You know Bob, I admit, I never liked the idea of same sex marriage. There's just something about it that feels "weird", not really sure why, but it just does, and it will probably go away with time. Regardless, I really can't see any reason why not, and truly, only recently have I come to this conclusion. Sure, the Catholics are against it, but from the standpoint of the government, it should be treated just like any other marriage. I equate this to women's voting rights. I think sometime in the future, shortly, within my lifetime, same sex marriages will be fully "legit", and about as big of a deal as women voting is today. There is just simply too great of an outcry as society progresses.... I don't know, I suppose I felt the need to share this, as a small indicator that I'm sure there are many others like me who don't necessarily like the idea (for whatever reason), but at the same time, won't let a "weird feeling" get in the way, and ultimately change a long held viewpoint. So when it comes right down to it, I'd vote for it... ...it's only a matter of time...
Mystery Squid - Thank you for your comments. I am always happy and willing to discuss the issue with someone who is genuinely willing to share their perspectives and be open to the possibility of growing/changing as a result of the discussion. I am glad that you are able to separate the ideas of what should be equal under the law from personal feelings or reactions you may have. - Bob R.
Living together doesn't JUST tell you whether you and your would-be partner are compatible. It tells each of you if you're "compatible with" simply living under the strictures of marriage. You've heard of people saying, "I'm just not cut out for marriage"? Some people aren't! Sometimes people are more "subject" to their habits/lifestyle choices than they realize. Different standards for neatness, loudness of music, TV watching, getting dishes washed, length of time spent on the phone or reading, bathroom use---these things are properly not related to "values" as much as to tastes combined with habits. And even if differences in some or all of these areas (and I just named a few obvious ones) can be overlooked in the heat of passion, they can very much get on one's nerves when things aren't going so well. Living together without sexual relations isn't common, if done at all. I wish it were considered a valid option. Given the either/or choice---and I'm not crazy about the idea of my kids living with other people---I'd have to say living together first is preferable.
Glad someone finally noticed!!! Yes, Squid, I kinda felt like I was cheating on my Insight at first, but now she is history and had to let her go. Back to Marital Status: I didn't have time to write out our truly unique story before so am taking this moment to share: My wife and I met in a pub in England - she thought I was gay and therefore felt safe. Ha! Fast forward 1 year.... We got married 6 years / 6 months ago at ground zero inside the Pentagon. Being a Navy Chief and assigned to the Chief of Naval Operations, N4, I could not get the friggen day off....soooo,....we brought the wedding guests and notary to my work! Getting all the clearances were a bitch! It's been a complete intoxicating ride, being with this beautiful woman. She is everything to me. We now have our fingers crossed - her naturalization exam is next week!!!!!! Jennie, if you ever read this forum.... I LOVE YOU
Hey, my wife's taking her exam next week. I keep quizzing her about the branches of government, etc. She needs to pull an all nighter on Wednesday.
What are the odd's of that????? My wife's exam is on Thursday too!!!!! Koinkidink? by the way, she just said: "Executive, Judicial, and Legislative". She's gotta know more than I slept through in high school....what a stoner man.
Might be a national exam day? My wife's reply would be "Executive, Legislative, Jedi...Judy...Jewish...the Judges!" Being Finnish she would say: Yew-diss-ee-awl
I'd love to hear that!...got a sound byte? My wife has that posh English accent so it sound like she's made of money. Does she know the 13 original colonies yet?....all of them? So with her accent and such, will she have to take the English test first?...Or is that reserved only for the people from Central American countries and those with 95% sand?
If you'd be comfortable telling us more about that, I for one would be interested. Partly because "internet relationships" have such a bad rep, and it'd be nice to hear something positive.
I've actually heard more good than bad with internet relationships. The only bad ones are the ones you see on the news....those are REAL bad! You could actually get to know somebody mentally prior to meeting, without the physical stigma in the beginning. After the minds meld, the physical thing is not so important.
I met him when I was 19, we were together (not living together) for 8 years and got married in 2004. It's been great.
We were going over those yesterday, I think I had to explain why Vermont wasn't an original colony. Her English is excellent...we laugh at the section on phrases: "I own a cat."
Well, that's what I would intuitively think. But there's so much fraud---misrepresentation of what one's "like" until at least the first meeting. And so many of the horror stories that hit the papers concern teenagers. Maybe it's as simple as "the younger you are, the less likely someone will tell you the truth about themselves". I know one woman personally, who was (willingly) lured into leaving her husband (no kids, at least), then was molested by the other guy.