Married 13 years on the 20th of this month. We broke up 2 or 3 times and dated other people before we stuck with each other. Told her I got tired of discovering new crazy every few months and decided to ride it out with the crazy I knew. I'm romantic like that.

There is nothing general about it. the fucking pigs at the fbi are the enemy and social media is their bitch.

I wish I had your way with words.  You leave no doubt where you stand.

Lots of pressure on both of us. What happens is the relationship is submerged. You’re too busy to spend time connecting, and not connecting is THE big threat to romantic relationships and introduces the danger of finding intimacy elsewhere, example, coworkers.  It’s extremely hard to “connect” when you come home, and you face dinner, housework, with little kids yammering and tugging at you.  It is literally impossible to have a decent conversation with kids around. By the time the kids are in bed you’re so wiped you don’t even want sex, you just crash, and still haven’t verbally connected. 

So the work is, first you must recognize the danger exists.  I’m convinced a lot of divorces happen because people get too far down the road before awareness creeps in that they’ve ignored the primary relationship too long.  Second, you must act to create time for the relationship.  Get a babysitter and have date night. Drop the kids at the grandparents and go for a weekend vacation. You must consider these things necessities, not luxuries, and budget for them.

Remain healthy. Try not to get fat, that’s bad for sexual attraction. Schedule sex. Forget the idea that “it’s got to be spontaneous or it’s not fun.”  Women with small kids and babies do not feel very sexy but you can put work into it for the sake of the relationship. Do not underestimate the power of sex to defuse simmering anger and resentment and reboot your feelings about each other.

Nip outside attractions in the bud. Everybody made fun of Mike Pence when he said he wouldn’t go to dinner with a woman not his wife but he is exactly right.  Those are the opportunities to feel a spark with someone else that can grow to threaten your marriage.

Manage your finances. Do not go into debt. Do not live beyond your means. Money problems are a huge strain on a relationship.  Unfortunately if it leads to divorce, things can get even worse in that department, especially for the man.

Learn how to argue.  Avoid “you always” attacks, and so on.  All of this requires conscious effort, and the marriage can survive the underwater years. Then when the kids grow up and move away, if you’ve held it together this long, worked hard and built a life, you have an ironclad long term bond.

Of course, all of this only works if you marry the right person in the first place. It has to be someone you like, not are just infatuated with, but like, as in friend, companion.  Not a narcissistic psychopath or anything.

Never give good advice away for free. Nobody will pay attention. Instead, start a TV show, maybe titled "Rush on Relationships" or write a best selling book!

Yes.  I found the effort was during the years raising kids.  High pressure and stress.

Again, can't imagine that pressure.  Congratulations Rush!

My wife and I don't have that fine a taste so that we can distinguish between store-bought chocolate and the ultra premium stuff.  My sister in Hawaii grows chocolate and she sends us stuff from her farm.  It does taste better, but maybe because its quality is more tightly controlled and there are no additives.  Or maybe it's just our imagination. 

Special occasions, dark chocolate turtles from Amazon for her or a Russel Stovers dark chocolate assortment.  For me a bag of dark chocolate peanut M&Ms.  Yeah, I have no kooth.  But I do give her flowers every Friday since we've been married.  27 years and counting.

Loved the clips of the Resident being booed and called a liar. Which of course he is.

Sarah Sanders was amazing. She said what we all are thinking.

You have to look at it from their point of view.

I try to do that, but I can’t see anything when I shove my head up my ass.