I need advice.

First of all, you haven't got the slightest idea what love really is and second of all neither of you need to be in a committed relationship at this point in your lives. Jeez, follow your dream and love will find you.

If she really loved you, she wouldn't want you to give up football to entertain her -- she'd want you to keep doing what makes you happy. Tell her to get a hobby of her own so she has something to do other than twiddle her thumbs while she she's not with you. As for doing nice stuff for her, sure, she'll like that...just keep her on your mind and ideas of things to do will come to you.

I suspect your g/f is a nymphomaniac who can't stand the thought of you being "away" from her for more than a few minutes. Get her a vibrator to pass those hours.

Just an opposing view.

Or not.

Bottom line: something's got to give. Your girlfriend needs to know that you are not the only source of her happiness. And you need to know that, if you want to keep someone like her (and perhaps she's not the right person for you), then you need to bend a bit as well.

It's a nice idea to want to do something nice for her while you're out (e. g. send cards or whatever), but she needs her own inner resources to keep herself together while you're busy with other things. What does she honestly think happens when someone's spouse goes to work in the oil fields for six months, or off to war? Pining your life away because you've got nothing going on while you're man is away smacks of a clinginess that would probably drive most people nuts after a short time -- both the clinger and the, er, clingee.

I was brought up to have my own life, my own job, my own thoughts and my own ideas and means of keeping myself happy. If my husband were away for six months (or whatever the period of time is), I would miss him but I would still go to work, see my friends, plant the garden, cook the meals, etc. etc. etc. In short, I would go on. Your girlfriend needs to do the same.

Your girlfriend is being unreasonably possessive.

You say you've been together for a year--how did she handle last football season?

I'd be very leery of continuing a relationship with someone who wanted to make my world smaller instead of being happy that I had a hobby I enjoyed.

I couldn't agree more.