Saturday 9: Is There Life Out There

Is There Life Out There? (1992)

Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.

1) This song is about a woman who married at 20. It's estimated that the average American groom is 2.5 years older than his bride. Why do you suppose that is?  Men aren't as mature as women and it takes them that much longer to catch up.

2) A 2014 study shows the bigger the age gap in a marriage, the more likely the couple is to divorce. What do you think is the reason for most divorces?  Most people these days go into marriage believing it won't last forever right from the start so there is no value placed on it, no reason to protect it, or make any effort to save it. When things start getting hard, there's no reason to stay and work it out.

3) Reba's second marriage recently ended. Statistics show that second marriages are more likely than first marriages to wind up in divorce. Why do you suppose that is?  People already know from the first divorce what is needed to get through it, so divorce isn't an unknown and there's less fear. That and they still haven't learned how to stick with it and work at it.

4) This week's featured artist, Reba McEntire, was discovered when she sang The National Anthem at an Oklahoma City rodeo. Have you ever been to the rodeo?  Why, yes, I have.

5) Reba dropped out of Southeastern Oklahoma State University to go to Nashville and pursue a recording career. In that way, she's like the woman she sings about in this week's song. "She's done what she should, should she do what she dares?" Do you ever regret a risk or opportunity you didn't take?  Don't we all have at least one thing in our past that we regret not doing and wonder how differently our lives would be if we had done it?  I'm sure my life would have been different if I had done a lot of things, but would it have been better?  I'm learning the art of contentment in my middle age.

6) Reba's heroine is "dying to try something foolish, do something crazy, or just get away." Does that sound like you? What would you do, just for yourself, if time and money were no object?  I'd go to one of the places I've always wanted to go.  I'd go alone so I wouldn't be hemmed in by who I am at home and I'd have the freedom to sight-see as I chose, eat where and what I wanted, do whatever caught my fancy, and just lose myself in the experience.  And I'd have time to write about it with no interruptions.  I'm kind of picturing the Florida Keys here or maybe somewhere in the Caribbean.

7) Reba recently became a spokesperson for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Whose chicken do you eat most often: Popeye's, Church's, Chick-fil-A or KFC?  KFC because there's one not too far from here and my husband likes their chicken. I'm not really a fan.  I'd much rather have Chick-fil-A.  We had a Popeye's for a short time about 20 years ago, but it didn't even last a year. I guess we Yanks just didn't get it.

8) In 2001, Reba starred in her own sitcom. On the show, her character is first an administrative assistant and then a real estate agent. Have you ever tried your hand at either of those occupations? If not, which do you think you would be a better fit for you?  No, I've never worked at either of those, though I did take the classes to take the test for a real estate license quite a few years ago.  I never did take the test.  I would probably enjoy real estate because I love seeing different houses and talking about styles and possibilities, but I don't know if I'd be successful or not.  I really don't have that pushy drive that salespeople need.  I'd probably do better in the administrative assistant position.  I'm pretty sure I have mild to mid-range ADD and I do a lot better with structured schedules than left on my own.

9) Random question: Which of these super powers would you rather have -- extraordinary strength or invisibility?  I think we women have to have extraordinary strength just to get through life, so I'm going to go with invisibility.  Maybe I could become a world-famous private eye....think of how easy it would be to sneak around and spy on cheating spouses and such!

Thanks to Sam @ the Saturday 9 site for another

great song and round of questions!