Foxy, I was one of those naive virgins, myself. I used to listen to the boys at school cadet camp, or scout camps, boasting of their prowess with the ladies.

It was only as I grew up that I realised that the more noise, the less prowess. Apart from the odd kiss & tell type, it was the ones who did not need to boast that had the prowess.

At these things you would suddenly realise that everyone was looking at you. It was your turn. As I had nothing to talk about, I used to say, "I'm a virgin, nobodies had me". That was accepted & I think they thought I was experienced.

It was at pony club camp I started to get an education. We had a camp, at the showgrounds each may school holidays. there would be about 40 kids with their horses, half from town, & half boarding school kids, home for the holidays. I have often wondered why they didn't go home for the holidays.

At my last one of these, I was "selected" by one of the boarding school girls, to be her boy for the week. I didn't seem to have much say in it, & I guess I was much too flattered to complain. It was the start of a rapid education, that high school had not provided.

Life has been amusing ever since.

Dear Proxy,

I saw a TV program sometime ago - about
a man who "unofficially" had several
wives. However, welfare only paid for
one of them. His relationships with the
other women were not recognised.

Dear Psychophant,

" Whatever is in any way beautiful hath its
source of beauty in itself, and is complete
in itself; praise forms no part of it.
So it is none the worse nor the better for
being praised."
(Marcus Aurelius Antoninus - 121-180 A.D.)

Thank You anyway - and please feel free to
include yourself in the group of beautiful
people!

Dear Peter H.,

I totally agree.
A double standard is -
Do as I tell you,
Not as I do!

Dear Hasbeen,

As I've said before love and affection are beneficial
throughout life, and people know this innately.
There's a fair amount of cynicism about relationships,
love and marriage around, especially with divorce
skyrocketing, and so many children living in single-
parent hosueholds. However blaming people of either
gender is not a good thing to do. We're all individuals,
with individual problems. What works or fails for one,
may not work or fail for another. Besides if almost
half of all marriages break-up, that means more than
half survive. And many who divorce may marry again.

Dear Pelly,

I fully agree - it is up to each individual to find
what they want out of a relationship. One size does
not fit all.

Dear Pynch,

Thank You - beautifully put!

Dear Proxy,

Please explain.
You've lost me.

"It was announced last year that the British Government had already accepted that Muslim husbands with more than one wife in this country qualified for extra benefits even though they technically were breaking the anti-bigamy law."
http://www.shariahfinancewatch.org/blog/category/polygamy/

"Is monogamy 'natural'"
Foxy, you surprise me. Of course it's not! Monogamy is the product of social evolution. I can't speak for the ladies, but men are either actively adulterous or frustrated (or conservative twits busy ingratiating themselves with God). Monogamy is decidedly unnatural; if it were natural, would we have so much sexual misconduct?
But let's forget sex; marriage is like (kryptonite to superman) poison to a healthy relationship, it kills all mystery and spontaneity, reducing life to banality and convention. There are ways to counter these effects, of course: separate bedrooms will keep the patient alive, but ailing. The only real cure is a tempestuous, if superficial, affair that the partner can invest some real spleen in, and the villain (what Oprah lovingly calls a "cheater") can draw kudos and succour from. Much better if each party conducts a sordid extramarital affair--then each can gloat while savouring the guilt simultaneously. This, indeed, is the secret to conjugal bliss!

Dear Hasbeen,

Thank You for being so open and honest on this
thread. You've had your share of bittersweet
experiences by the sound of it and the life
you've lead sounds like such a rich and full
one. I'm glad though that you finally
received your education at the camp -
and got to sizzle
and sparkle as you so rightly deserved.

Foxy, Pelican, don't take my bit of fun as a serious concept.