Four years have passed since "P" and I became a couple. Our Anniversary took place over the weekend.
What's the secret to our relationship success you ask? We don't live together. All our friends think it's weird for a couple to have been together for so long and not yet live together... and to some degree I think they have a point. It would certainly be less expensive to share all the household bills... and of course it would be nice to make a home together... and we probably will live together at some point... in fact we have been taking little steps toward that goal recently.
Just to kind of dip our toes into the co-habitation pool we've spent a couple Saturdays looking at condos. No rush or anything, just seeing what's out there that we both like and can afford.
Two weekends ago we looked at a few different - condominium - options. Turns out we have very different preferences in living spaces. Which was surprising because I thought we were really well matched in that department. He likes a LOFTY kind of space, with exposed plumbing and ductwork whereas I prefer a more finished space. He's comfortable on the ground floor of a building and I would prefer to be as high up as possible. He's also interested in looking at traditional detached houses with acreage and all that, while I am only interested in a multi-unit building. I'm sure there is something in between... that's what were trying to find out.
This last weekend we took the Atlanta Downtown Festival loft and condo tour. This shot was taken at my favorite stop on the tour:
That's the pool on the rooftop of the 25 story Museum Tower. AMAZING!!! Great building too, right across the street from Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium and the New World of Coca-Cola.
This New Condo has a rooftop pool as well, but it's just a tiny little thing, and the views are NOTHING like that!
After walking our asses off all over downtown Atlanta we officially celebrated our anniversary starting with a less than spectacular dinner at The Atlanta Fish Market (long wait to be seated, bad service, bad table, mediocre food... if it hadn't been for the company it would have totally sucked), then a very EXPENSIVE (almost prohibitively so) dessert at The Chocolate Bar, and a final drink at the new girl bar nearby.
The girl bar is fairly new. It's "family" owned and run and so I thought it would be nice to go and support my new gay business neighbor. Now... I KNEW going in that this was a lesbian bar, but I did not expect that "P" and I would be the ONLY men there. Well, one of the bartenders was a guy... but he was in a protected area behind the bar. The place was PACKED and "P" and I were just out there amongst the estrogen fending for ourselves! Ever get the feeling you just weren't wanted someplace? I have never felt so completely unwanted in my entire life! Those ladies glared at us as if we were wearing "XENA SUCKS" t-shirts. We holed up in a corner and had one drink before heading back to This New Condo with our Y chromosomes tucked between our legs.
So dinner wasn't great and desert was overpriced and the ladies were not welcoming... I think with anyone else it would have been a painful night, but we had a really good time and overall it was a great way to start our 5th year of coupledom.
7 comments:
Home-shopping is certainly a big step ... very cool that you've stayed together this long and not rushed into cohabitation. Sounds like the long-haul to me.
Lesbian bars scare me. But then, I'm not so hot on gay bars either.
Snazzy new profile pic, BTW ...
Congratulations on your anniversary. I think the secret to a long lasting relationship is being able to go to the grocery store together and have fun.
My Sister's Room is opening up in East Atlanta Village in a few weeks. I hope I feel welcome there.
Congrats on the anniversary!
There's no science to relationships, so go with what works for you both!
I love the sweepstake links you post!
Congratulations for your anniversary! As for not moving in together as of yet, there is NOTHING weird about that at all. Everyone has their different lifestyle and preferences and as long as everyone does what is right for themselves then every way is correct and everyone is happy.
It sounds like your anniversary night meal was a bit traumatic but you will look back at it next year and laugh im sure about that. I'm sure 'p' will laugh about it lots too.
Now regarding the question you asked me about 'tea' It is equivalent to your evening meal. We have adopted the term from the British who founded our country. Usually we call our morning meal breakfast, our afternoon meal lunch (although some call it dinner especially the older generation) and our evening meal is tea. Interestingly enough when we go out for a meal at night to a restaurant we for some reason say we are going out for 'dinner'. We might have got that from the Americans.
I have just been informed that a few people in NZ also call tea dinner. But it's in a minority.
I have a question for you. I dont know that much about Atlanta. (except that it had the olympics there i think in 1996) do you get tornadoes there and are you a huge city?
Kev in NZ
Congrats on your 4 year anniversary. I dated my last ex for 4 years and we never moved in together. We both really enjoyed our own space.
You will know when you are ready for that commitment. Have a great weekend.
Thanks for all the congratulations!
Matt - just got sick of the old pic. Not sure about this new one... it's a little too flowery.
Jef - I used to like the Decatur version of My Sister's Room... hopefully the East Atlanta version will be cool too.
Jason - the sweeps links are totally selfish! I get entries when people enter those sweeps via those links. (so click em y'all!)
Kevin - thanx for the dinner/tea explanation. I sent you an email with my Atlanta info... but briefly, no we don't get tornados on any kind of regular basis... they happen but they are rare.
Sorted - yeah, it doesn't feel wierd to us either, but according to friends and even some family it's not what they consider normal. I'm not a big fan of normal anyway. :)
Congrats on your anniversary. It's amazing that you've been together that long and really haven't moved in together. Maybe that's the secret. What ever works I say go for it.
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