Struggling to pull that thorn from your side? Jimmy takes a look at common peeves that mess up guys’ lives
I just found out that my fiancée has serious credit card debt. Are we already doomed?
That depends. Before you go jumping to conclusions, do some recon work. Find out how she ended up in this hole and sit down with a financial advisor together. It’s time for some frank talk: is she willing to tighten her over-priced belt? Can you agree on a budget? If you’re far apart on something this important, then maybe the relationship is as maxed out as her credit cards. Oh, and if you just found out, you might want to brace yourself for more surprises.
My buddy SMSes while he drives. How do I convince him to stop without sounding like his mother?
What’s more important: maintaining your cool points, or arriving at your destination alive? I wouldn’t give a damn about sounding like his mother. Go ahead, sound like her. Nag him, bug him and then hound him some more. Hell, grab his cellphone and toss it in the backseat. To do otherwise is to put both your life and his on the line for no good reason. U no wut im sayn?
My mom asked me to help set up her online dating profile. I’m all for her finding someone new after the divorce, but this is just too much. Do I have to?
Come on, son. She’s not trying to post shots of herself in a naughty nightie. Just show her how to do it, for god’s sake. If you’re really all in favour of her moving on, then helping her write a profile and working out the technical stuff shouldn’t be a big deal. Her search for happiness should be the only reason you need.
My wife and I are planning a holiday for Christmas. How do we break it to our families?
If it were me, I’d embrace my family and find another time to do cocktails on the beach. But, hey, it’s not my call. You want palm trees and not Christmas trees, just tell the family where you’re headed, and then suck it up when they suggest an even hotter place you two can go straight to.
Every year my office has a golf outing. I suck at golf. What’s worse: going and sucking, or always making excuses not to go?
Nearly everyone sucks at golf. Nobody cares how badly you play; take in the fine weather, have a few beers, share a few laughs, and suggest a “scramble” format to keep things moving. The benefits of putting yourself out there almost always outweigh the consequences of not.
My wife hates my best friend’s wife. I can’t keep them apart forever, can I?
No, you most certainly cannot. With all due respect to the ladies, your job is like a preschool soccer ref’s: minimise contact. Sometimes they’ll bump up against each other and maybe even throw an elbow or two. But problems escalate when foes are constantly sharing the same air. As long as the double dates are spaced out, you should have a good, clean game and they can at least shake hands afterwards.
