There are many conversations that need to be had between a couple that are thinking of forming a small family unit. Throughout our year long engagement, two year cohabitation and total eight year relationship, my fiancé and I feel confident that we have eliminated all possible conflict inducing surprises. We have both watched helplessly as each of our families fell apart and we have seen what can happen when crucial conversations are not had before entering into wedlock with your perceived perfect soul-mate. I may not have more than a few psychology credits in my past but what I do have is experience, and in my experience, the following conversation topics are part of the essential matters that must be discussed before committing to put up with someone for the rest of your lives. Continue reading
Author: Melissa Harrison
Can You Set the Table, Dear?
From the time I first entered my adult life until now, I have watched the traditional consistencies of my Christmases past fade away – as every holiday I have witnessed henceforth has been celebrated in a delightfully strange new way. From family members leaving us and joining us to graduating from the kids table to embracing a new family of in-laws, the way the holidays are celebrated by the modern twenty-something is ever-changing, spawning new and unique experiences and soon-to-be traditions every year. What if this is the year you find out you have gotten that big promotion to table setter as your grandmother hands you a weird briefcase full of her finest silverware, or it’s your first time dining with a boyfriend’s family and they have their own customs, different from that of your family, or, scariest of all, it’s your first time hosting? Luckily, we have cultural standards to rely on and save us from the embarrassment that comes from our inexperience. Continue reading
Courte Couture
Though we were born into the freedom to show our ankles, we seem to have been born without the good sense to know where to draw the hem and when to cover our delightful gams up. There comes a time in every woman’s life when she feels it may be time to put away the mini skirts of her past. The problem is this seems to happen at a different time for every woman. The generally believed rule places the wall at age 35, but as we know, one rule rarely has the omnipotence to govern every situation. This rule, particularly, falters on many key points, such as, the roles the woman assumes throughout her life, her level of fitness, and the way she wants the world to see her. Continue reading
And Puppy Makes Three
Bringing a dog into your home is a huge personal commitment and a big step for two people in a committed relationship. My fiancé has been dying for a dog and since the day that friends of our decided to get a puppy, his talk of dogs has become more suggestive and less futuristic. While we may be ready for this peak in our lives, are we ready for what comes next? In so many examples before us, it always seems like: first comes puppy, then comes baby. Continue reading