Look to the Future (Relationship Trends 2009)

In the face of great financial uncertainty such as the world has not seen, where various world economies can now be likened to Venice and the Sunken Garden, I.e. all sinking or already sunk, we move to a more light-hearted subject and posit some theories on Relationship Trends for 2009.

Women will be bullish

Women will continue to occupy places of authority in the workplace and will transpose some of the power and energy previously focused on their careers to their personal life.

As a result, women be more inclined to take the bull by the horns rather than sit around waiting for some guy named (Prince) Eric, William or Harry to come along. After being out in what can only be described as a lethargic “meet” market, women will be more empowered to take matters into their own hands when it comes to dating and putting the ticking biological clock to rest.

More women will be seen taking initiative and asking men out AND paying for dinner, at that, strictly adhering to the policy “Whoever asks, pays” which is a universal rule regardless of race or gender…it is only age that can be an exception to this rule.

More women will explore and may even be emboldened enough to sign up for voluntary single parenthood by getting artificial insemination. Others who want to have children but still haven’t found a worthy sperm donor or lifetime partner (if it were the same person, it would be nice, but these days, it is not a deal breaker) will seriously consider the option of having their eggs harvested and frozen for later use. (yes, this is an actual viable medicine option provided by wonders of modern science).


Women will defect to the other camp much as legions of gay men had done years before

You know that very pretty young singer who is all woman except for small ounce of testosterone oozing from her body in a “proud-don’t-care-whatever-the-hell-everyone-thinks proclamation of “I kissed an girl and a even actually liking it”?

Urban legend has it that it this song fast became a national anthem in a lot of all-girl schools and you can only expect other girls to follow suit and pledge their allegiance.

Men may now have to start developing their own brand of gaydar to find out which team a chick is playing on. Either way, this is a relationship trend which will have either be a windfall or downfall for them.

Younger men and older women

It is the youth and gracefully maturing sector that will continue to infuse capital in the industries of sports, health and fitness, beauty and alternative lifestyle.

The twenty something men have adapted a healthy gym going lifestyle and are a lot more fit and are more confident than the twenty something men that were manufactured a few years ago. These new improved versions just breeze through the “boyish look” and leap right onto “masculine hunk”.

Meanwhile, the thirty something women are taking a cue from the women of Hollywood (Jennifer, Madonna, Demi, Susan) and investing in their own upkeep or self-preservation and are looking more glamorous and sophisticated.

It is inevitable that these two sectors of society will come together and form intimate unions. The law of attraction will dictate it and the law of supply and demand will simply necessitate it.

Expansion of the Foreign Exchange Market

For years, no, for centuries, white men have found themselves washed upon our shores. My favorite History teacher once summarized their reasons for coming to our land in 3G’s: Gold, God and Glory for their motherland through the conquest of a new domain.

I’d like to ask her what she thinks of the theory which stipulates that their modern day reason for setting foot on our soil can now be summarized into 3 W’s: work (the expats), wanderlust – their insatiable desire to explore territories outside of their own and of course, the women…oh, and the men. (this column does not discriminate against any gender).

Look all around you, there are more and more tourists or temporary settlers roaming our streets on a fairly regular basis nearly all year round and not just in their usual Makati domain. What is most notable (and a reason to rejoice, I tell you) is that they’re getting younger and younger and this may just be the tipping point that will wash away the old John Smith - heart-Pocahontas stereotype and give way to Foreign Affairs that are diplomatically more age compatible.

“No Great Depression”

As a popular bank slogan goes, in these economic times, markets bring not only bears, but they also bring bulls….or something like that -- you get it, don’t you. Simply said, when it comes to relationships, people will change, adapt, evolve and take every opportunity to avoid their own Great Depression.