Speaking of partnerships, Drama Geek never ceases to amaze
me in that realm. We recently attended a convention together. In an effort to
start our relationship off on the right foot, I’ve held nothing back from him.
Shortly after we met, I clued him in on all the irons I had going in the fire. I
told him of my full-time job, my freelance writing, my image consulting, my
public speaking and of my devotion to my church family. I shared my dreams and
goals with him; I told him my priorities.
It may not sound like much, but this was a big deal. I spent
a lot of time in my previous marriage fighting over my ambition or Mr. Ex’s
lack of it. I had grown weary of being resented for my driven nature, and I
refused to be in a similar relationship. Though I instantly liked Drama Geek
more than I was willing to admit, I knew I had to start the relationship off
with full disclosure. If he couldn’t handle my tendency to burn the candle at
every imaginable end, we both deserved to know that information sooner rather
than later. Surprisingly, what irritated Mr. Ex the most is exactly what
attracts Drama Geek to me. He says he loves my ambition, my confidence and my
willingness to go the extra mile to achieve a goal.
Because of that, he invested his own time and money to
accompany me on this recent business trip. It was shocking to me. In my
marriage, our lives were clearly divided. Mr. Ex would never accompany me on a
consulting gig or convention; those were “my thing” and of no interest to him.
Similarly, I wouldn’t join him and his friends for a night of stoned
debauchery. That was “his thing.” Come to think of it, we really did live
separate lives.
That’s why it’s even more impressive to me that Drama Geek
not only willingly traveled with me on business, but he sat in on all my
training sessions as well. Through that action – and our nightly debriefings – I
learned that he has an impeccable business sense and is keen in strategy. I
also learned that he views all of my business endeavors as “our thing.” More
than once, he referred to my profession as a “joint business venture” and
pledged to do all he could to support me in achieving the goals I’ve set for
myself. I didn’t know what to do with myself or my apparent good fortune.