Marriage Enrichment (Rotary)
Marissa and I attended the first Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro Marriage Enrichment seminar on February 9, 2008, and while I enjoyed it, I was also shocked by the results. I would say we are closer as a result of attending the seminar, but only in the sense that our differences in opinion are now out in the open.
For instance, despite my previous and repeated indications to Marissa that my cell phone, my wallet, and my PC were off-limits to her, without my express approval, she still feels she should be able to pick up my cell phone, go through my wallet, or log into my PC under my own userID anytime she pleases, and if I do not allow that, then it is because I do not trust and accept her as my wife.
These were exactly the things that I claimed were my “private grounds”. One of the the speakers actually mentioned that such things should be off limits. Marissa apparently did not pay attention to this speaker.
Another thing that really peeved me was that Marissa admitted she was texting me via multiple unknown cell phone numbers to see if I would respond, to see if I would engage a textmate. Actually, I have long suspected Marissa of sending me text messages pretending to be someone else, and when I get these I sometimes do not respond, but sometimes I try to get the person to show themselves. To meet me at some public place, so that I can quiz the person. Since they never show up, it turns out that it is Marissa who does this. I am not trying to meet someone new, I simply want to meet whoever is texting me to let them know that they should stop. The ones that text me once or twice I ignore. The persistent ones I want to meet to let them know I am happily married. Yet the persistent ones are my own wife, testing me.
The other peeve I have about this seminar is that it was disseminated as a non-religious function, but couple after couple attributed their successful relationships to “the lord” or to Jesus. While I am not against religion, I am not religious. I do not believe that a relationship with God needs any religious affiliation. This was very much like a “couples for christ” seminar. I would much rather have it been a “couples for themselves” seminar.
I took Gus and Riza Rodano to the seminar. Riza told me that she was actually a Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro Scholar, and I expect Gus will be sworn in at the next regularly held Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro (The Mother Club, founded Aprill 22, 1948) as a rotary member and that Riza will join the Rotary Ann’s. I think this will be a first for the Rotary Club of CdO, that one of their sponsored scholars actually becomes a member of her sponsoring group, like a bird that has come home to roost.
Finally, I was really impressed by the home of Ed Palad, the President of the Rotary Club of CdO. It was palatial. Plenty of yard and walk around space, and the house was filled with Filipino artwork. I have seen many houses in CdO but very few impressed me. This house impressed me the most. (Ed, rent a pressure washer and have the whole place swept, it will make the place look like new.)