Sincere Response: I was. I’m not.

Ag Style Response: STOP YELLING AT ME!!!!!!

And I am not one of those folks who complains about doing my civic duty. If I’m needed, cool. I know the whole “sitting around and waiting” thing will drive me up a wall, but it is what it is.

And while I’m not looking forward to driving over an hour to get to the courthouse, it does allow me the opportunity to return to the place where my divorce was finalized, so, you know, good memories.

Good memories.

Ag

wellthatsjustgreat:

Ten Things To Know:

1. It sucks ass.
2. You are stronger than you realize and can get through this.
3. Point Two does not in any way change Point One.
4. Getting divorced is horrible. Being divorced is much better. Keep reminding yourself that.
5. You will be surprised at how…

I’m glad when anyone finds anything I write to be of value. Share all you want. Thank you.

But…

If you know someone going through a divorce please be sensitive and avoid saying that you understand because you’ve also gone through a break up.

Divorce has everything that is bad about a breakup, plus lawyers, and the real threat of financial ruin, and the likely loss of a home, and separation from children (or dogs if you have been smart enough to avoid pregnancy and adopt dogs because they’re like, you know, in every way better than children) and a loss of identity on a much larger scale.

And you never have to be reminded by tumblr posts that say “When I Get Married For The First Time It Will Be For The LAST Time!” that some people in society view you as a failure and a bad person.

And you never think, “This person I just met seems really wonderful. I hope they don’t run when I tell them I broke up with someone once.”

I am not trying to minimize anyone’s pain. But there are things specific to divorce that make it a unique type of ass sucking fuck shittery.

Ag

Ten Things To Know:

1. It sucks ass. 
2. You are stronger than you realize and can get through this.
3. Point Two does not in any way change Point One.
4. Getting divorced is horrible. Being divorced is much better. Keep reminding yourself that.
5. You will be surprised at how many very kind people will be there for you to help you get through this if you choose to turn to them. 
6. A few of those people will actually be helpful. Most will be clueless. Cut them some slack. They mean well.
7. Be open to the insight that others offer. Think about what they have shared and how it relates to your situation.
8. After you have seriously considered the above insight, wish them well; wave goodbye; and after they’re out of sight say, “Fuck That Shit!” if it doesn’t apply to you because your path through this will be unlike anyone else’s. 
9. The only right timeline is the timeline that feels right to you. No timeline will feel good, but one will feel right.
10. It sucks ass.

Rewind Sunday: Pre-Divorce. Depression at close to the low point. This was the first “balloon” post.

wellthatsjustgreat:

When I was a kid and went to Walt Disney World (my family took me twice) I always wanted a Mickey Mouse balloon. Those “only at Disney” ear shaped balloons called out to me.

But even as a kid I was painfully logical. I had a limited amount of souvenir money saved and a balloon was a extravagant purchase. I saw that even by the end of the day one ear was smaller than the other and knew by the next morning the whole thing would be bumping around the hotel floor.

So I never bought one.

When my wife and I were dating she learned pretty quickly that balloons of any kind were a good way to pick me up or say I love you. And on our honeymoon to Disney after much laborious hinting she went and got one while I saved a spot on Main Street for us to watch the Spectromagic Parade. I know it’s silly, but few things bring me more happiness than a Disney balloon.

This year on my birthday, separated from my wife, she sent me a bunch of Disney balloons at work. She knew how hard that day was going to be for me alone and knew that balloons were about the only thing appropriate that could help, even if only in a small way. As one of the few gifts I received, the balloons helped get me through a rough night.

I have realized that balloons don’t quite mean as much to others as they do to me, but as I sit here waiting for the Main Street Electrical Parade to transport me back to that first visit I find myself watching the balloon vendors and trying to decide if a balloon purchase is too extravagant for a silly old man.

Ag

Looking at those divorce posts again was…interesting. Might be time to revisit.

Ag 

As always when discussing this, our reasons are our own. No villains here. But:

Detailed Answer: Here. And a little bit of the first post about diviorce here.

Pithy But Pretty True Looking Back Answer: We knew we had tried everything. We weren’t mad at each other. We could talk about it without breaking down (in anger or sadness) every time). And we knew that the life that would await us if we stayed together would have been okay, but not what we wanted or deserved.

Ag Style Answer: Court Clerk said, “NEXT!!!!!”

cwnerd12:

Okay, here’s a personality test I had to take for my latest CW class for Full Sail.  It’s a test for how your personality type deals with people and problems and figures shit out.  I had to take it and discuss how I create characters who are similar to me- it made me realize that my male characters tend to be idealists struggling with a less-than ideal reality and my female characters tend to be the strong take-no-shit type.  Oh, well, they’re still unique in their own ways. XD  Anyway, gonna take the test as my characters and see what I get.  I’d be curious to see if any of my writer friends on tumblr take it, in character or out of it, and see what they get.  An explanation of the personality types is here.

I often get ENTP, but INTP for me this time. Let’s see if any of it applies…

• INTPs are usually not in-tune with how people are feeling, and are not naturally well-equiped to meet the emotional needs of others.

That’s ridiculous! I was married! Hmmm. But what happened to that marriage? Oh yeah!

Never mind.

Ag