couple to out; your wife can make a new friend with the Porlock wife and you have someone to pursue your hobbies with. Do you have much of a social circle? It can be hard to maintain friendship as you get older but the right couple would provide a buffer zone so your wife isn't saying "are you done taking?" It's OK to have different hobbies and time away from each other; it sounds like your wife needs more independence, more interests, and more friends. Start a book club; you can't not like reading. Go bowling; try a Toastmasters group; take classes at local adult learning center (together or different classes). You might enroll together in a group dog training / obedience class since you're having problems with your dog. That's a common interest, your dog. Can you try a dance class together? Look for places and activities to make new friends. Do you show her your and professional photographs? You might get her interested in appreciating photography by explaining what makes a interesting and appealing. When you said: ""I told him that I needed to be more important than his car and he left. " I could where he could that as an ultimatum, guys do not respond to well to those. Wonder if you could rephrase that to better get across what you want: I want to feel important in your life and share/support you in your passions just as I would like you to do with my passions/interests. I want to share my life with you and that means every aspect of our life. That you are segregating me from this important area of your life makes me feel like I am on my own and alone. Now this does not mean that you have to be next to him changing plugs but how cool would it be if you guys could plan a day when he finally gets it done to go to the local car show and show it off together as husband and wife! Letting him know your feeling and what you envision your life to be together is much better than saying "Give me what I want!!"