Behhhh... That is sheer awful. Like, from a movie awful. Why on earth would he do that? Why set it up like that? Poor girl. Regardless of what you feel about the "wedding industrial complex," it sucks balls to get your hopes raised and then dashed so spectacularly.

I just want to say that I totally get what you are saying. Don't know why others are having a hard time understanding that there is no need to make someone else's happiness about your own misery.
I'm so sorry people were crappy about your engagement. First, congratulations! I hope you are your fiancé share a long…

I recently had to remove a bunch of things from my diet due to medical issues, and the hardest thing was removing delicious, delicious chocolate... Until I discovered that I could make my own! There are no preservatives or anything in it (if you want it to hold its shape, keep it in the freezer) but it is DARK and…

What you say makes total sense to me. This is the case for my Ukrainian husband. He grew up speaking Russian in the city where he lived and whenever he went to visit his grandparents in the country, he spoke Ukrainian. After he moved to North America with his mother (while he was still a child) the only language that…

I think I need to print this out and carrying in my wallet as a reminder. :) Nicely put!

Happy Saturday, everyone!
So, right now I am on week three or so of having both a dog and a cat in my apartment. Their introduction went fine, and most of the time they ignore each other. Today, however, there was almost an altercation. The cat lost his balance on the back of the couch and fell on the dog who was…

I'm sorry you are stuck with an unsympathetic GP. I have been dealing with very very similar issues for the past two years, and because specialists ruled out a couple of the big obvious causes to the problems, and I have an anxiety disorder, my GP has essentially deemed me hysterical and psychosomatic, despite the…

I hear what you are saying. Though a reasonably attractive person, I have never been the "prettiest" of the people I hang out with (I pretty much hang with supermodels) and so I couldn't rely on my looks to make me stand out. As I age, those same friends that I envied before are now facing the reality that they are…

Tears literally poured down my cheeks as I read your poem. I am so deeply sorry you and your husband have been dealt this kind of pain, and though I know that there is no way for me to alleviate that pain as a stranger, please know that you both have all of my support and sympathy. You and your husband are so…

Thank you again for your advice. It is really helpful and gives me some great starting points for communicating with my brother. I truly hope that you and your sisters can become close as they get older and you all start to develop a relationship as adults. The sibling bond is special, which is why it hurts so badly…

Thank you so much for your response. I am so happy to hear that your brother is on relatively good/civil terms with your parents, as long as he believes that is what is healthiest for him. It is my sincerest hope that my own brother and parents are able to reconcile at least enough for my nephew to have access to his…

Thank you for such solid advice. That is actually exactly what my parents have said as well—their relationship issues are theirs alone, and not mine to deal with. I guess part of this is my needing to mature into an adult who can avoid "taking sides". I am not a child anymore, and that is a childish thing to do, I…

I am so sorry to hear about your grandmother. Cancer has taken away too many people I love, and it never stops hurting to hear that other people are suffering too. I wish you all the love and support in this world, and would like to second what Seize wrote. When my grandfather died of cancer I had a hard time…

So, just two years ago, my half-brother responded with vitriol and hate to a letter from my mom (his step-mother since he was 8, and with whom he had previously had a great relationship, even choosing to call her mom on his own) expressing her love and pride in him. It was absolutely explosive and abusive. My parents…

So, I have a question about how to deal with a sibling who is estranged from your parents but not from you. If any of you have any experience from any side of this issue, please jump in and help me understand what my role is here. I will post a reply to this message with the details of my situation which may or may…

It is never wrong to feel grief when confronted by something tragic, like the death of a child. Grief isn't a contest, and yours is valid too. It sounds like you have offered the mother support and that is the best gift you can give her and continue to give her. I the meantime forgive yourself for your own pain.…

Has anyone else seen this trailer for Decoding Annie Parker about the true story of he search for and discovery of the breast cancer gene (BRCA1 and BRCA2)? As someone whose family has been greatly impacted by this gene, I dearly hope to get the chance to see this film. Here is the link:

You did see it! It is in the address bar:

I suppose I understand what you are saying, but you may have missed a point that is important to my post. I do drive, every day. I got my license, and I have a car. In that sense I "got over it" because I am functional with regards to driving, but that doesn't mean that my fear isn't still there. I will never…

The same thing happens to me and it is so angering. I don't know why people lack compassion for others who experience something differently they do they do, but it is infuriating. I drive, but only because where I live it is something I have to do to get from point a to point b. I prefer when others drive, and…