WEBVTT - The Ex is Too Touchy-Feely. What Do I Do?

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<v Speaker 1>One of our readers to our yachte column, Brenda. She

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<v Speaker 1>wrote in, and she needs a little relationship advice.

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<v Speaker 2>Look, if you want to check out on Monday, we

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<v Speaker 2>go through all of our advice what we thought about

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<v Speaker 2>what Brenda should do dealing with a flirty, handsy ex

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<v Speaker 2>wife who's also the grandma of her step grandchildren. So

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<v Speaker 2>she doesn't have a problem with the kids, she has

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<v Speaker 2>a problem with the ex wife, and so we gave

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<v Speaker 2>our advice if you want to check out that podcast

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<v Speaker 2>if you hadn't heard that episode. But this one is

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<v Speaker 2>fun because this is what the readers, This is what

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<v Speaker 2>you the listeners wrote in to comment on Brenda's situation

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<v Speaker 2>and give her advice, and.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll remind her what the situation was. Brenda did write

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<v Speaker 1>into us Amy and TJ. My husband has grandchildren from

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<v Speaker 1>a previous marriage, which isn't a problem. However, their grandmother, Betty,

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<v Speaker 1>the ex wife, is always around. I've told him I

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<v Speaker 1>can't teller her being there for things like their grandkids graduations.

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<v Speaker 1>I can tolerate that, but not every time we get

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<v Speaker 1>invited somewhere. For example, last weekend, we were at a

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<v Speaker 1>birthday party for someone on his side of the family,

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<v Speaker 1>her ex in laws. Why is she there? And every

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<v Speaker 1>time they meet, Betty is hugging and kissing on my husband.

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<v Speaker 1>She can't just say hi and move along. I've asked

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<v Speaker 1>him over and over to set boundaries, but he acts

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<v Speaker 1>like he doesn't know what that means. I told him,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not comfortable going to our next event if she'll

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<v Speaker 1>be there, and he said, okay, I'm going anyway. Really,

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<v Speaker 1>what do I do? Signed Brenda? Our advice was, Brenda,

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<v Speaker 1>you got to have a conversation. This is a respect issue.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's a respect issue. And so William C said this,

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<v Speaker 2>if Betty is being invited by his family to parties

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<v Speaker 2>and events, you can't dictate to the host who they

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<v Speaker 2>can and cannot invite unless you're willing to accept the fallout.

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<v Speaker 2>You can set boundaries with your husband, William C. That

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<v Speaker 2>is exactly what you and I told Brenda.

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<v Speaker 1>Why did you start with that one? Like that's the

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<v Speaker 1>best advice?

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<v Speaker 2>Right? I thought that was good, it was sensible, It

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<v Speaker 2>was very true, and William C, we completely agree with you.

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<v Speaker 1>But you know, what's something key in there is that

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<v Speaker 1>if the family is inviting her, they want her around.

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<v Speaker 1>That was a big part of everything we discussed. She's

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<v Speaker 1>probably been in that family decades, right, so if they

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<v Speaker 1>invite her, okay, then I always told you there were

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<v Speaker 1>two separate issues the X. Her being there is one thing.

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<v Speaker 1>Her touchy fee lee kissy is another thing.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, and that's where the husband can set a boundary

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<v Speaker 2>one hundred percent all right. Veronica wrote in and said this,

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<v Speaker 2>Some people are just very hands on, no matter who

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<v Speaker 2>it is, and some women can be deliberately trouble making

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<v Speaker 2>and enjoying the thought that they are causing anxiety in

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<v Speaker 2>other women. Veronica, I said the same thing. Those two

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<v Speaker 2>facts seem to be apparent in this situation. Unfortunately, the

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<v Speaker 2>guy sounds as though he enjoys the attention and probably

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<v Speaker 2>tells himself his ex still fancies him, which is very

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<v Speaker 2>good for his ego, so he will not easily give

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<v Speaker 2>that up. Veronica, we said the exact same thing. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>really with your girl then too, when it annoys the

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<v Speaker 2>other half enough to cause the ask to stop this behavior,

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<v Speaker 2>he then feels a little guilty because he knows what

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<v Speaker 2>he's doing is questionable, so then he gets defensive, a

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<v Speaker 2>nasty state of affairs for the wife. A strong woman

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<v Speaker 2>might be able to counter this with some targeted barbes

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<v Speaker 2>that put miss Nasty in her place, which is what

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<v Speaker 2>she really needs. But we are not all so good

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<v Speaker 2>at that. Things like this happen, and if it's occasional,

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<v Speaker 2>it's tolerable, but if it turns into something weekly or

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<v Speaker 2>even worse, then maybe removing the potential is the best fix.

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<v Speaker 2>Stop going to places miss Nasty will be. Cultivate new

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<v Speaker 2>friend groups, hobbies, or whatever takes you away from that environment.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, I had a lot to say with the last part.

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<v Speaker 1>Stop going to places where the ex will be. Can

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<v Speaker 1>you do that? Yeah?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, then you want to make where right, and then

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<v Speaker 2>you miss out. If you love his grandchildren and they

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<v Speaker 2>feel like family to you as well, then you're now

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<v Speaker 2>you're missing out on your family. So that's kind of

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<v Speaker 2>a tough that's a tough situation to be in where

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<v Speaker 2>you then take the back seat because you can't handle

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<v Speaker 2>being in the same room as the ex.

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<v Speaker 1>I would like to know how old Veronica is. Veronica

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<v Speaker 1>hit it all. She did, like because I told you

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't really understand where a woman's perspective, you immediately

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<v Speaker 1>went to she's probably toying with the current wife correct,

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<v Speaker 1>I do it. I never would have thought about it. Correct,

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<v Speaker 1>But then my mind went to, yeah, the guy's probably

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<v Speaker 1>enjoying the bag of forth Veronica hit it.

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<v Speaker 2>All some stuff in a lite, Veronica, Veronica, thank you

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<v Speaker 2>for that. All right, We'll move on now to Jason.

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<v Speaker 2>Jason wrote in with this comment, I am friendly with

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<v Speaker 2>my ex wife. We were together twenty years, divorced for fifteen.

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<v Speaker 2>She is invited to all my family functions and I

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<v Speaker 2>to hers. We greet with a hug and a peck,

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<v Speaker 2>same as I greet my kids and my female friends.

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<v Speaker 2>My ex and I have never been intimate since divorcing.

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<v Speaker 2>It is clear we will never be back together. She

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<v Speaker 2>has brought partners to these gatherings, as have I. New

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<v Speaker 2>wife is insecure. While I respect her initial feelings, she

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<v Speaker 2>is not respectful of the established family dynamic. This is

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<v Speaker 2>her issue. So he's telling Brenda, it's your problem, it's

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<v Speaker 2>your fault, your insecure.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay. What I didn't hear from him in his scenario

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<v Speaker 1>was that he was married, and that his ex is

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<v Speaker 1>married and they're bringing their spouses to these events. They

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<v Speaker 1>say that we've brought dates like, I don't care.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm not dates are different.

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<v Speaker 1>That's totally different mindset. That's a good point was bringing

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<v Speaker 1>a date so I get what he's trying to stay there.

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<v Speaker 1>And you can have a great relationship with your ex

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<v Speaker 1>and you could hug a kiss and be friendly when

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<v Speaker 1>you meet and move on. But when you have a

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<v Speaker 1>spouse who has a problem with seeing that or you

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<v Speaker 1>doing that, then your priority is that how do you

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<v Speaker 1>want to You know, it's so important to me kiss

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<v Speaker 1>my ex, and I'm willing to upset my current spouse.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and I think you know we've said this before,

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<v Speaker 2>but this is about respect because different people feel differently,

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<v Speaker 2>like maybe a different spouse wouldn't care, but she does,

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<v Speaker 2>and so you have to give her at least that acknowledgment.

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<v Speaker 2>She can work on feeling less insecure, she can work

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<v Speaker 2>on tolerating more, but he also needs to work on

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<v Speaker 2>understanding where her feelings are coming from. And honestly, it's

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<v Speaker 2>a sign of love if you if you don't really

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<v Speaker 2>like somebody or love somebody, you don't really care what

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<v Speaker 2>they're doing, the fact that she feels that strongly means

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<v Speaker 2>she has strong feelings for her husband too.

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<v Speaker 1>I hate to sign this as a matter of her

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<v Speaker 1>being insecure. I don't care how strong and secure you

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<v Speaker 1>are and who you are what you do. Nobody wants

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<v Speaker 1>to watch their spouse be intimate to a certain degree

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<v Speaker 1>with the person they used to be married to. That

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<v Speaker 1>is not just insecurity. Well you can't handle No, I

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<v Speaker 1>can't handle my current wife watching her over there kiss

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<v Speaker 1>her ex husband.

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<v Speaker 2>No, that's tough.

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<v Speaker 1>Call me in.

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<v Speaker 2>I think it's a problem for most people. I think

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<v Speaker 2>it would be for sure. Yes, people are putting their

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<v Speaker 2>own perspectives and their own feelings into it. But yes,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm trying to step into Brenda's shoes and imagine what

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<v Speaker 2>that would be like. Okay, next, we have Coco Mike

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<v Speaker 2>thirty five years Oh, Coco Mile, sorry, thirty five years

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<v Speaker 2>into a marriage. Here, this is what Coco Miles says

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<v Speaker 2>to Brenda. You married a man with grandchildren. Asking him

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<v Speaker 2>to stop seeing them is ridiculously immature and selfish, and

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<v Speaker 2>for you not to go, you will become Grandpa's crazy

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<v Speaker 2>new wife, and the whole family will resent you if

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<v Speaker 2>you start needing a separate event for the two of you.

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<v Speaker 2>I see it happen all the time. The ex still

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<v Speaker 2>hugs and fusses over him, does she hug and fuss

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<v Speaker 2>over you. Maybe that's just how she is. Brenda didn't

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<v Speaker 2>say she did so. I feel like she would have

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<v Speaker 2>included that if that were the case, he says, so,

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<v Speaker 2>Coco Miles says the I don't see it as the

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<v Speaker 2>man liking the attention. If that's so, he is as

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<v Speaker 2>immature as the ex is. I think it is totally

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<v Speaker 2>the ex showing she still has some kind of dominance.

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<v Speaker 2>I agree with you. I would lay down some ground

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<v Speaker 2>rules for sure, and if he continues to ignore you,

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<v Speaker 2>I would consider leave.

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<v Speaker 1>This is from a woman, right, I can't.

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<v Speaker 2>Tell Coco Mile, it seems like it's a woman because

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<v Speaker 2>she picked up too that the ex is trying to

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<v Speaker 2>show some kind of dominance.

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<v Speaker 1>You said something there at the bottom that got my

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<v Speaker 1>attention ground rules. Doesn't see it as him liking at

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<v Speaker 1>tension this I does. She also hug and fuss over you.

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<v Speaker 1>Maybe that's just how she is. We're trying to break down.

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<v Speaker 1>We don't know enough about this. It's one thing if

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<v Speaker 1>you see two people greet and they hug.

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<v Speaker 2>But she said he doesn't move on. She doesn't move on,

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<v Speaker 2>she's lingers, she stays kiss. That's fine.

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<v Speaker 1>I would even say, for his sake, cut that out

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<v Speaker 1>in front of your wife. Yeah, not the end of

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<v Speaker 1>the world, but even something that minor, that's not necessary.

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<v Speaker 1>Even a little hug, a half hug.

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<v Speaker 2>You can do a side hug.

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<v Speaker 1>The side hug in front of your wife.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, And I think you could lay down that ground

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<v Speaker 2>rule and say, hey, can we try this. It's going

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<v Speaker 2>to make me feel better, it's going to make me

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<v Speaker 2>more comfortable, and see if he would accept that boundary.

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<v Speaker 1>That ground rule with the relationship is that the woman

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<v Speaker 1>is going to feel Why in God's name do I

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<v Speaker 1>have to give you ground rules about how to behave

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<v Speaker 1>in front of me with someone you were once married.

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<v Speaker 2>And that is why At the end, our reader tells

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<v Speaker 2>Brenda that she should consider leaving. Oh my goodness, all right,

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<v Speaker 2>So this one made me laugh so hard. Matt wrote

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<v Speaker 2>this in Yeah, I don't get this thing. My wife

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<v Speaker 2>and I are both from good old fashioned, destroyed marriages,

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<v Speaker 2>and our parents still can't be in the same room

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<v Speaker 2>together forty years later. Then there are our fellow millennials

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<v Speaker 2>who are all still friends, hanging out with their exes,

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<v Speaker 2>sitting together at kids' sporting events. I know divorce people

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<v Speaker 2>who babysit each other's kids from the new marriages. It's

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<v Speaker 2>just utterly buzz are I like the old way better?

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<v Speaker 2>This modern divorce leaves me feeling like these people didn't

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<v Speaker 2>try hard enough to make it work.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you for that, Matt. I like that, Like it's

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<v Speaker 1>not it was a little funny, but it was. I

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<v Speaker 1>think he nailed the way. A lot of people think

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<v Speaker 1>it's okay to look at this and say that it's

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<v Speaker 1>not okay, it's not how.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, he prefers it when people who are divorce can't

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<v Speaker 2>stand to be in the same room as each other,

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<v Speaker 2>because that's what's familiar to him. He knows how that

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<v Speaker 2>works when it should be.

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<v Speaker 1>We've seen some scenarios like that before, where the exes

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<v Speaker 1>and things and people get along. I don't think that's

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<v Speaker 1>what we're talking about here, is that we're not just

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<v Speaker 1>talking about getting along and being a part of a family.

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<v Speaker 1>This is specific to not just her being there, but

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<v Speaker 1>the behavior when she's there.

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<v Speaker 2>Correct, yes, it's and it's how she acts when she's there,

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<v Speaker 2>and the fact that she's always there, like she doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>miss one of her ex ex's family's gatherings, and so

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<v Speaker 2>it's annoying to her that every time his family has anything,

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<v Speaker 2>the ex is there.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, we got a couple more to give you here.

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<v Speaker 1>From one was from a guy who said that Brenda,

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<v Speaker 1>you should only be taking advice from men on this one,

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<v Speaker 1>and then another from a lady who told me and

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<v Speaker 1>Roebock that we gave Brenda some bad advice.

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome back to this edition of Amy and TJ, where

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<v Speaker 2>we are reading our reader's comments, their advice, Your advice

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<v Speaker 2>to Brenda, who wants to know what she's supposed to

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<v Speaker 2>do with her husband's ex wife, whose flirty, clingy kisses him,

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<v Speaker 2>hugged all over him, and is always at every single event,

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<v Speaker 2>even though it's not even her family anymore. So Nina

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<v Speaker 2>two point zero came at us when she left her comment,

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<v Speaker 2>and we'll read it because she told us, Wow, bad advice.

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<v Speaker 2>The advice should have been grow up. They are divorced

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<v Speaker 2>and he married you. They were a family once. Get

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<v Speaker 2>over it. I have a great relationship with X, and

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<v Speaker 2>yes I'm at family parties and he's at mine. We

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<v Speaker 2>have kids. That means we all get along and act

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<v Speaker 2>like a large family instead of a single unit. So

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<v Speaker 2>Nina thinks that Brenda needs to grow up and get

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<v Speaker 2>over it.

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<v Speaker 1>I like, and this is where and I'm no, I

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<v Speaker 1>always appreciate everybody writing in and this is where we

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<v Speaker 1>try to do better with our discussions and in us

0:12:27.240 --> 0:12:29.439
<v Speaker 1>giving people advice. The first thing you have to start

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<v Speaker 1>with is not judge. Don't judge her for the how

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<v Speaker 1>she feels and what she's going through. And this one

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<v Speaker 1>just feels judgy. To tell somebody just grow up. It

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<v Speaker 1>sounds so simple, and I've had to back off sometimes

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<v Speaker 1>on these things. And I've had specifically women tell me

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<v Speaker 1>this because sometimes I ask for advice and I'm saying, well,

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<v Speaker 1>you have to have the confidence to just go it's

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<v Speaker 1>okay to just da da da, And you say, you

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<v Speaker 1>say it like it's so simple, but just some people

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<v Speaker 1>are different and I don't have that confidence. And I'm

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<v Speaker 1>working to do that. Yes, what the solution is simple,

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<v Speaker 1>doing it is still hard. And to tell tell somebody

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<v Speaker 1>in this position, who's I don't know what this woman

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<v Speaker 1>has gone through, Brenda, with this marriage and even accepting

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<v Speaker 1>the whole family, and it's been a lot, and tell

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<v Speaker 1>her just grow up seems a little dismissed, seems.

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<v Speaker 2>A little judging, and just because you have a great

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<v Speaker 2>relationship with your ex, that doesn't mean that that's the

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<v Speaker 2>same for everybody. There are so many unique specific things

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<v Speaker 2>to each relationship and how each relationship ends and how

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<v Speaker 2>you figure it out going forward. I do think that

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<v Speaker 2>you have to honor how you feel, and maybe you

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<v Speaker 2>sit with yourself and you ask yourself, why am I

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<v Speaker 2>feeling this way, and really really ask yourself, Could I

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<v Speaker 2>do something different? Can I make some sort of place

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<v Speaker 2>or space in my heart for what their relationship was

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<v Speaker 2>and is and not feel threatened by it? But if

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<v Speaker 2>the answer is no, every time I see it, this

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<v Speaker 2>is happening, like also understand that that might be a

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<v Speaker 2>reasonable reaction. You know, we don't know what she's seen

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<v Speaker 2>and what she's witnessed, so I just think, yeah, it's

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<v Speaker 2>she can check herself and ask herself and really sit

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<v Speaker 2>with it. But then at the end of the day,

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<v Speaker 2>you kind of have to honor how you feel.

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<v Speaker 1>I just wanted to make sure we're now I've seen

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<v Speaker 1>X situations be good before. Our guy, doctor Gardier, he

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<v Speaker 1>talked about his family situation and how all the exes

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<v Speaker 1>and everybody's hanging out. That's great, that is great, great, great,

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<v Speaker 1>this is something else. This is something else when you're

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<v Speaker 1>talking about not just the family mingling together. The ex

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<v Speaker 1>sounds like she is doing too much physically and the

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<v Speaker 1>husband is allowing it.

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<v Speaker 2>Agree.

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<v Speaker 1>So that's what I'm trying to keep the focus on

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<v Speaker 1>what we should be solving it.

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<v Speaker 2>All right, Paul writes in this is our last comment,

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<v Speaker 2>and Paul is very confident in his response. He says,

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<v Speaker 2>this is an instance where you need a guy's advice, Brenda.

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<v Speaker 2>The solution here is risky, brutal, but simple. Without saying anything.

0:14:49.920 --> 0:14:53.400
<v Speaker 2>Start inviting one of your ex boyfriends to gatherings. Make

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<v Speaker 2>sure he knows it's an ex. Gauge his reaction the

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<v Speaker 2>second time it happens, not the first time. If he's Nonchalantabou,

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<v Speaker 2>I hate to break it to you, but very likely

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<v Speaker 2>he has something on the side, or he may even

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<v Speaker 2>be dealing with his X on the side. Either that

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<v Speaker 2>or he is socially inept. Neither case is a win

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<v Speaker 2>for you. Any man worth staying with is also able

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<v Speaker 2>to tolerate direct confrontation on deal breaker issues. This is

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<v Speaker 2>not high school, this is your life, So confront him

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<v Speaker 2>directly when your heart feels stilled enough to take a hit.

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<v Speaker 2>If that scares you, you've already answered your own question.

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<v Speaker 1>Like it, you like it. I wouldn't have is that

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<v Speaker 1>some of that are at the top. I wasn't necessarily

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<v Speaker 1>on board with.

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<v Speaker 2>What I inviting one of your ex boyfriends.

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<v Speaker 1>That's hilarious, that's kind of funny. But it's very difficult

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<v Speaker 1>to put somebody in that scenario. To you, how often

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<v Speaker 1>folks said in an argument, reverse the roles.

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<v Speaker 2>Oftentimes the best response is a direct question with and

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<v Speaker 2>then you just have to be prepared for the answer.

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<v Speaker 2>You might not like it, but at least you'll have one.

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<v Speaker 1>Don't force them, don't scold them, don't ultimate it. Just

0:15:58.640 --> 0:16:01.240
<v Speaker 1>ask a question, we get an answer, and then we'll

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<v Speaker 1>have something to go on.

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<v Speaker 2>I like that, But I liked our readers' comments were very,

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<v Speaker 2>very colorful, and we always appreciate reading them. We always

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<v Speaker 2>appreciate you listening, so please check out the column Yahoo

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<v Speaker 2>Life section ask Amy and TJ. But in the meantime,

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<v Speaker 2>we want to thank you for listening to us. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>Amy Robach alongside my partner TJ. Holmes. Have a great day, everybody,