Wednesday, July 30, 2008

11th Anniversary

This Saturday is our 11th anniversary. I cannot believe it has been 11 freakin' years that I have been married. I am certainly
NOT THAT OLD! I got my hair cut last week and Mark called while I was there. The very sweet, young lady cutting my hair asked if that was my boyfriend. I was actually confused, like I haven't heard "boyfriend" in awhile, y'all. No, I said, my husband. She asked how long we have been married and was shocked when I said 11 years. I think really she was looking for a good tip but I was flattered that she thought (or pretended to think) I was much younger.

I can't say they have been 11 straight blissful years, but I can say that once we stopped trying to change each other, things have been a whole lot of fun. We were laughing recently about some of our old hang-ups. We had huge fights about stupid things like curtains. I wanted him to be the kind of guy that cared about curtains and he wanted me to be the kind of girl that didn't care. Can you imagine? This from a man who's dream of life as an adult included a loft apartment with a b ale of wire as a coffee table. Well, now I just choose the damn curtains and put them up myself. Live with it. Also live with the fact that we will NEVER have a baled wire coffee table.

I used to pretend to like more things but that didn't last. I tried really hard to love comics since he collects them and draws them but I could never do it. Mark always makes me give the thumbs up or down on on the comics he buys every month. I choose randomly based on the cover art and rarely give more than a half thumbs up. The only artist I really like is James Kochalka, and even then its just his American Elf stuff. But I do love that because it is autobiographical and he and his wife remind me of us. Like in this one.

We have completely different taste in movies, books and TV. He likes to say "if there's crap on TV you will find it" but he seems to find every episode of Murder She Wrote or Matlock on, every time. He has the same taste in TV (and movies,comics,video games) as an 80-year old man or a 12-year old boy so I think my slight addiction to reality TV and E! is better or at least equally lame. And sometimes he pretends to hate what I watch but secretly loves it. The latest example of this is the awesome new show, The Two Coreys (don't pretend you don't love it too).
What we have in common is politics, values, being introverts, humor and food. We love to find new restaurants, try new beer and wine, email each other political stories, crack jokes and make up stories about our cat(s). In fact, I was recently watching High School Musical: Get in the Picture! and was slightly embarrassed when Mark came in the room (it really was a new low, even for me) so I said I wouldn't be watching but Miss Gimp insisted; she has a crush on Nick Lachey. Mark took offense at this and exclaimed that she does not, she loves Sexy Shemar Moore
(we can't say Shemar Moore in our house without the Sexy in front, its a rule). I said that yes, definitely, he is in her top 10. Miss Gimp has not disclosed her other top 8 choices.
So, as we head on into middle age and I still think in the summer of 1997 I made a very good decision and I can't imagine any other life. But I can imagine more money, not working, traveling the world or many, many other fabulous additions to my quite adequate existence.

Happy Anniversary, sweety.

5 comments:

Katie said...

very entertaining writing. love the honesty, loved the comic. you're cool. congrats on 11 years!

Anonymous said...

Hillarious! So much truth about us all! You perfectly illustate that the best thing you have in common is that you really like the two of you together. Wonderful.

We read this in Illinois and tomorrow will be in WC, IA. I also cannot believe it has been 11 years since the fabulous wedding week we all had. Here's to you both -Mom

Connie said...

Congratulations Beth and Mark. Your blog entry is just great, and fun to read what we all should know! You learned all this in 11 years! You'll be married a long time! Fun! Connie

Anonymous said...

Ridiculously funny! I can vouch for the bale of wire part! You should reconsider...

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on 11 years! I'm sure you don't wish to be any type of role model for John and I, but too bad, you are. You are two unique and talented individuals, but as a pair, you are truly perfect and unstoppable.

By the way, I just really started catching up on your blog, and I LOVE it!

Love, Bri