Marriage is wonderful when it works. Everyone is looking for a happily ever after.

But marriage takes energy, and these days average couples are working harder than ever to keep a marriage together, so you can imagine the challenge for a couple in the limelight, like Star Jones and Al Reynolds.

Someone told me they overheard Star on a plane a couple months ago saying that she and her husband had not even been in the same city over the last few months.

Can't blame the airlines for this long a layover.

For reasons only Star and Al know, one or more things along the way changed up their original gameplan for their version of..."happily ever after." I don't think she had that big wedding with the intention of getting divorced...getting a few freebies, maybe.

No one has a wedding with the intention of getting divorced. No one should judge, though people due to human nature cannot help themselves. Like Star said, "The dissolution of a marriage is a difficult time in anyone's life that requires privacy with one's thoughts."

Regardless of who files for divorce, it's painful and awkward for everyone involved.

There will be some other version of "happily ever after" for her and for him.

Though it's hard to imagine at the time, usually events that force change often bring you to a stronger better place — sometimes just a stronger arm — but hey, that also works.

Everyone who goes through divorce has another version of "happily ever after" within their reach.

I will always know when it's Ivana Trump's new wedding anniversary, because I got married on the same day — April 12th. Difference is, I'm no longer married — thus the date no longer applies to me.

But the date does still exist, and every year all the faded, happy wedding day memories rush back and linger for 24hrs, along with a feeling that makes me a little queasy. It's kind of like the feeling you get on the birthday of someone you once loved who is dead. The wedding anniversary that no longer exists. A surreal event that you and your ex remember silently, privately, in separate new worlds on that day every year... Gone... Poof!... except for the wedding photo album which you have stashed away — somewhere.

So, while Ivana was getting married to her scandalously young fourth husband in Palm Beach (gotta love her), I celebrated Her/Our anniversary with my brother's kids at a Japanese restaurant, followed by a big sleepover at my house. My daughter (who was out with her boyfriend) came home late and woke me up off the floor where I fell asleep, discussing the meaning of life with a 9 year-old.

Last night I went to one of the now recurring High School girlfriend gatherings at PF Chang's up in Stamford, Ct.

Remember what they said about Catholic HS girls? Well they were right — only we are much worse now. Only kidding — not really — half-kidding...geez we love to laugh.

Anyway, there's a pretty diverse group: Some married forever, with kids without kids, some divorced, and some have just stayed solo. Oh yeah, and one honorary husband who can't get enough of us. The group grows every time we convince someone through a chain of frenzied emails to locate someone from our past and convince them they are missing out on all the fun.

For years, when I was struggling as a single mom gone awry, I wouldn't show up. Then one day I was glad I did, and the unconditional girlfriend friendship convinced me to do it again and again.

Last night, one of the "lifelong solo" girls, having recently launched Mr. Wrong, announced she bought herself a boat. I suggested we give her a "boat shower". Solo gals get ripped off. They never get the payback benefit of all those bridal and baby showers they've paid into.

So it's done. The "boat shower" is in the works. We're just waiting for her to register at some marine shop so we don't all show up with the same little dinghys.

Hi guys,

I am on the way to Rhode Island. The love for First Wives World and all that we represent continues. We got a call last week from a company which produces features that air on hundreds of TV stations wanting to do a story. So, today is the day and I am on my way.

It's a one day trip and I have five jackets, six hair contraptions, four pairs of shoes, an arsenal of make up, my computer, phone and a plethora of plugs and chargers. This is one of those days it might have been nice to have had a "better half" who might have convinced me I didn't need half this stuff.

But then again, the "better half" might have wanted to come along and drive, and if there's one thing I don't miss it's begging someone to make a pit stop or two... or three... or four...

Love,

Debbie Nigro, First Wives World's Chief Executive Girlfriend

Yesterday, I was about to leave my door to our Debbie Does Divorce live taping at The Heartland Brewery in the Empire State Building in NYC when Fran, my trusty right hand, takes a look at me in my brand new suit and blurts out, "Oh No". Oh No...is not a good thing to hear when you're rushing out the door. Oh No what? "You still have the security sensor on your jacket!" I felt a wave of nausea coming on.

I was so proud I had spent Sunday buying myself something fresh and springy to wear. I rarely lay everything out the night before to go anywhere, but I was so impressed with myself I just had to. There it was, a cream/brown combo linen suit with matching necklace, earrings, new shoes, and even a watch to match the belt.

There is no other outfit in my closet at this moment. How did I miss this? How did I get out of the store? How did I not feel this gigantic plastic contraption under my left armpit. Now what? Find the receipt and try and figure out if anyone closer than the original store could remove it. Ever try and get a security tag removed at a gas station? I rarely get totally annoyed, but there are exceptions.... thus the moment I blasted back through the front door of the original store where I whipped off my coat and held up my arm to show the store manager where to perform the security surgery. Needless to say she was embarrassed. I did call first to let her know I was fully dressed, could not change, and I would be coming back in through the security sensor... which by the way, did not go off. Somebody there better call security.

Do you know of, or are you part of, a couple who are divorcing but can't move because you can't sell your home? Please let me know immediately as we are interested in speaking to you!

Contact: dnigro@firstwivesworld.com

Thank You,

Debbie Nigro,

Chief Executive Girlfriend, First Wives World

Teresa Natole, the most beautiful woman inside and out, my daughter's precious grandmother and my ex-mother-in-law, passed away last Friday. I am very sad. She died on the exact same day as my younger brother, Stephen, did three years ago. March 7th. Weird things like that always happen. On Friday I was teary all day.

Hurt me as much to break off with Teresa and my ex-father-in-law back then as it did my ex-husband, Lou. They were the sweetest in-laws in the world.

I hadn't seen Teresa in about a year. I had kept my distance intentionally over the years, first out of guilt and then out of self-imposed "exile," "protocol," whatever.

Lou remarried and I didn't want to be an intruder in their new family structure. I didn't think I was supposed to. There was a new daughter-in-law. I had chosen to shut the door and now I needed to stay in out.

Over the years, Teresa and I talked and visited a few times, but never as much as I should have or that I would have wanted to. There was always an unspoken love between us, and always, I am sure, an unspoken disappointment in my choice to break up a family. For me there was unspoken guilt every time.

I have so many regrets as I remember her smile and her voice and her kind heart. I really wish I had figured out how to have managed it differently. I kept meaning to, yet the years kept flying by.

My heart is heavy. I know all too well the pain of losing a beloved parent and I am so sad for Lou and my ex-father-in-law and my daughter and the rest of the family.

Now comes the wake and funeral this weekend, and I will be the estranged ex-wife and ex-daughter-in-law...wishing I had done things much differently.

First Wives World will turn on the cameras Tuesday for the Women of New York who want to send heartfelt sentiments to the former First Lady of New York. Passthe word on!

Ladies,I have never seen or felt such an outpouring of pain for another womanand her children with no place to put it. Not a person in the countryhasn't heard the sordid details of the story that forced New York'sGovernor Elliot Spitzer to resign and has now forced his wife Silda andthree young daughters to have to deal with the ramifications of hisactions and the extraordinary pain that goes along with it.

Manywomen have found themselves the unsuspecting victim of their spouse'sbad decisions, and have felt similar shock, hurt, and anger—butrarely does such a personal matter make such public headlines.

OnThursday morning, a brilliant businesswoman/girlfriend of mine who wasrunning in Central Park called me from her cell and left me a messagesaying she was thinking about Silda and felt so bad for her andthat she thought other women did too, and she felt women needed to DOsomething to express themselves to this woman, and that I was the onlyperson who she thought could figure out how to DO something. Shesparked me. I have a platform and I need to do positive things with it.

I'm sitting here eating lunch looking at a picture of Lisa Marie Presley eating lunch, in The New York Daily News. The difference between us is that someone took a picture of her eating and put it in the newspaper.

Obviously she's gained some weight, which is NEWS in celebrity land. Its such a tacky move. I hate when people make fun of weight. The Weight game has been a running theme my whole life, so I'm sensitive. I am staring at the poor girl's face noticing how extra weight distorts a woman's beauty.

Then I started thinking about these steroids I am taking this week to continue to offset the allergic reaction to the prescription drug problem I had last week... And how the pharmacist said I'd probably bloat a little and be hungry... And how I am sitting here eating like my fourth meal already today for no real reason, and how I am grateful that I will not land in The Daily News like Lisa Marie. I actually lost a few pounds, but that could revert back hourly the way these steroids are making me eat.

By the way, Lisa Marie was snapped chowing down with husband number four, Michael Lockwood. I must be busy because I never realized she went for a fourth hubby. Bet she could share a few stories with this crowd. Lisa Marie has two teenagers, Riley and Benjamin, from her ex-husband Danny Keough.

She was also married to Nicholas Cage and Michael Jackson, the latter of whom you just know she didn't have a whole lot of fun eating with. She's probably been making up for lost time. I personally think life is a lot about finding your "eating" partner.

(Photo: New York Daily News)

I never get sick, but ever since New York turned into Fargo this month, I've been "dying" on and off with various versions of the flu, a sinus infection, some wacky virus, girly issues, etc., etc.

Each of these recent health episodes forced me to deal with the same awkward question on the doctor's office sign-in form: Who the hell is my emergency contact these days?

When you live with somebody, like it or not — tag — they're it! Husband, boyfriend, roommate, whoever.

But when you live alone or live alone with kids, you now have to decide who you want to "bother" if you're dying. Long nights on your couch alone in a fetal position also make you re-assess this question. Kids can only do so much and, truthfully, as long they see you're still breathing they really lose interest.

This week I had a bizarre allergic reaction to a prescription medication. No one seemed to be able to diagnose the problem, which kept worsening, till I finally landed in the emergency room yesterday morning and Dr. McFabulous figured it out and gave me the shot that I needed six days ago. WHEW!

In my lifetime I haven't whipped my clothes off for as many strangers as I did this week AND good thing this ended, too, because I was seriously running out of "matching sets."

But this blog is not about the time I spent frantically clicking on medical sites matching drug reaction symptoms, or the "almost" 911 call that I talked myself out of making for fear that I was imagining the heart attack, or the night I slept on the bathroom floor because I was so delirious from this so-called virus I couldn't stand up, or the daily trips to urgent care only to be sent home each time thinking I was nuts, or the Benedryl (gotta love it) that kept getting me beeped from behind at all the green lights.