Dating and chasing

[Scott Weberpal]

When I meet the right girl and it's time to settle down, I'm sure I'll put any long chase vacations on the backburner. I have little problem with putting aside a hobby or passion for the woman I'm going to marry. I figure I'll face this realization one day (almost already have once), and it shouldn't be too bad...as long as she can make me feel better than a nice large tornado can.

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

Haha I hear you Michael. Unless everything else in your relationship is going perfectly, you may need to re-evaluate things. I wouldn't tell you how to run your personal life, but it seems that if you're at each others throats enough about the topic then it might not be meant to be?

I have seen it happen before, where it started out perfectly fine... and then a year down the road suddenly it's much harder than it used to be, and the gf suddenly wasn't okay with my being gone frequently in May. Even if I explained I would be gone the entire day, but would call later, I would still get voicemails during the day wondering where I was and why I wasn't paying attention to her. Needless to say, that among other things ended the relationship. As many others have said... weather comes along with me so if the girl can't accept it, it just won't work in the end. That doesn't mean that the entire relationship will be spent with weather as my number one, and her as my number two. But your significant other must be made aware that storm chasing is a huge passion and can be very consuming at certain parts of the spring and summer. (and fall, thanks Nov 2005)

Maybe this new girl hasn't had long enough, but this is her second chase season with me and I haven't had one single run in with her. We each have our life together, and our life seperate from each other and thus far it has run just fine. I don't obsess over weather out of season quite as much, so it's not as if I leave her out the entire year. But she understands that there are going to be little stretches during the spring that I'm gonna be busy, and I understand that there are times where she's going to want to do her personal things too. If there ever is a time that I want to go out and chase when we had mentioned doing something, she has been okay with it, and then I usually go out of my way to make it up to her the next day. Relationships are all about compromise, and if you can't compromise and get along with the hobbys and passions that come along with the other person, the relationship will be a ticking time bomb.

 

[Brandon Sullivan]

I like being single.. I didnt get one new piece of equipment when I had a girl friend.. LOL

 

[Jeff Snyder]

I guess I am very lucky as my wife doesn't bitch about the storm chasing. She knew that storms and I are a package deal. While we were dating, I spent some time teaching her about storm chasing and weather forecasting. This has helped her get an appreciation of the beauty of storms and the difficulty of chasing. Although she would love to see a tornado, she isn't interested in experiencing the chaser lifestyle of long trips, crummy hotels, food from gas stations and sitting in a corn field for hours and the cap never breaks. In addition teaching her about chasing, I have been noncommittal about any activities during the spring. She knows that late May is sacred and that I may have to back out of a planned activity if severe weather is expected. This has set the standard of our relationship from the beginning.

Bill Hark

Same with me and my wife. I've been chasing since we met. While she doesn't necessarily share my passion to the extend I do, she doesn't at least understand. She knows that we can't make many plans in the spring (at least plans more than a week in advance), and she understands when I suddenly bolt out the door w/out much prior warning. I keep her up to date on what I'm doing, and I try to make up for the time that I'm gone so she knows that I'm not putting storms ahead of her or our relationship. She's never really complained, and I feel guilty enough at times to plan a date-night on a marginal setup when I've been out a lot recently.

In the end, I agree with some folks on here -- if you're truly in love, you should be able to understand each other's passions. I have passions, she has passions. While they may not necessarily overlap entirely, we can at least understand that we have different passions. In addition, the other's passions aren't totally disliked by the other (e.g. she doesn't "hate" chasing -- in fact, she usually puts in 3-4 chases per year with me). If she hated chasing, that'd be a problem, just as it would be if I hated her one of her passions. Alas, this wasn't ever an issue, and I don't think we'd be where we are right now if it were a problem.

Communication and effort. I don't like bolting out on her at the last minute, so I make sure I make the effort to let her know that I still prioritize her over chasing (even though I may chase instead of doing somethign with her at times). She realizes this, and I think that's why we've been together for 7 years now.

 

[George Kourounis]

I guess I'm one of the really lucky ones. When my girlfriend (now wife) and I started dating, she knew what she was getting into but back then, about 9 years ago, I wasn't as active in chasing as I am now so even with my escalating chase schedule, she's still been awesome. She knows that I'll be gone for at least a month each spring, and hurricane season?...welll we don't make any big plans together during that period at all.

The reason we seem to have it worked out so well is that we understand each other's passions and we respect each other's independance. Every time I go away, I know that when I get home, the house will be re-decorated in one form or another, That's her thing and she can actually get more done when I'm out of her hair.

In the past year alone, I've spent 170 nights away from home, chasing various natural forces & I'm about to leave for another 6 weeks and our relationship is as strong as ever.

It is possible to have a strong relationship and chase, you just need to find the right person, and that's not easy.

 

[Christie Ponder]

Yeah, I consider myself pretty lucky. My BF is pretty cool about storms. He has yet to chase somewhere with me yet because of work and college, but is interested in doing so. He even went to a SKywarn meeting with me and really enjoyed it!

I knew he was pretty special, our first date a lightning storm came up. I got all wound up like always and he got a kick out of that. I gave him a quick run down of how a SLR works and he grabbed his first lightning pic and its really good!!!!

The true test is taking him out chasing though...I think that'll go just fine

 

[Tony Laubach]

I know I am very lucky as I'm going into my third season of chasing with my lady. She knew well what she was getting into and has done well with it, even as year-after-year, my trip gets longer and longer.

But she knows its me, and without it, I'm not who I am with it. She understands that and makes the sacrifice for me to live this passion of mine. It also helps we're both very independent, which I think makes all of the easier for the both of us!

Just so long as I check in from time-to-time to let her know I'm alive, I come home to a happy gal!

 

[Melissa Moon]

See, I'm a girl. So if I wanted to find a boyfriend who was interested in weather and chasing, I probably would not run into too much trouble. I'm not saying that out of conceit in asuming that guys who meet me automatically want to date me, but I say that simply because chasing is such a male-dominated hobby and so there is a much better chance of me finding someone being the girl than if it were the other way around (a guy looking for a girl into weather).

Now as far as my past experiences go, I have had the experience of dating someone who didn't like the idea of me chasing. But thankfully that relationship began and ended during off-season so there was never a serious conflict centering around my going chasing. I have also dated a few meteorology/chaser guys and, while none of those worked out, they were fun while they lasted.

I think now that I am out of college it seems a lot more likely that I'd meet someone not into chasing (since I am not always surrounded by weather weenies anymore). But I've found in most instances that most guys I do meet are interested in at least trying it if they aren't mets or seasoned chasers. So no matter if I end up marrying a met/chaser or someone who's not, I don't think I'll have a problem with finding someone who is cool with it/wants to join in.

 

[SteveCarter]

I've been married for 10 years now. (2nd, and LAST time) My wife insists that I chase if the situation is right. How does she KNOW this? When I start pacing, checking my gear to make sure everything is charged, am on the phone and she heres phrases like, 'dryline", "Oklahoma", "dewpoints", and "mod..high, and 'risk'", in general. Last week, before I wasted a 2100 mile drive to Wichita, she said that she had already made plans, so GO! Hmmm. lol She knows how important it is to me, and NEVER says a word about it, but with the price of gas, she said to not come back now without a pic of a tube. She booked a cruise to the bahamas towards the middle-end of the month - (MAY!), so I figured I'd say nothing about the timing since she is so good about it when I go. So....I never have to decide between her and chasing...it's already understood.

 

[Nick Parker]

Well hmm what a thread!

Anyways, have to say im in a good situation. I live/work in STL during the week and back home in Southern Illinois during the weekends. My lady is quite used to me being gone and as long as the storms come around here after 4pm, it's all good! I've got massive road networks to play with (along with jams ) and all the time in the evenings I could ever want!!! Yea, it does get lonely every once in awhile, but let a Slight/Mod risk creep into the area and im locked in. Just don't let the boomers happen on the weekend....not good then haha As she calls it, quality time, takes full attention.

Nick

 

[Simon Brewer]

3-long-term (year plus) relationships and counting, basically due to chasing; mark my words, "They always say it's okay and they love my passion for storms, but when May and June roll around they always try to make me choose between the relationship and chasing..."

Famous last words from all 3 long-term relationships, "...you care more about stupid storms than me..."

 

[Doug Lee]

I've been following this thread with some interest. I can't really comment about my own relationships, but while I was out for my walk today, I got to thinking about this. The lyrics to an old song came to mind. I think they describe many chasers from what I have seen on this forum.

The song is "Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys" by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Here's the lyrics:

Mamas' don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars and drive them old trucks
Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mama's don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
They'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold
And they'd rather give you a song then diamonds or gold
Lonestar belt buckles and old faded Levi's each night begins a new day
And if you don't understand him and he don't die young
He'll probably just ride away
Mamas' don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars and drive them old trucks
Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mams' don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
They'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
Cowboys like smokey old pool rooms and clear mountian moringin's
Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night
And them that don't know him won't like him
And them that do sometimes won't know how to take him
He ain't wrong he's just different
but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right
Mama don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars and drive them old trucks
Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mama don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
They'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
Mama don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars and drive them old trucks
Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such


Maybe storm chasers are the modern equivalent of Old West cowboys.

 

[Daniel Christianson]

Storms before Women" thats my given lol , but hey in chase situations you might find yourself nagging the crap out of your own damn self lol

 

[Brent A. Clair]

In the hurried time to do something a little light-hearted, here's a song for you chasers...


Well I love her
But I love to chase
I spend all day out on the plains
And hell is all I face
Today she met me at the door
Said I would have to choose
If I hit tornado alley today
She'd be packin' all her things
And she'd be gone by noon

Well I'm gonna miss her
When I get home
But right now I'm on the interstate
And I'm sittin' in the sun
I'm sure it'll hit me
When I walk through that door tonight
But I'm gonna miss her
Oh, lookie there, I've got a F5!

Now there's a chance that if I hurry
I could beg her to stay
But the dew point’s right
And the weather's perfect
No tellin' what I might catch today

Well I'm gonna miss her
When I get home
But right now I'm on the interstate
And I'm sittin' in the sun
I'm sure it'll hit me
When I walk through that door tonight
But I'm gonna miss her
Oh, lookie there, I've got a F5!

Yeah, I'm gonna miss her
Oh, lookie there, I've got a F5!

 

[matt patterson]

Im lucky in the sense that my significant other loves storms and is more pisssed off when she cant go.. She saw her first tornado on June 12 2004 (Mulvane).. The thing that one needs to remember is that storm season doesnt last all year long....