Younger men with older women!

Younger men find older women intellectually stimulating and exciting, while women appreciate that younger men come minus the baggage and world-weariness of their own, older contemporaries!

A resounding ‘Yes’ by 91 % men and 60% women to the idea of men dating significantly older women is just one small indication of the changing dynamics of romantic relationships. Age and status become irrelevant, as attractive traits, comfort and chemistry rule the roost.

For years ‘older men-younger women’ has been the predominant trend. Age gaps of up to even 20 years, where the man is older, have barely raised eyebrows. Occasionally ‘cougars’ (derogative term for older women in a relationship with younger men) have garnered some unpalatable attention, but never have women past 40 had it so good!

Increasingly, older women are being approached by younger men, who find them fascinating, mysterious and exciting. Calling a woman a cougar is no longer relevant, as she is the one being chased now! Women in turn, surprised and flattered by young male attention, respond well to the intensity, looks and vitality of the younger men as opposed to the hardened, worn out indifference and baggage of the older guys.

At 40 and beyond, women are comfortable in their own skin and are more or less financially independent and free of responsibilities of breeding and nurturing. Women who participated in the survey (covering 140 men and women) conducted on Facebook and through individual conversations, suggest they are attracted to younger men because they feel more in control, younger and more beautiful when wooed by a man who chooses them over the many younger contemporaries available to him. “I find it flattering and reassuring. I love indulging as well as being indulged,” says a woman. “Most of the time a younger man is unattached, so there is no fear of breaking a home,” reasons another. A woman married to a man 9 years her junior says, “He is extremely active with the kids and also has an open mind about taking over their care and the kitchen. His youthful enthusiasm is infectious and stimulating!”

Naturally a younger man comes minus baggage and is less inclined to dominate and manage a woman or her resources! And a woman enjoys that sense of control she has over the man. And of course a younger man’s youth and vitality only serve to spice up life! Apart from that, research proves that women peak sexually in their middle age while men have a stronger sex drive at a younger age. Also older women are biologically more wired for sex with younger men since the women’s chances of conceiving grow leaner with age.

And, what’s in it for the young men? They appreciate the maturity and no-strings-attached relationship that an older woman provides apart from the intellectual stimulation and mentoring. “Less chatter and more meaningful conversations,” says one man. “She can handle situations better and is more affectionate and caring, rather than needy and demanding,” says another. “Older women come tantrum-free,” assumes yet another! A young man said through mail, “There is always the chance that an older woman is sexually deprived (due to any/many reasons) and since so am I, the Math is favorable!” And here is the least admirable reason of all — “There is more chance of an older woman being attracted to me, so I would go for it!”

What has changed in recent years to swing the situation so dramatically in favor of women? It has to do with more women stepping into the work field. They are looking after themselves better, are smarter and financially independent. They also have the confidence to make their own decisions and the capacity to live with their choices. With better grooming and fitness regimens, with dressing young and more provocative, age is far less noticeable. Mothers and daughters share dresses and make-up tips and most often can pass off as sisters or friends.

A healthy relationship has in any case never had anything to do with age; it has always been the outcome of good chemistry, willingness to compromise, shared interests and passions, good communication skills and a deep regard for each other. That being constant, what is to hold back a young man from having an exciting relationship with a much older woman who is attractive and intellectually stimulating, and hopefully unattached?

“Life has stopped making sense,” sighed a friend browsing through some relationship articles on the internet. “In the wired world, everything seems to be acceptable. What are the new rules?”

But that is the whole point. There are no rules anymore. Just the values, decency and sense of fair play you bring to a vast playing field!

How To Live to be 100!

‘Sleep and sushi’ were the world’s oldest woman’s secret of longevity. But surely more factors contribute to the increasing number of centenarians, especially in US and Japan?

Sau saal jiyo‘ May you live a 100 years’ is the traditional Indian blessing. Sto lat, sing the Polish. Cent’anni, say Italians. Greeks wish each other na ta ekatostisis, while Swedes sing Må han / hon lever i hundraår…

Who wouldn’t want their loved ones to hit a century, and beyond? The world’s oldest living woman, 117-year-old Japanese Misao Okawa died on April 1, passing on the title to 116-year-old Gertrude Weaver, an American. Misao said on her birthday last month that 117 years didn’t seem such a long time really! Really?! And this is a woman who lived across 3 centuries, four Japanese emperors, six British monarchs and 20 US Presidents!!

Misao’s secret of longevity? Eight hours of sleep a night and eating sushi, she stated. Gertrude Weaver, now the oldest, is passionate about manicures, Bible studying and wheelchair dancing. She shared her longevity secret with Time magazine –“Kindness. Treat people right…”She also credited an unwavering faith in God for her long years. In sharp contrast, Jeralean Talley, 116, now the world’s second oldest living person,  leads a fun life! She bowled, played the slot machines in casinos and even mowed her lawn till she was 105! She still goes on fishing trips and caught 7 catfish at 114!

From three hearty meals a day to sparse eating, from being super active to confined to a wheel chair; from playing casino slot machines to following God; eating raw eggs to sushi to bacon – the world’s oldest people have credited many things with contributing to their long innings. Desperately seeking the elixir of life, the rest of us lap up their words as gospel. But is there a strategy that can help you actually live to 100?

Interestingly the 10 oldest people living at present are all women, ranging from the ages of 116-114. Then come two men in the over-110 category at 112 years of age. The 10 oldest people ever to have lived are also ALL women. Of 56 oldest living people since 1955, 50 were women! Studies quote deferred heart conditions as compared to men, better ability to deal with stress, lesser alcohol and tobacco culture, and lesser iron as some reasons for women’s longer lives.

As nationalities go, the US boasts the largest number of the world’s oldest living, followed by Japan. Of the 12 oldest living, six are from the US, while four are Japanese. What could be the possible common denominator between these two nations that helps nurture long years?

Lessons from Nagano in Japan, which is the longest-living place on earth, with maximum centenarians, suggest that a healthy diet, regular physical activity and extended work years help their inhabitants live longer. Just about 35 years ago, Nagano had Japan’s maximum heart stroke rate, which is when the government intervened, aggressively promoting healthy eating and exercise habits along with preventive healthcare. Most Japanese people are encouraged to postpone retirement or begin second careers. People live in a caring community that looks after its old. Low stress lifestyles and spirituality also help one live longer and better. Importantly, the goal is not just to live longer, but to stay healthy as long as possible in those years, points a Japanese doctor!

John W Santrock in his book, ‘Life-Span Development’ identifies five factors important to longevity — Heredity and family history; Health, (weight, diet, smoker/non-smoker, amount of exercise); Education level; Personality, and Lifestyle. The author also notes that the biggest group of centenarians has been of women who never married . People who have been through traumatic events may also live longer as they learn to cope better with stress and poverty.

Countries with better healthcare facilities and a better ratio of doctors and population report longer life expectancy. Japan has the highest life expectancy of 86.2, ranking first for males and second for females (WHO 2012). US at 79.8, ranks 32nd for men and 35th for women. Andorra ranks first in female life expectancy. India with a life expectancy of 60, ranks 64th for men and an embarrassing 150th for women!

When will we live to be 100?

(Gertrude Weaver, barely reigned six days as the world’s oldest living person and died on April 6, 2015. Now the world’s oldest living person is Jeralean Talley, 116, also an American.)

You just don’t understand! Communication Of Language

Effective communication is not dependent on language alone; emotions, mental and spiritual levels, and intent play a role too

Men are from Mars, women are from Venus ­ and they often talk Greek to each other. Misunderstandings and talking at cross-purposes are common between the sexes, as people struggle to project their views to each other. But then, often you don’t even have to be from different planets or belong to different sexes to be talking a language that is not understood by another.

When a woman tells her lover, “You will never understand!“ it is not the words or language she refers to, but the underlying emotions and her deeper desires and intent. She yearns for the lover to empathise with her viewpoint.The man may not say the same, but he too despairs of his beloved ever viewing things from his perspective. They are just wired so differently. A woman needs emotional succour and consistent connect– ­that is what feeds her femininity. On the other hand, a man needs to withdraw at regular intervals in order to reassure himself of his space and independence– ­that is what bolsters his masculinity.With such mutually exclusive needs, is it surprising there are so many misunderstandings and conflicts? Developing sensitivity and deep confidence in each other are important in the struggle to communicate effectively.

`You just don’t understand’ is also the frequent complaint of adolescents to parents. Parents do understand; maybe they don’t agree, and their reasons for not doing so come from the perspective of better experience and knowledge.The same adolescents grow up one day to view the situation from the perspective of those very parents.

The problem in both cases is obviously not a language issue, but one of differing perspectives. The only way to understand the other’s point of view is to be able to put yourself in his or her shoes. Empathy is a critical part of effective engagement. You have to be able to look at things from another’s perspective to understand how to better communicate with him or her.

Communication with a loved one is not dependent on language or words alone; emotions are certainly a critical element. An indication of this is that the English language has more than 600 words to describe emotions verbally. Humans have 43 facial muscles to help express emotions physically. And, though we speak 6,000 languages around the world, 90 per cent people across cultures can understand if another is feeling happy, sad, angry or surprised, just by looking at their faces!

However, talking at cross-purposes can also happen when there is a knowledge or information disconnect. When a teacher upbraids students for not understanding something, he is not referring to lack of empathy, but to a lack of knowledge and experience. From where the teacher stands metaphorically, knowledge is the bridge between him and the students who cannot grasp what he understands easily. The same goes for professionals, where skills and practice bridge the gap. Emotions will not help one gain knowledge or professional skills, though passion could be a good starting point.

And then there is the gap in understanding between people operating on different trajectories, when mental and spiritual levels or inclinations vary vastly. A spiritually-inclined colleague gave me interesting advice. “It is a waste of time and energy to communicate with those who are several steps away from one’s mental and spiritual level,“ he said. “They will never understand or appreciate your viewpoint. It is better to engage with those at par with one, or a level or so away.“

Sounds like good sense. Similar mental and spiritual levels play as important a role as emotion and empathy in the art of speaking a language understood and appreciated by another. No point explaining geometric algorithms to one who doesn’t understand basic calculation. Why beat your head and waste time when you could be more productively engaged with another?

And then of course, we cannot forget intent.Where there is an intention to misunderstand, how can you ever hope to be understood? As a friend is fond of saying, “You are confused only because you wish to be confused…“

10 Signs That You Don’t Want to Be Happy in Relationship

1. You keep engaging in the role of being The Other Woman.

2. You only become involved with emotionally unavailable men.

3. You go out with Bad Boys or Bastards in the name of excitement.

4. You keep dating the same ‘type’ that makes you feel miserable.

5. You happily shelve friends and family, especially when the object of your affections is clearly unsuitable.

6. You meet decent, nice men who want to treat you nice and spend time with you and you call them ‘Assholes’ or claim that it must be an act.

7. You want to be in a steady, committed relationship but keep sleeping around or being used sexually by men which further erodes into your self esteem hence stopping you from getting the relationship you want.

8. You do things that involve you willfully self destructing your life.

9. You get the opportunity to break up with the guy that is mistreating you, but you eventually take him back because you don’t value yourself enough and think it’s better to be with him.

10. You actually believe that it’s better to be with somebody, anybody than be alone.

What to Wear with A Navy Blazer | Matching A Navy Blazer with Different Clothing

               

Men like to keep their style simple.

The more interchangeable an article of clothing is the better.

This is why every man should invest in a high-quality navy blue blazer.

A navy blue blazer is a versatile item that can pair numerous items already in your closet.

In this article I am going to dive deep into the definition of the blue blazer and various ways you can match with your shirts, pants and shoes.

What is a Navy Blue Blazer?

The navy blue blazer is often mistaken by men as a suit jacket and at first glance you can’t blame them.

Both jackets come in 2, 3 and 6 button varieties and share many of the same characteristics.

So what sets the navy blue blazer apart from the suit jacket?

Let’s break it down:

• Matching Trousers – The navy blue blazer is a standalone article of clothing that does not come with a matching pair of trousers. This sets the blazer up to be an excellent pairing tool with other clothing and accessories.
• Nautical Inspired – The navy blazer was inspired by the reefer jacket of naval origin. This double-breasted jacket was originally worn by sailors under extreme weather conditions to perform reefing duties during sailing. You can still see the influence the sailing profession has on the navy blue blazer today.
• Use in Clubs – Yacht and rowing club members are also know to sport a blazer with navy blue being a popular choice. Some clubs strictly differentiate themselves by their colors and patterns. Take the regatta blazer is the perfect example of this. This makes the blazer a more formal option compare to the suit jacket.
• Color and Fabric – blazer come in multiple fabrics and colors but the most popular is the navy blue variety in worsted wool. This version is iconic in menswear and a popular choice by men for a reason.

What’s the difference between a blazer, suit jacket, and sports jacket?

How to Match Your Navy Blue Blazer

So you decided to take the plunge and purchase a navy blue blazer.

Now what?

This is the fun part. Figuring out what matches best with your new purchase.

Dress Shirts & Blazers

Pairing a dress shirt with a navy blue blazer is a sharp, classic                                                                                                             look for men.

The first thing you want to do is create a contrast with the navy blue color. The easiest ways for you to day that is to stick with dress shirts in light tones.

You cannot go wrong with either a white or light blue dress shirt to go with your blazer.

In addition to creating a contrast also aim to make it subtle.

What I mean by that is avoid any extreme patterns and stripes.

Avoiding them altogether is recommended if you are wearing your navy blue blazer in a semi-formal setting.

The addition of patterns on your shirt will takeaway from the subtle sophistication the blazer provides.

Polo Shirts & Blazers

If you prefer to wear your navy blue blazer in a casual setting – you are in luck.

A high-quality polo shirt worn under a navy blue blazer is an excellent option when not required to dress formally. Keep in mind some rules when incorporating a polo with your blazer:

• Like the dress shirt, the polo should be in light colors with white and light blue looking the best.
• The polo shirt should have a similar collar style as a good dress shirt. Look for a collar that is not flimsy. A flimsy color does a bad job of framing your face and creating an impression of sloppiness.
• Look for polo shirts that are 100% high quality cotton.

Long Sleeve Sweaters & Blazers

When the weather is colder or you just want to spice your look up a bit, you can also look at pairing a blazer with a sweater.

This is harder to pull off then the others pairings mentioned and should be left to men who have a great sense of style.

If you feel up to the task of paring your sweater with a blazer you should know a few key tips first:

• The sweater should by lightly knit or woven to remove bulk.
• Darker colored sweaters are solid choices but should not blend in too deeply with the navy blue blazer unless you have a darker complexion or dark hair. Grey to light-grey is an ideal sweater color.
• Avoid matching a turtle-neck with a blazer.

Trousers & Blazers

The beauty with the blazer is how well it can pair with a variety of pants.

Keep in mind that still have to be mindful of the do’s and don’ts of matching them up. Here is a list of some key pants and  that can be matched up with the navy blue blazer

• Blue Jeans – Blue jeans look best when they lighter than the blazer jacket. The problem arises when the hues match up too closely as from a distance it can look like a suit.
• Classic Chinos – An excellent contrast to the navy blue blazer.  Classic chinos blend well with a light colored dress shirt with matching brown accessories such as shoes and a belt.
• Grey Flannel Trousers – Grey flannel trousers are a classy way to match the navy blazer. Experiment with light or dark shades of grey; it’s difficult to mess up coordinating this combination and I recommend a man owning three shades of this trouser type if he lives in a cooler weather area.
• Moleskin Trousers – This fabric is named based on its heavy cotton construction, which resembles the fur of a mole. The last few years saw designers experimenting with moleskin blazers which pair especially well with trousers of
  
  
  the same construction.

                                

Shoes & Blazers

Last but but definitely not least are pairing your shoes with the navy blue blazer.

If you are into men’s style at all you will know that shoes can make or break your look.  This is true when pairing with the navy blazer as well.

If I had to choose shoes to pair with my blazer, here are the types I would recommend to you:

•  Derby Shoes – Thinks of the derby shoe as a “casual dress shoe”. The versatility of a pair of derby’s are only match to the navy blazer itself. Pair with classic chinos or moleskin trousers for the best look.
• Monk Strap Shoes – Both the single and double varieties apply. Monk strap shoes are identifiable by their buckle and leather enclosure compared to laces. Given the lack of lacing monk strap shoes are better worn in a casual environment. Brown shades are by far the color of choice to grant you multiple pairings with trousers.
• Chelsea Boots – Chelsea boots are another casual shoe that looks great with the navy blue blazer. You will often find it difficult to find a pair in black which is not the most ideal color when matching with navy blue. With that said, grey flannel trousers are the exception.
• Driving Moccasins – If you are one of the adventurous ones that want to pair their blazer with jeans than the driving moccasins will be your best bet. As with most of the shoes on this list – brown will be your color of choice.

Accessories to Pair With Your Navy Blue Blazer

Men love to show off their personal style and accessories are a great way to pull it off.

Accessories to wear with a Navy Blazer:

• Pocket Square
• Necktie
• Classic Watches
• Boutonniere
• Cufflinks
• Specialty Blazer Buttons

The thing about a navy blue blazer is it’s equally sharp with a tie or pocket square yet you can pull it off without them if you want to go casual.  This rule changes a bit when you’re wearing a double-breasted blazer as you should always wear a tie with one.

If you want to guarantee you look great with accessories – you can never go wrong with a white dress shirt and pocket square.

In conclusion – every man that is interested in style should own a navy blue blazer.

Given it’s versatility and iconic status, you will get your money’s worth from this classic men’s jacket.