I’ve spent a lot of time admitting all of the stupid things I’ve done that have left me single. But today, even if it’s only for a day, I will stand up and be proud of my singleness. Here are my favorite things about being single:

Your Aunt Lisa, Carlos, Bobby…even Deacon Mike from your grandmother’s church. They all said the same thing. “She’s no good.” And as much as you probably should have listened to them, something inside of you just wouldn’t let you walk away. So you stayed, and as fate would have it they were right. She was cheating on you. That bitch…

“I love you with all my heart,” she told me through a steady stream of tears. “And there’s nothing that I’d rather do than spend the rest of my life with you. But we both know that us being together is not as simple as we would like it to be. The longer we hold on, then the harder it will become for us to accept the inevitable. So let’s just say goodbye while there’s still time.”

Call me a sucker for love. That’s just what I am. So when it comes to setting the mood for that special someone, I’m pretty confident in my ability to find creative ways to express my feelings. So for the sake of discussion, let’s just say that I wanted to prepare a special “I Love You” dinner. Back in the day, the majority of my attention would be focused on finding sexy dessert and cocktail ideas aimed at capping the night off in a “meaningful” way. Wrong move.

There seems to be an ongoing debate as to who deserves the majority of the blame for the many relationship problems that seem to plague all people: white, black, red, yellow, man, woman, gay, and straight. And while you may possess a very passionate position on the subject, it’s important to listen to the perspectives of others in order to form an educated stance.

Dear Fly Guy…I desperately need your opinion on this one. You see, I’m a twenty-five year old married mother of three. My oldest child (a four year old daughter) is not by my husband, but since she was six months old, he’s been her father. She’s his princess and in her eyes he’s the world. Recently her father (my once upon a time high school sweetheart) recently decided that he wanted to come back into my child’s life.

You trust her, you adore her, you worship the proverbial ground she walks on. But make no mistake, gentlemen; all women lie in certain situations, and your little angel is no exception. Sometimes she’s only fibbing a bit to protect her own feelings or yours. Sometimes her motives are less laudable, like lying to cover her tracks. Whatever the case, certain lies occur much more frequently than others. It’s up to you to learn which lines shouldn’t be believed, and how to handle them.

Shortly after R&B super group Jodeci split up to focus on other endeavors, brothers K-Ci and Jo Jo released what is still (at least in my opinion) one of the best explanations on how to write a heartfelt letter to a loved one. Even though letter writing is a lost art form in 2008, you can still put this effective technique to use through email.

The most important thing to remember when picking a first date locale is that you want it to be playful and a little bit unconventional. Every woman has gone on dozens of forgettable first dates — restaurants and movie theaters have been done to death. So how do you make your first date a memorable one?

I believe I owe you an apology. When we first met, there seemed to be an undeniable attraction between us. I think we can both agree on that point. But you told me that you weren’t interested in getting to know me unless I was willing to be your friend first. “Friendship is the key to all relationships,” is how I replied. “And if we never end up hooking up, then I’m ok with that since I would have gained a lasting friend.”