Amy Alkon

Why are there lots of bridal magazines but no magazines for grooms? What does that imply? — A Male Consider men’s general lack of interest in wedding planning. Of course, if men did the organizing, there’d probably be a paintball duel to the altar, strippers serving nachos, and a minister who ends the ceremony with: […]

I’m a 31-year-old guy who got really hurt after a relationship ended a few years back. Now I just don’t date women whom I’ll ever really care about because I don’t ever want to feel how I felt when my previous relationship ended. My friends say I’m being a coward and missing out, but, hey, […]

I’m a 34-year-old woman in a two-year relationship with a guy. I’ve never been the jealous type. Yet, I do feel oddly possessive and jealous in this relationship, especially lately. My friends say this is a sign I need to “work on” myself. Really? If so, how? What do I need to do?  — Worried […]

I got ghosted – dumped by a guy who just disappeared on me, no explanation – after three months of lovey-dovey dating. Clearly, he isn’t a great person, yet I’m unable to stop thinking about him and wondering why he left. How do I accept that it’s over so I can start dating again? – Plagued […]

I’m a 28-year-old woman who has been single for over five years. I’m steering clear of dating sites right now because of how so many guys portray themselves in ways that are very different from how they are in person. But then, in day-to-day life, when I smile at a guy I like, he’ll usually […]

I’m doing some work on my landlady’s house. She just cannot figure out what color to paint it. Now, when a man paints his house, he goes to Home Depot, grabs a few cans of paint and starts right in. Simple. Git ‘er done. Not so with a woman. She’ll agonize endlessly over a bunch of paint chips. […]

My boyfriend of two years read my diary and found out that I had expressed feelings for another guy while we were together. I never acted on them (and I wouldn’t have), and I probably shouldn’t have told the guy I liked him. But my boyfriend shouldn’t have been reading my diary. He broke up […]

I’m a woman who judges potential boyfriends by whether dogs like them. My friends think I’m crazy, but I’m convinced that my dog picks up on who a person really is. Is there any research on whom animals are drawn to? – Muttperson Dogs have proved useful for sniffing out drug stashes, dead bodies and […]

I’m a 33-year-old woman, and I’ve always been thin. I lost about 12 pounds after a tough breakup. I’m working on getting back to a healthier weight. However, people keep making cutting remarks about how thin I look. Yesterday a friend said, “You’re so skinny it’s gross!” I’d noticed that she’d gained quite a bit […]

I recently had my addiction recovery memoir published. I’m very honest and vulnerable in it, and readers feel super-connected to me because of it. Most just briefly thank me for how it changed their life, etc. However, a few have really latched on to me via social media. I respond to their first message, and […]

I’m a 45-year-old single guy seeking a long-term relationship. My problem is that when I’m interacting with a woman I’m attracted to, my ability to read whether she’s interested in me goes out the window. I suspect I’ve missed out on some great women because I couldn’t read their signals quickly enough. – Disappointed Where […]