Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=EternalEnigma21;562686]when did we start getting censored???[/quote]

****ing long time ago

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=EternalEnigma21;562686]when did we start getting censored???[/quote]

SINCE YOU STARTED SAYING **** SO ****ING OFTEN, ****!!!!!!lc

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=EternalEnigma21;562685]marriage is pointless. If you're committed then stay committed. If you're not then leave. I cannot for the life of me understand why people would intentionally "limit their options" only to make it harder for them to live separate lives if they change. Because other people do it? **** that. [b]I am married by the way.[/b][/quote]

Very happily it appears.

Re: On Marriage
 

Oh, saden, one more thing... the engagement ring. I was talking to my wife earlier this morning and she mentioned one of the girls in the office was getting married. Then she went on to talk about how the women were all comparing rings... and how hers was the best. I have to tell you, that is one purchase that you only get one shot at and you have to go big. You'll never regret the money you spend on a good one, but you'll kick yourself if you don't. I'd say find something that you think is just about right, and then go up by about 50-100% depending on your budget. My wife was never a big jewelry person, never talked about it anyway, but she has repeatedly talked about all the compliments she gets, and it always makes her smile. Money well spent.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=BleedBurgundy;562767]Oh, saden, one more thing... the engagement ring. I was talking to my wife earlier this morning and she mentioned one of the girls in the office was getting married. Then she went on to talk about how the women were all comparing rings... and how hers was the best. I have to tell you, that is one purchase that you only get one shot at and you have to go big. You'll never regret the money you spend on a good one, but you'll kick yourself if you don't. I'd say find something that you think is just about right, and then go up by about 50-100% depending on your budget. My wife was never a big jewelry person, never talked about it anyway, but she has repeatedly talked about all the compliments she gets, and it always makes her smile. Money well spent.[/quote]

How much are we talking here? 3k ring? more?

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=saden1;562775]How much are we talking here? 3k ring? more?[/quote]More than $ 3K balla. The rule of thumb is 2 months salary. If you go with a 1 karat, with high clarity and high color rating you'll be fine. The clarity and color ratings give the ring the "sparkle". Cut and minimizing inclusions are important, but from what my wife tells me, women talk about the size of the ring and then look at the sparkle. (Size does matter)

Do NOT buy from one of the chain jewelers or someone in a mall. Find an independent jewlery store that has been well established in your area. Do some research online and negotiate the hell out of them, you should get a good deal. PM me if you want more detail. Good luck!

Also check into a local metal fabrication contractor for the "ball & chain". :)

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=BleedBurgundy;562767]Oh, saden, one more thing... the engagement ring. I was talking to my wife earlier this morning and she mentioned one of the girls in the office was getting married. Then she went on to talk about how the women were all comparing rings... and how hers was the best. I have to tell you, that is one purchase that you only get one shot at and you have to go big. You'll never regret the money you spend on a good one, but you'll kick yourself if you don't. I'd say find something that you think is just about right, and then go up by about 50-100% depending on your budget. My wife was never a big jewelry person, never talked about it anyway, but she has repeatedly talked about all the compliments she gets, and it always makes her smile. Money well spent.[/quote]

And I would actually say the exact opposite. If a woman cares that much about the size of the ring and comparing it to other women, then she's going to do the same thing with cars, with houses, with clothes, with everything. Run like hell from those broads. If she can't be happy with whatever you pick out, then she's missing the point.

The point is she's supposed to love whatever you pick out, because you gave it to her.

Now I'm not saying buy her a piece of shit, but don't stress about making sure she's got a huge ring. If you got the cash and need to find something to do with it, then why the hell not. But I'd rather put that money towards a kick ass honeymoon, something that can create memories for the two of you.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=Schneed10;562796]And I would actually say the exact opposite. If a woman cares that much about the size of the ring and comparing it to other women, then she's going to do the same thing with cars, with houses, with clothes, with everything. Run like hell from those broads. If she can't be happy with whatever you pick out, then she's missing the point.

The point is she's supposed to love whatever you pick out, because you gave it to her.

Now I'm not saying buy her a piece of shit, but don't stress about making sure she's got a huge ring. If you got the cash and need to find something to do with it, then why the hell not. But I'd rather put that money towards a kick ass honeymoon, something that can create memories for the two of you.[/quote]

I agree here big time. A friend of mine is a partner in a small jewelry business here in the DC area. He's helping me put together a ring for my girlfriend. I'm not currently rolling in the dough, but I'm not poor either, so we're putting together something reasonable. A .75 ct solitaire of very nice cut/color/clarity, set simply in a thin platinum band. It's not amazing, but it's a quality engagement ring and it shines. It's the fact that I'm giving it to her as a representation of my love that counts.

I know plenty of people who started with a small engagement ring because they were on a strict budget at the time, and they gradually upgraded the setting and surrounding diamonds as time passed and money accumulated. Don't buy her garbage, but don't focus on the whole 2 or 3 months salary crap either. That's most likely a myth created by the "Jared" and "Kay's" of the world to boost sales.

If she loves you like she should, she'll be thrilled you're proposing, and not hung up on how much her ring blings. I can't stand women who flash their engagement rings as a status symbol. I see it all the time in an area as affluent as Chevy Chase/Bethesda. It's annoying and superficial. It's actually a direct contradiction of what marriage represents.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=Slingin Sammy 33;562782]More than $ 3K balla. The rule of thumb is 2 months salary. If you go with a 1 karat, with high clarity and high color rating you'll be fine. The clarity and color ratings give the ring the "sparkle". Cut and minimizing inclusions are important, but from what my wife tells me, women talk about the size of the ring and then look at the sparkle. (Size does matter)

Do NOT buy from one of the chain jewelers or someone in a mall. Find an independent jewlery store that has been well established in your area. Do some research online and negotiate the hell out of them, you should get a good deal. PM me if you want more detail. Good luck!

Also check into a local metal fabrication contractor for the "ball & chain". :)[/quote]

More than 3K for an engagement ring? Isn't the 2 month salary rule for a wedding ring? And is that before or after taxes?

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=Schneed10;562796]And I would actually say the exact opposite. If a woman cares that much about the size of the ring and comparing it to other women, then she's going to do the same thing with cars, with houses, with clothes, with everything. Run like hell from those broads. If she can't be happy with whatever you pick out, then she's missing the point.

The point is she's supposed to love whatever you pick out, because you gave it to her.

Now I'm not saying buy her a piece of shit, but don't stress about making sure she's got a huge ring. If you got the cash and need to find something to do with it, then why the hell not. But I'd rather put that money towards a kick ass honeymoon, something that can create memories for the two of you.[/quote]

Hard to find a chick that won't get into the ring discussion. They'll show that off just as often, if not more, than a new baby.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=tryfuhl;562805]Hard to find a chick that won't get into the ring discussion. They'll show that off just as often, if not more, than a new baby.[/quote]


Yeah if you have a chick that shows off her ring more then her children you might have picked the wrong chick.

Is it just me or are jewelry radio commercials not the worst thing in the world.

Re: On Marriage
 

And a good test to remember; if you get her a ring and she asks to have it upgraded, watch out. If she wants to upgrade the stone, there's a good chance she'll want to upgrade husbands.

Now if you offer to upgrade it like in GMScud's case, that's different. But if she seeks to upgrade it without you offering, I think that's a bad sign.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=saden1;562800]More than 3K for an engagement ring? Isn't the 2 month salary rule for a wedding ring? And is that before or after taxes?[/quote]

The wedding ring (or wedding band, technically) is meant just to supplement the engagement ring. The engagement ring is the main event.

I spent $3900 on my wife's. That bought a .75 carat with very good color and clarity, it sparkles real nice. She's thrilled with it and never compares it to others.

I think we then spent $500 on the wedding band, which is ringed with tiny sidestone diamonds.

At the time I was making $45,000 a year.

Re: On Marriage
 

I just came back from my cousin's wedding in Williamsburg. It was a nice deal. All I can say is this, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BOOZE AT THE WEDDING. Now I don't drink, but if you can't pony up for a few bottles of bourbon and some wine, or at the very least a few pints of ale, then something's wrong.
I'd get hitched but I can't find a woman stupid enough to marry me, so I'm content with being a whore.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=saden1;562417]For those of you who are married what tips do you have for us unmarried guys? How and where did you propose? Why did you propose to [I]her[/I]? What do you do to keep the spark going? What kind of adjustments did you have to make? What kind of impact have the children had on your marriage?[/quote]

1. First tip is to make sure that when you DO find someone that might be the one, you make DAMN sure. I've seen too many of my friends get married within 2-3 months of meeting someone.

2. I knew my wife the moment I saw her. That's corny as hell but true. I was 15, and it's insane to say, but I knew it. We're working on twelve years together and two years of marriage.

3. To keep the spark going, NEVER take yourselves too seriously. The second you start feeling like you're older, that's when the spark will start to go away. Sure, people grow and people change a little bit, but what you fell in love with is always going to be there. My wife and I had random beers last Wednesday night and danced outside on our back porch for about an hour. Not slow dancing, just ridiculous, hilarious dancing. Which also reminds me, make a date to get some at LEAST once a week.

4. The main adjustments I had to make was to realize that I am no longer a bachelor (not like I ever was, but I DID live alone). Remember to share everything equally whether it's money or chores.

5. Take it from someone who's 27 and has NO plans for kids in the current future... DON'T DO IT UNTIL YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY READY. We have a lot of couple friends and all of them are getting knocked up because it's "what you're supposed to do at that age." At least half of them admit to me privately they wish they hadn't had them. For the people who have kids, I'm sure they love them unconditionally, but until you're ready for that burden, make damn sure you're ready to contribute a LARGE part of your free time and money to deal with feedings, changing diapers, and spending at least one or two hours just to get them ready for a simple outing. Fun times. Your marriage will never be the same for better or worse when you have children.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=saden1;562800]More than 3K for an engagement ring? Isn't the 2 month salary rule for a wedding ring? And is that before or after taxes?[/quote]Don't put yourself into massive debt over the ring, but as some of the other guys have mentioned .75 to 1 karat, with good color, clarity will set you back about 4-6K if you work with the independent jewelers. I'm sure you've got a good woman or you wouldn't be ready to pull the trigger. Whether outwardly (yes, run for the hills) or subtly, most women do compare rings. It's not usually the overt Chevy Chase type of comparisons, it's when all her friends see it for the first time and talk about it, or when she's out somewhere and another woman comments on how pretty the ring is. I'm sure she'll be very happy with whatever you give her.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=Slingin Sammy 33;562820]Don't put yourself into massive debt over the ring, but as some of the other guys have mentioned .75 to 1 karat, with good color, clarity will set you back about 4-6K if you work with the independent jewelers. I'm sure you've got a good woman or you wouldn't be ready to pull the trigger. Whether outwardly (yes, run for the hills) or subtly, most women do compare rings. [B]It's not usually the overt Chevy Chase type of comparisons, it's when all her friends see it for the first time and talk about it, or when she's out somewhere and another woman comments on how pretty the ring is. I'm sure she'll be very happy with whatever you give her.[/B][/quote]

Yeah, just to clarify what I said earlier- Obviously any woman will show her friends/family/co-workers her ring. She should. It's an exciting thing. But she should be showing it off out of excitement for getting engaged, not how big and fancy the ring is. I see the latter too often.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;562819]1. First tip is to make sure that when you DO find someone that might be the one, you make DAMN sure. I've seen too many of my friends get married within 2-3 months of meeting someone.

2. I knew my wife the moment I saw her. That's corny as hell but true. I was 15, and it's insane to say, but I knew it. We're working on twelve years together and two years of marriage.

3. To keep the spark going, NEVER take yourselves too seriously. The second you start feeling like you're older, that's when the spark will start to go away. Sure, people grow and people change a little bit, but what you fell in love with is always going to be there. My wife and I had random beers last Wednesday night and danced outside on our back porch for about an hour. Not slow dancing, just ridiculous, hilarious dancing. Which also reminds me, make a date to get some at LEAST once a week.

4. The main adjustments I had to make was to realize that I am no longer a bachelor (not like I ever was, but I DID live alone). Remember to share everything equally whether it's money or chores.

5. [B]Take it from someone who's 27 and has NO plans for kids in the current future... DON'T DO IT UNTIL YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY READY.[/B] We have a lot of couple friends and all of them are getting knocked up because it's "what you're supposed to do at that age." At least half of them admit to me privately they wish they hadn't had them. For the people who have kids, I'm sure they love them unconditionally, but until you're ready for that burden, make damn sure you're ready to contribute a LARGE part of your free time and money to deal with feedings, changing diapers, and spending at least one or two hours just to get them ready for a simple outing. Fun times. Your marriage will never be the same for better or worse when you have children.[/quote]

I'll echo this. My wife and I are the same age, our daughter was born when we were both 27. I'm now 29 and feel 100% ready for kids, but that infant year was a very tough adjustment, neither of us was ready for the workload and it added a lot of stress.

At 29 we're much more ready. My wife is due with our second in early July, and we're headed into this one with nothing but excitement, even knowing how much work it is. Heading into the first one, we felt excited, but fear was the predominant emotion.

But, if you're worth your salt as a man, if you have kids early you suck it up and adjust. It was a rough first year but you get through it, and now I wouldn't change a thing. Somehow the love for the child stands out above all else, even above the major adjustment it takes.

So I guess there's something for both here; if you get knocked up early take solace. You won't regret it in the end. But if you can help it, wait until you're ready. The love for the child will still be there, and you'll be that much more ready.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=Schneed10;562822]So I guess there's something for both here; if you get knocked up early take solace. You won't regret it in the end. But if you can help it, wait until you're ready. The love for the child will still be there, and you'll be that much more ready.[/quote]

Exactly what I meant to say, just with far less words.

The people I mentioned above who said they wish they hadn't had their kids, they definitely do love the more than anything, they just said if they had to do it again, they either wouldn't at all or have done it much later.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=Schneed10;562822]At 29 we're much more ready. My wife is due with our second in early July, and we're headed into this one with nothing but excitement, even knowing how much work it is. Heading into the first one, we felt excited, but fear was the predominant emotion.[/quote]

The second one was so much easier for us. You feel more comfortable and relaxed with diagnosing the baby's cries and in return he/she responds off of your comfort.

Honestly, I wouldn't say raising kids is "hard work", just more exhausting. I still don't sleep more than 3 or 4 hours without waking up to check on either of my two boys. But as far as me considering it difficult...nah, not really. Just be ready to have fun and not yell at them constantly for not being perfect little angels all the time.

Back to the marriage thing. I think patience and compromise are the two key ingredients that you have to actively work on. If you're the type of guy that thinks he should get his way because that's the way mommy and daddy treated you then your marriage will probably suck after 2 or 3 years. Work with each other and meet somewhere in the middle. Of course, a lot of this depends on her personality and what she expects you to do as the husband/bread winner.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=GMScud;562821]....not how big and fancy the ring is. I see the latter too often.[/quote]Agreed. I spent most of my life in the DC area, Mont. County, Centreville, etc. Moved down here in '98 and met my wife.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=saden1;562800]More than 3K for an engagement ring? Isn't the 2 month salary rule for a wedding ring? And is that before or after taxes?[/quote]
Nope, as stated the 2 month rule is for engagement rings...find yourself a small independent jeweler or a wholesale place that does custom work. And ask around about different places. My neighbor at my old house recommended a wholesale place that did custom work, and I was able to get exactly what I wanted and since it was a wholesaler, I got a decent price on the diamonds. It's an investment in terms of money and happiness. Your money and her happiness...be picky and get exactly what you want for the price you are willing to pay for it.

It was more important for me for the ring to look a certain way than how much was spent on it. I did have a lot of help cost wise, as I used the solitare from my wife's Mom's engagement ring (she had recently passed away when I started designing the ring) and had some sidestones from my great grandmother's ring that I had embedded in the ring itself. So while I was able to keep the cost down (the band itself plus 2 side stones), the ring looks very nice and not overstated.

As far as wedding bands go, I wanted to keep things simple, and my wife agreed with me for now. Got both our bands for less than $350 at eweddingbands.com, and they've been great. If you do a lot with your hands, I highly recommend 10 karat. I beat the crap out of mine and while it has some minor scatches and nicks, I can't imagine what it would look like if I went softer. Down the road she'll want hers replaced, and quite frankly, I don't mind doing it for the amount of shit I put her through ;)

Re: On Marriage
 

I can recommend [url=http://www.bluenile.com]Diamonds, Engagement Rings and Fine Jewelry at Blue Nile[/url]

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=Angry;562422]1. Denny's, I had the waitress put the ring in her dessert. Not the most romantic place and she damn near choked on the ring.

2. At the time I thought that I was in love with her and I couldn't imagine being with anyone else. [B]Now I am still with her and I imagine being with someone else all of the time.[/B]

3. Role playing definitely helps, but I found that the biggest thing that makes the relationship stronger is when you F up real bad and it jeopardizes the whole marriage. As soon as you realize that you can lose her for good it snaps you back to reality. The love of a good woman is irreplaceable. It makes you remember the way you felt when you first fell in love, though I would not recommend taking this course of action.

3. I married an older woman, so she had to do more adjusting to my immature habbits than I had to adjust to her. Over time you just start getting wiser about how you spend your money and time. On top of that you realize that the world doesn't revolve around you and you start to make better decisions based on the two of you. Picking your battles can be thrown in there somewhere.

4. Honestly, children make a marriage tougher, but if it were not for my children our marriage might not have lasted. If your girl was wild before kids expect that behavior to come to a screeching halt. Guys tend to still be guys when they first have children. Most women become instant nurturers overnight. It usually takes us guys a while to catch up.

I know that I really haven’t told you anything, but in reality you cannot teach experience. At the same time everyone’s experience is different.

I wish you well and hope I have helped, even if the information provided was minimal.[/quote]

lol. it's called being a man.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=GhettoDogAllStars;562588]Divorce rates are higher for couples who live together before marriage.

Lots of data on this can be found on the Internet... do a google search for "divorce and cohabitation" -- the theory on why it happens is basically a lack of commitment.[/quote]

I think the divorce rate is high because marriage is tough and people just grow tired of one another. It's business relationship and being in business with another person is tough. I'm in my late 30's and I just don't want to do it. I like my freedom too much.

Re: On Marriage
 

My ring is tungsten and you can't wreck it, impossible and it is lite weight!

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=Mattyk72;562921]I can recommend [URL="http://www.bluenile.com"]Diamonds, Engagement Rings and Fine Jewelry at Blue Nile[/URL][/quote]

They're pretty good Seattle based company...my boy was telling me on Friday they're looking for software developers. Have you or yours ever bought any jewelry from them?

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=saden1;562948]They're pretty good Seattle based company...my boy was telling me on Friday they're looking for software developers. Have you or yours ever bought any jewelry from them?[/quote]

Yes several times, great quality, nothing but good things to say about them.

Re: On Marriage
 

I always going to use Blue Nile but instead went to DE and it end up being cheaper once you figured sales tax but Blue Nile is legit.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=Slingin Sammy 33;562820]Don't put yourself into massive debt over the ring, but as some of the other guys have mentioned .75 to 1 karat, with good color, clarity will set you back about 4-6K if you work with the independent jewelers. I'm sure you've got a good woman or you wouldn't be ready to pull the trigger. Whether outwardly (yes, run for the hills) or subtly, most women do compare rings. It's not usually the overt Chevy Chase type of comparisons, it's when all her friends see it for the first time and talk about it, or when she's out somewhere and another woman comments on how pretty the ring is. I'm sure she'll be very happy with whatever you give her.[/quote]

This is pretty much how I mentioned it. It's not that she will run around comparing, but when the office talk turns to it, you don't want her to be embarrassed.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=saden1;562948]They're pretty good Seattle based company...my boy was telling me on Friday they're looking for software developers. Have you or yours ever bought any jewelry from them?[/quote]

This is where I got the ring for my wife from. It's nice because you can pick out the individual stone and actually customize the setting. I was a little nervous not physically seeing it, but they came highly recommended by a friend of mine.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=BleedBurgundy;563082]This is where I got the ring for my wife from. It's nice because you can pick out the individual stone and actually customize the setting. I was a little nervous not physically seeing it, but they came highly recommended by a friend of mine.[/quote]

I went the same route. After shopping around the mall stores I was really turned off by their prices and lack of quality. I don't recall how I found Blue Nile but I'm so glad I did. The stone I got for my wife was very high quality. I referred my Dad to them when he got re-married and they were very happy with BN too.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;562819]1. First tip is to make sure that when you DO find someone that might be the one, you make DAMN sure. I've seen too many of my friends get married within 2-3 months of meeting someone.

2. I knew my wife the moment I saw her. That's corny as hell but true. I was 15, and it's insane to say, but I knew it. We're working on twelve years together and two years of marriage.

3. To keep the spark going, NEVER take yourselves too seriously. The second you start feeling like you're older, that's when the spark will start to go away. Sure, people grow and people change a little bit, but what you fell in love with is always going to be there. My wife and I had random beers last Wednesday night and danced outside on our back porch for about an hour. Not slow dancing, just ridiculous, hilarious dancing. Which also reminds me, make a date to get some at LEAST once a week.

4. The main adjustments I had to make was to realize that I am no longer a bachelor (not like I ever was, but I DID live alone). Remember to share everything equally whether it's money or chores.

5.[B] Take it from someone who's 27 and has NO plans for kids in the current future... DON'T DO IT UNTIL YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY READY[/B]. We have a lot of couple friends and all of them are getting knocked up because it's "what you're supposed to do at that age." At least half of them admit to me privately they wish they hadn't had them. For the people who have kids, I'm sure they love them unconditionally, but until you're ready for that burden, make damn sure you're ready to contribute a LARGE part of your free time and money to deal with feedings, changing diapers, and spending at least one or two hours just to get them ready for a simple outing. Fun times. Your marriage will never be the same for better or worse when you have children.[/quote]

Agreed, most definitely. My wife and I are both older than you, and we just decided to put it off a little more because of a vacation we want to go on. We're having a lot of fun together, period.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=saden1;562717]So you don't think a two state solution is feasible?[/quote]

It takes two to tango. The simple, obvious thing about the Arab-Israeli conflict that too many people fail to see is that the Palestinians are the ones who don't want a two-state answer. They're playing the long term 50 or 100 year game. Once you see that they are the ones who don't want a settlement, the whole thing becomes very predictable and understandable. It all makes sense.

As for marriage, if you dally and wait past 25 all the good girls are taken. You're only chance is widows and hardly anyone dies anymore.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=70Chip;563272]It takes two to tango. The simple, obvious thing about the Arab-Israeli conflict that too many people fail to see is that the Palestinians are the ones who don't want a two-state answer. They're playing the long term 50 or 100 year game. Once you see that they are the ones who don't want a settlement, the whole thing becomes very predictable and understandable. It all makes sense.

[B]As for marriage, if you dally and wait past 25 all the good girls are taken. You're only chance is widows and hardly anyone dies anymore.[/B][/quote]

Dude, you know it's not the 1950's anymore right?

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=djnemo65;563286]Dude, you know it's not the 1950's anymore right?[/quote]


I know that was the dumbest comment ever, seriously there are great women at any age.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote=mredskins;563291]I know that was the dumbest comment ever, seriously there are great women at any age.[/quote]

Depends on your operating definition of "great"!

I might ruffle feathers here, and if so sorry, this is my opinionated side coming out. I'd automatically rule out any of the following as a potential mate:

- Any woman who's been divorced. If it wasn't successful in round one, the odds of it being unsuccessful in round 2 are a ton higher than with someone who's never been divorced.

- Any woman who's been abused. Way too much emotional baggage.

- Any single mother. Their decision-making when choosing a potential mate will be clouded by the natural desire to have someone to share the workload and responsibility of raising children.

Not to mention younger women are generally more attractive. I tend to agree that age makes a big difference (though 25 might be unrealistic). Simply because the field gets narrowed down to those with baggage after a certain point.

To be fair, same thing goes for men to an extent. So ladies out there please understand, I'm not being sexist, I'm just an asshole.

Re: On Marriage
 

There's a statistic you hear a lot; approximately 50% of American marriages end in divorce.

Keep in mind this does not mean 50% of people who get married end up divorced. This means 50% of the [B]unions entered into [/B]end up in divorce. There are plenty of "frequent fliers" when it comes to divorce. Many who get divorced once get remarried and then divorce again, and again. My buddy's father (who's pretty much the most self centered man ever) has gotten married and divorced 6 times. He's now engaged to a 7th.

The repeat divorcees carry a disproportionate share of the divorces in this country. So while 50% of marriages end up in divorce, more than 50% of the people who get married never get divorced.

All this is to say, if you get hitched to someone who has gotten divorced before, the odds of you getting divorced are much higher than for that young engaged couple who have never been married before.

Re: On Marriage
 

[quote]
I might ruffle feathers here, and if so sorry, this is my opinionated side coming out. I'd automatically rule out any of the following as a potential mate:

- Any woman who's been divorced. If it wasn't successful in round one, the odds of it being unsuccessful in round 2 are a ton higher than with someone who's never been divorced.
[/quote]

What if you were also divorced?

[quote]- Any woman who's been abused. Way too much emotional baggage.[/quote]

Agreed.

[quote]- Any single mother. Their decision-making when choosing a potential mate will be clouded by the natural desire to have someone to share the workload and responsibility of raising children.[/quote]

I think that's generalizing just a bit.

[quote]Not to mention younger women are generally more attractive. I tend to agree that age makes a big difference (though 25 might be unrealistic). Simply because the field gets narrowed down to those with baggage after a certain point.[/quote]

I dunno, have you seen some of the cougars out there? LOL

[quote]To be fair, same thing goes for men to an extent. So ladies out there please understand, I'm not being sexist, I'm just an asshole.[/quote]

We know, ;)

Re: On Marriage
 

[deleted as self-absorbed idiocy]