OuT wiTh ThE dOg & WhiTe PiCkEt FeNcE

...and in with the backyard pool. A few times each week my brother and I check in on each other via IM. We ask how job hunts are going, how the weekend was, any plans for the next weekend, etc. These conversations also usually include him giving me a hard time due to my weekend or travel plans compared to his jaunts.

The most recent episode of razzing was our talk about the pending family reunion this coming July. I told him that under no circumstances was I going, as in, no way in hell. I would come a few weeks before or a few weeks after in order to spend time with the family...but not during. When he tried persuading me to come, I remembered that July is when I tentatively have a trip to Tanzania/Kenya planned. So, "unfortunately" I probably wouldn't make it. He says, "Yeah, rub it in." To which I retort "hey, I'm single. You are married, have a house and probably make 5x more than me!"

In my mind, being single means you should travel--a lot. I have a bit of extra income (I'm non profit, so not much) that I use mostly on traveling. Granted I also use it on random stuff I know a married person never would...but hey, I'm not married so what's a good bargain once in awhile? It's my right, right? My brother grumpily agreed. Don't get me wrong, I wish I was married. I sometimes even wish I had a little kiddo to corrupt running around the house. Heck, I wish I had my own house that I could run around in! But I don't, so I seize the day, I go with what I've got. Which of course, my brother understands... and replies "well, being married means I should have a pool."

Hmm, interesting. So:

Single= travel

Married= house with pool

What are your mental equations of these statuses?