But it takes time to prepare to communicate: you must warm up, make sure your mental toughness is on par, keep your thoughts on track, and a whole bunch of doing-the-new when your energy might be taxed and your nerves strained by a tough day at work. Each of us, at times, becomes overwhelmed by the demands of the day, and we seek refuge in our homes, where we can let down our hair and veg out to recharge our batteries. So when nerves are frayed, and emotions freeze up like black ice on two-way talk highway, how can we avoid skidding off into a ditch in our intimate relationships?