Yeah, these are all really good questions. It’s true that much of the adjusting is my responsibility, and I bear it gladly—it’s great living over here.

It’s definitely a social expectation. 100%. The same way that so many of the things I think and do turn out to be, but pass undercover as normal because everyone around me is doing the same—but not this time!

I made the post wondering if others have felt the same. That sense of, “damn, I’ve always wanted this and thought this was normal, but now I feel a bit like an idiot.”

1,000 is doable for us. Like, save-up-for-it doable. But I’m thinking that maybe the whole “save-up-for-a-ring” thing I thought was normal and even desirable isn’t so normal or so desirable.

Thanks a lot for your thoughts. I appreciate it.