Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Melas
Why do engineers make lousy boyfriend but great husbands? And...Is is possible to be a great boyfriend and a great husband?

Straight from the stereotypes here. Engineers tend to be more pragmatic and less exciting. Using myself as an example. I'd much rather spend the evening at home then go out. I never saw the purpose of the bar scene. I don't follow the latest fads etc (never did). I don't dance (other than polka and waltz). You may say that in some ways I was boring (during college years that is). So, poor boyfriend material, stereotypically.

Engineers make great husbands as we are rock solid steady. Don't go off on flights of fancy all that much. We make good money. We can fix almost anything that goes wrong in the house (and those things we can't fix we know enough about to make sure the repair man doesn't rip us off). We are the ultimate in dependable and loyal. Mid life crisis? Maybe a new computer or siding for the house (in a wild and unpredictable color like cream or light blue!). Again stereotypically we are great husbands.

The one flaw we have as husbands is we are very poor at listening to problems. We will solve them in the blink of an eye but we have to restrain ourselves to let our wives vent about it completely before we fix it. Fortunately most of us are smart enough to realize this.

Can we be good at both? I'd like to think so but it takes a special girl to appreciate us. Most of the party animal type girls wouldn't give us a second glance (too boring). I Think I was a great boyfriend to my wife, At least she went out with me again. (and I'm not quite as geeky as most engineers). I know I was a great husband to her.

160 posted on 01/10/2006 1:17:58 PM PST by John O (God Save America (Please))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 144 | View Replies ]


To: John O
Straight from the stereotypes here. Engineers tend to be more pragmatic and less exciting. Using myself as an example. I'd much rather spend the evening at home then go out. I never saw the purpose of the bar scene. I don't follow the latest fads etc (never did). I don't dance (other than polka and waltz). You may say that in some ways I was boring (during college years that is). So, poor boyfriend material, stereotypically.

Ah. I didn't realize that being a homebody went hand in hand with being an engineer. I wish I could say that I can relate, but I don't have a clue. At 42, and married for 15 years this June, we still enjoy going out and tearing up the town every now and then. My little group of friends is still known to throw wild-assed parties that you wouldn't dare bring a minor to. I life like that way. I can't see myself ever preferring to watch "Friends"

Engineers make great husbands as we are rock solid steady. Don't go off on flights of fancy all that much. We make good money. We can fix almost anything that goes wrong in the house (and those things we can't fix we know enough about to make sure the repair man doesn't rip us off). We are the ultimate in dependable and loyal. Mid life crisis? Maybe a new computer or siding for the house (in a wild and unpredictable color like cream or light blue!). Again stereotypically we are great husbands.

Again with the different view on life. I always considered myself a good husband because I try to keep life new and exciting. Or rather, because I NEED to keep life new and exciting to fulfill my own needs. It just worked out that women really seem to dig that. I like my wife to know that this weekend might be even more fun than the last one. In the end, we're all decrepit with nothing but memories. I want those memories to be worth it.

It's the same quality that I think makes me a good father. There is nothing like seeing a kid beam when he shows a friend a snapshot and says, "This is when my Dad taught me how to land a 7' drop on my mountain bike." Or, "This is when my Dad and I rode up Pikes Peak on his Harley."

The one flaw we have as husbands is we are very poor at listening to problems. We will solve them in the blink of an eye but we have to restrain ourselves to let our wives vent about it completely before we fix it. Fortunately most of us are smart enough to realize this.

Fix a woman's problem? In all my years of marriage I've yet to fix a problem that my wife brought up. I've come to realize that they're all unfixable, and that she just wants me to nod and smile while she enjoys the recounting of the details.

167 posted on 01/10/2006 1:32:10 PM PST by Melas (What!? Read or learn something? Why would anyone do that, when they can just go on being stupid)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 160 | View Replies ]

To: John O
Your description of an engineering husband is so accurate of my own its scary! But heartening. And he was not a boring boyfriend...at the time we started dating, I let him know I just wanted someone who would like me back and spend time with me. Apparently thats all I needed to say. As for his midlife crisis - with him its a honking big (and expensive telescope) - its even a blazing red color!! LOL But you are correct in one of their (albeit darling) faults is that they are not good at just "listening" to complaints...am going through something of an emotional midlife crisis myself (nothing to do with the marriage) and he has been having a hard time dealing with it. Its not anything he can fix and is frequently torn between bafflement and exasperation because he doesnt understand or seems to think I am making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Recently I recieved an email about some article written by a man claiming he could educate women on what men want...and he had a phrase that boiled it down real well : men want respect, women want love.

thing is, I think both men and women want respect. I am very willing to bend and try to see things from the male perspective. I just wish more men would bend and do the same. Im not asking them to BECOME women...just try and understand that we want to feel respected and cherished the same way they do...but we have different qualifiers for it...just wish they woud come to understan what those qualifiers are...and its not always about money.

No really...its not always about the money. When I married my engineer hubby, he was just as poor as I was, actually POORER as he had school loans and I didnt.

When I dated a guy, I just wanted him to like me in return and consider me someone with whom he could spend time. I wasnt interested in superiority. i was too busy looking forward to all the things we could do together. Fortunately, my hubby ws looking for the same thing.

507 posted on 01/11/2006 1:32:31 PM PST by Alkhin (He thinks I need keeping in order - Peregrin Took, FOTR)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 160 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson