How narcissists think everyone else is the problem. — They were on their first date having coffee together. Before she could finish her latte, he’d already told her about his crazy ex-girlfriend. “She’s a psycho,” he said. He later mentioned that his sister and mother were both crazy too. Yet he was charming and so handsome. He gazed into…

Because marriage isn’t for everyone. — Some people are not wired for marriage. They’d be a lot happier single. Yet they don’t listen. They get married and then spend years living in misery. Because not everyone is meant to get married. According to “Changing Attitudes Towards Marriage and Single Life,” by A. Thornton and D. Freedman…

Writer, Songwriter, Producer, and Mom — My name is L.A. Strucke, and not just because I love L.A. They’re my initials. Early Life My life began 2 months before my mother’s due date. I had a 50–50 chance to live. My first home was an incubator. My childhood home was in New Jersey on a cul de sac…

Don’t fall for that fluffy face with the cool sunglasses — Do you see that cute fluffy cat that’s living with you? You know, the one with the sunglasses? Watch out. He could be a narcissist. Here’s how to tell. 1. He’s self-centered and craves admiration Is your cat self-centered? Does he spend his time admiring his new sunglasses in the mirror? Does he expect your whole…

And why is it wrong to still want more? — Ever since I passed middle age, people have been telling me it’s time to downsize. They assume if you aren’t part of a couple or your children moved out, you should get rid of your bigger place. Your heart’s desire should be to move to a cute little apartment. Why…

Don’t give up just yet. — Why did she change? That’s what he wanted to know. When they first met, she always looked beautiful. She always wore stylish clothes and spent a lot of time at the gym. His friends were jealous of his beautiful girl. “She looks like a model,” they said. His love treated…

I watched a documentary miniseries that may have traumatized me for life — A series is streaming on Netflix, and I am still in shock over it. I may be traumatized for life. Women think we’ve come a long way in life, but we haven’t. Not at all. Because as recently as 20 years ago, women were still treated like possessions to men. …

If I knew someone had died, would I have ridden the slide? — My boyfriend and I had been dating for a few months, when we went on a date I will never forget. He’d heard about a cool amusement park up in Vernon, NJ and we decided to check it out. It was called Action Park. I was excited to go to…

Trauma can turn people into hoarders — Do you know a hoarder? I once dated one. He was the nicest guy in the world, but the second I stepped into his house, I knew something was wrong. There were so many piles of boxes and items, we bumped into things trying to walk into a room. …