The next guy I date:

Should familiarize himself with the term "taken in hand." He also should be able to openly discuss it with me and understand what I mean it to be.

Other essential reads from takeninhand.com:

• What is Taken in Hand?
  
• Could this kind of relationship be for you?
  
• Give me intensity or give me death!
  
• I am a strong woman but I want to be taken in hand. Is this normal?
• The submissive alpha female
  (Scroll down for some great scenarios.)
• Who says you have to be submissive?
  
• I don't want to be a servant or slave
• Do you have a commanding presence?
  
• Is your new man dominant, domineering, or a dithering wimp?

(Ever since I watched the movie Secretary [with James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal; click right photo] when it was released a few years ago, I've become fascinated with this subject. But it was only today that I found out there was name for this kind of relationship.)

40 days and 40 nights...

of no profanity. No cursing. No cussing. (Get ready for some really creative blogs.)

I should really give it up entirely, at least in front of my son. He's a complete parrot now. He can even use the "wrong" words in the right context. The last thing I need right now is some busybody accusing me of nurturing a potty mouth.

Sometimes I think, what's the friggin' big deal? Expletives are so common place in the everyday vernacular. It's almost subconscious how they pervade our speech. I probably have said curse words in my sleep. They can be so useful in conveying just the right amount of vitriol to sum up the moment, the thing, the person. Who says we don't have the right to offend? Not only do we kill each other with kindness, sometimes we kill ourselves. The recipients of swearing should just try to develop a stronger stomach to those bitter little pills, which sometimes are loaded with truth.

This is un-Christian of me to say, I know. I'm going to confession soon anyway.