Good Clean Reads

“Earth laughs in flowers.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have taken to smelling flowers all the time of late. This is easy to do in Oregon with my favorite flower just blooming now. Peonies are one of the oldest flowers in the garden, with varieties dating back thousands of years. It is a flower that is steeped in mythology and gets its name from Paeon, the physician of the Greek gods. A peony will live...

by Elizabeth Spannuth

I often joke that I am “breaking down gender stereotypes” when I exhibit certain social behaviors that have traditionally been associated with men, such as opening doors or paying the check. Even though these behaviors are more the exception than the rule in these times, the stereotype still persists. I was shocked and amazed earlier this week when my boyfriend broke down the...

by Tinamarie Bernard

When one is young, the idea of a real and abiding love tends to resemble a fairy tale, and there is little room in the predictable lines of a storybook romance for the messy truths that adults sometimes find themselves in. That is because love, by its very nature, surprises. It thrills and moves us in ways unimaginable, and sometimes that means our heart is tugged in two...

Carol Queen, author of Real Live Nude Girl and long time sexpert at Good Vibrationsapply her wit and intelligence to some of the most complex and intriguing questions concerning human sexuality. Fearless about exploring her own sexuality through experience, Queen advocates for sexual positivity and safety. Don’t miss this enlightening and lively conversation that affirms the truth of our own...

I remember someone telling me years ago to choose my battles with my kids. Pick the things that really matter to you and don’t compromise on those. On the others, do the best you can and don’t be surprised how many things you thought were important really aren’t. In the end, the only rule that I was ever 100% consistent about was kindness. The only choice for my children was to work it out. More...

by Tina Tessina

1. What is your definition of commitment?

You and your partner define your relationship.  Know what your relationship means to each of you, to avoid repeating past mistakes, getting stuck in uncomfortable roles, or fighting about what your commitment is. Talk about what you mean by relationship, commitment, love, and faithfulness. You’ll be amazed by what you learn.

2. Have you...

by Anastasia Strgar

We’ve all heard that it’s best to be friends before you start dating someone. And don’t we all wish that we could live out the fantasy that, years later we’d run into our childhood best friend, realize that we’re meant to be and think “Wow, I’m so happy that I’m in love with my best friend” or know someone for years and always secretly have a crush on them and then suddenly one...

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. “~Thornton Wilder

I am back to keeping a gratitude journal and happy to report that it is easier than ever to generate a long list from a life that is full of moments to cherish. It is in fact the simplest of things that truly make us happy and most of them I realize over and over again exist within...

“A kiss can be a comma, a question mark or an exclamation point.  That’s basic spelling that every woman ought to know.” -Jeanne Bourgeois

If ever there was a communication mechanism that predicted the destiny and longevity of a romantic interlude, it is the kiss. What we say with our kisses, as well as how they are received and understood is the basis for all the sexual conversations that they...