I have alwayd bent over backwards for him - to a fault
Sometimes, people put in a WHOOLE lot of effort... into things that their spouse doesnt really care about. it's the whole "love languages" thing, if you like that book.
eg: if someone most wants to spend some quality time with you, and do fun things together... but you spend 8 hours a day cleaning the house (because YOU like a clean house), and then boast, "look how much effort I have spent on the house! " ...
you're not going to get a very positive respose, if the person doesnt give a damn about how the house looks. in fact, just the oppposite. because from their perspective, you have been "wasting" your energies on the house, and getting too tired to do things they really care about... like go out and have fun together.
All your "effort", in that situation, would actually make your marriage worse, not better.
know what i mean?
My current status: june 2006. Wife ran out and filed D. Finalized Jan 11, 2010, after 12.5 years M. 3 wonderful sons caught in the middle