Dating was fun at times. I was single again at 40 and "got back out there" with a vengeance at first. I dated a few people and had some fun. The hard part came when I fell really really hard for this one guy in particular. We had an amazing first date. Then it got weird. Where we had first emailed each other constantly, it fell to about once per week. Then it trickled down to once every few weeks. No talk of a second date. I stifled my hurt feelings, realizing he was just freshly divorced and perhaps didn't want a commitment, and let us slide into the Friends Zone. Then a few months later he asked me to go out for New Year's Eve. I said yes but stated it would only be as friends. He was OK with that. We had an amazing NY Eve, it ended up with us back in bed with each other and spending an entire weekend together. Still no talk of being exclusive, but I assumed. Later found out he was still "conversing" with other women online. I ended things saying it was too ambiguos and confusing for me, the entire time aching inside because by now I was totally smitten. Months go by, we email occasionally. Then he asks me out again for dinner. Dinner went fantastic, of course we end up back in bed, this time he wants an exclusive relationship, the whole works. By month four of dating, we are proclaiming our love for one another. A year goes by, he moves in. We are happily in love. Then I find out he's still "conversing" with women online. My gut had been telling me for a while something was amiss, it was a relief to catch him redhanded. He shamefacedly admitted to being in touch with other women but "did not do anything with them". I kicked him out. I cried for weeks and lost ten pounds. This was eight years ago. I'm now in a solid relationship with someone and when I look back at that first year of dating I just can't believe all the pain, heartache and drama....I should have just NOT DATED for a year or two. I was so fragile at the time, so easily smitten, so easily hurt. This guy was a total flake who yanked my heart around and I believe, used me as s safe landing place to nurse his own wounded feelings. I hope I never have to be back out there.

I like some songs by Taylor Swift, and some are annoying. Same for almost every other songwriter in the music industry. She is young, pretty, has an awesome career, and is fucking filthy rich. I'd trade places with her in a heartbeat. The haters are all jealous.

I understand it being hard to see your kids enjoy time with their dad, especially if he's remarried and/or sharing time with younger kids. That would break my heart. However, I love my kids so I would never try to make them hate their dad or younger siblings. I would not teach them to be ungrateful for things given by their dad or memories to places dad takes them. I also would not teach them to disrespect the other household, stepmom or younger siblings.

He has now broken up with me 3 times in the last 5 years. Each and every time I was shocked and heart broken. The first breakup lasted a day, the 2nd, a month. This breakup has been 6 months and now he's calling saying he made a mistake - again. Had he called a month or 2 ago, I may have considered taking him back but I had a lot of time to think and look back on the joke that was our relationship. I'm not giving him the chance to break my heart again

My friend is still messing with a married guy, has been since the summer. Supposedly he is leaving his wife for her (yeah right). She is going to -deservedly- get her heart broken by this douche. I told her to wait for his excuse about waiting til after the holidays are over to leave his wife since he has 2 small kids. Then in Jan he will have a new reason not to leave. She actually talks about marrying this guy and him moving in with her. They are both in their 40s but wow, just grow up and kick his sorry ass to the curb!! She hasn't dated much so I think she just latched on to the first guy in a long while to show interest.

I hate my soon to be ex-husband with an undying passion. He refuses to give me any money to take care of our kids. He refuses to talk to our son because he says our son is a traitor. Our son is supposedly a traitor because he tried to stop his dad from beating his little sister, told the police what happened, and will not lie to the courts about what happened. He has not talked to our son since August of 2013. Husband is legally not allowed to contact our daughter that he abused. My 18 yo DD and 20 yo DD still talk to their dad. They do this because as long as they don't rock the boat with him by telling them that they think he is wrong for abusing their little sister. They also put up with him calling them the N word (he is black), making inappropriate sexual comments to them, telling them how he is going to make sure I get what is coming to me, and basically just continuing the abuse he has heaped on them for years. I have a problem with them still talking to him because I hate the way he treats them. But they are adults and can make their own decisions. Today their dad is taking the 18 yo and 20 yo shopping, out to lunch, and is giving them money. He does this knowing that it upsets our daughter he abused who is a minor. He is supposed to support his minor child but won't. He gets a perverse pleasure out of knowing that it hurts our child. I don't know what to do. It really makes me angry that he uses our other kids to hurt our youngest and it really makes me angry that my other DD's allow themselves to be used. Then everyone wonders why my youngest has all of these damn daddy issues. My heart breaks for her. She isn't perfect and does things she shouldn't. But she doesn't deserve to be tormented like this.

Married but so lonely. DH left me to care for DS all by myself since he was born. Took no night shifts, watched him maybe 30 mins a day. I was so hurt and felt completely abandoned. We lived like roomies who had sex twice a month. Now DS is 15 mos and DH is better with him and watches him maybe 60 mins a day (up to 3 hrs while I work at night). I confess I don't love dh anymore. Just starting until I can get a full time job. He says I "am not a very good communicator BC I take to long to tell him stuff." Well buddy that is BC I have checked out of this relationship BC you left me to struggle by myself with PPD and a screaming baby. So no, I am not going to open up and talk to you BC u crushed my spirit and broke my heart. I will choose better next time.

My DD's childhood friend committed suicide this morning. My daughter is so heartbroken and can't stop crying. He was a nice kid. I wish we knew what was troubling him. He was doing well in college, a job at the bookstore and loved his 4 pit bulls, he even wanted to start a pit bull rescue. We don't know and it sucks. It's so hard to accept(?) understand(?) it. Too bad It's too late for him to know he deserved to live. Rest in Peace BR.

I went out of town Saturday and returned home to an awesome surprise. My fiancé and his parents finished building our fence! I spent ALL day yesterday playing with our dogs outside. We have four dogs and they can't all be around each other (lots of issues, lol), but they all had a blast outside when it was their turn. After they played, sunbathed, and ran around to their heart's content, I gave them all baths and trimmed their nails. Typically at bedtime we hear some whining since only one sleeps with us. Last night it was all crickets, I really wore them out. It was my idea of a perfect day!

So I have a heart condition, high blood pressure and anemia. This week has been really hard. I've had a headache for 10 days straight, blackouts, pain and numbness in my arms & legs, chest pain, etc. I told my kids I needed a break this weekend as I'm beyond worn out after trying to make it thru the work week and their activities so no friends over, sleepovers and I will not be driving them any where this weekend. I had them cleaning the house. Dh knows how out of it I am and that I am probably going to the ER again and will more than likely be admitted. So the problem is he just told me his ex called telling him he needs to come pick up his kids. it's not his weekend, but they are driving her crazy and she needs a break. He never considers me, my kids or our kids together when it comes to them and will never say no to his ex so I said nothing. I told my kids to stop cleaning since steps are coming. We all know they will destroy the house. Now my friend is taking my kids for the weekend and then I'm going to the ER. Dh just screamed in my face that I am a bad step mom and need to ut my self aside because he and stepkids need me. I never said they couldn't come, but he obviously knows what I'm thinking and feeling so he must attack me so he doesn't feel like a bad husband. I feel like I'm having a heart attack right now waiting for my friend to come get the kids. Am I a bad step mom for not being able to handle them right now. Seriously my heart is beating out of my chest and I can't breath. I'm tyoing this right now because I need a distraction from Dh. If I respond to him I know I will flip out and if my bp goes any higher I won't be able to see to drive to ER.