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By gardenguru Date: 2001 Jul 02 Comment on this Work [[2001.07.02.17.51.25027]] |
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Before that Mars and Venus concept became a national talk show favorite, An ex of mine explained it to me this way: "When I want to complain, elaborate, cry, or piss off, unload, download, or when I begin to discuss my life or our relationship or issues of the day or just 'YOU-KNOW-WHAT', here's what you gotta do ... Listen. Just listen. I'm not too interested in 'resolution', as you call it. There's no ANSWER, no logical amelioration (love that word), and no bing-bang-now-it's-fixed. If you MUST comment, if you really MUST... Say this. Just this: 'Ain't it a bitch, Modene' = Commisserate, sympathize, empathize. No more. No less. Just that. Add the expressive nod-of-the-head and an occasional 'hm-uh' and we're set. [Do it as if you mean it, even if you don't.] There. Now ain't that easy?" Not really. But "Ain't it a bitch, Modene" sure put a phrase to a difficult concept. Put some sense to it. (I wish I knew who that Modene person was.) Ah, the art of listening. |