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ASK MERRILY/Divorce

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 EDT

I am not doing well with my divorce. I am falling apart. I didn’t know my husband would become so heartless and uncooperative. But I have changed too. I never used to wish harm to anyone. Now I actually wish that he would die. What kind of person am I to wish that? I want to go back to being the person I was before the divorce. I want to be able to focus again on my life and not be obsessed

ASK MERRILY/Job or Freelance?

Merrily Preston — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Tomorrow I will visit the staff of a newspaper where I have applied to be the editor. I am terrified and in a tizzy over what to do if they make an offer. If I sense that it is wrong, I hope I can find the courage to say no. After leaving my job of 20 years as an editor and columnist,

ASK MERRILY/I Hate Math

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I hate math. It has nothing to do with my life. I am angry at the people who invented it so that I have to do it. I’m in algebra. Sometimes it’s ok, but when I can’t do it, I am frustrated. There are too many numbers and I don’t like to write them all down.

ASK MERRILY/How to Ask for What I Need

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I know what to do, but I need assistance. I am volunteering in a six-week interim position as manager of a small apartment building near a spiritual retreat. I adore my studio apartment with my own space and privacy, which is essential for my writing. I have free lance assignments and a newspaper column which produce income.

ASK MERRILY/Three-Year-Old’s Request

Merrily Preston — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EDT

My three year old daughter has started to wake up in the middle of the night wanting to come to sleep on my belly. While this is very cute, I don’t want to start a new habit that we won’t be able to continue. We all get up early in the morning to get to school and work, and we all need a good night’s sleep.

ASK MERRILY/Relationship with Teenage Son

Merrily Preston — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EDT

My teenage son thinks that I am an ogre, an enemy. No matter what I say to him or how I say it, I antagonize him. I know I have made lots of mistakes as a mother, but I try. He is doing poorly in high school, and behavior is becoming a problem. My mother died recently at a relatively young age.

ASK MERRILY/ How Do I Talk to My Teenager?

Merrily Preston — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I am very worried about my teenage son. He lacks motivation and isn’t using all of his potential. His father and I do not accept grades of C or lower and are very disappointed in his grades. I don’t know how to help him and feel like a failure as a parent which is very painful.

ASK MERRILY/Earthquake

Merrily Preston — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EDT

My mom has flown to Chile for her vacation. Her plane was due to land a few hours after the earthquake. Since Chile is technologically advanced, they probably would not land the plane if there were any risk. My two grandmothers are concerned, one is frantic.

ASK MERRILY/Caretaker’s Job

Merrily Preston — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

My husband has been recovering for almost a month from life-changing surgery. Things in the ICU are much the same day after day. Relentless issues continue such as excessive fluid retention, elevated white blood count, fluid from chest tubes. He was happy to finally be allowed clear fluids. But those have temporarily been taken away in hopes of resolving the above issues.

ASK MERRILY/Teen Telephone Time

Merrily Preston — Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

My teenage daughter spends too much time on the telephone. She comes home from high school at 2:30 and wants to do nothing but talk to her friends. Her grades used to be all A’s but are dropping. Since I get home from work at 5, I cannot monitor her use of time until then.