Marital wargaming? Damn, y'all are awesome.

The most complex game that Wallybee has found congenial is one called Twilight Struggle. It really is a superb game design, for those who like that sort of thing (ME! ME!). It simulates the Cold War. The US and USSR compete with each other to build influence in different countries and draw them into their sphere of influence. (If you get too aggressive, you run the risk of sparking a nuclear war.)

They applied the same game system to another game that simulates the 1960 Presidential election. (Less risk of nuclear war; some risk of questionable results from Cook County.) It's really quite clever.

Anyway, we have some experience with marital wargaming, is the upshot here.

Marital wargaming? Damn, y'all are awesome.

Word.

Practicing conflict resolution skills on non-charged issues is one of the very best ways to ensure fair/productive fights. Couples sometimes resist because it seems silly to play fight, but honestly, doing so is such a good idea.

Not only does it give you stuff to work with when the chips are down, but it reminds each person that they WANT to move through fights productively and that neither really wants to be hurt or do the hurting.

In relationships where one or the other DOES want to inflict pain (in the non-fun way), well...that's a whole 'nother thing.

Not only does it give you stuff to work with when the chips are down, but it reminds each person that they WANT to move through fights productively and that neither really wants to be hurt or do the hurting.

The nicest thing Wallybee ever said to me, which was quite recently, was "I know you'd never hurt me. You'd rather hurt yourself than hurt me." I'm not at all convinced it's true, but I'm thoroughly convinced that she is awesome. (Seriously, she's amazingly good at conflict resolution - solution focused, self-aware, both assertive and respectful, she leaves me for dead.)

The nicest thing Wallybee ever said to me, which was quite recently, was "I know you'd never hurt me. You'd rather hurt yourself than hurt me." I'm not at all convinced it's true, but I'm thoroughly convinced that she is awesome. (Seriously, she's amazingly good at conflict resolution - solution focused, self-aware, both assertive and respectful, she leaves me for dead.)

That's beautiful. The fact that you could say that you are not at all convinced just makes you more awesome, too. How fortunate you both are.

I just totally crossed the streams. I posted a link to Hyperbole and a Half's Alot to the kinky Website.

I would tell you don't, but it is too late Steph

Oh, no, it was totally relevant. Someone had posted a truly epic rant about bad spelling/grammar on the internet, and I realized that this was the moment to propagate the Alot.

(Seriously. You get people who think they are so badass, who write things like "I do NOT submit to anyone -- I am a True Dominate!"

Sweet Christ, it makes my eyes bleed. You are NOT a verb, asshat.)

Thanks for all the hairpats, y'all. Really.

ChiKat - I am so sorry about the RIF. WIll you finish out the school year or are you done right now?

My contract is good till the beg of August and I will finish out the year. The RIFs are for next school year.

Today, we had P-T conferences in the morning. I spent the time wisely by updating my resumes.

You know, everyone is a perfect parent before they have kids.

Yay! This means I'm perfect at something!! Whee!!!

Yay! This means I'm perfect at something!! Whee!!!

Hey! Me too! Also, I'm the perfect wife!

In all seriousness, Jessica, I just quoted you to a friend of mine who was fretting that she might be a bad parent because most days she just tried to get through the day without screwing up too much. (In reality, she's an awesome parent, as is her husband.)

The best piece of wisdom I got after my daughter was born came from my sister: "It's okay to be relieved when the baby goes to sleep."

I'm thrilled when G naps, and I'm just the sitter.

Naps are the best!