Breaking up is hard to do and getting divorced is even harder. Usually. But what if we had some way to take some of the sting out of the whole divorce process. Let’s face it, it’s hard enough realizing your plans of creating a life, shared wardrobe space and cheesy couples’ voicemail greeting on the home phone with that person were all for naught. Now you have this messy, mad grab for the house, car, kids and dog AND to top it all off, you have to break the news to everyone.
Hi, mom. Remember what you told me at my wedding? No, the other thing. You were right.
Long story short, divorce is an all-round shit-tastic experience for everyone.
About a year ago officials in Mexico City were looking into the concept of short-term, renewable marriage licenses as a way to deal with their high divorce rate, but that only took care of one side of the story. You would still have to explain to friends, family & coworkers that you were no longer husband and wife.
There has to be an easier way. Right?
Well, the good news is that there is… In Japan anyway. There one lawyer, Hiroki Terai, is using a service he created called ‘Happy Divorce’ to give your recently deceased nuptials the real celebrity treatment.
Think about it. When Hollywood celeb couples call it quits (As they so often do), it’s in the news before they even call their attorneys. They never have to have that awkward “why I just rented an new apartment” conversation with their peeps. Do they?
That’s how Happy Divorce works! From the moment you sign your marriage into extinction, a one to two page newspaper-style notification is drawn up and, about a week later, circulated to all of the friends, family and prospective rebound dates… anyone you want!
Under the headline “Happy Divorce” your loved ones will get an interview with you and your new ex in which you try explain where things went wrong. For a bit of ‘fun’ you have various headline choices to work with too.
The paper also shines a spotlight on the happier times when you were together and attempts to analyze where you might have failed each other (Should have put that toilet seat down when she said so, bucko).
Pay extra and you can have your entire failure of a marriage reduced to a graphic similar to board game and all your major ups and downs indicated by squares on the board, ending on the “Happy Divorce” square.
Yay!!! You win!
Angie Uncovered
09/21/2012
I like both plans! I’m probably supposed to be sad about the state of modern commitment, but I’m actually a fan of the renewable marriage license. “What do you say we just let this thing lapse?” I can imagine being that lazy woman who finds herself newly unmarried because she forgot to go to the courthouse before it closed.
Vinny C
09/21/2012
I can imagine the conversation a couple could have surrounding that one:
- “Honey, what day is it?”
-”The 15th. Why?”
-”Crap! I was supposed to renew the marriage licence last week.”
-”Oh… Guess now would be a good time to tell you I had sex with the new secretary in the copier room yesterday. It’s all good, right? We weren’t married then… Babe..?”
Andrea
09/21/2012
but isn’t that what facebook is for?
Vinny C
09/21/2012
I thought about that, but then I considered the whole game section of the paper. Do you really want an invite to play Divorceville? I, for one, am tired of ignoring those game requests.
Andrea
09/21/2012
I’d rather eat my own feet than plat Divorceville, on facebook or no.
brahm (alfred lives here)
09/21/2012
Yay the facebook way.. I “LIKE” Andrea’s comment.
This whole thing is both funny and sad to me… why cant they just tell their bitchy aunt like everyone else does, and have her spread the news?
Vinny C
09/21/2012
The family gossip is always under appreciated.