SFL Friday, Or How to Make Love During A Recession.

Don'tcha know, say it ain't so, Joe! Let's take a quick snapshot of our profession:

McDermott hammered with a $4.3 million sanction for trial misconduct. And I thought only plaintiffs' lawyers were bad....

Legal employment jobs down 15k from last year.

Big firm salaries stall, but billable hour requirements are up. Have fun you losers!

In other words things are looking pretty good. Still, some of you nudniks are worried, and you know what that means...I go windsurfing.

But for some even that's not a release. So I offer these Friday afternoon tips for how to make love during a recession. (Hint: try to care about what your partner is thinking and doing, and even let them know sometimes.) I know I know, crazy stuff:

Couples need to establish a common ground and mutual understanding during stressful times. They need to make an effort to stay connected during life’s highs and lows. If they don’t, the consequences could be dire. For instance, working couples who don’t express their feelings, show less affection and focus more on their career advancement, are less satisfied in life.

Even if you’re not in the mood for sex or able to steal away for some shag-time, there are other things you can do to maintain your sexual bond. These include:

— Showing appreciation for one another. Giving compliments, for example, is a simple way of expressing affection and letting your partner know that he or she is still being noticed and loved.

— Talking daily. Chat during dinner or at bedtime. Conversations foster bonding by providing support. It’s also important for couples to check in with each other, showing concern and care for one another’s well-being with simple statements like, “Tell me about your day.”

— Staying positive. Bite your tongue if you’re about to complain. Stressful situations are hard enough to deal with. Don’t add to the situation if you can avoid doing so.

— Believing in your future together. Stressful times can make lovers doubt their ability to stay together for the long haul. Insecurity issues that arise can only make matters more difficult. Making plans is one way to indicate that you’re feeling secure about your future.

— Helping each other with responsibilities. Approaching tasks with a team effort provides a greater sense of being in “this” together.

— Balancing "alone time" and "together time." Create a sensual atmosphere, for example, soothing scents, dim lights, delicious food, and relaxing music, to help you unwind.

— Getting creative in how you’ll be intimate. Redefine your definition of sexual intimacy when needed; try a simple body massage.

Lastly, lovers should consider yielding to one another’s requests for intimacy whenever possible. This is because a good roll in the hay is an ideal form of stress management. Loaded with physical and emotional benefits, sex will fuel your desire for more sex and emotional intimacy.

See, sometimes all that relationship crap works. Have a great weekend everybody!