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I thought telling my son to use a condom was enough — I was wrong

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Since my sons first talked about their erections (it happens earlier than most parents would expect), my husband and I made a point to be open and frank with them about sex. Much like Gaylord Focker’s parents in Meet the Fockers, our attitudes about sexuality weren’t repressive or based in denial. Sex is a part of being alive, and since I knew that at some point my kids would have sex, I decided to give them as much honest information about it as possible.

We talked about condoms and STDs, and I shared a deeply personal story about the man I knew as a teenager who died of the AIDS virus. We talked about teenage pregnancy, consent and even masturbation.

When the fateful day came that my son decided to begin a sexual relationship with his girlfriend, he let us know in advance. It wasn’t a scary conversation as much as it was him testing the waters and seeing if we really were as open as we said we’d be. I reminded my son to have lots of condoms on hand and trusted that he was 100 percent prepared.

More: Being bullied made me into who I am today

I was wrong.

A little over a year later, my son’s girlfriend had a pregnancy scare.

Pregnancy scare, you may ask? Yes, because stupidly, my son and his girlfriend had been having unprotected sex.

Even with all the information and open discussions, I had failed at preparing my son.

I asked to sit down with him and his girlfriend. Both were technically teens — although she was a year older and a legal adult. Her parents knew that they were having sex and had made sure she was on birth control, but she admitted to often forgetting to take the pill.

I had told them to use condoms even while she was on the pill because one missed dose was all that was needed to open the door to an unplanned pregnancy. I couldn’t understand why they risked having a baby when they had been so thoroughly educated about safe sex.

“I’m just trying to wrap my mind around why you’re not using condoms,” I said.

More: I won't homeschool my kids after my own awful experience as a child

“We are,” my son replied. His girlfriend looked embarrassed but it didn’t matter to me. I needed to get to the bottom of their decision. “We use condoms the first time, and once we’re done, we don’t have to use condoms the second time,” my son said.

Oh my god.

My son and his girlfriend explained that they thought if he ejaculated in a condom the first time they did it, that he wouldn’t be able to get her pregnant if they had sex a second time that same day.

They also, with bright red faces, admitted to experimenting with unprotected anal sex for the same reason.

I don’t care how open minded you are as a parent, it’s never easy to hear things like this. I questioned my ability to prepare my children for the adult world.

So why am I openly sharing this parental fail with you? Because I recognize something that you may or may not be comfortable with: We can do our best as parents to teach our children the “right way” to do things, and still our children can screw it up.

More:  I don't want to think about what my son is doing behind that closed door

I don't care if you're teaching your children to abstain from sex and wait till marriage, or if you threaten them with boarding school if they get caught screwing around. In the end, we aren't that different. Our kids are going to do what they choose, and probably aren't going to listen to us as fully as we'd like.

Thankfully, my son’s girlfriend was not pregnant. The encounter made me understand why, a few months prior, my son had been thoroughly convinced he had an STD (he swore it was bacterial vaginosis, which made laugh because he doesn’t have a vagina).

I considered it extremely lucky that both were STD-free and hadn’t conceived. I asked my son’s girlfriend what she would have done had she gotten pregnant by my son, who was still in high school. Her answer dumbfounded my son and me.

“I’ll just move to Mexico to raise the baby,” she said. Her grandparents lived in Mexico and I could tell she genuinely believed what she was saying was totally OK.

“Sweetie, that would be my son’s child and my grandchild. You can’t just take the baby and leave. That’s illegal,” I said. “And my son would help raise that child. But he wouldn’t be able to do a whole lot if he’s in school still. It’s hard to make enough money and raise a family when you're a teenager.”

The conversation helped my son realize that his girlfriend and he still needed to do a lot of talking about their versions of the future. Until that day, he hadn’t realized her plans were so different from his.

More: I can't stop my kid from having sex, so I'm doing the next best thing

The moral of my story? Whether you are morally opposed to premarital sex or you have a more relaxed attitude about it, our kids still need to be prepared — and even if you think you’ve done a bulletproof job, you probably haven’t.

I now know that what my son does and what I teach him aren't always in line. All I can do is give him my best guidance and course correct as necessary to help him navigate his way through his emerging adulthood. This is my job as I see it. Part of that job, I now know, includes talking about safe sex in a variety of ways, even ones that are uncomfortable, so that I can help both of my sons recognize when they’re making gigantic mistakes that could impact the rest of their lives.


Betchya never knew LeAnn Rimes met hubby Eddie Cibrian when she was 14

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This is surprising.

More: Brandi Glanville refuses to move on from her past with Eddie Cibrian

Long before a cheating scandal would end both of their marriages and end up with them married to each other, LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian met — and they don't even remember it happening.

Rimes shared a throwback pic on Instagram just before they celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary, showing them posing together, all smiles, sometime in the '90s.

"I was 14, he was 23. We don't remember meeting," Rimes wrote. "He found this in the garage while going through boxes. 14 years later who knew we'd meet again."

LeAnn Rimes throwback with Eddie Cibrian

LeAnn Rimes throwback with Eddie Cibrian

She continued, "Crazy, all the life that happened between those two encounters, the lessons that needed to be learned. Fate? Chance? Serendipity? Who knows? All we do know is, here we are together and tomorrow we are celebrating 5 years of being married and we wouldn't want to be anywhere else. #crazylove #lovers #friends #partners #hubby #anniversary #5years #throwback #throwbackthursday #tbt."

More: Brandi Glanville reveals how LeAnn Rimes made her cry herself to sleep

They're so cute together, we're just going to choose to ignore the fact that she was 14 when she met her 23-year-old future husband.

Before this photo, Rimes and Cibrian thought they'd met on the set of the 2009 TV movie Northern Lights, where they were co-stars. Rimes was married to Dean Sheremet and Cibrian was still with Brandi Glanville when reports started circulating saying Rimes and Cibrian were having an affair. Turns out the rumors were true, and soon after, both Rimes and Cibrian split from their spouses and started dating. They were married two years later.

Rimes shared a cute selfie soon after the throwback pic, showing her and Cibrian together as they begin their anniversary celebration.

"Happy 5 year anniversary to my lover, my friend, my heart, my everything!" she wrote on Instagram. "We have walked through hell and back to be together and wouldn't change a thing. Our bond is like no other. I cherish you!"

More: LeAnn Rimes' ex-husband stirs up legal drama over his new cookbook

We're not really sure what it means, but Tori Spelling is engaged again

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Third time's the charm for Dean McDermott and Tori Spelling. The couple will recommit for a third time after McDermott proposed to Spelling on a family trip to Paris, reports Us Weekly. After a decade of marriage including cheating scandals, divorce and their own reality show, the two have decided to stand by each other's side.

More: Tori Spelling opens up about repairing her relationship with Dean McDermott

McDermott did everything from secure a balcony on the Eiffel Tower to book a photographer to preserve the big moment. "Dean planned it with the owners," Spelling told Michael Simon, via Us Weekly. "[He wanted] to have the terrace all reserved and private for us, and told me we were going to get coffee and hot chocolates for the kids. And then surprised me when he got down on one knee and presented me with an antique engagement ring."

His two other proposals took place almost 10 years ago on Christmas Eve 2005 and Christmas Day 2006. Perhaps McDermott just wants to assure his wife he's recommitted to their relationship. Why not?

More: Tori Spelling hit with a lawsuit from American Express

The couple chronicled the fallout from McDermott's affair in a series called True Tori. They've been through the ringer and are ready to recommit, says Spelling, "I was like, 'You know what? I love this man. I'm going to make this work,'" she said. "We started at ground zero and built it back up. It's amazing. In May, it's going to be 10 years. Ten years! A decade." They have no wedding date set, but Spelling hinted that the big day might take place sometime around their anniversary.

More: Tori Spelling feels guilty for exploiting her husband's affair

When I tried to help a kid in trouble no one would help me

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The woman approached my friend and me while we were standing near an elevator in the parking garage of a subway station in Los Angeles. She didn't seem to know where she was and asked us where the walkway out of the parking garage would take her. In front of her was a toddler, no more than a year and a few months old. The small, dirty stroller he sat in was overflowing with bags of personal items balanced precariously across the top hood. Even the bottom basket was fully loaded. To me, they appeared homeless.

Everything about the moment the woman spoke to my friend and me felt wrong. I looked into that little boy's eyes and saw blue swollen bruises on his face. The woman noticed my stare and rushed to say "He's not mine. He's been adopted. He's going to meet his new parents today," before turning the stroller and quickly walking away. In the seconds I had to register what was happening, I raised my cell phone and took a quick grainy picture of them both. What I didn't do, however, was notify authorities immediately.

More: Motherhood in five words or less: These moms nail it!

I didn't know what a huge mistake that was. I had planned to look online once I got home and see if any reported missing children matched the child we saw at the subway station that night. Two hours later, when we finally arrived, we were both so tired that we fell asleep without doing the research we'd planned.

The next morning after exchanging texts with my friend, she reminded me of the toddler and strange woman, and I immediately searched online for missing children in Los Angeles.

Within two minutes of my search, I came upon the missing persons flier for a little boy named Erick Islas, who looked frighteningly similar to the child we saw the night before at the subway station.

Image: Bryanne Salazar

After sharing the link to Erick Islas' missing persons flier with my friend, I decided to call the phone number listed for the Los Angeles Police Department. My thinking was that contacting the police department directly would be quicker than calling the missing-persons hotline listed on the flier.

I didn’t know that this too, was a giant mistake.

The call was answered by dispatch. The woman who answered was a police officer. She listened as I described the details of the sighting and then asked me if I was still at the scene of the event.

"Well, no," I replied. "Like I said, it happened last night."

'Oh," she responded. "Then you'll have to leave a message with our missing-persons unit. Unless you're actually there, we can't send an officer to respond to the sighting."

More: I spoil the heck out of my kids and you can guess how it's going

She gave me a number to call, and when I did, I was shocked to hear the recording tell me that missing-persons detectives were only available Monday through Friday. They even say in their recording that if you are a parent calling about a missing child you've already reported, your call will be returned during regular business hours.

NamUs Poster
Image: National Missing & Unidentified Persons System

I was flooded with memories of my own missing-person experience. Twenty years ago, my mother, Tami, disappeared and was never seen again. Detectives did a precursory investigation, then little else. Years later, even trying to get a detective to return my call was an exercise in Herculean-like patience. No one is as invested in searching for missing family members as the families themselves, which is a sad reality to face.

The next day, at 3:55 on Monday afternoon, a male detective from the missing persons unit returned my call. He didn't call to gather details of my sighting. Instead, he called to tell me the missing persons unit doesn't deal with missing juveniles. He told me I would need to call their "juvenile consultants."

"Are you kidding?" I asked the detective. "This child had bruises on his face — and who knows how far away he is by now. You're telling me to call another number and probably leave another message?"

Exasperated, he told me to also call the sexual assault reporting line, which made absolutely no sense to me.

I called the numbers given, and, as I suspected, was connected to a voicemail system. I left an angry message asking if anyone would be interested in following up on my sighting of a potentially missing child.

A day later, I received a call from another detective. She called, like the others, to tell me that her department didn't handle missing children.

I nearly lost my shit.

More: I'm following your kid on social media, but it's not my job to be your spy

"What does someone have to do to report seeing a missing person?" I questioned. The detective was kinder than most. She agreed to help me track down the right person to give my report to.

"Just give me all the information you have," she said, "and I will see where this needs to go."

After hanging up, I called the hotline for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and reported my sighting. I also reported to the agency that the number they had listed on the flier for the Los Angeles Police Department led callers on a goose chase to try and find someone who would listen.

About an hour later I received a call from another officer who, fortunately, was assigned to the case of Erick Islas. She wanted to know everything about our sighting. Finally, someone was genuinely interested.

After giving her my statement, I emailed her my grainy photo, and finally, after three days of frustration and worry, felt like I had done my part.

I wondered how many possible witnesses had possibly seen my mom in Sacramento 20 years ago. Maybe, like me, they called, tried to report what they saw, and were met with disinterest or the shrugging of shoulders by a police department sworn to serve the community. I will never know the answer to that. What I do know is that my reporting of a bruised child being given to a new family on a Saturday night by a woman who appeared to be homeless mostly fell on deaf ears, and, had I not been determined, it may never have been heard.

An hour after emailing my photo to the officer, I heard back from her. She said the grandmother of the boy saw my photo and doesn't believe that was her grandson. From that small, blurry photo, the officer made the decision not to follow up on the investigation any further.

Somewhere, a little boy in Los Angeles with a large blue bruise by his nose and a purple bruise on his forehead was given away. Maybe this boy had been abused, abducted, neglected or trafficked. It is, unfortunately, another question I will never know the answer to. But what I know above all else is that our current reporting system is heavily flawed, and because of that, children in need of help are slipping through the cracks.

Information taken from the FBI website shows that there were 630,990 people reported missing as recently as 2013. Of those reports, 445,214 were missing children — with 64,898 of them listed as endangered or involuntary missing. USA Today reported that at any given time, there are an estimated 90,000 people missing in the U.S. with roughly 40 percent being juveniles. The problem is real, widespread and deserving of more attention.

Wherever that little boy I saw that night at the subway station is, I pray he is safe from harm. I also hope that Erick Islas, the missing child I thought I'd spotted, will be returned safely to his family. Recently, I was unable to find his missing poster online, and I hope that means he was found, safe and alive, and returned home. I also still dream about a day where I'll finally know what happened to my own mother. Until then, I hope that more will be done to protect people like them.

This is what happens when a company defends someone using the 'R-word'

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A community dedicated to recipe-sharing for a glorified slow cooker is probably the last place you'd expect to find a social justice battle brewing, but a number of Instant Pot owners are appalled by the company's support of the "R-word" in their Facebook community.

Like many others, Catherine Martin bought an Instant Pot to help her prepare healthy meals for her family. She tells SheKnows she was shocked when she saw the company condone and even excuse the use of the R-word on its official Facebook community, and she's not alone. Martin is part of a growing number of Instant Pot owners who are now protesting the company over their comments on social media.

More: 10 big brands' social media fails that left us asking, "What were they thinking?"

"I have owned an Instant Pot for several months, and it is an extremely useful appliance for a single, working mother," Martin told SheKnows. "But, I cannot support a company that refuses to take a stand against the word 'retarded' as a synonym for stupid."

The controversy began when a community member posted to Instant Pot's official Facebook community using the word "retarded" to describe another company's shipping prices. Other community members jumped in and immediately (and politely) asked the original poster to revise her word choice, and it wasn't long before an administrator of the group got involved. But instead of agreeing with the community members who objected to the use of the R-word, the group administrator, Donna Haney, sided with the original poster.

More: Tributes to Prince have taken a turn for the absurd

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Image: Catherine Martin

It only gets worse from there. As the conversation grew more heated, many community members directed profanity at the members raising their concerns. While their profane comments were deleted, an admin opted against removing the original post (it has since been deleted), chalking up the use of the R-word to "cultural considerations." Later, the company's official Twitter account began to publicly mock many of the individuals who expressed their concerns.

Facebook post
Image: Catherine Martin

R-word Insta pot tweet 1

R-word Insta pot tweet 1

Instant Pot's actions have left customers like Martin confused and upset. They say they just don't understand why any company would condone such a hurtful word.

"I had hoped that once the company was aware of this issue, it would be immediately rectified. Instead, concerns have been met with defensiveness, deflection and a lack of reply," Martin told SheKnows. "It's easy to choose different words. I cannot fathom why a company would actively choose not to take a stand against hurtful words."

When contacted via Twitter, an Instant Pot representative declined to comment on the controversy directly.

Instead, they replied: "We have asked ARC to weigh-in, yesterday, via email and phone call, but as of tonight have not received a written response, just a phone comment to 'ignore it.'"

The company's Twitter representative clarified that the ARC they were referring to is the non-profit formerly known as the "Association for Retarded Citizens." However, the Arc, formerly ARC, changed its name to remove the word "retarded" in 1991. A position statement on its website states that the name was changed as the word "became pejorative, derogatory and demeaning in usage."

The organization's position statement goes on to say: "We strongly believe the only 'r-word' that should be used when referring to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is 'Respect.'"

Unfortunately, the Instant Pot community is by no means only place where the "R-word" is still in use. The Spread the Word to End the Word campaign was created to raise awareness of how much it can hurt. Focusing on sharing individual stories about how hearing the "R-word" hurt someone with a developmental or intellectual disability, the campaign is supported by more than 200 organizations, including the Arc.

There is no excuse for using the "R-word," and we hope Instant Pot stops excusing intolerance and hate speech and gets back to what it does best—cooking.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

dudeoir
Image: Chronicker Photography

Oven-'fried' chicken that's as crisp and juicy as the original

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As the chef and founder of Harlem's famous restaurant Melba's, Melba Wilson takes her fried chicken seriously. This is the woman known for her Throwdown Fried Chicken recipe, which (with her eggnog waffles) won Bobby Flay's throwdown on national TV.

More: How to make perfect fried chicken like a real Southerner

So when Wilson makes an oven-fried chicken, she's not going to show up with some dried-out or limp and soggy "lite!" version that gives us the sads. Her baked chicken is going to deliver on taste, juiciness and crispness.

Here's the oven-fried chicken recipe from new cookbook Melba's American Comfort. I know Wilson is a woman after my own heart, because she uses dark meat. Melba, bless you. Clearly you know where the flavor of the bird lies.

More: 16 finger-lickin' recipes that prove Korean fried chicken is the new KFC

melba's american comfort
Image: Copyright © 2016 by Melba Wilson from MELBA’S AMERICAN COMFORT published by Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Oven-fried chicken

With a lot less fat (and a lot less mess) but all the great flavor of traditional fried chicken, this is also a great way to serve fried chicken to a crowd. Just increase the quantities as needed, put it in the oven, and you're done. You can even make it in advance and serve it at room temperature.

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:

  • 6 chicken thighs
  • 6 chicken drumsticks
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Directions:

  1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Put the chicken in a bowl, and season with the poultry seasoning, cayenne and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. In a second bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, the salt and the pepper, to taste. Combine the milk and mayonnaise in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken pieces in the milk mixture and then in the breadcrumbs.
  3. Lay the breaded chicken in the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes. Then turn it over, and bake for another 15 – 20 minutes, until it is done. When done, it should register 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, and when the chicken is pierced with a fork, the juices should run clear. Transfer to paper towels to drain before serving.

More: 21 times fried chicken had us drooling

For so long, I thought Prince's "Raspberry Beret" was just a tune about his hats

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The first Prince song I ever heard was “When Doves Cry.” It was 1984 and my family had just moved overseas to Germany. As we all rode a big army-green bus from one base to the next in search of school supplies, I sat next to my brother as the song blared all around us on the Armed Forces Radio Network.

I was 8 years old. And as I listened to lyrics I was hardly mature enough to comprehend being sung over punctuated keyboard riffs, I felt Prince’s pain like it was my own. This was the first time I imagined myself as a character in a music video, staring intently out the bus window. I could picture my little grade-school self starring in the story of this conflicted singer. I was displaced, confused and wondered why I’d been left standing, alone in a world so cold.

More: Tributes to Prince have taken a turn for the absurd

That same year, I had my first boy-girl slow dance at the rec center. Stein Edwards, a darling Michael J. Fox wannabe, led me to the dance floor and I slung my arms around his neck and swayed back and forth to "Purple Rain." I had seen the movie posters, so by now I knew that Prince was a strange-looking fellow; an adult, for certain, but unlike any man I’d ever seen in person. The crushed velvet suit, the frilly cuffs — he reminded me of Puss 'n Boots, but with a guitar.

The 1980s were a weird and wonderful time to grow up, musically. Parents were, for the most part, quite separated from pop culture. They didn’t listen to the radio along with us or screen our Walkmans, and so we flew under the radar with a lot of our favorite artists. We didn’t have cable, but friends would tape MTV for us so we could see the latest music videos. I was too young to understand any of the sexual elements of Prince’s music, except to say that I knew there was something mysterious and forbidden about his lyrics. To me, "Raspberry Beret" was just a catchy tune about hats.

As I hit middle school and then high school, I was still mostly innocent. But I was also drawn to Prince’s sensual overtures. And the presence of female backing vocals not only presented great singalong potential, but also reassurance that this was a man who respected women. He had females in his band, even! I rocked the hell out of "Diamonds and Pearls," having not the foggiest of ideas why Prince asked if she’d be a happy boy or a girl.

More: We're mourning Prince in public, but in private it's so much more

Prince wrote a lot of songs mixing up all of what mattered to him, which included a hearty dose of both sex and religion at the same time. When I was in college, it made me feel so rebellious and cool to dance out to the pulsating beats of "Gett Off." I couldn’t name more than one or two positions, let alone 23 of them, but it made me feel free. And in a similar way, singing the lyrics to “7” out loud made me feel like I was breaking some commandments required of me. After all, this was Prince, singing about angels! It had to be blasphemous, I was sure of it.

More: Prince may have suffered from a serious illness, but we shouldn't dig any further

The day Prince died, the local radio station played continuous Prince tracks, commercial-free. I took my time driving to the soccer fields, eager to soak up as many songs as possible. And as I blasted the soundtrack of my own youth throughout my minivan, (although muting a few bits and pieces, because kids) I sang along with this strange little man, this musical genius who pranced around in tight pants and heels.

"Women not girls rule my world." Preach on, purple one. Preach on.

What are some of your most memorable Prince music moments?

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Prince's best quotes
Image: WENN

It's amazing how Baywatch-ready Pamela Anderson still is 19 years later

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Pamela Anderson is back on the beach. As is only fitting, the star of the former Baywatch series has joined the much-hyped film, as announced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson on Instagram today.

"She introduced the world to 'CJ Parker' and became one of the most iconic characters of a generation — for the most successful TV show of all time," Johnson captioned his photo. "A pleasure to welcome (as gorgeous as ever) Pamela Anderson to our #BAYWATCH cast."

pam anderson the rock

pam anderson the rock

More: James Franco leaks Dave Franco and Zac Efron's coupledom

Can we take a moment to appreciate how little has changed for Anderson in the past 15 years? The original series has been off the air since 2001, but Anderson's iconic look is as beach-ready as ever. She joins Johnson, Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra and Kelly Rohrbach (who plays C.J. Parker) in the film, set to be released in May 2017. Her original fellow lifeguard David Hasselhoff has also signed on to appear in the reboot. Let's hope we get to see a tag-team rescue.

More: Pamela Anderson may be the latest victim of domestic violence

No word yet on what role she'll play in the film or if she has more than a cameo. Need another reason to see Baywatch? Here are a few things we can expect in the film, according to Johnson: "Rated R comedy, hard core action, beautiful ass kicking women, the unforgiving and majestic ocean, Zac's 17 pack abs." Is it too early to pre-order?

More: Pamela Anderson cops to insecurities that every woman has


Fuller House spoilers: I'm so over Matt and Steve fighting over D.J.

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D.J. Tanner didn't end up going steady with Matt or Steve on Fuller House, but, unfortunately, it seems like their love triangle story is far from over.

After several group and one-on-one dates — in the grand tradition of The Bachelor — the Season 1 finale saw D.J. choosing herself over settling down with Matt or Steve. Both men left dejected and vowed to not give up on winning over D.J.'s heart.

Now, TVLine reports that Matt and Steve will be involved with other women in Season 2 — but that doesn't mean they are over D.J.

More: Fuller House Season 2 is happening! 9 things we need to see

According to TVLine's source, Steve's new girlfriend will be an exact replica of D.J., "from the way they look to the way they speak to the way they act." Unsurprisingly, Steve's new flame will cause a lot of friction between him and D.J., who is more than annoyed with her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend. Being that the new girlfriend's name is C.J., I can't say I really blame her.

Matt will be hooking up with a super hot, much younger yoga instructor who has a penchant for walking on her hands — and will likely parade her around in front of D.J. at work to make her jealous.

More: Olsen twins may have Fuller House change of heart after its success (VIDEO)

So, to recap, both men are dating other women, but only seem to be doing so to either quiet their yearning for D.J., or to try to make her jealous.

Can we just stop the tug-of-war for D.J. between Matt and Steve, already? Don't get me wrong, I'm always down for a cheesy love-triangle plot, but I can't handle what the storyline is doing to Steve. It's making me cringe every time he appears on screen, and I really, really don't want to hate him.

Steve Fuller House Instagram

Steve Fuller House Instagram

While it's mildly annoying that Matt is using another woman to incite envy, Steve — the guy who I remember as adorkable before it was even a thing — is coming off as desperate, smarmy and, well, more than a little insane. But not lovable insane — just weird insane — and the fact that he's picked up a new woman who has gone all Single White Female on D.J. is kind of disturbing.

I'm not sure if I can handle Steve's downward spiral for another season.

More: Fuller House star Jodie Sweetin is using her troubled past to inspire us all

What do you think of what Fuller House has done to Steve?

10 amazing tributes to Prince that are worthy of royalty

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The entertainment world was racked with grief this week after Prince was found unresponsive in an elevator and later pronounced dead. Speculation about a mystery illness and drug use are running rampant, but does how he died really matter — or is it even any of our business?

Prince will live on forever as a musical icon. His talent was legendary — and that's what we should be paying tribute to.

Here are some entertainers who have publicly paid their respects.

More: Prince thrills his fans with unexpected release (VIDEO)

1. Juliette Lewis

Juliette Lewis Prince tribute 1

Juliette Lewis Prince tribute 1

For many of us, Prince's music was a huge part of our childhood. Lewis proudly shared a throwback video featuring her and her brother, Lightfield Lewis, getting down to "When Doves Cry" in their backyard.

Juliette Lewis Prince tribute 2

Juliette Lewis Prince tribute 2

Lewis also celebrated Prince's life and legacy by belting out her rendition of "Purple Rain" with her band at a recent concert.

2. Stephen Colbert and Jon Batiste

Stephen Colbert Prince tribute

Stephen Colbert Prince tribute

Before having the The Late Show studio lights dimmed to a beautiful purple, Colbert talked about his love for Prince that dates back to his high school days.

Batiste, The Late Show's bandleader, who had the pleasure of working with Prince, also shared his feelings about him.

"He had a huge aura," Batiste said. "His energy and presence in a room just kind of filled everybody's hearts."

Next: More amazing tributes to Prince

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3. NPR

NPR tribute to Prince

NPR tribute to Prince

NPR lit up its Washington, D.C., office's tower a special shade of purple for Prince.

4. The Hamilton cast

Hamilton cast's Prince tribute

Hamilton cast's Prince tribute

The cast of the Broadway show got funky in traditional colonial garb — a show that Prince would have undoubtedly been pleased with.

Next: More amazing tributes to Prince

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5. Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake Prince tribute

Justin Timberlake Prince tribute

Timberlake — who is no slouch in the music department himself — posted moving words about his personal experiences with Prince on social media.

"It was Raspberry Beret. I was 4 years old. Yes, 4. I remember that I instantly loved it. 'Mommy, who is that singing?' Seems weird but it's true," Timberlake wrote.

"They say don't meet your idols... That they let you down," he continued. "But, some of my greatest, funniest (yes, he was hilarious), and most prolific encounters and conversations about music came from the moments that I spent with him. It would be silly to say that he has inspired our music... It's beyond that. He's somewhere within every song I've ever written."

6. MTV

MTV Prince tribute

MTV Prince tribute

"To honor the life and career of musical icon Prince, MTV will change its logo to purple for the entire day and MTV and MTV2 will air a dedicated block of his most influential music videos," MTV told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday.

MTV also aired the Purple Rain movie on Thursday night and Friday morning, with more Prince videos playing in between.

Next: More amazing tributes to Prince

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7. Jennifer Hudson and The Color Purple cast

The Color Purple cast Prince tribute

The Color Purple cast Prince tribute

Led by Hudson and Cynthia Erivo, who stars in the Broadway musical as Celie, the cast of the show belted out a rendition of "Purple Rain" that I promise will bring tears to your eyes.

More: Jennifer Hudson's new music video is a tearjerker for LGBT equality (VIDEO)

8. Chevrolet

Chevrolet Prince tribute

Chevrolet Prince tribute

It's only fitting for Chevy to pay tribute to Prince — he did immortalize one of their cars in his song "Little Red Corvette," after all.

Next: More amazing tributes to Prince

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9. Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls Prince tribute

Niagara Falls Prince tribute

The natural wonder that is Nigara Falls was even illuminated in Prince's favorite shade in honor of his passing.

10. Chris Cornell

Chris Cornell Prince tribute

Chris Cornell Prince tribute

Cornell recorded a hauntingly beautiful cover of "Nothing Compares 2 U," which Prince wrote for Sinead O'Connor.

"It has a timeless relevance for me and practically everyone I know," Cornell wrote on YouTube. "Sadly, now his own lyrics in this song could not be more relevant than at this moment, and I sing them now in reverence as I pay tribute to this unequaled artist who has given all of our lives so much inspiration and made the world so much more interesting."

Did you do get down to your favorite Prince jams to celebrate his life this week?

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

prince ss

prince ss

The Obamas are coming for dinner but Prince George DGAF

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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are visiting with the British royals tonight, but for once, all eyes are not on what the Duchess of Cambridge is wearing — because Prince George's ensemble is way too adorable!

The Obamas met up with Prince William and the former Kate Middleton for dinner at Kensington Palace in London this evening, and little George stayed up past his bedtime to say hello. But what he was wearing will make your ovaries explode for real.

Prince George bathrobe

Prince George bathrobe

Look at that tiny little bathrobe! Look at it!

More: A young royal steals the show in the queen's family portrait

The little prince also hopped on the rocking horse the Obamas gave him when he was born, looking like a dapper rider — pajamas, slippers, robe and all.

Prince George rocking horse 1

Prince George rocking horse 1

Prince George rocking horse 2

Prince George rocking horse 2

More: 4 generations of royals pose for photo, but Prince George is all we see

"This evening the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry hosted the President and First Lady of United States for dinner at Kensington Palace — before dinner Prince George had the opportunity to meet the President and First Lady," The British Monarchy Facebook page posted.

A royal aide added, "When the Duke heard that President Obama was lunching with his grandmother he extended an invitation to join them for dinner. He was delighted that he could find time in his schedule to join them." Princess Charlotte was already sound asleep when the guests arrived, according to the aide.

The dinner is the first official event Will and Kate have hosted at their newly refurbished Kensington Palace apartment.

More: Queen Elizabeth gives Kate Middleton her most public endorsement yet

President and Mrs. Obama stopped in London after talks in Saudi Arabia with Persian Gulf allies to help wish Queen Elizabeth a happy birthday. After a special lunch with the monarch, the president said, "As for her majesty, the queen has been an inspiration for me, like so many people around the world," Obama said. "She is truly one of my favorite people, and may we be fortunate enough to reach 90. May we be as vibrant as she is."

"She's an astonishing person and a real jewel to the world, not just the United Kingdom," Obama said.

Snapchat could end up saving all your favorite canceled shows

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Snapchat has already taken over your Instagram feed, your selfies and your conversations with friends who can't put down their phones. Now it's trying to take over television. Network executives know that viewers are breaking away from traditional TV (raise your hand if you have cable), and they're hoping to catch younger viewers on their phones with totally Snapchat-based series. Launching in June is one we'd actually watch: MTV Cribs.

More: Farrah Abraham and her daughter get physical on Teen Mom

Vanity Fair reports that MTV plans to air the series on Snapchat just like it would on television: once weekly, with a celebrity guest taking the viewer on a tour of his or her home. We couldn't be more excited for the youngsters who will get to experience the beauty that is seeing what is in a celebrity's refrigerator for the first time. Remember when Mariah Carey showed us her shoe room and then "took a bath" on camera?

Teens will have to contend with guests like Mac Miller, Austin Mahone and Travis Mills, who have been booked so far. It's better than nothing.

More: Teen Mom's date night was a slap in the face to Leah Messer

In the spirit of brainstorming, I'd like to suggest that MTV also revive Next and Room Raiders on Snapchat. And how about a Snapchat version of TRL? There's pretty much no limit to what I'll watch from my phone in bed, so I say bring it on.

More: Betchya never knew LeAnn Rimes met hubby Eddie Cibrian when she was 14

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

'90s shows remade slideshow

Teen Mom's Jenelle Evans is off the hook in assault case

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Teen Mom's Jenelle Evans can put at least one huge drama behind her after a positive ruling in a criminal case against her.

Evans stood accused of assault and battery against Jessica Henry, the girlfriend of her ex-fiancé, Nathan Griffith, after she allegedly threw a glass at Henry's head during a heated argument.

The problem is that Griffith's story of witnessing the so-called attack changed — and that may have influenced the jury's final decision in the case.

"The trial is over and she was found not guilty," Evans's lawyer, Amy Loving, told Radar Online.

More: Teen Mom's Jenelle Evans is gunning for Nathan Griffith's disability pay

Griffiths told cops two different versions of the story: one, that he personally witnessed Evans throw the glass, and two, that he did not see it because he wasn't even in the room.

"On the video that the cops have, Nathan is clearly heard telling them that he didn't see anything because he was loading things into the truck," a source told Radar Online.

Because of the discrepancy, and probably her knowledge that she simply didn't do it, Evans made the decision to face a jury rather than plea out. She faced 30 days in jail if found guilty, but luckily for her, the jury saw her side of things.

More: Jenelle Evans gears up for a major custody battle with her mom

Jenelle Evans not guilty tweet

Jenelle Evans not guilty tweet

Perhaps the jury saw what Evans has been saying all along: the case was a ploy in Griffith's custody war against her.

More: Jenelle Evans undergoes major medical tests after health scare

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Teen Mom Janelle Evans arrested slideshow
Image: North Myrtle Beach Police Department

Prince’s music showed me that I deserve sexual agency without shame

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The first thing I did when I heard the news of Prince’s untimely, shocking, barely believable death yesterday was to scream NO! This can’t be real, I thought. It must be a hoax. When I realized it was indeed true, I tweeted: "He was LIFE. He was SEX. He was ART. A person who can funk that hard is not allowed to die! ‪#prince"

"So if I gotta die I'm gonna listen to my body tonight."

I sat on the floor and cried for a while, then stood up, queued up Sexy M.F., one of my all time favorite songs, and danced my ass off in tribute, letting out a sob every now and then. I am not finished mourning and I will not be for a long time.

I first heard his music in the early eighties, when I was barely a tween. Something struck me — I knew that even though Michael Jackson was all the rage and my friends were obsessed with him, I was pledged to Prince. MJ was good and all, but he didn’t make me swoon the way Prince did, even with his lyrics that I barely understood at the time.

More: We're mourning Prince's death publicly, but in private it's so much more

Prince’s sensibility felt raw, even though the music was polished. Even when he created perfect, delicious pop songs, like Little Red Corvette or When Doves Cry, they pierced both my soul and my loins simultaneously.

What I loved about Prince’s music was that although it was overtly sexual, with songs like Darling Nikki that were so bawdy they caused Tipper Gore to launch her war on dirty lyrics, which gave rise to parental advisory labels, there was always a tenderness, a sweetness, a worshipfulness in his music. I didn’t understand any of this intellectually, of course, but it didn’t matter — I felt it in my body.

Not only did Prince celebrate desire and sing of bodies electric, he made it all into a funk spiritual that moved asses and souls simultaneously. I had no idea, until recently, that Prince was born a Seventh Day Adventist and later become a Jehovah’s Witness — he was apparently quite religious.

But he didn’t believe in sin, or at least he didn’t believe that sex could fit into that category. In the '80s, when sex literally equaled death for a growing segment of the population because of the AIDS crisis, this idea was beautiful and revolutionary. Not only did he elevate what society (and the Reagans) told us was smut, he understood that sex could bring you closer to God. Maybe it was the purest thing of all, Prince seemed to be saying. By making sex into a kind of church, and his songs the gospel, he destroyed the very concept of shame.

"Women and girls they rule my world."

Even a song like Head, off his Dirty Mind record, celebrates a woman’s body in a way no other rock or pop song did in its day. I love me some Led Zeppelin, but women had no agency in their songs and appeared as dangerous succubae at best, objects to be used and left at worst. Prince told a different story — of women who wanted to get naked and enjoy their bodies as much as he did. Gone was the idea that men were the only pleasure seekers. For Prince, men and women were equal takers, and it was ground-breaking.

Not only that — he surrounded himself with female musicians, and although their sexuality oozed, it was with a sense of ownership. These weren’t half-naked nymphs dancing around a car in a hair-metal video: They were drummers. They were singers. They were keyboardists. Even though Prince was the star — at the center — these talented women got their due, and he launched their careers.

More: Prince may have suffered from a serious illness, but we shouldn't dig any further

Madonna, with songs like Burning Up, also showed me that women were allowed to feel desire. But even that song (for which I choreographed a dance sequence I still remember) left me wanting, because the protagonist of the song (and video) ended up on her knees begging. Prince gave me songs in which women were getting reciprocal sexual attention, and loving every second of it.

"You don’t have to be beautiful to turn me on."

That he was androgynous and still so damn sexy, that he made me feel both desired and desirous, that he was daring and transgressive, that he crossed racial and gender lines: All of this made me love him and never stop loving him. There was Bowie, and then there was Prince. Both men let us be freaks and geeks, but Prince’s modus operandi, it seemed, was to encourage us to all get our freaks on in the carnal sense. He seemed to be saying that denying these urges, denying pleasure, covering and hiding the body wasn’t just a waste of time — it was potentially harmful.

Prince even directed the scenes of my actual love life, in real time. When I met the boy who would become my first love in 11th grade, I was listening to Kiss on my Walkman. He asked what was playing, and when I told him, he scoffed. “Prince? That’s not real music.” When I launched into a tirade about the Purple One’s talents, his oeuvre, his funk sensibility and boundary-smashing genius, I shut that boy up fast. And that fight was the one that launched our love. It was the first of several competitions that would be harbingers of true love for me. Prince was there to show me that in the trajectory of my life, rivalry often leads to romance.

Incidentally, Sexy M. F. led to meeting one of my best friends. She saw me dancing to this song at a party and decided that she wanted to be my friend (because I danced to it with fierce, wild abandon, as one must dance to any Prince song). So Prince has brought me not just romance but long-lasting friendship.

But most of all, Prince taught me to listen to my body. He kept coming back to the idea that life was short, death was always potentially near, and there was never time to not heed your desire. He reminded us to laugh all night, dance all night, or f*ck all night, or preferably, all of the above.

Rest in peace, my sweet Prince. Thank you for un-shaming generations of music lovers and teaching us to listen to our bodies tonight, and every night.

Before you go, remember Prince's most moving quotes:

Prince's best quotes
Image: WENN

Porn is a threat to your relationship, no buts about it

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This past week the state of Utah made a bold move: They declared pornography to be a "public health hazard," saying it harms individuals and society as a whole. In fact, they're so serious they've deemed porn an epidemic and made a legal resolution to stem the (filthy) tide.

Porn? A public health menace? But perhaps it's not as silly as it first sounds. "The state is worried about 82 percent of sex offenders who started off by viewing pornography," explained Pamela Atkinson, the chair of the Utah Coalition Against Pornography board, on Utah Public Radio. "They acknowledged they got involved with simple — or soft-core porn — years ago. It's not so satisfying anymore, and that's when they move on to the hard-core porn. When that is not satisfying any more, they act out on real human beings. They objectify children and young women."

Utah isn't the only one sounding the alarm, and it's not just about rapists and pedophiles; therapists are saying they're seeing an increase in porn addictions in their practices, and it's having devastating effects on relationships. This is something that Ashley* knows firsthand.

"Porn is absolutely the reason for my divorce," she says. "It got to the point where we had no sex life, nothing at all, because my husband could only get aroused to online images and videos. And it wasn't that he didn't want to have sex with me —he did—but he just couldn't perform with a real, live woman."

More: Porn addiction is real — how to handle it with your sig-o

Ashley explains that over the course of their 10-year marriage she tried everything, from getting fully waxed down there to acting out popular porn scenarios to even getting breast implants — all so she'd look more like the porn stars he watched so much. But it didn't help. Nothing she did gave him the experience he'd become accustomed to; she notes that he'd even get disgusted with the natural and normal ways her body reacted during sex.

The couple tried counseling, but it was too little, too late. Her husband admitted he had a porn addiction but didn't think he could break it, even for her. Ashley says her self-esteem was shattered and she still suffers depression and anxiety from the trauma she endured. "Imagine having someone tell you every day for 10 years that every single part of your body is wrong and then tie it to your personal sexual experience," she says. "It's beyond devastating. There aren't even words for this kind of hurt."

Ashley's husband isn't a rare case, though. A 2014 study found that one of the hallmarks of porn addiction is struggling to perform sexually in real life. "It's the true paradox of the addiction," writes Sue Johnson, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and researcher. "It seems that their sexual response has become conditioned to function only in the context of stereotypical porn images. So they struggle to get hard, stay hard and reach orgasm with actual people. Sometimes they can only manage to perform face-to-face when they replay in their minds the videos and images they’ve seen online. Over time, they often come to desire porn sex more than partner sex."

But porn doesn't just cause problems inside the marital bedroom, as Nora* found out. She is currently in the process of divorcing her husband and, like Ashley, says porn is the root of their issues.

"It all started with online pictures and stuff when he was younger. I knew about the porn on his computer when we got married, but I figured it was just something all guys did and wasn't a big deal," Nora says, adding that at first she tried to be the "cool girl" and watch it with him. But he wasn't interested in having it be a joint hobby, and soon it turned into a very big deal when he started spending more and more time online and less time with her and the children they eventually had. "Every night it was straight to the computer and he'd be there until... I don't know. After I went to bed."

More: Porn addiction almost ruined this woman's life

Nora's husband took his online fantasies a step further and met a woman online, sexting each other around the clock. Eventually, he told Nora that their marriage was over and he was leaving her for the other woman. She was blindsided by the news and says she went into a deep depression. Even though their sex life had been mediocre at best and nearly non-existent recently, she still thought that they'd work it out, that things would get better when the kids got older.

But then it was Nora's husband's turn to be surprised; his online mistress hit him with a restraining order when he tried to meet her in real life, repeatedly showing up uninvited at her job and apartment. "He was so in love with his fantasy girl that he couldn't see that the real-life girl wanted nothing to do with him," Nora says with some satisfaction.

Even then she might have taken him back, if he'd agreed to get help, she says, until she discovered he'd been cheating on her for several years with women he'd met online — and she has the STD to prove it. She also found thousands of dollars of credit card debt he'd racked up on porn sites along with hundreds of e-mails he'd sent to porn stars and webcam girls.

"He'd had this whole secret life that ended up wrecking both our lives, not to mention what it did to our kids," Nora says. "And yes, it was the cheating that finally ended our marriage, but it was the porn that started it all."

None of this is to say that every man who looks at a Victoria's Secret ad a little too long will eventually leave his family for the cold, electronic embrace of porn. Nor is this to say it's only a problem that effects men, or that Ashley and Nora didn't play a part too in the dissolution of their marriages. But it does say we need to stop ignoring stories like Ashley's and Nora's and recognize that porn may be a bigger problem than we thought — and that the consequences can be lifelong.

Ashley, whose divorce has been final for three years, says that recently her ex-husband broke down crying during an exchange of their kids. "He told me he wished he could take it all back, that he knew it was his fault, and that he should have thrown the computer out the window, if that's what it took," she says. But, she adds, while that was nice to hear, it doesn't change the fact that her love life is still a wreck because of what happened. "I have trust issues," she says, "Serious trust issues."

*Names have been changed


Married men keep claiming sex ends after the ring — that lie ends here

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In my 20s, I happened to have attracted a number of married men. I am sure this isn't unusual. Men in their upper years have been seeking out nubile, younger women since before the dawn of time. I was also married young, so I was an even safer bet. Young, no kids and no strings (assuming I agreed to an affair, which I never did). Whatever the reason, for a good four-year stretch, there was a string of at least 10 married men in their 40s, whom I met through my work as a reporter, who would call, ask me out and tell me about their marriages.

Though I never had an affair with any of these men, I did befriend some of them, and their stories were all shockingly similar: They had married young (ish). Some in their late 20s, others in their early 20s. They had kids. And now, in their 40s, their wives had little to no interest in sex. It had dwindled to once a week (or even less, in some cases). And they were bored.

More: You can want marriage and still be the 'Cool Girl'

Same. Story. Every time. Talk about boring.

At the time, I was a young married person myself, enjoying nightly sex romps with my husband, and I couldn't understand these women with a lack of sex drive. Who were they? I would never be like that. Now, a good 10 years later, with three kids of my own as I approach my 40th birthday in a couple years, I see the reality of it all. It's hard to keep all the balls in the air. And sometimes the sex drive is the first thing to go. But it does, as they say, take two to tango. And what I realize most of all now is that all those men were lazy liars. If their wives didn't want sex with them, it was, in part, her fault. But it was also theirs. Was he taking her on dates? Appreciating her? Asking her questions about her day?

There is an epidemic in our culture of men who go out on boys' nights and complain about their wives. Watch any sitcom about marriage and there is always some bawdy joke about how marriage means never getting laid again. The cliché plays out across movie screens, television screens and in real life. I remember my husband telling me when we were newlyweds that he had a boss in his 40s who told him not to get married. "That's when the sex ends," he'd told him. And somehow, inexplicably, it is always the woman's fault.

Well, I am calling B.S.

More: 6 signs you married an emotionally unavailable man

I spent a long time feeling sorry for these men and wondering what their wives were up to, but after continuing to hear this story throughout my 30s, I have a new perspective: The men complaining about these things are bad husbands. Not only because they shouldn't be talking about their marriages that way to anyone outside a therapist of their wives themselves (honestly, guys, does no one understand how marriage and privacy and communication work?), but also because there was no sense of personal responsibility. If their wives didn't want sex, isn't it possible that at least part of the fault lay with them? I can't say for sure that these men weren't trying. There certainly are marriages in which one person loses all interest in sex and that is not the fault of the other person in the marriage at all. But that can't happen every time, right? That can't be every woman in her 40s, right? This has to be a joint issue. At least half of the time.

Life gets infinitely harder as we get older and we add more responsibilities, more obligations and more demands on our time. We are also aging. Our bodies are changing, our hormone levels are shifting, thanks to pregnancies and age, and parts of us that were once strong and fierce weaken a bit. This doesn't mean we have to dull completely, but it does mean that our husbands need to keep up their end of the bargain. It's awfully hard to be attracted to a man who simply doesn't get it.

In my own marriage, we work at it every day. We don't attack one another with the same vigor of a decade ago, but we both work hard in the gym, have weekly date nights, take trips together and spend time texting and emailing and talking and cuddling. All of that leads to more sex. We both work at it. If one of us stops trying, our sex falls off. It's a joint effort.

When I look back on all those men, I feel sorry for them. I am still about 10 years away from the ages they were when I met them, but I am also 10 years older and wiser than I once was. They all told me "wait until you are older, you'll see how marriage turns out." Well, here I am, a decade later. I see how marriage goes. And my view from here is pretty clear. Marriage takes two people who are fully invested and doing their best.

The Amazing Race's Kurt Gibson makes shocking personal confession

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Except this week, we learned that one contestant in particular has walked through a fire hotter than anything the television show could challenge him with. Kurt Gibson, half of the Ultimate Frisbee "bro" team, told the audience that he fought, and beat, stage 3 colon cancer several years ago.

While in Bali, working on the daunting physical challenge of carrying water in buckets across your shoulders from the sea to black volcanic sand beds as part of the salt extraction process, Smith explained, "Kurt has actually been carrying the team so far in the roadblocks but Kurt has always been the strongest competitor."

More: The Amazing Race nearly gave fans a heart attack during Week 6

Then Gibson said, "I was diagnosed at 22 with stage 3 colon cancer." Gibson said he has been cancer free for seven years after battling through six months of chemotherapy. Fans on Twitter were surprised to hear about Gibson’s past struggles and sounded off to let him know they support and admire him, too.

Amazing Race ep 9 tweet 1

Amazing Race ep 9 tweet 1

Amazing Race ep 9 tweet 2

Amazing Race ep 9 tweet 2

More: The Amazing Race's Blair Fowler got what she deserved after not pulling her weight

Even other contestants were surprised by this revelation. Mom (and fellow badass fan favorite) Sheri LaBrant tweeted her support, saying, "@kurtegibson I did not know about your cancer! You’re amazing!"

Amazing Race ep 9 tweet 3

Amazing Race ep 9 tweet 3

And while Gibson and Smith have been in first place for much of this race, they found themselves falling further and further behind during Week 9 and ultimately paddling for their lives in a foot (or boat) race with Zach and Rachel King. They just barely edged out the husband-and-wife duo for the fifth-place finish and a safe place in the race.

While Gibson and Smith cut their social media teeth with trick Frisbee moves during most of their college days, of late (when not racing around the world), Gibson has been making a living working as a national account manager for PepsiCo.

More: The Amazing Race's Dana Boriello shouldn't be shamed for her meltdown

TVD's Steroline reunion will definitely not be as easy as I thought

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Remember how last week on The Vampire Diaries, I predicted that a Steroline reunion was on its way? Well, they reunited for sure. It just wasn't a happy affair. Not even a little bit.

More: 9 best The Vampire Diaries couples through the years

Not only did Caroline (Candice Accola) totally give Stefan (Paul Wesley) the brushoff when he showed up at her door, but she made a point of kissing Alaric in front of him.

Of course, not even Stefan was convinced, finding the perfect moment to point out that Caroline and Alaric sleep in separate bedrooms. Definitely not the sound of true love.

Which made me think: Have these two even done the dirty? Or is their relationship purely for show, for the sake of their kids? I'm guessing the latter.

So with that in mind, I definitely think Stefan and Caroline will find their way back to one another romantically. The reason she's so mad at him is that she clearly has some big, unresolved feelings going on — feelings that I cannot wait to see fleshed out. Hopefully that happens in the remainder of this season.

More: 16 Vampire Diaries Klaroline moments that are swoon-worthy

The downside to all this Steroline tension is that poor Alaric is probably going to be left in the dust. Again. And while I don't think Caroline will ever ditch her daughters, there's a good chance she will be ditching Alaric.

Will Alaric even show up in Season 8? I mean, I love seeing him on the show. But he and Damon are on the outs, and he and Caroline are faking their way through an engagement, so it seems like maybe his time on the show is coming to an end. What's the point if he doesn't have any connections left with anyone?

Meanwhile, I'm feeling super conflicted about this Steroline thing. They're obviously far from over for good. But does that mean I want them to be endgame? This is the point when images of Klaroline begin circling in my brain.

More: The Vampire Diaries boss stuns fans with unexpected Klaroline remark

Caroline is clearly settling with Klaus. But is she also settling with Stefan?

If Stefan and Caroline find their way back to one another again, then that's it. She can't totally rip his heart to shreds again. Stefan has been through the wringer almost as many times as Alaric.

Do you think the show will end with happily-ever-afters or heartbreak in Season 7?

Was Doug Hutchinson just the voice of reason on Mother/Daughter Experiment?

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More: Soap stars Eileen Davidson, Lisa Rinna reportedly join RHOBH

The relationship between Courtney Stodden and Doug Hutchinson is one of the great mysteries of our time. If you managed to avoid knowing about them until now, congratulations — and also, sorry, because I'm about to destroy your innocence. Stodden was 16 when she met and married Hutchinson, then 51. These two have been all over the reality TV circuit because they're obviously reality TV gold, and The Mother/Daughter Experiment is the latest place they've landed. Courtney and her mom, Krista Keller, have some issues (not surprisingly), and they've been "working" on them for the last seven weeks on this show, with dismal results. Basically, Courtney feels like her mother used her to get to her husband, and there's a lot of crying and expressing of feelings of betrayal that gets discussed in front of the rest of the cast, who take turns looking horrified.

More: RHOBH: 5 reasons Erika Jayne is not the next Brandi Glanville

This week, Dr. Deb decided she'd had about enough of the back-and-forth between Courtney and Krista, so she invited Doug to come sit in on a therapy session with the two of them. Doug arrived, along with his dog Cupcake (#FreeCupcake), who had quite the number of close-ups for a very tiny animal in an outfit. While Courtney, Doug and Krista had it out in therapy, the rest of the cast hung out with Cupcake and pondered her fate: "Cupcake probably needs her own therapy. She's seen a lot."

Krista and Courtney resumed the same fight they've been having since the first episode: whether or not Krista used Courtney to get to Doug and whether or not Krista and Doug have some kind of inappropriate relationship (as opposed to the super appropriate relationship Doug has with Courtney). Doug claimed Krista was a narcissist and accused her of making up everything she said about them having an emotional affair. Courtney and Krista's co-stars continued to be intrigued and horrified by the mere fact that Krista let her daughter marry Doug in the first place — which begs the question, why aren't we talking about that in therapy, Dr. Deb?

In a moment of terrifying rationality, Doug told Courtney that they should probably go to therapy after this therapy is over and that if Courtney wants to try to work stuff out with her mom, he'll support her, but seriously, they have to go to therapy. I hate when ridiculous people make valid points. It's hard enough to know who to trust as it is.

It doesn't look like Courtney and Krista are going to work anything out this season, in spite of the fact that Dr. Deb claimed they were making some progress. (Yeah, I don't know what she was talking about, either.) Next week is the season finale, in which the mothers and daughters say emotional things to each other and allegedly come to some kind of resolution. The bad news is that Cupcake probably won't be there.

More: 5 RHOBH signs that point to Yolanda and David Foster's split

Do you think Krista is telling the truth about her relationship with Doug? Can she and Courtney repair their relationship? Should Doug have been on the show in the first place? Tell us in the comments!

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Kim & Kyle Richards slideshow
Image: Andres Otero/WENN.com

8 first-period stories that will make yours seem like a cakewalk

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I was 16 years old (late bloomer for the win!) and in the middle of a gymnastics meet. All evening my lower back had been killing me, and I was sure I'd sprained it doing too many back handsprings. So when I went to the bathroom and saw the brownish streaks in my underwear, it took me several minutes to put two and two together. Finally, I realized that I'd gotten my period... and my first cramps. Thankfully, my leotard was dark purple and nothing was running down my legs in public (I'd save that fun experience for summer camp!).

While getting your period in nothing but a leotard with an inch of crotch-concealing fabric sounds bad, it pales in comparison to some of the experiences other women have had. What amazes me about these first-time menstrual monologues is a) how many of us were surprised and b) how many of us thought we were legit dying.

1. When they talk about "surfing the crimson tide," they don't mean literally!

"A few months before I turned 14 I had sudden debilitating pain. So much, that I couldn't leave the couch and eventually my parents had to take me to the doctor. I was tested for a bowel obstruction, a UTI, and appendicitis before he finally decided I needed an ultrasound. I was still in such horrible pain that I could barely walk in. A few seconds into it, I could tell that the tech knew something was wrong but she wouldn't tell us anything. Then the doctor informed me that my uterus was completely full of blood because I had an "imperforate hymen." (An imperforate hymen is a congenital disorder where you have a hymen without an opening and it completely obstructs the vagina.) He did a quick but super embarrassing procedure involving a scalpel, stirrups and some Fentanyl. And then tons of blood gushed out of me, splashing all over the table, the floor, and the doctor. I don't think he was expecting so much blood at once but I felt so much better! I had probably a whole year's worth of periods stored up there. Bonus: My belly got instantly smaller after that!" — Jill

2. Period or diarrhea? It's a legit question.

"I was 13 years old and it was the opening night of a play I was in. All day I had had a stomachache but I thought it was just nerves. But when I went to the bathroom before the show, I looked down and it looked like I had pooped my pants. There were all these brownish things in my underwear; I was mortified. I had no idea period blood could be brown! I really thought I'd diarrhea-ed all over my undies. But the show must go on! So I wadded up toilet paper and went on stage. I'd already made plans to stay overnight at my best friend's house so I had to call my stepmom (who I absolutely hated) and tell her I needed her to bring me fresh underwear because I'd had an 'accident.' She had to tell me I'd gotten my period. 15 minutes later she showed up at my friend's house with a brown paper lunch bag, with my name written on the bag, full of the largest pads ever. So. Embarrassing. My friends laughed for weeks." — Jeni

3. The tampon goes... where?

"I was 12 years old and at an all-girls camp one summer. At first it wasn't too traumatic. I went to the port-a-potty and saw blood on my legs and was like oookay. All the other girls were so excited for me, they decorated my tent with pads and tampons. But the next day we were going swimming and I didn't want to miss it. So I got a tampon and went into the port-a-potty. No one had ever told me how to use one so I kind of stuck it up in the folds, horizontal, like a hot dog in a bun. Thinking everything was cool, we jumped in the water. When I came back up, so did my bloody tampon, floating in the water. Everyone started screaming. Then a couple of friends who already had their periods, went with me back to the bathroom to try and talk me through it the right way. 20 minutes later and struggling with a wet swimsuit, I finally admitted defeat. So my best friend said she'd come in and show me. And she did. She literally had to show me where my own vagina was. There's no merit badge for that but I tell you there should be!" — Kelly

4. But then, how do women ever wear tight skirts and pants?

"I was in 7th grade PE class, a month shy of 12, and noticed some blood when I went to change out of my sweats. Luckily, there wasn't much flow and I had a long black skirt on that day. But when I got home and told my mom her response was, 'Oh, honey, so that's why you've been such a little bitch lately!' She used the super-sized generic pads that were basically diapers so that's what I got too. (We never discussed tampons, I don't know why.) As if walking around with a huge pad wasn't bad enough, I didn't realize you could stop using them — I thought that once you 'became a woman' you just had to wear them every day for forever! So 10 days later, when I asked my mom for more pads, and she was like, "Oh my God, are you still bleeding?" I told her I wasn't and we were both relieved." — Lyndsey

5. How Easter dinner became about more than just figurative blood.

"Every Easter Sunday we had a huge family gathering, think 40-50 people, including 2nd and 3rd cousins, crammed into a tiny house. The year I was 10 years old, I went to the bathroom and I knew immediately what had happened. But I couldn't get my mom away from everyone else to privately tell her. So I had to survive with just toilet paper in my underwear for 12 hours when I finally got a chance to tell her privately. Of course I told her not to tell anyone. The very next morning I woke up and the first thing everyone says to me is, 'Congratulations on becoming a woman!' I died." — Jenny

6. Cardinal (ha!) rule of menstruating: If there is white clothing, there will be blood.

"I was 11 years old and playing softball outside while wearing white and black shorts when I got my period. Of course I bled on the white part! I had a massive stain on my butt and there was no way to hide it. So I improvised with toilet paper until I could get home and show my grandmother. She thought I sat in jam and didn't know what it was." — Jana

7. The one instance when you really don't want to be like the French women.

"I was 11 and on my first trip to Europe. My stomach started cramping but I thought it was just jet lag or something I ate. But then my period showed up while staying at a charming bed and breakfast in Normandy, France. Let me tell you, at the time, Europeans didn't get the concept of absorbent pads, and washing my clothes every night in the sink was no picnic. I spent the rest of the vacation with a sweater tied around my waist." — Diana

8. Bears can smell blood, right?

"12 years old and we were on the road trip from hell — 17 days, 4000 miles from Houston to Yellowstone and back — crammed in a Suburban. We had already fought rock slides ripping off the bumper of my parents' brand new car, lost reservations at Yellowstone, our tour bus breaking down in the back country, I had accidentally scalded my mom by flushing the toilet while she was in the shower, and two days later my sister fell off her bike and had to get 12 stitches at a ski clinic in the Rockies. But when we were getting settled at the one place in Yellowstone that hadn't lost our reservations, I innocently went to the restroom and surprise! I panicked. Like, I absolutely lost my mind, sure that I was going to die. My mom tried to calm me down while my dad went down to the hotel gift shop. He came back with the thickest, most gigantically horrifying pads you've ever seen in your life and tampons. I cried even harder. My mom didn't know how to use the pads because she hadn't used pads since they came with their own belt. More crying. So I spent the rest of the trip alternating between the pads that made me feel like I was wearing a diaper and panty liners and flooding out. I ended up staining my new souvenir boxers and refusing to go on any more Yellowstone adventures because I was convinced the bears could smell blood and would eat me. My dad had to cancel the hot air balloon trip and the whitewater trip he had booked. 20 years later, I'm still so sad about it." — Meghan

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