“Is poetry still seen as romantic in the modern day?” In the not so distant past, a saucy sonnet or racy rhyme could go a long way to helping woo that special someone, but is poetry seen as something of a relic by today’s singletons?
To celebrate World Poetry Day, Zoosk commissioned Indigo Williams, a dynamic poet and performance artist from London, to take three of the most classic romantic poems and make them relevant for a modern day audience.
Poem in 140 Characters – created for those intimidated by the length of poems, to show it can be translated into bite sized portions for today’s fast paced society.
Reimagined poem Original poem
A Poem for the Time Poor – to show that the old ways are still valuable; and that they can be just as meaningful to someone who only has a short amount of time to see a poem for what it’s worth.
Reimagined poem Original poem
A Modern Declaration – traditional poetry is about unabashed declarations of love. This reimagined take is all about love being reciprocal and working both ways.
Reimagined poem Original poem About Indigo, the poet: Bursting onto the scene in 2010, she has performed across the UK and Europe at various events such London 2012 and The Big Chill festival, and for BBC Radio 4’s performance poetry series ‘Bespoken Word’. Indigo uses poetry to create worlds on page, stage and in film.
These photos are from a recent executive breakfast at Zoosk (execs cooked bacon and pancakes for everyone) and it was a lot of fun!
If you want Zoosk’s execs to cook you breakfast one day, take a look at the job postings on our career’s page. There are a lot of openings so if you see your dream job we encourage you to apply. Happy Zoosking!
Heart Friend is enthusiastic about Liz’s hot date. Maybe a little too enthusiastic. Check out our hilarious new Zoosk video and let us know if you’ve ever been in a similar position. Happy Zoosking!
Love song of the week: Love is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar. How amazing does she look in this video? We love the 80s styling with the hair and makeup. Enjoy. Happy Zoosking!
Enjoy this week’s love song of the week, one of our favorite interpretations of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” by the soulful Ella Fitzgerald. Happy Zoosking!
International Flirting Week is about to end. In fact, today’s the last day! Make the most of it by – what else – flirting! Here are some best practices that will help along the way:
• Men and women agree appropriate compliments and subtle touches are the best way to flirt. However, coming on too strong and invading personal space is the biggest flirting turn-off.
• Men are more likely to prefer sexual flirting such as a suggestive look, whereas women appreciate good manners such as holding a door open.
• Women are more likely to be put off by someone who comes across as overly sexual; while men are twice as likely to be turned-off by a corny pick-up line.
• Women use text messages to flirt more regularly than men.
• For both genders, a phone call is the least common channel for flirtation.
• Most people believe regular flirting is more important than marking special occasions with grand gestures.
Photo via Flickr. Creative Commons license, attribution no derivs.
Written by Jean Smith, flirting expert and social anthropologist
People are looking for love and romance in their lives, but are often stuck on how to get it. Being proactive, getting out there, meeting people and being open is much more effective than sitting back and waiting for the man or woman or your dreams to sweep you off your feet. Ok, so you’re out there – now what? Flirt!
Here are 10 scientifically proven ways to meet your partner and find love.
1) Make a good first impression. Studies have shown it takes only a few seconds to make a first impression. Upon first meeting us, people pick up clues about us both consciously and subconsciously. They only know what we tell them, so project yourself in the way you’d like to be perceived. Follow these tips and techniques to make sure yours is a good one!
2) Be confident. People are attracted to confidence. The good news is that even if you are not feeling confident on the inside, you can always fake it on the outside the outside by standing tall with your head held high. Soon, these physiological indicators for confidence might just make you believe it yourself.
3) Like yourself. If, as the most important person in your world, you don’t like yourself, how can you expect anyone else to?
4) Smile. Smiles are easy to give and powerful to receive. Even when they are fake, the action of smiling produces oxytocin in the brain, promoting feelings of happiness. Besides, everyone looks more approachable, and like someone we would like to be around, when they smile.
5) Eye Contact. It is the most powerful flirting tool. In my research, it was the number one sign that made people understand when someone was flirting. The glances were more frequent, more intense, and lasted for longer. Women take note: it takes the average guy three looks before he begins to understand your interest.
6) Touch. When used appropriately, touch can be very effective in flirting. As a general rule, shoulders and higher up on the arm are considered ‘safe’ areas, as we move down the arm towards the hand, touch becomes more intimate. A light tap on the hand might be the perfect flirting tool for you to try.
7) Don’t be so quick to judge potential partners. Yes, looks are important, but how often have you started speaking with someone you weren’t initially attracted to, and they became a Greek god, before your very eyes! There is more to you than just your looks, just as there is more to others’ than their outside shell. Find out what is on the inside before you make your decision.
8) We all like to be feel special. It’s not all about you! Change your ‘me’ centred world to one of ‘other’ and feel the pressure and self-consciousness melt away. Make the other person your first priority. Focus less on yourself and how you are feeling and put your attention on the other person.
9) Take the ‘reject’ out of rejection. Rejection isn’t about you, it’s about the situation of the other person. Maybe they are tired, married, or you’re just not their type. The good news is that you are a million other people’s type … so go flirt with them!
10) Flirting is fun! Don’t look at flirting as something you are forced to do – flirting is a fun way to pass the time. Keep in light, fun, and pressure free. The only losers are those who don’t try…
About the author: Jean Smith aims to empower individuals in her personal one-on-one coaching sessions and public Flirtology Seminars, as well as Jean’s Flirting and Walking Tours of London. Both the personal coaching and the events combine Jean’s extensive knowledge of human behaviour and interaction with confidence-building and social skill acquisition techniques.
70.8% of men and 67.9% of women would actually kiss a frog if it meant they’d find true love. Well the good news is you don’t have to. Not when you can find your true love on Zoosk.
We wish you love and luck in your search for a Valentine. <3 Happy Zoosking!
Zoosk has received heart-warming letters from couples from all over the world have found love on Zoosk. We are proud to share these real life success stories with you.