Someone get this Reader a trust fund.

My life partner, who I love and adore and enjoy, has, for the past month or so, been . . . different. Zie talks incessantly about many seemingly random daydreams in the what-i-want-to-do-with-my-life category. Zie has no tolerance for our kids, alternately ignoring them and blowing hir top. Zie wistfully sighs, "I wish I could take a day off to be a human being," and says things like, "I'm just a money-making machine that allows other people to live." When I make serious suggestions about changing our lifestyles so that zie can do whatever it is that makes hir feel human, zie shrugs and suggests that I don't have the capacity to earn anywhere near as much money as zie does. (Which is true.)

This is true because we made an agreement, when we were having kids, that I would take care of them full-time until the youngest was eight, then Life Partner would have hir turn to stay home with them. I am concerned that 1) Life Partner doesn't feel zie can rely on me the way I rely on hir, 2) Life Partner has conveniently forgotten how poorly zie supported us at first and is unwilling to suffer through the financial shit that will come with my transitioning back into the workforce, 3) Life Partner is miserable, snappy, and resents us, 4) Life Partner is renegging on a long standing life plan type agreement that goes to the core of my value system.

The therapist zie saw told hir the solution was for hir to accept that my values are different from LifePartner's, and abandon me and the kids, except for child support and weekend visits. We can't afford a better therapist.

Not only do I not know if I should try to help hir snap out of this mind shift, leave hir, or do something radical to help hir trust me again, I'm not sure how I would go about doing any of those things (um, except the middle one).


AJD: I am so goddamned cranky right now.
JSGS: Yeah well, maybe if you didn't hate food blogs…
AJD: Or my job. Or my LIFE. Oh well. Let’s solve this problem!
JSGS: Okay.
AJD: Not that I’m, like, expecting my day to get a million times better after I get to rant and rave about our generation's inability to commit to, oh, anything. I include MYSELF in this rant; I do, after all, spend a majority of my time thinking about running away. I’m really fucking sick of hearing about how selfish and goddamned self-centered everyone is.

JSGS: Good LORD, I just want to bundle our DR up and give hir a great big hug.
AJD: I do, too.
JSGS: And a cash account. And a new house. But I can probably only do the hug.
AJD: And a strong support system. That’d be good, too. I hope that our DR has a strong support system.

JSGS: So. The situation is that our DR's Spousal Unit (SU) has one foot out the door.
AJD: As with nearly every other problem (with the exception of the psycho-ex-invitee ish), my first thought is COMMUNICATE.
JSGS: The SU seems to resent working and not spending time with the family, but also resists any offer to CHANGE that structure, and the SU is acting out towards our DR and hir chidwin (as in WON'T SOMEONE THINK OF THE).
AJD: I find myself angry at SU. These kiddos do not just 'belong' to our DR! They have another parent and SU is that parent.

[The Editors wish to state, here, that AJD is the child of one amazing parent and one absent (though great in his own way) parent. She is doing her best to remain objective as she responds to this Dear Reader’s query, but we feel that it is important to acknowledge this potential bias. Lay all the cards on the table, if you will.]

JSGS: SU is being pretty shady. I don't think this is really about having to work too much. If it really were, SU would relish the chance to change things.
AJD: I think you're right. Much as I hate to admit it, I don't think that SU has one toe through the doorway just 'cause zie resents having to work. There are bigger issues at play here, and those issues are causing the resentment to build. What these issues are, I do not know.
JSGS: The issues could be pretty much anything, from some external . . . influence (hate to raise the spectre of infidelity but I must) to some internal pressure to some long-standing problem in the relationship.
AJD: Or even issues that existed long before our DR even met SU.
JSGS: Right.
AJD: And you and I will not know those issues, so we have to operate under the assumption that the resentment-causing factors are comprised of, say, 50% issues relating to DR and their family and 50% outside issues.
JSGS: Right. Let's just call a spade a spade and say that there's some Issue(s) that have not come to the fore and cease speculating on what they are, because we are mere mortals and can't. There are Issues. Because of said Issues, SU is abrogating hir Spousal and Parental Responsibilities. SU has chosen not to be honest about these issues and has resorted to tossing around the advice of a BT to ditch the family.

JSGS: What is with the NUCLEAR OPTION, SU?
AJD: Why is SU acting like zie is at the END OF THE LINE?
JSGS: Because SU jumped to the end of the line. LINE JUMPER. I think DR has to call bullshit.
AJD: I think you're right.
JSGS: I think DR has to--I’d like to introduce a new acronym to the blog--Speak Hir Truth (SYT).
AJD: And DR has to do this in a clear, concise, straightforward, firm manner.

JSGS: Start by explaining the impact of SU's behavior on you and your children. In specific ways. “Little Johnny is still a bed-wetter, Tiny Angela cries and thinks Parent drinks because zie hates her, and I feel like a dried-up corn husk." or something like that. Fill in your blanks.

And ask in clear terms for an honest explanation of what's going on: call SU on this bullshit of saying zie wants a different life but refusing to accept it when offered.

Did I mention not having this conversation with Little Johnny and Tiny Angela in the house? I anticipate some swearing.

[The Editors wish to explain that this discussion occurred in two parts. The first part ended at this point due to some upsetting news. Everything following this statement took place the following day. Thank you for your understanding.]

AJD: When we left off, we were in the middle of discussing the conversation in which DR is going to Speak Hir Truth calmly and honestly.
JSGS: right. DR needs to figure out what zie wants, too--does DR want to go back to work? Does DR not want to? DR has needs, too.
AJD: Yes, and those needs must be stated and acknowledged. So DR is asking for several things, here. The very first and most important thing is: honesty. The second thing is: an explanation of what's going on.
JSGS: The third is: a firm commitment to stay or go.
AJD: Yes.
JSGS: To stick it out and work it out, or to get out.
AJD: Shape up or ship out.

JSGS: [I just hurt my mouth on a cucumber BOO]
AJD: [I'm sorry honey!]
JSGS: [ANYWAY]

AJD: If SU decides to give it a go, such as it were, zie needs to commit to putting some serious effort into the relationship. I think that our DR will be willing to put an equal amount of serious effort in.
JSGS: Yes. DR also needs to be prepared for SU to make a decision that zie doesn't like--such as leaving. And by prepared, I mean emotionally, financially, etc. That's what you meant when you said our DR needs a good community, I gather.
AJD: It is.
AJD: DR must be prepared to have this conversation, to hear things that might be painful, to accept decisions that might be terribly difficult, and to support hir family in the event that hir arrangement changes or ends. Preparation is the key. It is a lot to face, but the only way out of this difficult situation is through it.

JSGS: Are we now prepared to return to the possibility [Ed. Note: as discussed briefly just before the Upsetting News came out] that something is wrong with SU? Like WRONG wrong?
AJD: Yes.
JSGS: Not just, what is WRONG with you?
AJD: Would you care to expound further, JSGS? Our readers are surely a bit confused.
JSGS: I was alarmed by our DR's thoughtful timelining of this--zie says SU started with this junk only a month ago.
AJD: Yes, the impression I got was that this just Started Suddenly.
JSGS: If the cards have been on the table like this for many months, that's one thing.But if it really came out of nowhere, SU may be unwell--experiencing symptoms of a mental or physical illness. Sudden behavior changes usually suggest something is Up. Not to discount the SU's feelings, but we must ask what brought them on: an affair? An illness? I think, if the SYT session does not reveal a startling revelation, DR ought to urge SU to have a complete physical and a consult with a different therapist. ANY therapist.

AJD: That is an excellent suggestion. I concur. What of the issue of payment, however?
JSGS: I wish I knew the sort of place DR lived--if zie is anywhere close to a metropolitan area, I would suggest a social service agency like Jewish Family Services. No, you do not have to be Jewish. Zie might also pursue a psych clinic at a research university, if one is close by.
AJD: What you're saying is: there are options if you know where to look. DR, we invite you to email us again if you'd like geographically-targeted information.

JSGS: Our DR, I might add, should also pursue these options for hirself as well as SU.
AJD: Yes. As with everything else, it is pertinent for DR to prepare hirself for the possibility that SU will not be interested in, or will not be willing to consider, pursuing these options -- and unfortunately, DR can exert very little control over SU's decisions on this matter. (Which, let's be honest, totally blows.)

JSGS: Mostly I want to just send our DR the goddamndest luck and pluck and ask hir--INVITE hir--to stay in touch and let us know how it goes. Which is true for all of our DRs.
AJD: Yes. Take care of yourself, Dear Reader.
JSGS: And as Kurt Vonnegut (RIP) once said, "Goddamnit, babies, you've got to be kind."
AJD: Amen.

Today, on Crisis Averted: A Practical Problem!

Really, how much attention do I have to pay to expiration dates on things? Medication, ketchup, eggs, milk, etc? Is it just a ploy to get me to buy "fresher" stuff or should I actually be paying attention to that factory stamped date?

Basically? Expiration dates are bullshit labels created by corporations to convince us to buy their products more frequently. They have wayyyy more to do with “guaranteed freshness” than they do with “guaranteed won’t-kill-you-ness”. There are a few exceptions, such as meat and milk, but those should be obvious to you anyway. (Don’t eat things that are gross.)

Anyway, here’s the long & short of it.

MEDICATION!
According to the Harvard Family Medical Guide and Johns Hopkins, medication expiration dates are a load of horseshit. The date listed is the date at which the manufacturer can still guarantee the full potency and safety of the drug. A study conducted by the FDA for the military showed that 90% of drugs are totally fine 15 years after the stamped date.

Keep your meds in the fridge once they start to near their date of expiration (and don’t store ‘em in your bathroom cabinet – they start to break down if exposed to too much humidity, and besides, people are snoopy and you probably don’t want your new boyf/girlf to know that you’re psycho or prone to explosive diarrhea). Chuck liquids after awhile, though it’s unlikely you’re taking too many liquids besides antibiotics (apparently you are 6 years old), which you should finish anyway. Don’t drink NyQuil directly from the bottle, or stop doing it if you’re doing it.

If you have any more questions, ask your pharmacist. It’s good to develop a relationship with hir anyway, if only to get a chance to cut to the front of the line. Flirting is important. [Ed. note: A. Jane Doe would like to say HI SCOTT].

VITAMINS!
Apparently they expire (or that's what the man wants you to think, whatev).

FOOD!
Meat. Neither of us keeps it around, because we find it terrifying. You might like it, who knows. General rule: if refrigerated, try & use it within 2 days; if frozen, within 3 months.
Eggs. They supposedly last for 3-5 weeks before going bad, but one of us has used 2-month-old eggs and there’s been exactly nothing wrong with ‘em. If you're not sure, break your eggs into a small separate bowl so you can figure out if they're okay before you add 'em to a cake mix. You don't want to waste cake mix. Plus, Alton Brown always puts everything into small separate bowls and don't you want to be like Alton Brown?
Milk. 3-5 days before it gets a little weird-tasting. This one is easy, though, ‘cause you’ll know if it’s gross.

BEVERAGES
Beer lasts for 4 months if unopened; if opened it lasts for as long as you have it in your hand. Duh.
Wine has its own rules. If unopened it lasts for, like, 100 years; if opened, 1 week corked in the fridge.
Unless you’re an idiot, you know that opened soda goes flat, and unless you’re really weird, you know that flat soda is gross, so we're not going to address the soda issue.

MAKEUP
You’ll know if it’s gone wrong. It’ll smell weird. Only exception to this is mascara, which you should replace a few times a year. Great Lash, which is the best, isn’t too pricey, so go buy some & save it. [Ed. note: It’s on sale at Stop & Shop right now, New Englanders.]

INTERESTING THINGS LEARNED FROM DOING THIS RESEARCH
Steak sauce is good for 33 months past its date of manufacture. 33 months? What? Same deal with vinegar: 42 months. The editrices would like to meet the dude who was charged with tasting these condiments every month for 3+ years.
Once opened, deodorant is good for 1 year. If it takes you one year to use up your deodorant, you obviously go to art school.
Nail-polish remover never expires, but rubbing alcohol (3 years), Windex (2 years), and bleach (3-6 months, what?) all do. We KNOW that they aren’t the same thing but we find it sort of weird that different chemicals last for different lengths of time. A. Jane Doe would like to officially apologize to the late Mr. Penta, who was her chem teacher, for spending the entire year she was in his class drawing little picture in the margins of her notebook instead of learning things.
Moist wipes are apparently “good until they dry out,” but actually they’re good past that point, as long as you ADD WATER TO THEM. Hello.
Fire extinguishers should be replaced after 12 years. [AJD notes: We have had the same one since we moved into the house, which was (OMG) twenty years ago, so if I perish in a terrible inferno YOU'LL KNOW WHY.]
Soy sauce lasts for 3 months.
There is NO CONCLUSIVE DATA regarding life-expectancy of opened jars of pickles, probably because pickles are amazing and people run out so quickly. Or, y’know, because they’re stored in brine.
Peanuts are only good for 1-2 weeks after opened, if stored in an airtight container.
Opened jars of maraschino cherries are good for 6 months. [AJD notes: We basically had the same jar in our fridge for my entire childhood, so there.]
Honey basically lasts forever. It’ll crystallize past a certain date – to resoften it, put the jar in a pot of boiling water for a few.


Thanks for asking, Dear Reader! Hope our advice doesn't kill you.

We'll be back to fixing your lives via gchat tomorrow. In the meantime, send us your questions!