LDR Wha-???

LDR= Long- Distance Relationship.


The phrase that makes lovebirds shudder. Long-distance?! No kisses, no hugs, no physical touch for more than a day?! Nooo way, you say.

It's actually not all that scary. I've been in one for the past one year and well, I'd be lying if I said it was easy peasy lemon squeezy. I tell people my boyfriend's back home and they give me that face. You know, that 'omg-you-poor-thing-is-it-difficult?' face (apparently I'm a very good face reader haha) Then they verbalise all their thoughts into, well, first of all, the big *GASP*. Then to " :( How is it? (It's okay-lah) Is it hard? (Mmm..not as bad as people think it'd be) Do you miss him? (Freaking big yes on this one! Duh!)

I guess since Chris and I have been doing pretty good in the LDR department, we must be doing something right....right? So..let me give a "How To: Long-Distance Relationships" tutorial. If it doesn't work please don't come chasing after me.


Step 1: Be Commited
Not commited? Still looking around for good old flings? Then FORGET ABOUT IT. You don't deserve to read on.


Step 2: Trust Him/Her
Okay, so I understand that trusting your partner across borders can be a lot more difficult because you're never going to know what (or who tee hee) that person is doing 24/7. So here's a quiz to help you gauge your trust level.

1) Your boyfriend/girlfriend is going to the movies with his/her best friend...of the opposite sex. Do you:
A) Tell him/her "Have fun!". You really like his/her best friend, plus, you needed some down time alone.
B) Tag along (without their knowledge) just to see if it's really just a 'friendly' outing.
C) Cry and whine till he/she insists on bringing you along.


2) Your boyfriend/girlfriend used to be an avid drinker but has since turned over a new leaf (after meeting you :D). You go over to his/her place and stumbled upon an open bottle of Vodka. Do you:
A) Ask for an honest answer calmly and believe him/her when he/she says that his/her best buddies came down last night and he/she just had a couple of sips, nothing more.
B) Freak out and interrogate him/her all night.
C) Cry and whine and throw the bottle of Vodka on the floor.


If you answered:
mostly As: You are a very trusting partner and you deserve a thumbs up! (my thumbs are up in case you didn't know). You know your partner loves you and wouldn't (intentionally) do anything to hurt you. You are LDR- ready!
mostly Bs: You have serious trust issues. Forget LDR.
mostly Cs: Your boyfriend/girlfriend will soon refused to be called so. You won't have the chance to be in an LDR even if you wanted to.


Step 3: Alexander Graham Bell Didn't Invent the Phone for Nothing. CALL!
Call each other regularly. Share stories, experiences, jokes. Being far apart doesn't mean you can't still share life together and grow together. (while also growing as individuals of course) Afraid of soaring phone bills? Skype then! Or text each other. A simple " I miss you" can make a heap of difference to a person's day, just knowing that they are on your mind :)


Step 4: Have Movie Nights
Who says that 2 people need to be in the same place and be sitting next to each other to watch a movie together? In my post here, I proved that it is indeed possible to watch movies together despite the distance! All you need is a webcam on both ends and a good movie that the both of you have decided on. Preferably a comedy. Scientific research has proven that laughter-infused activities tighten bonds 15 times quicker than any other activity. (Okay I made that up, but I'm very sure it's accurate to an extent) You'll just need to be willing to sacrifice big screens and surround sounds, that's all. Hey, if you can watch movies on a tiny" x tiny" screen in an airplane (tiny" x tiny" cos i don't know the measurements, see? eg: 4" x 5". HAHA I'm so funny!=.='' ) then you have absolutely no reason to complain.

Step 5: Take a Chill Pill and Relax. It's Never Perfect
Relationships must be worked at, what more long-distance ones? So even if things don't seem too good for a moment, relax. It doesn't mean it's over so don't wave the white flag just yet.

Woo that was long. If I *touch wood* break up, I won't dare show my face around here anymore. Haha. These are just tips! Again, if it doesn't work don't come chasing after me. Maybe the problem is you. I'm kiddddingg.