Top 10 Reasons I (Still) Love My Husband

Today is my 8th wedding anniversary, so I’ve decided to share a slightly more personal post than usual, in tribute.

So, here are my Top 10 Reasons I (Still) Love My Husband:

10 – He’s strong.

In terms of physical strength, I started going to the gym more regularly when we first started dating, and as I’ve observed many times in the gym over the years, he is crushing it. Dudes will approach him for workout tips, or to ask him about the foam grips he uses to protect his hands from calluses. Chicks will try to ask him out, and he will point to me and say, “Sorry, my wife wouldn’t like that.” And even though he thinks he has lost some of his strength over the years, he still inspires me to keep pushing those weights harder and doing the work.

9 – He’s sexy.

Like, duh, right? What woman doesn’t think her man is the hottest?

My husband’s got a great smile, a tight butt, and whenever I see his face I just want to kiss it.

He is embarrassed about having his picture taken or posted on the internet, so I will refrain. But trust me when I say he’s still my favorite sight at the end of a long day.

8 – He’s smart.

Even more important than a hot bod is having a hot mind. My husband is always fun to talk to, whether we are discussing art and music and books or debating politics (even though that can sometimes become enraging because, ugh, have you seen the hot mess that passes for political discourse here in the USA?).

He knows a ton about art, music, science, nutrition, cooking, and the occasional weird trivia (like: he always seems to know about the celebrity scandals that have been swept under the rug, and he will chuck out some odd tidbit about an actor or musician you [formerly] liked). I think he should write a book one of these days, so I keep encouraging him to do so.

7 – He’s sensitive.

Strong dudes can sometimes just be meatheads, or act like Neanderthals. Not my husband, who has a sensitive side as well. He is a great shoulder to cry on, as well as a good critical eye for when you are acting like a jerk. He also has a finely tuned bullshit detector, which has helped him sniff out emotional vampires to help both of us avoid them… when we actually listen to his instincts, anyway.

6 – He’s got excellent taste in music.

He’s also a musician, so that probably helps!

When we first met up in person (he originally contacted me on a dating website), he commented that I had great taste in music. I thought that was cute, since I usually got dorks that thought naming the bands who wrote the lyrics I was quoting meant we were somehow soulmates. Instead, he asked me if I liked some other bands that were of the same genre, and I said yes, and then we listened to some crazy stuff I had never heard before, and he turned me onto the Brazilian Girls, Boards of Canada, and a ton of lyric-free stuff I like to listen to when I’m writing.

He must have millions of songs on his various hard drives, and listens to everything from classical to hip hop to noise to stuff I don’t think they even have a name for yet.

5 – He loves cats.

I mean, who doesn’t, right? But seriously, there are some weirdos out there who say stupid things like: “Oh, if a guy likes cats, then he must be gay.” I’m sorry, what century is this, and what planet are you from?

My husband loves cats, which is why we have two of the world’s most awesome kitties. Both Ned and Percy are super snuggly with him, since he is great with animals. Cats are good judges of character, too, so I think he gets some of his catlike instincts about people from hanging out with the felines. Or maybe he was a tiger in a previous life?

One the funniest things he told me when we first met was that because he had posted this picture of tigers sitting in a hot tub on his dating profile, all of these women were asking him, “Do you own tigers?” Talk about missing the point!

4 – He has an awesome sense of humor.

As per the above tigers in a hot tub, this picture always makes me smile. It’s like having our own inside joke, even though I’m sure millions of people have seen this picture on the internet. Having a great sense of humor is probably the most important part of our relationship, because we love to laugh and be silly together. We make up nicknames for our cats, sing our own alternative lyrics to popular songs (usually also about the cats), and just write weird notes on Post-Its around the house. (There is still one that reads “Goat Polish” on the wall near our bathroom, which my mom was curious about.)

In short, we like to crack jokes and have fun together, without busting on other people (unless those people are named Donald Drumpf, because they deserve it).

3 – He’s a weirdo.

Like me, my husband is a bit of a maniac (in an Under the Cherry Moon sense, not an ax murderer sense). He has strange obsessions and habits, he loves staying in more than going out, he has a unique sense of humor, and he likes to be able to indulge in his weirdness in the privacy of our home. I am definitely cool with all of that, since I’m the same way. After all, if you can’t be yourself when you’re at home, then what’s the point?

2 – He has a good heart.

So many people these days seem wrapped up in hatred and anger, in seeking revenge and bashing others, or in just being mean and rude and petty. My husband has to put up with a ton of shit at his day job, from people who seem to think they are entitled to treat him like crap. But through it all, he still stays true to himself and refuses to stoop to their level.

Basically, he’s a decent person. That sounds kind of weird, because shouldn’t we all be decent people? We should! But lots of people aren’t, which makes him stand out in his shining example of kindness, genuineness, and decency.

Additionally, he is kind to animals and old ladies. And although he can play the knight in shining armor role, he also doesn’t put up with anybody’s crap. He’s no doormat, motherfuckers. (See #1)

1 – He’s my best friend.

Lots of people say this, but in our case it is totally true. My husband is my favorite person, my best friend, and the love of my life. There are so many great things about him, it was hard to narrow it all down to just 10 for this list.

In short: Happy Anniversary, my love! Here’s to another crazy 8 years and many more!