Thursday, May 15, 2008

Next Question, Please


Orange You Glad?
Originally uploaded by drewmaniac

I'm engaged, so I figure I know a little something about this topic. There are a few things you experience while engaged that you most likely will never experience again in life. Like really ridiculous questions, for example. The people asking these questions are usually just kidding around, but after the 100th time of being asked them, they are no longer funny. Come to think of it, after about the second time around they are no longer funny. Here are a few I've heard one too many times:

  • "Getting cold feet?" - This question is usually followed by a chuckle. My response is usually "No." But what if my answer was, "Yes", what then? Is the question no longer funny? In case you just asked yourself, "Where did that phrase come from?" and you are curious, here's the origin of that phrase "cold feet".
  • "Are you nervous?" - Why would I be nervous months before? Excited, maybe, but nervous? Nervousness usually comes shortly before or during an event, not months before. Or weeks for that matter.
  • "Are you getting excited?" - No, I'm bored.
  • "Having second thoughts?" - If I was, would I just come right out and say it as you attempt to engage me in small talk? How unstable would that be? How awkward would you feel if I turned your small talk into a therapist session?
  • "You can still back out!" - True. And you can stop pestering me with your not so funny, not so serious, questions and remarks.
  • "You're too young to get married!" - At 2 months shy of 30, I haven't had anyone say this to me. But, my fiancee has heard it. So I'm going to answer this with a question. What is the magical age that everyone is ready for marriage?

There are others, but I think you get the drift. I am just thankful we didn't take the long engagement route, or I would be pulling my hair out by now.

Of course, once I'm married I am sure I'll grow weary of, "So, how's married life?" I'm already working on a good comeback.

*Thanks goes to Megan Loftin for the idea for this post. I've been experiencing some writer's block of late.

10 comments:

Picture Challenge 365 said...

haha! being engaged as well i know what you're talking about! Once we are married then it will all be over! :) ..maybe?

Anonymous said...

People start conversations with me like this... "I heard about a plane crash today on the radio..."

But if I was in your shoes, I think I'd mess with people asking me if I had second thoughts, be like, Yeah man I dunno, I saw her last weekend, and something about the way she had her hair just made me wonder if I'm making a huge mistake...
haha :P

Melanie said...

Did you know that a "fiance" is a man that a woman is engaged to while a "fiancee" is a woman that a man is engaged to? Just thought I'd point that out...for future reference. ;-)

Chris said...

Soon you will stop getting "So, when are you guys getting married?"

Unfortunately, you will immediately progress to the doubly insipid "So, when are you guys having kids?"

Andrew Weaver said...

Steven - I think ridiculous ice breakers never end.

Uriah - You just made a great point. What is it with people (I include myself for asking some of the same questions) always resorting to the most extreme negative? "Getting cold feet?" - "Saw a plane crash the other day on the news."

Melanie - Very good point. I've done some editing...

Chris - And why I hadn't even thought of that yet, I don't know. Oh man... it never ends.

Anonymous said...

You do realize that most of the people who ask these questions know exactly how annoying it is and the fact that you're getting annoyed at the question is entirely the point, right? That's why they chuckle and you don't. Your annoyance is the funny part.

Andrew Weaver said...

Michael - I am aware of this. I just find it humorous that there are only just a few variations of the same thing repeated time and again. Let's talk about something else! Plus, it's annoying. =)

Anonymous said...

Andrew - (chuckle)

thomsinger said...

Congrats on getting married. Chris's comment on people then asking you about when you will have kids (or buy a house, or if you are taking a major vacation, etc....) will be next. Amazingly people think they get to inject themselves deeply into your life.

Next time someone asks you if you have cold feet or want to back out .... turn it on them and say "should I, really? I mean do you know something about marriage or my fiancee that I don't know? Oh my God, I had not had cold feet, but now that you bring it up... maybe I should tell her that you got me wondering about this decision". Then stand there looking very concerned for an uncomfortable amount of time.

Andrew Weaver said...

Thom - good idea! I love akward moments (creating them), so that would be entertaining to me! Ha!

I've only got a week and a half left though...