LinkedinTwitterThe DetailsConnectBlog Facebook Meet the TherapistHome For Writers

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

How Does That Make You Feel?
New Feature on The Character Therapist!

I've been poked fun of for my profession more for the previous question than any other. So I've decided to capitalize on it, and create a new feature here on my blog.

At least twice a month, I'll post a How Does That Make You Feel question, regarding a scenario I (or some of you!) think of. Could be related to parenting, writing, politics, relationships, religion, family of origin...you name it, it's game. You can email me scenarios you yourself have experienced or just want to torture others with at jeannie at charactertherapist dot com.

As an incentive for participating, I'll draw one commenter's name for a mini-assessment!!

That's right! Just for commenting, you'll be entered to get a free character assessment, using my regular intake form questions. This is my way of bringing back the Character Clinics I used to do.

So here's the first scenario:

You got off work and ran to the store to buy taco fixings. Your husband was supposed to work late, and you wanted dinner ready for him when he got home. You slave away, browning meat, chopping lettuce and tomatoes and grating cheese. Just as your about to call the kids in to eat---your husband can warm it up, after all---the front door opens and your husband walks in, grinning large and waving a Taco Bell bag.

Posted by Jeannie Campbell, LMFT at 6:00 AM
Labels:

Comments (19)

Loading... Logging you in...
Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout
  • Logged in as
0 Vote up Vote down
Elaine Smith's avatar - Go to profile

Elaine Smith · 634 weeks ago

If my partner walked in with a take away bag he'd drop it fast. I'd be feeling cheerful and much appreciated. As it is, my cooking wouldn't have much to worry about. There are very few Taco Bells over here. The one we went to when we were on holiday in California was a bad advert for the chain of restaurants.
0 Vote up Vote down
Crystal's avatar

Crystal · 634 weeks ago

I laugh and say, "Double tacos!"
+1 Vote up Vote down
Jennifer K. Hale's avatar - Go to profile

Jennifer K. Hale · 634 weeks ago

That something is wrong. My husband calls every.single.day.of.the.world on his way home from work to ask, "What's for dinner?" If he showed up out of the blue with food, I'd wonder who (or what) possessed his body and feel afraid that he'd lost his mind. (Although I do think I'd appreciate the gesture.)
0 Vote up Vote down
Liana Mir's avatar - Go to profile

Liana Mir · 634 weeks ago

I would probably feel supremely frustrated, but inform him he can keep the Taco Bell for lunch or breakfast tomorrow.
0 Vote up Vote down
MSS's avatar

MSS · 634 weeks ago

This is great Jeannie! I really miss the character clinics but this is a fun idea, too!

I think the redhead in me would take over and I would yell at him and when he yelled back I would get all sarcastic and so would he and we would end up having a stupid fight followed by not talking for at least an hour followed by him apologizing and me grudgingly accepting but passively aggressively only cooking stuff he hates for about a month.

Funny, huh? Poor guy.
0 Vote up Vote down
Lex Keating's avatar - Go to profile

Lex Keating · 634 weeks ago

I'd save the tacos I'd been making (Taco Bell doesn't always make for good leftovers). BUT he'd have to clean up the kitchen... :)
Loading...
+2 Vote up Vote down
jackielayton's avatar - Go to profile

jackielayton 2p · 634 weeks ago

Honestly, I'd save the ones I made for the next night and eat what my husband brought home. I wouldn't want to hurt his feelings or discourage him from surprising me another time. It's still one less night I have to cook because now I'm ready for the next night.
+1 Vote up Vote down
canyondan's avatar

canyondan · 634 weeks ago

........ being a husband, I've committed this heinous crime, actually, several times before I realized that my wife preferred the modified surprise approach of me calling and asking if I should bring home dinner. On the flip side, if I happened to come home 45 minutes late and she had cooked me a nice surprise dinner, she would be very angry, even though she hadn't called to give me a heads up.

I'll take a surprise dinner anytime, I'll put my cooking, (yes, I regularly cook dinner), in the fridge for another night!

If you get beat up too many times for a good deed the frequency off them diminishes rapidly.
0 Vote up Vote down
Addy Rae's avatar

Addy Rae · 634 weeks ago

This scenario is unlikely to happen... we coordinate dinners in advance to keep costs down. :) But, if it did, I'd be annoyed, and he would ditch the Taco Bell for later to eat my tacos (he's a bottomless pit, he'd probably eat it within an hour or two of dinner). I cook a mean taco. Mostly, I'd be annoyed that he spent money out of budget! We're pretty poor, so eating out without planning for it can be a real issue.
0 Vote up Vote down
Diane's avatar

Diane · 634 weeks ago

This wouldn't happen in our house since my husband is the one who cooks! We always talk about what to have for dinner the night before and he'll let me know the next day if he changes his mind. If he changed his mind and brought home Taco Bell, I'd be upset since he knows I avoid eating fast food whenever I can.

With this particular scenario, I'd feed the kids the home cooked tacos and let him eat Taco Bell. Once the kids were in bed, we'd talk about sticking with the last conversation we had about dinner and if he wants to bring home dinner, it better be from my favorite takeout place. :o)
+1 Vote up Vote down
Katrina S. Forest's avatar - Go to profile

Katrina S. Forest · 634 weeks ago

Ditto Diane -- husband is the chef in the family, though I do cook sometimes if he has a late meeting or something. So we'll pretend it's one of those nights.

If he went to Taco Bell...
Me: Dude, if you actually want to eat that, feel free.

If he went to the local Mexican restaurant...
Me: You went there? Awesome! Here, let me put this stuff I made in the fridge. Did you get me mole? You got me mole, right?

Okay, probably not quite like that. But as long as whatever he brought home was something I would eat anyway, probably whichever meal would taste better reheated would go in the fridge for the next day.
+1 Vote up Vote down
Suzanne 's avatar - Go to profile

Suzanne · 634 weeks ago

I would laugh an say "Great minds think alike." Although I might be a little miffed that I'd worked to create a good supper, I'd probably agree that we should eat the Taco Bell because it won't save well and leftover taco fixings make great lunches.
Loading...
+1 Vote up Vote down
crystalwrites's avatar - Go to profile

crystalwrites 1p · 634 weeks ago

First, I'd be frustrated that he didn't call to let me know he was bringing something home, but then I'd realize that neither of us could surprise the other if we planned things first. That established, I'd realize that my tacos can be reheated more easily since the food is not in the shells, so we'd sit down to the fast food which would ultimately leave us both unsatisfied and glad we had the "good stuff" for the next night's dinner.
0 Vote up Vote down
Cheri Swalwell's avatar - Go to profile

Cheri Swalwell · 633 weeks ago

My response: "As always, we think alike!" :) I would love it; not hate it.
0 Vote up Vote down
Susan Karsten's avatar

Susan Karsten · 633 weeks ago

I would be irritated. If he was bringing take-out home, he should have told me
0 Vote up Vote down
HGlick's avatar

HGlick · 633 weeks ago

I'd be a little frustrated that I slaved away, but then I'd just pack up the tacos I made (for the next night) and just eat the Taco Bell because I'm the sort of person who could eat tacos two nights in a row. :)

Post a new comment

Comments by

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)