You might be an architect's wife if...

Vanessa had a funny post a little while back entitled "You might be a geek's wife if..." I thought of this while we were wandering around Boston, and Megan and I had fun coming up with a few of our own architect's wife version. Here's that list, with some others I've thought of. Some are probably specific to landscape architecture, I must admit.

• vacation involves visiting random areas because a well-known firm or person designed the space (like the Stata Center on MIT's campus).

• you know who Frank Gehry is.
• you can rattle off a list of projects, past and present, of a specific firm.
• traveling through a space involves close analysis and critique of materials, design theory, and technical aspects of things like green-roof installation.
• your husband was very involved in creating your wedding registry, and picked out some great and artistic dishes and silverware.
• project boards are part of your home decor.
• you look through your vacation pictures and discover a large portion of them are detail shots of things like paving and plantings.

• you know the plot room is the room with the giant printers, not the place where you scheme to take over the world.
• you are familiar with and can identify different paving materials.
• you can identify trees and plants by scientific name (genus and species).
• you have Adobe Creative Suite on your computer.
• you can read CAD documents.
• while walking home, he has to stop, borrow your camera, and take photos of trees in bloom for stock photos for future renderings.

• sometimes you use the words bushes and dirt to tease your husband, because the "correct" terms are shrubs and soil.
• you see skateboarders with cool tricks and wonder if they are damaging the granite curbs.
• the importance of going green is a big discussion topic in your house.
• the term environmentally responsible doesn't just include recycling: you know how it relates to selecting building materials (carbon output from selecting materials that have to be shipped long distances, versus native building materials) and other construction components.
• black water, grey water, and potable water are everyday terms.
• you know what LEED certified means.
• people don't draw, they sketch and render.

For the record, this isn't a complaint list! I love experiencing the world through a different viewpoint, and I love sharing Ian's passion (and I'm sure Megan feels the same way about Daniel). It's fun blending lives, and learning about new things and places. I really appreciate this new perspective Ian had given to my life. And of course, entertaining when you discover those random pictures on your camera...