Whether it’s a hobby, a habit, or an obsession — or a little of each — in every relationship, there has to be a compromise. Do you love Taco Bell but your partner hates it? Maybe get one fewer chalupa per week. Does your partner load the dishwasher in a less-than-efficient fashion? Maybe load it yourself from now on. This week, Erika and Chris talk about people’s idiosyncrasies and how to either work around those or embrace them in a relationship.

This week, Chris and Erika each share stories from their own lives and lives of their friends that revolve around breaking up and getting back together. Some people are in relationships for the right reasons, and some simply are not. Is the reason you want to be in a relationship because you feel like you have a lot to offer and would love to add someone to your life… or because you’re lonely? This is an important distinction that only you can make. 

trigger is something that sets off a memory tape or flashback transporting the person back to the event of her/his original trauma. In dating, we may not be talking about trauma like PTSD, but there can still be experiences or words that bring back bad memories. And the thing that causes those memories is a trigger. Chris and Erika share some of their own triggers — some more trivial and some more serious — with listeners.  

Most of us try to make a great first impression, especially when it comes to dating. Sometimes, though, trying to come off as your best self backfires and you end up being someone you don’t want to be. Have you ever accidentally had too much to drink to impress a date? Or, maybe you’ve done something way outside your comfort zone? In this week’s episode, guest Beth shares a personal story, and then Chris and Erika discuss what happens when you try a bit too hard to impress your date.

Perhaps the most important piece of any relationship, whether romantic or not, is how two people communicate. Can you make yourselves vulnerable? Are you comfortable with conflict, knowing that your partner will truly listen? And when you’re in a relationship, do you know how best to communicate your love for each other? In this episode, Erika and Chris break down what these “Love Languages” are and how they apply to your relationships.

Have you ever had someone judge you for something that’s completely not his or her business? Or, maybe someone doesn’t understand your life choices, so rather than asking about them, the default is to put you down or make assumptions? Being different is great. Being judged for being different — not so much. In today’s episode, Erika and Chris each share some stories about how outside judgment has affected their own lives and their relationships.

You went on a first date. It was okay. Not great, not terrible, but okay. Do you go on a second date? That’s the question that Erika and Chris try to answer in this episode. In this day and age, with so many options on the dating sites and apps, it’s easy to overlook someone who perhaps doesn’t put out the best first impression. Sometimes nerves are at play. And sometimes it’s just not a match. What criteria should you use to determine wither a second or third date is worth it? Listen to find out.

Have you ever wondered whether men and women really do think differently when it comes to dating? You don’t have to wonder anymore. Erika and Chris break down how truly different their brains are when it comes to dating, both short-term and long-term, and how even the simple concept of attraction can vary. Maybe men really are from Mars and women from Venus… or maybe not.

In this day and age, with technology everywhere we look, it’s easy to forget that people are, well, people. When you set up a date with someone, there’s a real person at the other end of the equation. So, if you don’t show up, it affects both of you. The moral: Don’t stand people up. It’s a terrible thing to do, and it makes your date feel even worse. Erika and Chris both share stories about Bumble dates — poof — not appearing as planned.

When you’re dating someone new, it’s hard to know how fast (or slow) things should move… sexually. One person might have one idea, and the other may have the opposite idea. Or, maybe one person is adventurous in bed and the other is more conventional. Erika and Chris invite Rachel to share her story and then discuss the intricacies of sex, relationships, “the bases,” and the timing of it all.

Want to know how to move from the dating app to the first date? Or, maybe you’re texting with a potential date, but the planning of the date itself has stalled? Erika and Chris are back with another session of answering your most pressing dating questions.

Want your burning (hopefully not literally!) dating questions answered? In this episode, Erika and Chris tackle some commonly asked dating questions, with both some timely advice and, of course, some crazy stories.

Ghosting — the act of ending a relationship without actually ending it — is bad, and our guest Becca shares her experience. Then, Erika and Chris delve into other modern dating behaviors (and their “interesting” names) and what they mean for all of us.

How often have you considered giving someone a second chance? Does it work out the second time? When a relationship didn’t work out because of timing, distance or communication issues, we all seem to ponder the question “what if?” Chris shares a story about his 6th grade crush and what happened after multiple chances, then Erika shares a story about a long lost relationship and if people ever really change.

Someone asks you to do something… maybe it’s a drink, maybe a coffee, or maybe a trip to Disneyland. But, it is a date? Erika and Chris discuss how to know whether something is a date or not. Is it the language someone uses when he or she asks? Is it the activity you do? Should we all just be in the dark, or should we just ask, “Is this a date?”

The ability to change is important… but how much can–or should–someone change to be in a relationship? And, on the flipside, how much can–or should–you ask someone to change? Erika and Chris each have a story talking about change. In Erika’s case, there was one quality in a date that she couldn’t flippin’ take anymore! And in Chris’ case, well, a Subway sandwich strikes again.

The practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication.Have you ever been ghosted? Have you ghosted someone you were seeing? Join Erika and Chris as they explore the rationales and stories behind one of the most cowardly ways to end a relationship.

Has ghosting become just part of our dating culture now? How has technology impacted the way we communicate and end relationships? Erika shares one of the most awful ghosting stories you’ve heard, while Chris looks at how technology has made our culture more afraid of conflict and simple communication. Let’s be adults here, and learn that telling someone you aren’t interested, is much better than not saying anything at all.