
I'm 28 and the youngest of three children. My siblings and I had a challenging childhood; our dad disappeared from our lives when we were little, and our mother suffered from severe depression. My sister, the eldest, took on the responsibilities of taking care of my brother and me, even though she was only a few years older than us.

Around here we talk a lot about how important it is to
trust your instincts, which I’m a huge supporter of. We have those instincts for a reason! But every once and a while wires get crossed somewhere along the way and we misconstrue what are gut is telling us.

A few weekends ago, I ditched out on my long-time friend to hang out with a guy that I have feelings for. My friend and I had been planning on going to the movies, and when I canceled she got upset with me. Since I so rarely flake out, I immediately became irritated with her, and we ended the phone call on a very negative note.

When it comes to dispensing advice to our loved ones, it’s difficult to know when it's worth it. And if you do decide to speak up against a bad decision only to be ignored, it can be
incredibly frustrating to watch as what you predicted would happen does. If I end up in that situation, my first reaction is to dispense the requisite “I told you so.” However, time and experience has taught me that “I told you so” does little good.

In an attempt to
spice things up, your boyfriend decides to take things out of the bedroom and onto the open road. But what you think is just a romantic mini road trip ends up being more than you bargained for. Parking off a one-lane, seldom-used road, you guys to try something totally new.

A year before I left for college, I started dating a guy I was crazy about; it was my first love. We had a very happy relationship, but as high school relationships do, things got difficult when I went away to college. By the time I headed home for Winter break, it was clear that he was spending time with another girl behind my back.

The sex with your new boyfriend has been amazing. You guys have the kind of chemistry you thought only
existed in movies. But during a fairly animated and exciting romp, things seem to get out of hand.

Sometimes, no matter how much we're on top of our expenses and feel in control of our finances, mistakes do happen. Take, for example, a recent money mistake compliments of yours truly. In my attempt to purchase the perfect wedding gift, I failed to pay attention to the currency in which the present's price was listed.

Pride is a stronger force in most people's lives than they recognize.
Admitting when you’re wrong is an incredibly difficult thing to do, and it sometimes requires swallowing (or choking down) your pride, which is especially challenging if you're used to being right. But saying sorry is an incredibly noble act and you almost always end up on top if you're honest and own up to your mistakes.

Your new boyfriend went away on a business trip for more than two weeks and left his pet bird in your care. A graduation present from his family, the bird means a great deal to him and holds sentimental value. He's given you very specific instructions on caring for it, with the very explicit declaration that he'll be destroyed if you kill it.