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Who would have thought that Robert Palmer and Neil Sedaka were scientifically correct when they sang “Addicted to Love” and “Breaking Up is Hard to Do.”  A new research study has shown that break ups affect the brain in ways similar to quitting an addiction like cocaine and nicotine.  And just like trying to kick an addiction, the best thing to do is get as far away from the problem and all reminders of it.  One of the researchers suggested throwing out cards and letters from the ex.  Then it’s got to be a good idea to get rid of the wedding ring in divorce situations.  So it isn’t really much of a stretch to say that the Wedding Ring Coffin is scientifically proven to help people get over the emotional trauma of divorce, right?

There’s a new trend in Japan, a society which is big on rituals. Couples can have a divorce ceremony at a “divorce mansion.”  The ceremony includes the smashing of the wedding rings with a special gavel.  The cost is 55,000 yen (approximately $600).  I think each of those smashed rings need a Wedding Ring Coffin!

Read all about it at:
http://bit.ly/bMquPS

A young woman I know has been involved with her boyfriend for the past three years.  She lives in NY and he lives overseas. She just completed her first year of graduate school and they are now ready to take the relationship to the next level.  He’s coming to the States and will be here on a student visa, attending another graduate school.  They planned to live together in student housing at the woman’s school.  However, since they aren’t married, the school requires certain documentation be filled out in order for them to live together.  They must sign and notarize an “Affidavit of Love,” a document which states that they are in love, are in a committed relationship, and they intend to be monogamous.  REALLY!  I am not making this up.

At first, the idea struck me as a little crazy and kind of comical.  An affidavit of love?  But then I thought, maybe it isn’t such a crazy idea.  Maybe all couples should use a document like this when they decide to be in a monogamous, committed relationship.  Would signing an affidavit of love make the decision feel more official, more binding?  Would couples take the relationship more seriously?  Or would it just be another promise which can be easily broken, like marriage vows?

A woman I know is going through a tough time with her husband.  She thinks he may be cheating on her.  Using a little humor to deal with the situation, she changed her ringtone for his calls to Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats.”  It got me thinking—what ringtone would you use for your ex?

The Boston Phoenix recently published their list of the 100 Un-Sexiest Men of 2010.  Tiger Woods took the number one position.  The top ten included other adulters —John Edwards, Jesse James, and Mark Sanford.  Check out the entire list and the very unflattering photos of each of these un-sexy men at http://thephoenix.com/unsexy/2010/

It’s almost always the woman who gets screwed in a divorce.  Apparently, one woman took that concept quite literally.  Melinda Brennan, a 46 year old divorced mother of four from Chappaqua, NY (yes, the same town where Bill and Hillary live) was arrested and charged with prostitution.  Police say Brennan advertised on Craigslist offering to have sex for money with “upscale men.”  (BTW, isn’t that an oxymoron—upscale men paying for sex?)  Brennan, a registered nurse, divorced in April and has been struggling to pay the rent.

I guess it would be easy to kick her while she’s down.  Why didn’t she just move to a less expensive town?  Why didn’t she take a second, legal job?  But what strikes me is the lengths to which some women will go to take care of their children.  I can imagine her feeling like the kids had already gone through enough, just dealing with the divorce.  She probably didn’t want to further disrupt their lives by uprooting them and moving to a new town. 

I certainly don’t condone Brennan’s actions, but I do feel sorry for her.  She must have felt completely desperate to resort to such measures.  Sometimes, divorce really sucks!