Dear Readers:
I won’t be giving any advice today. Instead, I want to tell you how much you’ve taught me.
When I started this column over two-and-a-half years ago, I was unsure how it would be received. I had been dealing with the repercussions of the Love Guv scandal, one of the toughest times in my life, and watching the collapse of Tiger Woods when I felt the need to voice my opinion. The Post published a story about my take on Tiger and soon after asked if I would contribute this column.
I’m proud to say that Ask Ashley has been a greater success then I ever thought. Not a financial one, but rather a success in letting people see that I’m more than just the girl in the headlines from 2008. From the very first column I got compliments from readers on what I had to say and that I had the courage to say it, regardless of criticism others had for me. Those e-mails helped me get through a really difficult time.
As the months went on, I became less interested in writing about sex and more about relationships. No wonder — I was maturing, too. I met a guy who turned into a serious boyfriend, a relationship that’s still going strong.
Still, I always put 100 percent of my true feelings into my responses, and always with a little bit of humor because, let’s face it, sometimes you just have to laugh. Everyone always asks, “What’s the craziest question you have ever gotten?” For me, it was the woman who turned into a size queen and no longer thought her husband was equipped to satisfy her.
While I tried to help people in the column, it turned out that I was also learning a lot about myself and what I wanted in a relationship. I got to hear about the complaints and problems and challenges that all couples face, and I applied their experiences to my new love.
The most important thing you all taught me is that we need to pay more attention to the people we love the most. Almost every question I received traced its problems back to someone taking their partner for granted. I’ve worked hard to keep myself from falling into that rut. And my beau does the same.
For me, one of the best antidotes to the doldrums of dating is lingerie. Classy, sexy lingerie. I love it. My boyfriend loves it. It sets the mood and makes our sexy time together feel like an event, not just a simple act.
Which brings me to the next chapter in my life, Femme by Ashley, a boutique I recently opened in Red Bank, NJ. This will be my last Ask Ashley column as I move on to focus on the shop, where I sell swimwear, swim accessories and — of course! — lingerie.
When I decided to sell lingerie, it had nothing to do with sex, by the way. It’s more about keeping a love affair alive and exciting. I have dressing rooms designed for couples, so a woman’s partner can watch her try on her favorite pieces — it’s the ultimate foreplay!
Plus, when she dresses to impress later on, she’ll feel totally confident that her boyfriend thinks she looks hot! And confidence is the key ingredient to great sex.
So in closing I offer one last piece of advice to my readers: Life is short — live it passionately.
Thanks to The Post for taking a chance on me. And thanks to all you readers for helping me find my path in life.
STARTING NEXT WEEK, PULSE’S NEW ‘CURRENT AFFAIRS’ COLUMN WILL COVER NYC SEX, DATING AND LOVE TRENDS