As Mrs. Planner can attest, I am in a serious mood about twice per year. Unfortunately for you, tonight (this morning) I am in said mood. So here it is. No jokes. No analogies. Nothing but Pete the Serious.

This blog that write everyday isn't meant to teach you about money. My book is not meant to teach you about money. My three books that I am working on are not meant to teach you about money. My TV appearances are not meant to teach you about money. All of these things are meant to help you better your relationships. "Money causes fights" seems to be a common idea, but the reality is that lack of communication causes fights.

The reason I talk about money is to get you communicating with your partner about something — anything. I happen to know a lot about money, so that is the tool I use. I'm not trying to be a martyr, and I'm not trying to be righteous. I am simply trying to positively affect someone's life. So, the next time I reference something strange in a blog entry, just know that all I'm telling you is that you need to do a better job communicating with your loved ones.

**Disclaimer: No Mrs. Planner is not mad at me. It would be perfectly natural for you to assume that I am firing off this manifesto because I made Mrs. Planner mad, but I didn't. I'm just in one of those moods.