A political columnist’s unsolicited romantic advice
Throughout my years writing for the Clocktower as a Nebraskan Politics columnist, I have learned a great deal about politics and, more surprisingly, love. So, here’s the best romantic advice you’ll ever receive from a local politics columnist.
#1 Practice being vulnerable and honest
For a healthy romantic relationship, it’s important to be vulnerable and honest. You can’t get to know your partner if you’re guarded and secretive. Learn from David Franklin Slater, a U.S. Air Force employee stationed in Offutt Air Force Base outside of Omaha. He found success on a dating app by being open and honest about the classified information regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine that he knew through his job. Telling his potential partners details about military targets and Russian capabilities allowed him to build a relationship based on trust.
#2 Face challenges together
You will likely face many challenges during a relationship. It’s important to work together to overcome these obstacles. You may look to the example of a Nebraska State Patrol evidence technician, Anna Idigima. She and her boyfriend, George Weaver Jr., worked together to overcome a very difficult challenge: stealing $1.2 million worth of drugs from a Nebraska State Patrol evidence room during the summer of 2021. It was an impressive feat, as the drugs included over 150 pounds of marijuana, 19 pounds of cocaine, 10 pounds of fentanyl, 9 pounds of heroin and 3 pounds of meth and other substances.
#3 Create space in your life for your partner
To develop a healthy relationship, you need to create space in your life for your partner. This may require you to make some adjustments and will look different for every relationship. It may be setting aside a specific time in your busy schedule to spend together, or exploring new hobbies that you can do together. Learn from Lee Meyer, a Nebraskan who created space in his life and car for his 2,200-pound bull, Howdy Doody. He “beefed up” a 1996 Ford Crown Victoria, cut the top off and had his bull run shotgun down the highway.
#4 Know when to let go
It’s important to recognize that not every relationship will be healthy and sometimes the best thing you can do is let go. It may be difficult to let go of a relationship, but we can take a lesson from Nebraska’s government and farmers. In 2022, when the bird flu swept through mid-America, Nebraska's poulterers recognized the disease and had to take action. They killed and disposed of the infected flocks to limit the spread of disease. Though it may be difficult, sometimes all you can do is smother a relationship to death with a spray water-based firefighting foam, complain about the inflated price of eggs and move on with your life.
By Aubrey Benton