In his latest book, "Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow," Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari, predicts that algorithms will soon work more effectively than the human brains that create them. In particular, he envisions a time when love-algorithms will eliminate all the agony of dating and mating by matching you up with the one person with whom you are best suited to spend eternity. Scoff if you like, but that day may be closer than you think. I recently read an article titled, "Should You Always Swipe Right on Tinder?" which explains there's a Tinder algorithm that plays a major role in who you get matched with on [...]

When 22-year-old me married 26-year-old Jack Schindler in 1964, some 72% of all American adults were married.  adults were married.  Today it's more like 50%.  Despite the fact that more people are legally allowed to marry than ever before, fewer are opting to doing so. Furthermore, those who do get married are doing so later.  Back in 1964, the average first-time bride was 20, while the average first-time groom was 22.  Today, the average is 27.4 for women and 29.5 for men. Experts cite a number of sociological changes behind the declining popularity of marriage. The biggest reason is probably choice.  Women no longer need a husband to [...]

If you think you'd like to be young and single again, better think twice. The whole process of dating and mating has been reduced to a game, literally.  Last month the Match Group, Tinder's parent company, introduced "Crown," which is the dating equivalent to the "Sweet 16" in basketball. Every day, the algorithm sends you 16 possible love interests in eight pairs.  You choose the one you like best in each pairing. Now you have four pairs of eight matches. You keep winnowing down the options until you "crown" the winner. If you've both crowned each other, you have the option of starting a conversation and meeting up.  [...]

Social media is a-twitter with the report last month that pop singer Ariana Grande, 24, and "Saturday Night Live" star Pete Davidson, also 24, got engaged after dating one week. Although "Cosmopolitan" contends they were secretly seeing each other since March while both were involved with other partners.  (I keep up with these things, so you don't have to?) Despite the fact that Ariana and Pete already have matching tattoos, it's anyone's guess whether this pairing is destined for death-do-us-part. Fox News cites other celebs involved in quickie engagements, most of which did not see happily ever after: Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, married after 96 hours, divorced [...]

Photo courtesy of Pexels I recently saw a meme that said, "My husband and I both have colds.  I keep living my life, but we may have to call his family, so they can say goodbye." When my friend Karen's husband had a cold, he turned to her and asked, "do you think I will ever get well?" "Yes," she said, "I'm fairly confident you will." What's going on here?  Big, strapping guys, who can change a tire, chop wood and kill spiders, fall apart when they have a muscle cramp or upset tummy. A few years ago, Huffington Post Blogger Diedre A. Ware wrote a [...]

Photo courtesy of rawpixel on unsplash We've heard a few horror stories about dating online.  Meredith had a different experience. In her 20s at the time and starting a career in food service, she had very little time for a social life.  The dating apps seemed like a harmless way to meet new people, go new places and get her out of a rut. She didn't realize that it could take over her life. Signed up with two different apps, the young, attractive operations director was soon overwhelmed with responses, as many as 20 a day. She spent long hours replying to messages, reviewing bios, checking [...]

Photo Courtesy "In Touch" Magazine Remember Mary Kay Letourneau, the ex-school teacher/convicted felon, whose passionate affair with a 13-year-old student produced two children and a seven-year prison sentence? She and Vili Fualaau, who were married in 2005, are now just a typical old married couple. She's 56 and a paralegal. He's a 34-year-old part-time DJ who's thinking about a marijuana business. And, oh, oh, here's a surprise! The marriage is in trouble. The couple has been legally separated since June of last year. It seems that Mary Kay was not only the principal breadwinner, she also handled most of the parenting, finance and household responsibilities. Villi, [...]

Photo courtesy of Unsplash. When did jaw-dropping marriage proposals become a thing? I'm talking about proposals that take place during bungee jumps, on mountain peaks, underwater, skydiving or water skiing.  I am also referencing full-blown productions that are professionally choreographed, directed and video-taped. Go on line, and you'll see photos of a guy, who dressed himself and 47 of his friend as carrots, to perform a dance routine for his beloved as a prelude to the proposal. Then there's the young Russian who hired a screen writer, film crew and stuntman to fake his death before coming back to life and popping the question. Visit YouTube [...]

I'm currently obsessed with Instagram.  I'm taking an online course, which advises that I spend at least five hours a day, posting on my own feed and liking and commenting on other feeds in my niche.  It's a full-time job.  I'm exhausted. On the up-side, I've run across a lot of amusing marital wit and wisdom.  Here are some of the best IG posts under #marriagehumor.  Enjoy!  (And, for the love of God, follow me at www.instagram.com/husbandsmanual/) Now here're a couple of my own IG posts for your amusement. Got a good quote of your own on marriage?  Be sure to let me know.  And share these with someone [...]

Scene from "Dating Naked," which ran on VH1. I'm not a big fan of reality dating shows. I don't think I ever watched a full episode of "The Bachelor" or "The Bachelorette."  So, imagine my surprise when I ran across an article recalling 43 dating shows I never knew existed. The article, which ran on the lifestyle blog, "Beamly," covered gone and best-forgotten programs such as "Dating Naked," which featured strangers dating strangers in their birthday suits; "Age of Love," that matched up a 30-year-old man with a group of  women in their 20s, and a group of women in their late 30s to 40s to [...]