5 Easy Ways To Make Your Mom Happy

A card, flowers, and brunch are the go-to gifts for the woman who raised you, but are they that thoughtful? What does a modern mom really want on the official salute-your-mom day of the year? Stop clinging to the cliché and give her a day she can brag about.

Arrange adventure
Your mom probably doesn’t want to sit around in a rocking chair all day, says Kate Lombardi, author of The Mama’s Boy Myth. “Moms want to have fun and hang out,” she says. So, go for a hike—pack a few beers—listen to live music, hit the bar, or pass the afternoon taking in America’s pastime. You can even suggest a last-minute weekend getaway to the beach or somewhere close by that she’s always wanted to go, says psychologist Peggy Drexler, Ph.D. Think outside of activities you typically do with your mom, and consider arranging something neither of you have done. “To spend time with their sons, moms would definitely try something new,” says Lombardi. You’ll both have a new shared experience and a great story to tell.

10 Common Habits That Hurt Your Skin

By Meirav Devash for Refinery29

Like all medical professionals, dermatologists subscribe to the Latin proverb "primum non nocere," or "first, do no harm." But, when it comes to your beauty routine, sometimes derms really, really want to smack you upside the head. "It’s amazing what some people do to their skin," says Doris Day, M.D., dermatologist and clinical associate professor of dermatology at New York University Langone Medical Center.

We're not talking obvious skin sabotage like chain-smoking Pall Malls or sprawling in a tanning bed. Some habits, like enthusiastic exfoliation and loading on anti-agers, are actually good practices gone wrong. However, with the expert tips and fixes below, "it's surprising how much the skin can forgive," says Day. As for those dermatologists? Just don't make them angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry.

This Simple Trick Will Make You Want to Work Out Right Now

Whether it’s slashing seconds off your Fran time or making the winning shot, thinking about a positive exercise memory can motivate you to exercise more, according to a new University of New Hampshire study.

Researchers found that college students who were asked to recall positive exercise memories performed more workouts the following week than students who were prompted to think of negative exercise memories or no memories at all.

She Wants You to Watch

Foreplay begins at  the cocktail bar when Jeff surreptitiously slips his hand beneath the hem of Anne's skirt. As the two grope in the cab on their way to Jeff's apartment, the driver alternately huffs in disgust. . .and sneaks peeks in the rearview mirror.

Now, in the privacy of Jeff's apartment, Anne, 29, glances at the large windows facing the complex next door. She's making sure the curtains are wide open. Should his neighbors or anyone else passing by happen to look, they would have a clear view of Jeff sliding Anne's panties down her hips and pushing her onto the bed, and Anne wrapping her legs around him.

Sex with Jeff is good. But with the curtains open, it's great. Anne is not shy, clearly. And she's not shy about describing what that exposure does to her. "Knowing that anyone can see us steps up my game," she says. "It makes everything hotter. I like to imagine people are watching—and that they're jealous."

Raise Your Steaks

The cow I ate was born in April 2011 in rural Pennsylvania.

Cathy Pomanti, the owner of Sugar Hill Farm, midwifed my calf into the world. Pomanti raises grass-fed organic Scottish highland cows, a shaggy breed yielding meat that's among the tastiest on the planet. On one farm visit, my fiancee saw a highlander, went quiet, and then said, "I don't want to eat them. I want to hug them." But I was hungry for a cow to call my own.

Watch Out! Social Media Can Sink Your Love Life

It may have taken years to build, but a relationship can crumble in only 140 characters. A new study from the University of Missouri found that frequent tweeting increases your odds for real-life couple conflicts. Worse, it can actually be the downfall of your relationship, leading to cheating, breakups, and divorce.

Here's the deal: Researcher Russell Clayton polled couples of all dating durations and found they argued over basically every element of the survey, including who their partner tweets to, what they’re posting, and the sheer amount of hours they spend on the site. Clayton’s previous research found Facebook also sparked relationship trouble.

7 Sex Upgrades for Your Bed

The whole "twin  bed with threadbare sheets" thing may have worked in college, but you’re out of the frat house now—which means your bedroom needs to grow up, too. “Surrounding yourself with warmth and luxury is a catalyst for sex—an aphrodisiac, even,” says Cathy Hobbs, an interior designer in New York City. “It’s the difference between being at Motel 6 and the Four Seasons.”

Make your bedroom a place where women want to jump between the sheets—and stay there—with these seven tips. Then hang up the “Do Not Disturb” sign and get busy.

Could Porn Cause ED?

One out of  every four new erectile dysfunction patients is under 40, according to a recent study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. That’s compared to a 2002 Dutch review that found just 2 percent of younger men suffer from ED.

What explains this apparent spike in bedroom-related blues? Theories range from higher rates of stress to greater honesty in reporting the issue. But some research suggests your online porn habit may also play a role.