Before you came around

Before you I never:

- wore pink.

- wakeboarded or snowboarded or did any other activity where you strap a board to your feet and hurl yourself against hills or bodies of water.

- knew what the beginning sounds of an asthma attack sounded like. I can get up and retrieve your inhaler in my sleep now. 

- cooked much of anything at all. First lesson in cooking: boil the noodles!

- listened to a single thing put out by Nine Inch Nails or Pink Floyd or Rage Against the Machine. Still couldn't REALLY tell them apart though. I know, I know!

- rode on a motorcycle. First thought the first time I did: Huh, the ground is like RIGHT THERE.

- dreamed of getting rid of my (stupid, not-cute) bangs.

- understood how anyone could spend $50 on a fish that wouldn't be served to me on a plate with sides and a glass of wine.

- played a single hand of Texas Hold 'Em. Since then I've taken money from men twice my age plenty of times. Also? I've outlasted you in more than one tournament.

- knew how to garden. Turns out "full sun" is what a plant requires, not what a plant actually is. (Funny story to share another time.)

- gave a damn about watching anything in HD or recording live TV.

- heard of Blue October. Two of their songs played at our wedding, including our last dance, which was one of my favorite memories of life, not just of that day. (18th Floor Balcony, if you want to listen.)

- traveled with a boyfriend.

- dated a redhead.

- thought much about Shark Week or life on other planets or my carbon footprint or seeing a picture of a giant squid. I've begrudgingly let you make me a smarter, more knowledgeable person on subjects that still bore the heck out of me. Although, fine, that squid show was kinda interesting.

- watched Southpark or Family Guy or Futurama any other animated television show that caters to the funny bones of grown men and 13-year-old boys. AND ONLY THOSE TWO GROUPS.

- regularly put my cart back in the cart thingamajig in grocery store parking lots. Since you? I've never not put my cart back in the cart thingamajig in grocery store parking lots. You make me better.

- knew all the work and sweat and tears and sleepless nights of the daily grind of life could be wiped clear out of memory with one smile, one look, one twirl, one kiss.

- laughed so damn hard.

Guess it's a good thing you came around.

*************

(Inspired by Taza at Rockstar Diaries. Really quirky and cool and inspiring blog. Go take a look.)

Comments

[auntie]

aw...so sweet! it's fun to think back on all the new things someone special has taught us, whether we liked it or not.

my boyfriend is obsessed with Survivorman and Man vs. Wild, but because he doesn't have cable (don't even ask), he just buys the dvd's. which means that we have to...er, i mean, we GET to watch each episode a hundred billion times. (he's determined to be prepared should we ever have to "live off the land". i told him to just leave me behind if that ever happens because there's NO WAY IN HELL that i'm eating bugs. or other people. i'm just sayin'.)

there are times when i'd rather pound my head against a cement slab than watch one of those guys catch fish with nothing but a shoelace and some tree bark, but he thinks it's all so interesting that it's actually kind of cute. i'm sure he feels the same way about my affinity for Family Guy (yes, apparently i'm a 13-year-old boy :)).

[Jen]

So, you commented that you thought Roth and Mike could be friends. After reading this, I can say WITHOUT A DOUBT that yes, they could, and it would be awesome, because then WE could be friends, too. Not to mention Rowan and Kyle ... WHY DO YOU LIVE SO FAR AWAY? :)

Luckily, in our nearly 10 years (TEN!) together, I've still never heard the sounds of Roth having an asthma attack, thanks to the bevy of jet-engine-sounding preventative meds he takes every morning, but it's one of my greatest fears. And that Rowan will inherit asthma, too.

[Jess]

So cute! And I was the same way with the HD thing. I could not have cared less until Torsten turned me onto the awesomeness.

[Jennie]

Jen, that's Mike's big fear, that Kyle will get asthma. He's had it since birth, really, and was told he'd outgrow it. Never did. Probably doesn't help that we live in humid Texas. Also, MY GOD, I wish I lived near you, as well!

[Katie]

I totally thought of you and Mike when I saw the promos for Shark Week since I share his love for the Discovery Channel (and History Channel and all those other nerdy channels!).

[C @ Kid Things]

Southpark, Family Guy and Futurama are also funny to 5 year olds. Thankfully, I think he's still too young to really know what's laughing at.

[Kristina]

I loved this post, so sweet! It's amazing how much goodness they can bring out in us, even when they drive us insane :)

[Chicky Chicky Baby]

You had me at "wear pink" because - YES! What is it about a good man that makes us feel all girlie and empowered at the same time?

[-R-]

Hey, I like Futurama!

Very cool list. I would be interested to see what Mike's list would look like.

[Camels & Chocolate]

"...thought much about Shark Week or life on other planets or my carbon footprint or seeing a picture of a giant squid. I've begrudgingly let you make me a smarter, more knowledgeable person on subjects that still bore the heck out of me. Although, fine, that squid show was kinda interesting."

HA! This is Scott and me to a tee! Last night I learned about Crazy Bull and Little Bighorn and the lingering implications of Reagan's administration on Central America (unrelated). I, of course, didn't ask to learn about ANY of those. And space, there's always talk of space (as in outer).