The Ugly: Calvin and Hobbes and Relationship

Whoever made this, thank you.

OK, maybe not just nostalgia. Yesterday was my year-and-a-half with Maria (which normally would be just "nice", but this is the first time Maria and I have been able to celebrate any anniversary at all together, making it a big deal...), so I was thinking about stuff like this anyway. And then I saw this on Facebook today, and thought I'd share.

As I've talked about in earlier blog posts (like all my The Ugly posts) I didn't have a particularly peaceful childhood; most of it was spent avoiding the next beating from people who liked me not a day or two ago. There were very few things I could label a genuine pleasure that I wasn't afraid would change on me in five minutes. Calvin and Hobbes was one of these genuine pleasures. I connected with Calvin's removal from "other kids", and his odd friendship with Hobbes. Avoiding all the kids who didn't understand to tromp off into the world and go through some mishaps? Yes please! I'd read their adventures, and want a friend like that: someone who had their own unique set of foibles, but had no problem listening to me talk (for what could be hours sometimes...) and give me their point of view. Someone who would follow me into whatever hair-brained scheme we'd cooked up. Looking on it now, I suppose my ideas on what a friend was like were founded in this cartoon. I've always looked for quiet and thoughtful people who cared to be around.

I am very fortunate in this regard. Very, very, very fortunate. I have a lot of friends who are more than willing to go along with whatever hair-brained scheme I've cooked up today, and who (occasionally) convince me to go on some of their own. Probably my closest friend in that regard has got to be Carpe, who has stuck with me for four years now, always supportive and never judging, to the point that, frankly, I'm in awe. That's a friend, folks! Give him a round of applause.

And (fortunately) I've found that my relationship with Maria is nothing like that. This isn't what I have with Carpe (which is about as close to Calvin and Hobbes as I think I'll ever get, right down to the part of Carpe-Hobbes being much smarter than me).What is it? To be honest, I have no idea. Maria and I have only spent about a month hanging out on a consistent basis, so I really don't know what our relationship is like, and definitions like that are only formed with a bit of hindsight. But I know I'm really enjoying it. And that it fits that picture well. Even if Maria isn't Hobbes: probably closer to Susie (both in terms of intelligence, patience, and cuteness).

But even that isn't right. Oh well. I'm done trying to be intellectual about non-intellectual stuff for today. This rambling bit of sentimentality brought on by my favorite comic-strip of all time, Carpe and a year and a half of awesomeness with Maria.

Wait, I'm actually happy?

When did that happen?

Eh, I did say I'd stop thinking about it...