Tag: manipulation

#1208: “Question about Mom Friends being too Mothering:” BOUNDARIES SCHOOL is in session.

~ JenniferP ~ 382 Comments

As promised...more "If you're 'not allowed' to say no to someone, they are not acting like friends" content. I have kept the Letter Writer's subject line as the post title so that readers too can have the "Wait, where is the part where this person is an actual mom" "Oh wait, phew, this person isn't … Continue reading #1208: “Question about Mom Friends being too Mothering:” BOUNDARIES SCHOOL is in session.

#780: My creative partner’s girlfriend might be jealous of our new project.

~ JenniferP ~ 90 Comments

Dear Captain, I am a (female) musician just starting out on a new duo project with a fellow (male) musician, and we’re just about heading for our first gigs and things. We’re both really excited — we get on well musically and personally, and we’re enjoying what we do and looking forward to sharing it … Continue reading #780: My creative partner’s girlfriend might be jealous of our new project.

#686: “Help, I’m being pressured to attend funerals by a manipulative family member.”

~ JenniferP ~ 124 Comments

Hi Captain! Husband and I have been married a year and to make a long back-story short, I have found your responses re: “dealing with difficult people” immensely helpful for dealing with my MIL. So here’s the current issue: while my in-laws have very few lasting friends, they do consider themselves close to my FIL’s … Continue reading #686: “Help, I’m being pressured to attend funerals by a manipulative family member.”

#683: My boyfriend insists on coming along everywhere I go and constantly worries that I’ll leave him. (Spoiler: You probably will.)

~ JenniferP ~ 180 Comments

Dear Captain Awkward: My partner has told me that he is afraid that he's boring and that he has an irrational fear that my 'self-improvement' means I will leave him for somebody "more exciting". A few years ago I was feeling really down, and during that period I decided to really work on myself by … Continue reading #683: My boyfriend insists on coming along everywhere I go and constantly worries that I’ll leave him. (Spoiler: You probably will.)

#360: My coworker called me a virgin, why did that hurt my feelings so much?

~ JenniferP ~ 277 Comments

Dear Captain Awkward, I live and work at an isolated location with six other people. We are nearing the end of our work rotation and everyone is wearing a little thin emotionally so that might be partially where this problem stems from. I have a really good relationship with the woman that I spend the … Continue reading #360: My coworker called me a virgin, why did that hurt my feelings so much?

#311: My wife freaks out whenever I’m away from her.

~ JenniferP ~ 102 Comments

Dear Captain Awkward,  My wife has contributed so much to my life.  In college, I made a difficult transition from developmentally-challenged homeschooled Evangelical missionary wannabe to Libertarian to a proto-value-actual-people-and-outcomes-and-recognize-cognitive-biases-and-reject-satisfying-internal-consistencies-ist.  The latter doesn't actually have content; I was shattered and adrift, trying to find my voice.  Hell, discovering the phrase, "find my voice" was actually … Continue reading #311: My wife freaks out whenever I’m away from her.

#283: “How do I tell my parents I’m not moving back home with them after graduation?”

~ JenniferP ~ 44 Comments

Good Afternoon, Captain A, I'd like to ask you for help. Specifically, I'm having a hard time dealing with my parents. Let me explain the situation. I'm currently twenty, a rising junior in college, and planning to study abroad next semester. The school that I currently attend is around a thousand miles away from home, … Continue reading #283: “How do I tell my parents I’m not moving back home with them after graduation?”