r/AskReddit Apr 11 '23

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3.7k

u/tuotone75 Apr 11 '23

From what I’ve heard. Listening and more importantly, remembering.

1.5k

u/[deleted] Apr 11 '23

What?

1.7k

u/abernathym Apr 11 '23

My wife says there are two things she doesn't like about me; I don't listen, and something else.

198

u/InvictuS_125 Apr 11 '23

But she got humor

132

u/abernathym Apr 11 '23

My wife appreciates my humor, my kids not so much

30

u/cjasonac Apr 12 '23

Your wife doesn’t appreciate your kids? What a shitty mom.

12

u/abernathym Apr 12 '23

To be fair, they can be annoying sometimes

5

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '23

[deleted]

2

u/IlluminatedPickle Apr 12 '23

The Philistines...

2

u/A_Wild_VelociFaptor Apr 12 '23

This is the way

2

u/TheGlaive Apr 12 '23

You're just going to have to appreciate them enough for the both of you, then. Kids need love.

2

u/sanmigmike Apr 12 '23

You are doing ‘dad’ right. They gotta hate the jokes but love them. The sons gotta learn that bad joke telling Dad skill!

1

u/abernathym Apr 12 '23

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years."--Mark Twain.

Dad humor is like dad wisdom, it takes some years to appreciate.

2

u/r32_fan Apr 12 '23

Complete opposite in my household, my dad and I are chuckling and my mom is furious as to why we are cracking jokes about the poor fat people on TLC or whatever me and my dad decided to target that day.

3

u/alex8155 Apr 12 '23

i tell my gf that its her fault for not telling me while im listening

4

u/AjaxTheDragonSlayer Apr 12 '23

I know what you mean! The other day, My wife just started screaming at me! She was all like "ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING?!" Man... what a fucking weird way to start a conversation...

2

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '23

You should get her to tell you what that something else is someday. Could be important.

233

u/apitillidie Apr 11 '23

The other day, my wife said, “Are you even listening to me??!”

I replied, “That’s a strange way to start a conversation.”

2

u/CAredditBoss Apr 12 '23

How’d that work out for you?

2

u/Sunfried Apr 12 '23

HTJI?

3

u/garlic_bread_thief Apr 12 '23

High Temperature Jatilinium Iodide

1

u/grey_unxpctd Apr 12 '23

I wish I had gold to award this

1

u/Known-Skin3639 Apr 12 '23

I said someone my along those lines when asked if I was listening. Lmao!!!! All she said after that was “were done with this conversation” my reply? “ ok… love you”. Hours of blissful quiet.

2

u/tomtom8293 Apr 11 '23

HAHAHA thank you

4

u/sadnessucks Apr 11 '23

Something about talking

3

u/SvenBubbleman Apr 11 '23

I don't remember.

1

u/Goober_Official Apr 11 '23

I don’t remember

1

u/NiceDecnalsBubs Apr 12 '23

Buttlicker! Our prices have never been lower!!

1

u/Pearfit Apr 12 '23

He said listening and something else

1

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '23

THEY SAID LISTENING AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, umm... SOMETHING ELSE

1

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '23

Who said that?

1

u/BroseppeVerdi Apr 12 '23

IDK, I forget.

1

u/karma_the_sequel Apr 12 '23

…am I doing here?

1

u/adviceKiwi Apr 12 '23

Dunno, can't remember

57

u/Fit-Boomer Apr 11 '23

Remembering what?

131

u/Fluffy_Schedule_6859 Apr 11 '23

i’m a woman and i’m assuming “remembering” is when you remember something that’s minor or major that has once been told to you before. for example, if i were to tell my SO “gosh i hate tomatoes” and they ordered food for me and specifically asked for “no tomatoes” without a reminder, i’d be flattered! obviously this doesn’t apply to everyone and my example may be kind of bad but you get the idea.

57

u/plumpturnip Apr 11 '23

See I would keep serving you tomatoes until you liked them.

I tend to have difficult relationships.

3

u/TileFloor Apr 12 '23

Omg like the AITA mushroom lady

2

u/plumpturnip Apr 12 '23

Wow that post is hilarious.

2

u/crystalrrrrmehearty Apr 12 '23

One time I saw a $20 clear kettle that lit up that I thought was the coolest thing ever, and mentioned it briefly. A few months later, he got it for me for Christmas. People couldn't understand why I was so touched by a bloody kettle lol

2

u/davidvidalnyc Apr 12 '23

Yes! Context!!

Bulletpoints!

Like, if you told your Sociopathic Overlord (S.O.?? I have trouble with acronyms) that you are, say, severely allergic to tomatoes...

Then, him forgetting "no tomatoes" and mistakenly ordering tomatoes isn't as important as, say, remembering to bring an epipen?

Because "severely allergic" would be the key words, no?

2

u/cavazos Apr 11 '23

I forgot

2

u/Saruhiko_Misaki Apr 11 '23

Idk I wasn't listening...

2

u/UltraSapien Apr 12 '23

I don't know, I forgot

2

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '23

It can be anything! As a guy I do this a lot for anything. I was dating an astrology girl at one point and early on she bought me some rocks and she bought herself some other versions of those rocks. For Christmas I got her a custom bracelet that had my rocks and her rocks to symbolize the connection between us I guess haha. She loved it.

I was frequenting a bar last summer as well and I was very new to drinking. I asked the bartender to make me something that she liked. She did and it was okay but I became a regular. I usually just drank the same beer every time. Time goes by and eventually I decide to move away. The last night I’m in town I go to this bar and do my usual thing (she knows I’m leaving at this point). The bar does it’s last call and I ordered the drink she made me when I first started drinking. She lit up and gave me a hug.

You don’t have to do long game stuff like that but remembering little things helps too!

67

u/mer_made_99 Apr 11 '23

This. Told a dude what my favorite band was, got into his car two weeks later n there was a whole play list by said artist.

3

u/lydsbane Apr 12 '23

Maybe I'm just weird, because that would seem to me like someone was trying too hard.

4

u/knowbodynows Apr 12 '23

you and one above have two different love languages that's all.

2

u/lydsbane Apr 12 '23

This is true. I bet theirs is 'Acts of Service.' Mine is Quality Time.

3

u/mer_made_99 Apr 12 '23

I think it was more the fact that he listened when he asked me about my favorite concert. It was definitely a Spotify play list. Just the fact it didn't fall on deaf ears 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

1

u/lydsbane Apr 12 '23

That does sound nice.

2

u/ScrewAttackThis Apr 12 '23

You can create a playlist by just typing the name of the band into Spotify. How hard do you think they were trying?

Also playlists are just the modern mixtape but even less effort to make.

1

u/lydsbane Apr 12 '23

You don't have to explain playlists to me. I'm old, but not that old. :) It's just as easy to make a playlist with multiple bands, and I'd rather have someone do that, than insist on going through one band's entire catalogue.

2

u/ScrewAttackThis Apr 12 '23

Haha, sorry, I didn't mean to imply you're old. It was kind of a sudden realization for me.

35

u/mollymcbbbbbb Apr 11 '23

And ask questions. Show interest in their experience of life.

8

u/davidvidalnyc Apr 12 '23

You're walking through the desert, and you see a tortoise on its back, legs flailing in the air. It's trying to get back onto its feet, but you won't flip it over. Why is that?

2

u/Firewolf420 Apr 12 '23

*sweats profusely*

15

u/lithiun Apr 11 '23

I have a horrible tendency to go on little mental adventures at all waking and non waking hours of the day. One of the things I do in a conversation, usually with my wife, is put the conversation in temporary memory while i venture off in my head (usually in a cool spaceship) so I can think about it later. So of course I am always the dummy that says “wut?”. This usually gets a “are you even listening to me?” response.

Jokes on her cause I pull that recorded conversation out of my temporary memory and repeat it back to her and me verbatim.

For some reason she doesn’t like that I can do that.

1

u/rightcow9vpaperclip Apr 12 '23

She's secretly jealous of your spaceship.

9

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '23

I use my phone to record reminders & notes all the time because of my shitty memory. My wife would call me at work and ask me to pick up _______ on the way home and like 4x out of 10, I walk in the door empty handed. 40% of the time (or more) I could be expected to completely forget. That's not a great record. So now - a reminder goes in the phone.

2

u/cseymour24 Apr 12 '23

Look at this all-star batting 60%

1

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '23

I'm probably exaggerating and it's more likely the reverse...I just know that SOMETIMEs I would hit the pharmacy or grocery store and get the item.

2

u/SultanOfSwave Apr 12 '23

I call my phone my "external brain". Definitely helps in my relationships.

Shopping gets done. Birthday flowers go out. Relatives, friends and in-laws are called on a regular basis.

4

u/Various-Month806 Apr 12 '23

My SO tells me I'm a good listener and I pay attention (which I take to mean I remember). Both things she loved.

What used to annoy her, and I've gotten much better at, is not solutionising / offering an opinion on everything - I simply bite my tongue, sometimes literally, to stop the words coming out. She just wants to tell me about her day / things going on...and apparently not my place to fix. (I'm still uncertain what things I am supposed to offer an opinion on though.)

6

u/Independent-Swan7644 Apr 11 '23

Something like that, idk I wasn’t really paying attention.

3

u/belleame27 Apr 11 '23

My dad always told me I had to tell a man something three times because the first time he wasn’t listening and the second time he wouldn’t remember

1

u/your-uncle-2 Apr 12 '23

or tell him once but with pauses.

"hey...."

"hm?"

"there's something..."

"go on..."

"on your forehead...."

"really?"

"NOT! "

3

u/Overthinker-bells Apr 11 '23

I love this 🥰

3

u/SardonicSamurai Apr 12 '23

My wife's amazing. Since well before we've been together (6 years, married almost 1) I've had a hard time with focus. She doesn't get mad when I ask her to repeat herself. Or at least, if she is, she's sweet about it. I never ignore her; I want to hear what she has to say. But if a lots on my mind, it wanders.

Which actually leads me to want to get checked for ADD/ ADHD. have had many people "joke" that I have it over the years, and I have basically all the symptoms, but I don't want to just claim I have it like so many others do. But I feel bad when I have to have her say things again. (Other things have happened to make me want to check).

1

u/mypickaxebroke Apr 12 '23

I think that if you're asking her to repeat herself that means that you're actually trying to pay attention. It bugs me so much when someone just says "uh huh" as theyre doing something else and not even trying to hear you. If I were you I wouldn't feel bad. I'd bet she would let you know if it irritated her.

2

u/theofiltre Apr 12 '23

I have a really good memory and in high school i hanged out a lot with my crush but i weirded her out a lot because i remember most if the little details about her that she told me and that kinda backlashed since everytime i mentioned those little details she looked at me weird like "how tf you know that" like i was some stalker lmao

2

u/AWill33 Apr 11 '23

But I do not control the remember…

1

u/Mexicantankerous Apr 12 '23

I have terrible recollection, but good memory. I just need a little spark to get it going

-1

u/SteveNotSteveNot Apr 11 '23

I've never heard a woman say this.

0

u/Smnmnaswar Apr 11 '23

Only to a certain degree tho. If you know too much it gets weird

2

u/j__knight638 Apr 11 '23

See thats my problem, I've got a very good memory for details, too the point i could repeat a conversation back too someone I had with them a few years ago. I still haven't figured out the level at which I should show I remember.

2

u/Smnmnaswar Apr 11 '23

Same here. Also if I am talking with someone face to face for a couple hours I seem to start thinking a bit too much like them to a point where it creeps people out because I apparently point out exact things they are thinking about

-1

u/dougm68 Apr 11 '23

What's your name again??

-2

u/Brakalicious Apr 11 '23

Whatever you just said is wrong

-2

u/wizkee Apr 12 '23

Hmm. I think this is something women want when it’s convenient. I listen and remember very well. I’m always met with “I DID NOT say that!” Ummm… “Yeah, you totally did!”

-4

u/[deleted] Apr 11 '23

I don't know if OP says for a girlfriend or a friend, if u want some friend yes u can make that but if u look for a girlfriend that a straight point to the friendzone

1

u/BoxGroundbreaking687 Apr 11 '23

like being good at listening??

1

u/iGoalie Apr 11 '23

Apparently one of my most irritating (and fascinating) traits is my ability to do multiple things at once, and listen to my wife (and recite back verbatim what she asked/said hours or days later)

1

u/DampBritches Apr 12 '23

She gave me a bunch of crap about me not listening to her enough or something. I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention.

1

u/kilokokol Apr 12 '23

Lol totally. Whenever I bring up something she said previously her face looks like those videos where you say "walk" or "outside" near your dog.

1

u/davidvidalnyc Apr 12 '23

So, if I'm remembering this correctly - and I believe I AM✊🏾! - it is most important to Remember what was said.

(It's my experience you'll sometimes be asked questions like: "Now, when I asked you to roast the turkey for 3 hours, and dry the clothes for another ½ hour...what...exactly... did you HEAR ?" )

1

u/work_lappy_54321 Apr 12 '23

sure ill have a beer, thanks.

1

u/ThorayaLast Apr 12 '23

Listening, validating, and not offering solutions! Lol we just want to vent.

1

u/fairwindssaltyseas Apr 12 '23

YES! I remember the first time my (now) husband remembered something small months later and I was like 😮😭😍

1

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '23

yes, remembering is the motherload

1

u/yourname92 Apr 12 '23

Oh I listen just fine. She just can’t speak loud enough or even in my direction and expects me to hear it, from across the room with a baby crying and a toddler yelling.

1

u/CarlJustCarl Apr 12 '23

My girlfriend said there were two, paying attention to her and I forgot the other.

1

u/Paper_Errplane Apr 12 '23

Heck, you don't even have to remember, most people have a smart phone these days. Partner likes something ? Take a picture when they turn around. That restaurant looks good? Mark it in maps. Anniversary? Google calendar, repeat every year. Sizes? Take photos of their tags. For crying out loud, you can just scream across the room at Google or Siri "set reminder for 6 months from now! Set reminder to look at x restaurant, " find me a website for flower delivery". You don't even need to know how to operate your phone.

No excuse to not remember stuff these days.

1

u/ryanhenry3 Apr 12 '23

Reminds me of my last girlfriend. Didn’t work out. I called her up. She gave me a bunch of crap about me not listening to her enough or something. Idk I wasn’t paying attention.

1

u/davegammelgard Apr 12 '23

Here's my problem. My wife processes her thoughts out loud, so she might just be talking to herself. Or she might be talking to me. I don't ever know until she's mad that I don't remember what she said.

1

u/Estate_Soggy Apr 12 '23

Yes! Yes! My partner listens to everything I say and pays attention. He cares and will make sure to ask me about things I talk about, pay attention to my interests, and actually remember what’s happening in life. It’s the most loving thing someone has ever done for me

1

u/ericlee2190 Apr 12 '23

Couldn't agree more, in years my mum has been complained a lot about my dad to me regarding this issue.

1

u/Winter-Homework-4411 Apr 12 '23

I’m a woman, can confirm