Stacey, I could have written a lot of what you wrote. I really feel like I'm on a treadmill now--I'm not sure there's much point to a lot of what I'm doing. (Except for posting on the Cellar, which is an obvious benefit to society.) I never go anywhere and have little social life. I admit that this is partly due to my own kind of introverted personality, but it's also due to the pressures of work and family commitments. And as for my wife & I going out together... don't get me started on the difficulty of finding babysitters. Let's just say I didn't get rejected by this many 15-year-old girls when I was in high school!!
School sounds like a good idea. Yes, it's hard... but I think you have to try, or you'll be kcikign yourself forever. Maybe you can talk to someone else who's been through it? I dunno. I've also thought about another degree, though in my case it's far from clear what degree that would be and what benefit it would be to me.
And I'm certainly not going to weigh in on "female problems." But you might read this.... it may not be news to you...
http://archive.salon.com/mwt/feature...11/25/periods/