoiding the hilarious and kindhearted Ellen Degeneres and every product she’s ever endorsed. I’m guessing you’re missing out on the greatness that is CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara and the daily dose of awesome on The Ellen Degeneres Show. Oh man, your kids must have never even seen the movie Finding Nemo! Do you tell them that they can’t go on the Submarine Voyage ride at Disneyland because that funny blue fish is the voice of an evil lesbian?!

Oh, and by pushing Ellen down and calling her names, you’re being a bully. That’s right, One Million Moms, all 40,000 of you are guilty of anti-gay bullying.

Thankfully, the group’s protests and cries were no matter for the department store, as the company stood behind their decision. And yesterday, the free and brave Ellen Degeneres addressed her haters and, therefore, her motivators, on her talk show. ”I’m proud and happy to say that JCPenney stuck by their decision to make me their spokesperson. Which is great news for me because I also need some new crew socks.”

On a more serious notes, she continued, “I really want to thank everyone who is supporting me…Here are the values I stand for. I stand for honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you’d want to be treated and helping those in need. To me, those are traditional values. That’s what I stand for.“

To be honest, I’m surprised that One Million Moms even had the time to jumpstart a JCPenney protest. The group has also requested action against Macy’s, ABC’s Modern Family and Mattel. Don’t shop at Target for promoting the destructive program that is Degrassi, don’t watch Dancing With The Stars because the show “aired a definition of ‘transgender’” and don’t support Ben & Jerry’s because of their “tasteless” ice cream flavor names. Thank goodness—that means there’s more Schweddy Balls for me!

Watch Ellen’s full speech now. It’s hilarious, it’s heartwarming, it’s all things Ellen Degeneres.

Should JCPenney be concerned about losing conservative customers? Or will they gain more respect for taking a stand?

Ashley is a UC San Diego grad who is holding on way too tightly to a potential career in magazines and goes to Vegas all too often. She’s fascinated with celebrities and strawberry beer and doubles as a pathological texter/emailer/blogger. Feed the addiction with tweets @cashleelee. Thanks in advance.

10 Guys you should date in 2012

Guess this is not the year of Octomom

Is Justin Timberlake the perfect Elton John?

A defense for dating around

Love resolutions you can actually keep

How to glam up your walk of shame

Hindus take the Katy Perry/Russell Brand breakup badly

Some people just get nasty plastic surgery

Crazy tattoos of celebs

image via Ekaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock

It’s usually about mid-August, after a summer of humid hair messes and chaffing, I am begging Mother Nature to let winter come. I want to be able to not start dripping the second I step outdoors, I’m bored of all my summer clothes and overall just over the season in general.

When winter finally arrives, I’m happy as a clam. I’m looking forward to a solid three months of bundling up, celebrating holidays and the crisp winter air that comes with the drop in temperature.

But when we actually find ourselves knee deep in freezing temperatures (aka now), I find myself less than enthused at certain things that the season brings with it.

Don’t get me wrong – winter is still one of my favorite seasons and I’m enjoying everything it has to offer, but I always seem to forget the little annoyances that come along with the great stuff. While I love it more than anything, there are some things I’d be crazy to not be hatin’ right about now.

initiating the gallery...

[This post was originally by Brianna - Fordham University]

I had an unhealthy addiction to Oregon Trail in elementary school. The second that screen popped on up my window, my morals went out the window.

Hell yeah, I’ll be a banker. There’s nothing more important in the world than money.

Shoot extra bison even thought I very well know I can’t carry it all back to the wagon. No duh.

Leave my grandmother to die because she’s slowing us down with her damn cholera. I never looked back.

And then I grew up. Or maybe not grew up as much as learned how to play the Sims. If you think controlling someone’s life changing journey across America puts you on a power trip, spend ten minutes playing the Sims. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t still have a soft spot for Oregon Trail. That’s why I clicked on this article as soon as I saw the title and decided to share it with you.

So with no further ado: How the Oregon Trail Relates to Dating

Jenni may or may not have downloaded the Oregon Trail app to her phone and was crushed to see you had to pay to play the full game. You can follow her on Twitter here @MayorJenni.