especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love—for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass

1 How would you describe love in 3 words? 

    don't...get...it... 

 

2 Would you rather have a spontaneous romantic gesture or a planned, elaborate one? 

    this has taken over the top spot in the most-asked and least-fun meme question category.

        • there is nothing more infuriating than being told that you need to be more spontaneous. "All righty then, I shall plan accordingly."

        • my last romantic relationship involved two of the former and maybe ten of the latter, over eight years. That renders this question the functional equivalent of asking whether I prefer the small bones or large bones in my skeleton—what fucking difference does that make?

        • planned romance need not be "elaborate"

 

3 How do you feel about discussing past relationships with a partner? 

    apart from a few broad strokes (former marriage, children, widowhood, etc.), it's courting disaster. Tell it to your therapist; don't lay it on someone who might not be able to forget the gory details. 

 

4 Do you believe in second chances? 

    I believe that they exist. Once or twice, I've been the recipient. More than once, I've been the giver. Generally, that's been a mistake. 

    Things end for a reason. And if they don't end cleanly, the reason for the first 'ending' turns to poison later on.

 

5 What do you think is the biggest challenge you've faced when part of a couple?

    faithlessness. Not always cheating, though, but more in the sense of giving up. Failure/unwillingness/refusal/inability to commit. Saying one thing, doing another. Advertising more than one ultimately sells. 

 

6 Would you rather have a partner who makes okay money and is often home, or makes great money but is often away working? 

    ugh.

    How about a decent job, making decent money, and being around sometimes? I'm not so mercenary that finding someone making "great money" is a goal, but I'm also not seeking someone to be around all the time, either. My kingdom for an interesting person who is also interested.

 

7 How do you feel when you don't see your partner for a few days? 

    that depends entirely upon the partner in question. I've been in relationships that were made better by proximity and frequency of time together, while others were driven more by separation creating and maintaining interest.  

 

[taken from here and adapted; the title quotation is by Max Ehrmann, from Desiderata: A Poem for a Way of Life]