1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: Who is more respectful of you in the future. Her 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:05,240 Speaker 1: character flaws finally revealed themselves, and she was not a 3 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: great partner to you. I am sorry, and I'm sorry 4 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: that that is the end of that story. 5 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 2: I've been hiding my homelessness for my girlfriend and it's 6 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 2: getting hard. 7 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 3: It's getting hard. 8 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: It's probably been hard the whole time. 9 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 2: I'm eight seed mail and I'm dating my girlfriend who 10 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 2: just turned twenty. I've been in Foster Hare since I 11 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 2: was thirteen. I lucked out when I was younger. I 12 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 2: had some good homes, but the most recent one I 13 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 2: had was really bad. By the way, this comes from 14 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 2: Icy Residence seven seven two, and if you want to 15 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 2: submit your own stories, go to the hour slash Okay 16 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 2: story Time. Supp run it and we'll read it. So 17 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 2: I've been homeless for one month now. It's been exhausting 18 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 2: hiding it for my girlfriend. And one of the jobs 19 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 2: I work is at a local martial arts gym in 20 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 2: my city, which I sneak back into at night because I. 21 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 3: Have keys for lock up. 22 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 2: I'm pretty sure that the owner knows that I'm sleeping 23 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 2: here because there are cameras. He hasn't said anything, though 24 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 2: sometimes he leaves me food. So I'm doing okay for 25 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 2: being homeless. I'm saving up and I'm trying to find 26 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 2: another job so I can make money faster and find 27 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 2: a place to live. I'm staying out of trouble. I 28 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 2: don't drink booze and I don't do substances. My girlfriend 29 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,399 Speaker 2: lives in a university dorm with a roommate. She goes 30 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,040 Speaker 2: to a prestigious school that she worked really hard to 31 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 2: get into. Tonight, she said I have sad eyes, and 32 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 2: she asked me if something was wrong. I wanted to 33 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 2: break down and tell her everything. Instead, I said I 34 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: was sleepy and hugged her, then made a joke, which 35 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 2: distracted her and changed the topic. I know in a 36 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 2: relationship you're supposed to be honest, but I guess I 37 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 2: have pride or something. All these years growing up, there 38 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 2: were so many times that I felt like I had 39 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 2: no dignity. So it's really hard for me to let 40 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: go of this pride or whatever you want to call it. 41 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 2: It's hard to explain. Besides, she can't really help me. 42 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 2: It would just be adding to her stress. So am 43 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 2: I the a hole for thinking that I can find 44 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 2: a place get settled? In and basically fix this problem 45 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,320 Speaker 2: and then tell her I see these on TikTok all 46 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 2: the time, and I know what I'm asking is not 47 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 2: the same as wedding drama or marriage drama, but I 48 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 2: thought I would give it a shot. With this being 49 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 2: anonymous and all, I mean, there are some comments joyful 50 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 2: stitches ninety six is not the a hole, but it 51 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 2: sounds like you're focking yourself out of opening up to 52 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 2: her about this. She might not be able to fix everything, 53 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 2: but she can offer support. It sounds like you could 54 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 2: really use that right now, angry dresser says agreed. Also, 55 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 2: op I'm sorry I've been homeless myself, but this. You 56 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 2: don't deserve to be eighteen dealing with all this. No 57 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 2: one does. But you are just in a position that 58 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 2: I know many go through, but I wish no one experienced. 59 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 2: Opie says, I'm sorry you had to deal with homelessness too. 60 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 2: Deep down, I know I'm lucky for the circumstances I 61 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: do have, like the ability to crash my boss's jym. 62 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 2: It's a lot better than being in a shelter. Those 63 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 2: honestly scare me. Bbe four oh one for real, says 64 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 2: my now husband was living between friends' houses and a 65 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 2: direct provision center when we met. He is a very 66 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: proud man and was vague or wouldn't discuss where he 67 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 2: lived or allow me to drop him anywhere, and said 68 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 2: things like he was going to visit friends at night. 69 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 2: And he was always so upbeat and caring towards me 70 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: that it seemed like a small thing, so I didn't 71 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 2: push it. He's also a really hard worker and works 72 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 2: day and night. I initially worried that he didn't trust 73 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 2: me to see his house in case I turned stalker 74 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 2: or something. I thought, wait, with all the working hours, 75 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,839 Speaker 2: maybe he had already had a family or something like that. 76 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 2: Except he added me on his social media and openly 77 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: walked around town with me, so that didn't make sense. 78 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 2: I totally didn't realize the things he must have been 79 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 2: going through till way later we had our own place, 80 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 2: and I accidentally saw an old document that he had 81 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 2: with the DP address as his address, and it all 82 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 2: made sense. How he is always helping people who he 83 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 2: meets to have a hard time, bringing friends and getting 84 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 2: them a couch to sleep on, et cetera. At the time, 85 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 2: he helped me with any problems I was having but 86 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 2: is very religious and used to tell me that he 87 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 2: shared his problems with God. And me, being in my 88 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 2: little happy self and spending time with him, it was 89 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 2: enough for me to do to help him back. From 90 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 2: the woman's perspective, I respect. 91 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 3: Him so much. 92 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 2: He didn't lie to me, but he kind of made 93 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 2: it clear what he did and didn't want to talk about. 94 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 2: And I respected and accepted that I have a good 95 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 2: job and my own money. But he always liked to 96 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 2: pay for things like if we got coffee, et cetera. 97 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 2: Things were probably very hard for him, but I'm glad 98 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 2: that I didn't push it and forced him to be 99 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 2: vulnerable with me about his fears and circumstances, because because 100 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: I know him, and that would have damaged his pride 101 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 2: in himself. Sorry for the long rambling reply. I suppose 102 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 2: what I'm trying to say is, once you don't make 103 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 2: her a question how you feel about her, it's okay 104 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 2: to struggle and be man and keep your pride in 105 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 2: her eyes. Yeah, I feel like it's definitely up to 106 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 2: you what you want to talk about, for sure. I 107 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 2: hate that that makes you feel like opening up about 108 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 2: that makes you feel less prideful. You know, because it's 109 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 2: not really your fault any of this, you know, but 110 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: it's like, you. 111 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 1: Know, it's the messaging we're giving her a lot of 112 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: our lives. It's like, you know, to be a provider. 113 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: And then it's like, well, if you can't provide yourself 114 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: with the basic still, you know, and then there's yeah, 115 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: people out there who are really shallow, and there are 116 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: people out there who would go, oh, all right, bye, 117 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: right brokie, like. 118 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 3: Right, stuff happens, it's horrible. So yeah, makes sense. 119 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I'm sure that, like I mean, if she's 120 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 2: a good girlfriend, then hopefully she would still support you. 121 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: Yes, of course I should give my actual take along 122 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,039 Speaker 1: with that. You should talk to your girl because you 123 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,159 Speaker 1: would want to know either way if she was someone 124 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 1: who would just leave you. 125 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 3: Or if she's someone who would help you. So true, 126 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 3: you still have to just talk to her. 127 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,039 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I mean it's okay to like lean on 128 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 2: your girlfriend for support, you know, that's what they're there for. Mope, 129 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 2: your response to that comment this was really inspiring. I'm 130 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 2: really glad that you shared this with me. I actually 131 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 2: read it over two times because it made me feel 132 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 2: less bad about myself. I want to be that kind 133 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 2: of man one day. Like your husband, I try to 134 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 2: show up for my girlfriend and the few people in 135 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 2: my life, not as a burden, but someone that they 136 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 2: can rely on. Normally, I'm really good at presenting myself 137 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 2: a certain way, no matter what's happening to me. I 138 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 2: will go as far as to hide injuries, and I 139 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 2: think I have a really high pain tolerance. 140 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 3: Now. 141 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 2: I'm always smiling and I like to focus on other people, 142 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 2: not myself. But lately I'm working a lot more, and 143 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 2: even though I have a place to sleep every night, 144 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 2: there's this stress that never leaves. So I guess I'm 145 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 2: not as convincing as I usually am because I'm too tired. Like, 146 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 2: I don't know what I'm saying right now. What was 147 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 2: the point I was trying to make. I need to sleep, 148 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 2: But you said quote He didn't lie to me, but 149 00:05:57,600 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 2: he kind of made it clear what he did and 150 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 2: didn't want to talk about, and I respected and accepted 151 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: that maybe I could try approaching it somehow, just like that. 152 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 2: So the consensus from the comments is that opia is 153 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 2: not the a whole. 154 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: Well, thank god they're not saying that the eighteen year 155 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,039 Speaker 1: old the homeless boy is an a hole. 156 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, and that thing I feel like, obviously this is 157 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 2: like a hard time for him right now. But like so, 158 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 2: you know, you probably don't have the time or the 159 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 2: mental space to address like you know, keeping things in, 160 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 2: But that might be something to think about later in 161 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 2: life and reflect on. You don't have to keep things 162 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 2: in and just be happy all the time for other people. 163 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, no, because that'll make you go insane. 164 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, you'll break down. But we do have an update, howdy. 165 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 2: I just wanted to come back and share that I 166 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 2: ended up confiding in my girlfriend about my homelessness. She 167 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 2: was devastated for me, but ultimately I'm really glad that 168 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 2: I pushed myself to tell her the truth. It was 169 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 2: really eating at me, and it was a huge relief 170 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 2: in itself to no longer be carrying that around On 171 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 2: top of everything else. 172 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 3: We're still together. 173 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 2: Also a huge relief my girlfriend is keeping my homelessness 174 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: a secret. One thing I haven't shared with her or 175 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 2: anyone really outside of you guys, is that I continue 176 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 2: to struggle with feelings of shame and inadequacy about the situation. 177 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,279 Speaker 2: But I know those are more my internal dialogue and 178 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 2: not necessarily how others perceive me given that they don't 179 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: really know. I'm trying really hard to keep my head 180 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 2: up and maintain my self worth and convince myself that 181 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 2: I'm not trash. I also ended up telling the owner 182 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 2: of the gym that I've been crashing at what I've 183 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: been doing, as I suspected he knew about it, but 184 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 2: doesn't want to acknowledge it for insurance purposes. So essentially 185 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 2: this conversation didn't happen. He said that I can keep 186 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 2: doing it given that I find housing asap. I have 187 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 2: to move on to a new place to sleep if 188 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: I'm still homeless in a few weeks. There is a 189 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 2: little bit more into the story we have any final 190 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 2: thoughts before we move on. 191 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: Keeping secrets is a burden, and there's people who literally 192 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: like take stuff all the way to their deathbed and 193 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: then they'll be. 194 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 4: Like, h wait, this is one thing. 195 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, and it's like, yeah, get in front of it. 196 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 1: You don't want to have a secret your whole life 197 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: for you to keep, and you shouldn't. You know, I 198 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 1: have to keep this a secret from Yeah, your girlfriend 199 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: maybe not let it go on the first date, right. 200 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 2: Sure, but you know, Yeah, I think in general, like 201 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 2: if you're putting on this work in a being there 202 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 2: for other people, like you can let yourself lean on 203 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 2: them in exchange, you know, Like that's kind of the 204 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 2: give and take of friendships and girlfriends, people that are 205 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 2: close to you, like, you know, if you're there for them, 206 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 2: there for you, So take advantage of that. Maybe don't 207 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 2: take advantage of them, but like, you know, let yourself 208 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 2: relax a bit. Okay, there's a little bit more into 209 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 2: the story. So I've got two places pending that I 210 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 2: know are strongly considering me. I'd happily take either one. 211 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 2: Affordable housing here is really difficult to come by and 212 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 2: very competitive. There's a lot of interest per listing. I 213 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 2: started expanding my search area and this helped, although my 214 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 2: commute is going to be rough. Thanks again to everyone 215 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 2: who commented on my other post. Some more comments are 216 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,199 Speaker 2: from race Walk. You have people in your life that 217 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 2: care about you. Keep your head up and you will 218 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 2: get through this. Cherry Snuggles says, absolutely. The support Op's 219 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 2: gotten proved that they're not alone this, even if it 220 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 2: feels like it. Sometimes owning the truth like that takes 221 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 2: serious strength, and it's clear that they've got people who 222 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 2: truly care one step at a time. They've got this. 223 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 2: Puns and Roses four twenty says, honestly, man, I'm so 224 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 2: sorry here that you're going through this, and I'm sending 225 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 2: you an air hug. Sometimes just being able to confide 226 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 2: in people about the awful things that happen can be 227 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 2: a source of relief and just help with relieving the 228 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,559 Speaker 2: intense pressure and stress. If nothing else, and even if 229 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 2: the problems aren't fixed, being open about your situation is tough, 230 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 2: but for whatever it's worth, I'm honestly proud of you 231 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 2: for being brave enough to do it. Being eighteen in 232 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 2: the world is already hard enough. Having to face it 233 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 2: out of an unpleasant foster situation and with the stack 234 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 2: you've been given isn't fair or right. But I can 235 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 2: tell from what you've written that you've been fighting to 236 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 2: get to where you need to go. You'll get there. 237 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 2: You deserve to be happy and have a place to 238 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 2: call yours. You deserve to feel safe and get away 239 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 2: from the stress that you've been under. Op says, thank 240 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 2: you so much man, from the bottom of my heart, 241 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 2: I feel really glad that I posted here. I know 242 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 2: the we're all strangers but it's been so impactful for 243 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 2: me to read the comments. Thank you for taking time 244 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 2: to do that. It's hard to explain, but I needed 245 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 2: the boost that you gave me. It rewired how I 246 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 2: view myself for the better. And that's the story with 247 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:10,080 Speaker 2: a lovely ending. 248 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 4: Zah, hey, it's John here. We're gonna get back to 249 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 4: this episode, but a quick three minute break with Asthramur sponsors. 250 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 4: I think my girlfriend is cheating on me through her 251 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 4: Dungeons and Dragons game. 252 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 3: I guess she year old and nat one on deception. 253 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 4: I twenty seven male, have been going out with my girlfriend, 254 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 4: twenty five female for almost four years, and we've been 255 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 4: living together for a few months. She's funny and wonderful 256 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 4: and kind and honestly pretty much everything I've ever wanted 257 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 4: in a girl. She's also a bit of a D 258 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 4: and D type NERD, which I don't think is a 259 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 4: bad thing. It's good that she has her own friends 260 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 4: and hobbies. By the way, this comes from leaving questions 261 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 4: and if you want to submit your own stories, go 262 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 4: to the r slash Okay storytime separateding. So she tried 263 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 4: getting me into it, but I don't really get it. 264 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 4: She tried teaching me about Dungeons and Dragons, but there 265 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 4: were just too many weird rules in dice and I 266 00:10:58,160 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 4: just didn't see the fun in it. 267 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 3: That's a red flag. Maybe she's a bad teacher. 268 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,959 Speaker 4: We tried playing boulders Gate three together, thinking that it 269 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 4: would be easier to get into for me and for 270 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 4: me to experience her world in a way, but I 271 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 4: got really bored, really fast, and at that point it 272 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 4: was better to let her do her own thing. We've 273 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 4: got plenty of other stuff that we do together, and 274 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 4: as I said, it's not a big deal for her 275 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:21,839 Speaker 4: to have hobbies that don't include me, and she does 276 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 4: love her hobby, and she gets very excited about her 277 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 4: weekly games and sometimes tells me about the epic adventures 278 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 4: they gone, which admittedly sounds pretty fun secondhand, but is 279 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 4: not really fun for me. We live in a two 280 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 4: bedroom apartment, so we have a bedroom and a home 281 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 4: office that we share where our laptops are. Her Dungeons 282 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 4: and Dragons games are online and usually happen in the evening, 283 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 4: so I just hang out in the living room or 284 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 4: go out when she plays, so it's not too intrude. 285 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 4: But a few weeks ago, I noticed that she locks 286 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 4: the door when she plays interesting it. 287 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 5: Depends how intense the D and D sessions are. 288 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 4: I thought it was a little weird, because why would 289 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 4: you lock the door to play Dungeons and Dragons? And 290 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,200 Speaker 4: it didn't sit right with me. So I did what 291 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 4: I now think might have been very sad and pathetic, 292 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 4: but I genuinely didn't know what else to do. The 293 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 4: last few weeks when she had her game, I sat 294 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 4: out in the hall by the door and I listened. 295 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 3: I understand that he's coming from a place of, you know, suspicion. 296 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 3: I do think we could have just been like, hey, 297 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 3: can I come listen to one of your games. 298 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 4: She uses headphone, so I could only really hear her 299 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 4: side of the game, and at first it was just 300 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 4: some stuff about rolling dice, joking around with her friends 301 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 4: and spells doing whatever. But I kept at it. I 302 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 4: sat there for four hours last week. She also said 303 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 4: that me sitting outside to listen in on our game 304 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:42,839 Speaker 4: was a violation of her privacy and showed that he 305 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 4: didn't trust her, which was why she felt like she 306 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,960 Speaker 4: needed to lock the door in the first place. I 307 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 4: apologize for that, but at the same time, I said 308 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 4: that me being wrong to Eavesdrop doesn't justify what she did, 309 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 4: to which she said she didn't do anything wrong. It 310 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 4: was just what the game was and it was just 311 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 4: a game. But that made me feel even worse. Maybe 312 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 4: I'm being whiny or misreading it, but she is the 313 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,959 Speaker 4: first person that I was ever really vulnerable with like that, 314 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:08,959 Speaker 4: and the way she spoke to me when she told 315 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 4: me how much she loved me, it was just so 316 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 4: similar to the way she spoke as her character that 317 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 4: it made me uncomfortable. It made me feel like something 318 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 4: was only mine and only for me was just being 319 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 4: given to someone else for a game, and it felt 320 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 4: like it cheapened it. Was she faking it with me? 321 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 4: Was she genuinely feeling that for another person. I don't 322 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 4: know what exactly it is that's bothering me, because technically 323 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 4: she's not wrong, But I don't care if she's technically 324 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 4: not cheating. I just feel like there are certain sides 325 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 4: of my girlfriend that should be reserved only for me, 326 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 4: shouldn't there. I couldn't really verbalize it to her, and 327 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 4: after a bunch of arguing back and forth, we just 328 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:48,319 Speaker 4: went to bed, and for the past few days we've 329 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 4: been in this weird state of limbo where we're both 330 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 4: going on like nothing happened, but also there's clearly tension. Today, 331 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:56,679 Speaker 4: I couldn't take it anymore and said that we needed 332 00:13:56,679 --> 00:13:59,080 Speaker 4: to talk about it. I said that I understood her 333 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 4: hobbies are important to her, but I am her boyfriend 334 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:04,440 Speaker 4: and there should be certain things that are just for me. 335 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 4: I can't go on knowing that she's talking like that 336 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 4: to some other guy. So I told her that I 337 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 4: support her going on with the games, but I ask 338 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 4: that she no longer locks the door and no longer 339 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 4: do whatever romantic stuff that she does in game. Why 340 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 4: I even play? 341 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 3: Why even play? 342 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 4: She said, I didn't mind when she talked to me 343 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 4: at length about her romance with the Astereon guy in 344 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 4: Balder's Gate. I told her again that that's not the same. 345 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 4: I don't mind her playing at romance with a bunch 346 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 4: of pixels and being moved by fiction, but that her 347 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 4: D and D game isn't just fiction. It's her telling 348 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 4: those things to an actual person, and that bothers me, 349 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 4: so I want her to stop. She said I was 350 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 4: being possessive and controlling, and that I can't tell her 351 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 4: to not have hobbies or how to behave. I told 352 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 4: her that's true, but if she doesn't understand how I 353 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 4: feel about this, we might not have a future together. 354 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 4: She got angrier and said, I'm clearly not in a 355 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 4: state to be having this discussion, and we'll talk again 356 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 4: when I've calmed down and we went to school. She's 357 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 4: getting her MA. But in the time since I've been 358 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 4: the opposite of calming down, I just get more upset 359 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 4: the more I think about it. Clearly, me being upset 360 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 4: should at least make her consider stopping, even if she 361 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 4: isn't actually cheating out right. Shouldn't my feelings matter on 362 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 4: this issue? But also maybe I'm not being reasonable, maybe 363 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 4: I am overreacting. Help. 364 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 3: Oh boy, I can't wait for the comments to roast you. 365 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 4: We have a very charged up Sophia Donner. Sophia, the 366 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 4: floor is yours. 367 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 3: I'm upset again. She is acting. She is playing a 368 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 3: character in a game that is completely different from her. However, 369 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 3: a lot of who she is comes probably because she's 370 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 3: not like a professional actor. Even if she was, a 371 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 3: lot of who you are comes out in the characters, 372 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 3: because you don't necessarily if you're not like a professional. 373 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 3: You don't know how to create an entirely different person 374 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 3: from you who's like so far removed. So she's pulling 375 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 3: from what she knows to create and play a character 376 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 3: for a game. The fact that, I mean, okay, I 377 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 3: don't think that this is like they have to break up. 378 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 3: I think that there is a way they can get 379 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 3: out of this. If she makes him watch just hours 380 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 3: of D and D podcasts. I need him to go. 381 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 3: His homework is to go watch D and D podcasts 382 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:28,440 Speaker 3: to understand that these are actors playing characters and that 383 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 3: everything that happens in the worlds as long as all 384 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 3: of the players are you know, consenting and everything, and 385 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 3: it's not like icky, you. 386 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 4: Know, like stuff that makes everyone's on board, everyone's comfortable. 387 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 3: Everyone's on board, everyone's comfortable. Then it has nothing to 388 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 3: do with your relationship outside. Yeah, it's just completely different. Again, 389 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 3: This is the same as actors acting in a play 390 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 3: and confessing love to someone in a play. I mean, 391 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 3: like in his whole thing about like, oh, well, you're 392 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 3: reading lines. Okay, Well what if I'm improvising in the 393 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 3: scene and I confess love to someone. 394 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 5: That's not real And guess what, D and D is improv. 395 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a really interesting scenario because it's like I 396 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 4: think again, like me not understanding D and D at 397 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:16,120 Speaker 4: all the actors example, I'm like, I get it instantaneously, right, Yeah, Yeah, 398 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 4: it's like, hey, if this is acting, I will say too, though, 399 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 4: And I'm curious on both of your perspective of specifically 400 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 4: U Sophia, Like I could see someone saying and I 401 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 4: think this would be reasonable where it's like, hey, I 402 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 4: understand like people who are actors, like you have scenes 403 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 4: where you're confessing love or maybe like there's like scenes 404 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 4: or whatever in a movie, in a play or whatever, 405 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 4: and it's like I totally respect that and salute to that, 406 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 4: but I don't know if I'm built for that, if 407 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 4: my partner is doing that. But you just don't like 408 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 4: that's just like a misalignment and you don't like try 409 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 4: to make something work that doesn't work. There, We've got 410 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 4: some other relement commis, Lads and gentlemen. What a breakdown, 411 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,120 Speaker 4: So low Flight thirty seven and one says, I'm sorry 412 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 4: to say this, but yes absolutely I don't play Dungeons 413 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 4: and Dragons anymore and don't like it. But people do 414 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 4: all sorts of things to maintain an atmosphere where they 415 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 4: feel safe. Role Playing is incredibly vulnerable, and it's easy 416 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,639 Speaker 4: to feel stupid if someone overhears. You should have asked 417 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 4: why she locked it if you were curious, again, get curious, Yeah, 418 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:15,400 Speaker 4: get curious before invading privacy always, or just don't invade privacy. 419 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 4: Try that. Your post implies that, rather than her having 420 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 4: an actual emotional affair, which is possible but unlikely, the 421 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 4: point of contention is the act of saying it to 422 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 4: someone else hurt your feelings. I can see why it would, honestly, 423 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 4: but you hit her with a double whammy. You invaded 424 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,479 Speaker 4: her privacy and then made an accusation. She's not going 425 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 4: to be in a state to be considerate of your 426 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 4: feelings after that. Do you want a relationship to still 427 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 4: be there after you win the argument? I don't want 428 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 4: to be harsh, but this seems like a bad situation. 429 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 4: You're probably a decent person and you're hurt right now, 430 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:49,439 Speaker 4: but there are times when you have to recognize that 431 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 4: you're the transgressor tild art. Yes, if you had asked 432 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 4: about the lock, or asked more about what the games 433 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 4: are like before eavesdropping, you would likely not be surprised 434 00:18:58,440 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 4: and hurt. 435 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 3: I agree if you had gotten a little bit more curious. 436 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:02,159 Speaker 3: I mean like she's trying to teach him, and I 437 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 3: think probably every time she's talked about it, he's like, yeah, okay, 438 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,879 Speaker 3: it so many rules, and I feel like if you 439 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 3: have asked a couple more questions about what was normal 440 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 3: or even done in little research before he made all 441 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 3: of those you know, demands. 442 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 4: I accept that I probably appt up here, maybe a lot, 443 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 4: and I will apologize for it. But I just can't 444 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 4: be okay with her simulating a romantic relationship with another person. 445 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 4: I can't. And if I just apologize and let it go, 446 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 4: I'm going to be spending the rest of our time 447 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 4: together feeling like I have to share her emotional vulnerability, 448 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:34,920 Speaker 4: if that makes sense. I don't want to be apprude, 449 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 4: but I can't get comfortable with my girlfriend telling other 450 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 4: people she loves them romantically, even in the context of 451 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 4: a game. It hurts too much. And we have an update, 452 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 4: ladies and gentlemen. So, having read the comments y'all gave, 453 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 4: I thought I maybe was actually overreacting and really did 454 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 4: f up. Especially helpful I thought was a comment someone 455 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 4: made about asking her about maybe keeping the door unlocked 456 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 4: and being allowed to listen in on the session to 457 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 4: get content and learn to accept her hobby and let 458 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 4: her still enjoy it without me spiraling. So when she 459 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:08,400 Speaker 4: came home from school, I made an apology dinner, homemade 460 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 4: pizza from scratch, her favorite. When I saw pizza at first, 461 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 4: I'm like, dude, I'm like homemade pizza. 462 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 3: Okay, pizza from unnamed. 463 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 4: Jane, and so we then sat down to talk. She 464 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 4: started by demanding an apology because whatever else I say, 465 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 4: eavesdropping and not trusting her were huge f ups on 466 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 4: my part. I agreed and apologized immediately because that was 467 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 4: crappy behavior on my part. No question. That helped her 468 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 4: to be more open to hearing me out. So I said, 469 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 4: more calmly and tactfully, that it bothers me that she 470 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 4: is simulating romantic love with a person I don't know 471 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 4: in a context I don't understand. I said that I 472 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 4: can and do apologize for my actions, but I can't 473 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 4: change how I feel, and that also needs to be discussed. 474 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 4: So she asked what I had in mind. I told 475 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:53,439 Speaker 4: her I think that trust should go both ways, so 476 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 4: me trusting that the game is just a game and 477 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 4: it doesn't mean anything is well and good. But in return, 478 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 4: I'd like for her to keep the door unlocked and 479 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 4: let me sit in for a few sessions. I promised 480 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 4: not to be disruptive, not to overreact or interrupt the game, 481 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:07,879 Speaker 4: and to bring up any issues I had privately with 482 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 4: her until after the game was over. She seemed relieved 483 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,399 Speaker 4: because she was so worried I'd demand she'd drop the 484 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:16,159 Speaker 4: game or break up with her, and she said personally 485 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,399 Speaker 4: she didn't mind, but she needed to bring it up 486 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 4: with her group, which I thought was very reasonable. The 487 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 4: rest of the evening, though, she was constantly on her phone, 488 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 4: constantly getting Discord notifications and seemed more and more upset. 489 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 4: This lasted for literally hours well into the night passed. 490 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 4: When I was asleep. I asked if anything was wrong, 491 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 4: and she said maybe, but not to wait up, and 492 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 4: she promised to tell me everything in the morning. 493 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,880 Speaker 3: She's getting all these notifications. 494 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, and maybe she even shared like yeah. 495 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 3: She might have said like he's not really comfortable, so 496 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 3: he wants to listen in and they were like no. 497 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 4: So I didn't get much sleep, but I also didn't 498 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,199 Speaker 4: want to pry too much, having just promised not to 499 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,520 Speaker 4: good boy. So come morning, when I asked what happened, 500 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 4: since she clearly didn't get much sleep and was clearly nervous, 501 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:58,199 Speaker 4: she said she brought it up with the group, and 502 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,720 Speaker 4: reactions were mixed. I'm going to give these people fake 503 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 4: names to track. So when she brought it up, everyone 504 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 4: seemed okay with me listening in except Joe. Now, this 505 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 4: obviously made my girlfriend respond that seeing the relationship between 506 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,439 Speaker 4: their characters was the whole point of me listening in, 507 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 4: to which he said that I'm being unreasonable and violating 508 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 4: his boundaries by making unreasonable demands. This was already pretty 509 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 4: bad in my eyes, but then she told me about 510 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,400 Speaker 4: the private messages after the group exchange. She got three messages. 511 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:31,160 Speaker 4: One was from Joe. Joe wrote a long, really really 512 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 4: long message about how much he cared about her, how 513 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 4: much it hurt him to see her dim her light 514 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 4: to appease a controlling, harmful boyfriend who stifled her creativity, 515 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 4: and how she should be with someone who appreciated her, 516 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 4: and that he was available if she wanted to talk. 517 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,880 Speaker 4: He finished with a paragraph about how women like her 518 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 4: always go for the selfish a holes and don't appreciate 519 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 4: all the wonderful guys around them. How he felt such 520 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 4: a connection with her through their characters, and how could 521 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 4: she ignore it. I genuinely couldn't believe I was seeing 522 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 4: one of these in the wild. I don't usually get 523 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 4: secondhand embarrassment, but that crap is so cringe. I almost 524 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 4: passed away, like I genuinely laughed. I couldn't really be 525 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 4: angry because that crap was just so sad. She also 526 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:18,880 Speaker 4: got messages from Jenny, another player, who said Joe seemed 527 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,880 Speaker 4: way too invested in the romance for her taste, and 528 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 4: she thought that those segments were taking up a lot 529 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 4: of game time, which she thought was better used elsewhere. 530 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 4: She never said anything because she thought that my girlfriend 531 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:31,920 Speaker 4: was really into it, but now that it became an issue, 532 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 4: she thought that she should. She also mentioned she found 533 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:37,760 Speaker 4: Joe creepy, which I personally appreciate. Jenny's a girls girl. 534 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:39,719 Speaker 4: I don't know any of these people irl because it's 535 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 4: an online group, but I certainly think Jenny might be 536 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 4: my new best friend. Finally, there was a message from Mitch, 537 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 4: the man running the game, who said that Joe reached 538 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,439 Speaker 4: out to him demanding I not be allowed and this 539 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 4: is a quote to violate the intimacy of the group, 540 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 4: and he should talk to my girlfriend too to get 541 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 4: her to drop me listening in and possibly drop me 542 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:05,120 Speaker 4: all together. I don't even know how or why Mitch 543 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 4: would even attempt to do that. Mitch make her breakup 544 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 4: with her boyfriend, nigger, break up with him? 545 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 3: You wait, Mitch, you're the DM mitge, come on, roll. 546 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 4: The dice and piket all. This resulted in them canceling 547 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,959 Speaker 4: the next game as they work it out. My girlfriend 548 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 4: didn't respond to Joe yet, but at least she seems 549 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 4: relieved that I am taking this well. I told her, 550 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 4: of course I am. I'm not going to be upset 551 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:31,400 Speaker 4: over some guy being into her. This is good. She's wonderful. 552 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 4: Of course, guys are going to be into her wherever 553 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 4: she goes. The issue I was worried about was that 554 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 4: she was into him back, and these messages convinced me 555 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 4: that that is clearly not the case, which seems to 556 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 4: have made her feel a lot better. We talked a 557 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 4: bit more, and now she seems to agree that locking 558 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 4: the door in context might have seemed suspicious and that 559 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 4: going forward, our ground rule should be that character dynamics 560 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:53,760 Speaker 4: that make her feel like she should lock the door 561 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 4: might be the exact dynamics she should make me aware of, 562 00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 4: which I promised to trust her to tell me these 563 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:01,919 Speaker 4: things and to not eat drop anymore into approach her 564 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:07,240 Speaker 4: openly about listening in on sessions. Also, the romance with 565 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 4: Joe's character isn't going to continue. 566 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 3: I think Joe should be like out of the group. 567 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, Joe sounds like a terrible person to have in 568 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 4: the group. 569 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 3: Like again, like in past D and D experiences and stuff, 570 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 3: where like I've had a couple of moments where someone 571 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 3: has kind of cross boundaries or like made someone else 572 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 3: uncomfortable and the DM was super recepted. Like, as a DM, 573 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,680 Speaker 3: I think you are kind of like HR. You are 574 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 3: like the boss, You're a game kind of, but you're 575 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 3: also HR. And so people come to you. Hopefully you're 576 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 3: a good person, but people come to you, and so 577 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 3: you have to make sure that everyone feels comfortable. And 578 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 3: so I think that they should get rid of Joe. 579 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 4: Imagine Joe's the duender Master. 580 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:49,479 Speaker 3: And that does happen. 581 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 4: Everyone you must love me and break up with their boyfriends. 582 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 3: Unfortunately, that is a thing that happened. 583 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 5: There are some really power or crazy dms out there. 584 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 3: Especially when you have like women in a group, you 585 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:06,160 Speaker 3: have to be very careful. 586 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:09,120 Speaker 4: Now. Also, the romance with Joe's character isn't going to continue, 587 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 4: but seeing how she feels about Joe now, I think 588 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 4: I do trust her to do character romance going forward, 589 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:16,400 Speaker 4: just to not hide it from me or be selective 590 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 4: who she does it with. I don't know how this 591 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 4: Joe situation is going to be handled within the group, 592 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 4: but I guess that's up to them, since playing with 593 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 4: him is obviously going to be very awkward for her guests. 594 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 4: Since she doesn't intend to keep up the romance, it 595 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:31,880 Speaker 4: doesn't really matter. Small edit since the situation has basically 596 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 4: resolved itself now, Joe didn't like being left on Red, 597 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 4: so he wrote my girlfriend a very rude message here 598 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:40,720 Speaker 4: we go about how I kid you not she was 599 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 4: going to pass away alone with cats because her a 600 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 4: whole boyfriend is going to leave her when she loses 601 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 4: her looks. He literally never saw her in person, to 602 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 4: be clear, uncovering my secret plan, I guess. So she 603 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 4: blocked him and sent a screenshot to Mitch. Joe isn't 604 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 4: going to be part of the group anymore. I'm sorry, 605 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 4: but like just the very first, if I'm like Dungeon Master, yeah, 606 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 4: block absolutely second that Don. 607 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:07,400 Speaker 3: Joe comes to anyone and says they have to break 608 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 3: up with their girlfriend and I am in love with 609 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 3: or like whatever you said. 610 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 4: Bye bye, abay girlfriend, apologize for not recognizing how absolutely 611 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:20,480 Speaker 4: unhinged this guy was. We reasserted that in any game 612 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,119 Speaker 4: interaction she isn't comfortable having in front of me is 613 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 4: probably one that she shouldn't be having. Relevant comments Familiar 614 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 4: Barraque to forty three says, I'm glad everything seems well, 615 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 4: but I feel like you still need to have a 616 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 4: discussion about why she was locking the door in the 617 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,640 Speaker 4: first place, because to me, that says on some level 618 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 4: she knew it was wrong and that it would hurt you, 619 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:39,719 Speaker 4: And if I was you, I'd be unable to not 620 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 4: cope with that until I get the full truth. 621 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 3: I mean, I disagree with that because I feel like 622 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 3: they've already addressed it. Yes, and also we know that 623 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:49,640 Speaker 3: the first four hour session nothing happened. Yeah, so it's 624 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 3: not like you know. 625 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 4: She didn't like this is something that she very much loves. 626 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 4: She wants to be able to do it and express 627 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 4: herself fully without limitation. 628 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, Like, it's clearly not that every time she has 629 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,399 Speaker 3: a session she's like romancing someone or whatever. It's like 630 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 3: we already know she got watched or listened to. It 631 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 3: was fine. 632 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:09,360 Speaker 4: I feel like it. I was like she got uncomfortable 633 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:11,679 Speaker 4: because she's like, oh, I don't want to feel like 634 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 4: I have to change myself or something like that, Opie says. 635 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:18,480 Speaker 4: From what she said, since it basically wasn't so much 636 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:21,160 Speaker 4: about knowing this was wrong, since she supposedly was locking 637 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:22,920 Speaker 4: her door at her parents' home too, which is where 638 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:25,480 Speaker 4: she lived before and before the romance even took place, 639 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 4: and more about feeling safe to get into the headspace 640 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:30,879 Speaker 4: to perform. Since I explained that this was part of 641 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:32,879 Speaker 4: what made it feel so off to me, and given 642 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 4: how Joe clearly had a very different view of the 643 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:37,920 Speaker 4: situation than her, she agreed that going forward, the door 644 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 4: should remain unlocked, and she will work on getting more 645 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 4: comfortable performing even in my presence, be it with me 646 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 4: in voice chat or president in the room. Since Joe's 647 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 4: reaction clearly didn't happen to a void unhinged as it was, 648 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 4: and we have this relevant comment. Pea Buns says, you 649 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 4: were very valid with your feelings of being uncomfortable with 650 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 4: your partner emulating love with another, even if it was 651 00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 4: just role playing. I myself played D and D and 652 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 4: would be super uncomfort if my partner was sitting there 653 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 4: flirting at the table with someone else quote unquote in character. 654 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 4: So it's understandable that you would be two. I'm not 655 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,040 Speaker 4: sure why people thought your boundaries you're wrong on your 656 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:11,640 Speaker 4: initial post. Glad you guys could figure it out. Nonetheless, 657 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 4: and Opie says, I'm not saying this is going to 658 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 4: be easy, but I love her and if this is 659 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 4: important to her, I feel I owe her at least 660 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 4: the benefit of giving her that grace. 661 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 3: Don't fully agree with that last commenter. Again, like an 662 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 3: excellent example of this is the D and D show 663 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 3: that I watched to mention twenty, the original group that 664 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 3: they have. There is a married couple in it and 665 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 3: they both romance. You know, different characters all the time, 666 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 3: so it's you know, at the. 667 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 4: End of the day, don't control people, don't control, don't 668 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 4: be doing it, but. 669 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 3: You can still express as long as you're truthful and 670 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:46,440 Speaker 3: you don't eavesdrop on their conversations for six hours. If 671 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 3: OPI had gone to his partner and said, Hey, why'd 672 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 3: you lock the door? It makes me a little bit insecure. 673 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:53,720 Speaker 3: Probably would have solved things way earlier. 674 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 4: Would have all come out for ladies and gentlemen. That's 675 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 4: the end of that story. Hey, it's Sam. We're going 676 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 4: to get back to these stories. But here's three minutes 677 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:02,040 Speaker 4: of ads for our sponsors. 678 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 3: I gave my boyfriend an engagement ultimatum. I want to 679 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 3: take it back. 680 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 5: Hmmmmm. 681 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 3: My boyfriend and I are both young professionals in our 682 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 3: late twenties who moved in together six months ago after 683 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 3: graduating from professional school and relocating to a new city 684 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 3: for work. We have been together for four years and 685 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 3: have had no issues adjusting to living together. We're happy together, 686 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 3: want the same things out of life, and take excellent 687 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 3: care of each other. By the way, this comes from 688 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:33,560 Speaker 3: dangerous grocery and if you want to smit your own stories, 689 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 3: good with the arslash. Okay, storytime hubvered it. So. The 690 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 3: issue is that I have known for a while that 691 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 3: he's the person that I want to spend my life 692 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:45,240 Speaker 3: with and I would like to settle down and hopefully 693 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 3: start a family soon. I have been in a serious 694 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,520 Speaker 3: relationship also lasted four years before him, so I know 695 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 3: what I'm looking for. On the other hand, my boyfriend 696 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 3: is not in the same headspace as me about this 697 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 3: for a few reasons. One, he was a late bloomer 698 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 3: when it comes to relationship and I was his first 699 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 3: real girlfriend. And two, he has a hard time making 700 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 3: decisions about everything from his job to what pair of 701 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 3: shoes to buy. When we discussed the future, I am 702 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 3: very clear that I'm ready to settle down with him asap. 703 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 3: He is also very clear that he loves me. He 704 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 3: thinks we have a great thing, but he wants to 705 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 3: take more time to see where it goes. He also 706 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 3: jokes around about how he hasn't banged enough chicks. We 707 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 3: had some serious commitment discussions last year when we were 708 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:32,880 Speaker 3: deciding where to live after graduating, and I told him 709 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 3: that I wasn't going to try to relocate to the 710 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 3: same city as him unless we were engaged. He didn't propose, 711 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 3: and I stuck to my pupews. Despite very slim odds, 712 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:46,960 Speaker 3: we both coincidentally found jobs in the same city halfway 713 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 3: across the country, so we moved there together and got 714 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 3: an apartment together. Now I'm starting to get fed up 715 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 3: and heard about this situation. It was causing a lot 716 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 3: of stress for me, and it was the main point 717 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:02,960 Speaker 3: of contention in our relationship. So in September twenty seventeen, 718 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 3: I told him that when our lease is up in 719 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 3: April twenty eighteen, I was going to move out unless 720 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 3: we were engaged. He hasn't made a decision ever in 721 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 3: his life without a deadline, so I figured this would 722 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:19,479 Speaker 3: help nudge him in the right direction. However, I'm starting 723 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 3: to worry that he's not going to propose, mostly because 724 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 3: he's telling me that he's not going to propose. Are 725 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 3: we sure? He's like, I don't know. I just get 726 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 3: the feeling that he's not going to propose because he 727 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 3: told me that. 728 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:35,160 Speaker 4: But wait, won't he do the opposite of what he's 729 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 4: exactly telling you? 730 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 3: Now I'm regretting this ultimatum, and I think maybe I 731 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 3: was stupid for ruining a good thing by trying to 732 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 3: rush things, but it's been four years. Also, I worry 733 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 3: that if he does propose, it will be forced and 734 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 3: he'll always regret it. On the other hand, I gave 735 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 3: him basically the same ultimatum last year during our job search, 736 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:58,040 Speaker 3: and he made it very clear that he'd rather end 737 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 3: up in different cities, which no US would likely mean 738 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 3: breaking up, then get engaged. I'd like to think that 739 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 3: I am being rational and empowered here, But am I 740 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 3: being stupid and desperate? If he doesn't propose by April, 741 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 3: should I stick to my pews and move out, basically 742 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 3: sacrificing this great relationship because it wasn't moving at my pace. 743 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 3: I'm happy to answer any questions to the situation is 744 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:25,040 Speaker 3: getting so stressful, and I appreciate anyone who takes the 745 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 3: time to read this and give advice. And there is 746 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:29,360 Speaker 3: an update, But what are your thoughts? 747 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 4: John, It's just giving the classic like, oh, my partner 748 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 4: is so perfect except for everything about them, but then 749 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 4: also all the other things, like bro is literally telling 750 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:43,239 Speaker 4: you that he wants to bang other chicks. He's not 751 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 4: ready to commit, And I think, like, it's not that 752 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:48,400 Speaker 4: you're stupid and desperate, but I think we need to 753 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,040 Speaker 4: recognize the situation for what it is. And it's like 754 00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:55,640 Speaker 4: he does not want to commit, potentially doesn't even want 755 00:33:55,640 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 4: to be in this relationship. He's just like waiting for 756 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:01,720 Speaker 4: you to end it. Like it is good to recognize 757 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:06,120 Speaker 4: those things because when you try to ultimatum or like, 758 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 4: you know, hard, you kind of hard press someone into 759 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:12,320 Speaker 4: doing something that's not gonna be a winning scenario. 760 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:15,080 Speaker 3: If you have to ultimate them someone into a proposal, 761 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 3: you guys probably aren't ready to get married. Ready. I 762 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 3: don't think they're ready. 763 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 4: That's what I think. 764 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:23,879 Speaker 3: I agree completely with you, John One. You can't force 765 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:26,360 Speaker 3: someone to marry you. And also, it just really doesn't 766 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:28,520 Speaker 3: seem like this guy wants to be in a relationship 767 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:30,640 Speaker 3: with you. It just feels like he thinks it's the 768 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:33,000 Speaker 3: easiest option. He's like, I mean, I guess we're in 769 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:35,520 Speaker 3: the same city. So he's like, if I have the 770 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:37,880 Speaker 3: opportunity to bang other chicks. 771 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:39,080 Speaker 4: What do you think I'm gonna do. 772 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:41,280 Speaker 3: I don't think that you're wrong for wanting to marry 773 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 3: someone after four years. I just think you're different. 774 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:45,680 Speaker 4: But bro does kind of suck. 775 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:49,239 Speaker 3: Bang other chicks. Saying that to your girlfriend wild and 776 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 3: she's like, yeah, he just makes funny jokes. He's just acting. 777 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:54,319 Speaker 3: It's like, no, girl, we're not playing D and D. 778 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:56,640 Speaker 3: This is real, live, but there is an update. Let's 779 00:34:56,640 --> 00:35:00,960 Speaker 3: go now on to the update. Boyfriend knew and acknowledged 780 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:03,640 Speaker 3: the ultimatum. He's like, yeah, I hear you, and I 781 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:05,799 Speaker 3: tried to use this as a springboard to have a 782 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:09,520 Speaker 3: serious conversation about where he sees the future going. We 783 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:12,880 Speaker 3: did have some sit down talks that didn't really go anywhere, 784 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:16,200 Speaker 3: and he told me to stop bringing up so I stopped. 785 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:19,240 Speaker 3: We carried on for a little while being our happy 786 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 3: selves without mentioning the ultimatum. Part of me hoped he 787 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:24,840 Speaker 3: had a proposal planned and would surprise me. 788 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:29,200 Speaker 4: Okay, op, we have to open our eyes for ourselves. 789 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:31,759 Speaker 3: The man saying that he doesn't want to marry you 790 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:34,480 Speaker 3: and he wants to bang other chicks is not planning 791 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:37,960 Speaker 3: a surprise proposal for you. Now. We are ten days 792 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 3: away from March thirty, first deadline, which I one hundred 793 00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:45,840 Speaker 3: percent planned to stick to, and he just told me 794 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,239 Speaker 3: that he wants me to visit his parents in their 795 00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 3: home in September, and after the visit he would then 796 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:55,760 Speaker 3: talk with them about our relationship and consider proposing around December. Wait, 797 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:57,640 Speaker 3: now he's kind of changing his mind. 798 00:35:57,840 --> 00:35:58,759 Speaker 4: He's thinking about it. 799 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,880 Speaker 3: Part of me is so insulted and angry by this idea. 800 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:04,120 Speaker 3: First of all, I have met his parents before and 801 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:06,799 Speaker 3: actually spent plenty of quality time with them so far. 802 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 3: I like them, they like me. 803 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:08,920 Speaker 4: They live in a. 804 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 3: More isolated state that's hard to get to from where 805 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:14,399 Speaker 3: I live. Playing tickets are pretty expensive and it would 806 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:17,239 Speaker 3: be a two day drive. I have suggested that I 807 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,800 Speaker 3: visit them multiple times, and we've had plenty of opportunities 808 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 3: to do so, but my boyfriend was against it for 809 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 3: one reason or another. The saddest thing is that we 810 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:30,799 Speaker 3: both coordinated time off work last week. We knew about 811 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:33,439 Speaker 3: the vacation for months and had plenty of time to plan. 812 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 3: He told me that he was going to visit his 813 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 3: parents and said that he was thinking about asking me 814 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:41,880 Speaker 3: to come with, but kept it vague. He's telling you 815 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:45,080 Speaker 3: that he was thinking about asking you to come with. 816 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:47,200 Speaker 3: He hasn't even asked you to come with. 817 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 4: I'm like thinking about it, but like there's these like 818 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:53,880 Speaker 4: other chicks that I want to bang, and like I 819 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:56,600 Speaker 4: might invite them, so you know, I'm thinking about it. 820 00:36:56,680 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 3: I looked up flights which were reasonable in price at 821 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:01,359 Speaker 3: the time, and tried to play and everything. But when 822 00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:05,799 Speaker 3: I presented the information to boyfriend, he would say now 823 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:09,439 Speaker 3: too busy and put off planning the trip. Then, less 824 00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:12,880 Speaker 3: than three weeks before the vacation started, boyfriend told me 825 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 3: I needed to come to his family's home with him 826 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 3: on this trip, and if that didn't happen, there was 827 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:21,440 Speaker 3: no way he would propose. By that time, all the 828 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:23,840 Speaker 3: flights I had been tracking had gone way up in 829 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:27,160 Speaker 3: price because the departure date was so close. It would 830 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:29,480 Speaker 3: have been financially very tight for me to pay for 831 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:31,600 Speaker 3: the flight. And honestly, I think what he did was 832 00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:34,960 Speaker 3: crappy because he told me at the last minute what 833 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:38,319 Speaker 3: I had to do instead of planning in advance like 834 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:40,759 Speaker 3: I had tried to do. So I thought it over 835 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:43,440 Speaker 3: and decided not to go with him. Now he is 836 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:46,040 Speaker 3: saying the reason he can't propose is because I haven't 837 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:49,480 Speaker 3: met his family in their home. Like I said, I 838 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:51,800 Speaker 3: met his family a handful of times in the past. 839 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:54,960 Speaker 3: His family and my family have met each other. He 840 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:57,400 Speaker 3: says that this needs to happen for his family to 841 00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:00,520 Speaker 3: be okay with us getting married. He had told me 842 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:03,320 Speaker 3: any time before the vacation was close and flight price 843 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 3: is shot up, it would have been fine. We had 844 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:09,640 Speaker 3: multiple vacations since I issued the ultimatum, and we could 845 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:12,040 Speaker 3: have gone to visit his parents. Then I feel like 846 00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:14,600 Speaker 3: this whole thing was him setting me up for failure 847 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:17,600 Speaker 3: so that he could not propose and then blame it 848 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,040 Speaker 3: on me. Not sure if it's relevant, but he is 849 00:38:20,040 --> 00:38:22,759 Speaker 3: Asian American and I am white. He was born in 850 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:25,480 Speaker 3: the US. I asked him if the need for me 851 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:28,520 Speaker 3: to visit his parents' home before he proposes is an 852 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:33,759 Speaker 3: aspect of his culture, and he said maybe. What he's like, oh, 853 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:35,960 Speaker 3: that's actually a pretty good excuse. 854 00:38:36,040 --> 00:38:41,719 Speaker 4: Yeah, maybe is a larious Maybe just maybe is crazy. 855 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:44,880 Speaker 3: I don't want to be culturally insensitive at all, So 856 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:48,160 Speaker 3: if anyone has knowledge about this, please sure. He doesn't 857 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:51,320 Speaker 3: even have knowledge about this. Now that we're ten days 858 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:54,080 Speaker 3: out and he's realizing I'm serious, he spends all our 859 00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:56,200 Speaker 3: time together begging me not to go through with it, 860 00:38:56,440 --> 00:38:59,240 Speaker 3: but he's not planning to propose. He says, it doesn't 861 00:38:59,239 --> 00:39:01,680 Speaker 3: make sense because he's telling me that he would propose 862 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:04,319 Speaker 3: in December, but he was willing to take the risk 863 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:08,080 Speaker 3: of losing me rather than propose by April. I see 864 00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:10,239 Speaker 3: where he's coming from. In a way, if we do 865 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:13,960 Speaker 3: both want to get married, but I can't do this anymore. Also, 866 00:39:14,080 --> 00:39:17,160 Speaker 3: I think he's an adult and find it insulting that 867 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:19,480 Speaker 3: he's blaming this whole thing on his parents. Not meeting 868 00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 3: me in their home. They're asking him constantly what his 869 00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:24,959 Speaker 3: plan is with me. They don't know about the ultimatum, 870 00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 3: and so I get the impression that they are just 871 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 3: as curious about the future of our relationship as I am. 872 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:32,879 Speaker 3: I don't think they sat him down and told him 873 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:35,640 Speaker 3: I need to visit them before he can propose, But 874 00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:38,400 Speaker 3: that's just a hunch. Any advice or comments on the 875 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:42,360 Speaker 3: situation would be appreciated, and there is an update a 876 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:44,520 Speaker 3: year later. So I think we're going to get some 877 00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:45,240 Speaker 3: of the juice. 878 00:39:45,640 --> 00:39:46,239 Speaker 4: That's tea. 879 00:39:46,440 --> 00:39:49,920 Speaker 3: That is tea, But do you have any SIPs to share? 880 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:52,920 Speaker 4: I'll pour something out. I mean, next bro is gonna 881 00:39:52,920 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 4: be like I was gonna propose you on Seventh Street 882 00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:57,840 Speaker 4: because seven is my lucky number. But like seventh Street's 883 00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:00,560 Speaker 4: when like so busy, it's like under control, so like 884 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:02,160 Speaker 4: we have to wait till it's like done. I can't 885 00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:04,440 Speaker 4: even imagine proposing too, so like we need to wait 886 00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:05,200 Speaker 4: for the city. 887 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:08,560 Speaker 3: I mean, you're driving yourself crazy trying to, you know, 888 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:12,239 Speaker 3: meet all of his insane demands, and then putting your 889 00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:17,440 Speaker 3: own demands that are as like malleable as you know, 890 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:21,720 Speaker 3: freaking Plato. No one actually is doing anything to solve 891 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:24,400 Speaker 3: these problems, and I think maybe the solve is to 892 00:40:24,600 --> 00:40:26,440 Speaker 3: leave this relationship with a man who doesn't want to 893 00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:28,200 Speaker 3: commit to you. But there is a year leader update. 894 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:28,800 Speaker 4: I'm ready. 895 00:40:28,840 --> 00:40:31,600 Speaker 3: I'm hoping it's going to go where I wanted to go. 896 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:35,040 Speaker 3: March twenty eighteen, I couldn't go through with the ultimatum. 897 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:38,440 Speaker 3: I was planning to move out, actually find a new apartment, 898 00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:40,799 Speaker 3: and wrote the check for the deposits. But when push 899 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:44,040 Speaker 3: came to shove, I couldn't picture my life without my boyfriend. 900 00:40:44,560 --> 00:40:46,480 Speaker 3: I decided that I loved him too much to leave 901 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:50,200 Speaker 3: him over the arbitrary deadline that I created. I also 902 00:40:50,280 --> 00:40:52,880 Speaker 3: believe that he meant what he said about getting engaged. 903 00:40:52,920 --> 00:40:55,640 Speaker 3: In December. I felt I was being silly for leaving 904 00:40:55,680 --> 00:40:57,960 Speaker 3: him after four and a half years because I wouldn't 905 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:01,440 Speaker 3: wait another few months. As a compromise, he said we 906 00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:03,920 Speaker 3: could get a cat. I had been wanting one, but 907 00:41:04,040 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 3: he'd been saying no. He said he'd go to at 908 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:09,800 Speaker 3: least one family event with me this year. Wow, one 909 00:41:09,920 --> 00:41:14,200 Speaker 3: family event. That's so nice of him. On March thirty first, 910 00:41:14,239 --> 00:41:15,879 Speaker 3: the day I was planning to move out, we got 911 00:41:15,880 --> 00:41:19,040 Speaker 3: a cat together. April to September of twenty eighteen, my 912 00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:21,800 Speaker 3: boyfriend and I spent time enjoying each other without really 913 00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:25,160 Speaker 3: mentioning the ultimatum. We both needed to recover from the 914 00:41:25,239 --> 00:41:28,360 Speaker 3: damage it did to our relationship. I got a therapist 915 00:41:28,440 --> 00:41:31,680 Speaker 3: and started working on myself. I picked up a new 916 00:41:31,719 --> 00:41:35,200 Speaker 3: hobby running Yep, you certainly are running away from things, 917 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:38,320 Speaker 3: developed new friendships, and spent a lot of time working 918 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:41,360 Speaker 3: on my career and hanging out with my amazing new cat. 919 00:41:41,640 --> 00:41:44,520 Speaker 3: I think focusing on myself, my career, and my friendships 920 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:47,800 Speaker 3: took some of the pressure off of him. Also, multiple 921 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:51,200 Speaker 3: family events came and went, and my boyfriend had an 922 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 3: excuse not to attend all of them. I'm not sure 923 00:41:55,239 --> 00:41:56,920 Speaker 3: it was that big of a deal. Anyway. By the 924 00:41:57,000 --> 00:41:58,920 Speaker 3: end of the summer, we were doing great and it 925 00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:00,760 Speaker 3: was like the ultimatum now happened. 926 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:03,440 Speaker 4: We ignored all of our problems that never brought it up, 927 00:42:03,480 --> 00:42:04,600 Speaker 4: so it was all perfect. 928 00:42:04,719 --> 00:42:08,320 Speaker 3: He also complains about our cat constantly September twenty eighteen 929 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:11,919 Speaker 3: visiting his family. As I promised, I went to visit 930 00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:14,880 Speaker 3: his parents in their home in September. As I mentioned 931 00:42:14,880 --> 00:42:18,160 Speaker 3: in the previous post, he is Chinese American and I'm white, 932 00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:20,840 Speaker 3: so I studied up on my basic Chinese and was 933 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:23,279 Speaker 3: able to speak and understand a little when we were 934 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:26,680 Speaker 3: all together. It was a great trip, and I genuinely 935 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:28,719 Speaker 3: enjoyed his parents and had a lot of fun in 936 00:42:28,760 --> 00:42:31,680 Speaker 3: his hometown. I left a few days before he did, 937 00:42:31,719 --> 00:42:34,120 Speaker 3: so that he'd have time to spend with them alone 938 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:36,759 Speaker 3: and speak with them about his plans for us in 939 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:39,040 Speaker 3: the future. I asked him a few times how that 940 00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:42,440 Speaker 3: conversation went, and he said that they're happy with us 941 00:42:42,520 --> 00:42:46,040 Speaker 3: having a future together, but that getting engaged in December 942 00:42:46,040 --> 00:42:49,640 Speaker 3: would be too fast. That seemed absolutely crazy to me, 943 00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:51,879 Speaker 3: and again it seemed like he was projecting his own 944 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:54,520 Speaker 3: views onto his parents. He also told me I needed 945 00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:58,200 Speaker 3: to learn Chinese before we get married. His parents speak 946 00:42:58,239 --> 00:43:01,200 Speaker 3: perfect English, but prefer Chinese they are with family. So 947 00:43:01,239 --> 00:43:05,240 Speaker 3: I started doing Rosetta stone October to December of twenty eighteen. 948 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:08,200 Speaker 3: Around November, I started getting antsy that my boyfriend was 949 00:43:08,239 --> 00:43:10,239 Speaker 3: going to change his mind again. He was starting to 950 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:13,919 Speaker 3: show his pattern of making excuses. For instance, one day, 951 00:43:13,960 --> 00:43:17,600 Speaker 3: he casually mentioned that he couldn't propose by December because 952 00:43:17,640 --> 00:43:20,840 Speaker 3: he needed to save money. We share finances and money 953 00:43:20,920 --> 00:43:23,680 Speaker 3: is not an issue for either of us. Another time, 954 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:26,360 Speaker 3: he freaked out that I have student loans most people 955 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:29,400 Speaker 3: in my profession do, and I have a very secure job, 956 00:43:29,719 --> 00:43:33,279 Speaker 3: good pay and automatic loan payments, and demanded that he 957 00:43:33,400 --> 00:43:36,440 Speaker 3: see a spreadsheet of my finances before you could consider 958 00:43:36,520 --> 00:43:39,520 Speaker 3: having the future together. Luckily, I already have the spreadsheet, 959 00:43:39,560 --> 00:43:42,280 Speaker 3: which I showed him and he calmed down. In the meantime, 960 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:45,000 Speaker 3: my friends and family were starting to ask questions about 961 00:43:45,040 --> 00:43:48,600 Speaker 3: the future wedding. Although they had the best intentions, it 962 00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:51,040 Speaker 3: was stressing me out because I was worried that after 963 00:43:51,120 --> 00:43:53,800 Speaker 3: all of this there would be no wedding. I worked 964 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:56,799 Speaker 3: with my therapist on letting go of this stress, redirecting 965 00:43:56,840 --> 00:44:00,000 Speaker 3: my family away from relationship questions. I also created an 966 00:44:00,120 --> 00:44:04,719 Speaker 3: no nagging rule in my mind. I stopped dropping hints mentioning, wedding, engagement, 967 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:07,760 Speaker 3: et cetera. With my boyfriend. Didn't do it much anyway, 968 00:44:07,840 --> 00:44:10,440 Speaker 3: as I had learned my lesson from the ultimatum. We 969 00:44:10,520 --> 00:44:13,359 Speaker 3: spent Christmas together for the first time this year, and 970 00:44:13,440 --> 00:44:17,200 Speaker 3: I really thought he would propose then, but he didn't, 971 00:44:17,560 --> 00:44:19,520 Speaker 3: and I didn't bring it up or pat about it. 972 00:44:19,719 --> 00:44:21,880 Speaker 3: He visited his family for New Years and I was 973 00:44:21,960 --> 00:44:24,600 Speaker 3: left in our city working, so it definitely didn't happen. 974 00:44:24,640 --> 00:44:29,560 Speaker 3: Then January twenty nineteen, I accepted that he actually didn't 975 00:44:29,600 --> 00:44:32,640 Speaker 3: follow through with what he said he would do despite 976 00:44:32,680 --> 00:44:34,880 Speaker 3: me holding up my end of the deal. I was 977 00:44:34,920 --> 00:44:37,040 Speaker 3: the perfect girlfriend that he asked me to be, and 978 00:44:37,080 --> 00:44:39,440 Speaker 3: I try to use this as an opportunity for growth, 979 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:44,440 Speaker 3: both individually and within the relationship. And still nothing changed. 980 00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:46,799 Speaker 3: I was still on the momentum of not nagging him 981 00:44:46,840 --> 00:44:49,080 Speaker 3: and trying to suppress all of my thoughts of wanting 982 00:44:49,120 --> 00:44:51,080 Speaker 3: to marry him. It's now to the point that I 983 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:53,759 Speaker 3: equate my own thoughts of marrying him with shame and 984 00:44:53,760 --> 00:44:56,879 Speaker 3: self loathing, like they are bad thoughts that I shouldn't have. 985 00:44:57,080 --> 00:44:58,360 Speaker 3: Your therapist sucks. 986 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:00,319 Speaker 4: If I could just say, real quick, what is she say? 987 00:45:00,360 --> 00:45:04,160 Speaker 4: I was being the perfect girlfriend? Suppressing your feelings to 988 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:07,799 Speaker 4: appease someone else as not being the perfect girlfriend. You 989 00:45:07,920 --> 00:45:12,279 Speaker 4: have the full right to express what you want and 990 00:45:12,320 --> 00:45:14,759 Speaker 4: what you're looking for in a relationship and it is 991 00:45:15,239 --> 00:45:19,319 Speaker 4: not okay that you know he brought you to a 992 00:45:19,360 --> 00:45:21,160 Speaker 4: place where you feel like you have to just like 993 00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:25,600 Speaker 4: screw this lid on everything you think and feel unacceptable. 994 00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:28,319 Speaker 3: Absolutely, you are allowed to ask for the things that 995 00:45:28,360 --> 00:45:30,359 Speaker 3: you need in your relationship. He is allowed to say 996 00:45:30,480 --> 00:45:33,280 Speaker 3: I don't want those things. But then it's like, okay, 997 00:45:33,680 --> 00:45:36,920 Speaker 3: maybe we depart. I realize I have been feeling sowned 998 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:39,720 Speaker 3: with my own desires for my future, which is so sad. 999 00:45:40,200 --> 00:45:42,040 Speaker 3: But a few things have happened in the past few 1000 00:45:42,040 --> 00:45:44,359 Speaker 3: weeks that have made me realize that this is all 1001 00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:48,520 Speaker 3: bs who took a while. First, one of my superiors 1002 00:45:48,520 --> 00:45:51,200 Speaker 3: at work offered me some great opportunities at my job 1003 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:54,200 Speaker 3: if I stayed on board long term. However, my boyfriend 1004 00:45:54,239 --> 00:45:56,080 Speaker 3: wants to think about moving us out of the city 1005 00:45:56,120 --> 00:45:58,600 Speaker 3: we live in because we don't like it here. I'm 1006 00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:00,840 Speaker 3: actually okay with it for the most part. He also 1007 00:46:00,880 --> 00:46:03,440 Speaker 3: has given a hard no to ever moving back to 1008 00:46:03,480 --> 00:46:06,560 Speaker 3: my home state. He's reason my family lives there and 1009 00:46:06,600 --> 00:46:10,120 Speaker 3: they annoy him. I started thinking, Wow, this person is 1010 00:46:10,120 --> 00:46:12,040 Speaker 3: putting a lot of limits on my life for someone 1011 00:46:12,040 --> 00:46:14,960 Speaker 3: who still can't commit to me. For the long term. 1012 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:17,400 Speaker 3: Then this weekend, I went back to my home state 1013 00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:20,120 Speaker 3: for my best friend's baby shower. Also, I want to 1014 00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:22,359 Speaker 3: have kids. That's the main reason I'm in a hurry 1015 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:25,880 Speaker 3: to get married. Biological clock is ticking. So yesterday I 1016 00:46:25,920 --> 00:46:28,200 Speaker 3: was hanging out with my friend and her husband, helping 1017 00:46:28,239 --> 00:46:31,000 Speaker 3: them set up their nursery, and I had this aha 1018 00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:33,880 Speaker 3: moment where I realized that it's okay for me to 1019 00:46:33,920 --> 00:46:37,200 Speaker 3: want to get married and have kids. There's no shame 1020 00:46:37,200 --> 00:46:41,640 Speaker 3: in having my own wants. Yes, Oh, he's finally realizing it. 1021 00:46:41,920 --> 00:46:44,520 Speaker 3: And at this point, not only have my wants and 1022 00:46:44,560 --> 00:46:49,000 Speaker 3: desires been shut down by my boyfriend no marriage. We 1023 00:46:49,040 --> 00:46:51,360 Speaker 3: can't stay in the city where I have job opportunities, 1024 00:46:51,480 --> 00:46:53,440 Speaker 3: we also can't live in my home state, where my 1025 00:46:53,600 --> 00:46:57,240 Speaker 3: entire family is. But I've internalized this sense of shame 1026 00:46:57,560 --> 00:47:01,480 Speaker 3: about expressing or feeling anything that comes from with his desires. 1027 00:47:02,080 --> 00:47:04,799 Speaker 3: So I'm starting to form a plan to move on 1028 00:47:05,480 --> 00:47:08,160 Speaker 3: because this dude has taken more from my life than 1029 00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:11,200 Speaker 3: he's adding to it. I'm hoping to get anyone's opinion, 1030 00:47:11,320 --> 00:47:14,319 Speaker 3: advice support about where to go from here. Also, I 1031 00:47:14,360 --> 00:47:17,080 Speaker 3: am willing to hear all the I told you sos 1032 00:47:17,160 --> 00:47:19,479 Speaker 3: from everyone who said I needed to leave this guy 1033 00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:23,480 Speaker 3: in March when I said I would, I totally deserve it. 1034 00:47:23,960 --> 00:47:27,080 Speaker 3: Thank you for reading, and there is a third update. 1035 00:47:27,480 --> 00:47:30,239 Speaker 3: I do want to point out that it's been a 1036 00:47:30,320 --> 00:47:34,480 Speaker 3: year and while Opie's thinking about it, she has not 1037 00:47:34,560 --> 00:47:38,200 Speaker 3: actually broke up with her boyfriend. I'm hoping that the 1038 00:47:38,200 --> 00:47:39,960 Speaker 3: next update that we get does do that. 1039 00:47:40,680 --> 00:47:43,400 Speaker 4: You can't be a perfect girlfriend to someone who truly 1040 00:47:43,520 --> 00:47:44,239 Speaker 4: doesn't want you. 1041 00:47:44,560 --> 00:47:48,359 Speaker 3: The thing is, you're literally meeting all of the goalposts 1042 00:47:48,440 --> 00:47:51,800 Speaker 3: you started learning Chinese. You will never meet them because 1043 00:47:51,840 --> 00:47:52,800 Speaker 3: he's going to keep moving. 1044 00:47:52,840 --> 00:47:56,120 Speaker 4: I think sheby's finally having the epiphany, which is great. 1045 00:47:56,280 --> 00:47:59,080 Speaker 3: Some people need five years to realize that their partner 1046 00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:00,000 Speaker 3: doesn't want to be with them. 1047 00:48:00,280 --> 00:48:03,000 Speaker 4: It can happen, We've seen it longer on this show. 1048 00:48:03,280 --> 00:48:05,799 Speaker 4: But the important part is she is realizing it. She 1049 00:48:05,960 --> 00:48:10,200 Speaker 4: is growing, and we're slowly steering the ship back towards 1050 00:48:10,320 --> 00:48:13,239 Speaker 4: you know, like op he said, just because I want 1051 00:48:13,280 --> 00:48:17,759 Speaker 4: to have kids to get married. It's not a bad thing. Yes, yes, 1052 00:48:17,840 --> 00:48:21,680 Speaker 4: do not demonize yourself. There is no bad want or need. 1053 00:48:21,800 --> 00:48:24,680 Speaker 3: But let's get into this update. I spoke with my 1054 00:48:24,719 --> 00:48:27,319 Speaker 3: boyfriend last night about all of this, I started by 1055 00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:30,279 Speaker 3: asking what his roadblocks are and where he sees the 1056 00:48:30,320 --> 00:48:33,760 Speaker 3: relationship going. He brought up the fact that it's moving 1057 00:48:34,040 --> 00:48:37,839 Speaker 3: too fast for his parents. You liar, your parents don't 1058 00:48:37,880 --> 00:48:40,920 Speaker 3: think your five year relationship is moving too fast. And 1059 00:48:41,000 --> 00:48:43,640 Speaker 3: some issues that he has with the relationship. Number one, 1060 00:48:43,920 --> 00:48:46,520 Speaker 3: that we don't make decisions together. For example, the fact 1061 00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:48,600 Speaker 3: that I wanted to stay in our city for career 1062 00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:52,360 Speaker 3: opportunities despite him wanting to move next year. Also, sometimes 1063 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:54,520 Speaker 3: I make plans to hang out with friends on weekends 1064 00:48:54,560 --> 00:48:57,720 Speaker 3: when he's free, instead of us planning the weekends together. 1065 00:48:58,000 --> 00:49:00,960 Speaker 3: Second point is that you have friends. Cool. Number three, 1066 00:49:01,080 --> 00:49:02,719 Speaker 3: he worries about the fact that I get a lot 1067 00:49:02,760 --> 00:49:06,000 Speaker 3: of Amazon packages and he doesn't know what I'm buying. 1068 00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:09,200 Speaker 3: I showed him my Amazon history. It's mostly household supplies 1069 00:49:09,239 --> 00:49:12,200 Speaker 3: that we both use and occasionally supplies for my hobby. 1070 00:49:12,440 --> 00:49:15,160 Speaker 3: But that's like twenty dollars a month max. Also, that 1071 00:49:15,480 --> 00:49:18,080 Speaker 3: is all on my credit card, which I comfortably pay 1072 00:49:18,120 --> 00:49:18,880 Speaker 3: off each month. 1073 00:49:19,040 --> 00:49:23,520 Speaker 4: Hey, you need to stop buying soaps online or I'm 1074 00:49:23,520 --> 00:49:25,360 Speaker 4: breaking up with you. The proposals off. 1075 00:49:25,560 --> 00:49:28,440 Speaker 3: This man would have a conniption if he lived in 1076 00:49:28,480 --> 00:49:30,720 Speaker 3: our house, so I don't think I need to clear 1077 00:49:30,800 --> 00:49:33,600 Speaker 3: every purchase by him. And he also doesn't like that 1078 00:49:33,640 --> 00:49:36,640 Speaker 3: I'm chronically five minutes late to everything that's true, and 1079 00:49:36,680 --> 00:49:39,720 Speaker 3: my fault five minutes late is like, really not that bad. 1080 00:49:40,200 --> 00:49:43,640 Speaker 4: Basically, Opie's existence is wrong in this man's eyes. 1081 00:49:43,800 --> 00:49:46,799 Speaker 3: There is nothing wrong with you. Also, since it came 1082 00:49:46,880 --> 00:49:48,520 Speaker 3: up a lot in the comments, I wanted to mention 1083 00:49:48,640 --> 00:49:50,960 Speaker 3: that he explicitly said that none of this has to 1084 00:49:50,960 --> 00:49:53,080 Speaker 3: do with cultural barriers or the fact that we're an 1085 00:49:53,080 --> 00:49:58,680 Speaker 3: interracial couple. Well, actually he explicitly said maybe after all this, 1086 00:49:58,920 --> 00:50:03,920 Speaker 3: he said he's not ready for marriage. Shocker. We are 1087 00:50:04,320 --> 00:50:08,239 Speaker 3: alarmingly close to the end of the story. I'm worried. 1088 00:50:08,760 --> 00:50:10,880 Speaker 3: I'm just oping this update with her breaking up with 1089 00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:14,520 Speaker 3: this man, because if it doesn't, I was pretty pissed 1090 00:50:14,560 --> 00:50:16,680 Speaker 3: and told him I wished he told me this a 1091 00:50:16,760 --> 00:50:19,840 Speaker 3: year ago so I could have moved on. The only 1092 00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:22,560 Speaker 3: credit I will give him is that he did tell 1093 00:50:22,600 --> 00:50:25,120 Speaker 3: you that he didn't want to marry you a year ago. 1094 00:50:25,320 --> 00:50:27,960 Speaker 3: He basically tried to keep me around for another years 1095 00:50:28,080 --> 00:50:30,000 Speaker 3: so that he would have more time to figure out 1096 00:50:30,040 --> 00:50:33,360 Speaker 3: if he was ready. So I told him the relationship 1097 00:50:33,440 --> 00:50:37,759 Speaker 3: is over and he's appearing to be in disbelief. He's 1098 00:50:37,800 --> 00:50:40,279 Speaker 3: trying to be really nice now, probably to get me 1099 00:50:40,320 --> 00:50:43,520 Speaker 3: to change my mind. But I'm remaining gently firm here. 1100 00:50:43,680 --> 00:50:47,960 Speaker 3: The relationship is over. That was a nightmare, a five 1101 00:50:48,200 --> 00:50:49,239 Speaker 3: year nightmare. 1102 00:50:49,520 --> 00:50:52,719 Speaker 4: I feel like I had like a rotting just like 1103 00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:56,680 Speaker 4: nerve exploding tooth, just like implanted in my jaw, and 1104 00:50:56,680 --> 00:50:59,960 Speaker 4: I'm like, please, someone just yank it out with pliers immediate. 1105 00:51:00,440 --> 00:51:04,400 Speaker 3: I really love the phrasing of I remained gently firm 1106 00:51:04,520 --> 00:51:07,359 Speaker 3: because I can just imagine her being like, no, I 1107 00:51:07,400 --> 00:51:09,000 Speaker 3: think I have to leave you. 1108 00:51:09,160 --> 00:51:12,280 Speaker 4: He's like, babe, I'll let you have one extra soap 1109 00:51:12,680 --> 00:51:13,800 Speaker 4: that you order on Amazon. 1110 00:51:13,960 --> 00:51:15,960 Speaker 3: Were cool. I think it's really funny because I do 1111 00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:18,440 Speaker 3: think of in these scenarios a lot of times, like 1112 00:51:18,520 --> 00:51:21,759 Speaker 3: the partner is scared that the relationship's gonna end. They're like, okay, fine, 1113 00:51:21,800 --> 00:51:23,840 Speaker 3: I'll marry you. Obviously, it doesn't even seem like he 1114 00:51:23,960 --> 00:51:26,360 Speaker 3: tried that hard. He was just nicer. But yeah, she 1115 00:51:26,440 --> 00:51:26,960 Speaker 3: laughed at him. 1116 00:51:26,960 --> 00:51:28,560 Speaker 4: Finally, Yes, happy ending