Your mid-30s are like a golden age for dating. You still have plenty of age-appropriate single people to choose from. No one bats an eye if you hook up with a 45-year-old. Yet, that 25-year-old with the tight abs still thinks you're hot. So rather than mourn the fact that you're still unattached at 35, recognize what a beautiful opportunity this is to get the best of both worlds.

Of course, there's a huge difference between dating people in their 20s vs. their 30s, and men aren't the only ones guilty of tangling with younger mates for recreational reasons. Based on my own experience and on polls of my 30-something single friends, I've pieced together an in-depth analysis of the pros and cons of 20-somethings and 30-somethings. Consider yourself warned.

20-somethings start their night out at 11.
30-somethings are too tired for happy hour on Fridays.

20-something dudes have amazing bodies.
30-something guys will make you feel better about your own body.

20-something guys leave the toilet seat up.
30-somethings will make your bed when they leave.

20-somethings have roommates and want to go back to your place.
30-somethings have an extra (unused) toothbrush you can use.

30-something dates include dinner.
20-something guys want to stop for burritos on the way home from the bar.

More very important information after the break.

• What 60 percent of Americans want from their sex lives — YourTango
• All hail the medium-sized woman! — HuffPost Women
• The first Muslim sex shop opens in Turkey — Cosmopolitan
• Dating isn't easy, but you should do it anyway — The Frisky
• Um, these underwear are sexy, I guess? — HowAboutWe
• You know you want to see Kim Kardashian's ring — POPSUGAR Celebrity

• Even Google autocomplete is sexist, horrifying — HuffPost Women
• Kim Kardashian's dumbest quotes about love — YourTango
• Yes, there is such a thing as dinosaur erotica — Cracked
• What guys say you should never say or do during sex — Cosmopolitan
• 10 celebrity couples that got hitched at city hall — The Frisky
• How our first time affects our sex lives forever — HowAboutWe
• Why Paul Feig loves funny women — HelloGiggles

The rules of dating and texting are still in progress, but one thing we know for sure: sudden, prolonged texting silence from your latest obsession is excruciating. We've all been there when a flirty text goes unanswered for an agonizing 30 minutes, but even worse is the digital slow fade, when someone we've been dating for weeks gradually (or not so gradually) stops replying to our texts.

But listen up, non-texter-backers: we don't need you! Rather than staring at our phones and wondering, "Is this thing on?" — or, God forbid, sending an embarrassing video that becomes an Internet meme — we will step away, take a deep breath, and invent a fictional explanation for why you haven't texted us back. Here are 12 lies we tell ourselves when you don't text us back:

• You must be dead.
• You're just really busy.
• You're driving a car and you can't stop.
• You have a secret family.
• You have a drug problem and are on a three-day bender.
• Um . . . iOS7?
• Lost phone.
• Stolen phone.
• Toilet phone.
• Family emergency.
• You're overseas.
• You are taking a very long nap.

Louis C.K. loves being divorced, so he'd probably make the world's worst marriage counselor. Then again, the comedian's stand-up performances are loaded with relationship wisdom — on marriage, sex, the differences between the sexes, and why dating is a display of true courage. Below, I've rounded up some of my favorite (tough) love quotes from Louis C.K. on every stage of love and marriage.

On Sex After Marriage

"There's guys thinking of getting married, and I hear them say stuff like 'I don't know if I could have sex with one woman for the rest of my life.' Where are you getting that twisted fantasy? You're not gonna have sex with one woman. You're gonna have sex with zero women."

On Dating as an Act of Bravery

"How do women still go out with guys? When you consider the fact that here is no greater threat to women than men. We're the number one threat to women, globally and historically, we're the number one cause of injury and mayhem to women. We're the worst thing that ever happens to them. You know what our number one threat is? Heart disease."

On Dating and Sex

"Sometimes you see a date that's later down the line. There's something that happens on a date that I never get to witness, because women do this, they get to do it inside. They get to decide quietly, 'I'm gonna let him f*ck me.' They just get to decide. Something he says, and she's just like 'That was good. I'm gonna let him f*ck me later.' And he has no idea."

On Postcoital Behavior

"After sex, you're looking at two very different people. The man just wants to lay there and be cool, and the woman wants to cuddle, something that men love to make fun of women for: ''They always wanna cuddle, they're so needy.' . . . She's not needy, you idiot, she's horny! Because you did NOTHING for her. You did absolutely nothing. If you f*ck a woman well, she will leave you alone."

Click here for more words of wisdom from Louis C.K.

The whole point of Tinder is making snap judgments about people based on their looks. Therefore, a good profile photo is of the utmost importance, which makes some of these choices extremely puzzling. We've done some extensive research into the men of Tinder to come up with this list of dos and don'ts that will determine whether your photos get a "nope" or a swipe to the right.

Do pose with a cute animal . . .

And by "cute animal," we don't mean a tiger. Unless it's a baby tiger!

But don't look too excited about it.

We don't want to compete for attention with your cat.

Don't pose with a hot celebrity.

You might think it increases your cred to pose with Ben Affleck, but really it just makes us think, "you, sir, are no Ben Affleck."

More very important tips after the break.

#firstworldproblems: The guy you're dating complains that your Twitter feed makes you sound single. But how are you supposed to behave in that interlude between casually dating and making it official? Our social media behavior says a lot about what relationship stage we are in. But as this Funny or Die video video proves, following each other Instagram does not necessarily equal an exclusive relationship.

Each stage of a relationship has distinct social-media signposts. Here's how to know where you stand:

Casually Dating, but Pretty Into Each Other

• He sends you a friend request on Facebook.
• She starts following you on Instagram or Twitter.
• You invite each other to parties via Facebook.
• He favorites a tweet.
• You "like" each other's profile photos on Facebook.

Heading Toward Coupledom

• He replies to your tweets.
• She comments on your status updates.
• You tag each other on Facebook or Instagram.
• She starts asking questions like "So, who is Julie?"
• He posts Facebook status updates that are clearly meant just for you.
• He wishes you a happy birthday.

It's Totally On

• He sends a friend request to your mom.
• He posts a status update wishing you a happy birthday.
• She posts stuff on your Facebook wall that "reminds her of you."
• She posts photos of the two of you together.
• You both change your relationship status.

No matter how bad your breakup is, someone else has an even worse story. Sure, it feels awful, but you aren't the first person to get dumped or to dump someone. Being on either side of a breakup is hard, but it's important to maintain some perspective through all your moping and self-pitying. For instance, though I recently split up with my husband, I often remind myself that I'm glad we didn't buy a house or give birth to any kids during our years together.

While the circumstances of every breakup are different, many of us exhibit the same symptoms: not knowing how to cheer yourself up, worrying that you'll burden friends with breakup talk, and suddenly finding yourself with a lot of free time but zero attention span.

So based on extensive research — that is, getting dumped and talking to friends who have been dumped — I've compiled a list of things to do in the weeks and months after a breakup.

1. Make a list of things you'll miss about your ex — and things you won't miss one bit.
2. Make a mopey/angry breakup playlist.
3. Make a feel-good playlist that has nothing to do with romance whatsoever.
4. When you're ready, change your relationship status on social media.
5. While you're at it, look up some old flames and crushes.
6. Hide the photo evidence of your relationship.
7. Let yourself be sad, but not all the time.
8. Let yourself be angry, but don't share those feelings with your ex.
9. Schedule time with your friends.
10. Have a one-night stand. If you're into that sort of thing.

Keep reading for 20 more post-breakup ideas.

Love is a drug, pretty much. It's expensive — we spend as much as $2,129 a year on dates — and it gets you high. But unlike some other vices, romance is good for your health. In this video breakdown of dating and chemistry, Buzzfeed lays out some fascinating statistics about how much money men and women spend on dates and proves that the chemistry of being in love makes it all worth it. You can thank us during your next makeout session.

In the words of Louis C.K., "Divorce is always good news . . . because no good marriage has ever ended in divorce." True as that may be, it doesn't make divorce any easier to deal with, no matter how short your marriage was.

It's a fact of being in your 20s and 30s: a surprising number of your newly married friends start to get divorced. Despite going into it with the best intentions, many young couples split up after just a few years. You could argue that the end of a short marriage is on par with a bad breakup, but having been through both, I'd argue that divorce is more difficult, even if you've got no kids, no house, not even a dog.

After all, getting married results from a major decision to set your life on a certain course. It's high profile, it's public, you get gifts and congratulations, and you're left with all sorts of physical mementos: a carefully chosen dress, extra invitations, photo albums. When the marriage comes to a screeching halt a few years later, you not only have to come to terms with your life not turning out the way you expected, but you also have to explain it to everyone watching.

For my tips on how to cope with a divorce after a short marriage ends, keep reading.

A good toast will never be the most talked about part of a wedding, but a bad toast will be — for all the wrong reasons. Surely we all remember the scene in Wedding Crashers, when Rachel McAdams's character awkwardly silences the room with her jabs at her sister's money-grubbing tendencies.

If you've been asked to stand up and say a few words, don't fret. Just follow these simple tips to make a toast with the most.

• The first rule: remember it's a toast, not a speech. Make it five minutes at most, preferably shorter.
• Prepare. Whether you write out your toast or just outline your major points in your head, having an idea of what you're going to say before you raise your glass works wonders.
• Be funny, but not if you don't want to. Toasts with humorous anecdotes or tasteful jokes are always crowd-pleasers. But if you're not known for your comedy, don't force it. Sincerity goes over just as well.
• Try not to outshine the more important toasters. If you're a bridesmaid, edit your toast so it's not longer than the maid of honor's, the mother of the bride's, or other VIPs who might toast before you. And it's OK to edit on the spot, or have a longer and a shorter version on hand.
• Don't be crude. Profanity and off-color jokes won't go over well with the bride, the groom, or guests with kids in tow.
• Tell a story. Offer a funny, touching, or telling anecdote about the couple, the bride, or the groom. If you don't have a story, give your toast a story arc, with a catchy beginning that builds to a climax.
• Make it about the couple. If you're friends with the bride, it's natural for your toast to focus on her, but don't forget, this wedding is about the two of them. Relate your words about her back to their marriage — not back to yourself.
• Don't toast drunk. A drink might help loosen you up, but don't wait until you've had several to share your sentiments.
• A nice touch is to have a copy of the toast (handwritten or printed) to give to the couple for a keepsake.

Got more tips from toasts gone well or wrong? Share them below.

Being a wedding guest doesn't guarantee you'll have suitors falling over you left and right, but there's a reason wedding hookups are a stereotype. Receptions tend to be full of young, single people — mostly friends and friends of friends — who have romance on the brain and a dance floor nearby. Here are 10 rules to help you succeed at a quickie courtship and ensure you don't embarrass yourself in the process.

1. Show up single. Even if your invitation welcomes a plus one, showing up without a date — even a friend date — makes it more likely you'll go home with one.
2. Ask for help. Nudge in-the-know members of the wedding party to point out potential paramours or, better yet, seat you next to them.
3. Be focused. Figure out who's single (one advantage of the dreaded singles table) and center your efforts on the one who strikes your fancy. Nothing says gauche like a girl flirting with every guy on the dance floor.
4. Speaking of the dance floor, go there. You'll have more opportunity to mingle than if you park yourself by the food table, and even if you don't meet someone, at least you'll have fun.
5. Know when to back off. If your flirtation isn't reciprocated, let it go. Being pushy is even more off-putting with a roomful of people watching.
6. Get tipsy, but don't get drunk. If it loosens you up to knock back some bubbly, fine, but don't set yourself up for slurred speech and wardrobe malfunctions.
7. Confirm single status. Before bedding down with anyone, please, confirm that he or she is single. This rule is essential when your pool of potential hookups includes the friends and family of the bride and groom.
8. Get a room, or something. Even if the entire reception has watched you flirt doesn't mean they have to witness your PDA too. Keep it classy.
9. Don't show up to the wedding brunch in your dress from the night before. Enough said.
10. Also, save the kissing and telling for later. If you want to dish with your friends about your conquest, save it for after the wedding-related festivities.

Share your tips (and your juicy wedding hookup stories) below.

Here's a how-to you won't find in the bride books.

If calling off your wedding feels like the right decision, then it probably is. New research from UCLA found that newlywed women who experienced prewedding doubts are 2.5 times more likely to divorce than brides who did not report cold feet. In fact, almost 20 percent of wives in the study who said they had hesitations about the marriage divorced within four years.

While it's not a divorce, the process — not to mention the decision — of ending your engagement can be stressful, shameful, emotional, and melodramatic. But remember: breakups are never easy, and just because it's hard doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. You certainly won't be the first bride to turn around on her way down the aisle, and if you know a relationship isn't meant to be, better to admit it before you say "I do." Here's how to call off a wedding as smoothly as possible.

• If you know getting married is the wrong decision, accept it and move forward. Instead of worrying what people will say, simply decide what you're going to say to them, and don't let anyone question your decision.
• If you're not yet sure if you should call the wedding off entirely, consider postponing it. Don't worry about setting a new date at this point; just notify guests that the wedding has been postponed until further notice with a printed or handwritten note.
• If you haven't sent the invitations yet, you can notify people informally. Enlist close friends or members of your wedding party (if you've picked one), divvy up the guest list, and have them call everyone to break the news.

What if the invitations have already gone out? Just read more