Thursday, July 5, 2007

Praise from Praterland

No pix because with any luck you'll be seeing the piece in question at a newsstand near you, but I'm happy with the results of my Independence Day labors.

Better yet, Mark thinks it’s one of the best pieces I’ve done. He’s the one with the art degree, albeit in ceramics. But everyone knows all the hot guys are ceramics majors.

His comment meant a lot to me. Mark doesn’t praise my work often. He doesn’t praise anything often, me or otherwise. He’s just not like that. But if he does, he really means it.

On our wedding day, after I walked down the aisle and stood next to him, beaming, in all my bridely glory he looked at me in adoration and said: “You look nice.”

Nice?

Nice?

This dress cost my parents more than my first car! Nice? It took me four hours to get ready! It's my wedding day! How about beautiful or breathtaking or like something out of a heavenly dream? Nope. Just nice. Sheesh.

Oh well, he’s steady and true-blue, not one for doling out extravagant praise or flowery sweet nothings. Picture Mr. Spock from Star Trek with good hair and killer guns. That’s Mark. There’s only room for one of us in the freak-out/Greek-out category and that position is filled.

But he told me he liked it and that’s like getting an acceptance letter from the Guggenheim. On national TV. During Superbowl halftime. Being married to Mark Prater is....well, nice.

Mark enjoying his morning coffee.
p.s. We took the boys to see Transformers last night. If you're into action flicks, go see it - really fun to watch. It's kind of a family tradition for us, going to the movies on the 4th. Nothing says independence like $4 Skittles.

10 comments:

Brambleberry said...

Ah! I love it!! Seems I married the same sort of man. Thanks for sharing!

Unknown said...

my gosh, is an art school thing? my husband (graphics advertising major) is just the same. What ever i am working on has to be REALLY good, to elicit a verbal compliment. usually he just walks by, glances at what I am doing and keeps walking. If he stops and says,"looking good" Holy cow, I know I am on to something!

Anonymous said...

How funny! my husband is similar..though I have to spoon feed him the compliments I want.. and every so often he'll say something like "I'll comment more if you sell it and make enough for me to quit my job".

Ugh.

Tula said...

You go cuz!!!

Anonymous said...

ohmygosh, I'm rolling on the floor laughing about the "you look nice"...my hoosband is the same way! I get those about once every decade. he stopped asking me if what I was wearing was "new" years ago because he would get "the look" as it was not new and I had worn it before and he should have noticed!
Ohmygosh #2 you greek? me too! I'm married to a major americano-God Bless America! he's a very good egg, and now more greek than me..lol...like I usually ask him my orthodox questions...and get this...he makes us stay for the entire Easter midnight service...no "peacing out" aloud after midnight. I tried to "splain" to him that I was greek and we left after the first couple Xhristos Anesti's. Go figure. he he...~Lia

Cheryl Prater said...

We don't go to a Greek church anymore (don't tell Yiayia) but we usually showed up late and made up for it by leaving early. : )

Anonymous said...

Cheryl,
You in megalo trouble, because I just heard your Yiayia reads your blog. Her online name is ZestiYi. So, watch out.
vintagekatina

Deb Silva said...

Sweet Pea, your'e the best freind i ever met in one minute, EVER - lol - I love you TONS!
Keep on with your incredibly talented self!!
Deb

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed your article on Mark. It was nice. L, Mark's Mom

lu summers said...

ha! hi cheryl, i just stumbled on your blog, (as one does) and saw your name and it was totally bugging me cos i knew i knew it form somewhere. of course from PCS!
i've been writing articles for pokey, but for QA, but i get PCS by subscription. i did have to laugh about your husband, maybe it's the type of blokes creative women go for...i just found out i got into a major juried uk exhibition at the nec in birmingham, and i handed the acceptance letter to my husband to read. (i was on my own when i opened it, i swear dolphins would've heard me squealing) even though he's a stoic sort of chap, i thought there might be some sort of congratulatary-style praise, but all i got was: 'well that's no suprise, what's for dinner?'. well, it's lovely that he had that much faith in me, but bloody hell, i expected a bit more than that!
i didn't mean for this to be an epic comment, just wanted to wave hello from across the pond!