All Comments on 'The Wrong Side of Smart'

I don't usually read long stories, but this was definitely worth it. I must confess I like reconciliation stories the most, but your conclusion while sad, made sense. I agree that readers rarely are treated to what goes on in the mind of the woman who leaves. The descriptions of the behaviors and attitudes of the men were succinct, and yet substantial. I also learned a few new terms. Well done. Thank you. R-M

It's difficult to see "The wrong side of smart"

as "Too smart for your own good".

Jan's opinion therefore understandable.

This is a good story

with wisdom to take from it.

Thanks jezzaz!

Intoxicating and addicting . . . there was growth on the part of the main characters. I really like that, since even if an ending doesn't work out as one (or one of the characters) may want . . . it still works out well. There is some closure for all.

Very nicely done!!

fool was as closed-minded about her politics as she was about the rest of her life. It matched well.

The fact that she couldn't conceive of any politics other than her own preconceptions as being anything other than "gaslighting," that she harbored bigoted stearotypes such as people from Georgia being redneck scum, and that no "sane" person could ever hold his/her nose and vote for the "wrong" candidate in an election certainly explained how she could walk away from an otherwise satisfactory spouse, utterly convinced that her opinion was the only one that matters.

Brilliant satire.

I felt like I was gaslighted over how wonderful CNN and NPR are compared to FOX.

I don't read long stories but I did this one. It ended differently than I assumed (bad word). I feel you should do a chapter 2 from Jeff's angle.

I borrowed it from someone far smarter than I am.

“I don’t understand how anyone can oppose/support (blank)” This kind of statement conveys layers of meaning. The first layer is the literal meaning of the words: I lack the knowledge to figure this out. But the second, intended meaning is the opposite: I am so vastly superior that I cannot even imagine the cognitive errors or moral turpitude that could lead someone to such obviously wrong conclusions. And yet the takeaway when I hear someone say this is a third meaning: I lack the empathy, moral imagination or analytical skills to attempt even a basic understanding of the people who disagree with me. In short, this argument says: "I'm stupid."

because she's really in to loud public burping and farting. Too long and too much pyscho babble at the end. Tina, and apparently some of those leaving comments, feel that Jan should have been more tolerant of loud burping and farting.

I did enjoy the parts about trashing Trump and Fox News.

Living in the Seattle area this story got a lot right, the Prius, etc, added depth, same with the politics, not many closet-cases around here, more of the "live and let live" and less of the "hypocritical bible-thumping bigotry."

Despite several editing errors (ones that spell-check won't catch), this story is a solid five stars. Great job.

I often find it hard to digest stories with the selfish wife PoV, especially a tale of her self inflicted woes and a discussion of her life's minutae but you engineered an engrossing journey from ignorance to epiphany and eventual enlightenment and managed to make it a compelling trip for the reader as well. You deftly evaded that well trodden path of the ill-advised and unearned reconciliation and frankly chose the far more plausible (and satisfying) result of the foolish woman burning her own bridges along with her marriage. She thought time would stand still and she could have a do over. It didn't and neither did her ex-husband. This was the second story I've read tonight exploring the thoughts of a selfish, delusional snob who torched her marriage and experienced a hell of her own making. The other shall remain nameless and I applaud you for writing a deeply flawed and not particularly pleasant character, who none the less manages to remain one with whom the reader can still empathise. And too smart for their own good? I think there is some of that in a lot of people, myself included. Her sister's little psychoanalysis started to sound very close to home. It provoked a few thoughts about my own argumentative nature and the need for a dose of humility once in a while.

Thanks for the read Jezzaz. And congratulations on a fine story.

5*

First, I've not read the other comments as yet, and want to give you my honest reactions first.

Thank You. I sincerely appreciate this writing effort, which seems to me, on the professionalism and artistry side of the writing and Human perspective, utterly flawless. Excellent work.

As to the story side of the equation, WOW! Talk about a breath of fresh air here in LW, you truly have met the mark for breaking fresh ground. No real sluts, cucks or wimps - only flawed human beings on display. Also a good heaping helping of reasonably decent intellectual honesty being, at least eventually, exercised. Yes - this one, wordy as it was, was definitely a breath of fresh air.

So, Thank You. Kudos...and a top of the proverbial hat.

I'm not a woman, so I can't authoritatively speak to your execution of a woman's POV in the story, but as one who did score those "13 points higher" on the scale myself, you stuck all the right chords. I'll introduce a new term for you - one of my own devisement... You portrayed one who found herself caught in the "intelligence trap" very well indeed, and I both thank you and congratulate you for the effort of doing so. (If you want a dictionary definition of "intelligence trap", well, I can't easily give you one, but you might want to reference both the wife here and Sheldon Cooper for prime exemplars of the phenomenon.)

Comments by Luedon, Sbrooks103x, and myself (AMerryman) have disappeared 🔇.

Strange but true !

AMerryman

The was sent in error.

Please ignore that remark.

Sorry, my comedy of incompetence.

AMerryman

I can't find the comment right now, but I saw her comments on CNN/NPR vs Fox, not so much a comment on her inability to conceive of political views other than her own, though that might very well be true.

I think that she was saying that someone raised on a steady diet of EITHER would have some culture shock upon being exposed to the other, like she was when her personal world view was turned on it's head.

My comments are still there, except for the ones in exchange with you and lue. Hmm.

I’ve not edited comments at all. I’ve not deleted anything at all.

I don’t know who would?

When they do, "Comment deleted by admin" appears in your author control panel.

So far as I remember, there was never a comment by Luedon on this story.

@AMerryman. I have very much thought about deleting your comments from my stories. Not because you're a nasty trolly guy, but to discourage you from reading my stories. I really wish you wouldn't. I know a large number of authors, and I don't know a single one who doesn't feel as I do. We all wish you would not read our stories. If you had an account, I would tell you this in an email, but you don't, at least not one of which I am aware.

We wish you would stop reading our stories, not because you're a douche in the comments, but because you're such a freaking miser. I write a story, it's cruising along with near universal approval, scores in the 4.80 to 4.90 range, and along comes AMerryman and drops his three, as if he is the grim reaper, boom! If he is feeling extremely generous, he'll drop a four. You are a score killer. You harm the authors whose stories you read by being such a freaking miser with your scoring. No one else scores like you do. You may think you're being a tough scorer or something, but all you do is harm us. Our stories, especially in categories that don't get that many votes, can go from a contest winner to an also ran simply because we have the misfortune to be an author you read. I don't know if you are aware of that, or not. Please, just don't read my stories. Believe me, most of the other writers around here feel the same way.

As usual, you are correct. It was on "End of an Affair" that I had some comment exchanges with AMerryman and luedon, and they are still there.

Way too long for how simple the plot was, I expected the ending, but it's still pretty anticlimactic.

As Jeff indicated her 'changing of ways' was too late, and almost pointless IMO.

The sudden epiphany was a bit trite, with her acerbic older sister popping up as a deus ex machina of sorts. The sister's character feels a bit mishandled, she didn't bother contacting January at any point in three years after a dropped call, indicating marriage trouble?

I have trouble seeing why Tina suddenly started caring, because she couldn't have before, or she would have come to visit a long time ago.

It also feels a bit ridiculous that no one would have told January that her ex husband was getting married.

What's worse is that things are just left there with her defeated, and no real resolution, instead it just ran out into the sand.

Not a very satisfying ending.

The length could have been cut almost in half with little lost, except for me perhaps then not wondering whether I just wasted my time.

I do not ever remember disagreeing with Blackrandl about a story. In this one my only disagreement would be in how to be more favorable in my comments. Even in fiction I buy in my favorite bookstore it is difficult to find a character study done well.

The writer was superb in that it allowed us to follow flawed thinking even though we could understand how the protagonist got there. The inner dialogue and outer dialogue seemed cut from actual conversation one would have with self and others.

The growth of the character from the events and personalities in her life made sense. The growth cane but slowly. Then like many of us she had to have some of it shoved in her face by a loved one who understood her. And the final line was genius. Even though she is all grown up does not mean the bitch is dead and that her astronomical intelligence will always be used wisely and not for defense of perceptions less than perceptive. By the way the Terman studies on the super intelligent had results much like shown in this story. Lots of reality to this study.

Such as racists ones by an Anonymous titled "A Long Read."

What a day! A very enjoyable new story from jezzaz, and word that we'll be finally be getting that (happy, please?) ending for Ryan.

As for The Wrong Side of Smart, it was a fun character study. I don't think we were necessarily intended to adore or despise Jan. She's just a flawed person bumbling her way through the relationship side of life, hurting some people, and being hurt by others. A reconciliation wouldn't have been the WORST thing in the world, especially since she hadn't cheated and didn't have anyone in mind to cheat with when she asked for a divorce - but I'm still glad it didn't go that direction. Jeff found someone who hopefully appreciates him more than Jan did, and it was a good laugh seeing Jan backslide just a bit with her jealous mental sniping of Amber.

Thanks for the story. Looking forward to see what's going to happen with Ryan.

Cog

This was an exceptional story of personal tragedy in the Greek sense where her hubris became the instrument of her downfall.

Is an editors job and and I wonder how much was actually left on the cutting room floor. I would not cut much and appreciated the insight. There were some distinctly English flavored parts but not more than anyone grabbing a thesaurus might insert. I guess a "smart person: might even throw in some other languages as well. Jan's littany of failures was cumbersome and even stultifying but her character was thoriughly revealed to the point that if you saw her in the suk (see what I did there) you would either walk the other way or give her a hug. Very well done.

Enough said!

Rfm

Please write another chapter from Jeff’s perspective! How did he react and his path to recovery.

Now that Jan is self-aware, she could have a life of her own to find.

This story seem to be about my ex-wife, except that she never had the self realization at the end. Well done.

8 pages of oh woe is me, sex in the city crap. 8 pages of hoping it got better. sigh

To say how exhausting it is to read a story where the narrator is so insanely negative and self destructive. It probably also doesn't help when the husband, after one page, seems to be me lol.

A little too long .is it finished. He moved on . She blew a good life with a good man.

Well crafted and thoughtful.

In your opening comments you make mention of not having submitted anything in a while.....well i'll take quality over quantity any day...,.five stars wish it could be more.

Too wordy be buggered. Jezzaz can write as many words as he damn well pleases when they're this good. And they generally are. Apart from everything else the writing was most amusing, at times downright funny. Had everything, exceptional reading. Thanks.

I made the mistake of not checking out what the ending was before investing time in reading it all. The ending was a kick in the nuts, whats the point of writing a 13 page story which ends with the main character finally gets her shit together and in last couple of paragraphs gets fucked over. One star.

Stick to cock sucking and leave out politics. Trump is the best president since Reagan! Hoo ahh!!!!!!

Hated the ending!!!

And a karmic ending - she reaped what she sowed.

The person who most deserved the happy ending got it, and the one who caused all the trouble by "looking for greener pastures" got exactly what was deserved.

5/5

You're too good a writer for that. That comment came across more as the authors view, not the character.

I gave it five* and would gladly give it more. My problem now is that everything I read from now on will be graded against this one and will be hard to reach this level of total proficiency. It was a bit long but I would love to have 13 more chapters to consider and I don’t know of anything I would want to leave out.

Well done and thanks for sharing this wonderful effort.

Genius. Five out of five.

Welcome back. You've been missed.

Constructive criticism: not too many, but enough typos and missing words to throw me a bit. And it ended a bit quick.

But I loved it.

Steve

Republicans-conservatives bad. Progressive liberal good. Everything on CNN can be taken as the word of God. You realy lived up to your stories title.

I certainly felt manipulated by the author’s oh, so arrogant and elitist comments about the deplorables among us.

Between a never ending compendia of dating fiascos and an ending telegraphed on about page 3, it was a struggle to finish this eventually boring story.

However, the writer is talented and for that I gave it a 3.

But this is the first, last and only story I will read. Keep your ideology to yourself. I’m not interested and resent your attempt to intrude on the reader’s beliefs. If I want to be manipulated I can tune in CNN or FoxNews depending on my persuasion. I don’t need an amatuer writer of mediocre stories presuming to influence me.

This story was all about you. It wasn't written for the pleasure of the entire audience. It wasn't written to bring some self-examination to the few who maybe are in a similar marriage. It wasn't written because the author enjoys what he does and likes to share his talent with others. This story is all about you and how it affects your life. It's all about your present situation and your outlook on life. Yes, it was written to try and influence you mind and outlook on life but you weren't fooled. No sir. You saw right through the cheap charade and decided that it was written to dumb you down.

As a suggestion you may want to go back and re-read the last 3 pages and think about how it may apply in your life.

Story wise it was well written and detailed with enough to keep it interesting. The ending was totally a rush and left a lot to be desired. It is obvious that you pushed your political and liberal agenda and it really detracts from the story. Passive aggressive insults and innuendos are the life blood of the liberal minded. CNN and Public News Networks being held on high as beacons of truth are just laughable. And FOX news is the same for the conservative side of things. Really it makes you look small minded and unoriginal. I really think that the main character is based on you. Isn't amazing that after all the self reflection and pain she caused herself she really doesn't understand how life goes on fine without her. Most cases better. You really did name the story right though. It suits the subject matter.

FYI..... If you really hate the Prius you have sell it and get a real car.

Why push a liberal agenda that can only alienate half the readers on this site ? It adds nothing to a good story, and will not change one persons political opinion.

After reading “The Pursuit of Justice”, I went back and reread “The Wrong Side of Smart”. The heart of this story - the aha portion - is the exposure and deconstruction of Jan’s delusions by Tina. Tina did the same thing to Jan that Mike did to Kristi in “Words” - meticulously analyzing and destroying her ill-conceived rationalizations, forcing her to realize the devastation she’d inflicted upon Jeff and hence herself. (“Words” is the quintessential Jezzazz story to me. I’ve reread it now several times). Thank you - hell of a piece of composition, and a joy to read.*****

I read a lot from both liberal and conservative authors. I fully hope and expect their biases to be apparent in their writing. I certainly don’t need some sanitized non-offending version of a writer’s world view. Make a good argument left or right. Just don’t bore me. Once again, thanks for a fine story

I may be mistaken, however I discerned this entire story was told from Jan's perspective. Jan hates Priuses, Jan is not Trump supporter. Jan favors NPR over Fox News.

I HAVE NO IDEA OF JEZZAZ'S AFFILIATIONS - LIKES OR DISLIKES.

Third time reading this story. Often I seek out longer stories to engage my mind for more than ten minutes.

Some stories are so well written I cringe when last page is displayed, wishing I was allowed more time with the characters.

Now on to re-read ''Words'' once again.

This was a well written story by a skilled writer. I don't really care about the politics, left wing, right wing, Libertarian, whatever.

This is, however, the second story I've read by the author where atheism is thrown in for no apparent reason. Not a big deal, just strange.

It doesn't care what your politics are, what your arguments or your ideals or your theories are. It doesn't care what your intentions or your beliefs or your opinions are. The Truth doesn't need your vote, or your support, or your contributions, or your agreement.

The Truth doesn't say, Fuck You. The Truth says if you don't know and accept the truth, you're fucked.

This story is mostly a lie. OK, its a really clever and interesting lie, but it does not reflect the truth, and it shows. Yeah, you wrote some truth even it you didn't realize it, so its makes the overall plot look that much more contrived.

Tina tells us that Jan is a self-absorbed heartless bitch, AND that she has been that way since they were children. So Jeff married a self-absorbed heartless bitch, and then he's surprised, after kissing her ass and doting on her for 18 years, to find out that she's a self-absorbed heartless bitch, that is leaving him and their children, because, she thinks her life is better without them? So while Jeff might deserve our pity, its not because of what Jan did to him, but what he set himself up for. Jeff ignored the truth, so he ended up fucked.

But you just can't see the bullshit you write while striving to execute your faulty plot: "Jan?" he asked. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry the whole thing happened. I'm sorry you figured out what you wanted so late." So Jeff is sorry he settled for Amber before Jan got her shit together and came crawling back? Sounds like it. He "stiffens up" when Jan mentions she met some man? Why? Isn't Amber the woman who liberates Jeff from the humiliation and despair Jan heaped upon him? Shouldn't Jeff be telling Jan that his grateful Jan walked out of his life, removing a cancer, a disease that infected him and the children? You created a contradiction that defies the truth. And your story is full of them.

Jan has this full time radar that is constantly scanning and seeking what is best for Jan, only, and always. And yet she gets hoodooed and skanked and deceived by every man she meets after leaving Jeff? Yeah, that makes sense. And what does wise and mature and honest Tina recommend as part of Jan's therapy? Yeah, go get stoned. Really wise, and truly an efficacious solution to foster self-assessment and character building.

So it is a well crafted facade, compared to most of the drek in Loving Wives. But its still rings hollow and false.

But thanks for the effort.

See, you just can't fake the truth, to someone who wants and is willing to accept the truth.

very well written. Truth of the matter - Jan was exceedingly smart but not in her choices, whether actions or partners. So , she had to face the consequences. 5 stars.

She realized alot in the end, though it was, "to little, to late".

Why attack the prez and fox news. Not germaine to the story. Risk alenating 50% of your readers. Gave it one star. Will do so for all your stories without reading them.

Life is good.

Highly recommend you avoid the politics, especially in this day and age. I try my best to give out 5* ratings like candy to well written stories like this, but I gave it a 2*. And if you feel like you must convey politics, do it as the characters, not the author.

Politics are a hot topic for many people. Having a character think/talk about it is just another way to make them human. People need to stop bitching when a character leans one way or the other on the political spectrum.

I enjoyed the story. Some of the criticism on Jeff being blindsided on Jan being bitch, when she's apparently always been that way seem appropriate. Of course, who can know what she was like with Jeff. We never saw that. All we see is her actions at the end of their relationship. But assuming she was the same with Jeff as she was with Tom, then either Jeff was so love-blind that he never saw any of that, or he just put up with it. And from his conversation at the end, it seems to me that he did see it, and decided to ignore it. But that's just my interpretation of the story.

And that is why it's a 5* story. You have people analyzing the characters and talking about it (like I am here). Keep up the good work, and ignore the trolling neckbeards.

You need to leave the politics and religion out. Frankly, it seems you're doing a bit of "negging" and "gaslighting" yourself there. As for the story, it was 13 pages of explaining what we figured out by the forth paragraph. That being she was a cold, contemptible BITCH. I would wonder why HE stayed with her for as long as he did, or how he kept from killing her. After that, it was just about as predictable as one could expect, even down to the last half page ending. You do have good talent for writing, so I give it a 3.,,,,

Your stories are always worth the wait, I've enjoyed everything I've read of yours, this one put a couple of things in my own life in perspective. Thanks for sharing your talent and don't stay away to long.

The actual lyric referenced is

"You can't always get what you want,

But if you try sometimes well you might find,

You get what you need."

Keith Richards, Mick Jagger

For such a tiny end result. The kids must absolutely hate their mom. They can tell Jeff about Tom but they can't tell Mom about Amber? Who needs kids like that? She should give them as little respect as they have shown her. Depression will be the death of her...and soon.

Great story, though the immediate gratification crowd doesn’t like all the words. Kind of reminds me of a Kafka inner dialogue story. The main point that smart people are particularly good at self rationalization is very true. I can’t recall who said “The mind is a tool evolved to win debates” or something related. Kind of sad to think we aren’t evolving to become an egalitarian, fair and moral race of beings but, if we did, where would all the comedy and farce come from? I haven’t read all the comments, but I assume a few Trumpers were offended. Too bad for them.

X

Sorry if the length of story disrupted your 9pm cookies and milk prep for sleep routine. Was the tale too long ? Big red hot rating says your attention span might be a scosh short . Just sayin'.

In page one I got very annoyed reading the protagonist's whiny drivel. Almost dropped it right there but I kept on to the end. What a significant work you have penned. An amazing peek into the human psyche and condition. Thank you. Please, when you can, give us more of your amazing writing.

13 pages and then you save the best for the last couple of lines

All the drama, Tina’s ‘intervention’ and yet in the end Jan simply doesn’t get it

Beautifully done Jezzaz 5*

Having said that, I must comment that the political shots taken at the right were totally unnecessary, unless you personally just had to stick it to 50% of voting Americans. Your writing is so good. Don't cheapen it by criticizing 150 million people in one fell swoop. I and many millions have given up on PBS & CNN because of their lack of fair & balanced reporting. Nuff said on that sore subject.

Your writing was so insightful and real. I laughed for about 3-minutes when her sister told her that in some situations her tight sphincter might make diamonds but would probably just make her constipated. Funny as hell. As was the description of trying to wear a thong. Loved it !! It deserved a 5 easily. 😊😊😊😊😊

That is all it was worth. A waste of time. All u people that disagree with me. Oh well. Such is life

The author called this story a “slow burn”. To me it was more of a long slow fizzle ending in a puff of smoke. A long (did I say loonngg?) tedious boring story about a self-entitled bitch who blamed everyone but herself for every problem in the world. I’ve known people like that, both men and women, and they were nothing more than a pain in the ass to be around. So I have always chosen not to be. Around them. I’d have to say I didn’t much care for this story.

That was an epic rant if there ever was one. Got taken in on the Tom thing. That was a real nice turn around. Bravo.

At any rate, the author's ability to continue carrying things forward right along with Jan's joycian bitchfest was quite impressive, if not occasionally tedious or flawed in some way or other.

The writer has a genuine flair for the written word and this reader very much appreciates the effort.

By the way, there's really no such thing as "chomping at the bit" if one is trying to echo the time worn phrase. It's "champing at the bit". Champing. If you're chomping you're eating, you're doing something, something useful and something with purpose. When a horse "champs" it is action by fiat, by the unhappy circumstance of having a bit strapped onto your mandibles and into your maw. People "champ" because they have nothing to do and are nervous over this thing or that. Champing not Chomping. Though, frankly, I don't doubt some dipshit dictionary has a new entry for it.

ps and all the rest of you: please don't jump on the latest fake buzzword: Complicit. In the last several years not a fckng day goes by where you don't hear it or read it at least twice a fkng day. For godssakes it's like a hot fork in the ear. Please stop. The word is "complicitous". The former is made up by the press losers.

That was one hell of a long assed story. Sadly, I was left with a feeling of having wasted my time reading it. We go through this whole ordeal with this selfish woman, watching without any real empathy for her as she self-analyzes and justifies her own stupidity for thirteen long pages only to have it come to a conclusion like that. NO ONE bothered to mention to her that her ex-husband was seeing someone and got remarried? Not one of their friends or even her kids? Come now. Even if he told people not to tell her anything about his life, which was ridiculously unrealistic, someone would have mentioned it. Her sister HAD to know she would try to go see him and talk to him. What kind of cruel bitch would let her walk into a situation like that without warning her? No, sorry. Not buying it. You care enough to get your sister to go to therapy because she obviously has issues yet don't bother to tell her that her ex was married a week before you visited? Stinks of a plot device.

I knew right when she started dating Tom that she'd eventually end up crawling back to Jeff. It was completely obvious. I just really didn't need all the nonsense in between. A good 2/3 of this story could have been removed and it would still have made its point just fine. As it is, I felt like I wasted my time since Jan didn't learn anything from her experiences until the last two pages. "Life is there for the living, and I needed to live it." Uh huh, and what exactly was she trying to do for the last twelve pages? The whole story was about how she was trying to live life and was making a royal fuck up of it. 90% of the story was spent showing how she was living life and discovering that there were basically no good guys out there, so what exactly were we supposed to infer she was going to change in order to live her life more? At least she has her kids... who don't really like or respect her and didn't bother to tell her their father was married! I felt like I was made to watch a really slow train wreck only for it to end with some kind of empty platitude. Why did I just read this story about a dumb ass who learned her lesson too late and is basically alone now? If I'd known what I was in for I surely wouldn't have. Sorry, I like a lot of Jezzaz's stories but this one just felt like one long waste of time with nothing redeeming at the end.

This is a really good story but things kinda just fizzled out at the end. I just hoped there was more of Jan's interaction with Jeff...for her to see how much damage she'd done to the man and her family. But in way I'm glad you didn't forcefully reconcile them at the end.

I would really hope there is a follow up to this with Jeff's POV and more of his interaction with Jen.

- BB

Too long and drawn out, the snide political remarks detract from the story. A snob writing about a snob! Funny! 3

Entertaining study of, "The March of the Folly". Or, "It seemed like a good idea at the time". Willfully and intelligently choosing a path paved with bad decisions. The story is long, so keep that in mind. A little novel.

jezzaz, did a great job in balancing the how the ex-wife perceived herself and how others perceived her. She leaves her husband to discover herself but burns all the bridges leading back home.

In the end, I didn't feel sorry for her, but I neither felt any disgust for her. She finally got it. Also, IMHO her character was interesting enough to see another chapter. She's wised up. Does she get another chance at love?

I think just about every word I might have used to describe my thoughts about this story have already been used. “Long”? Yep, very long, and in my opinion, for what it ended up being, about five pages too long. “Tedious”? Most certainly, in places. Particularly during Jan’s moments (or hours) of self-analysis. Boring? Also yes, in places. At the risk of repeating myself, all the soul-searching introspection, Ie, self analysis, was not only tedious but it was boring in places. I almost bailed on the whole story a couple of times. The writing was first rate, My problem was just with content. Or maybe just the over-abundance of.

Decent story, but way too long and unnecessarily drawn out only to end in a mediocre climax.

I think this is premium material. I have bashed jezzaz in the past (especially for the endings) but I have nothing bad to say here at all.

The grain of this is so textured, and the points hit so close to home, that I've forwarded a link to this to my ex wife.

....because I've become very cruel since our divorce. And I know that she'll read it, and become very sad.

And so I'll sit here and wait for her reply, because there's so much of Jan that can apply to me and she will want to say a few things of her own. Truth is the seed of a tree that grows with sunlight.

The 13 pages dont bother me in the slightest. Life is complicated.

Thanks, jezzaz.

Your fic was very good in my humble. I thought they were going to reconcile almost from the start , but what a twist . 5 stars from me...

Saw this one coming but still a good BTB, 5*, that could be a 6* if it was not so darn long. To me it was about 3-5 pages to long, I found myself skimming paragraphs to keep the story moving so as not to get mired down in the minutia.

I was expecting more therapist gut ripping analysis of Pres's warped ego utopia, smacking her back into reality.

I can’t believe people are complaining about anything, anything at all. It’s 5:22 a.m. My day is fucked, and I don’t care. I couldn’t put it down. This is literature, you stupid idiots. Be grateful it’s free. It’s so much better than so much fiction I’ve paid for.

Thank you for sharing it with me, Jezzaz.

Eric

While long, each lover was a lesson. The most important of those being the lover who is her sister. While her friends were often subtly chiding, none ever really called her out on her actions and beliefs. Makes for very interesting reflections in this age when the "all the good ones are taken" seems to be bandied about more and more.

It also correctly notes how making any relationship marriage or otherwise work takes effort to create "The One." The work adds half of you to half of the other summing together in the unity (note you must keep half of yourself to be true to your self but you also have to give half of yourself to the relationship to be true).

Nice Job in maintaining the tension through a long journey until the very end.

After SO MUCH about her, I feel there should have been more about what he was going through. Also, it is unrealistic that she didn't speak to him in nearly two years since they shared the kids. So many opportunities to say SOMETHING about what they were doing. Impossible for the kids to have not said something either.

Anyway, fairly obvious that I wanted them back together. The way she discovers her true self through the Tony affair and her sister just begged for a reconciliation. Just slipping in the fact at the end that he got married two weeks ago is devastating.

Still, well worth the read. Five stars definitely.....

I'm almost postive that I was married to her twin sister. But she didn't leave. 🤬 The thankless cheating slut wanted half of what she never contributed a thing to building so I just stopped paying for EVERYTHING... waited till the shit was about to hit the fan and then.... I LEFT. 🤭 Her whole family finally wised up and shut her out.

A well thought out and written story... depicting the bitter truth that most of the bitches refuse to take any responsibility for. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you want to find a "normal" man instead of a loonie lefty greenie Prius driving wacko; GET THE HELL OUT OF SEATTLE!

With a longer story, the ending is tricky. This seemed flat, like the story ran out of energy.

Finally, someone else (there are a few others out there) who really gets it, thank you!!!

Now it's my turn to have a little fun and take exception to two things. "...he looked like a slightly homelier version of Robert Redford..." Has anyone looked at Redford in the last decade or two? How the hell do you get any worse looking now from what he used to look like? His face melted, it looks worse than Dyan Cannon. Now if you had picked Paul Newman..., he started out looking like a Greek God statue and got better from there.

"Look at, oh, Vaccines. There are thousands of people out there who believe vaccines are bad. Not based on science, there isn't any scientific evidence that states that there is actually a link between vaccines and, say, autism, except one totally expunged bullshit from a Doctor who altered his results and then admitted it, yet normal sane people believe it, mainly because they've been made to feel that believing anything and everyone else is 'stupid'. It's like being brought up on CNN and NPR, and suddenly only getting a diet of Fox News. Eventually, some of your hardcore beliefs will be challenged because the steady diet of bullshit you've been fed from the 'fair and balanced' news station gets through to you." Every time I've noticed someone connecting vaccines with autism it always seems to be a twit who's beliefs fall in line with the Hollyweird crowd, real brains like Jenny McCarthy. Oh, and you left out MSNBC.

First of all from the beginning I could see this pretty much going one of two obvious ways, BTB or RAAC. First I was going for BTB but towards the end I was leaning hard for RAC which I tend to believe was the intent. Of course you had to through in what Clint called "Trouble With The Curve". I do agree with some of the comments that the very last few sentences made the ending too abrupt, maybe a short sequel to clear things up a bit. Not too late for a RAC.

My fun aside you are well on your way to being added to my short (12 more or less) list of favorite authors that I seem to stumble onto after reading a story by one of the twelve and find listed in Similar Stories. Many of those listed in "Similar Stories" I can't find the similar part, but once in a while I find a gem like "Words" and hang in for the ride like the "Awards Night" in Las Vegas and here. Looks like you've got me for a while so don't stop now. Signed: BTW

I am turned. I no longer like or respect this author. His comment about Fox News is absolutely arrogant. He is obviously so far left he can sniff his own asshole. Fuck him

Too long to find the Fox mention in the story, but I assume it was made by the same character who talked trash about Trump? If so, having the bupid stitch make these comments seems to be mocking liberals, does it not?

Only a complete moron would hate a story because of the Fox News comment.....enough said! I liked it very much.

but I enjoyed this. She was an idiot. I also like the fact he didn't wait and divorced her ass.

Don’t know if it’s the author or his character speaking, but when she says she’s doing her own version of the steps, she’s not kidding. First, you’re not giving up all responsibility for your life to a “mythical creature.” The fourth step (“made a searching and fearless moral inventory..”) is, in fact, an exercise designed to make one discern his own moral shortcomings, and his responsibility and part in all the failures and disappointments he has visited upon others or suffered himself. Even if another person bears some or much of the blame, the person doing the inventory does not focus on that - it is our own responsibility that is the sole focus.

Second, “turned our will and our life over to the care of God as we understood him” is most assuredly not an invitation to passivity or an abdication of responsibility. It is an admission that we have proven to ourselves and others that we cannot manage our faults on our own, and that we need help from a higher power (God as we understand him, though the program suggests other outlets for those who don’t believe). Surrender and an admission of powerlessness is just the first step - the real, hard work begins after that, as we strive to rebuild ourselves and to choose wisely as we move on. “God moves mountains, but first he hands you a shovel.”

Finally, her “amends” is a weak and self-serving act, the opposite of what is suggested by the program. When we approach those we have harmed with the intent of making amends, it is ideally done with no expectation of a response, good or bad, from the offended person; no ulterior or hidden motive, such as a rapprochement or renewal of a relationship; and, especially, no attempt to point out any culpability that the offended one may share. (This latter is called “taking another’s inventory.”) The sole purpose of an amends is to admit our fault to those we hurt and to express our remorse. We accept whatever response the other person gives; if we have done the work of the steps until now, we realize that we cannot direct another’s feelings or actions; all we can do is acknowledge our own part and manage our emotional and spiritual reactions to them. That she went into the amends with the hope of a renewed relationship, and pointed out to him that he was not perfect, is an indication that she has a long way to go in acknowledging and overcoming her deep-seated character flaws.

I really liked this, really liked it a lot. I think though the sister Tina who's eventual arrival and patching up of the good ship january which had crashed on a reef of her own making was a little TOO hand of god (In this author) for me. Tina coming in and reading Jan the riot act so to speak was a little too much John Galt in the middle of the excrement know as Atlas Shrugged. While Tina was there to steer Jan back to a place of reality it was the beginning of the end to her adventures and time to pay the price. Jeff did do well as the male hero the Loving Wives crowd enjoys so much, a great father, a great cook, feet of clay....but look he invents toys, he does work that somehow a Realtor looks down on???? Seriously Jan had to know if she was selling real estate to companies that sold things to make money....her husband (ex husband) was a key player and her market. So a little disconnect there.

I also felt the story, while a real page turner and the writing skill is top notch, comes off a little too Mr. Goodbar in Jans adventures with the worlds worst single men. And while the last man standing at least had the decency to not string her along and promise something he wasn't willing to do in return for sex it did show us that Jan wasn't a complete going concern as a person. A good read. I wonder if this is how people are late in life when they marry young directly from living with their parents. I think everybody needs time alone to grow up and Jan has never really done that. Wow I must like this I'm writing too much in the comments. Also enjoying the comments about being offended on the FOX News stuff. Go read Saddlebrook if you want to read Fox news Fanfiction.

Wonderful insight. Thanks for writing.

All through the story I kept hearing, in the back of my mind, Drops of Jupiter.

Wow... F*****g wow... You took us on a trip through a woman's psyche and took us way... way... way down the rabbit hole... Some of your insights are just remarkable... I've seen average writing at this site... And seen people call them great... Spurred solely by the people's feelings for raac or brb... And then there are the people that wouldn't recognise great writing if it bit them om the ass... A great story should take you on a journey... And you should discover something every step of the way... The way you laid this one out was just extraordinary... I am in awe of your talent... And i mean that from the bottom of my heart...

I am a mensa member... And i totally understand the term "the wrong side of smart"... I've been there many times... As have many... Many smart people... Sometimes we forget something my aunt (who wasn't really that smart herself) told me... She said... "Everybody knows at least one thing that you don't know"...

Again... Just an amazing offering...

-jaye-

Very good character breakdown of the main female character. But it was a bit too much and way too long.

This is an amazing, perfect story and now I'm gonna file it in the same category with A Million Words and The Gift, the one marked NEVER READ AGAIN - DEPRESSION AHEAD!

Seriously, fuck Amber and fuck you for making me care about this vapid bitch right before you throw her in the trash! I don't even like sequels and I need one now, just so she doesn't die alone in my head.

Thanks!

to read a good character development for the wife. The ex is your usual martyr. Yawn.

Next tine you get a vaccine don’t sign the medical waiver :-)

If you can't Love the One You're With settle like the rest of us. LOL

Life's a bitch and then you divorce one

For a guy, you sure seem to have a deep understanding of the female psyche. Thank you for your efforts in this story and others. You are more than an accomplished writer; you are a wonderful storyteller!