It's Okay to Be Different

I've written before about the many ways in which my husband and I have different preferences.

Often when people learn that Hubby and I have so many differences, they assume we must be constantly negotiating and compromising, or that we live in a state of constant discord. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I'm not going to claim that we have never had an argument, or that there haven't been a few times when we had to make a choice that disappointed one of us. But those times have been rare.

Things I Do That Annoy My Husband

[This is the first entry in a series.]

Sometimes I watch TV with the sound off.

The mute button makes TV better. Not all the time, of course. But some programs are just fine without words.

Imagine a nature show about lions chasing gazelles. They catch them or they don't. Nobody needs to explain that to me. Or an old TV rerun that I've come across halfway through and don't care what it's about. I can guess at the story, without hearing the corny dialogue.

How Can We Ever Agree on Anything?

When Hubby and I were dating, we had so many habits and preferences that were completely different that we used to joke that we had nothing in common.

For example:

• One of us likes pizza with thin, crispy crust; the other prefers the deep-dish variety.
• One of us enjoys country music; the other would rather listen to blues and jazz.

Are You Being Fair?

One of my elementary school teachers told this story.

A woman had three daughters. She was determined to show no favoritism, and had dedicated herself to treating them equally and fairly at all times.