Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site randvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!mcnc!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!randvax!edhall
From: edhall@randvax.UUCP (Ed Hall)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: How to enter marriage
Message-ID: <2407@randvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 12-Apr-85 23:09:58 EST
Article-I.D.: randvax.2407
Posted: Fri Apr 12 23:09:58 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 17-Apr-85 00:51:14 EST
References: <1560021@acf4.UUCP> <318@tekred.UUCP>
Organization: Rand Corp., Santa Monica
Lines: 36

> -> Marriage is a simple issue. Remember that whatever you get into can
> -> be dumped provided that you take some precautions.
> -> 	a) NEVER co-sign on property! YOU can be taken to the cleaners
> -> 	   if the divorce is contested.	Same goes for other durables. 
> -> 	   (cars etc).
> -> 	b) If possible, crank out a pre-nuptial agreement. It will save
> -> 	your skin if the unhappy event arises.
> -> Don't think of this is a downer, just be prepared for the worst and
> -> you will retire happy and secure.
> -> Hedley.
> I'm sorry, but I think this is a bunch of bullshit.  Sure, plan for the
> worst in the slight event that things won't work out.  What a
> pessimist!  If you enter into a marriage with those kind of feelings,
> I'm sure it never will work out.
> 	...tektronix!tekred!ronbe (Ron Bemis)

Whoa!  There is a strange sort of logic here, that somehow taking
precautions makes a bad event more likely.  I suspect that Ron hasn't
been very close to people who have gone through divorce.  They almost
always believed in `til death do us part--until things didn't work out.
I've known enough good people in bad situations to realize that the
romantic ideal of marriage and the cold reality of marriage sometimes
don't jibe.  That ``slight'' chance isn't nearly as slight as you might
believe under the emotional rush of a new love.

Granted, your chances of having a lasting marriage are a bit better than
even--and you can improve that chance even more by being careful.  But
the precautions presented are cheap insurance, and shouldn't disturb
reasonable people unless they are pretty insecure.  And if they *are*
that insecure--well, perhaps that just increases the chance that those
precautions will be needed someday.

Opinions?

		-Ed Hall
		decvax!randvax!edhall