I've read about the spiritual divorce. I've read about divorce-as-catalyst-for-change. Now I'm about to read something a little more pragmatic.

There's a new book out called You Can Keep The Damn China: And 824 Other Great Tips On Dealing With Divorce that's looking pretty good. It's from a series called Hundreds Of Heads, which takes the "two heads are better than one" theory and multiplies it by, well, hundreds. The article I read about the book highlighted some of the tips and anecdotes offered, but I checked out the Amazon listing as well. My favorite so far? "One day, you just wake up and say, ‘I made a big mistake. I'm out of here.' My advice? Do it. Don't overthink it."

The book outlines various stages in the divorce process and offers support for what seems to be every possible obstacle. From deciding to divorce to figuring out how to tell friends and family to making the decision to remain friends with your ex, it's all covered.

Personally, if people got one piece of good advice from the over 800 tips on offer, I think that would be a good deal. Although the title piece, "You Can Keep The Damn China" is probably some great advice in itself. Don't fight over junk. Leave, start a new life and buy your own damn china.

I don't understand all the controversy about divorce parties. They've been popular here in the U.S. for quite some time now and their popularity appears to be making its way across the Atlantic to our friends in Britain. Some love them, some hate them, but nobody can avoid them.

I just don't get what the big deal is. You were involved in a situation and it sucked. You leave the situation and it doesn't suck anymore. Of course you're going to have a party! I don't know if I go in for the whole ritualistic female empowerment thing, but whatever. It's not my party.

The Web site I was reading seemed to have a pretty neutral stance on the whole divorce party thing, but what really interested me was their request for reader feedback — they asked "Is it really a good idea to celebrate the end of your marriage drinking champagne and going out on the pull with the girls, or is it one cynical step too far?"

Cynical? I don't think I'd call it cynical. Saying "All men are incapable of monogamy" is cynical. Realizing your marriage is over and you may as well have a party is just reasonable in my book. It seemed the dissenters' biggest issue was with emotion — one advised, "Don't deny you're hurting."

I really don't think that having a party denies anything. People have parties when they're hurting all the time. Have you ever been to an Irish wake? The bottom line is, if you want to have a party, have a party. And if you're hurting, you can cry if you want to.