Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Sam: How did that even happen?
Jory: Don’t try and change the subject from romantic evenings, or shall I say, ruined romantic evenings.
Sam: I think we should talk about the porn some more.
Jory: Also, you can have a romantic evening if your spouse doesn’t see someone on the US Marshals most wanted list and runs off to catch him in a flying tackle.
Sam: You see, here’s the thing, when you take an oath––
Jory: Not to scare your husband to death!
Sam: Yes, that, but also to the arm of law enforcement that––
Jory: Vacation!
Sam: Yeah, but––
Jory: How can a relationship remain romantic when your husband is Superman?!
Sam: Wait.
Jory: This leads me to my last question.
DEAR JORY:
My husband’s job is very important to him, but I want to be important as well, and lately I’m not sure which one he needs more. Do you ever feel like that, and if so, how do you handle it?
Jory: When you finally get some alone time with your spouse and his job gets in the way, you have to ask yourself, is this an instance when you have to be second or not?
Sam: You’re not serious right now.
Jory: I think it’s hard sometimes, because people come home from doing different jobs, and it’s easy to ask, “How was your day?” and you’re really not even listening for the answer. Also, I think it’s important for any long-term successful relationship to have times when really and truly the other person is the focus of your world. You have to show people, as well as say, that they are the most important thing in your life.
Sam: What are you saying?
Jory: And I’m fortunate to have a husband who lets me know he loves me even as he says things like, “Hold on, baby, I just gotta take care of this one thing.”
Sam: Jesus, you just took ten years off my life. You know I love you more than anything.
Jory: I do. I just said that.
Sam: I can’t—be me without…us. All of us.
Jory: Yes, dear.
Sam: There’s no way I can go out in the world and be who I am without my family.
Jory: Come here. And after there was a pause for some hugging, I said, in answer to the question, that it’s a balancing act. Sometimes one person needs more understanding, and then it shifts back. But it must always shift back and forth. Everyone has to feel like they matter, and in the midst of “life” you have to take time to look at your mate and say yes, you matter to me. For me, my husband’s job is a huge part of who he is. The whole to protect and serve is a living, breathing thing that if I asked him to give up, would kill him. And that’s why I never would. But that’s not to say that me, being in his life, is any less needed. In all relationships you have to look at the balance and ask, am I giving all that I can, even if the other person isn’t noticing right now? But you can’t sell yourself short either, because being taken for granted only creates bitterness. I always tell my kids, don’t just be good for me, do it for yourself as well.
Sam: And don’t agree to go on trips you’re gonna hate.
Jory: I didn’t hate the houseboat.
Sam: You so hated the houseboat. You hate camping and fishing and everything else.
Jory: But you love it.
Sam: I can go with my friends. I’ll go to New Orleans with you.
Jory: You see? Compromise and balance. A beautiful thing, as was the flying tackle you caught that guy in.
Sam: Pretty good for an old guy, am I right?
Jory: You’re not at all old, and yes, it was very hot.
Sam: Yeah?
Jory: Yes.
Okay, gotta go, this concludes this month’s column. Have a wonderful August, everyone!
SEPTEMBER 2018
Hello, all, Jory Harcourt here. I had a great column planned for this month, lots of questions answered about some interior decorating hacks and some safety tips on raw food for dogs and some design shortcuts for graphic designers, as I am one, because some feedback from readers was that my column was supposed to be a place for answers and helpful hints and not just a place for me to recall stories about my life. But…it’s back-to-school time and everything went into a blender. So guess what, this is my life.
It all started with The Great Gatsby.
First of all, why high school starts on a Wednesday was beyond me, but of course on that Monday, on Labor Day, my son informed me that his class was going to be reading the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic, and it went like this in my kitchen.
“I know, you told me this already when we were at lunch with your uncle Duncan and your uncle Aaron. I thought this was all covered, because he said he had a copy. Didn’t he give it to you yet?”