The advice herein applies to all adults, male or female, straight or gay or bi or trans or anyone in between. The suggestions and the cautions are the same for everyone. Admittedly, most humans are seeking someone to be with and to live with for life, not merely in a comfortable way, but an enjoyable way, and as stress-free as reasonably possible in this occasionally unpredictable world.

The usual indicators of attraction remain the same: physical beauty, intelligence, charm, education, life goals, the social consideration of others, desires for children and pets, financial stability, and also believing in the same or no religion and one's political orientation. These factors are present for everyone in the early but crucial ongoing auditions for a lifetime partner. Any of these variables can be obtained in a variety of ways. Given the high percentages of eventual break-ups of relationships and marriages, it seems wise to increase the probability of a successful partnership until "death do us part" (unless that parting is due to suicide or homicide by either of the partners).

The Sands Law Group in Los Angeles, California, provides the current statistics on failed marriages in the United States, noting that the numbers are even higher in California. They note that those more frequent divorces in California may be due to the relatively easier requirements to obtain a divorce there, since that state follows a "no-fault divorce model."

"While the annual rate of divorce may be decreasing, the lifetime risk of divorce remains significant.........

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