[cheerfulgreek]

Nah, "50/50" wouldn't work for me. At times, however, men need to spend time with men, and women need to spend time with women. Afterall, we have different needs and we have different things to give to one another. It's just that no matter how good a listener your SO is, there is something qualitatively different about sharing the latest event with a special friend. It's just that she can give you something your SO cannot give and meet a need that your SO cannot meet (no fault of his own). I just believe that same-sex friendships are so important to a healthy relationship/marriage.

But, again, let me emphasize that balance is important, but "50/50" is not balance for me. Uh, uh, that's not what I mean by "balance". I believe the time we spend with our SO needs to take priority over the time we spend with our friends. It's just that when you (in general) do things separately, you have a tendency to grow apart, each experiencing your most enjoyable moments of fun and relaxation without the other. I just think it stands to reason that the person with whom you share the most enjoyable moments will give you the greatest dividends. But, not every couple is going to function in the same way, so to each its own.