Puking optional

In the midst of all of the election ups and downs this week, the babe and I celebrated our one year anniversary.

One year ago the babe held my hands in hers and looked deeply into my eyes as I said, "sushi sounds great to me."

And thus the dating began.

In honor of the occasion, I give you...

Ten Reasons I Love/Adore/Go Weak in the Knees For The Babe:

1. The babe has impeccable taste.

Besides loving moi, there are a few things that point out the babe's ability to discern the best from all the rest. Her celebrity crush is Tina Fey. Obviously an excellent choice. She prefers to eat only organic, locally grown/raised food. Doesn't get much better than that. Her favorite television show is Six Feet Under. Now, I've never seen it, but every time I talk to anyone about it, they sigh deeply and shake their head in that oh-those-were-the-greatest-moments-of-my-life kind of way. The place she dreams of living is a farmhouse with a lot of land in Burlington, Vermont. Duh.

2. The babe is no slave to fashion.

I like clothes. A lot. I stare into store windows as I pass them. I dream about them. In fact, last night I had a dream about this fabulous pair of black cowboy boots with white cut-outs that just sort of miraculously showed up in my closet and went beautifully with the black skirt I was wearing. It was great...

Anyway, the babe is not about that. It's not that she's fashion challenged (that might be a different story). No, she's just relaxed about it. She likes what she likes. Doesn't feel a need to follow the trends. Although she could show up at my door wearing a pair of men's flannel-lined Carhartts: But what can I say? It just makes me love her more.

3. The babe has emotions, and she knows how to use them.

I'm a little bit emotional. Like I cry in commercials emotional. And sometimes moody. And maybe difficult. These qualities have let me to have excessively (or maybe not) high regard for things like therapy and yoga and faith and Pema Chodron. The Babe also has a high regard for these things.

When I say things like, "I'm just having a hard time being compassionate with myself right now," she furrows her brow in that gentle, loving way and puts her arm around me. When I say, "I don't know where I fit in a faith community. I don't know what that looks like," she knods her head knowingly. And she lets me do the same for her.

I know. Lesbians.

4. The babe is smart.

On a recent long car trip, the babe talked to me for about two hours about the economy. And when I say "talked to me," I mean taught me everything there is to know, including what the Dow Jones is because, my dear friends, economics is an area where I am, shall we say, dumb. But the great thing about the babe - she never makes me feel that way. She's like a little current affairs encyclopedia, but I never feel stupid around her. I just feel really glad that she can answer all of my questions and maybe make me look smarter by association.

This also means she can go head to head with my dad. Which is a whole other post for another day. But it's good.

5. The babe has played in the dirt.

The babe has expressed concern that if she had never worked on an organic farm, I wouldn't be with her. Good thing she'll never have to find out. I kid! But seriously, it's a good thing she did. No - I'm joking! I love her! Seriously.

But I love it that she worked on an organic farm and that she gets all riled up about things like how to appropriately plant grass seed. Lots of people are all down with the organic/local movement, but how many people decide that they really want to be a part of it? Not many. But that's the kind of gal the babe is.

6. The babe is in love with a dog.

It was hard for me to accept at first - not being her only love. But after having spent more time with the cute pup, I get it. I'm sort of in love with him too. And if she wants to snuggle with him instead of me, I understand. As long as I get to snuggle with him next.

7. The babe is funny.

Don't tell her I told you, because she kind of gets a big head about these things. But the babe is funny. Mostly because she's a goob and doesn't mind looking silly. Also, after she does something funny, she invariably laughs and says "I'm funny," which is always funny.

8. The babe has an excellent vocabulary.

Having gotten my BA in English and MFA in theatre, language is very important to me. A quality vocabulary matters - I can't help it. And the babe's got one. She uses all sorts of great words, and in excellent combinations. Things like, "You're beautiful," or "These are the best cookies ever," or "I'm the luckiest person on earth," or "How did you get to be so amazing?" or my personal favorite, "Tonight we'll snuggle like maniacs." I mean, the word choice, the particularized phrasing - I just don't know what to say. She's obviously wonderful.

9. The babe is exceedingly playful.

The babe grew up with two older brothers. That's right - she's a youngest. I am an oldest. Which, again, is really a whole post for another day. But the important thing for today is that at any given moment, the babe may be poking me, tickling me, trying to stick my hair up my nose, trying to get me to pick my own nose, sticking her finger in my ear, making horrible faces that disturb me, or trying to give me a wedgie.

You may be wondering how those things made it into this list. It seems like they should be on some other list, like Things That Annoy Me About My Five Year Old Brother. It's true - they might be on that list. BUT...sometimes a little levity is a great thing. Sometimes I need to just be ridiculous and silly. Also, it's great training for one day having really annoying children.

10. The babe is my favorite person to be with.

I mean, this is really the main thing after all, isn't it? That I just miss her when she's not around. That I like talking to her and laughing with and just hanging out with her on the couch. That I'd rather study sitting next to her than sitting next to anyone else. (Okay, this might be because she pokes me and gives me longing glances, and then we end up finding some random corner to go make out in, but you get my point.) I like her.


Over the course of writing this, I've come up with about 7,000 other things, but I guess I'll save those for another day. I wouldn't want you to start dry heaving.