Writing Prompt #1: What is something you could stand to learn from your significant other?
I find prompt #1 pretty interesting because it is something I think about fairly frequently. I have more than one significant other (we'll call them P and H) which is a story worth of a post of its own. Someday I'll write that post. Today is not that day.
So...what could I stand to learn from them? Tons. They are unique individuals and somehow a fantastic team all at once, I tend to feel like the third wheel that spices things up and throws wrenches into their plans (I'm told this isn't true, but its how I feel so its my truth.) At the end of the day this relationship works for us 98-99% of the time (hey, no relationship is perfect.) Just please don't ask how it works because I'm honestly not sure.
From H I could stand to learn focus and determination. I never considered myself flakey until I met her level of focus. Seriously, the woman has created a business plan for a B&B that may or may not ever happen. She has studied state and local laws, thought out the perfect number of rooms and guests per room. Has created a detailed floor plan from scratch and looks for the perfect location for this place fairly frequently (probably daily.) She can also play Candy Crush or read or watch one TV series for hours at a time. She likes to see things through to the end. Plus the list of stuff she can focus on for hours could go on forever. The only requirement to receive this kind of focus is to be something she likes or is interested in. My point is she sees things through to the end (and victory will be hers, dammit!!!) Also "the end" had better be happy or there will be heck to pay. I find this trait particularly fascinating because she can be annoyingly flighty if whatever is going on around her is mundane or not something she is interested in. Sometimes to the point that she will completely ignore you, usually because she's still thinking about her current focus. For example:
Me: "So, shrimp for dinner tonight, hon? Hon? HON?"
Her: "What? Oh I'm sorry, I was looking at that pretty drinking glass over there. It would look great in the B&B's dining room. What did you say?"
Me? Not so focused. I don't consider myself ADD, I can get things done but I'm lazy and would usually rather not. I can rarely watch an entire TV Series from start to finish over weeks or months unless it's fairly short and really, really good (if you haven't yet, check out Call the Midwife on Netflix. Short seasons, wonderful characters, great stories. I watched all of them and the Christmas Special, go me!) I tend not to care about endings or beginnings really. Even if I like a show or book or movie, I'll sometimes lose interest or get interrupted and then don't bother to go back to find out how it ends (or begins) it does not bug me. Games I could care less about, once they stop being fun, I move on. I don't have a driving need to complete tasks. Why? Because I can always find something else to do and usually there is something fun floating around in my brain to think about. Incomplete is, for the most part, just fine with me. There are exceptions: cooking, work tasks, orgasms (giving and receiving), anything life or death. Those things need to be completed. Most stuff though is just stuff and I move on easily and without looking back. Yes, I very occasionally find her level of focus frustrating but it is a good trait to have and I love her for (or despite, depending on the day) it.
From P I could (and have) learned to plan, organize and be tidy. I could also learn to be more patient, supportive and to some degree kinder to others (I'm working on it, kind of...patience is not my strong suit.) P has a huge heart and is the first to step up and help anyone in need. While I tend to offer advice and wander off unless I'm asked to help flat out (see my comment about being lazy above.) He goes above and beyond to help however he can. Fix the car, move the furniture, watch the kids, whatever. Just ask, he'll probably be happy to help out.
He loves to see the people he cares about happy and it kills him when they aren't. So he will go way, way, way out of his way to get a smile. I tend to think that happiness is more of a personal choice and there is only so much I can do to make anyone else happy. So if you aren't happy, and I'm not purposely making you miserable, its on you to change it. Yes, I know this is a horrible attitude, again working on it (to a point.) I should be more caring and offer a joke, or ask what's wrong instead of shrugging and wandering off (my first instinct.) I find that there is this fine line between being caring and bing co-dependent...balance is also not something I'm good at so I kinda struggle with the whole caring thing. His ability to care all. the. time. will always impress me.
P is an excellent planner. He knows what should be done and in what order. And organized? His garage is better organized then my bedroom could ever hope to be. His "junk" drawer has cubbies so the junk is in the right place. He is the guy that files all the user guides that come with new things. It's impressive and I'm not easily impressed with stuff I don't care about (like being organized outside of work.) Over the time we've been around each other I've gone from fly by the seat of my pants to a more organized "I have these 15 things to do this weekend" whether or not those things are accomplished is another matter. At least I have an outline now and luckily someone who knows what order those 15 things should be done in :-) He gets bonus points because he's always willing to help me get those things done. I can manage them alone for the most part but its nice to be offered the help, even if I say no.
Phew...this is longer than I thought it would be and for now I think I'm finished.
I wonder what tomorrow's prompt will be.
Love,
Catie
So...what could I stand to learn from them? Tons. They are unique individuals and somehow a fantastic team all at once, I tend to feel like the third wheel that spices things up and throws wrenches into their plans (I'm told this isn't true, but its how I feel so its my truth.) At the end of the day this relationship works for us 98-99% of the time (hey, no relationship is perfect.) Just please don't ask how it works because I'm honestly not sure.
From H I could stand to learn focus and determination. I never considered myself flakey until I met her level of focus. Seriously, the woman has created a business plan for a B&B that may or may not ever happen. She has studied state and local laws, thought out the perfect number of rooms and guests per room. Has created a detailed floor plan from scratch and looks for the perfect location for this place fairly frequently (probably daily.) She can also play Candy Crush or read or watch one TV series for hours at a time. She likes to see things through to the end. Plus the list of stuff she can focus on for hours could go on forever. The only requirement to receive this kind of focus is to be something she likes or is interested in. My point is she sees things through to the end (and victory will be hers, dammit!!!) Also "the end" had better be happy or there will be heck to pay. I find this trait particularly fascinating because she can be annoyingly flighty if whatever is going on around her is mundane or not something she is interested in. Sometimes to the point that she will completely ignore you, usually because she's still thinking about her current focus. For example:
Me: "So, shrimp for dinner tonight, hon? Hon? HON?"
Her: "What? Oh I'm sorry, I was looking at that pretty drinking glass over there. It would look great in the B&B's dining room. What did you say?"
Me? Not so focused. I don't consider myself ADD, I can get things done but I'm lazy and would usually rather not. I can rarely watch an entire TV Series from start to finish over weeks or months unless it's fairly short and really, really good (if you haven't yet, check out Call the Midwife on Netflix. Short seasons, wonderful characters, great stories. I watched all of them and the Christmas Special, go me!) I tend not to care about endings or beginnings really. Even if I like a show or book or movie, I'll sometimes lose interest or get interrupted and then don't bother to go back to find out how it ends (or begins) it does not bug me. Games I could care less about, once they stop being fun, I move on. I don't have a driving need to complete tasks. Why? Because I can always find something else to do and usually there is something fun floating around in my brain to think about. Incomplete is, for the most part, just fine with me. There are exceptions: cooking, work tasks, orgasms (giving and receiving), anything life or death. Those things need to be completed. Most stuff though is just stuff and I move on easily and without looking back. Yes, I very occasionally find her level of focus frustrating but it is a good trait to have and I love her for (or despite, depending on the day) it.
From P I could (and have) learned to plan, organize and be tidy. I could also learn to be more patient, supportive and to some degree kinder to others (I'm working on it, kind of...patience is not my strong suit.) P has a huge heart and is the first to step up and help anyone in need. While I tend to offer advice and wander off unless I'm asked to help flat out (see my comment about being lazy above.) He goes above and beyond to help however he can. Fix the car, move the furniture, watch the kids, whatever. Just ask, he'll probably be happy to help out.
He loves to see the people he cares about happy and it kills him when they aren't. So he will go way, way, way out of his way to get a smile. I tend to think that happiness is more of a personal choice and there is only so much I can do to make anyone else happy. So if you aren't happy, and I'm not purposely making you miserable, its on you to change it. Yes, I know this is a horrible attitude, again working on it (to a point.) I should be more caring and offer a joke, or ask what's wrong instead of shrugging and wandering off (my first instinct.) I find that there is this fine line between being caring and bing co-dependent...balance is also not something I'm good at so I kinda struggle with the whole caring thing. His ability to care all. the. time. will always impress me.
P is an excellent planner. He knows what should be done and in what order. And organized? His garage is better organized then my bedroom could ever hope to be. His "junk" drawer has cubbies so the junk is in the right place. He is the guy that files all the user guides that come with new things. It's impressive and I'm not easily impressed with stuff I don't care about (like being organized outside of work.) Over the time we've been around each other I've gone from fly by the seat of my pants to a more organized "I have these 15 things to do this weekend" whether or not those things are accomplished is another matter. At least I have an outline now and luckily someone who knows what order those 15 things should be done in :-) He gets bonus points because he's always willing to help me get those things done. I can manage them alone for the most part but its nice to be offered the help, even if I say no.
Phew...this is longer than I thought it would be and for now I think I'm finished.
I wonder what tomorrow's prompt will be.
Love,
Catie
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