Search Results for: blog can a guy be too nice

Cute Handmade Mother’s Day Gifts (Inexpensive, Too!)

Handmade gifts, especially when they mark milestones in your child’s life can be lovely. You’ll find yourself years from now looking at them and remembering back to earlier times. I have a small collection of these gifts, and they always make me smile. For example, there is the wax cast of my first-born’s hand when he was only two. We were at a festival, and the vendor didn’t want to cast anyone under the age of four because children that age tend not to hold still. We insisted and said we would take it, no matter how it came out. … Continue reading →

Don’t Be The Bad Guy

Do you use your child as a pawn in your divorce? I have tried so hard not to do that but I’m sure at times I have been guilty of it as well. We are all human and we all do things that in hindsight we realize we shouldn’t have done. I’m not talking about small slips, I’m talking about the people who do this as their main means of communicating and punishing their ex. I know many single parents, that really is a sad reflection on our society. It seems that I don’t know anyone who is in their … Continue reading →

Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice

Nearly a year after I first heard about it ABC has finally aired Disney’s newest television Christmas special: “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice.” If you recall, the “Prep & Landing” universe introduces Santa’s elite special ops group of elves, the guys and gals in charge of preparing houses for Santa’s arrival, so that his gift-leaving goes smoothly. Using James Bond-style technology, holiday-themed code names, and sleek spy moves, these elves are the cream of the crop. In the follow up to 2009’s special, “Naughty vs. Nice” introduces another aspect of the Christmas corps: the Cole Elf Brigade. You see, … Continue reading →

Wild Horses Couldn’t Drag Me Away from You (and Neither Can Dentists)

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Only now do I realize that a visit to the pediatric dentist was much more of an ordeal for my mother than it was for me. Anticipating the protests, torn between comforting the child and ensuring that the necessary things happened, not wanting the dentist to be cast as the bad guy lest we be even more fearful, she took most of the blame herself. She always seemed so sure of herself and of what had to be done. It wasn’t until years later that I realized she hadn’t felt as sure as she seemed. Mom had once asked me … Continue reading →

Can’t Judge an Animal Lover by Their Cover

The other day I was talking with James, a guy Wayne and I met playing volleyball a couple years back who’s since become a good friend. He dates Lyn, my other good friend from volleyball. Lyn actually sparked a series of articles about deaf dogs after she found out her dog was deaf and asked me what I knew about such things. (Which was nothing then but thanks to her I learned a lot!) Anyway, like my mom James’s dad also was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. Between league sand volleyball getting ready to start back up (Lyn, James, Wayne, … Continue reading →

The Marriage Blog Week in Review for December 31 – January 6

The New Year has officially begun! But in case you were too busy last week ringing it in (or recovering from ringing it in), here’s your Week in Review so you won’t have to wonder what Lyn and I wrote about. Monday, December 31 Resolving to Make the Best of Marriage in ‘08 My goals for the Marriage Blog in 2008 included accentuating the positive and figuring out which tools to use to have the best marriage possible. Tuesday, January 1 Personality Differences in Relationships Lyn examined how personality differences can sometimes cause marriages to fail, but they don’t have … Continue reading →

Can a Guy be Too Nice?

I have heard it said a few times before that women are attracted to men who treat them badly or that women are not “into” nice guys. This of course is a ridiculous idea, right? What woman would say that she wants a man to treat her badly or that she does not appreciate being pampered by a sweet male? While I really do think that there are not many women who will admit it, there is some truth to the sayings listed at the beginning of this article. After thinking about how many relationships work, perhaps women are a … Continue reading →

Self-Care Can be in the Details

I would love a long, pampering, luxurious vacation as much as the next guy or gal, but on for this frugal, single parent it is not really in my future as far as I can see. What I have learned over the years (although I often forget and have to remind myself) is that self-care and personal health can really be in the most ordinary daily details. A little bit of looking after oneself can go a long way. I am not just talking about hot baths and nice lotions here, but also learning how to say “no” and protect … Continue reading →

Frugal Gifts: Nice Effect without High Cost

In the same way you can save money by limiting themed elements when decorating or planning a birthday party or holiday get-together, opting instead for more plain items and just a few themed elements, you can get more bang for your buck when shopping for holiday gifts. Opting for smaller or fewer name brand items and combining them with other gifts will give you a nice effect without such a high-end price tag. For the teenage girl that is all about brand name fashions, you do not have to blow your budget trying to make her happy. Instead of the … Continue reading →

Can Married People Have Single Friends?

Of course! But it’s not always easy. By nature, single people and married people lead different lifestyles. Case in Point The other day I wrote about my single fantasy and how I’m sort of living it at present due to the fact Wayne took a new job out of state and we’re currently separated until the house sells and I can rejoin him. Well, in some respects Wayne’s living his own single fantasy. He’s bachin’ it up eating out every night, doing whatever he wants after work, and hanging out with friends as much as possible. We have a lot … Continue reading →