This ‘80s dating video suggests the following for snagging a hot dude: 1) Carry a stuffed animal. 2) Wear a T-shirt with a slogan on it. 3) Stare at him. 4) Talk about your pets. 5) Talk softly, so he has to lean in. Notes taken! [BuzzFeed]

According to Jack Donaghy on the last “30 Rock” episode: “Gift-giving is the purest expression of friendship.”  Picking out a gift for someone is a chance for us to reflect on what we know and like about them. But in the case of selecting a holiday present for a significant other, it can also be a chance to royally screw up.

Trust me, I know from experience.

It’s winter and my boyfriend hates the fact that I don’t shave my legs all the time. It’s not like he stops making me feel sexy, but sometimes he will stroke my legs absentmindedly and then make a face and playfully, but meaningfully, tries to guess the date of my last shave. Maybe his other girlfriends have shaved religiously in the past, but sometimes a woman just wants to be free and embrace all aspects of her womanhood. Should I be offended if my boyfriend gets grossed out by my leg hair? And how should I go about giving this schoolboy a lesson on the unrealistic expectations that the media places on women—besides refusing to shave until he gets good and used to the loveliness? — Keeping Cozy

I was supposed to have a date tonight, but a few hours ago, I got an email from the guy explaining that he needed to cancel our rendezvous. The reason? His grandmother died. Whoa. Really? I wanted to believe him, but my gut somehow told me it was a lie. (If it does turn out to be true, then wow, I am a completely horrible and insensitive person.) For now I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt, but it still made me think of some of the weird last-minute excuses I’ve heard from men before. And admittedly, some of the stories I’m guilty of concocting myself. (“Urgent deadline from my editor!”)

So, what’s the lamest reason—real or fake—that you’ve heard for a canceled date? A few of ours are after the jump.

Let me preface this post by giving you some stats:

I’m 31. My Future Husband (FH) is 34. I was raised Jewish … but not really (meaning, I never went to temple). My FH was raised Catholic … but not really (meaning, he never went to church).

Now that I’ve shared, I can continue my story …

I get lots of letters for my “Dear Wendy” advice column from readers who are in ambiguous relationships. Sometimes they’ve been out a few times with someone but never end the date with anything more than a friendly handshake or quick peck on the cheek — or worse, an air kiss. Other times, the dates are a little more touchy-feely, but they’re few and far between with little to no communication between. And then, of course, there are the letters from people who only see their “significant others” at night, without much warning, and never in public. Hello, booty call! After the jump, I present to you the biggest tell-tale signs that it’s not a real relationship.

Reader Midori and her boyfriend spotted this after eating at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. “It was a sweet end to an even sweeter brunch: Bread pudding topped with caramelized banana,” she says. Yum.

Have you seen graffiti that’s kind of sweet (even if it is against the law)? Send your pic to tips@thefrisky.com.

What’s more important to you: your shoe collection or your dude collection? Survey says … shoes! A new study proves that Carrie Bradshaw was right to worship her Manolos because shoes are way more important to us ladies than men are. The shocking stats say that 92 percent of women remember the first pair of shoes they purchased with their own money while only 63 percent remember the name of the first dude they kissed. And even more insulting for the gentlemen … 96 percent of women regret throwing out a pair of shoes while just 15 percent feel sorry for dumping a boyfriend. I must be in the slim minority here, because I have no recollection of my first pair of shoes but I could never forget my first kiss with Jeremy. Dreamy.

And PS: Of course we don’t regret dumping a bad news dude. Good riddance. Maybe I’ve just never owned the right pair of shoes or something, but this study seems insulting to me. How about you? Are shoes really more important to you than men? [Daily Mail]

I’ve recently started dating in a normal, orderly way like other people date; formerly, I have only had long term relationships which just sort of happened, no dates required.  I’ve gone on dates with many men, with the goal of getting to know each of them before I chose to make a more serious commitment to any particular one.  The problem is that they all seem to be really, really into me.  As in, they want to bring me home to meet their parents. They call me pet names, they call me every day, my ears get sore from staying on the phone all night.  They wonder what our babies would look like. It’s too much.  And, just for the reference, these are all men I have known for less than one month, some I have not even kissed.

As told to Lauren Gitlin.

It was always kind of under the surface, this idea that I wasn’t quite comfortable with my body. I remember looking at this book my parents gave me when I was 8 years old and I saw drawings of what men’s bodies were like and what women’s bodies were like, and how bodies changed through puberty. And I remember identifying more with male bodies, like that was the kind of body I wanted. 

In this modern age of dating, casual sex, and fun hooking up, many of us remain friendly with people we’ve seen naked long after the ugly-bumping has come to an end. That said, there are still plenty of rules that must be followed if you actually want to maintain some semblance of a friendship. After the jump, 20 dos and don’ts of having a post-hookup friendship.

I’m a 21 year-old girl, who got kicked out of her parents’ house (in Texas) earlier this year. I’m now living in Cali with my current boyfriend who is 27. I love him, but I don’t think I’m in love with him. I’ve known him for about 5-6 years now, but we’ve only been dating for about eight months (I’ve been living with him for about six of them.) I’ve been struggling with my sexuality for a long time now (I identify as bisexual) and I think I might just be a lesbian. If I leave him, I have nowhere else to go. Due to the bad economy I don’t have a job (and I’ve been looking for one since I got here). I don’t know what to do. Please Help!? — Cunfuzzled

On Friday, Tiger Woods announced on his website that he would be taking an indefinite break from golf so that he could focus on saving his marriage after being busted for many, many infidelities. His wife, Elin Nordegren, was photographed this weekend without her wedding ring and, supposedly, the family is fleeing to her native Sweden to get some privacy while they figure out if their union can be repaired. But one thing is clear: Tiger has officially given Elin a “free dick pass,” i.e., the right to cheat on him with whomever she’d like, at least once. Think of it as a revenge cheat without consequences. If you were her, would you take the opportunity to throw a little infidelity back in Tiger’s face? After the jump, a few women weigh in about their experiences with the “free dick pass.”

No one will dispute the importance of good girlfriends – they support your delusional hopes of one day being Mrs. Sam Kass, listen to you vent about your idiot boss and evil ex, and assure you that you haven’t gained an ounce despite that steady diet of french fries you’ve been adhering to, as a coping mechanism for the aforementioned idiot boss and evil ex. But it goes without saying that no modern woman’s circle of friends is complete without at least one gay bestie. The unique bond between a straight woman and a gay man is a many-splendored thing, one that’s inspired sonnets (not really), TV shows, books, and the true barometer of mainstream credibility, a possible incarnation as a Bravo reality show. A new study conducted by Nancy H. Bartlett of Mount Saint Vincent University in Canada (and covered in the December issue of Allure magazine) suggests that having a large contingent of gay male friends might actually be good for you.

With this in mind, we asked women we knew if they felt that gay men made better best friends than girls. Two women share their opposing views, after the jump ...