Don't Give Bad Christmas Gifts

A Google search for "Bad Christmas presents" turns up results that are hilarious, sad, enraging, incredible, and -- for some -- all too familiar.

The gift you choose for your mate sends a message. Make it a message of love!

Before choosing a gift, ask yourself how it is likely to be viewed by the recipient. Will this be welcomed as an expression of good will, or will it look like a thinly-veiled criticism? Will the gift you choose say that you put some loving thought into it, or will it be something so generic it could have come from a stranger? Will it show that you understand your partner's desires, or will it appear that you don't really know anything about them?

Happy Anniversary

As of today, Hubby and I have been married 10,975 days. In case you're counting, that's 30 years.

Time passes so quickly that we hardly notice it. Yet, looking through our wedding album, I know how much has happened and how much has changed. Of our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who where there that day, only a few are still living. My sister, who was just 15 when she served as my maid of honor, is now the mother of two teenagers. Many of our friends have become grandparents.

Dumping the Landline?

A recent report indicates that nearly half of American households have ditched their landlines, preferring to have wireless phone service only. The younger people are, the more likely they are to prefer cell-only, but people of all ages are making the switch. Even my mother, now in her eighties, gave up her landline service a few weeks ago. Experts predict the death of the landline any minute now.

However, this morning I realized that I can't give up my landline because it serves one very important function in my life. When I can't find my cell phone, I use the landline to call it so that I can locate the cell phone by following the ring.
 

Avoid Bad Christmas Gifts

Is your significant other a disaster when it comes to gift giving? In the past, have you received gifts that were disappointing, baffling, thoughtless, or downright insulting?

Maybe your loved one is a secret Grinch, out to ruin the holiday for everyone. If that's the case, there's probably nothing you can do. More likely, though, you are dealing with someone who is just clueless. In that case, you can help your sweetheart do the right thing.

Improve Your Marriage: Review

Improve Your Marriage: Don't Overlook the Obvious by Russell Irving is not your typical self-help book. The author doesn't present a radical new system to fix your relationship. He doesn't use special jargon or a trendy catch phrase. His book doesn't even have chapters.

And that's the point. Irving's contention is that people tend to over-complicate and over-think their situation, when what they really need to do is take a clear look at what's in front of them and apply some common sense. With that in mind, he has put together a collection of observations, suggestions, truisms, and comments aimed at helping people get on the right track.