52 Fights: A Newlywed's Confession

Last week I was listening to a morning radio show on my drive to work. They were discussing a book they had read following a promotional event at a local bookstore. The book is called 52 Fights: A Newlywed's Confession. Listening to the show hosts describe their opinions (all favorable), I decided I just had to read it. I purchased it that very night and have had problems setting it down ever since. It is a wonderfully written book and although I'm not even 1/4 of the way through it, I have enjoyed every page. It's funny, occasionally sad, often contemplative and it makes me think about things in ways I've never done before. The fact that it was written by a woman my age who was also fiercly independent while single has only added flavor for me. Anyhow, I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but thought I'd write down a passage that made me laugh until I thought I was going to cry. Enjoy!

Background info: Jennifer is somewhat embarassed by her addiction to reading Cosmo and has tried to hide it from her attorney husband. They've also been spending all their free time working on redecorating their house, and Jennifer is feeling unattractive.

"...finally I gave in while standing in the checkout line at the supermarket. I bought an issue of Cosmo and tore the subscription card from it. Six weeks later, my first issue arrived. It turned a bad day good. While Matt sat in our formal living room reading the New York Times beneath the lamplight, I headed straight for my bathtub, where I soaked for a half hour while thumbing through Cosmo.

Like a trashy romance novel, the magazine sucked me in. Its health and beauty tips promised to keep Matt fixated on me for years. To alleviate the boredom that can result from familiarity, I decided to get a makeover every six months. And I'd shed a few pounds and lift weights to help prevent the hard truths of aging or gravity from taking their toll on my body. With Cosmo's flirty moves I could keep the stresses of our daily lives from diminishing the pleasure we find in each other.

A few days later, I went shopping for the tools that I'd need. I bought some liquid eyeliner to try for a smoky, mysterious effect. The line I drew across my eyelid was jagged. When I tried to correct it, it smeared. Then I ate so much from a pan of brownies that I had baked that I had to make a second pan to hide how much I had eaten from the first. So forget the flirty moves. With my eyes looking bruised and a pan of brownies distending my stomach, I was in no mood to show delight when Matt came home from work."