Conversation with Bill

I usually get off work by 11:30 pm; sometimes later, sometimes a little earlier. By the time I get home, take some time to gather myself and adjust, it's pretty late when I get to bed. I always have a hard time falling asleep, so maybe I'll fall asleep by 2 am. But Bill leaves for work around 8:30 am and since I leave for work at 4 pm, we don't see each other much.

I've been getting up in the mornings so we can spend the mornings together before he leaves for work, but sometimes it's really hard. If I sleep in, it bothers him. But this isn't working at all; last week I was just running on fumes all week. I will doze a bit during the day, but I can't go back to sleep proper, so I'm always sleep deprived. And there's always laundry, etc., to be done.

So yesterday, I sat him down and I said, "This isn't working. I'm so tired. How about if we switch off for a week. You stay up till I get home and we visit then."

He looked aghast. "I can't do that! I'd be exhausted."

I just looked at him.

He said, "But you can go back to bed." We've been married 27 years and he's never figured out that sleep interrupted is sleep destroyed.

I said, "So can you. You just get up at your regular time and go to work and then when you get home, you can nap till I get home." See, he figures I can just sleep when he's not around and then I'm here for him.

"But...but..." He sputtered.

"It's only for this week. Then next week, I'll get up early."

"No. I just can't do that. You can sleep in."

Well, we'll see if that happens.

I truly believe at least 50% of my resentment and discontent with my marriage is I haven't had any sleep since 1981. I haven't been permitted to sleep past 7 am in 27 1/2 years. This is a man who will wake me up to tell me good night. And then get mad and tell me to go back to sleep.

I have learned that the only way I can make him understand my point of view is object lessons. Hence, my suggestion that he stay up till 2 am every night for a week, get up at 7 am and see just how bright eyed and bushy tailed he is. See if he wants to go to the movies on his day off.

Mormon Businessmen

We had a general authority speak here yesterday. I can't remember his name right off, but it's not really important. I was just thinking how many general authorities are rich businessmen. At least, in our community, almost all the stake presidents, etc. are businessmen! Successful ones.

And a lot of them are jerks. Everyone has a story about being cheated by a businessman. Two of my best friends come from very wealthy families. I mean millions. One friend has a brother who was a mission president and is now the temple president, I won't say where. But I know for a fact that this guy has cheated his own family out of big bucks. He and his high councilman brother have stolen tons of money from his sisters.

My other friend's brother-in-law, recently released as a bishop, tried to develop and sell some property left to the family when his parents died; he actually sold some of it, without ever having the title because it was in the family trust and belonged to everyone. His siblings took him to court and forced him to back out of the deal, much to his chagrin, but he feels no remorse whatsoever.

You hear about this stuff in Utah all the time. Rich guys being put in high callings and stories, folk tales, or fables about the legendary asshole-ness of said person.

You guys ever experience any of that and what's up with that?