Archive for April, 2011

Marriage Lessons from a Nun

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged on April 29, 2011 | 1 Comment »

It’s amazing what you can learn about marriage from someone committed to lifelong celibacy: “It is in community [think: marriage] where we find out who we really are. It is life with another that shows my impatience and life with another that demonstrates my possessiveness and life with another that gives notice to my nagging more »

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Too Big to Fail: Thoughts on the Marriage of William and Kate

Posted in Divorce, tagged on April 29, 2011 | 1 Comment »

I’ve managed to avoid most of the William and Kate craziness that has otherwise possessed the Internet for the last few days: I did not set my alarm for 3 a.m., and it was well after 8 this morning before I saw a picture of her (beautiful) dress. Just the same, I do have some more »

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The Art of a Good Apology (Or, “Saying Sorry in 4 Simple Step”)

Posted in Advice & Tips, Communication, Fighting on April 28, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Saying you’re sorry is hard stuff. I know this because Cliff and I have been coaching our four year-old on how to do it. Sometimes I can watch him physically struggle to get the words out: pride is powerful, even when you’re too little to know the word. Apologizing is no easier in marriage. Who more »

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Trading Beads for Sex

Posted in Books & Culture, Sex on April 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Have you heard about this beading thing? Carolyn Evans, 40, offered her husband an unusual gift for his birthday: 40 days of sex. I’m a little sketchy on the details, but somehow this evolved into a bead-based trade and barter system that works like this: “The woman keeps a bowl, a.k.a. beadcatcher, by her bedside. more »

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Change Anything

Posted in Fighting, tagged on April 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

We’ve been moving furniture at our house, and I’m amazed at how new everything seems though all we did was shift our Craigslist and Ikea stuff by a few feet. Moving furniture is actually good marriage advice, according to psychologist and marriage-researcher Michele Weiner-Davis, in her book “Divorce-Busting.” Change anything, Weiner-Davis says. Can’t seem to more »

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Nothing Gold Can Stay

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged on April 23, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

In an odd moment of late night TV, I recently heard Stephen Colbert quote the Robert Frost poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay”: Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes more »

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Three Questions: entry #1

Posted in Three Questions on April 20, 2011 | 1 Comment »

One of marriage’s biggest downfalls is its mundane-ness: the same person, in the same house, every day, for as long as you both shall live. Keeping marriage fresh takes intentional effort. It starts with the assumption that you do not know everything there is to know about your partner, and that it might be fun more »

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Book Review: Spousonomics – Using Economics to Master Love, Marriage, and Dirty Dishes

Posted in Books & Culture, Housework on April 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

I recently heard a joke that went something like this: Two women are sitting at a bar, discussing the two suited gentlemen sitting at the other end. “I love a man with a dangerous job,” one woman says. “Yeah,” says the other. “Like accountants.” Okay, so it’s not gut-splitting funny. But given our current economic more »

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Making Interfaith Marriages Work

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged on April 19, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

A 2008 study from the Pew Research Center revealed that 27 percent of married or cohabitating Americans are in mixed-faith relationships. I am not an expert on this topic, but I have had the privilege of watching two close friends make marriage work while creating a Jewish-Christian household. So, in honor of the Christian Holy more »

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Superhero Marriage Advice

Posted in Uncategorized on April 17, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Think back to your wedding day, and you’ll recall that everyone – and I do mean everyone – thinks they have some marital advice to offer. This theory was recently confirmed by a website called Idiot’s Guide Weekly, who unearthed some marriage tips from superheros. A few worth noting are below – check out the more »

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