Ask Lemmy

54m here, married for 19 years.

My wife has a very demanding career, so really needs her hobbies to let go of the stress. What I do is listen when she's talking about what has her interests. Then if there is anything I can do to facilitate it, it will suddenly materialize. This is not always something expensive or even something material.

Just before COVID the entire family got into playing D&D. Being an artist my wife went bonkers on painting miniatures. So I made sure she had all the paints and brushes she needed. Plus, the dining room, which is actually our "hobby" room, got a lighting upgrade

How bonkers did she get? This bonkers and there are many many more:

Rawr!

(It means I love you in dinosaur)

My wife and I tell each other we love each other an obnoxious amount.

Not so long ago, she developed a throat infection that stopped her from being able to talk for a while. So now we have a new way if saying it, three little squeezes.

My partner just kinda gnaws on my upper arm. Straight up asked her to stop early days of us dating and she said something along the lines of "but that's how I show I love you" and just kept at it.

10 plus years later it's a wonder my arms haven't callused over. Love that weirdo

Doing a fresh Linux install on your partners laptop

Pebbling. Giving small gifts or sharing small pieces of content/info that they are interested in

Gave my brother my mullvad account so he can use a VPN and his PC and taught him how to pirate. Which browser, which sites to trust.. Even walked him through a manjaro install over the phone. I often clean his PC for him when ever I'm over.

Built my ex a cute itx PC in turquoise. Dinky little thing.

I once put an entire watermelon under the wipers on my friends car like a parking ticket when I knew they had a rough day at work. They like watermelon.

Navigating bureaucracy for someone else

Washing the dishes, or cleaning up after yourself tells me that you love me and you in a way that words can't express

you warn them you are aware but aren't complicit to their addictions(hobbies). then you tell them just this time~

you join them anyways.

Does infodumping count?

Every person and couple has their own so its tough to say. I wake my gf with kisses only which she likes.

My wife and I tend to pull stupid faces at each other.

Put "never gonna give you up" playing on background every time they leave their PC unlocked

Listen to your SO's friends and [close] family.

Your SO talks to them about what they really want.

I loved it when my ex would act like a child to put something stupid into context.