With only a few days left before Kimberly and Shannon's wedding, I find myself thinking of how far we've come since we met in college. I'm thinking more about the whole group, some of us have changed a lot and some haven't changed much. I tend to think I'm in the second category. Other than being more talkative within the group, I don't think I'm all that different from a decade ago. I'm sure the others would disagree as it can be tough to take a notice yourself.

Shannon is one of the youngest of us (I think only Chris is younger) and it's hard to imagine that he'll be getting married. Dave Sweet and Billy don't count because they were already married when they joined. And besides, they're quite older than the rest of us, except for Rowe.

Shannon used to be very conservative. I have no idea why, but he was always vocal about some things that are conservative issues. Now he tends to be more libertarian, as are we all to a greater or lesser extent. Deep down I think that people should be free to do what they want if they don't hurt other people. But I'm too pro-government and pro-law to think that what this country has now is bad.

Shannon mentioned that they're not planning on having any kids. That upsets me a bit. Not their decision so much, it's their choice and I don't have the right to question it. It's just sort of sad to me that there seems to be a trend today wherein young successful professionals don't want kids. It can be for whatever reason: not enough time for kids, don't want to contribute to the overpopulation problem (Dave's reason, not that I think there's a problem), or just an unwillingness to slow down.

It seems we have a case where success doesn't mean there will be more success. Good mutations means better chance to live and succeed means you will have more offspring means those genes are passed on. Here we have lower class people breeding more than upper class people, and with our better medical care system the number of lower class adults increases much more than upper class adults. It's not as if genes make the person, though they certainly help.

It's just sad when people who can afford to have kids, who will be good parents and provide their kids with all the advantages that kids should have, it's sad when they decide not to use that opportunity. I guess I'm being too biological, as this thread here just reminds me that I'll probably never have a family. And that's just depressing at times, like now.

In any case, it's great to see that Kimberly and Shannon are happy with each other. I'm really happy to see a couple love each other through thick and thin, forever. As a group we have been fortunate. Sure, Dave and Julie have had their problems. The only times I've hated Dave were when he and Julie were at their worst, but deep down I know that they do love each other. It's just exasperating at times. Billy and Denise I've never had any doubts about. Maybe that's a bad sign. Some people would argue that getting issues out into the open is healthy for a relationship. I've always had a romanticized view of marriage, where an ideal marriage has are no serious issues to fight over, to break up over.

Unrealistic I suppose. But ideals are like that. There is a little part of me that wonders if I could do the same thing as Dave and Billy and soon Shannon. When reality crashes into your ideals, ideals tend to lose. Could I follow my beliefs, or would it just be a lie? Melodramatic, isn't it? Not something that I need to worry about now. I do have some beliefs that are hard for me to follow (and it's probably a personal weakness in me). Some time in the future it'll all come crashing down on me.