Micro-Cheating & PTSAD

Our guest co-host this week was Carmelia Ray. Carmelia is an internationally acclaimed matchmaker for high achieving men and the quality women they’re searching for. She’s helped over 7,000 clients and is a renowned TV personality on shows such as Mom vs. Matchmaker and The Real Housewives of Toronto. Appearing in such publications as AskMen, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter, clients can’t get enough of her “never settle” attitude and we were happy to welcome her on.

D’S DATING DISH (17:14)

New roundup of dating terms

We like to check in on dating slang every once in awhile, and we’ve got some new terms for you to keep an ear out for, including micro-cheating, catch and release, and the slow fade, in addition to some terms we’ve covered before such as breadcrumbing, ghosting, and love bombing. You can read more via FOX News here.

Drew Barrymore gives online dating a try

Barrymore has dreamed of a blind date since she was a little girl, but only recently drummed up the courage to give elite dating app Raya a try. Unfortunately, she didn’t meet with much success, and to make things worse, her ex-husband mentioned he was surprised to see her on the app even though she tried to delete her profile. You can read more via E! here.

A woman’s surprising way of celebrating a divorce

While many say that time heals all wounds, Briana Barksdale would beg to disagree. Barksdale recently held a garage sale where she sold all of the items she owns that remind her of her ex-husband, ending with her burning her wedding dress in front of the onlookers. You can read more via USA Today here.

TECHNICALLY DATING (33:11)

We pull the best questions posted on The Textpert App and BlackPeopleMeet.com, including:

  • How you should feel if your boyfriend went out with his friends on Valentine’s Day
  • What to do if you need to hack your boyfriend’s cellphone to prove he’s cheating
  • What to do if you’re in the military and learn your wife’s found another man

And many more . . .

DAMONA’S DIATRIBE (46:23)

It’s been awhile since Damona’s needed to blow off some steam, but this week we were treated to another diatribe. The topic? Love starting with you.

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Dates & Mates

Date for a Soulmate & Valentine’s Day

Our guest co-hosts this week were Orna and Matthew Walters, soulmate coaches for spiritual, successful, and single women who have everything . . . except the man of their dreams. Their breakthrough coaching program, Bring In Your Beloved, helps its practitioners remove blocks to love so you can love yourself and others more deeply. Love coaches who are actually in love, we were lucky enough to have them stick around to give our listeners some advice in Technically Dating after our interview.

D’S DATING DISH (3:10)

A guide to having “the talk” with the person you’re dating

We’ve all been in the position of dreading “the talk,” but luckily, the Washington Post has published a guide to hold your hand through the process. The key points are to remember to never force things and to make your intentions clear from the start, but you can read more via the link above.

The new rules for workplace romance

Facebook recently revealed their workplace dating policies, and thankfully, everyone was in agreement that they’re pretty fair! The big kicker? You only have one shot to ask a coworker out. If they reject you, it’s harassment if you ask them again. You can read more via Gizmodo here.

A surprising celebrity breakup

Alas, another Hollywood couple has bitten the dust. Sarah Silverman and boyfriend Michael Sheen called it quits over Christmas break and are just now making the news official. However, Sarah is keeping her trademark sense of humor about it, and we’re rooting for her as always. You can read more via ET here.

TECHNICALLY DATING (32:58)

We pull the best questions posted on The Textpert App and BlackPeopleMeet.com, including:

  • Good ideas for Valentine’s Day if you’re single
  • How to handle a younger wife who’s getting attention from other men
  • How to tell someone you need space

And many more . . .

Get 1 week free at BlackPeopleMeet.com/datesandmates

Long-Term Love & Super Bowl Swiping

Our guest co-hosts this week were Lee and Mimi Hoffman, Damona’s beloved in-laws. They joined us to share their love story and give dating advice to the next generation.

D’S DATING DISH (2:46)

The Stats on Super Bowl Swiping

During the Big Game, dating apps see an increase in use, whether you’re in the town where the Super Bowl’s occurring or just scrolling through your phone while the game is on. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, some apps report increases as high as 50%, with a 60% increase in message responses. Spruce up your profile, maybe get a sports-themed bio in there, and read more about it via Elite Daily here.

Lady Gaga’s Secret Lover

The recent Grammy’s had us wondering just who, exactly, Lady Gaga is shacked up with. Turns out she got engaged to boyfriend Christian Carino last November. Her manager over at CAA who’s so into her he got a tattoo of her face, we wish her all the best in love. You can read more via Romper here.

Dane Cook’s Dating a 19-Year-Old

We generally think age is just a number, but comedian Dane Cook is dating a 19-year-old despite the fact he’s a whopping 26 years older than her. What do you think, is over a quarter of a century a little too much of an age gap? You can read more via People here.

Match.com’s Singles in America Survey

We got the exclusive scoop on Match.com’s annual Singles in America survey just hours after it dropped. Each year, Match.com publishes an extensive study on dating trends they’ve analyzed, and we highly recommend everyone checks it out. You can find it right here.

TECHNICALLY DATING (34:44)

We pull the best questions posted on The Textpert App and BlackPeopleMeet.com, including:

  • How to be more confident with your body image
  • What to do if the person you’re interested in just wants to be friends
  • How to tell a partner you’re not ready to move across the country with them

And many more . . .

 

Get 1 week free at BlackPeopleMeet.com/datesandmates

Download your free dating or relationship course at damonahoffman.com

The Power of Being Single & Level Up in Love

Our guest co-host this week was Cheyenne Bostock, a life coach, relationship expert, motivational speaker, and author of four best-selling books. A writer for the Huffington Post and a regular contributing expert on The Bill Cunningham Show, Cheyenne has been featured everywhere from ABC to FOX to Fusion TV. Cheyenne sat with us to talk about the Power of Being Single and help give advice to listeners in Technically Dating.

D’S DATING DISH (2:48)

How “Me Too” is Affecting Dating Lives

MTV conducted extensive research last month about how the #MeToo movement is affecting dating. 85% of users said it’s starting an important conversation, with one in four women saying they’ve noticed a change in behavior among men. However, 68% admitted that the lines are getting blurry about what does and does not constitute sexual harassment. What do you think? You can read more via Bustle here.

How Much Time are Millennials Spending on Dating Apps?

Over 5,000 18-30 year olds were studied. Men spend a whopping 85 minutes a day on dating apps, roughly 10 minutes per session, with women logging in for a total of 10 times a day. Especially with January seeing a 23% increase in users, is this only limited to millennials? How long do you spend on dating apps a day? You can read more via Independent UK here.

Ciara Tells Women to Level Up

Singer Ciara recently came under fire for reposting a clip from a sermon directed towards women. In it, a pastor tells women that they have to “level up” and start carrying themselves as a wife and not a girlfriend. Considering Ciara’s tumultuous relationship past, was she out of line for telling others how to live their lives? You can read more via Yahoo here.

TECHNICALLY DATING (23:28)

We pull the best questions posted on The Textpert App and BlackPeopleMeet.com, including:

  • How to overcome your nerves and ask out your crush
  • How to stop stalking your ex’s social media
  • What to do if a guy tells you he’s single but his social media says otherwise

And many more . . .

HOLLYWOOD HOOKUP (43:27)

It’s been awhile since we’ve done the Hollywood Hookup, but when we heard Michael B. Jordan recently confirmed that he’s single, we had to jump in! Damona and Producer Thomas think Rihanna, Janelle Monae, and Priyanka Chopra would all look good with the star of the upcoming Marvel film Black Panther. What do you think?

 

Get 1 week free at BlackPeopleMeet.com/datesandmates

Download your free dating or relationship course at damonahoffman.com

To Rome for Love & The Aziz Effect

Our guest co-host this week was Diann Valentine. An internationally acclaimed wedding and event planner and interior designer, author of the book Going the Distance for Love, and love expert on the new Bravo series, To Rome for Love, Diann sat with us to dish the scoop on her show and tackle user questions in Technically Dating.

 

D’S DATING DISH (2:37)

What drink should you order on a first date?

The British dating app Trueview conducted a survey of its users to see what drink is best to order on a first date. Surprisingly, beer and cider got low ratings, but wine of all kinds got top marks. Want to know what you should never, ever order? Well, you’ll just have to catch up with our episode to find out. You can read the original article via Nottingham Post here.

The strange dating rule that says men should date someone half their age plus seven

This old adage is commonly accepted, but where exactly did it come from and why? Well, this week we looked into it and found out that it’s credited to Max O’Rell in a book on dating from 1901. It seems women are generally “allowed” to date men up to 15 years older than them, but men are frowned upon for dating older women. What do you think? Should you set a minimum age you’ll date, or is it all up to how you connect? You can read more via Independent here.

Is Aziz guilty of sexual assault, or just being a bad date?

Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve no doubt heard about the recent scandal involving Aziz Ansari. Long story short: Aziz took a woman home after a few drinks and she has stated that his behavior was predatory and made her uncomfortable. However, many women are claiming that this story is simple one of a bad date, and that the account is damaging the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. Where do you stand? You can read more via CNN here.

TECHNICALLY DATING (28:06)

We pull the best questions posted on The Textpert App and BlackPeopleMeet.com, including:

  • How to tell if you’re being invited to a booty call
  • How to date as a tomboy
  • What to do if your date asks what you want to do in your future and you’re not quite sure

And many more . . .

DATING DOT DOT DOT (48:31)

We got Diann’s lightning-fast love advice in another rapid-fire rendition of Dating Dot Dot Dot, this time with new questions!

The worst pickup line ever is ________
The best place to go on a first date is ________
The sexiest thing about a woman is __________
The sexiest thing about a man is _________
The best way to celebrate Valentine’s Day is __________

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Apply for Damona’s dating coaching program at http://DateByNumbers.com

Try the Textpert App “Drama Solved Anonymously” https://www.textpertapp.com

 

Love at First Sight & Chemistry Conundrum

Our guest co-host this week was Ryeal Simms. A cognitive neuropsychologist, behaviorist, motivational speaker, and the worldwide authority on the neuroscience of relationships, Ryeal and his work have appeared on everything from Stevie Wonder’s Hollywood radio station, to the U.K.’s Real Love Show, to Essence Magazine, to NPR. Currently writing his book series on the neuroscience of relationships, Ryeal gave us some cold, hard science in his discussion of the chemistry of love.

D’S DATING DISH (16:53)

Chinese dating apps shut down in sexbot scam

Over 21 dating apps were shut down across 13 provinces in China after it was revealed that messages from women were being generated by computer programs. Technical personnel working for the apps would create “sexy girl” programs and have them lure new users into spending money on gifts and raunchy images. However, even the authorities were blown away by how real the messages felt, which explains why they were able to scam users out of $154 million! You can read more via BBC here.

Would you take advice from your Amazon Echo?

From January 14th until Valentine’s Day, Amazon Echo’s virtual assistant, Alexa, will offer dating advice to those who ask in a partnership with matchmaking company Three Day Rule. However, some users are worried, as Alexa won’t have any practical grasp on tips it gives. For example, if it tells you to talk to a minimum of three women at a bar, how can it advise you on how to read their body language, consent, etc? You can read more to see if you’d take dating advice from a virtual assistant via The Verge here.

The first celebrity split of 2018

Last week we reported on the first celebrity couple to get together, but alas, the five-year journey that GIRLS star Lena Dunham and singer/songwriter Jack Antonoff went on is over. The split is amicable, but we’ll be sad to see the couple leave the news cycle. However, the writing may have been on the wall . . . back in November of 2017, Dunham thought Antonoff was going to propose, only to be sorely mistaken. You can read more via ET here.

TECHNICALLY DATING (31:48)

We pull the best questions posted on The Textpert App and BlackPeopleMeet.com, including:

  • Why you haven’t met your boyfriend’s parents
  • How early in a relationship it’s appropriate to bicker
  • If nude pictures of an ex constitutes cheating

And many more . . .

DATING DOT DOT DOT (49:31)

We got Ryeal’s lightning-fast love advice in another rapid-fire rendition of Dating Dot Dot Dot, this time with new questions!

The worst pickup line ever is ________
The best place to go on a first date is ________
The sexiest thing about a woman is __________
The sexiest thing about a man is _________
The most important thing for a relationship to last is __________

Don’t forget to register for Damona’s women’s group program, DATE BY NUMBERS. All you have to do is head to DATE BY NUMBERS . COM.

The Power of Positivity & Office Crush

Our guest co-host this week was Evin Rose Lipman. Stuck in a corporate sales job in her 20s, Evin realized that she was trapped in a routine and needed to get her groove and inner light back. With the help of friends and loved ones, Evin moved to California and became a life coach, hoping to bring others joy and help them establish and nurture meaningful and authentic personal relationships. Now a personal coach, the host of gatherings for women in LA, and a leader of a passionate online community, we talked to Evin about the power of positivity in your dating life.

D’S DATING DISH (17:26)

Users revolt against OKCupid name-change update

OKCupid recently announced an initiative to get their users to identify themselves with something other than a screen name. It did not go over well. While OKCupid thought it would lead to an increased sense of authenticity, users were wary about having identifying information attached to the dating service’s extensive questionnaire. OKCupid is rapidly backpedaling, saying that a “name” only needs to consist of a minimum of two letters, but there is still trouble in the ranks. You can read more via Salon here.

The most popular dating day of the year

The most popular dating day of the year is right around the corner! Right around 9 PM EST on Sunday, January 8th, Match.com predicts seeing a 104% increase in users for 48 hours. If you’re thinking of getting back into the game in 2018, you’ve got a few days to get yourself together! You can read more via the Chicago Tribune here.

The first celebrity engagement of 2018

Paris Hilton got hitched on New Year’s Day, kicking off what’s sure to be another exciting year for celebrity matchmaking. Boyfriend Chris Zylka proposed while the pair we’re on a skiing trip in Aspen. As Paris would say, “That’s hot!” Best of luck to the new couple. You can read more via Hello! Magazine here.

TECHNICALLY DATING (30:30)

We pull the best questions posted on The Textpert App and BlackPeopleMeet.com, including:

  • How to get over an office crush
  • How to handle a boring texter
  • What to do if your boyfriend won’t give you his social media passwords

And many more . . .

DATING DOT DOT DOT (46:49)

We got Evin’s lightning-fast love advice in another rapid-fire rendition of Dating Dot Dot Dot, this time with new questions!

The worst pickup line ever is ________
The best place to go on a first date is ________
The sexiest thing about a woman is __________
The sexiest thing about a man is _________
The most important thing for a relationship to last is __________

DAMONA’S DIATRIBE (48:36)

It’s been awhile since Damona got in the hot seat, but she had something to get off her chest on this week’s episode. In her crosshairs this time around are those who have a vision, but not a solidified plan. Turn your ideas into a reality and listen to Damona’s Diatribe for a little pep talk.

GETTING MARRIED?

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Top Dating Profile Tips

Whether you’re new to online dating or a veteran user, an amazing profile is always the key to digital dating success. Here are my top dating profile tips that can take you from a left swipe to an amazing night.

  1. A LITTLE PHOTO MAGIC –Photo editing is only controversial if you are actually changing the way you look. However, most people now add filters, adjust lighting, exposure, sharpness or contrast or otherwise improve photo quality so if you’re not doing it, you could be left standing on the sidelines. One simple trick to make yourself stand out is to crop out anyone else in the photo. If you crop it yourself, you can control where the eye goes and make sure it doesn’t wander to your very attractive friend standing next to you.
  2. SMILE FOR THE CAMERA – You’re on instagram daily and you post pics of your girlfriends at the bar every weekend so the old, “I don’t have any pics I can use for my profile” excuse isn’t going to fly anymore. Take the next three days and go on a photo spree. Get solo pics of you using the 3Cs: color, context, and character and you’re bound to start turning heads.
  3. TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT – Most of my clients come to me with a profile that talks more about what they don’t want than what they do. Eliminate any demands about what your new partner must do or cannot do and cut the rants about how you’re tired of getting emails from losers. You might be turning the good guys off along with the bad.
  4. BE UNAPOLOGETICALLY YOU – Studies have shown that you are more likely to be messaged if your profile is a total turnoff to some yet intriguing to others than if you have a safe, middle-of-the road profile. Don’t be afraid to show off your quirky, nerdy, or goofy side. That could be the just the thing that makes someone sit up and take notice of you.
  5. MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS–A couple of pounds, inches, or years of age do not really matter in the long run. In your searches, you should be more open so that you can decide if someone is worth pursuing once the email comes in.
  6. MAKE EVERY WORD COUNT– The only thing worse than a profile that is bare is a profile that could double as a novel. Thin out your profile and make it more readable by starting with a headline for each key part of your life that you want to dedicate a sentence to.

Now, log on, make these simple changes, and get ready to hit the town! These tips are not meant to change who you are; they are meant to make it easier for potential dates to see through to the real you. So, be confident and have fun!