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Showing posts from 2010

Love thy neighbor...

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What should we do when someone wears out their welcome? A friend of mine is currently struggling with a space invader. He has a friend who loves to stop by unannounced. This used to be an occasional occurrence, but lately it’s become a daily habit. My friend is threatening to develop a nasty habit himself — rudeness. He’s dropped subtle hints, then not-so-subtle hints. Neither has worked. It’s not like he can hide from this friend — he lives right next door. I suggested he just be direct and tell the neighbor he needs some time for himself. This provoked a laugh. I guess some guys have a hard time telling other guys to go away. Next, I suggested that he put a “closed” sign on his door when he doesn’t feel like having company. He thought about this for a moment, but then decided his neighbor would think it was a joke. He also explained that just because he doesn’t want this guy over every day, it doesn’t mean that others aren’t welcome. Poor guy. His girlfriend is way beyond irrit

Pass the arugula, please.

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A good friend recently invited me over for a celebratory dinner in her home. I wasn’t sure what the celebration was all about, and my friend didn’t offer an explanation. I do know that it was the first time in a long while that I have heard her laugh . She told me that the celebration was a surprise and that all would be revealed in good time. As this friend and I were both born on the same day, we share a lot in common, including a rather “sideways” sense of humor. This invitation and my friend’s welcome laughter took me by surprise. You see, she r ecently separated from her husband, and is in the process of going through a painful divorce. I suppose the word painful is redundant, but I say it anyway — to make a point. The point being that this friend has been going through a rough time. She was married for 14-years, has a young daughter, and is living on her own for the first time in years. I didn’t realize how much I missed the sound of her infectious laugh. So I marked my cal