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My BF the anti-planner (VENT)

BF is not a planner.  In his perfect world he would wait until two days before any event to nail down the details.  I am not like this.  I'm anal retentive when it comes to planning because I'm a worrier.  I'm working on it, but it's the truth and I'm a big enough person to admit that. 

Our anniversary was in July and BF's gift to me, in conjunction with my birthday gift, was a wine tasting tour.  He knew this is something I was interested in trying so he wants to do this for me.

I've let this be his thing.  I've resisted the urge to plan. My birthday is 11/11 which is a Thursday this year so he mentioned going on that Thursday and Friday.  That's fine but I'd have to take time off work.  At the beginning of September I asked him if he could know what days we're going and have at least hotel reservations by the 9th of this month.  I wanted to know exactly what days we'll be there so I can ask for the time off a month in advance and the tour is pretty popular in the fall.

Last Friday rolled around and it was the first time I brought it up since I had initially asked in September.  Nope, nothing planned, no hotels, nada.  He says, "It'll be done by Monday."  So I asked him last night (after watching Glee of course) nope, not done. 

Realistically I know there's probably still time to score a hotel room.  What is driving me nuts is this is something I asked him to do and he agreed to.  When I initially asked to have it planned out I just said the first few weeks of October, he asked for a specific date I would like it done by, I gave him one and he blew it off.

I'm irked.  I've told him I'm irked.  I don't want to take the reins on this, like I said it's his thing.  I feel like if it's going to get done, I'm going to have to be the one to do it and I don't want to. :( 

Re: My BF the anti-planner (VENT)

  • edited December 2011
    My BF is not a a planner either and I am. I am always having to take care of stuff he forgot to do because he didn't plan his day or week well enough. It can be quite frustrating, but I guess planners and non planners must attract? 

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  • bethsmilesbethsmiles member
    10000 Comments Sixth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    edited December 2011
    My BF isn't a planner either. But I've learned that if I just let it go and don't nag him about it then he will get it done. I just pretend like its done in my mind and don't ask any questions. That way I'm not stressed and he isn't annoyed.


  • edited December 2011
    It drives me nuts because he never plans anything, yet he never falls flat on his face so he feels the need to. Things just always end up working out for him.

    If I, on the other hand, didn't pan I would end up screwed. Things don't work out and I have a huge problem.


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  • edited December 2011
    my BF isn't either...  he's trying to get better about thinking ahead and planning for things, but a lot of times he asks me to take care of it.  he appreciates my thinking ahead, and i appreciate his laid-back personality.  for the most part, we mesh well.
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  • kismokismo member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    maybe its all planned and he's just trying to make it a bit of a surprise for you? 
  • Hazel_BHazel_B member
    2500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I know for me, getting permission from work for a day off is an issue.

    I am definitely a planner as well. I actually use my work as an excuse to get things done because if I can't get them to agree then there is a good chance it isn't happening.
  • edited December 2011
    Lindsay, it's usually that way.  I just do the planning he kicks back and relaxes.  It works well for us and I appreciate that he can be so mellow while he appreciates that I can actually get the stuff done. 

    Sea, I feel like that's going to be the case here.  If I don't do it then we just won't go.  He knows he needs to let me know ASAP so I can request the time off, so if he doesn't get this figured out I guess we're just not going to go. 
  • edited December 2011
    Kismo, I'd like to think that was the case, but knowing my BF...it's not.  Especially since all I really want to know is what days to ask for off!

    Hazel, that's all it really is!  I just want to know when to ask off for.  If he doesn't pick out specifics now that's fine, just get a hotel room for pete's sake.
  • HeartOverMindHeartOverMind member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    My BF tries (He's not a planner either, but he makes efforts)..which is the sweetest thing ever.

    But the thing is...when I'm running a little behind his schedule he freaks out and tells me that he feels like I'm walking all over him. He got frustrated with me once and said he's never going to plan anything ever again...(That's not true, but I still felt really bad).

    I learned my lesson and when BF plans something, I'm not going to get in the way.
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  • edited December 2011
    Ah, my FI is the exact same way.  This is a tough one though since it's something he is wanting/supposed to be planning for you though... I'd say if it gets any closer that I'd just ask him, in a nice way, if he wants you to look into hotel accommodations.
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bf-anit-planner-vent?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:f8cd43e7-f627-4d16-8bd6-1c430db720ecPost:8d391981-7738-45c3-a76d-ab16ebfca514">Re: My BF the anti-planner (VENT)</a>:
    [QUOTE]maybe its all planned and he's just trying to make it a bit of a surprise for you? 
    Posted by kismo[/QUOTE]

    As sweet as this would be... it poses a huge problem because if she takes off of work assuming that this is the situation and he doesnt get it together then she misses out on days of work (which would aggravate me if it happened).

    I'm the same way... I like to research everything and plan every detail way in advance because I don't like not knowing what I'm doing ahead of time... and BF takes the 'I gotta figure it out' or 'we'll see what happens' attitudes and that just annoys me... it actually ruined my vacation time in April because we were supposed to take a vacation together and he waited until the last minute to find out if he could have the time off and he was denied and so I spent my vacation laying in my bed doing nothing (not so bad really)...

    But I learned my lesson... If this was me, I wouldnt take off work until he told me that he had the plans made and if I got denied for the time off I would tell him "sorry, maybe if you would have done it when I asked you to I'd be able to get off but I can't now..."  a couple times of that happening and he'll learn his lesson, too!  (evil laugh)
  • MLekathLEENMLekathLEEN member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I feel ya. FI is in no way a planner. If anything needs to be done in a timely manner, I have to do it otherwise it won't get done. This goes for vacations, any party, birthday gifts, and homework. I think a lot of this habit has to do with me just going ahead and doing everything to get it done.  Ask BF flat out, "Are we going anywhere? I need to know X days in advance to get the time off otherwise we can't go."

    To make you feel better, I planned my birthday vacation this year. He surprised me by telling me he would take me whever I wanted to go but I booked everything except for the flight. He works for an airline so he had to book it, otherwise I'm sure I would have booked that too.
  • edited December 2011
    This is supposed to be his gift to you.  Don't tell him you're irked.  Tell him he's hurting your feelings.  My FI used to do things like this up until a couple years ago.  Then I told him how much it hurt me that he didn't follow through.  Telling me he was going to do something special for me and then not doing it was much worse than not saying or doing anything at all.  He stepped it up after that.  Maybe your guy doesn't even realize how much it means to you if he just takes what you're saying as nagging.
  • edited December 2011
    Well it's good (and bad) to see that I'm not the only woman in this situation.  This is the first thing that's really been on him to plan so I'd really like him to do it.  I'm not going to ask for the time off until he knows when we're going.  If he waits and it becomes too late for me to take the time off then we just won't be able to go. 

    Chocoholic- I don't think it necessarily hurts my feelings as much as it's annoying.  I know he's not doing it to purposely hurt me, it's not malicious. 
  • edited December 2011
    Mine's the same. Perhaps it's a recurring trait in men? He's a little more on top of things than your guy is, but there have been occasions where he'd forget to make reservations until last minute or would think that waiting until the day before was a good idea. After the first few times we weren't able to go to restaurants because waited too long to make a reservation, he started to get on top of things.

    It's very frustrating but generally the way I deal with it is I give him a date to do something by and if it isn't done, I do it myself. He doesn't like this and usually he ends up stepping up to the plate just so I don't do that, haha. 
  • desertsundesertsun member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 25 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    Ugh, it's so frustrating. I have the same problem.

    What works for us is if I just keep reminding my H, without getting emotional or upset about it.

    Having conversations about ti doesn't help and just makes me more frustrated.

    I refuse to do things for him that he's said he will do, b/c to me, that just rewards behavior I don't like and sends the message that it's okay to continue it.

    So, I just say "Hey babe, did you forget I asked you to xyz? No? Okay." Or "Hey babe, you didn't do xyz yet." And then I go on about my day and leave him alone.

    Sometimes I make a little sad face. I try not to be manipulative in any of my relationships, but me LOOKING sad works WAY better than me telling him how I feel sometimes. :)

    Usually around reminder 3, he finally takes care of whatever it is.

    it requires some patience, but he's worth it. :)

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