Another One Bites the Dust....

[Jester]

It seems my Lil Sis is breaking up with her husband of 7 years.

For the longest time, I felt kinda bummed that of my generation in my family (myself, two sisters, two stepsiblings, four first cousins), I was the only one that had never been married. Now that I think about it and what's happened to everyone, I don't think I am feeling nearly as bad.

A quick rundown:

Paternal First Cousin #1, The Doctor: Happily married for 20+ years to a wonderful woman who he absolutely deserves. He is one of my favorite relatives.

Paternal First Cousin #2, The Mom: In a miserable marriage to a miserable man. No clue why she has stayed with him all these years.

Maternal First Cousin #1, The Banker: In a miserable marriage to an absolutely bitchy shrew. I get along with just about everyone, and I can't stand this woman.

Maternal First Cousin #2, The Snob: Was married to a girl for less than a year before they divorced.

Older Sister, The Witch: Married for several years to a guy that was, by my family's accounts, just about as insane as she was. I never had a problem with him--though I definitely did with HER--but apparently there was a lot I didn't know about the guy.

Younger Sister, Lil Sis: Married to a great guy that I really like. Very sorry to see this happen. I had high hopes, but recent comments made by Lil Sis made this not as surprising as it might have been.

Stepbrother, The Airplane Guy: Married happily (from what I've heard, haven't talked to him much) with too many kids for their finances to handle being the only major problem .

Stepsister, The Freak: Leaving her husband for the second time. Damn shame. I like both of them a lot.

The really weird thing about all this is that my family (not counting the steps, since I don't know their family's history) has not had many divorces at all before this generation. I only know of two, one on my mom's side (her sister), and one on my dad's side (his cousin).

So right now I am not feeling so bad about my ongoing bachelorhood.

[Gerrinson]

I hear you, Jester. Out of my siblings, I am the only one who has not been married.

My stepsister has been engaged 3 times, married twice (divorce #2 in the works right now) and has had a child by each of her fiances.

My little brother is in the process of getting divorced (which is good - at age 19 he had a 15 year old stepdaughter...), he has one kid by his wife. My nephew lives with our dad and stepmom, since neither my brother nor his soon to be ex want anything to do with actual parental duties.

My stepbrother - Married for 5 years now, kid #2 on the way, and by all accounts they are still deliriously happy, though he and I don't really speak at all. Not that we don't get along, we just don't have anything in common except for family ties.

And that leaves me with no marriages and no kids, which is a disappointment to my parents. But, honestly, while I can handle the responsibility of having kids, I simply don't want it.

Nor do I want to put my head in the legal noose of a marriage. In this state, if you're a man in the divorce, you lose. Even with a prenup, which the judges tend to declare invalid. I watched my parents 13+ year divorce from the middle of the battlefield. Yeah, no thanks.

Of course, my g/f is hellbent on getting married, despite the fact that she knew from day 1 I didn't want to do so. In fact, she said she didn't either and then did a full 180 on the subject. But that's a story for another time.