Inspired by a discussion in this thread, I thought I’d find out the rough proportion of Dopers who are (a) in a happy and committed relationship; (b) in an unhappy and committed relationship; (c) happily single; (d) unhappily single; or (e) other. You’re “single” if you’re not in what you’d consider an exclusive romantic relationship. You’re “happy” if you’d prefer that things stay as they are, relationship-wise. (If you’re committed to X but would rather be dating A, B, or C, that’d qualify as an unhappy, committed relationship.)
Put your age, your relationship status, and whatever other information you feel like sharing.
Me, I’m 30. Unhappily single. I was unhappily committed for the last few months of a two-year relationship ending in August 2004. Since then, the people I’ve met who’re interested in a relationship with me I don’t find interesting…and, unfortunately, vice versa.
I don’t consider myself “single”, but I’m not in a physically exclusive relationship, either. Both supervenusfreak and I have sexual encounters (always with protection!) outside of our couplehood, and sometimes play together with an outside partner. Both of us have varying degrees of feeling for the people we engage with outside of each other, ranging from “you’re cute, wanna bj?” to “I really like you…wanna see a movie?” But I’m disgustingly happy with supervenusfreak, and I’m not even considering looking for a different long-term romantic partner. The possibility is open in the future for us to find a third (or fourth) person to add to the romantic relationship, but it’s not an immediate priority. As far as I know (and I trust it’s true) he feels the same way.
In a happy and committed relationship. We’ve been together for a little under a year, and things have been going exceptionally well. She’s been studying in Barcelona this semester, but the long distance hasn’t put any kind of a strain on us. I just got back from visiting her a couple weeks ago, and yeah, things are still really good.
I don’t mean to brag too much, but I’m just really happy at the moment. I trust her completely, which makes the long distance thing pretty bearable. Not that it won’t be great to have her back here in the summer…
i am 53. i have been fortunate enough to be with the incomparable sunflower since may 19, 1972. we have been very happily married since may 17, 1975. we have two adult daughters and one spoiled rotten cat.
I’m 47. My wife and I are a) happily married. Eight years in May. No arguments yet. This marriage stuff isn’t anywhere near as hard as some people would have you believe. It might be the easiest thing I’ve ever done.
I’m 34, and have been unhappily single for almost a year. I went through a looong stretch of not really wanting to date, but then at the end of 2004 something snapped and I got all into the dating thing. Went out with a few guys, had a blast, even landed in a brief relationship this time last year (that didn’t end in me swearing off relationships), but my dating mojo seems to have gone walkies.
I remain optimistic, though, and maintain profiles at a couple of dating sites while I debate the wisdom of actively pursuing one of my co-workers.
I’m 33 years old. She’s 36. Happily married for 6+ years now. We met in the US, and I came to Japan to date her 11 years ago. I fell in love with her and the country. So I married her, and stayed here.
Pretty happily single. Been single for close to a year wooo (after a year and a half relationship - about a year too long, but we won’t get into that). I dig a guy right now, but we’re friends and I don’t care too much if anything ever happens. But I would definitely be jealous if he started dating someone else. But eh. I’m too busy for a boyfriend, and if I met one here at school, I’m going home this summer so unless he lived in St. Louis, it would suck. And above guy lives in Chicago, so.
I’m 45 in a happy, committed relationship with a bloke who is considerably older.
Can I ask another question though? My SO and I don’t live together, yet we have been in a HCR for more than two years now. How does one introduce one’s SO under these circumstances? The reason I ask is that yesterday we went to a function where he needed to introduce me to some new colleagues. Girlfriend just didn’t seem right because we are really old farts, and partner didn’t seem right because we don’t share living arrangements. And Significant Other is downright obscene as a verbal tool (it’s OK in a written medium though).
Squeeze seems to signify a transient and superficial relationship, as does My Fucking Friend (that I suggested but that was howled down, funnily enough ).
What’s the go, my fellow geriatric dopers? How do you describe your committed (but unmarried/defacto) relationships?
23 and unhappily single. Last relationship was sometime in the May/June range of last year. Tried a long-distance relationship with a girl that I met through a mutual friend and that I hooked up with a few times. We decided we should try something beyond friends with benefits. A combination of the distance and my complete apathetic stlye of emotion (which is to say, no emotion at all, really) made it not work.
I’m 32, and I waver between answers c) and d) practically daily. A week ago I had my first actual in-real-life date of the 21st Century. Fireworks failed to ignite. I’m not in a mad rush to try again, but should the opportunity present itself…
I’ve never had any relationships. Not any during high school and college doesn’t look like it will improve that prospect. Maybe it’s the psoraisis that’s visable on my forehead or that I’m over weight (I’m working on that but not because it may attract women) Doesn’t matter really because I give up.
