Few concepts in this world are more complicated than having a relationship. Especially from the female perspective. We love you, we hate you. We want to be alone, we miss you. You drive us crazy, but we worship everything you do. Even the smallest aspects of your boyfriend's being that go unnoticed by everyone else can actually become our biggest pet peeves. Nonetheless, just because they are pet peeves doesn't mean they aren't endearing characteristics. Here are nine ridiculously annoying parts of a relationship that every girlfriend secretly loves.
1. He shaves in the sink. Then leaves the hair in the drain.
I thought I would start with my number one pet peeve. Nothing is more annoying than wanting to brush your teeth but you can't because there is a layer of facial hair coating the bottom of your sink. I mean, would it kill you boys to just clean up after yourself? Or maybe, put a bag or trashcan underneath your face while you're shaving. That way, everyone wins. It's an easy clean up, and there is no hairy mess left over to torture me. However, I must admit that when I see that hairy mess in the sink, I know that I will be looking at a better groomed and beard-less face, which is always a happy thought. No more scratchy kisses and hugs. Victory.
2. He uses your shampoo. Your very expensive shampoo.
While we're talking about bathroom annoyances, let's talk about how that very pricey bottle of your favorite shampoo has a way of disappearing faster than it should. A girl's shampoo is everything. At least, it is for me. The difference between using nice shampoo and cheap one-dollar shampoo from Dollar General is like night and day. Plus, if you're like me, you probably have zero money and absolutely no business buying overly priced keratin, biotin, and collagen enriched shampoos. (Especially considering I learned what all of those words actually mean just this year.) Let's be honest though, girls' hair requires ten times the amount of nourishing as boys' hair. So, when you realize that your protein-packed shampoo is going to waste on a head that doesn't even need it, you die inside just a little bit. However, him using your shampoo means he smells fantastic, which will always be a win.
3. Somehow, he is always covered in dirt.
Okay, this may not apply to every boyfriend out there, but my boyfriend happens to work outside for a living. As one can imagine, our dirty clothes pile can often be comparable to Mount Everest. Laundry day is equivalent to D-Day and standing next to him can sometimes feel like you're breathing in straight dirt and pollen. However, there is nothing better than being with a guy who knows the meaning of hard work. When you think about everything that he must do during the day to accumulate such extravagant stains on his clothes, you can't help but realize how much of himself he gives in order to provide for the people that he loves. A real man loves dirt, because a real man loves working hard.
4. He goes out of his way to appear manly.
No, I do not understand why cigars are appealing or why it is necessary that you want to accumulate as many power tools as humanly possible. I also don't know what a "blitz package" is or the difference between a "three-four defense" and a "four-three defense." (If you are a girl who understands these foreign football concepts, then more power to you). I also do not understand why you insist on spending hours fixing my car when I can easily take it down the road to a body shop and have it finished in half the time and spare you of all the manual labor. All the same, knowing that your car and your broken kitchen appliances will always be taken care of free of charge is an overwhelmingly comforting thought. Nothing makes a girl feel more taken care of than having a guy who is her own personal handy man. Not to mention, you will never have to single handedly put together that convoluted piece of furniture that you bought from Ikea. #winning.
5. He is literally friendly to everyone.
It has been a long day at work. You both know what you want for dinner tonight, but need to run to the store to grab a few items before heading home. Your pencil skirt and work shoes are literally rubbing you in all the wrong ways and the shirt that you're wearing is about as comfortable as wearing plastic wrap. You need leggings and a t-shirt. And Netflix. And a glass of wine. But wait, your boyfriend is the type to find a way to relate to every human being that he comes into contact with. This typically leaves you trapped in a (physically) uncomfortable conversation where you are forced to fake smiles and laughs and pretend like you are interested when all you truly want is to ignore everyone in the store so that you can decrease the time interval standing in the way of your overly large t-shirt and leggings. Boys don't understand this dilemma. Be that as it may, dating someone who is overly social really has a way of taking the pressure off of you. Parties, going out to a restaurant, and even simple errands become easier because you don't have to come up with small talk. It's all already taken care of. Not to mention, being a friendly person and being kind to people is probably something that we should all learn how to do a little better. In the grand scheme of things, Netflix and wine can probably wait. Well, Netflix can.
6. He gets hangry.
So, maybe he isn't friendly all the time. Mixing hunger with exhaustion can often result in disaster in most relationships. That low blood sugar can be frightening thing, but you know this because you are the queen of hangry. You secretly like when he gets hangry because you know that he isn't actually upset, and it can easily be resolved with a quick trip to a drive-through. You can also stop feeling guilty about your irrational, emotional, hunger-driven freak-outs. So, stop beating yourself up, ladies. Boys can be just as crazy as us sometimes.
7. He has the appetite of a 6 year old.
Vegetables? Organically grown? Low calorie? Gluten free? Contains more than three ingredients? Nice try. I don't know about all of you, but a solid half of my pantry is dedicated to Easy Mac alone. Anything that is instant and comes in a box is gold, and freezer meals are a gift sent from God. If it takes longer than 90 seconds in the microwave to make then he probably doesn't want any part of it. On the plus side, his dinner is always easy and taken care of and I have more time to put in more effort to what I want to eat. And no, it most likely will not come from a cardboard box. Unless it's pizza, obviously.
8. He tackles you in the morning to wake you up.
Thank you, I was really hoping to get ripped from my valuable REM sleep by the force of your entire body. There is nothing quite like waking up in a panic because you feel like you're being attacked. I must say though, once the initial shock has subsided, it's pretty hard to be mad considering it was actually adorable.
9. He is quick to call you out on your crap.
In a healthy relationship, there is no such thing as acting like a psycho and getting away with it. Those hormone-ridden outbursts are complete crap, and you know it. Unfortunately, so does he. A couple years down the relationship road and us girls cannot get away with anything. As annoying as it is, I truly believe it benefits us more than anything. Nobody wants to date an irrational psycho, and I'm truly thankful to have someone who has the guts to tell me when I'm acting like one. I know we all love/admire/want to be Brooke Davis and Blair Waldorf but I also think we can admit that they can even push the limits at times. 'Tis simply the curse of being a female.
Needless to say relationships are confusing. And hard. And sometimes the parts that annoy you the most are the reasons you end up sticking around and making it last and you don't even realize it. (That is, until you sit down at a computer and type them all out.) Don't ask me why relationships have to be so paradoxical; believe me, I'm just as befuddled as all of you. What I do know is that a healthy relationship does a lot more helping than it does hurting, and finding a positive in every negative just might be the best way to go about that.
