Never Mix, Never Worry

Dear Short Answers: What is the etiquette for inviting a divorced couple (along with their new significant others) to a dinner party?  I like them both and would love to meet their new partners but I’m not sure how to handle this.  I don’t want to ruin a good party if they start arguing or [...]

Why Buy the Cow When the Milk’s So Cheap?

Dear Short Answers: My girlfriend wants to get married.  The trouble is that we really need the alimony she gets from her ex. How do I make her understand that? The BF Dear BF: We are not prudish but it strikes us as nothing short of offensive of you to be living off another guy’s [...]

Good Time Charlie

Dear Short Answers: How do you stop a person from over-sharing? I have good friends who tell me their deepest secrets and I never know what to say. Sometimes they are horrible stories of sickness and divorce and I hate to interrupt and say “I am just not interested in your problems.” Is there a [...]

Independance for All

Dear Short Answers: About a year ago, I found out that my husband was having an affair. When I confronted him he admitted it. He was ashamed, humilitated and said it would stop. I believe that he ended the affair but I still couldn’t get over it and forgive him. We agreed to stay married [...]

The World According to Hallmark

Dear Short Answers: A very good friend invited me to a fancy dinner party at her home for Valentine’s Day. I thought it was a wonderful idea since my husband died this past year and I knew that Valentine’s Day was going to be hard for me. A few days before the dinner, my friend [...]

Dear Old Dad

Dear Short Answers: After 25 years of marriage my parents recently got divorced. That was bad enough but I have also found out secrets about my dad that I never knew. He was married and had a kid before he met my mom. And he might have even been in jail although I’m not completely [...]

Happily Ever After … NOT

Dear Short Answers: I have been friends with a married couple for many, many years. After 30 years of being together, they are thinking about splitting up. And they are BOTH asking me for advice. Frankly, I can’t imagine separating from my wife after that long — but I think these two should actually split [...]

Familiar Pains

Dear Short Answers: My daughter from a first marriage is disabled and my wife and I partly support her and my grandson.  Once in awhile her ex doesn’t pay support and we can never decide how much more help to give.  The judicial system isn’t quick enough to help. It causes some tension at home.  [...]

Never Apologize, Never Explain

Dear Short Answers: I live in a small town where it’s pretty hard not to run in your ex-lover or ex-spouse.  Everybody in this town has at least one. The problem is that my ex-girlfriend (I’m lesbian) is a mean drunk. And I can’t have a drink with a friend (or a potential NEW girlfriend) [...]

An Inconvenient Truth

Dear Short Answers: I have two sons (age 4 & 6) from a marriage that ended very badly. Their father and I barely speak although we do have joint custody. I love my sons but I am more and more depressed about my life. Boyfriends are afraid of a woman with 2 kids.  And I [...]

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