Relationships--Wonkish

Just wanted to give a shutout to my dawg Dr Malcolm Brynin, at the University of Essex.
He wrote about relationships in a new book (http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/18/relationships-love to learn about it).

Dr Brynin states that "Adults in successful long-term partnerships are those who have taken a calm, pragmatic view of what they need from a relationship". It's true...because successful partnerships are defined as long-lasting; not as fulfilling.

Dr Love's researches show that when choosing a partner, people place too much importance on stability and the ease of everyday life. I believe that relationships are not meant to be comfortable (not that it is wrong if they are) but are rather meant to be exhilarating. It's like taking a bath with your lover; you don't do it because it is going to be comfortable (let's face it, it won't be) or because they'll be able to reach spots in your back that you can reach with the soap bar. You take baths because it's a moment of great tenderness, complicity, vulnerability and sensuality (who cares if you're not really as clean after as you'd be if you had taken a shower).

Please don't listen too much to people talking about the merits of stability and about removing spontaneity in your life; you might end up forgetting about the pleasure of having chocolate ice cream on your french toasts for breakfast...

Conclusion: The University of Essex ain't bad but it has nothing on the University of Love.