How much of a difference is between yourself and your spouse? For us: wife and I are very much alike, but: From the farm, being in the Navy, to starting to work at 7AM (before retirement hit)...........I've always been an "early-bird" each morning, including weekends. Wife's jobs didn't start until 8:30AM and she liked (past tense) to sleep in on weekends. Many of my jobs was around loud noise, such as CNC machines, drill presses, forklifts, warehouse where a person had to speak loud to be heard. A few jobs, like an electronics stockroom or a purchasing/inventory office, were nice and quiet (for a nice change). But, once I stepped out in the shop or warehouse, the ear plugs were inserted and my voice had to come up. So, today, I have a tendancy to raise my voice when something is running, like the A/C, dishwasher or clothes washer. With wife working mostly in an Accounting/Finance positions (office), she almost always speaks to low for me.........even when I'm wearing my hear aids. The Navy taught me how to be discipline on the job and there are some companies that won't hire a Vet due to that. Believe me, I found that out. To a point, I can be a Leader, but, by today's standards, too much of one. For the one and only time my wife was a manager, she told me she pretty much let her staff do what they wanted to, including not finishing their work that was due that day. She would stay and finish it up for them. That definitely wouldn't be me! I don't keep a lot of things, whereas she isn't a "hoarder", but does like keeping some things. She has three plastic bins full of McDonald free toys that come with a Happy Meal. She had more, but gave a large plastic bin to a Childrens Hospital in Jacksonville. Boy were they glad to get them! So, what about you?
My wife and I are almost too much alike. Where one might be deficient in some quality, we can’t depend on the other to make up the difference because they’re just the same way. There are a few exceptions; my wife is very good with numbers kinds of things (accounting/CPA). I’m better with technical type issues so we actually compliment each other pretty well that way. We both are logical type people but apply it better in different circumstances.
@Cody Fousnaugh Good thread Cody We will be married 32 years end of the month. We both have changed in many ways, but still have much in common. I have always said I am everything he is not, and he is everything I wish I was.We both love old houses, trains and dogs. Both laid back, but he has more patience than me.I have always tended to all financial, shopping, appointments and etc. He is a bit dyslexic,color blind. Seeing and hand issues. He has always taken of autos, dogs, yard. He now helps more with grocery shopping and other things as I have difficulty walking to far at times.He saves I throw it out We both like same type of comedy and many shows.There is just enough difference to keep the scale almost in balance.
We complement each other well, but are nothing alike even after 46+ years of marriage. We do have similar goals and such, however, so life is pretty good. We have completely different backgrounds and education levels and think completely differently about things however.
My wife has the "higher education", being that she has two AA and a Bachelors, whereas I was in the lower part of my high school graduation class. However, for my career, I took one class in Purchasing and two online classes in Purchasing/Inventory Management. Also got certified, from Clark Forklifts, to drive a forklift. Until she has been drinking a margarita or light beer, she is pretty quiet. As for me, I'm definitely the "mouthy" one, drinking or not. She doesn't joke around nearly as much as I do. Her older sister likes talking to her on the phone, because she will basically agree with everything her sister tells her. She doesn't like to contradict her sister, whereas I will state a fact to her sister and she may, or may not, like what I say. The sister has told me way to many times, "that was rude to say" or "that would be rude to say". As far as I'm concerned, the word "rude" is within the feeling of the listener. Wife loves rifle/handgun target shooting, just like I do. None of her family likes guns at all. We both love, love, love professional rodeo and nobody in her family cares about it or watches it. We both like hitting a slot machine, whereas her family does not. We love going to a theater to see a good (for us) movie, have a large buttered/salted popcorn, large Coke, and hot dog. Nobody in either family (hers/mine) has a powerboat and fishes, but we sure do. IOW, "trout, or whatever, here we come!" I pay some bills online, while she writes out a check for others.
My first husband and I were very complementary. My present husband and I are very different from each other in most ways. But we are basically considerate of each other, or at least he stays out of my way. He is quiet and gentle. His mother took me aside before we were married and said I was very lucky to get him as a husband because he would never beat me. ??????? I said it was lucky for him; or else he could never go to sleep. I guess small town ethics were different in the good old days than what I was used to.
Sort of funny, but the first time our youngest niece seen us do a two-step together, afterwards I went to the restroom and her niece told her "he is definitely a keeper". Of course I loved what the niece said about me, but there was a whole lot more to me than dancing a two-step, as both my wife and her family found out in years to come.
My ex now deceased husband were like day and night. I married a brain and security and gave up my passion, dancing, for all the years we were married. Oh what we don't know and probably not sensible enough to think it all thru when we tie the knot. I tied one knot ONLY. And danced for years with a lot of good friends and dancers...
The odd couple comes to mind. Negative and positive personalities. I'm the kid in a horse stall who sees manure, Jake sees manure as there has to be a pony in here somewhere. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PUHKVEp-wIQ?feature=share
My ex was my ticket to get out of Alcoholic home and we had the same STRONG Catholiic beliefs and NOT enough.....CA life made things easier for HIM to get involved with his secretary.
How much of a difference is between yourself and your spouse? Night and day since he is 6 feet under.
Well, like Faye, I'm alive and he....isn't. He's up on the shelf in a jar and I spend a fair amount of time in my recliner, so I guess we're both rather sedentary these days.