I'm in my first relationship since swallowing the red pill. I'm moving 1000 miles away this month, so I don't know how much of a long term relationship it's going to be. Frankly I don't care. This relationship is satisfying all my needs, but so will the next one. If I don't find myself in one shortly, I have plenty of shit to keep me busy and focused and improving my SMV.

I've forced myself to change my habits. No more "Where do you want to eat tonight, honey." Instead it's "We're going to <restaurant> tonight. I'll pick you up at 7. Wear something nice." She responds, "Yes dear". It's a kind of joke with her.

Shit test #1:
Her: "We don't have to have sex every time, do we?"
Me: "You're insatiable."

You can imagine all of the possible butthurt responses I could have said, excuses I could have made, ultimatums I could have issued. I avoided the issue because I didn't think talking about it would make things better, and they might make things worse. Instead my reply changes the frame of the relationship: Sex is something that she wants all the time. It's not something that she gives me.

Her: "Where are we going for dinner tonight?"
I had told her that I would come get her to take her out, but hadn't told her where.
Me: "I haven't decided yet."
I hadn't decided yet because nothing that I had thought of really appealed to me. Then I remembered that she had mentioned something about one restaurant that she liked. It was close by and appropriately priced. I then wrote her back. Me: "<restaurant name>. I'll meet you there at 6:45."

Today, she sent me a text said thanks for taking care of everything and making all the decisions. She tells her kids that I don't take "no" for an answer and I can tell that she's proud of this fact. (Yes, she is a divorced mom. I'm in my mid 40's so this is going to be the case with just about everyone I might meet. I'm not a surrogate dad, and she doesn't try to ask me to pay for shit I shouldn't be paying for.)