Hello from Jim

Well, it’s been quite a summer. During the spring, my job at the University got busier and busier as the duties piled up, and the family desperately looked forward to a summer of fun. We put up a dry-erase board in the family room after Spencer got home from boarding school and listed the things we wanted to accomplish this summer. Now the summer is nearly gone and most of those things done, but with the sense of accomplishment comes a profound sadness –another summer gone, another year down the road to when the children are gone. As I watch the weeds in the pastures begin to yellow at summer’s end, I think with a certain amount of melancholy about the cycle of life, of which we are only a small part.

But with the passage of another year comes another year with my lovely Bethany. Today’s our anniversary, and I reflect on how profoundly she’s changed my life, and from all signs, I hers. The moment we met, I knew she was the real article—a spanko I believe is the term—a young lady with boundless energy and creativity, but terribly unfocused. I remember thinking to myself, “God, child, you’re just like a Ferrari with no driver—such potential, wasting away.” And then, smiling to myself, “However, I have just the tools, young lady, to put you right on track.”

Well, now I’m doing exactly that. It seems like a perfect job, doesn’t it? Head of Household, Final Decision Maker. I must admit it has its finer moments. There’s nothing to equal a peaceful, orderly household—one where important decisions are considered carefully and then, once they’re made, there is no more discussion. I enjoy the leadership role and Bethany likes the freedom to work and be creative, within an atmosphere of absolute security.

Sometimes, however, it becomes necessary to remind Miss Bethany that such safety and security come at a price—not money, but something much more powerful than that. It comes with the knowledge that the fundamental underpinning of this whole way of life is, quite simply: Actions Have Consequences. Our life has run so smoothly (mostly due to her good nature, I have to admit) that, while I’ve been known to leave a few stripes on her bottom for fun, real punishment has been rare. Unfortunately, the consequences of my laxity are just as you would predict—Bethany had begun to slip into some of her old habits. So, when I asked her to change the blog to a different format, she said, “Sure”—then promptly went on to other things. After several warnings, it was clear that I two choices: continue to nag, or make my meaning clear by another method.

So, as they say, the rest is history. I'm always impressed by how quickly the hairbrush focuses Bethany's mind on the task at hand. Yes, we’ve had a few hiccups, as our employees have mistakenly posted ads again, but I think we’re on track now. The blog had become just another ad vehicle, and that’s not what blogs are for. That has stopped.

As the Internet has become fiercely competitive, we have maintained a tremendously loyal following, I believe because we are the real article—a couple that lives DD every day and makes it work to give us a satisfying marriage. We want our blog to reflect that, and to help us connect with our customers—no, not customers—friends—who have made Bethany’s and our many other Websites so wildly successful. We anticipate upgrading the advice section in Bethany’s and are looking for questions to address as we go forward. We are redesigning all our sites to be easier to use and less confusing. There will be a whole new level of accessibility to Bethany and me. We anticipate many, many benefits to our friends.

And, speaking of benefits—for some strange reason, I’ve lately noticed a whole new level of attention in Bethany’s eyes when I speak to her. Just coincidence, I suppose.