Long Relationships

A friend of mine gets all the credit for this idea for the Thursday Thirteen.

I have never left a message on the bathroom mirror, but it sounds like fun and I might just have to have a little fun with it this weekend…

Happy Thursday Thirteen!

1. “Bedroom. You have five minutes.”
2. Xs and Os all over the mirror.
3. “I’ve seen you naked!”
4. “Get hot and steamy in the bedroom next if you’re interested…”
5. “Nice ass.”
6. Any picture of a naughty nature…followed by “Love, [your name]“
7. “I can write in chocolate body paint too…”
8. “You won’t need a towel.”
9. “Hey sexy!”
10. The beginnings of a grocery or to-do list.
11. Some of the lyrics to his/your favourite song.
12. “You need to change the baby’s diaper.”
13. “I love you.”

Check out my other Thursday Thirteens at Fiction Scribe, Write Anyway, and The Book Stacks

This is another one of those posts where I reveal just how newly married my husband and I are…

I feel like I have been running behind on pretty much everything this week, and I have been hurrying to not only try to catch up but also get ahead. Even with all the work thoughts swimming through my head, one thing has been on my mind for the past couple of weeks…

My first wedding anniversary.

This queen of giving presents and creating a good time for people has found herself intimidated a bit by the prospect of the first wedding anniversary. I also have the feeling my husband is as well, poor guy.

I would like to make the day (and night) very special and memorable, but I’m curious as to what other people have done for their anniversaries. What other people have done to celebrate the occasion.

So, this is a call out to everyone who has been married for more than a year (or celebrating wedding-like anniversaries yearly): What did you do on your first wedding anniversary? Did you exchange presents? Go on a holiday? Spend the day in bed?

Yes, I have ulterior motives in asking – I reckon the more ideas I have, the better the chances I have of giving my husband a day/night he will never forget. So if you’d like to help me with ideas that you haven’t done yourself, feel free to leave those in the comments as well!

As much as I hate the way we tend to commercialize every aspect of life these days, I think this is actually a pretty good idea…

According to this article from the Los Angeles Times, a new fad is starting up with couples: road testing relationships with icebreaker vacations. These getting to know you trips are becoming the norm.

More and more couples are going on short holidays together, and the hotel and tourism industries are definitely beginning to notice. Fairmont, a chain of hotels, has begun offering specific packages designed just for new couples which include things like romantic dinners and adventure outings.

And why not? You get the opportunity to ‘live’ together for a while without having been put out time and hard work if the relationship doesn’t work. While the Fairmont (and the others who follow suit) are undoubtedly making a lot of money, it is helping couples test the waters of their relationships in what I think is a sensible way.

My first holiday with my husband was a week long and about three months after I arrived in Australia. While we knew each other quite well from our online dating and then time spent physically together, there were still a few things I learned about him while travelling. And he learned about me as well – especially about how much sight-seeing I can do before I get exhausted.

What do you think? Do you wish you would have had a holidate/icebreaker vacation with your partner or your previous partners? Do you think it would have made a difference?

Hello and welcome (back) to Long Relationships.

As you know, every Monday I have been posting responses to the Our Story Meme (along with links to the responder’s site(s)), and I have been enjoying the answers a lot so far. Remember, if you haven’t answered the meme questions yet, feel free to send the answers to sylvr451@tpg.com.au (If you aren’t married, just skip the ‘who proposed’ question.)

The lovely Sandra of Globally Green Living, Parenting Under the Stars, and Mental and Emotional Health is letting us take a sneak peak into her relationship this week.

Enjoy…

How long have you been together? Um, off and on for over twenty years. (13 years married)

How long did you date? About ten years.

How old is he? 42

Who eats more? He does.

Who said ‘I love you’ first? He did.

Who is taller? He is.

Who is smarter? About equal. (He’s smarter in some ways and vice versa)

Who does the laundry? I do.

Who does the dishes? I do.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does. Does this have some significance?

Who pays the bills? I do. I do all the running around, budgeting, shopping, balancing etc.

Who mows the lawn? He would but we’re presently in a complex where someone else does it.

Who cooks dinner? I do.

Who is more stubborn? He is.

Who kissed who first? I kissed him.

Who asked who out? I did.

Who proposed? He did.

Who is more sensitive? I am.

Who has more friends? I do.

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I can’t help it… I like tags and memes. I know many of you find them annoying, but if you’re like me and actually like them, consider yourself tagged.

Have a great weekend!

A is for age: Younger than I feel, older than I think, and evening out as time passes.

B is for booze of choice: Gin and tonic on hot days, vodka and lemonade on cold days, and a chocolate monk (my creation) when I have a sweet tooth.

C is for career: I’m a freelancer. Freelance writer, freelance editor, professional blogger, and tour coordinator for Pump Up virtual author tours.

D is for your dog’s name: We don’t have one yet, but we’ve talked about it and I think we’ll name our future german shepherd Odin.
E is for essential items you use/love everyday: Dove deodorant

F is for favorite song(s) at the moment: Won’t go home without you by Maroon 5.

G is for favorite games: I am so utterly addicted to Desktop Tower Defense

H is for hometown: Menomonie

I is for instruments you play: I don’t play much now, but I used to play: piano, drums (anything percussion), saxophone, keyboard bass.

J is for jam or jelly you like: On rare occasions, I’ll eat strawberry or rasberry

K is for kids: None yet

L is for last kiss: Kisses from my man this morning

M is for most admired trait: Erm. Love? I’m very loving. Giving? Maybe?

N is for name of your crush: Mark (husband)

O is for overnight hospital stays: Once because the doctors where I used to live are idiots

P is for phobias: Water/drowning

Q is for quotes you like: Looking at something and seeing it are two completely different things.

R is for biggest regret: Hurting my hubby.

S is for sweets of your choice: Tiramisu

T is for time you wake up: The first time, about quarter to six when hubby gets out of bed. The next time is quarter after seven when I get up for the gym. When I get to sleep in, between nine and nine thirty.
U is for underwear: What about my knickers?

V is for vegetables you love: Mushrooms. Broccoli. Potatoes. Carrots. Pumpkin. Mmmm.

W is for worst habit: Probably my eating habits, but I’m working on those.

X is for x-rays you’ve had:

Y is for yummy food you make:

Z is for zodiac sign: I’m a Leo who was born in the year of the Tiger. Meow.

ANYONE ELSE CAN DO IT

For many Fridays now, I have been giving you little ‘weekend homework’ assignments so you can do fun, interesting, and bonding things over the weekends. This Friday I am feeling a bit emotionally tired (and physically as well), and I found I had a bit of fun looking over old assignments.

So, this weekend, if you would like some homework or just an idea for what to do this week, I encourage you to take your pick from all the previous weekend homework posts. Do one, do many, or do none at all. As always, it’s your choice.

When all is said and done, I hope you have a fantastic weekend full of love, laughter, and bonding.

Catch Up on Old Memories and Have a Chat
Write a Love Letter
Take Time to Focus on Each Other
Meditate Together
Safeguard Yourself
Spice Up Your Sex Life
Act Like Today is Your Last Day on Earth
Take a Break (No particular assignment)
Make a New Year’s List
Have Some Fun!
Make Some Time for Cuddle Time
Pamper Yourself
Take Part in a Tag
Think About what You Say
Think About Rearranging Your Bedroom
Have a Proper Weekend for Once

Personally, I think I am going to combine a couple and have a full weekend. The husband and I will get away for a shopping/wandering day that he suggested last night for Saturday. And on Sunday I plan to pamper myself a bit and maybe do some rearranging of the bedroom.

That sounds good to me, that’s for sure.

What are your plans for the weekend? (Randi, if you read this, behave yourself but have fun. Hehe!)

Hi everyone!

If you have commented on this blog lately, you may have noticed I haven’t been commenting back.

Well, the truth is, I have been commenting back. My spam trap has just taken a liking to my comments and has been trapping them. I think I’ve found them all now and put them back on the blog like they should be.

So, if you were expecting a response to your comment, it’s likely there now.

Some of them are funny, some of them are romantic, and some of them are so lame you can’t quite believe they actually exist.

Pick-up lines.

Here’s a Thursday Thirteen to hopefully give you a good giggle. Happy Thursday Thirteen.

1. If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d but “U� and “I� together.
2. Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?
3. You must be tired. You’ve been running circles in my mind all night.
4. When I saw you, I stopped breathing for a moment.
5. Can you help me? I seem to have been blinded by your beauty.
6. Do you want to drive or should I because I see us going places.
7. You must be the marketing executive of Nike, because you’ve got me just wanting to do it.
8. Hello. Cupid called. He says to tell you that he needs my heart back.
9. Excuse me, do you have your phone number, I seem to have lost mine.
10. It’s not my fault I fell in love. You are the one that tripped me.
11. Do you have a map? Cuz Honey, I just keep gettin lost in your eyes.
12. You’re like a dictionary - you add meaning to my life!
13. Excuse me, I’m a little short on cash, would you mind if we shared a cab home together?

Check out my other Thursday Thirteens at Fiction Scribe, Write Anyway, and The Book Stacks

According to this report from KnoxNews.com, the tale of Beauty and the Beast might have a bit more to do with psychology in real life relationships than we ever would have thought.

According to the study:

“Researchers looking at physical attractiveness among newlyweds found that spouses behaved “more positively” in relationships where the wife was more attractive than her husband and “more negatively” when husbands were more attractive than their wives.â€?

What do they mean by ‘attractiveness’? According to the article, they were looking at facial attractiveness.

The study hadn’t originally started out to talk about physical attractiveness, but they thought of doing it later on and just so happened to have everything they needed.

Do you consider yourself more or less attractive than your partner? Do you think it matters in your relationship?

Personally, I don’t think I’m very qualified to talk about it. Yes, I think my husband is more attractive than I am, but the age gap between us plays a lot bigger of a role in things than physical attractiveness does.

Am I surprised by the findings of this study? Of course not. To me it speaks of the basically biological drives of both men and women (men to ‘spread their seed’ and women to get the ‘strongest provider’). Monogamy doesn’t fall in with the male biological urge, so if he is going to be monogamous, then he’d be a bit more positive about having a healthy, attractive spouse to ‘spread his seed’ with.

I would be curious to see them do this study with homosexual couple. I’d be interested to see what comes of it.

What do you think?

There was a comment made on a post here a while ago – probably weeks ago now – that has come to my mind every now and then ever since.

The comment was something along the lines of: “Does anyone question you writing for this site when you and your partner have only been together two and a half years?�

Yes, it’s true. I haven’t even passed my first wedding anniversary. That comes May 5th. We were together about a year and a half before getting married.

If this subject sounds familiar, yes, I have written about it before. And the same feelings hold true:

“When it comes to long relationships, I do believe you have to get out of the ‘rose-tinted glasses’ phase to really experience a relationship. You have to realize that yes, he does fart, and yes, she does belch. He’ll leave his clothes everywhere but the laundry basket, and she will rearrange your furniture, your clothes, and your personal belongings as many times as she pleases.�

My husband and I moved well and truly out of the rose tint about a month after we started our relationship. So I can assure you that I’m not looking at this site as a place to drool, throw flowers, and go on about how wonderful the man in my life is (though he is wonderful). I will write him love letters, but I think that’s a good idea no matter how new or old your relationship is.

I feel the need to explain myself because I want you, the readers, to know that I took on writing for this site because I was still newly enough married to be considered ‘newlywed’ and thought writing for this site would be a great opportunity to document the lessons I learn as my relationship progresses.

I want this site to be a place of learning the building blocks of long relationships.

I hope that makes sense.

If you have any questions, please let me know.