Dear Kate,
What’s up with “open relationships?”
– Is He Taken, err what?Dear Taken,
Due to the recent onslaught of Facebook profile obsessions, it’s become more apparent that many of our fellow Lawrence students are currently involved in “open relationships.” More formally referred to as polyamory, they are defined (according to reference.com’s encyclopedia) as “the practice of having more than one loving relationship at the same time, with the full knowledge and consent of all partners involved.” Open relationships can be pretty tricky. They may start out as a logical alternative to a lackluster relationship in need of a little extra spice. However, any Hollywood love triangle would tell you that someone always gets left out in the cold. I’m all for healthy relationships that aren’t possessive or confining, but there is a distinct difference between an honest and intimate connection between two people, and an excuse to hit it with the hot dude in your chemistry lab. My advice: stick with someone who prefers you as his main entre, and not as a side dish.
Dear Kate,
Can you explain the phenomenon of the “metrosexual?”
– Scouting out Soccer Players
Dear Scout,
A metrosexual is a stylish male who is more in touch with his fashionable, urban side than, say, a typical Packers fan. He exhibits poise, charm, and charisma while at the same time asserting his masculine identity. Famous metrosexuals include David Beckham, Brad Pitt and Justin Timberlake. The metrosexual takes time perfecting the perfect coif to suit his chiseled cheekbones, spends hours sculpting his facial hair over his perfectly moisturized skin, and may even seek solace with a relaxing manicure. Characteristically, metrosexuals are fans of the latest Dolce & Gabbana collection, and wouldn’t be caught dead wrapped in fleece or sporting a pair of Converse sneakers. Obviously, then, there aren’t many evident metrosexuals strutting around the Lawrence campus, and I think I speak for most of us when I say that’s just the way I like it.
Send any questions you have for Kate about love, sex or dating to 203 Plantz Hall or ostlerk@lawrence.edu.