...and another WAS

[Pyrite]

Thank-you and Thank-you for sharing. It is remarkable how similar our story is. I don't play pool, but in the words of an old friend many years ago warning my wife, "He does EVERYTHING harder than anybody else". Unfortunately this also included drug use and partying which persisted until I was 30, setting me up for more things to whinge about now.

It also started with my Father's expectations. He does the same (to a lesser degree) with my kids and nephews, but we squash him now. My sister reacted differently to our upbringing (also he was much harder on me), but I developed your approach and just "killed" everything I approached. It wasn't for him anymore, it just became who I was. And I absolutely can see how I set my W up to be my "ego" stroker and when she failed in her duty I criticised her the way my Dad would've criticised me. In my head perhaps, but that created the outward behaviour. I suck . have you ever discussed this with your wife. why are you resolved to NOT try to resurrect the M?