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The Slice: In it together
Consider the many ways to keep your significant other happy
There is plenty of other stuff in the newspaper today.
But let’s get real. If you are not a child or happily living the single life, The Slice will be addressing what actually matters to you.
What’s the key to keeping your spouse/significant other happy?
A) Fairness. B) Being inspiringly dependable in a crisis. C) Patience, forgiveness, empathy, sincerity and lots of agreeing. D) Not acting like you deserve a medal for emptying the dishwasher.
E) Willingness to apologize. F) Not holding a grudge when it comes to dealings with the in-laws. G) Listening. H) Things you do when you don’t think anyone is watching.
I) Astonishing sexual techniques and ardency. J) A sense of humor that still surprises but does not wear out its welcome with a barrage of self-impressed braying. K) Ferocious loyalty. L) Not thinking that some ludicrous over-the-top stunt on Valentine’s Day makes up for 364 days of indifference.
M) Diligently striving to act like a grown-up for several days in a row. N) Willingness to take turns when it comes to deciding what movies to watch, which restaurants to check out, etc. O) Being sane about big spending decisions. P) Not being like Frank Elgin (the character Bing Crosby played opposite Grace Kelly in “The Country Girl”).
Q) Being an engaged, committed parent. R) Not sighing when asked to do something that is hardly an onerous chore and, besides, will just take a few seconds. S) Being able to be away from an electronic screen for minutes on end without getting twitchy. T) Being capable of starting Tuesday without Monday night’s disagreement still setting the emotional tone.
U) Proposing money-saving measures that will put a bite on your own lifestyle expenditures, not just the other person’s. V) Knowing when to give it a rest re: talking about politics, sports, hair, shoes or your hobbies. W) At least making an effort to identify the causes of personality-warping insecurity/defensiveness.
X) Accepting criticism about behaviors such as spitting in public or wearing too much fragrance without launching nuclear retaliation. Y) Knowing that, come hell, high water or rain on Bloomsday, you’re in it together. Z) Other.
Today’s Slice question: Who really ought to be embarrassed about his or her phone’s ring tones?