I have a love/hate relationship with romantic comedies. Okay, it’s probably about 20% love and 80% hate. For example, I love everything about “When Harry Met Sally,” from the older couples discussing how they met to the conversations about women meowing to the filmmakers not realizing that The University of Chicago is not in Evanston. more »
Archive for the ‘Happiness’ Category
60% Right: What You Can Learn From Romantic Comedies…Sometimes
Posted in Books & Culture, Happiness, tagged comedies, engagement, five, romantic, year on October 11, 2013 | 5 Comments »
The Dietary Habits of Toddlers, and Your Marriage
Posted in Advice & Tips, Happiness, Housework, Parenting on September 17, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
When you are a new parent, you get a lot of unsolicited advice you don’t really want. But occasionally you do get parenting advice that makes sense, in your world. There are a handful of tips we’ve picked up in random places that have made a lot of sense: Never interrupt a happily playing child. more »
More on Marriage & Parallel Parking
Posted in Communication, Happiness on May 21, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
I saw this someecard today, and recalled a post from last year on how I can never seem to parallel park with Cliff is in the car. Though I can whip into tight spaces when I’m alone, I always seem to whiff instead of whip when Cliff is riding with me. Based on some research more »
Love, Light, Strength (and Glue): When the Bonds of Marriage are Tested. Really Tested.
Posted in Divorce, Fighting, Happiness on May 14, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
On this blog, we tend to operate under the assumption that your marriage is mostly fine. Maybe not spectacular, but doing okay. We presume you read this blog because it makes you feel not-alone in the little niggling thoughts about your relationships, or because it holds you accountable to a higher standard, or because you more »
Autopsy without Blame: How to Diagnose What Went Wrong in Your Latest Fight
Posted in Advice & Tips, Fighting, Happiness on April 10, 2013 | 2 Comments »
In my day job I often interview senior executives, the CEO, and front-line workers about a company’s culture and practices. The conversation is often inspiring, as it was not long ago at a Chicagoland catering company that I admire for its strong, positive, people-focused culture. In our interviews, various employees at this company used a more »
Thank You, Ben Affleck.
Posted in Happiness on February 26, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
Ben Affleck put his foot in his mouth – maybe – at Sunday night’s Oscars when he spoke the truth about marriage in his thank you to his wife, actress Jennifer Garner. “It’s work,” he said. He followed that up with, “but it’s the best more »
Sustaining Good Sex: How to Want What You Already Have
Posted in Happiness, Sex on February 14, 2013 | 1 Comment »
Meatloaf told us we should love the one we’re with … but that’s uninspiring. How do you not just love the one you’re with, but DESIRE him, long term, in a committed and intimate way? How do you WANT him? Not just today, but for the decades to come? It seems like Valentine’s Day is more »
Thirty by 30
Posted in Happiness on January 28, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
Every newlywed learns this lesson – usually pretty fast: marriage doesn’t make you happy. In this guest post, blogger Lauren Wilgus (of www.handmaden.com) shares her own reminder that contentment is a never-ending pursuit that starts mostly with your own attitude. I’ve always struggled to know the line between contentment and ambition. I want more »
The Myth of the Happy Marriage
Posted in Happiness on January 8, 2013 | 1 Comment »
We are constantly in pursuit of happiness. And our desires can overshadow reality. Sometimes, before we find that long-awaited spouse, we tell ourselves that marriage will make us happy. That you will feel complete (thanks, Jerry Maguire, for that one). We tell ourselves this about other things as well – the perfect new job, a more »
45 years…and counting
Posted in Happiness, Parenting on January 3, 2013 | 2 Comments »
You may have noticed that this blog has been pretty quiet lately. Ever since December 9, I’ve been searching for words…and peace, honestly. You see, that Sunday morning, my mother passed away unexpectedly. It’s pretty tough to offer insights about marriage when your greatest example of lasting relationship suddenly vanishes. My folks were married for more »