Happy Anniversary To Us

Speaking of same-sex domestic bliss, today, Thaddeus and I celebrate our 23rd anniversary.



For What It's Worth
Most folks will tell you that communication is the key to a successful relationship. I tend to believe it's more a matter of setting expectations.

The media represents love and intimacy as a warm, feel-good type of thing, where two rational people talk out their feelings in a caring way. No wonder folks have such unrealistic expectations for their intimate relationships.

Intimacy and openness can be very awkward, uncharted territory. It can be painful, embarrassing and/or humbling. It often doesn't feel great. It is, in fact, work. Consider how it is for your partner to hear you chatter endlessly on about your latest entrelac sweater, or how to diplomatically tell your partner how much it pisses you off that she lets her toe-nails grow too long. It ain't all pretty.

So if expectations are that a relationship will be all warm caresses, wrapped in a hand-knit Manos afghan in front of a crackling fireplace, there will be significant disillusionment.

When I first starting taking pilot lessons, the plane would sometimes lurch and bump up and down in mild turbulence. Without any frame of reference as to what was normal, I had to find out through experience what kind of movement was normal, and what kind I should worry about.

Similarly, in relationships, we get very little frame of reference for what kind of turbulence is normal, and the time it takes to figure it out is a part of what it takes to build a strong relationship.

To the love of my life, "Happy Anniversary, Thaddeus."

Current Knitting
Moving along on the sleeve of Aunt Dorothy's jacket.



I've done about 120 rows of garter, and it will take about 170 rows for each sleeve. Even as I continue, I'm questioning the width of the cuff (it might be too big) and how quickly I'm increasing.

I may have to take out the sleeve and re-do it.

Other Anniversary
This coming December 8th, I will have been with my current company for 10 years. Since my company has a "Service Recognition" program, I got to choose a gift from an on-line catalog, which has already arrived, and I'm more thrilled than I can tell you.



Yes, I know it's way too practical, but I love my gift. It's a Roomba Discovery robotic vacuum. This particular model will bounce off walls and furniture and avoid cascading down stairs while it picks up amazing amounts of cat hair and spinning/knitting fibers. When it's done, it returns automatically to it's base, and recharges it's battery for it's next assignment.

I am in total love with this new little gadget, even though Thaddeus is the one that used to do all the vacuuming.