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What's the appeal of being married? Cuz I just don't see it.

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It's not right for everyone. In fact it's just barely right for me, being that I'm highly independent and pretty damned selfish with my time.

It's all about tradeoffs. Yes, you lose a lot when you get married. I won't pretend you don't. I can no longer just come and go as I please, thinking only of myself when I plan my day. At every step of the way, from buying a house to deciding what DVD to rent, you must take into consideration the needs, feelings, and opinions of another person.

There are times when I still wish I could just take a week off and fly to Vegas on a whim the way I used to. Sometimes I still wish I could stay out until all hours drinking and playing poker with my buddies.

But, for me, the benefits of marriage make up for what I've given up. My wife is my best friend. Almost every day we find ourselves laughing at some stupid thing or another. She's there for me when I'm worried or stressed out about something, and she's there to share all of the good things in our lives.

I don't miss waking up curled up next to my dog. I love seeing my wife the first thing every morning. It makes my whole day better. I love to tease her and make her laugh, and I love to take care of and support her. She's one of the most genuinely sweet people I've ever met, and I barely deserve her.

It's not some Hollywood-type romance. It's about the little things - thousands of small kindnesses over a lifetime of love and support. Every day of my marriage isn't perfect, but I'm happier now than I ever was while single.