I would like to submit that one of Salon's worst calls was discontinuting its provocative feature "Mothers Who Think." MWT was a sharp antidote to the treacly columns and advice directed at mothers in all other media. When it disappeared, I had one less reason to check into Salon each day. The addition of "Broadsheet," however, while long overdue, goes some way toward making up for the loss of MWT.

Thanks for being an original.

If you would like to vote in favor of or against reinstating the original picture of illustrator Clement Hurd with cigarette on the cover of Goodnight Moon, you can do so at www goodnightreality dot com. From that site, you also have the opportunity to send an email directly to Harper Collins.

Maybe the way to give up the fantasy romance you have created is to study a little bit closer the real-life ones you observe. For example, it is wonderful and rare that after 35 years of marriage your parents are still in love, but doubtful that their romance has anything in common with the grocery store bodice rippers. Ask real couples you know, both the happy and less than happy ones, what they believe is the secret to romantic love. Chances are it has more to do with being interested and interesting than it does with any formula in a book.

JKerrigan

P.S. To change the story in your mind, change the stories you read!

I can't help but notice that the LW describes the christening as a celebration she and her fiance are hosting,--"WE contacted the church, ordered the invites, etc."--but when it comes to hosting the in-laws, suddenly it's "MY home, MY party, I'M the host, I make the rules" (emphasis added). Is it not her fiance's home too, and is he not an equal host? What does he have say about his siblings staying with them? She has a bigger problem than uninvited houseguests if she can't start thinking of her fiance's family as her family too, and her fiance as an equal partner in these decisions.

It sounds like the manager at this fast food establishment made a tough choice. He could either fire an employee to save on labor costs, or he could cut everyone's hours on the theory that it's better to spread the pain around a little. If you leave, don't be surprised when your hours are redistributed to everyone else. Or, one of your co-workers might quit sooner than you can, and then you might find your hours increasing. The same economics are likely to affect the bookstore up the street, though, so, at least in this case, make sure you have secured your next position before you leave this one.

Admittedly, the son made a common rookie mistake in listing the LW as a reference without checking first. But I would think that the letter writer should recuse himself anyway, regardless of the son's performance or idiosyncracies, simply the LW's boss is the applicant's father. If I were a potential employer, I certainly would not trust a reference from someone who works for the applicant's father. Yes, call the son and explain the requirements of business etiquette, but the reason not to give any more references is as simple as, "I can't give you a reference because I work for your dad." And simply mentioning this fact to anyone else who does call to check a reference might be enough to end the phone call.

There are people who have built careers around providing the services the letter writer requires. They are called travel agents. Why should he prevail upon friends who may have their own travel headaches? Curbside pick-up, airline terminal drop-off, reasonable accomodations and recommended itineraries can all be had with one simple phone call to a professional travel agent. I'm not a travel agent, but I have planned enough family vacations to know that there are times when you really need someone else to handle the details.

Someone must run interference for you. The logical person would be your husband, but in this case he may not be up to the task because his family seems to have overwhelmed him as well. You need a trusted friend who can run interference for the both of you, answering the phones, "He's out, she's resting, I'll tell them you called. As you can imagine, they aren't taking visitors right now." Most people want to act, to do something so they feel less powerless in the face of your illness. But usually they will only proceed until they reach the limits you set. So let them drop off the casseroles at the door to a friend who can take them with a smile and tell them she will pass along their good wishes. Let someone else set up and maintain the website or send the emails that update them all on your progress with as much or as little information as you wish to share. That way, people can feel connected in their desire for your recovery, but you can maintain your privacy and peace. Best wishes for a full recovery.