Dear Ruthie is proudly brought to you by C3 Designs — Award Winning Fine Jewelry. C3 Designs offers a variety of services performed in-house, including custom jewelry design, jewelry and watch repair, appraisal, pearl and bead stringing, engraving and flip guards. C3 Designs is the winner of the Jewelers of America 2019 CASE Award.
Dear Ruthie,
My husband (four years together) and I like different vacations. I’m a warm weather, chill on the beach sort of guy; he’s a race from here to there and squeeze as much out of a vacation as possible sort of guy. In other words, we don’t vacation well together; never have.
I’d like to suggest taking separate vacations but I’m not sure how he’ll take that. Any thoughts on how I can approach this subject? Is this even a good idea? I have doubts.
Thanks,
World Traveler
Dear Traveler,
Lots of couples enjoy taking a bit of time away from one another via separate vacations. People use such getaways to recharge, experience personal growth and strengthen appreciation of one another.
Taking separate vacations can have drawbacks as well, the most immediate being trust issues. As such, be sure to communicate expectations while you’re away from one another. Discuss why you think separate vacations would benefit you both. If you don’t find common ground, this may not be a good idea.
Another option might be to take long weekends away instead of full-on vacays. Maybe spend a weekend in Chicago with friends or go camping with a few buddies while the other holds down the fort at home. See how that goes before planning extended trips without one another.
Dear Ruthie,
My new girlfriend and I recently went on a girls’ trip to Dallas. We had a good time but it’s pretty obvious we don’t have the same idea of what makes for a fun vacation. This concerns me. We literally got into two arguments during our trip. Is this a red flag?
Love you,
Miss May
Dear Missy,
First trips together can serve up a host of issues. What makes for a great trip? Are there expectations of what will happen on the vacation? Where will we spend most of our time? Do we sleep in or get up early? When vacation expectations (big or little) aren’t met, it can cause issues.
Let this first trip be a lesson to you both. You now know what each other expects on trips and you can better address those expectations in the future. If traveling together continues to be an issue, see the letter above!
Ruthie’s Social Calendar
June 26—Market on the Riverwalk at Schlitz Park (1515 N. Rivercenter Drive): Get a jumpstart on the weekend with this 4 p.m. makers mart, featuring some of the city’s favorite artisans. You’ll also enjoy food and cash bars before the market closes at 8 p.m.
June 28—"Pride’s Not Over Yet” Book Fair at The Well Red Damsel (6429 W. North Ave.): Check out this (very) new bookstore with a 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. fair. Meet romance authors, mix and mingle, discover your new favorite queer love story/book and find fun pride merchandise.
June 28—Melee’s Matinee at Pop (124 W. National Ave.): Take day drinking to new heights with this 2 p.m. party featuring Melee Queen, one of the city’s favorite drag superstars. Take in the high-energy show, sip craft cocktails and order from Pop’s popular menu for an afternoon you’ll never forget.
June 29—Drag Bingo Brunch at Pilot Project Brewing Milwaukee (1128 N. Ninth St.): Join me and the friendly staff of this hip brewery/restaurant as we dish out brunch, bingo, prizes and more. The all-ages brunch starts at 11 a.m. but be sure to see the events page at www.pilotprojectbrewing.com/milwaukee for reservations.
June 29—Pride on Brady (at various locations along Brady St.): Round out your pride celebration with this bash that includes food, beverages, shopping and more. The fun starts at noon and runs until 10 p.m., giving you plenty of time to check out the happenings along Brady Street.
July 1—Trivia Tuesday at Woody’s (1579 S. Second St.): Seymour Muchmore serves up a great night at this LGBTQ+ sports bar. Get a small team together or simply play on your own. Prizes, friendly bartenders and lots of laughs are hand every Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Have a question for Ruthie? Want to share an event with her? Contact Ruthie at DearRuthie@ShepEx.com.
