Sofi Papamarko is a twentysomething writer based in Toronto. Her heroes include Desmond Morris and Nancy Sinatra.

An ode to those special fathers

June 17, 2010

Good dads remember the rules of every card game.

Love can have a way of coming back around

June 03, 2010

Sometimes the person is right, but the timing is all wrong.

Couples choose to live together...alone

May 06, 2010

If distance makes the heart grow fonder, could living separately be the key to a successful marriage?

Mother (sometimes) knows best

May 06, 2010

Dear mom -- bet you weren’t expecting to read an open letter to you in my column this week.

Inspiring teachers will never be forgotten

April 22, 2010

I’ve had some great ones over the years.

Read between the lines

March 25, 2010

In the era of social media, online dating has shed its shameful image. “We met over the Internet” is a phrase no longer greeted with pity or whispered warnings. Lavalife is the new community singles dance. Christian Mingle is the new church picnic. J-date is the new pushy Bubbe.

Think outside the jewelry box for that special ring

March 25, 2010

Ah, springtime! When a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love. And, in extreme cases, to thoughts of c-c-c-commitment. (Well, gentlemen. If you like it...)

Charting the hazards of 'peep culture'

March 11, 2010

What if I used this space to share something inappropriately personal?

The smart guy's guide to meeting women

February 25, 2010

Let me tell you a story about how not to pick up women.

Plotting the perfect, no frills wedding

February 11, 2010

I am fortunate enough to have many friends and an impossibly huge extended family. As a result, I have been to a LOT of weddings.

Adding bitter foes to Facebook to keep the ego in check

January 28, 2010

I need to quit Facebook before it gives me the brain of a child star.

Sometimes old friends just happen to fade away

January 14, 2010

One of the best things about being a bona fide grown-up is the ability to choose our friends.

New Year's, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing

December 31, 2009

“What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?” If you’re like me, the answer is: “Nothing. Ever again.”

Potential pitfalls of the office Christmas party

December 17, 2009

A co-worker recently told me that he wasn’t sure if I was an introvert or an extrovert. I replied that I was still trying to figure it out.

Tiptoeing around your friend's sub-par partner

December 03, 2009

One of my superpowers is that I am an excellent judge of character. It doesn’t take long for me to decipher whether someone is a good-hearted and decent soul or if they should be avoided at all costs. This is as true for potential friends as it is potential dates.

Drawing relationship battle lines

December 03, 2009

One of my superpowers is that I am an excellent judge of character. It doesn’t take long for me to decipher whether someone is a good-hearted and decent soul or if they should be avoided at all costs. This is as true for potential friends as it is potential dates.

Facebook status updates as pixelated PDAs

November 19, 2009

Single. In a Relationship. Engaged. It’s Complicated. Single.

Do funny girls have the last laugh?

November 05, 2009

Ask just about anyone what they’re seeking in a potential mate and you’re likely to get the same answers: Nice. Smart. Cute. Funny. Employed.

Check your inhibitions

October 22, 2009

In the movie Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan’s character Cady sagely observes, “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.”

Embrace breakups

October 08, 2009

You’ve only just begun university, but you’re already a superstar. You’ve gotten the hang of classes, joined intramural basketball and made new friends. Your roommate is awesome.

Textual innuendo

September 24, 2009

As mobile technologies and social networking become increasingly prevalent, people have embarked on this Brave New World of communication by totally hitting on their friends (and the friends of friends).

Take time to know thy neighbour

September 10, 2009

I didn’t know Dianne Trottier. She and I lived in the same building. I would see Dianne in the lobby. In the elevator. Out and about running errands or walking her dog. The most that we ever exchanged were nods of familiarity and the occasional guarded smile.

Silver foxiness is a powerful force

August 27, 2009

There’s something painfully alluring about older men. In my teens and early 20s, I was far less likely to make moony eyes at my spotty-faced peers than at the supply teachers and rakish professors at the chalkboard. They were taller. Better dressed. Widely travelled. And, best of all, they KNEW stuff!

Saluting gay boyfriends

August 13, 2009

I have a lot of gay male friends. I’m not exactly sure how I became such a fruit fly, but it probably has to do with the fact that I enjoy being around brilliant, interesting, quirky and hilarious people. And there happen to be an inordinate number of gay men who fit the bill.

Girls (not) gone wild

July 30, 2009

To celebrate the impending nuptials of a dear friend, nine of us headed to a cabin in rural Quebec for a bachelorette weekend. We sunned ourselves on a dock, ate a variety of artisanal cheeses, played a few spirited rounds of charades and toasted the bride–to-be with sparkling wine.

It’s all in the approach

July 16, 2009

A man walks into a bar. He spots a seated brunette that he’d very much like to get to know. He approaches, says something witty, offers to buy her a drink. Looking bored, she declines. She’s waiting for some friends. Thanks for the offer, though.