Alimony, aging, ENM, where to move next

A lightning round of answers to reader questions!

Art by Mike Parisella (Follow @slimesunday on Instagram)

It’s been many months since I’ve answered reader questions, so let’s get to it!

ALIMONY. A reader asks:

I'm a writer with an arts degree and somehow I became the breadwinner for my family. Quick cut to today—divorce, and I have to support my ex-husband. I have a sense this might be your situation too? If so, how are you coping?

The short answer: I’m currently working on an in-depth piece about alimony, one that’s personal but also journalistic in nature. I had hoped to publish it this weekend but it needs much more time and care. As to the coping question—it took me almost three years to be calm enough to write it if that tells you anything. Stay tuned for that piece soon!

Art by Mike Parisella (Follow @slimesunday on Instagram)

ENM. A reader asks:

I would love to hear you discuss ENM in greater depth. I dipped my toe into ENM about a year ago. Went in totally enthusiastic and—jeez, that shit is hard. I’m now wondering if I was fooling myself and am way less cool and way more needy than I like to think.

I so feel you on this! When I first started dating again I felt wildly and enthusiastically open to ENM long term. It just made sense. Like a good little zealot I did the reading, I listened to the podcasts, I felt my boundaries and brain expand, and I felt excited about all the possibilities for my hot multi-partner future. It all just felt so duh, so obvious.