Is goofiness a word? Probably not but if you’re a normal wife (me!) and you’re married to an engineer (Vince), there are almost irreconcilable differences!
First, you know I will never ever in a million years ask him to build a chicken coop or a fence or a garden. Heaven help me but last weekend he bought paint to re-do some of the door facings on this house. Anyone want to bet when we sell this house, we’ll have buckets of paint that were bought way back in 2009 to re-do these door facings?
But worst of all, I asked him to help me with the name of a quilt. It needed a label NOW! I had to pack it and get it labeled to be picked up by UPS the next day. I said . . Vince, look at this quilt and think of a name for it while I run to the bathroom. OK . . I did put some clothes on to wash but I was only gone about 3-1/2 minutes. I came back and he handed me his list of names . . all neatly written, in engineer handwriting.
- Windy Morning
- Channeled Energy
- Sustainability
- Spinning Energy
- Boxed Energy
- Sustained Energy
- Windy Windows
- Spinning Windows
- Sustained Geometry
- Symmetrical Sustainability
Does that sound like the syllabus for a class on some kind of energy or a name for a beautiful, bright, energetic quilt? Add to that list of things I’ll never again ask him to do . . think of a name for a quilt!
CJ says
LOL!
Vicki W says
I kind of like the first two though!
Melinda says
So……… which one did you pick? 😀
By the way, LOVE the new blog design. I can actually read things on your blog now! 😀 And thanks for the tutorial on binding. I finally got to watch it, too. In fact, I’m going to try it out fairly soon.
Hugs,
Melinda
Ida Lively says
Well, I think it’s great that he sees ‘movement’ and ‘energy’ in the quilt. =-)
I do, however, understand your frustration. My hubby is a mechanical engineer. He’s the oldest in the family. His little brother (who is 6’7″, compared to hubby’s 6’4″ … but three years younger) is an Aero/Astro Engineer. Baby sister (who is 5’9″ and 5 years younger than my hubby 😉 ) is a Chemical Engineer.
Dad Lively (6’2″ and 25 years older than hubby) is an Electrical Engineer w/ a Masters in Business.
Poor Mom Lively, rest her soul, (5’7″ and also 25 years older than hubby) was an English/History major. She was glad when I joined the family because when they started talking ‘geek’, she no longer had to tune out and get that ‘glazed’ look in her eyes. She now had someone to talk ‘crafts’ with. 😉
Jamie says
LOLOLOL!!!!
I like the 1st one also!!!
Julie says
I, too, like the first name! My husband would be giving me the glazed look if I asked him about naming a quilt — if it doesn’t go fast and turn left he has no interest. That being said, I’ve used the phrase – Ladies, start your sewing machines – when the race comes on! LOL
Tina says
There are a few engineers in my life, too (hubby, brother and friends). They are certainly a different breed, but we love them anyway! I started out in college in the electrical engineering department. I just didn’t fit in!
dawn says
As I was getting my hair done today I was thinking about you and your chicken coop…wondering if you had the chickens in there. 🙂 Yep, I think about you while I am out and about….stalk Judy much??! hahahahaha
Can’t wait to see pics of your chooks in their wonderfully built and fabulously painted new home.
Hang in there!!
dawn
Pat says
Which name did you pick?
I like the alliteration of ‘Windy Windows’ but I have a background in science…which is sorta like engineering 🙂 sorta.
Mary L says
I understand this one completely. My husband is a former pastor and psychologist, now a burgeoning quilter. If I ask for help with a quilt name I get a list quite similar to yours but quite a bit more abstract. And then he’s offended when I don’t use any of them.
Elaine Adair says
Good story but in fact, some of them are pretty catchy! Enything with “energy” is very 2009-ish! Might attract positive attention. How clever he was to come up with a good list in a short time. Kinda makes us all realize the differences in gender. 😎
pdudgeon says
i like channeled energy.
has a very green, eco, new wave feel about it.
should be a very interesting quilt!
(alternately, try “magnum force” and see what Vince says)
Shari says
Dare I say I liked his list? But totally get where you are coming from… you don’t ask an engineer for something whimsical… so what did you call the quilt? and can we see it? Love the new look by the way…
Linda C says
I must have some engineer genes; I like most of those names! 🙂
Vicky says
ROFLOL. You two crack me up!!
Becky says
Those names made me really want to see the quilt that inspired it. Must have lots of movement to it.
Your hubby reminds me of my dad. And all the times his genious mind tried to help me with my math homework. LOL. Needless to say it was more frustration than help!
Evelyn says
Wow, that is a great list! I think engineers just like vocabulary. Engineering blood runs in my DH’s side of the family so I do understand where you are coming from. He comes up with all sorts of good ideas and then I usually hire a carpenter to finalize the idea!
Perry says
I like the first one! Wonder what kind of laughs you would get if you named it the last one on the list, lol.
Sue Abrey says
LOL. Yep, sort of thing my DH (also an engineer) or DS (physics teacher) would do.
Which one, if any did you choose?
Tammy says
All of those names makes me curious to SEE the quilt!
Pat says
I, too, would like to see the quilt AND the name you chose (or maybe you didn’t choose one of those names?)
Sandy says
Judy, I know exactly what your mean as I am married to an engineer. They are odd ducks! One of my sons is an engineer and one is a freelance artist — they are like day and night! So in our house it’s 2 engineers vs 2 artsy types. Makes life intersting!
Kathy C. says
LOL – My husband is a Geometry teacher and thinks like an engineer! There is black and there is white – never any gray areas. Everything has to be lined up in a row. No abstract lines. This can be a good thing for drafting quilt blocks 😉 but I don’t dare do any off-center focal points!
Mary-Kay C. says
I kind of like the first one too! I’d like to see the quilt that inspired all the “energetic” names. My husband would come up with some really whacky names. Now I just ask him if he likes it, yes or no? And we have stuff that he bought to finish things around the house from at least 10 years ago and not one project is completely finished except for quilts, of course.
Sarah says
So apparently I am in the minority here… I am both a mechanical engineer and a quilter. I’m married to an electrical engineer. At least we can communicate easily with each other! I’m pretty good at figuring out blocks and patterns, but I can never make myself do scrappy things or projects that require random placements, or ‘wonky’ blocks, etc.
I always have fun when I go to my LQS – my fabric choices are generally those that are or appear to be one color, and are not very adventurous. I’ve finally figured out to not let them try to help me pick fabrics since I will not like their color combinations anyway, and will leave with them thinking they failed to make me broaden my horizons. 🙂
Donna Rae says
How funny. But I too like the first one Windy Mornings but I like Windy Windows way more and if you don’t use it You may just see the name in print someday! (-:
Donna Rae
Sue H says
I’m sorry I’m commenting on this post so late, but we just got back from vacation. I am married to an electrical engineer, and I have tears in my eyes as I’ve been trying to stifle laughing out loud (I’m within his earshot). That’s a list my DH would LOVE! Totally up his alley. Smart, clever problem solvers, good providers, devoted husbands. Poets, they’re not.