Wow, Renee,

That is how my husband is. I don’t know how many times in our marriage I have said, “let me finish before you start talking please.” or “you just walked out of the room mid sentence – that is rude.” He has taken out his phone and I’ve asked him to repeat back what I just said, and he can’t.

He has actually said to me that he doesn’t really want to hear what I have to say.

In one of our counselling sessions we had a conversation with the therapist about monologues vs dialogues. The therapist was asking me if I could be flexible and allow my husband to monologue sometimes…she didn’t really understand that this was his only preference, and defeated the closer communication and connection that I was asking for.

I carefully word my statements or texts so that there are no words that he can come back and essentially tell me that I am wrong…in one way or another. Inevitably there will be something in what I say or text that he can call me on as being wrong. I really don’t try to have conversations with him anymore, but then there are good days and I forget…until he does it again.

Thankfully I now have some wonderful friends who I have been able to confide in. And this forum will be a lifesaver for me as I negotiate these next couple years before my youngest graduates, and I increase my earnings.