@lostintime: Yes. The pic shows me in the gym last week. I better don't show you a pic from February...
@BeExcellent:
1. What are the ages and genders of the children?
Three girls (2/7/9 years old), one boy (5 years old).
2. Setting aside the cheating etc. how is the friendship and companionship that underlies the relationship?
Good. We support and take care about each other (at least with regard to family life...). Feels like there is/was a clear separation of roles: The wife/mother/family persona is as great in that role as you can imagine. She invests a lot of time and effort in family life. We are good parents that complement each other.
Friendship and companionship in other aspects of life is hard to answer, because with four kids you don’t really have a life other than family… I think that's a big reason of her current eat-pray-love trip: She desperately wanted to be a mother and have a family to overcome an old trauma. Now she has husband and children. But it's very demanding and other aspects of her life are neglected. Is this really what I want?
We just started doing things together without the kids during the last weeks. They can now - up to a certain point - take care of each other, so that we can do something only for us. Tonight, we’ll go to a restaurant (her idea) for the first time in like 10 years…
I think there is a lot of oxytocin flowing between us. The hormone that makes us want to cuddle the other one and feel secure with him/her. Testosterone and adrenaline obviously not so much... In June she said that this has been there when we met. But after 12 years, everything is so predictable and ...boring.
3. Do you realize you both came into the marriage with false facades? You seem to see that one but it is of particular importance.
Why do you think, that I had a facade? I’d say that I was a chump. A kidult without experience with real women. A rational nerd with zero emotional intelligence. But facade?
With regard to her: Yes, definitely facade. And we were both aware of this. I learned very early that she always says and does what makes others happy (so that she brings positive emotions to them). She wants to be liked and treats everybody this way. She always smiles regardless of her real inner feelings. She’s proud of that control. I guess she sensed right from the start how blue-pill I was and that I couldn’t handle the truth about her inner slut. In Rollo’s words ‚I just didn’t get it‘ so she reduced me to a role that she thought I was capable of.
And I have to admit that I understand it: Was I a good soul mate? Not really. Inexperienced and zero emotional intelligence. I definitely couldn’t mentor her, albeit 8 years older. Very early, she told about her biggest trauma and I absolutely blew it (Oh. I feel sorry for you. Can we talk about that tomorrow? I’m really tired now.).
Have I been a good sex partner? No. I won’t go into details, but: no. And with regard to the rest of my life / our relationship, I was in no way Alpha. So, there have probably been only two options for her: Leave him or keep him with all his flaws (=beta). She opted for the latter and obviously took what I couldn’t deliver from other ’sources’.
That’s at least my interpretation and I want to see how life is when I develop better emotional intelligence, game, dread and being more Alpha (in life and in bed). I need those qualities regardless of her. So, at the very least I have a good training partner while I improve ;-)
4. What do YOU want the future if you could choose all parameters of the outcome?
Being emotionally intelligent. Being Alpha with regard to all aspects of my life. Being able to f.ck her (or other women) so that she/they can’t get enough of me. Being honest to each other about our desires and expectations. Not being lied to. Either we have no sexual or emotional relationships to other persons or we do this on an equal level. I don’t want to totally rule this out yet. To some degree, I like the idea of having a threesome with someone she’s hot for and someone I find hot at another time. I think, she would do it. Actually, I am the one who is inhibited. No sex with a different person for more than 12 years. Perhaps, I should start with an escort to lower my embarrassment threshold and gain confidence that I can be sexual outside of a monogamous relationship (I never was…).
I want to be desired. I want to be the more powerful partner in this relationship (or at least equally powerful). The good thing is, that time is on my side. Part of what constitutes my SMV does not really decline (status, money, intelligence). My looks doesn’t seem to decline that fast. I have full hair and look at least 5 years younger than I am. For her, SMV is mostly based on looks and she already photoshops her eyes etc. for social media… ;-) Of course, she is very intelligent. But I don't think that a potential partner will care about that... So, it will be interesting to see where we compare SMV-wise in 5 years from now.
I don't want my kids to take damage. I want to keep the social appearance with an intact marriage alive (albeit not at all costs). I want a more intense and less boring life. I want to be respected by my partner. I want to be less of a control freak that I am right now (out of fear?). I don't want to leave, but I want to have the confidence that I know I could. I want to have options and I want her to know it. I want her to be afraid of losing me. I want to control the frame.
I want to remain calm when my kids cry and argue (like 10 times a day). I want to be able to start conversations with random people (just as she can).
To be honest, I don’t fear a scenario in which she has another f.ck buddy as long as I have one myself and this life turns both of us on and spices it up. Not my dream scenario, but somehow charming… It just must not be lopsided. What I really don’t want to have back is scheduled s.x. Now that I know what she is capable of and what s.xual energy she has, I want to be the one to ignite that as well. So it’s more about making me better than about making her into something. Then, the rest will follow in one direction or the other.how
Thus: Looks, dread, game, bedroom skills and first and foremost Alpha skills. Then, I will have better options and will be able to execute the best one.