How Nathan and I are Different...

Despite what many of you are thinking, and despite what I, myself, thought when I married him, Nathan and I do have some differences. Yes, I know, it's hard to believe. One of these such differences became quite apparent last week. I had known of this particular difference for a while, but it was revealed in all it's glory the first day we sat down to do homework.

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Nathan - I need to get to work. Don't distract me.

Niki - Ok. I'm going to do homework too.

Nathan - I need to work 8 full hours to get all my homework done today.

Niki - Ok. Sounds good. Get to work.

(1 hour passes)

Nathan - Isn't there anything to eat in here?

Niki - Aren't you supposed to be doing homework?

Nathan - I need a break.

Niki - But I'm on a roll. You're distracting me.

(Niki is sitting right next to the refrigerator at the kitchen table doing homework)

Nathan - But I need something to eat. It's break time.

Niki - Alright...but you've only worked an hour and I just got into this!

(1/2 hour later)

Nathan - Ok, I guess it's time to get back to work.

Niki - But I don't feel like it now. My groove is gone.

Nathan - Too bad. See ya later. Don't distract me.

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This is exaggerated, but not much. We had just talked about our different homework styles one day and the very next day (our first full day of doing nothing but homework) it was so clearly played out that we both had to laugh. We are SO different when it comes to study styles. I have no problem sitting down for 8 straight hours and doing homework. That's how I used to do my papers at Bethany. I would get up early on a Saturday morning, go to the library, do my research, go back to my room, write my paper, and be done by supper time. Breaks just distract me. Nathan on the other hand can't focus without regular breaks. If it's a meal time, he needs to eat. If he's been sitting there for an hour or two, he needs to get up, check facebook/email, walk around for a bit, and then get back to work. So when we do homework together (in the same space), I sit down for the long haul, and, when Nathan takes his first break of the day, I get distracted and am a goner. There's not much hope of me doing much valuable work for at least an hour after a break of any decent length (15 minutes or more).

So there you have it. Even "perfect" couples like us have our differences. : )