In divorce negotiations, as in any negotiations, you should always know your options.  Technically this is called your “BATNA”, which stands for your best alternative to a negotiated agreement.  My wife aptly demonstrated this last night at dinner.

“How do you like the spaghetti?” she asked me.

“I like the thin noodles better,” I replied.

“I know, but I like the fat noodles,” she said, “so I compromised.”

“How is this a compromise?” I said, “You compromised between what you like and what I like by making what you like?”

“No,” she said, “between spaghetti with fat noodles or no spaghetti.”

After a pause in which I assessed my options, I said, “This spaghetti is delicious.”