When I first started dating the babe, I didn't understand the appropriate phrases to use for Jewish holidays - like what do you wish something on Yom Kippur? I've since learned that it doesn't really make sense to wish someone a Happy one; lots of people wish each other a Meaningful Yom Kippur. I'm thinking of that today on Veterans Day, when I've heard for years "Happy Veterans Day," and today it just seems a bit off.
So, to all, I wish you a Meaningful Veterans Day. And I offer an excerpt from President Obama's speech yesterday at Fort Hood.
As we face these challenges, the stories of those at Fort Hood reaffirm the core values that we are fighting for, and the strength that we must draw upon. Theirs are the tales of American men and women answering an extraordinary call -- the call to serve their comrades, their communities, and their country. In an age of selfishness, they embody responsibility. In an era of division, they call upon us to come together. In a time of cynicism, they remind us of who we are as Americans.
Go to this link. Enjoy.* You can thank me later.
If you've already seen it, watch it again.
*Peeing in your pants is a possibility, so be warned.
Too much lolcats and a penchant for silly has destroyed mine and the babe's ability to speak - so much so that on the way home from the park yesterday* the babe turned to me and said, with a note of pride, "We've spoken correct English all day."
Maybe it was finals insanity, maybe the stress of law school in general - who knows. But for whatever reason, a person with their ear against the door of our apartment might hear any number of the following phrases:
I'z tired. I'z redy for bed.
Uz my favorite. Uz da best evah.
I no wants ta do dis no more!
I ruvs u.
Das no gud. Das bad.
Dis poopy.
I think you get the point. We realized it was out of hand when we noticed ourselves and each other saying these things in public. Around other people. Very bad.
So we're trying to cut ourselves off from lolcat/baby talk. It's harder than it seems. But sometimes you just have to suck it up and work hard if you want to keep your friends from throwing up in their mouths every time they see you.
* The park was our longest jaunt out of the apartment since mother's day weekend (when the moms were here). Though it required intense willpower, we peeled ourselves off of the couch and away from the television so that we could enjoy the sunshine.
The babe and I have fallen prey to the urge to merge. That’s right readers.
The babe and I are moving in together. Thursday. Into a lovely apartment that makes us swoon and makes our friends jealous.
In a few short days, the scouring for boxes and packing and cleaning will be over, and we’ll live in our new place as glorious…what? Girlfriends?
The babe’s mom made a comment recently suggesting that after the move, we would be “partners.” I think the comment made both of us catch our breath a little. We love each other tremendously, but partners? Aren’t partners people who are married? We’re just going to be girlfriends who live with each other.
We’ve talked about the terminology a little bit, not because it’s particularly important to us – more because we’re curious about the words people use to define their relationships. I pointed out to the babe this morning as we were talking about getting together with old friends that she used the word partners to talk about their…um…people. We laughed and then suggested significant others as the more appropriate terminology.
So I looked up some of the words in the good ol’ Merriam Webster. And there’s not a lot of help there.
Here’s the run down:
Partner - a person with whom one shares an intimate relationship; one member of a couple
Girlfriend - a frequent or regular female companion in a romantic or sexual relationship
Significant other - a person who is important to one’s well-being, especially a spouse or one in a similar relationship
Spouse - married person
The one point of clarity is clearly spouse. There’s no question about what that means.
But then what’s the phrasing for us gays? The babe suggested that maybe heterosexuals use the word partner to connote something pre-marriage. And if that’s the case, then is the gay community using it to connote the same thing? Or does it have more significance for us? At least those of us who don’t live somewhere where we can get married?
As for mine and the babe’s relationship, the definition of girlfriend seems a little weak. A female companion? I mean, I guess. But it’s more than that.
When my mom was dating her now-husband, we struggled with the terminology too. It felt weird to call him her boyfriend. It made it sound like they were 15. And then once they moved in together, it seemed even weirder. I felt like if I talked about my mom’s partner, people would think she was gay. (Which, of course there’s nothing wrong with, but is definitely not the case.) Mom suggested I call him her sweetheart. I suggested that I just ask people to puke.
So, what words do you use? And what do you think people mean when they use other words? Does it matter what we call these relationships?
The battle over Prop 8 and other battles like that one around the country seem to suggest that it does. But what do you think?
