Don't Know What to Call This Ramble

Recently, G and I were out to dinner. A woman being seated at the next table was wearing an interesting knitted sweater or shrug. I looked at it for a minute, trying to decide if it was handmade. G looked too, tilted his head, and sort of whispered "knit?" "I don't know; it might be crochet," I replied. But then I smiled and realized that he had recognized a (possibly) hand-knit item!

My hobby is sneaking in on him, whether he likes it or not! Actually, I think he'll be quite happy w/ my hobby when I make him a pair of socks. He's already been eying mine.

He is actually quite supportive: He cooks when I go to my knitting groups and doesn't say anything about my stash enhancement. (OK, he cooks even when I don't go; we've got a system: he cooks when I go to knit and I cook when he works late. And we take turns the rest of the time. It's my turn tonight and I am trying out the crock pot we got as a wedding gift. I am totally winging it, so I hope it tastes good!)

I think it is interesting how our partners' or friends' habits can become our own. While I don't think that G will ever actually knit himself, it has obviously made an impression on him that he now notices people's knits in public! I am trying to think of a way that I've picked up something he does. I do watch more football than I did before. But I used to watch football w/ my five brothers a lot. I just don't like to watch it alone. So my football interest just stayed dormant for a few years. He doesn't really have hobbies (other than reading and we both always did that). The closest thing is that he likes to see a lot of live music and he likes to quiz me on what classic rock or classic metal, etc. band is on the radio or commercial. I usually fail. He did get me into Hem (and now we're going to see them on Saturday AND next Friday; I am so excited!).

I do find myself going to more beer bars that I used to. And he comes to the Ren Faire with me. He came to see Shakira with me in D.C. last August and I told him I'll see Kiss the next time they tour. He watches Project Runway with me and if we can ever figure out when it's on, I'll watch the Gene Simmons "family jewels" show on A&E.

But, I know he wouldn't watch The Bachelor with me. And I'm not going to see any Led Zeppelin tribute bands perform. I've been reading some of the books on his shelf, but I don't expect (and frankly don't want) him to read my Nora Roberts collection. But I know he'll read the antique edition of Anne of Green Gables (that he got me for Christmas last year) to any future kids we might have. He wants us to take a ballroom dance class but thank god he's not interested in bellydance (other than watching me dance, of course!).

I guess what I am trying to say, very poorly, is that it's great when you share things with your partner and try the things that they like. It doesn't make G "whipped" that he recognizes knitting or watches Dancing With the Stars with me. And I can still be a proud feminist who knits while she watches football. Spending that time together is the important thing. But just as important, I think, is that we don't HAVE to always be together and don't have ALL the same interests.

It's a pretty simple conclusion, I guess. Probably didn't need a big, long post. I swear, I logged on just to tell the funny story about G and the sweater. It was going to be one paragraph, max. This is not the first time a quick post turned into a long ramble. And I call myself an editor. Gheesh.