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Welcome to Minnesota: A Conversation about Immigration and Human Rights

May

25

workaround

Cyn Collins

About me

Cyn Collins (cynth@bitstream.net) is a Twin Cities freelance arts and culture writer. She is the author of West Bank Boogie, a substitute programmer at KFAI, and an assistant producer of Write On Radio.

Column:

Life of Cyn

workaround

Blogging about sex when little ones are afoot: TMI?

By Cyn Collins, TC Daily Planet

Dear Cyn,

My friend leads an active sex life, and she's pretty public about it—she tweets, Facebooks, and blogs about the guys she's been with. In detail, if you know what I mean. But here's the thing: she's a single mom. She has two kids who are preschoolers. I asked her if it's really appropriate for her to be so public about her sex life when she has two young kids, but she says (a) it doesn't involve them, since they won't meet any guys except ones she's seriously and exclusively dating; and (b) sex is a natural part of human life, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. Still, I think she should keep things under the covers where they belong. What do you think?MORE »

Prescription for getting over a breakup: Travel, friends, exercise, "Glee," and sex

By Cyn Collins, TC Daily Planet

Dear Cyn,

I ended a long-term relationship several months ago. Needless to say, it was hard. I'm starting to look at other relationships, but I want to take it slow and don't expect—or necessarily even want—lightning to strike overnight. So I'm looking at the prospect of a long winter of singlehood, and wondering, how should I handle the loneliness? I don't want to just grab some guy for a rebound, and I'll keep busy enough—but crowds can be lonely too. What's the healthiest way for me to get through this?MORE »

Dealbreakers, record-breakers, and heartbreakers

By Cyn Collins, TC Daily Planet

Dear Cyn,

Do you believe in dealbreakers? Like, things about a person that as soon as you find out about them, you decide it's never going to work between you? If so, how small a thing can a dealbreaker reasonably be?MORE »

When to have the exclusivity talk? The sooner, the better

By Cyn Collins, TC Daily Planet

Dear Cyn—

A guy friend of mine is actively dating-and by "actively dating," I mean he's hooking up with multiple different people. Some he sees pretty regularly, others are one-night stands. My question is: what does he have to tell them, and when? I told him that before he hooks up with anyone, he has to tell her that he's seeing different people. He says he doesn't need to get into it unless someone asks him to be exclusive. What do you think?MORE »

How to say "I love you"? Write it across the sky

By Cyn Collins, TC Daily Planet

Dear Cyn,

I'm dating the world's perfect man, going on five months now. Trust me, you'd be jealous. In addition to constant rushes of excitement, big adventures, and mind-blowing sex, we actually understand each other and communicate. So...I love him. Real do-anything-just-to-see-you-happy love. Self-sacrificing love. Last-bite-of-ice-cream love. Can't-get-out-of-bed-because-I'm-creepily-watching-you-sleep kind of love. Problem is, I haven't had the nerve to open my mouth and say this out loud. Any advice?MORE »

Underwear: Have fun under there

By Cyn Collins, TC Daily Planet

Dear Cyn—

I'm 36, and my ten-year marriage ended last year. I'm getting ready to get back in the dating game, and I have a weird question: what kind of underwear should I wear? I've asked some female friends, and they're about evenly split between boxers and briefs. They told me to ask you what's hot on guys these days—and to ask if you have any tips for them (the women) while you're at it.MORE »

Hook-up redux: The best places to meet hot singles in 2010

By Cyn Collins, TC Daily Planet

Hello, cats and kittens!

Way back in the dead of last winter, I gave you a bunch of my recommendations for cool places to hook up with single men and women. Now, in the heat of summer, with a plethora of new places open (or opening soon), festivals galore, and more to do now with increased mobility sans ice and snow, I offer you a few new recommendations (to add to the former lists, which are still solid—except for Stasiu's, which is now cinders). First I'll reiterate a few places that have changed a bit or remain the strongest sources on your list of go-to places to meet men and women.MORE »

Where to live? Anywhere but Uptown

By Cyn Collins, TC Daily Planet

Dear Cyn,

I'm moving to the Twin Cities for a job. I'm a 30-year-old single guy, and I'd like to be in a neighborhood where there's stuff going on, but affordability and breathing room are important too. One travel guide says I should live Uptown for sure, but City Pages says Northeast is the place to be, and my friend says St. Paul is underrated. What do you think?MORE »

Don't write him off for one word—no, not even THAT word

By Cyn Collins, TC Daily Planet

Dear Cyn,

There's a guy I've gone out with a couple of times; it's gone well, and I was looking forward to the next date when I saw that on Facebook he called a certain female politician with whom he seriously disagrees (for the record, so do I) the c-word. The one with four letters, used to insult a woman. I showed my friends, and they said to cut him off—any guy who would ever use that word is a sexist jerk. I'm not so sure-he's pretty outspoken, but that's one of the things I like about him. I'd rather he didn't go there, but I don't know if I'm ready to entirely write him off just because of it. What do you think?MORE »

So he's married, but the fuzz is off the peach and he's looking for some comfort from you? Uh-huh.

By Cyn Collins, TC Daily Planet

Dear Cyn—

There's a colleague of mine at work—we don't work closely together, but we're in the same company—who's smoking hot. I'm single...but he's married. With a kid.MORE »