Marilyn Stowe Blog

HuffPost Divorce: The Top 10 Stereotypical Marriage Wreckers

I was recently invited to contribute to HuffPost Divorce, where you can now find a slideshow featuring my Top 10 Stereotypical Marriage Wreckers. I decided to write a fairly light hearted piece. Regular readers know that much of what I write on the blog is about English law which can be tricky, or deals with quite sad situations. So this was my opportunity for once to write fairly tongue in cheek, but nevertheless based on my knowledge of the ten thousand or so clients I have represented in my career. Yes I really have and I think that number may be low.

The subject matter came to mind a week ago when I was doing a spinning class in the local gym -I couldn’t help noticing that there are a lot of ‘glammed up’ men and women who never end the class looking as bad as me! It set my imagination going, and gave me something to concentrate on through a long spinning session and this post is the result. So far over 700 US readers have left comments on HuffPost Divorce and it is now tagged as one of its Most Popular posts. It has also been reprinted in various languages across the world. I’m really thrilled that my thoughts have transferred with such overwhelming approval to an American and worldwide audience.I hope you enjoy it too. I do like being called “Attorney Stowe”!

HuffPost Divorce was inspired by HuffPost’s thrice-married editor-at-large Nora Ephron, best known as the screenwriter of romantic comedies including When Harry Met Sally… and Sleepless in Seattle.  It was Nora who came up with the section’s tagline: “Marriage comes and goes but divorce is forever…” Since its launch, HuffPost Divorce has gained a community of loyal readers and, if you are currently going through separation or divorce, I recommend that you take a look.

To read the Top 10 Stereotypical Marriage Wreckers, click the image below.

 

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2 Comments

  1. Pam Forster on January 31, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    Dear Marilyn
    I just got this online and thought you might like to read some more about gym instructors..
    Pam
    Secretary to Stephen Hopwood
    Stowe Family Law LLP

    A WOMAN’S WEEK AT THE GYM

    If you read this without laughing out loud, there is something wrong
    with you. This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into
    a regular workout routine

    Dear Diary,
    For my birthday this year, I purchased a week of personal training at
    the local health club. Although I am still in great shape since being
    a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be
    a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.

    I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer
    named Christo, who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics
    instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.

    Friends seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club
    encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.
    ________________________________
    MONDAY:
    Started my day at 6:00 am. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was
    well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Christo
    waiting for me. He is something of a Greek god– with blond hair,
    dancing eyes, and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!

    Christo gave me a tour and showed me the machines.. I enjoyed watching
    the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my
    workout today. Very inspiring!

    Christo was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was
    already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around.

    This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!
    ________________________________
    TUESDAY:
    I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door.
    Christo made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air
    then he put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the
    treadmill, but I made the full mile. His rewarding smile made it all
    worthwhile. I feel GREAT! It’s a whole new life for me.
    _______________________________
    WEDNESDAY:
    The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the
    counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a
    hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn’t try to
    steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.
    Christo was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered
    other club members. His voice is a little too perky for that early in
    the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is
    VERY annoying.
    My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Christo put me on the
    stair monster. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate
    an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Christo told me it would
    help me get in shape and enjoy life. He said some other shit too.
    _______________________________
    THURSDAY:
    Asshole was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his
    thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn’t help
    being a half an hour late– it took me that long to tie my shoes.
    He took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran
    and hid in the restroom. He sent some skinny bitch to find me.
    Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine– which I sank.
    _________________________________
    FRIDAY:
    I hate that bastard Christo more than any human being has ever hated
    any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny,
    anemic, anorexic, little aerobic instructor. If there was a part of my
    body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it.
    Christo wanted me to work on my triceps. I don’t have any triceps! And
    if you don’t want dents in the floor, don’t hand me the damn barbells
    or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.
    The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition
    teacher. Why couldn’t it have been someone softer, like the drama
    coach or the choir director?
    ________________________________
    SATURDAY:
    Satan left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly
    voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing his voice
    made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked
    the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven
    straight hours of the Weather Channel..
    ________________________________
    SUNDAY:
    I’m having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go
    and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year
    my husband will choose a gift for me that is fun– like a root canal
    or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he
    would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

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Marilyn Stowe is the senior partner in Stowe Family Law, which has offices in Yorkshire, Cheshire and London. With more than 30 years’ experience handling divorce cases and family law proceedings she is regarded as one of the most formidable and sought after divorce lawyers in the UK. In 2012, Marilyn became one of the first solicitors to qualify as a family law arbitrator.

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