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How to Survive 30 Years of Marriage

My husband and I just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary.

Being married for 30 years is significantly more impressive than 25 years, although the 25th anniversary is typically the one that gets the big party and all the attention.

It’s a whole new decade of marriage. It’s like turning the big 3-0 as compared to 25.

Since I got married at 26, the “married me” years now clearly outnumber the “not married me” years.  This is just one more sign of being middle aged that occurs to me at 2 a.m.

I have reached the point of being married where others ask for my advice.

What is the secret to a successful marriage? First of all, just because you are married for a long time does not mean the marriage is successful. It may mean you haven’t figured a way out that doesn’t result in a jail sentence or homelessness. Several times during our 30 years both of these possibilities forced us to suck it up and “work out” our differences.

I believe having a very big house is the key to a happy marriage.

5 studio albums that could be Greatest Hits albums [by Will]

cdwill

It seems these days buying CDs is becoming as archaic as buying movies on VHS. And why spend money on something you can get for free (unless your morals forbid you to pirate music)? But even then, why buy a disk when you can use the iTunes store since the music is going straight to your iPod anyway?

For whatever reason, I have a hard time thinking this way. Admittedly, few things hurt more than watching my money disappear into a stranger’s cash register, but there’s just something special about owning an album you really enjoy. But that’s the thing. How often does an album come about that you love beginning to end?

Live with your mistakes… or lie [by Will]

stars

These days, more than ever before, I’m hearing people say they want to get tattoos. That’s cool I guess. I’m about as accepting as the next acceptor, but I often wonder how so many people can spontaneously give up a plot of their body they probably can’t get back.

I have a hard enough time choosing between three tempting items on an IHOP breakfast menu, let alone marrying one of the endless possibilities of potential tattoos. And unlike my blueberry pancakes, this decision is relatively permanent.

If I were in Belgium last weekend, this is a pep talk I would have had with 18-year-old Kimberly Vlaeminck

Father’s Day for Frank Friedman one more time [by Rochelle]

momgramp

Today is Father’s Day and even though I no longer have anyone to buy a card for, I can’t help but read through the choices until I find one that would have amused My Dad.

My father, Frank Friedman, would take forever to read his cards. He would make a big production out of it. Like most things involving my father it could go from entertaining to irritating depending on my age and mood.

As a teenager almost everything my father did embarrassed me.

Alcohol drinkers beware – you’re in for a scare [by Will]

beertax

It’s probably cliche for me to say that nothing free is free, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

Which is why when Obama spoke of “free” health care, a rational thought would be to ask where the money comes from to pay for it. Well that’s a question even Obama doesn’t have the answer to. But rest assured, there are ideas storming in our government’s proverbial brain storm.

One proposal? A beer tax.

How much for this memory? [by Rochelle]

toys copy

Finally Angela agreed to let me get rid of the many boxes of “stuff” packed away in the attic that have been collecting dust for over ten years.

Angela is loyal to a fault and refused to part with any toys, stuffed animals, posters, Barbies, etc. She didn’t want to hurt their feelings. [OK let me clarify that this is Angela of 10+ years ago. And my Cabbage Patch doll would have been upset!- Angela] This can cause problems when it comes to inanimate objects and a mother who hates clutter.

idaknow wtf this thing is [by jelly blumenthal]

missing link

Evolution or Adam and Eve?

Either one works for me, just be able to prove it. I would love to know that I came from a retard that wasn’t content enough with roaming around all day with nobody there to judge him and do whatever the eff he wanted (ahem, Adam), but how are you going to prove that to me?

As for the whole humans developing from monkeys aspect of evolution — well hey, you got fossils, that’s a start.

Either way, nobody on the face of this planet has absolute proof as to where we definitely came from. However, there is some more evidence that has recently been brought to light. This evidence is the discovery of a new fossil named Ida.

A mother’s advice at graduation [by rochelle]

balloons

Very soon my little girls, along with many others, will be graduating from college and heading out into the grown-up world of all those things you couldn’t wait to be a part of. Hopefully all of you will find work and have long, wonderful lives.

Can I please tell you just one little thing? Just the tiniest piece of advice — I swear it isn’t nonsense. I will leave all the usual stuff for your relatives to annoy you with as they hand you envelopes filled with money.

OK it is actually a two-parter.