As co-owners of a boutique, my partner and I find the holiday season overwhelmingly busy. We're passionate about our business, but the increased workload takes a toll on the time we have for each other, often leaving us feeling more like business partners than life partners. How can we balance the seasonal rush with maintaining the intimacy and connection in our relationship?

Normally, when corresponding with someone new, I’ll sign off, “With best wishes.” The second e-mail is signed “With warm regards.” The third exchange moves to “With warmest regards,” and finally, I write, “Love, Brian.” This shakes some people up because the word “love” represents so many feelings, from “I like you a lot,” to “We’re at a very intimate level.”

During Donald Trump’s first impeachment over his attempt to extort Ukraine funding until President Zelenskyy “found” dirt on Joe Biden, Trump threatened the source of information about the incident. Trump said in a speech that whoever had leaked the information about his discussion with Zelensky was like a spy, and that “in the old days” spies were “dealt with differently.”

So here’s my dilemma. My boyfriend is a solid 9. Not a Grindr 9, but like a real 9. I love being on bottom.