I just ended a long distance relationship with my boyfriend; we’d been fighting sporadically for several months and suddenly he became very distant from me.
He got insomnia, stress from his job made him irritable and somewhat antisocial. I became afraid to talk to him because of his temper, and he became scared to talk to me because I was over-emotional.
I asked if he wanted to work it out and he agreed so I went to see him. He treated me like I was a stranger the whole time. I left early and now he refuses to speak to me, even though we’d agreed on being friends.
I can’t stop thinking about him. I have no idea how to get closure.

- Dragging On

You have closure, once you accept that it’s over and you’re well rid of him. Trying to stay friends would only be a set-up for you to feel rejected, since he was never really interested in friendship.
Not only did the long-distance thing not work for you two, it was worse when you were together. That’s not a bad thing, if you see it as an experience in your learning curve toward finding a better guy - one who respects your emotional side, and doesn’t pull temper tantrums when he’s stressed.
Oh yes, and preferably, try next time to find a boyfriend who’s around, so you know sooner whether he’s Mr. Right, not Mr. Distant.

I’ve been married for three years and am increasingly frustrated with my mother-in-law. She has a gambling problem and often cannot pay her rent, or her basic bills. She has major health problems, yet smokes, and is extremely overweight. My husband and I help her financially when she needs it, but it’s more difficult for us lately.
I’d like to arrange an insurance policy for her, to help with the cost of her funeral expenses should she pass away. I feel that due to her careless lifestyle and health problems, she may not be around very long.
No other relatives are in a secure financial position to assist with final expenses. Or they’ll refuse, since we’re always bailing her out. How do I bring this up to my husband?
How do we talk to my MIL about signing a policy for funeral coverage? I cannot take it out on her, without her knowledge.
I feel my husband should be the one to talk to her. When I’ve mentioned this before, he got very angry and didn’t want to discuss it.
I’m just trying to avoid a disaster, not looking to make any money off her.

Need Help

Your approach is ghoulish, not helpful. Be grateful and proud of your financial security; funeral expenses some day won’t break the bank, and there’s far more you could be putting your mind to while this woman’s alive.
Your husband would also be more understanding if you showed some compassion for his mother instead of selfish concerns. Example: 1) You/he could go with her to Gamblers’ Anonymous and help her confront her problem, and also pay for counselling.
2) You could show interest in her health, accompany her to the doctor and help her absorb the health risks of smoking and obesity.
3) You could go to the gym or a spa together, to help boost her self-esteem.
And, you could back off judging HIS MOTHER – your focus on this tells me there are more important things between you and Hubby that you need to address.

Though “online dating” has become mainstream behaviour, I don’t feel its stigma has completely evaporated. 

Many dating pundits will say otherwise, but you don’t hear people boasting they’ve signed up for a dating site as if it’s cool.

- Your Thoughts?

Let’s talk directly, about YOU: It seems you’re more concerned about what other people think, than about whether online dating would work for you.
I doubt it, since you’d approach it as something embarrassing, and therefore hold back real information about yourself.
But that’s counter-productive: Dating sites are meant to serve as an introduction, based on actual descriptive details to which another person relates. Then, as soon as possible, face-to-face meetings are essential, as when you meet someone new at a party.
After that, it’s crucial to get to know the person’s own environment, close friends, and family, so that you’re dealing with reality, not your imagination or someone’s re-invention.