I intend to live forever - so far, so good

[ClingingToHope]

Thanks Sandy Cay. I hadn't looked at it that way. I used to give blood but stopped. I started giving plasma because they do pay for it. It's not a lot, but every little bit helps.

And I struggled with it at first because most of the people in there are unemployed and it is a major part of their income. I felt .... better than that. But that's arrogance talking. I'm no better than anyone else.

The four week lesson at church is on "How to Be Rich" not how to get rich. We had our church growth group tonight and they are all great people, but normally the discussion is a bit of a struggle. Some will just sit there and not talk at all.

But since we were talking about money -- the good decisions, the bad decisions -- everyone was into it. We had to cut it short.

Interestingly, I have been talking to STBXW more this past week. D11's school district is making changes to the gifted program and it'll affect D11 and maybe D8 in the future. STBXW is not happy at all. She's attending the meetings and called last night to fill me in and ask what she should do next.

I listened, gave her a couple of suggestions. And she's been calling and emailing people all day.

It's too late now, but through the divorce rebuilding classes I realized her main love language is "words of affirmation."

All STBXW's life she's been told how pretty she is, but rarely told how smart she is. She only made it through one semester of college, quit and became a cheerleader for a CBA basketball team for three years. Her family was always kidding her about her grades.

It's part of the reason she has such a chip on her shoulder against people with college degrees. I didn't help. I rarely, rarely asked her for advice. I've always been too smart for my own good.

She really, really wants to be listened to and respected.

I didn't get that. I was always trying to do "acts of service," another love language. I tried to do everything for her and that just sent her a message that I didn't believe she could handle those things.

In the past, I would have taken over this effort to fight the school changes. I personally know five of the seven school board members, and I've dealt with the superintendent as part of my job with the newspaper. But STBXW is passionate about it so I'm letting it be her show and just doing what she asks me to do.