27 Things

Like Meghan, I've been tagged several times on Facebook by friends in the "25 Things" meme. This one, however, was also posted on Dooce.com the other day, and since this blog is about married life it seemed appropriate that it's also not all about me. So, here we go!

What are your middle names?
Mine is Marie (family tradition) and his is Michael (which is also what he goes by).

How long have you been together?
Our first "date" was four years ago on March 10th.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Two years.

Who asked whom out?
Hmm, I think technically Mike asked me out, but it was more of a, "We're going to be downtown tonight, you should come out!" sort of thing.

How old are each of you?
He's 31, and I'm 28.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
We each have one brother, and we see mine more. Mike's brother is in the Army and is stationed in Louisiana so we don't get to see him nearly as much as we would like. On a side note, he just got back from a tour in Iraq, and we are extremely happy and thankful to have him back in the states. Welcome back, Ray!

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
I'd say Mike's work schedule. He works rotating shifts, so some weeks we don't get to see each other too much. He also only gets two weekends off each month, so planning little trips etc... can be difficult (not to mention finding a weekend where we can just sit around and do nothing with each other!).

Did you go to the same school?
Nope.

Are you from the same home town?
Nope. I am from the Bay Area, and he is from the Central Valley. We met in San Luis Obispo.

Who is smarter?
This is going to sound like a very PC and diplomatic answer, but I believe it is the truth: I think we are equally smart in different areas. Although, I must point out, Mike has an extreme depth of knowledge about things like politics, finances, history, mechanics, and I am what you could refer to as "an encyclopedia of random facts."

Who is the most sensitive?
I would have to say me. Definitely. Especially since I've been pregnant. There have been days during my pregnancy where all he's had to do is look at me sideways and I burst into tears.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Chapala Mexican Restaurant for a quick bite and Schooner's Wharf for a romantic outing.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Hooray for all inclusive resorts!!

Who has the craziest exes?
Due to sheer number alone, I'll say me. Although I've heard from Mike's family that his last long term GF before he and I started dating was a complete psycho.

Who has the worst temper?
This is up for debate. I would say Mike, and he would say me. He tends to get upset, speak his peace, and get over things - although he remembers them FOREVER! Whereas, I get upset, stew for a while, make both our lives miserable for a few days, blow up and forget about it.

Who does the cooking?
I do the "indoor" cooking and Mike BBQs. He makes the most amazing hamburgers (and although they are a joint effort, they would be nowhere without the actual burger part - seriously, do you know anyone who bastes their hamburger patties while they are on the grill?)

Who is the neat-freak?
Mike is neater than I am (I'll leave clean laundry in the basket for weeks, for instance, which I'm sure drives him nuts), but we both tend to collect piles of paper all over the house. Eventually, one of us will get sick of the multiple piles and consolidate them so we can go through them and throw things out or put them where they are actually supposed to be. Dust and a dirty kitchen sink bug the crap out of me though.

Who is more stubborn?
Me. Hands down. Although I like to deny it every time it comes up, I must admit it is absolutely true.

Who hogs the bed?
Mike. But I steal the covers.

Who wakes up earlier?
Mike. I am not a morning person at all. If I can get away with not setting the alarm on weekends, you can bet your butt I will.

Where was your first date?
Our first "date" was at Mike's house. He invited me over to watch a movie. I thought he had ulterior motives, but found out a few weeks later that between paying for school and paying to fix his car, he was just flat broke at the time. Our first "real date" was at Mare Blu in Los Osos (a restaurant that is no longer there). I took him out as a thank you for helping me move into my new apartment and paid with a gift certificate that I had purchased at a silent auction a few months earlier.

Who is more jealous?
I don't think either one of us really has a jealous streak. But if I had to pick, I'd say me. Only because one day (while pregnant, mind you) I came home from work, and one of his "nice" shirts was in the hamper smelling of cologne. It took me a couple days to ask about it, and I felt really stupid when I did, but it turned out that all of his every day shirts were dirty, and he had nothing else to wear. Then he spilled his lunch on the nice shirt and into the hamper it went. Do I need to tell you that he got a pretty good laugh out of the whole situation?

How long did it take to get serious?
Not long at all. Which is funny since neither of us were looking for a relationship when we first started dating. I think that made it easier to get to know each other because we were upfront and honest with each other from the beginning since there were no expectations on either end.

Who eats more?
Mike.

Who does the laundry?
Mike. I can't stand doing laundry. The few garments I loose to improper washing every now and then are totally worth not having to deal with the laundry. But, I must say, Mike is great at reading the tags before he puts clothes into the washer.

Who's better with the computer?
Me. Mike hates computers with a passion. If he could go the rest of his life without ever touching one again, he would be a happy man. He once had an old printer, and whenever he would get frustrated, he would take his aggressions out on it Office Space style.

Who drives when you are together?
Mike. He's an impatient rider on long trips, and likes to drive, so why not.

OK, that's it. Your turn...