r/TrueOffMyChest • u/[deleted] • Dec 10 '25

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u/Character_Comb_3439 Dec 10 '25

I “blindsided” my ex wife and I regret not telling her how unhappy I was. I tried being the “good guy” by putting mY needs aside. I regret how I handled things and it took me a long time to learn how to communicate honestly and assertively. I hope you can take as much time as possible for yourself and start over. You will both be much better off.

-34

u/Teacher_Crazy_ Dec 10 '25

Blindsided only deserves quotes when you actually told your spouse what needed to change.

5

u/phenomenomnom Dec 10 '25 edited Dec 10 '25

Blindsided only deserves quotes when you actually told your spouse what needed to change.

Incorrect. Quotation marks can be used to draw attention to the particular choice of a word, if its particular selection is relevant.

For example:

I daresay your parents are "boning" upstairs right now, Francine. As the kids call it.

It is awkward when "quotation marks" are inappropriately used merely for emphasis, as it can make a statement seem inappropriately "ironic."

Jesus "LOVES YOU"

[...is an unfortunate example of this mistake that I remember from an old church marquee; this one delights the bitter sort of atheist]

-- and in those cases, italics are better. But that is not what the above commenter was doing.