"So ... Jeremy ... what do you do?"
This is what new friends and acquaintances ask Jeremy after he's politely given me the spotlight. After I've managed to explain what I do (creative entrepreneurs! branding! business visioning! coaching!) and over share my most recent embarrassing moment (I accidentally yelled "F*ck the Oxford comma"* at an awards banquet that I wore a ROBE to), they will turn towards Jeremy and ask him what he does. What does this guy, married to a girl who wears dreadlocks and outfits for the post-apocalypse in public, do?
I can't really talk about his work on this blog, but I can tell you that Jeremy's job title is electronics engineer. Right now he's being paid by his job to work, full time, on getting his masters degree in electrical and computer engineering. And even more specifically, right now, as I type this, he is building a robot. A 6lb. sumo robot. Last semester was more about 40 page math problems in which the infinity symbol and greek letters were in his equations. I can't even begin to comprehend his genius.
But it's not just his work that impresses (and mystifies) me. Jeremy is zen. Like ... totally chill. He's the kind of chill that people, like me, spend hours upon hours of yoga and meditation and journaling trying to achieve.
So pretty much Jeremy is the left brain to my right. The Greg to my Dharma. The calm to my crazy. The engineer to my artist. He's the grid to all my crazy colorful wires.
*Note: Truth be told, I'm surprisingly neutral to the Oxford comma. Sometimes I use it. Sometimes I don't. But I guess one glass of wine in and I'm belligerent about it.
ReplyDeleteIt's so great to have a partner in life that balances you out. I married an Organic Chemistry Professor. I know NOTHING about science. But he loves my flaky, yogic, Gemini tendencies, and gives me space to be ME. Heaven on earth.
ReplyDeleteI'd fuck the Oxford coma. Clarity is sexy.
ReplyDeleteALSO, such a sweet post. Happy early anniversary!
I need a zen dude like that to balance all the crazy in my life too. I'm currently hanging out with a cicerone & good beer is pretty effective in chilling me out haha
ReplyDeleteAs an English grammar teacher, I wouldn't say with absolution that you should f*** the Oxford comma (though if you get ME drunk, I'd say maybe just make out with it once in awhile and leave it at that...haha). I usually show students examples of times where it might be necessary to use it to avoid confusion, and then beyond that, just be consistent with your use of it or not. Even the best readers can be fooled into not noticing whether or not you use it if you're consistent. Trust me - I'm a doctor (I'm not).
ReplyDeleteIt's cool that Jeremy is the zen guy - balance seems to be one of the keys to lots of well-functioning relationships. I'm definitely the Greg to my husband's Dharma...and it seems to work out just fine. :-)
You have to have that balance in a relationship! I think I might be the more zen one, but my husband is the activating force that gets things DONE! Which is pretty stellar.
ReplyDeletewww.jbound.com
As a long-time reader, I've always thought our husbands seemed pretty similar. I hate to admit it, but I'm usually pretty jealous of my husband's ultra-calm attitude. So I love this post- it's a good reminder that even if I'm not zen and totally chill like him (as much as I try to be!), we're still great for each other. So thanks.
ReplyDeletenot a fan of the Oxford comma personally. I love that you compared you guys to Dharma and greg. you need to buy your cats a pet cat. stat. and get a slide.
ReplyDeleteAnd I know about the balance thing. Anytime I dated anyone who wanted the limelight (read NEEDED) i'd fade away. Now that I'm with someone who's much more chill and satisfied with life, I can be the crazy one and he 'loves' me that much for being a wacko. Never really got it before this year.
Some day I'm gonna have to meet the J to the J&K
Katie - Aw, I love that opposites attract.
ReplyDeleteLiz - I think your next tattoo should be the oxford comma. Four years! (It feels like a lifetime – in a good way).
Sarah - ah, yes. A glass of red will help me find zen.
Fancy Alter Ego - Okay. So being wishy washy flip-floppy with the oxford comma is a greater sin than actually using it (or not). Noted. Now I just have to decide which side of the fence I'm on.
Julie - YES! I like to think I get things done but truth be told – when Jeremy's not around things don't get done. Maybe I'm just the catalyst?
Annalena - I have to say – I love being married to a man who inspires me to be a better (more chill) person.
Em - DUDE. Scooty Boots does have a pet cat. Her name is Dinahsaur. (We refer to her as his cat all the time!)
This post made me smile and think, "awww."
ReplyDeleteFunny - my husband is my Greg as well. I'm an English major, he's a mechanical engineer. Sometimes his level-headedness drives me nuts but mostly I'm thankful to have someone in this relationship on the straight and narrow. He's a good problem solver and is always so rational. I'm much more emotional. I like to think we are a nice balance together.
ReplyDeleteSo number ONE, you are awesome and crack me up.
ReplyDeletenumber TWO, haha, I totally get this. My husband is a software engineer with incredible patience, and literally a crazy rock that cannot break. I think it's so funny that we literally have NO overlap in abilities and personality, but we do enjoy the same movies, food and travel so I call it almost perfect. :) Yes, he's the calm to my crazy! :)
So I had to mention your description to Jeremy in my post today! I totally call my husband the calm to my crazy. You just said it so perfectly.
ReplyDeleteHere's the link if you want to read :)
http://hennablossom.com/?p=1129