Columns

I’m a 30-year-old woman who has always been attracted to men but never had a strong desire to actually date and be in a relationship. At first, I thought there was something wrong with me, but I’ve recently read about aromanticism, and it was like a light bulb went off. I identify so much with it and feel like I’ve finally solved a life-long question. I’m currently hanging out with a man I work with, “Steve,” and while at first it started out romantically, it felt forced and I didn’t feel comfortable at all. I explained to him that I’m aromantic, and while he still seems somewhat confused, he’s been ok with…

I’ve lived with my boyfriend for close to seven years now and have been included in all family activities. But just a few days ago, after traveling a long distance to my boyfriend’s daughter’s wedding, I was told by him that he volunteered me to babysit his other daughter’s 2-year-old while the guys went golfing and the bridal party had their hair and makeup done. I was shocked that the child’s dad, who wasn’t in the wedding party, took off to golf and was unable to babysit. And suddenly, I had a 6-year-old and a 15-year-old to watch too! I am currently dealing with a serious medical condition and was in pain…

I think my boyfriend and his sister are TOO close. His Instagram is covered with pictures of her (she’s in about 90% of the pictures he posts). He doesn’t even post pictures of the two of us despite that we’ve been together almost a year. When he gets good news or something cool happens, he speed dials his sister to tell her, even if he is with me. He calls her multiple times a day just to “check on her” and “see what she’s doing.” If she doesn’t answer, he immediately worries something may have happened to her. He doesn’t do the same for me though. They are ALWAYS texting all throughout…

I have married the absolute love of my life only to find myself at odds with his mother. It all started a couple years ago just as my husband and I started dating. His mom threw a pool party and I had my mom there. I was joking around with his mom and made a comment in jest, something like, “Oh, you know you love me.” Her deadpan reaction: “What are you talking about? I will NEVER love you.” I was horrified. And so was my mother who was sitting right next to her. Things only escalated from there. At one point, every time I saw her, I would bawl my eyes…

My boyfriend (“Greg,” 29) and I (29) love each other very much. He is an American living in New York and I’m Danish and living in Copenhagen. We met five years ago in NYC and lived together with other roommates for a couple of years before I had to return home because my mom got sick. My dealing with a dying mom and a family in crisis was difficult for my boyfriend to completely comprehend. I lacked support and still, to this day, feel like I was completely left on my own (whereas before I always felt like part of a strong united team with him). The big deal breaker came when…

It’s time again for Shortcuts. For every question, I’ll give my advice in just a few sentences because sometimes the answer to a person’s question is so obvious and the need to hear it so great that being as clear and frank as possible is simply the best way to go. My husband and I were friends with a younger woman. We both knew her parents. She would come to our house to visit. After a while my husband wanted to help her by giving her a job with his construction crew. I said I didn’t think it was a good idea. He went behind my back and hired her anyway and…

I am a very young 79-year-old woman. I lost my husband nineteen months ago and have been seeing a friend who also lost his spouse four years ago. We knew each other when both spouses were living. Our involvement during our first six months together was friendly dating. Then he came to visit me in Florida (we were living in different states) and ended up in my bed. I thought we would have an exclusive relationship, but when he went home, it turned out he was dating another woman I was not aware of when he had sex with me. He was not sleeping with her, but it hurt me deeply and…

I’m back from vacation (or, as we call it when we travel with young kinds, “a trip”)! Now I get to play catch up on emails and laundry and errands and all that exciting, post-travel fun. Before that, here are a couple quickies as I ease back into the flow of things: I have been in a relationship for four years. My boyfriend and I have talked excitedly and continuously about getting married and having a life together. However, last year for a good ten months his father became sick, followed by his passing away. I would go with him to visit his dad all the time. I was as supportive as…

My boyfriend, “Sam,” and I have been dating for a year and five months. When we first started dating, Sam and I had each just gotten out of relationships. Sam told me that he and his ex had broken up six months prior to our dating. His ex, however, was telling everyone that he cheated with me and that I am a whore and the cause of their relationship’s end. I honestly did not believe her because she is very mentally unstable (a big part of the reason they broke up) to the point that he had to have police intervention in removing her from his condo building after she broke in…

I have been married to my husband for eleven years and, since the beginning of our marriage, my husband’s family has insisted on inviting his ex-wife to different family functions. We do not get along with her and she tried to cause problems early in our marriage. Despite our request to his family over and over again that they not invite her, she is still invited and my in-laws don’t understand what the problem is. We went a few years without speaking to his family because of this issue, but recently they did it again. It blows my mind because she is not even a relative anymore and they would rather have…