DEAR ABBY: My husband has many wonderful qualities. However, he's obsessed with my always being instantly available when he calls or texts my cellphone.
I don't carry it with me every minute of the day. At work I can be busy taking orders, dealing with clients, having a conference with my boss or using the restroom. But if I don't answer, my husband leaves nasty messages asking why I have a phone if I'm not going to pick up or respond to a text. I always do it as soon as I am able.
I have explained the reality of what I might be involved with when he contacts me. I have told him his demand that I always be immediately available is selfish, to no avail. What's your opinion? -- EXASPERATED IN ERIE
DEAR EXASPERATED: My opinion is you should ignore your husband's nasty comments because he's acting like an immature, demanding child who needs to grow up and realize the world doesn't revolve around him.
He's a control freak and it will only get worse. She needs to get a backbone and tell him to stop it, NOW! She will have a chain around her neck forever if she doesn't. He's a freakin baby... and I don't see this marriage lasting very long.
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
Turn the tables. Call and text him constantly and demand the same.
Sometimes you have to show people how they are acting.
Or she could just tell him to leave her alone at work.
The only thing worse would be for him to start calling her work number constantly.
She needs to cowgirl up.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
My ex was like this. If I did not respond in what he deemed a timely manner, I would get another text along the lines of "ok, don't know who you're busy with but..." It was so frustrating. Especially at the end he was really bad. I had client meetings that would take 2-4 hours each. I would text when I was going in so he knew I was busy, and he would still send me nasty text messages. He would do it when I was home visiting my family too.
Now, it was perfectly fine for him to disappear for days. And when I would call him on it, he would make me feel guilty for bothering him. Because I "knew he was at his moms and cant get service" or I "knew he's at work and gets busy" or I knew "he needs alone time and I need to stop bothering him"
It was just another big red flag I chose to ignore. I thought I could be good enough. That he had a past and I needed to adjust MY behavior to make him feel secure. Looking back I was an idiot and should have left sooner.
I still have to deal with how that effected me. I respond almost instantly to text messages. I get really nervous if I feel my phone buzz and I can't get to it right away. Or if I get back to my desk and see a message from 20 minutes ago, I get worried the person is mad at me because I'm ignoring them.
I don't know. Whenever I read these everyone else always says controlling manipulative abuser. I always wonder what else is going on. One bad behavior doesn't make him an abuser. My marriage has had it's ups and downs. I know people on this very board have called my DH abusive. But he's not. It's kind of a catch 22 situation. When you have a situation like this come up everyone labels the other person as an abuser and tells you to get out and get out now. Then when you divorce people tell you all the time you shouldn't have divorced and you didn't try hard enough. It's a fine line. I guess I would find out WHY he wants her to be available all the time. Is there a reason? She definitely needs to put an end to the behavior.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
I don't know. Whenever I read these everyone else always says controlling manipulative abuser. I always wonder what else is going on. One bad behavior doesn't make him an abuser. My marriage has had it's ups and downs. I know people on this very board have called my DH abusive. But he's not. It's kind of a catch 22 situation. When you have a situation like this come up everyone labels the other person as an abuser and tells you to get out and get out now. Then when you divorce people tell you all the time you shouldn't have divorced and you didn't try hard enough. It's a fine line. I guess I would find out WHY he wants her to be available all the time. Is there a reason? She definitely needs to put an end to the behavior.
I agree, but it sounds like she has tried to get him to change.
I think, if it were me, I would probably tell him that I will lose my job if he calls me all day. I'd ask him if he wants me to be unemployed? I'd also tell him I refuse to answer the phone while I'm driving. Or would he rather I get in an accident?
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
I don't know. Whenever I read these everyone else always says controlling manipulative abuser. I always wonder what else is going on. One bad behavior doesn't make him an abuser. My marriage has had it's ups and downs. I know people on this very board have called my DH abusive. But he's not. It's kind of a catch 22 situation. When you have a situation like this come up everyone labels the other person as an abuser and tells you to get out and get out now. Then when you divorce people tell you all the time you shouldn't have divorced and you didn't try hard enough. It's a fine line. I guess I would find out WHY he wants her to be available all the time. Is there a reason? She definitely needs to put an end to the behavior.
I agree, but it sounds like she has tried to get him to change.
flan
Well, you can try. But, you don't need to make yourself crazy over it. The only behavior you can really change is your own. So, stop looking at the cell phone and stop playing his games about it. Just don't play. It really isn't that hard.
Text him everything. going to the copier, got the copies, walking to the supply room, having a kit kat, I burped, standing at the window, watching an instructional video, going to the bathroom, taking a poop.
Just completely inundate him with minute to minute information.
__________________
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I don't know. Whenever I read these everyone else always says controlling manipulative abuser. I always wonder what else is going on. One bad behavior doesn't make him an abuser. My marriage has had it's ups and downs. I know people on this very board have called my DH abusive. But he's not. It's kind of a catch 22 situation. When you have a situation like this come up everyone labels the other person as an abuser and tells you to get out and get out now. Then when you divorce people tell you all the time you shouldn't have divorced and you didn't try hard enough. It's a fine line. I guess I would find out WHY he wants her to be available all the time. Is there a reason? She definitely needs to put an end to the behavior.
No it isn't. A catch 22 is so different.
A requirement that cannot be met until a prerequisite requirement is met, however, the prerequisite cannot be obtained until the original requirement is met.
__________________
Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
I don't know. Whenever I read these everyone else always says controlling manipulative abuser. I always wonder what else is going on. One bad behavior doesn't make him an abuser. My marriage has had it's ups and downs. I know people on this very board have called my DH abusive. But he's not. It's kind of a catch 22 situation. When you have a situation like this come up everyone labels the other person as an abuser and tells you to get out and get out now. Then when you divorce people tell you all the time you shouldn't have divorced and you didn't try hard enough. It's a fine line. I guess I would find out WHY he wants her to be available all the time. Is there a reason? She definitely needs to put an end to the behavior.
No it isn't. A catch 22 is so different.
A requirement that cannot be met until a prerequisite requirement is met, however, the prerequisite cannot be obtained until the original requirement is met.
Yes it is. When you are married people tell you to get out all the time. Constantly. Then when you get divorced people tell you that you shouldn't have gotten divorced. You should have tried harder. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
__________________
“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
Of course. But when people wanna have tantrums, let them. That's on them. I just walk away,.
Yep, just like when posters here start flinging the crap, just ignore them.
WHAT?????????????
Are you ignoring me?
flan
NJN is talking to me...
flan
I am? Must. Stop. That.
__________________
“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
I don't know. Whenever I read these everyone else always says controlling manipulative abuser. I always wonder what else is going on. One bad behavior doesn't make him an abuser. My marriage has had it's ups and downs. I know people on this very board have called my DH abusive. But he's not. It's kind of a catch 22 situation. When you have a situation like this come up everyone labels the other person as an abuser and tells you to get out and get out now. Then when you divorce people tell you all the time you shouldn't have divorced and you didn't try hard enough. It's a fine line. I guess I would find out WHY he wants her to be available all the time. Is there a reason? She definitely needs to put an end to the behavior.
No it isn't. A catch 22 is so different.
A requirement that cannot be met until a prerequisite requirement is met, however, the prerequisite cannot be obtained until the original requirement is met.
Yes it is. When you are married people tell you to get out all the time. Constantly. Then when you get divorced people tell you that you shouldn't have gotten divorced. You should have tried harder. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Other peoples opinions do not make for a catch 22 situation, IMHO. The LW needs to get a backbone and tell him to stop the harassing phone calls. If he persists and the behavior extends into other areas of life, he's a control freak and needs his arse dumped. People CAN tell the difference.
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
Other peoples opinions do not make for a catch 22 situation, IMHO. The LW needs to get a backbone and tell him to stop the harassing phone calls. If he persists and the behavior extends into other areas of life, he's a control freak and needs his arse dumped. People CAN tell the difference.
All I'm saying is when there is a letter like this everyone automatically jumps to the conclusion that he is an abusive controller. There may be other reasons behind him wanting to know where she is all the time. Legitimate reasons. We don't know. She didn't say that she asked him WHY he wants her available all the time. That's the first thing I'd do.
And it does matter when, IRL, people tell you the person you are with is a bad person. If you listen to them and leave then you get a whole other set of people telling you divorce is bad. You can't please people.
I definitely think she needs to put an end to this behavior. But I'd be interested to know why he wants her to be available all the time.
__________________
“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
Other peoples opinions do not make for a catch 22 situation, IMHO. The LW needs to get a backbone and tell him to stop the harassing phone calls. If he persists and the behavior extends into other areas of life, he's a control freak and needs his arse dumped. People CAN tell the difference.
All I'm saying is when there is a letter like this everyone automatically jumps to the conclusion that he is an abusive controller. There may be other reasons behind him wanting to know where she is all the time. Legitimate reasons. We don't know. She didn't say that she asked him WHY he wants her available all the time. That's the first thing I'd do.
And it does matter when, IRL, people tell you the person you are with is a bad person. If you listen to them and leave then you get a whole other set of people telling you divorce is bad. You can't please people.
I definitely think she needs to put an end to this behavior. But I'd be interested to know why he wants her to be available all the time.
When she is at work? And he KNOWS she is at work? No, I don't think so. He's a control freak.
This is NOT about pleasing other people either.
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
I will agree to disagree. She needs to find out why he acts this way. Also, even if he is controlling over the phone issue and that's it are you going to recommend divorce just over that? Seriously? If he doesn't act douchey in any other way you think she needs to leave him? Turn off the phone. Sheesh.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
DEAR ABBY: My husband has many wonderful qualities. However, he's obsessed with my always being instantly available when he calls or texts my cellphone.
__________________
“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
I will agree to disagree. She needs to find out why he acts this way. Also, even if he is controlling over the phone issue and that's it are you going to recommend divorce just over that? Seriously? If he doesn't act douchey in any other way you think she needs to leave him? Turn off the phone. Sheesh.
I said earlier, if this extends beyond work, he has a problem.
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
DEAR ABBY: My husband has many wonderful qualities. However, he's obsessed with my always being instantly available when he calls or texts my cellphone.
She's in wub and blind. The "he's obsessed" is the clincher.
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
It sounds like this behavior started recently. Not that it has been ongoing for a long time. I wonder why. Then again that's just how the letter sounds to ME. She doesn't say "This has been going on forever..." or anything like that.
__________________
“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
DEAR ABBY: My husband has many wonderful qualities. However, he's obsessed with my always being instantly available when he calls or texts my cellphone.
She's in wub and blind. The "he's obsessed" is the clincher.
She should divorce his ass so we can all tell her she didn't pick right. She definitely should have picked better. Shame on her.
__________________
“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
It sounds like this behavior started recently. Not that it has been ongoing for a long time. I wonder why. Then again that's just how the letter sounds to ME. She doesn't say "This has been going on forever..." or anything like that.
I read it as this being a problem for a long time. Maybe since he allowed her to get a cell phone..
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
I don't know. Whenever I read these everyone else always says controlling manipulative abuser. I always wonder what else is going on. One bad behavior doesn't make him an abuser. My marriage has had it's ups and downs. I know people on this very board have called my DH abusive. But he's not. It's kind of a catch 22 situation. When you have a situation like this come up everyone labels the other person as an abuser and tells you to get out and get out now. Then when you divorce people tell you all the time you shouldn't have divorced and you didn't try hard enough. It's a fine line. I guess I would find out WHY he wants her to be available all the time. Is there a reason? She definitely needs to put an end to the behavior.
No it isn't. A catch 22 is so different.
A requirement that cannot be met until a prerequisite requirement is met, however, the prerequisite cannot be obtained until the original requirement is met.
Yes it is. When you are married people tell you to get out all the time. Constantly. Then when you get divorced people tell you that you shouldn't have gotten divorced. You should have tried harder. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
I agree NJN. People are VERY quick to rush in and tell someone "Get a divorce" as soon as there are any disagreements in marriage. Every spouse has his/her quirks and obstinant qualities. So, just because someone tells me some marital problems, doesn't mean I jump on the Get a Divorce Bandwagon. In fact, I think far too many people do this and convince people who have otherwise good marriages that somehow this instance of disagreement must mean something bigger than it is. Maybe it does or maybe it doesn't. I don't think people should be so quick to tell others to get divorced.
I don't know. Whenever I read these everyone else always says controlling manipulative abuser. I always wonder what else is going on. One bad behavior doesn't make him an abuser. My marriage has had it's ups and downs. I know people on this very board have called my DH abusive. But he's not. It's kind of a catch 22 situation. When you have a situation like this come up everyone labels the other person as an abuser and tells you to get out and get out now. Then when you divorce people tell you all the time you shouldn't have divorced and you didn't try hard enough. It's a fine line. I guess I would find out WHY he wants her to be available all the time. Is there a reason? She definitely needs to put an end to the behavior.
No it isn't. A catch 22 is so different.
A requirement that cannot be met until a prerequisite requirement is met, however, the prerequisite cannot be obtained until the original requirement is met.
Yes it is. When you are married people tell you to get out all the time. Constantly. Then when you get divorced people tell you that you shouldn't have gotten divorced. You should have tried harder. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
I agree NJN. People are VERY quick to rush in and tell someone "Get a divorce" as soon as there are any disagreements in marriage. Every spouse has his/her quirks and obstinant qualities. So, just because someone tells me some marital problems, doesn't mean I jump on the Get a Divorce Bandwagon. In fact, I think far too many people do this and convince people who have otherwise good marriages that somehow this instance of disagreement must mean something bigger than it is. Maybe it does or maybe it doesn't. I don't think people should be so quick to tell others to get divorced.
Thank you. That's what I was trying to say!
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
I have seen some really good marriages breakup over women who go sobbing off to their girlfriends. Then, the girlfriends think they are being supportive to tell her what a horrid beast he is and how she shouldn't have to "take that' and "kick him to the curb" and all that. When she does, she's alone, the girlfriends pat her on the back and go home to their husbands and she's left to pick up the pieces.
Yes, some marriages should absolutely end. But, to blow up the spouses actions as the Worst Thing in the World and then when we do something similar it's just a shrug.
Catch 22 is if you are crazy enough to fight that war you and you are good with that you should get an exemption to not have to fight and you can get out but don't want to. However if you know you don't want to fight but are fit you can't get out.
A catch-22 is a paradoxical situation from which an individual cannot escape because of contradictory rules.[1][2] Catch-22s often result from rules, regulations, or procedures that an individual is subject to but has no control over because to fight the rule is to accept it. Another example is a situation in which someone is in need of something that can only be had by not being in need of it. One connotation of the term is that the creators of the "catch-22" have created arbitrary rules in order to justify and conceal their own abuse of power.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
I have seen some really good marriages breakup over women who go sobbing off to their girlfriends. Then, the girlfriends think they are being supportive to tell her what a horrid beast he is and how she shouldn't have to "take that' and "kick him to the curb" and all that. When she does, she's alone, the girlfriends pat her on the back and go home to their husbands and she's left to pick up the pieces. Yes, some marriages should absolutely end. But, to blow up the spouses actions as the Worst Thing in the World and then when we do something similar it's just a shrug.
I have seen some really good marriages breakup over women who go sobbing off to their girlfriends. Then, the girlfriends think they are being supportive to tell her what a horrid beast he is and how she shouldn't have to "take that' and "kick him to the curb" and all that. When she does, she's alone, the girlfriends pat her on the back and go home to their husbands and she's left to pick up the pieces. Yes, some marriages should absolutely end. But, to blow up the spouses actions as the Worst Thing in the World and then when we do something similar it's just a shrug.
WTF? I thought it was just the links! This is what I see from FWM. NOTHING!
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
I started a reply to that thread, and thought better of it,NJN.
I didn't post it. Why it showed up as a blank reply, is beyond me.
Oh good! I'm not losing my mind!
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou