Husbands, boyfriends and exes

Dear Ms. Meniscus,

I have been married for 20 years and my husband eats very loudly all the time. I have tried turning up the TV during dinner to block out the sound and I can still hear him chewing. I have turned on music and have even asked him to try and quiet his audible chewing. He does nothing to reduce his chewing noise and I'm ready to divorce him over it. What can I do?

-Irritated Wife

Dear Irritated,

Providing he doesn't have false teeth from Wal-Mart, he's doing this on purpose to irritate you and it's working. The problem is not his chewing but why he's so angry. Ask him, but not while you're eating. Depending on his answer, you'll need to make a choice. If he chooses to continue eating loudly, you can't make him stop. You can control your actions, however. You can choose to eat at another time or in another room. You can also choose not to make his dinner, if you currently do. You hold the power in this relationship. Use it creatively in ways that do not reward him for his immature behavior.

Dear Ms. Meniscus,

Hi, I am in a relationship with a man who is 20 years older than me. I love him very much and he shows me so much love and appreciation. There is nothing that I can complain about him. He is attentive and loving. Now, as I am feeling stronger for him, I begin feeling doubts. When he does not call me for a few hours, I feel he is out with someone else. He texts me sweet things but I want to call him but do not want to check up on him. Please help me. Should I be worried about anything? I feel all men cheat. Thanks.

-Cindy

Dear Cindy,

Cindy, you're being self-destructive. Stop it. You can't believe you've lucked into this great relationship, you are convinced you don't deserve it, and now you're working hard at destroying it. Take a step back and have a nice cold drink of reality. When he's not with you think of what you're going to do with him when you see him. Buy him small gifts, prepare to have fun when you're together. And, most of all, before you go to sleep each night make sure you thank him for being in your life and for helping you have another wonderful day. When you wake up in the morning kiss him, smile at him and say good morning. All men do not cheat, but thinking they do is a fast way to destroy a great relationship.

Dear Ms. Meniscus,

Ok so my ex boyfriend and I broke up 4 years ago.I still love him but he is in another relationship and seems happy. I still haven't moved on because I'm scared to get my heart broken again so I have my guard up! I mean I have hooked up with other guys but they just used me to have drunken sex with and that hurts me. What is wrong with me? Guys don't want to date me they just want to use me and I don't want that! I need advice! Is it me? Am I trying too hard? Help please?!

-The Queen

Dear Your Majesty,

What's wrong with you is how you feel about yourself. You are allowing guys to use you. Move on in small steps. If you think about him 57 times a day work on reducing that to 25 times. Go out with girlfriends and go home with them, not somebody who picks you up. Go online and make new friends, but always have first meetings in a public place. Start reading -- not trash novels or rapture books though. Read news magazines, and newspapers. Stop watching cable TV news. It is bad for your brain. Change your eating habits. Do volunteer work a few hours a week. All this will help you to create a new life for yourself -- one that doesn't include your ex, and does allow you to feel good about yourself.

Have a question for Ms. Meniscus? Submit it below. She looks forward to hearing from you!