So this may not be at all relevant, but I saw a reference on the internet yesterday to a thing called "rejection sensitive dysphoria," which apparently can lead to people catastrophizing any negative feedback. Gud, I wonder if anything like that is in play here? Which I only suggest as another reason to talk to a professional -- maybe there are techniques you can learn around how you react to your wife's criticisms.

Jesse, I definitely do that to a certain extent, and have been wondering for a while if something like that was in play here.

Gud, please get some help. If not for you than for your kids.

Best wishes for your son, Cindy!

Gud, I'm so sorry your wife is choosing to ruin your well-deserved vacation. I hope you can take care of yourself and take advantage of the resources your friends here have suggested.

A house in my row burned down yesterday. I wasn't home but my husband was and it was pretty traumatic. The 2 human residents were taken to the hospital and are evidently alive although Bob, and our other neighbors really thought one of them wasn't going to make it based on how she looked when the firefighters pulled her out. One of their dogs made it out but another dog and two cats didn't. Fortunately, the houses on either side are o k except for some smoke. The folks whose place burned are kind of problematic neighbors. She's lived there off and on since she was a kid, it was her grandparents' house, and I think she's got some mental health or developmental issues. I thought the guy who lived with her was her father but he's not. Maybe stepfather? Anyway, he's generally unpleasant and specifically racist. Anyway. The news interviewed my husband which he said was deeply uncomfortable. He was fine , though, according to our neighbor who saw it.

Oh, wow, lisah. That's big.

Yikes, lisah. Upsetting on many levels.

Gud, what they all said.

Cindy, continuing to send ~ma for your son.

Oh man, lisah, that all sounds awful.

Yikes Lisa.

Cindy, good thoughts.

So the dogs were rough housing and ran into me from behind enough to make my feet slide out on the tile and I did a whole cartoon fall back on my ass and hand and elbow. Icing elbow now.

Oh no, msbelle!

In other news, how's mac?

I woke up this morning with the urge to spend a fair amount of quality time in my bathroom. I thought I'd just be a little late to work and texted my supervisor thusly. I then decided to take advantage of one of the two-hour PTO blocks we get that can be used to come in late or leave early, and I text that to him. He then asks "Can I ask why?" I resent having to justify my actions, so I said "I thought it would be better to spend a lot of time in my own bathroom." He wanted to know. I'm debating what to say when I get in. I know he'll come over to awkwardly see how I'm feeling--statistics geeks like him don't do well with human interaction--and I think I'm going to innocently ask why he needed to know why I needed the time. He'll fumble something about wanting to make sure everything was all right, and I'll shrug it off and offhandedly say it seemed weird.

It's bad enough he enjoys tracking everyone minute by minute, he only needs to know "I will be in by this time."

He then asks "Can I ask why?"

"None of your fucking business. I'm allowed to take the time I've earned by company policy."

Or you could always fall back on "I just gave birth to a large salamander and I'd like to teach it French before I come in."