Strollerderby : couples

Is Online Cheating a Deal-Breaker?

Kelly Mills — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:33:00 GMT

From Britain comes the news that a couple who had an elaborate wedding on the virtual reality game "Second Life" are now getting divorced. So what tore this couple, who met in a chatroom, apart from each other? Well, Amy Taylor says she caught her real-life husband having virtual sex with a woman on the same game. Later she also reported she hired an online detective to track his virtual activities, though she knew he wasn't fooling around in this reality. "It may have started online, but it existed entirely in the real world and it hurts just as much now it is over," she said. Taylor is now in a new relationship with a man she met on "World of Warcraft".

Now, for a couple who are so invested in their virtual lives, it makes sense Taylor would consider this a betrayal. But what about other couples? With virtual reality games becoming more elaborate and consuming, do activities online carry the same weight as those commited in the physical world? Perhaps some would draw the line at any kind of online flirtation, whether or not it was acted out with avatars, while others would consider this harmless fun as long as it never spills over into real life.

What do you think? What's cheating in the age of online worlds? Where would you draw the line?

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You Both Look So Lovely in Your Divorce Pictures

Kelly Mills — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:35:00 GMT

I can verify that one of the first things you do when you decide to get divorced is to take down the wedding pictures and put them away. (Some folks probably rip or burn them, but I'm guessing that depends on the nature of the split.) It's a sad moment, when you remove the evidence of a time when you were a happy, optimistic couple just starting out on married life together.

Well hell, why not just replace them with some pictures that commemorate your new, love-has-torn-us-apart divorced life? At least that was the brainstorm of one photographer, who says divorcing couples all over Italy are lining up to get a wedding-style album of their breakup. Because it's a milestone, you know. Um, what exactly do you wear though?

The photographer says, "...I started to offer photo sessions for freshly divorced couples---them smiling or shaking hands or in some cases even kissing." Good lord, shaking hands? "Thanks for the good times, champ, and too bad it didn't work out." Do you come up with a divorce song too, and maybe get some sort of cake that you split 50-50? Somehow I have exactly zero desire to do this. But hey, tell me what you think...

Does Shared Custody Mess the Kids Up?

Father Can't See His Little Boy, But Can He Give Him His Organs?

Are You George Michael or Andrew Ridgely?

Kelly Mills — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Peter Hartlaub at the Poop has a great post on the shakedown of competency when the going gets tough for parents. While I bet most couples would say they share the parental responsibilities equally one way or another, there's always that crisis moment--like two flu-struck kids projectile vomiting all over the place--when it becomes clear that one parent could have a very successful solo career while the other one might want to have car racing as a fallback option.

Thus the question: Are you the Andrew Ridgely parent? Or is your partner? Many of the commenters felt that each half of their union had George Michael moments (and by that I am not implying that anyone was arrested for sex in a public restroom, ahem.) A few single parents weighed in and claimed that they were probably Prince, doing every single thing on the album. As an amicably-divorcing mom, I'd say both my kid's dad and I probably saw ourselves as the George Michael, but more likely we were each just one half Milli Vanilli or something.

What about you? Feel free to come up with a band that best characterizes your parenting unit, or lack thereof. Oh c'mon, it's fun...

Balancing Work and Parenting...When You're the First Lady

Ten Songs You Never Want To Hear A Little Kid Singing

Two Years, Six Months, and 25 Days Before the Romance Dies

Kelly Mills — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:31:00 GMT

You were wondering when your marriage would all go to hell? There's this study saying the average lifespan of the "honeymoon" phase is two years, six months, and 25 days. Oooh, everyone set your calendar with a reminder. "I know there's something happening this weekend, what was it? Oh yeah, that's the day our marriage will become drudgery and crap."

But what exactly marks the end of the sweet love? It sounds like the researchers define this as effort. They say on average, this is the time when most guys start leaving socks on the floor and the toilet seat lid up, and the women stop wearing make-up and climb into sweats instead. Romantic dinners are a thing of the past, and the third anniversary isn't even celebrated. Oh, and you hardly (sniff) cuddle any more.

You know, the whole thing sounds a kinda stereotyical and lame to me. Marking marital closeness by female appearance effort and male hygiene effort... Eesh. Not surprisingly, this study was detailed in the Daily Mail. But anyway, I have a solution: Don't get married. Just live together, and you can completely avoid the whoooole thing.

Six Rock-Solid Celebrity Marriages

Jen Chaney — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:02:00 GMT

As I read about the sad death of Bernie Mac over the weekend, I took note that the "King of Comedy" and his wife Rhonda maintained a healthy marriage for 30 years. That's admirable under any circumstances, but the fact that they stayed together despite the pressures and pleasures of Bernie's fame is doubly impressive.

While many of us gnaw on any gossip we can find about Hollywood marriages that have hit snags or deteriorated, some celebrities continue to stay happily married and raise seemingly stable families. Today -- as many send their sympathies to Bernie's grieving wife Rhonda -- we at Strollerderby salute six more of the most rock-solid famous couples ever.

1. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward: They've been married for 50 years, they have three daughters together and they've co-starred in plays and films multiple times. Theirs' might be the quintessential rock-solid Hollywood marriage and one that, sadly, we may be hearing more about in the near future. Newman, who suffers from cancer, reportedly has just weeks to live. Here's hoping he stays by his wife's side as long as he can.

2. Billy and Janice Crystal: The "When Harry Met Sally..." star has claimed that Janice, his wife of 38 years, is the only woman he's ever dated. Whether or not that's true, it's clear that he was with her before he got "Soap," "Saturday Night Live" or "City Slickers" and he's still with her today. They have two daughters together.

3. Denzel and Pauletta Washington: How easy would it be for Denzel to leave his wife for, oh, pretty much any woman on the planet who would happily hang on his arm? But he hasn't. He and wife Pauletta wed in 1983, are still married and have raised four children together. The Washingtons have got game, not to mention class.

4. Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara: Together, they were the comedy team of Stiller and Meara in the 1950s. But Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara later found fame on their own, in movies, on stage and, most recently, on TV shows like "Seinfeld" and "Sex and the City." Through it all, they have been husband and wife for 54 years and boast two children who also found success in Hollywood: Amy Stiller and some guy named Ben Stiller.

5. Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick: Next month the star of "Footloose" and the star of "The Closer" will celebrate 20 years of marriage. Somehow they have nurtured busy careers while also nurturing two grown children. And I do mean busy: Sedgwick currently spends half of the year in L.A. filming "The Closer" and, as we all know, Bacon has starred in a movie with almost every working actor in the business.

6. Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw: The director of "E.T." got a costly divorce from Amy Irving before he finally settled down with Capshaw. But once they tied the knot, it stayed tied. The couple has been married for almost 17 years and has five kids together, plus two more, one from each of their respective previous marriages. The second time at the altar seems to have been the charm for both.

The Dark Knight -- parents strongly cautioned (to go see it)

Brett Singer — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Let's get one thing out of the way right now – you shouldn't bring your children. They might want to go, but unless they have a very high tolerance for a long movie (2 and half hours) and an abnormally high tolerance for what might be the most frightening performance ever (Heath Ledger's Joker), I'd get a sitter.

Now: this is some incredible movie. At first, I was a little bit apprehensive. Part of that feeling was the hype, which was so intense that it seemed impossible anything could live up to it. (Part of it was also that the movie didn't start until almost 1am because we had to sit through 7 commercials, none of which I remember at all – money well spent, advertisers. But I digress.) There are some slow spots, especially in the beginning, and I think the director, Christopher Nolan, could have cut 10 or 15 minutes of film and made it a tighter movie. But that's nitpicking, because there are several scenes, some just quick moments and some long, exciting action sequences, that will put your jaw on the floor.

The saddest thing about Heath Ledger's death is that his daughter will never know her father. But it's fair to say that if an actor had to go out with one performance, this is that performance. He's so good that I completely forgot I was watching an actor, which, for me, almost never happens. (It's worth pointing out that Gary Oldman as James Gordon, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, do the same thing in smaller and less flashy roles.) He's frightening, but not the way a horror movie villain is frightening. It's not shock value, although there is some of that (there's a bit with a pencil that might be the best 5-second description of a character in the history of cinema.) Without giving anything away, The Joker is referred to as a "terrorist" a couple of times, but unlike the terrorists in our world, this one has no cause that he fights for. He's just… mad. Not angry-mad, just flat out crazy. And Ledger captures that in every possible way. You could teach an acting class using this movie – what he does physically, vocally, emotionally; it's all stunning to watch.

The rest of it is, for the most part, equally good. I don't care about the love story, but it's fine I suppose and does serve the story. Aaron Eckhart is a solid actor and he does a good job as Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent. Christian Bale is by far the best Batman yet, although Ledger is so good that he really takes over the movie. Michael Caine is a good Alfred Pennyworth, Maggie Gyllenhaal is fine as token love interest Rachel Dawes; she's more than that, I guess, but it's not her movie. Gary Oldman is amazing; as in "Batman Begins," he somehow manages to completely capture the essence of a fictional comic book character that isn't a superhero, meaning that, as an actor, he has fewer details available to work with. I can't explain it but he IS Jim Gordon.

The nits to pick if you want to go there: some of the dialog is hokey (although the lines written for Ledger are brilliant.) There are a few slow spots. At times the action sequences are a tad frenetic, here and there. But it really doesn't matter. You'll read a lot about the surprising depth of this movie, and this is true to an extent. "The Dark Knight" is incredibly entertaining and does have some thoughtful moments amid the comic-book chaos, but there's no need to over think them. I would say just relax and enjoy it, but it's not a relaxing experience. Ledger's Joker is uncomfortable to watch, but in a good way. I don't want to give anything away, so you'll have to see it for yourself (but, as I said, get your tickets early; even the 12:30am showing was completely sold out.)

Now, despite the fact that there isn't much in the way of blood, this is not a film that you should take your children to see. Obviously, you know your offspring better than I, so if you think they can handle it, that's your call. And of course older kids will be fine. I hesitate to suggest an age-range, but I recommend seeing it yourself first if you're not sure. Worst-case scenario – you get to see it twice. Believe me, that's not a bad thing.

image: Reuters

Batman: get your tickets now

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Batman: get your tickets now

Brett Singer — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:42:00 GMT

So, being a guy who sees superhero movies, I wanted to see the new Batman movie. Today.

A friend wanted to come with me, so I couldn't pull my usual "go during the day when it's not busy" thing. So OK, let's see when its playing… What? Sold out? You gotta be kidding me.

Well, I'm not. If you're planning on seeing The Dark Knight this weekend, you'd better get your tickets in advance. This is unbelievably annoying. I tried at 2pm to get tickets to a 10:30pm showing, and it was already sold out. The reviews so far are over the top in their praise. Over at Rotten Tomatoes, a site that aggregates reviews from various sources, the rating is a whopping 94% positive (the only film with a higher rating is Wall-E.). If you go to the "top critics" section (print outlets and sites like salon.com), only a couple of the reviews are negative, which is extremely unusual for a comic book flick.

A lot of the interest in this film is because of Heath Ledger's death, but I've never seen anything like this. A movie that you can't get tickets to unless you go at midnight, which is what I'm doing? Come on. (And yes, I know I'm nuts.)

I'll let you know what I think of the film, and whether or not it's appropriate for children, later tonight. But for now, if you plan on going, order those tickets early, Bat-fans. Otherwise, you ain't getting in.

See you tonight -- different Bat-time, same Bat-channel...

image: Rotten Tomatoes

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Pregcellent: Vacant Womb For Rent

Kelly Mills — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:33:00 GMT

First off, I'd like to say that anyone who goes into being a surrogate strictly for the money has chosen a very challenging way to make a buck, because being pregnant is no picnic. But as this Newsweek article on the lives of surrogates points out, many women are also motivated by a desire to help others and to contribute something meaningful to the lives of couples who want kids. And the stereotype of the rich woman who wants a baby but not the stretch marks and thus hires a surrogate is strange also, since I can't imagine what would be more challenging than entrusting another person with your offspring before they are even born. So I doubt that one is founded much in reality either.

The article, which chronicles the stories of a number of women who became surrogates, touches on the controversies surrounding the practice, and there are many. There's the issue of maternal rights, and the fact that most surrogacy contracts aren't binding in many ways. There's the issues that come with one person in essence renting out their body, and the questions around what makes someone a parent, DNA or gestation or actual childrearing. Surrogacy is banned in much of Europe, and stereotypes about surrogates abound. Interestingly, many surrogates are military wives with husbands overseas. The article is worth checking out, if only because it makes you think hard about what it means to be a mother.

Strollerderby : couples

Is Online Cheating a Deal-Breaker?

You Both Look So Lovely in Your Divorce Pictures

Are You George Michael or Andrew Ridgely?

Two Years, Six Months, and 25 Days Before the Romance Dies

Six Rock-Solid Celebrity Marriages

The Dark Knight -- parents strongly cautioned (to go see it)

Hulk want puny blogger to review Hulk movie

Batman: get your tickets now

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Batman: get your tickets now

Hulk want puny blogger to review Hulk movie

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Maggie Gyllenhaal on Letterman- He Wishes

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-17-08

Sexy Superhero Parents: The Top 10

Little Matilda Had Heath's Heart

Pregcellent: Vacant Womb For Rent