One time, Cadence and her then-boyfriend showed up while I was on my first date with Damian. (I kind of asked them to, because I'd never met Damian before and was worried I might need "saving," but thankfully I didn't.) That doesn't really count as a double date though.

One time Damian, Max, Robyn and I played Nightfire together...

These ones: http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Pilot_V5_V7_V10_Grip.html

I went to see About An Hour at Comedy Bar with Damian, Eric, and my mom. It was so funny, as I knew it would be. I think we're going to go again next week.

I don't know if Jeremy Larson can really be described as "up and coming," because his work these days is mostly producing and playing on other people's albums, but he's my favorite. He's an absolutely brilliant songwriter and he's been on heavy rotation in my life for over a year now.

If I was in your situation, I would casually avoid telling my parents how old he was (unless they asked directly, of course), and have him meet them so they could see he's really a good guy.

If they give you trouble about seeing him, you can calmly and civilly negotiate rules. Try to figure out what their specific concerns are and address those. For example, if you know they're concerned about sex, maybe suggest a rule that the two of you won't hang out in your room with the door closed.

(By the way, my parents would not have been so "accepting" when I was 17! But I'm 19 now, and they know that my boyfriend treats me VERY well and is a great guy, since he spends a lot of time at my house, so they trust me to be smart. I feel I've earned that trust, after years of proving that I make good decisions when it comes to my relationships.)

No.

-Use less tongue than you think you need to. (Damian says to tell you tongue should be used as an "accent," not the main course.)
-Breathe through your nose.
-Swallow when you need to. Nothing is grosser than a waterfall kiss.
-Keep your lips soft and moist.
-Pay attention to what the other person is doing and try to go with their flow.
-Use your hands to convey passion by touching their face, neck, shoulders, back, etc.
-Keep your lips in good condition by regularly exfoliating them (Lush sells nice lip scrubs, but a toothbrush works just as well, if not better) and wearing a good quality, natural lip balm.
-Be present. Really think about the way the sensations feel while you're kissing someone, NOT whether you're "doing it right." Like a lot of things in life, it's easy to trip yourself up when you kiss by overthinking it. Just feel it.

"Never a dull moment."

The only real way to find out what someone wants is to ask them.

If you don't want to ask her directly, here are some sneaky ways to get the conversation started:
"[Insert name here] keeps asking me if I have a girlfriend. haha."
"It's so weird that my Facebook relationship status still says 'single.' I don't FEEL single."
"I think we make a pretty cute couple." (Or, alternatively, "I think we WOULD make a pretty cute couple.")

Honestly, with Damian, I pretty much just asked him if he considered us to be boyfriend and girlfriend yet, and he said yes, and that was that. Obviously you know yo' lady better than I do, so you probably have a better sense of where she's at, but you're never going to know for sure unless you ask.

The Office (the American version) is pretty much my all-time favorite show. We have the first six seasons on DVD, and I have the first seven seasons on my external hard drive. I rarely watch it live - they're still making new episodes but I generally watch them on Rogers On Demand.

Probably my black knee-high Doc Martens. I wear them like 5 days out of 7. They're super comfortable (though they certainly weren't when I first bought them!), they provide adequate winter protection, and they go with everything.

One pair. They are black, and cost $20. I wear them like twice a year.

Like... 4-6 times a year?

I love buying stuff online! eBay and Etsy are my favorites.

@DamianSommer :)

You should start with one well-lubricated finger while you're masturbating. When you can regularly fit that inside you, move up to two fingers. You might not be able to fit three, but that's no big deal - I can't either. Fingers are shaped kind of weird and a penis will generally go in easier than three fingers will.

When you feel ready to have penetrative sex with yo' man, make sure LOTS of foreplay is involved. I'm talking about stimulation of your clit, nipples, and any other erogenous zones that get you super wet. You should be practically dripping by the time his penis gets anywhere near that area. It wouldn't hurt to have some water-based lube on hand, too, just incase you don't get wet enough.

You might find it helpful to rub your clit while he's entering you. This serves two purposes: it distracts you from the potential pain with pleasure, and it helps you begin to associate the feeling of penetration with other good feelings.

Don't get upset if your first time isn't spectacular. Most people's aren't. Sex requires practice, like anything else. And definitely don't be afraid to communicate with your partner! If you don't trust someone enough to tell them what you like and what you don't like, you don't trust them enough to have sex with them.

So much!! Two of the things I'm especially appreciating about Toronto recently, though, are the great transit system and the thriving improv scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lPrwf16jY8

Play

I'm Canadian. Of course I do.

Like most aesthetic add-ons, they can be ridiculously beautiful or ridiculously ugly, depending on how they're done and in what context they're worn.