Is dating harder or easier for us now than it was for our parents generation?

My parents have been together since he was invited to her 18th birthday party. That was over 30 years ago. My best friends parents have been together forever as well when they met 27 years ago. Our parents met each other in a generation where there was no Internet, social networking sites, internet dating sites, mobile phones and other forms of electronic communication and gadgets. This was where the only way to contact someone was to go and see them in person or call them up on a land line telephone number.

Does having too many different ways to communicate and find the man or woman of our dreams, make it more difficult and more complicated? There are just so many ways and things we have to check just to see if that someone has tried to get in touch with us. Drew Barrymore's character in 'He's just not that into you' sums it up perfectly. “I had this guy leave me a voicemail at work, so I called him at home, and then he emailed me to my BlackBerry, and so I texted to his cell, and now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies. Its exhausting.” And she was right it is exhausting. But at the same time is it easier for us to date people now. I mean we can meet people in a bar or club but we can also meet people online. Get to know people before we even meet them in person. But does it take away those buterfly's you get when a guy starts chatting you up. Meeting someone out of a crowded room and sharing that look. The look where you see each other for the first time and are instantly attracted to each other.

So I'll leave you to come to your own conclusions on if you think it is easier for us now, than it was for our parents. I personally think it may not be easier. But I do think its better now. To have access to all different way of meeting new people. Be it for a relationship, or even just a simple way of meeting new friends. People you would not meet normally, be it romanticly or otherwise.

Lisa Marie
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How Being in A Bad Mood Makes Me A Better Writer

Last week I was doing some work on my book. I'd hit a bit of wall progressing the characters the way I wanted. That all changed after someone annoyed me so much it but me in the worse mood, for three days. So as I worked my way through what one of my friends calls 'the depressing collection' on my iTunes, I was able to really get my creative juices flowing. Now then I'm not saying that I need to be angry to finish this book. But I do think that by forcing my mind to be on something else I was able to be more creative. I was so glad for the distraction and in a way it was almost therapeutic.

Now then I'm the type of person who can't write in complete silence. It drives me up the wall. But I also came to realise that this is not the first time, that getting me angry or annoyed about something has made me act this way. Or listening to the really depressing type of music has helped me a better writer than I was before. What's even more surprising to me is that I've still been able to write the love story the way I planned to right from the start. And my characters are not the depressing type.

Anyway that's my little rant over with for today. Hope your day's a happy one :)

Lisa Marie
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May 2010 When British Politics Became the Never Ending Story!

May 6th was a historic day for British politics. It was the day we had a hung parliament. Who would have known on that Thursday morning when people were going out to vote, that the story would remain in the news cycle for the next four days. It was always expected to be a historic election. Many people (myself included) thought that the Lib Dem's were going to gain far more seats than expected. But nobody would have expected it to be the story that kept on giving.

The last time Britain had a hung parliament was 1974 way before I was born. Not forgetting this was a time when news was not a 24 hour phenomenon. You would be hard pressed to turn the television on over the past 4/5 days to not hear the words 'hung parliament' or to hear one of the three party leaders uttering the words 'for the good of the country'. We are also in an age of social media. Where people can voice there views online instantly. The likes of Twitter and Facebook made it possible for people to voice there opinions straight away, to the masses.

An even more historic day was 11th May. After joining forces David Cameron became Prime Minister. After a decade of wanting to take back parliament the Tories finally had the keys to number 10 again. Where Cameron looks to be less liked by the British public than Margaret Thatcher (1979 – 1990). Only time will tell if Cameron will mess up the country any more than it already is.

So while I am disappointed we now have a Tory government with the help of the Lib Dem's we must say 'Goodbye' to Gordon Brown. It was nice while it lasted and here's hoping Labour can come back even stronger in four years time.


(Photo credit - Getty Images)
Lisa Marie
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