Soooo close!! *hurmph*

My boyfriend woke me up yesterday morning and said get ready we're going on a road trip. I got ready and 40 mins later we were out the door with our boxer and dane. They were of course excited too. Lol We started heading south. Went through Astoria, then Seaside and started heading inland. Soon we were in Portland! I was excited thinking donuts and fish, donuts and fish! Lol my boyfriend had a different thought I guess we ended up just driving around Portland for a bit, even when I had directions to Voodoo Donuts! We were driving around and all of the sudden I look over and see an A-board next to the road, WetSpot!! Then I looked a little further, the front dooooors! "Hey, look, there's WetSpot that fish store I want to go to." And then there they went... maybe he is turning around, keep going and going, and going. Then I "Now I'm going to pout for a bit." Lol he doesn't get the fish thing. He has no interest. Which I get, they aren't for everyone. But I was soooooo close!!! Lol we crossed the Columbia River a few times back and forth into Oregon and Washington then came home. 8 hour day well spent. We both needed it. We found 81 and sunny weather while at home it was 61 and light mist/cloudy. Saw beautiful scenery and enjoyed time with just us and the dogs. I guess one day I'll have to make the trip by myself. No one else in my family or friends really does the fish thing. My mom has a tank but she's content with her few angels and platy trio. So one rainy day treck for myself I guess. But a good enjoyable day yesterday as well. <3

Sounds like a pretty awesome day anyway, and swapping the rain for a little sunshine is priceless, imo. Hwy 14 and I-84 in the gorge are always a great road trip. Always liked crossing "Bridge of the Gods". Pretty standard steel beam bridge (for WA), but I dunno, just a cool name.

Too bad about Voodoo and WetSpot! Although, I'll tell you that as much as you'd like your boyfriend to come along, going alone (especially the first time!) would be the way to go. My wife and kids tolerate and even like the fish in the house, but she doesn't understand how it can take me an hour to go down a SINGLE ROW of tanks (and just look at ONE SIDE!), and there are like SEVEN rows of tanks!. It's ok, though, I don't get how she can try on a bunch of outfits at the store and then not buy even one, so we're pretty even. We drove down from Bainbridge on Easter weekend, and stopped by on our way home. The pressure to depart was pretty strong after about 20 minutes. I saved the day (sort of!) by finding Voodoo down the road a mile or so and we loaded up for the drive north.

It's worth it, make some time and just go wander!

LOL, that's when you say, "honey... I want some coffee! I hear there is great coffee around here!" Then, when you get back in the car, you take the driver seat and sneakily drive your way back to the wetspot! (Then you'll break up as you make him wait three hours to walk down one aisle!)

Good for your boyfriend that the pouting doesn't get to him

Sounds like a nice DRIVE.  But IMO, regardless if he is into your hobby, he can at least appreaciate that you have one and acknowledge it at times.  Knowing that you are really into this hobby, would it have been so hard to stop and allow you to spend some time enjoying a place you have always wanted to visit?  I guarantee you that if he was into something and you had no interest, would you have driven right in front of his most wanted to visit store, knowing he has wanted to visit it, and then continue driving?  No because you are not thinking about you, you are thinking about him, and a happy him makes you smile, regardless if you enjoy his hobby or not.  

I dont mean to be a debbie downer about a nice day, but to me it sounds like he is just thinking about himself and what makes him smile is doing what he wants.  

I dated a woman for 3 years that hated my hobby, and did everything in her power to try and take me away from it.  She had horses and wanted me to be a part of them, I had no interest so I left that enjoyment to her.  I didnt tell her no, I just said that it wasnt for me.  I let her enjoy her hobby regardless if I felt it was a bore.  We were looking at houses in Mukilteo one day, (we were really starting to talk about marriage), and this one house was perfect.  Six bedrooms 3 bath 3 car garage, barn and pasture for horses and a mans cave.  The mans cave was tiled floors and was 30'x33'.  Almost 1000 sq' for my hobby.  Perfect.   I made the comment that this place was perfect, that it had a huge kitchen, enough rooms for the kids, a beautiful barn for her horses and a man cave for my fish.  She quickly responded with a stern tone, "there will not be any fish tanks in this room or anywhere".  This was on a Saturday, I went back home Sunday morning, thought about it till Wednesday and was single again by dinner that night.  

Moral of the story is,  I think you know the moral of the story.     Glad you had a good time, but its the small simple things that keep everything, PERFECT.

I was thinking the same thing madness was when I read about you actually seeing the WetSpot and your boyfriend not stopping if he knows how much you want to visit the place.   

I drive down to Portland some times just to go to an awesome record store they have there. Other times I go just to visit the WetSpot.  If you were closer to I-5, I'd take you there! Sorry you didn't get to go this time, but glad you had a nice day otherwise.

My reaction, if I were in your shoes:



But I'm glad you still enjoyed the trip!

Yeah, he gets it to a point. He understands it's my hobby but has no interest. He has compromised with going from 1 dog to me moving in with 2 cats, a dog, a rabbit, 5 fish tanks and a flock of chickens. He asked to build tanks in the walls so I can have my hobby and free up some floor space too.

He knows better than to tell me to choose like she did or flat out say no. We've been through that before and I did the same thing as you. He realized compromise was better than being without. Lol

On one side of it we did have the dogs with us. So them in the 81 degree outside temps wouldn't be good at all and we wouldn't do it. Had it been just me and the dogs I wouldn't have stopped either. And Pet Works lack of service has deterred him from taking me to fish stores. They have been friendly but entirely too slow lately. And that's the only store he's taken me to. A quick run inside for 10 snails should not take half an hour to 45 every time. They need more staff. I'm even irritated enough that I may just buy online and ship. :/

As for me stopping at stores for him I guess it would depend. I won't go to some of his requested places either, like top less bars to eat food. Depends on what it is. Luckily we like majority of the same hobbies. He had a street bike and we love to go out on that together but there are times when I would like to go that I stay home so he can enjoy alone time on the bike as well. I don't go to one of his friends houses either as much as him and they would like. Due to personal reasons of my own about aspects of being there. (trying to be nice in how I say that) So I guess their house is the equivalent of him taking me to fish stores lol. If he was like that about places other than fish stores or told me flat out no about things I would be the same situation as you without a second thought.

There must be compromise and sometimes doing things the other doesn't like in relationships or you will resent each other for things. I hate when people try to control their partners and what they do. If it's not having an ill effect then they should be able to do it.

After July I plan on a wetspot trip so I'm not so worried while gone on my week long vacation. And like hose said. I'd probably enjoy it better without someone waiting in the car too. Plus less people in the car means more room to bring home fish right?

He also had no idea where it was other than in Portland. We drove around the city looking at the cool buildings and art for probably an hour, just happen to be chance we drove by the store front.

ShortyKiloGyrl wrote:Yeah, he gets it to a point. He understands it's my hobby but has no interest. He has compromised with going from 1 dog to me moving in with 2 cats, a dog, a rabbit, 5 fish tanks and a flock of chickens. He asked to build tanks in the walls so I can have my hobby and free up some floor space too.

He knows better than to tell me to choose like she did or flat out say no. We've been through that before and I did the same thing as you. He realized compromise was better than being without. Lol

On one side of it we did have the dogs with us. So them in the 81 degree outside temps wouldn't be good at all and we wouldn't do it. Had it been just me and the dogs I wouldn't have stopped either. And Pet Works lack of service has deterred him from taking me to fish stores. They have been friendly but entirely too slow lately. And that's the only store he's taken me to. A quick run inside for 10 snails should not take half an hour to 45 every time. They need more staff. I'm even irritated enough that I may just buy online and ship. :/

As for me stopping at stores for him I guess it would depend. I won't go to some of his requested places either, like top less bars to eat food. Depends on what it is. Luckily we like majority of the same hobbies. He had a street bike and we love to go out on that together but there are times when I would like to go that I stay home so he can enjoy alone time on the bike as well. I don't go to one of his friends houses either as much as him and they would like. Due to personal reasons of my own about aspects of being there. (trying to be nice in how I say that) So I guess their house is the equivalent of him taking me to fish stores lol. If he was like that about places other than fish stores or told me flat out no about things I would be the same situation as you without a second thought.

There must be compromise and sometimes doing things the other doesn't like in relationships or you will resent each other for things. I hate when people try to control their partners and what they do. If it's not having an ill effect then they should be able to do it.

After July I plan on a wetspot trip so I'm not so worried while gone on my week long vacation. And like hose said. I'd probably enjoy it better without someone waiting in the car too. Plus less people in the car means more room to bring home fish right?

Very well said. Where were you when I was 27?   Actually, dont answer that.   

Madness wrote:

Very well said. Where were you when I was 27?     Actually, dont answer that.   

haha   

DMD123 wrote:

This made me giggle. He frustrates me and pushes me almost too far sometimes. But I love him and life isn't the same (in a bad way) without him. We have done the without thing before for almost a year before. Didn't work well for either of us. We are truly happier together than apart. Even if we push each other sometimes. Immaturity had a lot to do with it when we were younger. We have been dating (off and on as described) since 2005.

PokeSephiroth wrote:My reaction, if I were in your shoes:



But I'm glad you still enjoyed the trip!

That is probably close to my expression when I saw the sign and then the store front. Atleast I know I can go back and find it again!

Yay! When you go, you'll LOVE their nano tank setups!

Betty wrote:I was thinking the same thing madness was when I read about you actually seeing the WetSpot and your boyfriend not stopping if he knows how much you want to visit the place.   

I drive down to Portland some times just to go to an awesome record store they have there. Other times I go just to visit the WetSpot.  If you were closer to I-5, I'd take you there! Sorry you didn't get to go this time, but glad you had a nice day otherwise.

Since we are quite a difference apart maybe we can just coordinate to meet down there sometime after July? It'd be nice to have a fellow fish enthusiast to walk through the store with and meet someone whose gave me great advice

PokeSephiroth wrote:Yay! When you go, you'll LOVE their nano tank setups!

Oh I didn't know that they had nano set ups! I have only seen the few pics on their website. Now I'm more excited to go!

Their nano setups make me drool. They're absoutly beautiful and theybfind really cool fish to put in them to boot.one day I will have the outrageous (to me) amount of money to buy one of their preset up tanks all cycled and pretty.

I can't wait to get my nano set up. I guess I have 1 right now though. It's a 1 gallon with some tiny plants ready for my 5 gallon when I get the substrate. I have one little endler in there right now. He loves swimming in and out of the plants

A trip to The Wet Spot is something that needs some time. As a fish lover I could easily spend two hours in that place looking at stuff. I usually go there with the wife who has no interest so I try to be as quick as I can. I think Ive got it down to about 20 minutes with a ton of online looking first with specific fish I want to see. I know you missed out but you really would have felt cheated if you only stopped in for a few minutes....

Yeah that's why I only pouted a little. Would have been way worse for a first timer to only have 20 mins to look lol

My wife and I go down there for a weekend about twice a year, she knows that with a 2.5 hour drive each way I will want to stop for sure, so usually its not an issue. This last time around I suggested a quick stop at the beginning of the trip to 'look' and then I could have a bit of time to 'think' about anything I wanted to bring back. She approved and I got to go twice during that weekend because we went back right before heading back home. Got my L114 pleco on that trip.

Haha see that's the way to do it. I wouldn't have been able to buy fish with two people. A large and a giant dog and knew we weren't heading straight home either. So it worked out okay.

I would have gotten out at a stop light and walked to the wet spot. you can always catch the bus back to Washington!!

MorganEA wrote:I would have gotten out at a stop light and walked to the wet spot. you can always catch the bus back to Washington!!

Haha! True. But would I have a place to stay when I got back? Jk (we live together)

If I had a dollar for every time I followed my wife around a store I had no interest in...

But on the flip side, she waits very patiently for me at the places I like to shop.

It's all part of the give and take.

Well, that thread took an interesting turn. Well said by all, I think. Glad to hear SKG has a plan to go see the hallowed ground at the Wet Spot soon, and that she and Mr. SKG reasonably see eye to eye on the compromises required to make any long term relationship go round.

hose91 wrote:Well, that thread took an interesting turn.  Well said by all, I think.  Glad to hear SKG has a plan to go see the hallowed ground at the Wet Spot soon, and that she and Mr. SKG reasonably see eye to eye on the compromises required to make any long term relationship go round.  

It took us a while to get to this point and a lot of maturing on both parts. This is the first time in almost 9 years of being in a relationship that we've lived together and we haven't broken up or killed each other yet so, I'd say we are doing good hahaha

Good for you! The trick seems to be to learn where to compromise but not lose sight of what makes you, you. That can be a fine line to walk. I had a "practice wife" for 6 years, it wasn't "smooth" and we didn't see eye to eye, and we called it quits. The second Mrs. Hose and I have been together for a decade and a half, raised one boy through HS, 2 more in elementary, and it has been far from "smooth", but we've made it work together without losing track of ourselves, and (I hope) setting a good example for our boys on how relationships work in the real world.

hose91 wrote:Good for you!  The trick seems to be to learn where to compromise but not lose sight of what makes you, you.  That can be a fine line to walk.  I had a "practice wife" for 6 years, it wasn't "smooth" and we didn't see eye to eye, and we called it quits. The second Mrs. Hose and I have been together for a decade and a half, raised one boy through HS, 2 more in elementary, and it has been far from "smooth", but we've made it work together without losing track of ourselves, and (I hope) setting a good example for our boys on how relationships work in the real world.  

That's awesome! We've had our ups and downs, get mad at each other don't talk for the night but when we wake up its like nothing happened the day before. We went through the lose track of who you are individually thing early on. We spent too much time together. Things work well now. He has a big shop and I have the house. So if we need space he can sit out there drink his beer listen to music, bs with his buddies, what have you. I talk to some of his buddies, then go inside and let them have their time too. I've even known when his buddies have been here prior to me getting home and I'll bring home beer with me sometimes. I'm the Betty crocker if I'm happy I like to cook and bake things kinda girl so food is always up for grabs for his buddies if they want as well. I try to be nice but not overbearing like I've seen some girls be. That can make you fight a lot too. We've been around each other long enough to realize what makes each other happy and unhappy. Time together and apart is good. We even worked together in the past. We are at a happy medium now. He works 7-3:30 and I work 8-5 so we have good buffer times before and after work as well for ourselves. And if I have had a bad day at work I'll text him in advance and tell him. Then he can usually judge if it's a run for the shop or just not tease her as much kind of night lol. We were actually each others first boyfriend/girlfriend waaay back in 7th grade for 3 months lol. We stayed talking and teasing/flirting all through high school and after graduation started talking on the good ol' ICQ and started dating in 2005 and here we are today.

And by that's awesome I mean the trying to set a good example of real life relationships for your kids. It's healthy to see the good and the bad as well as how to work through it. Marriage/relationships isn't all wedding bells, frosted cupcakes and baby booties lol

ShortyKiloGyrl wrote: Marriage/relationships isn't all wedding bells, frosted cupcakes and baby booties lol

Ha. That's exactly where the "eye to eye" thing broke down with my practice wife It should be more good than bad, for sure, but reality does, sometimes, bite the big one. Rolling with the punches is a priceless skill, and it appears you have that one well in hand.

She always gets what she wants. A happy wife, is a happy life! What's the point of being in a relationship if you a unwilling to provide your partner everything they want? Of course this is a 2 way street...

Unless there was a clear time pressure - If we where driving and one of us was like " oh there's so n so place, I've always wanted to go there". Why not stop?! I wouldn't be all whiny because she makes me stop at a girly store on a road trip (again unless there is a clear time issue). She might whine a bit because it's a fish store but would understand. Also, if I knew my partner wanted to go to a place AND we where passing it on the road trip I would totally stop just to see her super happy.

Just my $0.02

The Wet Spot is an awesome store. I would have went even if I had to jump out of the car, HA!

I'm not going to lie..... I would have demanded a Wet Spot visit if it meant him sitting in the car with the puppies and a bottle of water. Hahaha! It sounds like you have a nice visit planned though. I haven't been there yet either, we may have to make a road trip out of it this summer.

Haha its easier to go by myself and enjoy it than unhappy boyfriend and dogs in the car

That's super true. Get a buddy to go with you, then you can make a fun trip out of it. We can get a few boxers together and rent a van! FIELD TRIP!!!   

I'd love to meet up with some people down there!

Field Trip! Yes! I just did a little road trip to burien/Tacoma area fish stores this Sunday. Planning to visit Kitsap next time. Maybe I should add Chelan and then keep going to Portland! I should rent a van and pick random peeps along the way!

A field trip would be fun. I've been dying to go again!