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Minions and Friendship

Men and Friendships

In Why Every Man Needs Platonic Female Friends by Jeremy Glass, the age old question, "Can men be friends with women?" is explored in a positive way.

Glass discusses the benefits of men having platonic female friends, which include healthy communication skills, a greater understanding of the opposite sex, as well as learning how to balance friendships and romantic relationships.

An excerpt:

"One of the coolest parts of guys having female friends is the wisdom they glean from having what Dr. Walsh calls "an insider view of the other gender." 

OK, not every male friend is going to be able to tell you why so many dudes love Buffalo chicken and the movie Gladiator, and not every female friend is going to take the time to explain what bobby pins are and how exactly they work. 

When you're dating someone, you get an abbreviated view of how his or her mind works. My female friends always help me figure out how I've accidentally offended my girlfriend when I'm feeling particularly clueless. Did you know that women don't like it when you fall asleep in front of the TV during date night?"

What do you think?  Can men and women just be friends? 

Test Your Friendship Health Knowledge!

Take this quiz to see how much you know about the health benefits of friendship.

How did you score?!

Friendships and Motherhood

In How being a new mom can change old friendships by Lauren Pelley, the topic of parents and their kid-free friends is explored. The article also includes "mom confessions," where women share their experiences of becoming a new mom and how it impacted their friendships.  It's a fun read!

An excerpt from the article:
"Poop problems aside, motherhood in general throws a wrench in friendships. But as conversations turn from Tinder dates to diaper changes and quick coffee catch-ups replace late-night dinners, experts say friends without kids need to be sensitive to how much a new mom’s life has changed overnight — while moms need to make effort to keep old friendships strong."

Nicknames and Friendship

I was recently approached by a journalist about what to do when you hate your nickname and your friends continue to use it.  This question was unusual and stumped me for a few days.  After much thought, I realized this may be something that many women go through, but is rarely discussed.  My advice was simple: talk to your friends and be honest about how the nickname upsets/bothers you, and ask them to stop.  If they can't honor your request, ask them why not and how they'd feel if the shoe were on the other foot.  If they still can't stop using the name that makes smoke come out of your ears, then you may need to re-evaluate your friendships.

Here's her article:
What To do When You Hate Your Nickname by Franki Cookney

Finding Friends on a Dating Website? Wait, What?!

Good friends are hard to find. We all know this fact, especially as we get older. In Looking for friends on a dating app is awkward. But it worked. by Abby Green, we get an inside look at one brave woman's experience using Bumble BFF.

An excerpt:
"Meeting new people and facing the fear of rejection doesn’t get easier when it’s platonic rather than romantic, I realized. But on this friend-date, it felt like we were saying what we meant — and romantic dates don’t often feel that way.

With friendship, we have many vacancies and can fill those spots with different types of people. But with romantic love, people are usually looking for one person, which means there’s a lot of pressure to present the best version of yourself on dates."

In today's day and age, it seems we're more open to online dating and meeting people in less traditional ways. Why not meet friends this way?

Would you consider trying this app? 

Funny Quotes/Images

Friendship and Work

Have you ever run into a sticky situation with your work friends and been unsure how to manage?  Read How to Handle Awkward Situations With Your Work Friends by Natasha Burton for some common situations and how to deal with them.

An excerpt:

"You’re Close With Your Boss — and You Get Into a Fight  

Perhaps your boss is like a mentor to you, or maybe you two have connected on a deeper level and spend time together outside of work. Unfortunately, this connection doesn't shield you from disagreements. Nor does it change that fact that she’s your boss. 

If a conflict comes up, stay professional and friendly rather than jumping on the defensive. If the conflict was small — like a disagreement that got a little more aggressive than necessary — send a quick email to smooth things over. If the situation escalated to the point of hurt feelings or unprofessional behavior, schedule a time to talk about it outside the office. Having some time to cool off and the ability to talk away from your desks will give you a better chance of emerging with your working relationship and your friendship intact."

Good advice!

Roommate Dilemma

Is your roommate kicking you out so her significant other can move in?!  Read this article below on how to manage such an awkward situation!

What do Do When You're Ousted for Your Roommate's S.O. by Emma Goddard

Articles

Below are two articles I was interviewed for.  I hope you enjoy!

What It's Like To Go To Couples Therapy With Your Adult BFF by Jenny Kutner

Making Moves Work For You by Dinsa Sachan

Ted Talk: Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin

If you haven't watched this awesome video, here's your chance!