It's a long-held, unspoken tradition, at least in my part of the world, that in a partnership between a man and a woman, the woman does the Christmas shopping. It's one of those things that has just stuck around, no matter how much progress we've made with gender equality. I'm sure some families are ahead of the curve on this, but it's not most families. And it works for a lot of couples. The woman doesn't mind that she's the one doing the shopping… or at least she says she doesn't mind. But wh…

This isn't Don't Worry Darling

He needs something more than just that

We all know a TV tyrant

A surprise gesture can mean the world to someone. If you're having a rough time, you might think that no one knows what you're going through, let alone cares. You might feel isolated and alone like the only person who truly has your back is you. But if a friend suddenly comes through in an unexpected way, it can flip that whole perspective. This is why we should always check in on each other. You can never be sure how much a nice gesture can mean to someone. But what happens when that person ta…

Having a roommate can be a difficult situation to navigate, especially if one of you is third-wheeling. I know plenty of couples who live with one other person, and it can work if you're conscious about it. As the couple, you have to make sure you're not PDA-ing too hard in front of your roommate. And as the roommate, you have to assert yourself as an equal third. This balance can be tricky, though, as it can quickly feel like its two against one. But what happens when the couple is just doing…

Cooking is an act of love like anything else . I'm always so touched when someone cooks for me, even if it's just my roommate making a weeknight dinner. Cooking is an art form, so when someone is brave enough to share it with you, then you should treat it with the utmost respect. Unless they expressly invite criticism, I don't think you should comment on it in a negative way. This even holds true in a marriage. It might be even more important in the context of a marriage. Since nobody has to co…

Some people have weird things about leftovers

To paraphrase Virginia Woolf, everyone needs a room of one's own. If at all possible, we all need spaces that are fully ours, where we can decompress, be creative, and not have to worry about someone barging in and demanding something of us . This is especially true as a new parent. It might not always be possible to have a sanctuary as a new mom, but you can get creative with it. Maybe you take extra long “showers," and when you're family thinks you're shampooing, you're actually knee-deep in…

Everybody wants the perfect proposal photo . You want everyone to be jealous of your picturesque setting, your gorgeous outfit, and the perfect snapshot of the perfect love. On some implicit level, everyone wants that. It's human nature to want those around you to be jealous. But life is far from perfect. It's messy, unpredictable, and often not all that photogenic. That extends to proposals as well. And after all, it's not about that. It's about coming together as a couple in the ultimate prom…

He sounds like a real winner

Poor baby

Allergies are no joke. People who suffer from them know how serious they can be, and take every precaution to keep themselves safe. It's a whole skill you have to develop, not only knowing what foods might secretly contain your allergen but also informing everyone around you how to keep you safe. You have to constantly educate the people around you. And when you're having dinner at someone else's house, you can't be sure what they did or didn't put in the meal. So you develop failsafes, like br…

It's always tough to live with a family member. You most likely did it when you were young and then moved out for a reason. It's so much easier to maintain a healthy relationship when you don't also have to share a bathroom or a kitchen with them. But anyone living in close quarters knows how much your roommates can get under your skin, even when they're not doing anything wrong. You get to witness close-ups of their little habits, quirks, and shortcomings, and they can grind your gears no matt…

Is she a child?

You're allowed to wear whatever you want at your wedding . It's your wedding, after all. You can wear a green morph suit for all I care. You are not, however, exempt from the opinions of others regarding what you're wearing. Especially family. Weddings are family affairs by nature, or else everyone would simply elope. So when you have a wedding, you're opening up your life and choices to be evaluated by the people in your company. You don't have to care (and probably shouldn't care) what they t…