I'm currently 2 1/2 weeks into a four month stretch without my boy (I'm in Azerbaijan, he's in the UK - long story) - so how do you cope with long periods away from the one you love?

Me, I spend inordinate amounts of time on the internet reading journal archives, send many (occasionally panicked and obsessive) emails to the boy in question, and count the days till I see him again.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2000

Answers

i *hate* when my husband has to travel for business. but -- i just DEAL with it. i try to keep busy, and do things i wouldn't normally do if he were here. also, i try to find something good about him going away -- like ordering in chinese food (which he doesn't like).

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2000

Being the wife of a 'lifer' Army guy, this is an easy question... Normally, and I hate to admit to this, I just act like he's not gone. Perhaps it is the counteless times we have spent apart, but if I moan and groan about his being gone, I get nothing done. I won't say that I LIKE his being gone, but as long as we know when the 'end' is, we both seem to do ok.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2000

I don't particularly like sleeping alone, but I appreciate having some time alone from time to time. Sabs doesn't go on business trips very often, but when he does, I view his absence as "me-time" -- I do special things for myself, often spend the entire weekend with a girl-friend, do girly things that I might not make time for when Sabs is at home.

I also use those times to get ahead on housework.

I find that it's a lot easier to clean the house from top to bottom with Sabs out of the way.

He does help with chores on a regular basis, but when it's really time to get down to cleaning, I'm more efficient when I can whirlwind through the whole place like a Tasmanian she-devil.

In previous relationships, lots of phone calls and LETTERS, not email were key. There's just something about getting a letter that means twice as much to me as an email.

Email is for quick exchanges, a constant stream of updates. Letters were for the long, slow expression of feelings, to be carried around and opened up, re-read, savored and put back away to hold close to my heart.

In this day and age, I think we've forgotten how important a meaningful correspondance can be ...

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2000

I like having the time to myself. I do things he doesn't like to do, and do solitary things he'd resent if he were around.

It's good to spend time apart because when we see each other again we have stories for each other. In fact what I miss the most about him when we're apart is just talking to him about stuff we do and engaging in our usual witty banter.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2000