After a too-long hiatus, Lifehacker’s relationship column Tough Love is returning. The column’s new iteration will be written by me, and I’m very excited to forge a deep relationship with the site’s readers by helping them with their romantic, personal and existential woes.
In keeping with the Tough Love tradition begun by my predecessor Patrick Allan, I will be imparting the kind of wisdom you might otherwise receive from a conscientious dude you meet at a bar. I’m not a psychologist or certified relationship expert, but I do own a tweed jacket with elbow pads. I don’t have a PhD, but I’m not afraid to talk about feelings with strangers on the internet, which counts for something, I think. If you’re concerned about my lack of academic bonafides, take a hike: I graduated with a B.A. in History in 2011 from the University of California, Santa Cruz—which only started assigning letter grades in the year 2000. The Ivory Tower can stuff it.
If you aren’t familiar with the column and how it works, let’s revisit some past case studies. Are you in a committed relationship where only one person wants children? Email me. Do you talk way, way too much and have no idea how to shut your mouth on occasion? Email me. Do you have a condescending coworker who you desperately need to be shut down? Email me. Has your wife of 20 years suddenly made the decision to, uh, become a porn star? Email me, and I will do my best to help you work through the complex issues that pervade life in these strange times, from your office to your bedroom and all the places in between.
Let’s discuss ways to get in touch. As I stated multiple times above, you can always email me with ADVICE in the subject line, or tweet at me with the hashtag #toughlove. As much as I’d love to respond to every query, I expect to be somewhat inundated at times and likely won’t be able to get back to every request. And please, for the love of god, don’t contact me if you’re not willing to be the subject of an advice column. You’ll never have to use your real name, but feel free to sign your missive using an alias.
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I am here to help. The love will be tough at times, but this isn’t your mother’s advice column. When necessary, I’ll do my best to cite research that I think will be helpful in your pursuit for peace of mind and resolution. Other times, I’ll just tell it like it is. And to be honest, I really can’t wait to start.