Hi all,

i am completely new to this forum & to be honest am desperately looking for an ear. Unfortunately most of my mates are shared friends & it makes it really hard to discuss things with them.

I've been going out with my girlfriend for nearly 5 years. We're not married but have bought a house together & have a puppy.

For the last 2 yrs our relationship has been on a gradual decline; neither of us our at fault (i don't think) but I am now beginning to think we are just not meant for each other... Things have changed so much that we hardly even shag anymore.

The flipside of all of this is that around 6months ago, my girlfriend was upset by an argument & raised splitting up... It was me who made out that we could make it work.

Now for the complications...

I have never cheated nor has she (i don't think)... Last weekend, however, I was out with friends and met a girl... Nothing happened but I was totally blown away by her... I left the bar having done nothing more than establish that she would would be around next week and would like to see me again (tomorrow night - friday).

As I look back, it probably isn't the first time something like this has happened... One side of me would say see the person again, the other questions whether things are actually that bad at home.

I'm not for a minute saying I am perfect... I can be anal about things and am obsessed about anything active... Always want to be out running or down the gym...

The crulest side of everthing is that I feel she does not make an effort for me anymore... May be I am chauvenistic & want a pretty fit girlfriend.. I don't know????... But I make an effort myself & kind of expect something in return.

Tomorrow night is nearly upon me & I think I will go and meet this girl again... To me that means I have effectively cheated already...

Oh yes and how could I forget me little ole puppy... I was probably a significant driving force behind getting one... Always me who nagged about one... To be honest, my girlfriend used to be 100% against the idea... Little niggle in the back of my mind says it we got him in a vain hope it might bring us closer together???? (crap I am messed up...)

are things meant to feel as rubbish as this? Or am I just confused and things are not that bad?

Sorry for the huge ramble!

G