Want to get back together with your ex?

So you have just split up with your boyfriend/girlfriend and all you want is to get them back then here is the way - http://www.breakuprepair.com/.
This is a website that tells you exactly how to win back your ex.
All you have to do is log on and you will receive all the information you need to get back with the one you love.
You will receive videos, articles, read success stories and top tips!
I have to admit that I think this is a load of old rubbish and if you want to get back with an ex then a website isn't the way to go about it.
But if you have exhausted all your efforts - why not take a look.

Finding Love Online

How do you find love in this day and age?
Trying to balance work, family and friends, it amazes me that anyone has the time to go out and look for Mr Right.
But it seems that I have been going about this all wrong and should actually be staying at home in front of my computer to find love.

In an article on www.telegraph.co.uk it says that one in four British people are dating – or have dated – someone they met through online community websites.
And over a third have got back in touch with an old flame through the sites.
One in 10 have even gone a step further and had an affair or a one-night stand with someone they met via a social networking site.
A poll of 3,000 20 to 40-year-olds was taken by www.OnePoll.com which revealed that almost half (46 per cent) believe it’s now easier to meet someone through social networking sites than in the flesh.
And 57 per cent of those admitted they are more confident communicating with a potential suitor online.
Over a third (39 per cent) said they preferred the method as it enabled them to get to know someone before actually meeting them.
And 27 per cent felt using social networking sites cut down the time to find love compared to having to having to meet prospective partners face to face.
Yet 44 per cent agreed it’s now considered “cooler” to find love via online community sites than traditional means.
This could explain why over a quarter surveyed confessed to purposely uploading nice pictures of themselves in the hope that potential love interests will spot their profile.
And three quarters of Brits believe there are fewer stigmas attached to meeting a love-match via Facebook, Friends Reunited or Bebo than normal internet dating websites like match.com.

So instead of getting glammed up on a Saturday night for a night on the town, you can just sit in front of the TV with your laptop and find that special someone.

Valentine's Day

Now being single I was hoping to be able to avoid this day altogether this year but this being a relationship blog it is really unavoidable.
Valentine's Day is when ladies are showered with chocolates and flowers - and so we should be.
But what if this is all you get every year, why not try something a little different this year.
To give you a few ideas for an alternative gift for St Valentine's Day this year here is something I found on The Times newspaper's website.

14 alternative Valentine’s day presents from The Times.

1. The word love: Love is up for auction on eBay. The word love that is. The highest bidder receives a personal dedication next to the word in a special edition of the Collins’ Dictionary and ‘ownership’ of the word for a year. A romantic escape to a boutique hotel is also thrown in. http://www.adoptaword.com/love. Proceeds go to children’s charity I CAN

2. A Scratch ‘n Sniff Cinema evening: Smell-o-vision goes one better at a screening of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover in London’s Newburgh Quarter by online art collective Jotta and bespoke jelly makers Bombas and Parr. Couples get special scratch ‘n sniff cards infused with scents from key moments of Peter Greenaway’s film (rotting meat, dusty books) to watch the film at this one-day-only event. Guests will sip specially commissioned aphrodisiac cocktails and nibble “surprise” treats (although not as surprising as the gangster’s final meal in the film, we hope). The screenings are sold out, but we have a pair of tickets reserved to give away to Times Online readers. Email ben@jotta.com to enter the drawing on Friday the 13th at 11am.

3. A kiss (from you) suspended over an air machine: Give your lover an extra thrill by booking a session in the ‘tunnel of love’ – a wind tunnel in Milton Keynes. You can pretend to be skydiving without having to jump out of a plane and attempt to kiss mid-air which may or may not be more difficult than it looks in the picture on the website. £ 69.99 for two

4. A personalised machete: This is either a bit grizzly or edgily alternative – you decide. Hurry - before they all sell-out (really)! www.elizabethmcgrath.com/store-handmade.php

5. A tree: Combat the bunch of roses cliché by buying the object of your affections a tree, delivered straight to their door. Just avoid saying something like ‘let our love grow’ in the accompanying card. Prices from £9.99. www.tree2mydoor.com

6. Adopt a book: a romantic gesture, if you pick your title wisely. Pick up St Valentine’s pocket book from 1867 or a Midsummer Night’s Dream from 1901. Prices range from £25 to £500 www.bl.uk/adoptabook

7. Chocolate corset: It is chocolate, but this laced-up corset-style box contains a giant heart and is quirky, not cheesy. www.hotelchocolat.co.uk

8. Rose bud tea: When a bunch of flowers is too run of the mill, rosebud tea comes to the rescue – and tastes delicious. Antique Rose tea, £17.02 www.choitime.com

9. Massage Masterclass: A bit more original than the usual spa voucher, the spa at Chancery Court are offering a masterclass for couples, who learn tricks of the trade from a holistic therapist. It costs £300, but lasts 1hr 50 minutes and includes a massage from the therapist as well as an ESPA gift pack. www.spachancerycourt.com

10. Heart-shaped frying pan: Breakfast in bed has never been so kitsch. The idea is to buy the pan then offer to cook eggs for your partner, thus avoiding the awkward ‘you bought me a kitchen implement, how romantic’ chat. £5 from Cancer Research www.giftshop.cancerresearchuk.org

11. Lips video game: True love is listening to your lover warble along to Mariah Carey. And with this game they can. http://www.amazon.co.uk/

12. Treat your dog to a Harrods food tasting: For £10 you can treat the only person in your life you can really count on, as long as that person is your dog. Your pet will be able to taste the delights of Lily’s ‘proper’ pet food. We’re told: “Harrods don’t usually let dogs into the store, except for coat fittings,” so don’t miss the opportunity. Besides, aren’t fellow dog-lovers perfect to date?

13. Something from notmassproduced.com: Surely the definition of alternative, you won’t find any of these gifts in your local House of Fraser www.notmassproduced.com

14. Lunch in Paris via private jet: In this economy, what could run more counter to the make-do-and-mend mindset than organising a romantic meal in Paris, flown in by private jet? For employees of banks that have received billions from the government, the bonus ought to cover the cost easily. Prices start from £500 www.bookajet.com.

Well that was a bit for the loved up people out there.
I am spending this year at a gig with my friend and not giving boy's a thought - unless I meet someone while I am out, you never know!

Should you stay friends with an ex?

Should you do it?
Well, up until recently I would have said, no way, just try and move on.
But now I'm not so sure.
When I first split up with my ex we said that we would stay friends, but that was mainly because we had tickets to Leeds festival and neither of us were willing to give those up.
But as soon as we had been there, I just found it too difficult to be his friend because I couldn't bear the thought of him with anyone else.
So we agreed to call it quits and not see each other anymore.
And my ex stuck to that for a couple of weeks but then he started getting in touch again and it was great and we chatted on the phone for hours as if nothing had changed.
But then I found out he was with someone and I cut him out of my life again, which I thought this time was for good.
But after all this bad weather we have been having, he called me up the other day because he had been stressing about me driving in the snow!
And he asked me if we could be friends.
Now, I haven't seen him since August - except for the odd few times when I have driven past him in my car so I am thinking it might be nice to have a good catch up.
But at the same time, I don't want to end up right back where I started.
So, in answer to the title of this post...I will let you know because I still don't have the answer!

He's Just Not That Into You

This is the film for single girls everywhere.
Men have been described to me as simple, but I want to argue otherwise.
Or maybe I just over think things and they really are the simple beings they claim to be.
This new film, released February 6, is filled with women with the same view as me. That men are confusing and complicated.
This film looks at the signals men give women - when they say they will call and don’t, when they say they really like you but won’t commit and this film is for all the times you have sat by the phone, willing it to ring and it doesn’t.
This film tells it like it is - maybe he is just not that into you.
It might be a harsh reality but coming to this conclusion could save you a lot of time waiting for him to call when you could be out looking for the next one.
So grab your single friends and spend Valentine’s Day with the person you love the most - yourself!
To find out more why not check out the trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpusqxxVq34

21 and single

So I turned 21-years-old this week and I had a little panic.
This time last year I was with the guy I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with and now I have got to start all over again.
So after I had calmed down, I decided I needed to come up with a plan so that this didn't happen on every birthday, Valentine's Day and Christmas until I finally get myself a new boyfriend.
So I decided that I have four years to find myself someone who is husband material!
As long as I am with someone by the time I am 25 then everything else should slot into place.
Because I don't want to get married until I am least 30 so that will give me five years with this guy - whoever he may be!
So with all that decided I can now relax and start looking for Mr Right.
Three years and 360 days to go.

The Holiday Romance

I have just gotten back from a week in Lanzarote and I decided I was going get myself a holiday romance.
I have never had one before so I thought now would be as good a time as any to give it a go.
So I got there all ready to go out on the town only to discover that we were a 20 minute walk from any decent bars which I didn't really fancy at night on my own in a foreign country.
So I had to make do with what was around us - which was nothing.
I had to endure being chatted up by a chef with wonky teeth and a cuban waiter who was really greasy.
So I gave up with my quest.
But of course with the luck that I have been having lately a hot guy turned up on my last night when it was too late to do anything about it.
So that was the end of any chance of romance for me for this year.
Bring on the New Year - I just hope it is going to be better than this one!

Girls Night Out

Since being single I am making the most of these - cash permitting anyway.
You get to have a great time with your friends and not have to worry about your boyfriend getting paranoid if you speak to another man.
So I went out with my colleagues Amy and Debbie at the weekend and they set themselves a mission for me to pull a boy seeing as I haven't kissed anyone in 5 months which is not good!
Well their mission was accomplished - and I am quite pleased to say he wasn't as ugly as I thought he was!
But I didn't even get his name so we won't be seeing him again but it did feel good to get back in the game and start forgetting about my ex and moving on - which was the whole point of the night anyway.
I will tell you though I did get incredibly smashed and fell over - a lot - and even bust my lip open and I still managed to pull - he must have been really drunk as well!
All in all though a great night and a turning point in me getting over my ex.
And plus we got to see Calvin from Hollyoaks which is always a bonus.

Dating

I am finally ready to get back in the game and start dating again - but how do I it?
I have never had to put myself out there, things just sort of happened in the past so I don't really know how to go about getting myself out there.
There are guys out there that I fancy and would like to go out on a date with but I don't know how to ask.
I keep talking to my friends about it and getting advice but it is easier said than done.
I do like to think that I am confident but this is so difficult.
I just can't seem to pluck up the courage and ask anyone out.
I need help!

Your ex has a new girlfriend.

This is the bridge that I had to cross this week.
For the last few weeks I have felt really happy with everything and finally felt that I was moving forward but this has thrown me sideways.
The fact that he is seeing someone else really isn't the issue because he has every right to.
The thing that has annoyed me is that three days before I find out about his new bit on the side, he phoned me and told me that he missed me!
What the hell is wrong with him? What good did he think would come out of ringing me to tell me that he missed me and then me finding out he was seeing someone else.
And not only does he have a new girlfriend - he is with the girl who he slept with only weeks after we broke up and who is the same girl who he claimed to just be friends with during the last few months of our relationship and who he had no feelings for.
And to make things even worse as well, he didn't even tell me, I had to find out for my self.
God bless facebook and my investigative journalist side.
I can finally stop letting him back into my life and start to move on properly.
So my next few posts are going to take a bit of a different approach and they are going to focus on being single and happy and not being taken for a ride by the opposite sex.
Unless it's a really hot guy who is worth it!

The First Date

What do you wear? Where do you go? What do you say?
There are no rules for this it is just what you are most comfortable with.
I think a good first date is a relaxed meal, maybe in a pub, and then to the cinema.
The meal gives you a chance to talk and get to know each other and then the cinema gives you time to relax and see how things go from there.
On my first date with my ex that is what we did and it worked really well, except the only film on at the cinema was 'The 40-year-old virgin' so it wasn't the most romantic film but it did make us laugh.
The next thing is what do you wear. I was tricked because when my ex asked me out, he asked me if I wanted to go shopping so I thought we were going shopping so when he came to pick me up I was in baggy jeans and a t-shirt but he didn't make that much of an effort either so it wasn't too disastrous.
Then there is the hardest part of all - how do you end it?
When he dropped me off I wanted him to kiss me so I hovered in the car for too long to see whether he was going to get the signals but he was a typical boy and didn't get the signs.
But after realising that he missed his chance I got a call a few hours later and he came back to my house and we went out for a walk and sat on the park for a talk and then I got my goodnight kiss.
There are no rules for your first date but it is up to you where you want it go and what you want to happen.

Christmas Presents

I know this is early but it will soon be Christmas time and you will need to buy a present for that special someone.
This will be the first Christmas in three years that I have been single and even though I am not looking forward to being without a boyfriend, I am looking forward to the £200+ that can stay in my bank account!
Here are a few ideas for you boys to get your girlfriends this festive season, or just as a quirky gift to show her you care.
Now, even though chocolate is the predictable choice why not go for the Naughty But Nice Take Away gift box. This is four lip gloss pots shaped as cup cakes with flavours raspberry cream, cream tart, strawberry cream and chocolate cream .
Or why not get the Chocolate Says It All bar which will give her an edible yet romantic message.
Still sticking with the sweet theme, if you are willing to splash a bit of cash why not get her a charm, such as the Last Rolo or the Silver Love Heart.
Also available is a passport holder if you are planning to whisk your girl off her feet.
And for the dancing queen, Tipsy Feet. A pair of flat pumps that will fold up and fit in your handbag for when your feet start to hurt during a night out on the town.
All these gift ideas are available at www.prezzybox.com and cost between £3.95 and £39.95.
And you single girls out there, you don't need a man to buy you these presents, why not treat yourself!

Cosmopolitan's 25 Hottest Men

The 25 Sexiest Men in the World have been voted for by Cosmopolitan readers and not surprisingly Johnny Depp has reached the top spot.
But what is surprising is that half of the men featured in the top 10 are over 40 and George Clooney has overtaken Brad Pitt for the very first time.
Johnny Depp originally melted our hearts playing Edward Scissorhands and making us ladies go weak at the knees as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series and the 45-year-old’s sultry looks still make him the ultimate heart-throb.
George Clooney, aged 47, was named the second hottest guy on the planet.
But don't worry because all is not lost for younger men as the beauty and brains of Jake Gyllenhaal places him at number three.
James Bond’s infamous tight swimming trunks in Casino Royale put 40-year-old Daniel Craig as the fourth most desirable man in the world.
Brad Pitt, aged 44, claims the number five spot and he is followed by 29-year-old James McAvoy and 27-year-old Justin Timberlake.
David Beckham comes in at number nine and the new Batman, Christian Bale, is at number 11.
In 13th place on the chart and proving they can still have what it takes to relight women’s fires are Take That and coming in at number 16 and achieving the unthinkable in confirming that sci-fi can be sexy is David Tennant - although I don't see it myself.
Angry, fiery and sizzling beyond the kitchen, 42-year-old Gordon Ramsay is in 21st position and he is followed by Russell Brand.
Bringing up the rear of the list are Hollywood hottie and French fox Ryan Reynolds and Olivier Martinez who are in 24th and 25th place respectively.
Do you agree with the list or do you think someone is missing or in the wrong place?
Feel free to post a comment or email me at shelley_marriott@hotmail.co.uk.

Books to make you single guys smile.

Here are a few books which have just been released to give you a giggle and get you wise towards men.
First up we have, 'I love babies and other lies he'll tell you to get you into bed' by Sarah Herman. This retails at £5.99 and was released today.
Here are a few to watch out for - "I only sweat when I'm around girls I really fancy", "I'd love a big wedding", "For me sex is all about artistic impression" and "I'm really good with kids."
If you have ever had one of these lines dropped into a conversation then you will not be a stranger to the fact that men can be very creative with the truth to get what they want.
This photo book is packed with all the hilarious one liners that men tell when attempting to pull!

And next we have 'Naughty Wit, Quips and Quotes to make you blush' by Aubrey Malone.
This retails at £9.99 and is out now.
Here is a little taster of what you will be in store for - "My schoolmates would make love to anything that moved, but I never saw any reason to limit myself to that," Emo Phillips and the classic, "The only way to get over a man is to get under another one," Jane Tyler.
For more of these risque ripostes and smutty wise cracks from writers and comedians why not check this one out.
Both of these titles are published by Summerdale and available at all good bookshops and internet booksellers.

Welcome

This is a new Loughborough Echo blog which is going to delve into the ins and out of relationships.
This will be advice from my own personal experience after a three year relationship which ended earlier this year.
Now I am not claiming to be an expert because I am far from it, I just want to share with you what I have found out over the last few years.
This is my first go at blogging but I will do my best to update this as much as I can.
Feel free to post any comments on here about your own experiences or email me at shelley_marriott@hotmail.co.uk.