<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=72530.msg3236324#msg3236324">Quote from: Hikari on 03-07-2010, 15:24:07</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Marriage is simply impractical for me.  I'm going back to college full-time for three years or more after I separate from the service; I can do that on my own with no difficulties, but if I'm married it would be a financial burden on my partner.  Besides which, I never have enough hours in the day for everything that needs to be done.  I certainly don't have the time that must be dedicated to developing and maintaining that sort of relationship.<br/><br/>Besides, I'm honestly not sure that I view marriage or children as a valid "endgame" for me, anymore.  The unfortunate reality of being in the military--enclosed, shared living spaces, always working in teams at a minimum, a general stigma against "loners" that makes being alone even off-duty difficult--has caused me to treasure solitude to such an extent that the idea of <em>willingly</em> cohabitating with another human being is somewhere close to "chewing off my own leg" on my to-do list.<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>I can understand how being in the military would give you that perspective Hikari. I have many friends who have enlisted and have heard stories, especially about the willingness to have solitude and sharing their living space. Going to school after you are done is a good idea as well. Hopefully after this last year I will be done and have a diploma, being able to get a decent career established by working for the state.<br/><br/>And because you mentioned not sure that you view marriage and children as a valid "endgame" for yourself anymore, I completely understand how you feel. I was 95% sure that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with my ex and then things crashed and burned. So sometimes it's amazing how what we think we want and is going to happen just dissolves before you.<br/>O