Category: Say What

Question: My dad’s health is declining, and he is now on dialysis. My mom, who doesn’t have a big support network, and who isn’t talkative about her feelings at the best of times, is running herself ragged taking care of Dad, handling his doctors’ appointments and medications, and taking care of the house. I would […]

Question: I am in my mid-40’s and my husband died about 18 months ago. He was sick for some time, and I coped better than I thought I would. I have continued on with my life in many ways though I do still miss him and think about him every day. I loved him when […]

Question: I’m a single dad who married his high school sweetheart. As a consequence, I have dated very little. So now I’m divorced, and I am thrust adrift into the dating scene – in Bali of all places. The dating part comes easy; being a gentleman and forming relationships has gone well for me. I […]

Question: I’m in my late sixties and have some age-related health challenges, which mean I’m occasionally caught short and need to use the ladies’ room rather urgently. This happened today in a popular Seminyak restaurant where I was in the one ladies’ room stall for about ten minutes. No sooner did I get in there, […]

Question: Long story short: I’m in my 20s, he is 10 years older. The two of us broke up earlier this year. He had slept with two other women while we were together. I was disgusted and called it off. Wanting to be amicable, I left the door open for a potential future friendship, but […]

Question: I am in a bit of a tough spot these days, and I am having to rely on friends for help. Fortunately, I have a lot of wonderful friends who are happy – even eager – to provide all kinds of support for me here in Bali. I know this because they have told […]

Question: My boyfriend and I met at university, and are following similar career paths. Last month a visiting family member said he was best friends with a head honcho in our industry, and that my boyfriend and I should send him our resumes; so that he could pass them on to his friend. Now, after […]

Question: I think I may have flirted a bit too much with a young Balinese boy. He’s eighteen; I’m twenty-six; I have a boyfriend, and he knows it. I’m very happy with my boyfriend, and he knows that too. Still, he is cute and awkward and rather nice, and when I look at him, I […]

Question: In my daily life, there is a small handful of people whom I have come to hate. Perhaps the word “hate” is too strong, but I obsess on them even though we are not friends and we have nothing to do with each other directly. There’s the client, for example, who didn’t take my […]

Question: I moved to Bali from Thailand a few years ago, so all my conversations with my ex have been pretty much online at this point. I generally don’t answer my phone when she calls because if I did, she’d call all the time. So after a few years of this, she’s stopped calling except […]