Rainman3 wrote:
KM,
Unfortunatly North American women these days have a great ability for demasculinizing their men and part of the post divorce recovery is usually working hard to "grow your balls back".
Couldn't have said it better myself, yes this was my first marriage, and this might sound strange until you try it, but when I came back from my first CR monger trip in Sept, everything was better at home. I liked my job more, I got along with my family better, I lost weight, had great enthusiasm for everything.
Tried to explain to my mother that I'm unlikely to ever date locally again and she said basically what you said and that's don't be too hard on yourself, you had a controlling manipulative wife and not all women are like that. When you meet one that wants to be your equal as opposed to being in control, you'll feel different.
And there's no question that one day (not soon) I'll put mongering on hold and buy a new car, or travel somewhere else, whatever.
I can't stress this enough to those first beginning hobbying and that's don't lose who you are. I did some stuff in Colombia that may have seemed strange at the time, but it was just my nature. I bought pizza for 17, because I wanted to. I took a girl to Mangos because no one else picked her, because I wanted to (She's now Aussie Greg's novia if you read ISG). And I maintained contacts with those that treated me well because I felt good about it. I didn't get taken to the cleaners and I enjoyed every moment of my stay, so my point is, the hobby gives you many other freedoms in addition to the obvious sexual one.