Summarize the following:
Obsession can be a sign of an emotionally abusive relationship. Emotional abuse can be as damaging as physical abuse. If you are in an emotionally abusive relationship, it's important that you recognize as much and take steps to get out. The following are common signs that a relationship has become abusive:  Your boyfriend monitors what you are doing. He needs to know where you are at all times. He may ask to read your texts, email, or messages on social media. Your boyfriend frequently loses his temper, and may yell at you, curse at you, or call you names. Your boyfriend may discourage you from seeing friends or family members. If you take him out with you, he may do things to embarrass you in front of others. He may control how you spend your money. He may threaten to hurt people you care about or your pets. If your emotional needs are being violated by a controlling boyfriend, it's important to recognize as much. You should never sacrifice your own sense of fulfillment and happiness for the sake of a relationship.  Are you able to feel fulfilled on your own in this relationship? Does your boyfriend allow you to pursue things like a career or a social life? Have you given up anything essential to your own happiness to be with this person? If you feel like your boyfriend's obsessive behavior is making you lose your sense of self, you need to address this. Obsessive boyfriends, especially those who cross the line to emotional abuse, will push back. Do not be intimidated. Practice firmly saying "No" and asserting your own needs. For example, "I am going to happy hour after work. I like socializing with my coworkers and I don't need to justify that to you." Obsessive boyfriends, particularly those that are emotionally abusive, want their partners all to themselves. If your boyfriend is limiting your contact with others, this is not a healthy relationship.  Does your boyfriend not like you to be on the phone or Facebook when he's around? Does he denigrate your personal relationships? Does he try to exert control over who you do and do not see? Your boyfriend may try to make it sound like he has your best interests at heart when trying to limit your contact with others. For example, he may say things like, "I'm not sure Alyssa is an appropriate friend for you. She's really wild, and I feel like she'll get you in trouble. I don't know that she really cares about you." In a loving and healthy relationship, partners support one another's friendships. Your boyfriend should want you to have positive relationships with a variety of people outside your romantic relationship. Your boyfriend may be obsessive because he has little going on outside of the relationship. As you evaluate the relationship, look into your boyfriend's personal life. Is he able to maintain healthy relationships with friends and family members? If not, you may be better off without this person.  Your boyfriend may have little going on outside of you. He may rely on you for social contact and support. In a new relationship, it's normal to spend a lot of time together. You may not see your friends as frequently during the first few months of a romantic relationship. However, if your boyfriend expects this intense level of contact longer than a few months, it may be a bad sign. Your boyfriend may try to romanticize this attachment. He may say things like, "You're my everything" or "You're my world." While such statements sound sweet and romantic, they are not necessarily healthy or sustainable longterm. If you truly are your boyfriend's whole world, this is unhealthy obsessive behavior that needs addressing. Many obsessive and jealous people have had difficulties with relationships in the past. Your boyfriend may be bringing issues from the past into his present relationship. Ask him if he's been hurt in the past, and if there's anything you can do to help him move forward.  Ask your boyfriend what his home life was like growing up. If there was a lot of instability in his household, he may seek stability in a romantic relationship. Ask about past relationships. If your boyfriend was with someone who cheated on him or abandoned him in the past, this may be driving his future obsession. Remember, while your boyfriend's past can help you have more empathy, it does not justify his behavior. Make it clear that, while you understand where he's coming from, he needs to change his behavior. Say something like, "I get that your father abandoned you as a child, but you need to accept I'm not your father and our relationship is different. Your abandonment issues are really damaging to me and to our relationship."

summary: Learn the signs of emotional abuse. Think about your own emotional needs. Consider how much contact you have with family and friends. Look at your boyfriend's personal life outside of you. Ask your boyfriend about his past.


Summarize the following:
Wet the potato with warm water, then use your hand or a vegetable scrub brush to clean the potato. Be sure to get into any dips or rough spots to remove any stuck-on dirt. If you’re peeling the potatoes, you might skip this step. However, it’s helpful to start with a clean skin so that you don’t accidentally transfer dirt from the skin onto the edible part of the potato. Red and gold potatoes are easier to freeze than russet potatoes because they will blanch well whole, even with their skin. If you’d prefer to chop them up so they’ll be ready to cook later, use a sharp knife to cut them into cubes or slices. If you prefer, it’s okay to peel your red and gold potatoes before you freeze them. Place the pot of water on the stove, then turn the heat to high. Watch for bubbles rising from the bottom to the top, which means the water is boiling. You should see consistent bubbling on top of the water when it’s boiling. Potatoes that are about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) or smaller are considered small, and potatoes that are larger than this are considered large. However, potatoes that have been cut should be treated as small potatoes. Set a timer so you can keep track of the cooking time. Use a plastic bag with a zipper or a plastic food storage container. Leave about .5 inches (1.3 cm) of space inside the container. Label the container with the contents and date they were frozen. Then, put the container in your freezer.  It’s a good idea to pre-portion your potatoes so that you’ll have enough for 1 meal in each bag. You can store your potatoes in the freezer for about 12 months. Be sure to write the date on the container so you can keep track of how long they've been in the freezer.
summary: Scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt. Leave red and gold potatoes whole, or chop them up if you prefer. Bring a pot of water to boiling over high heat. Blanch small potatoes for 3-5 minutes or large potatoes for 8-10 minutes. Put the potatoes in an airtight container and freeze them.