Who's Surprised Now?

A few nights ago Jojo and I had an argument over my claim that he no longer surprises me with anything.

Here are the excerpts of our argument:
Joanne: You know you haven't surprised me with anything in the last few months.
Jojo: That's because you are the world's most difficult person to surprise ... you can smell a secret a mile away.
Joanne: Seriously, even my last birthday and Christmas gifts were presents I had known about in advance.
Jojo: That's because you like giving "not so subtle" hints about what you want to get weeks before special occassions (and may I say they are very specific hints down to the shoe size, color and where I can buy them).
Joanne: Okay, then how about the fact that you never plan any new things for us to do.
Jojo: That's because I know how you like to make plans so I just naturally give in.
Joanne: Well, irregardless, you should still make an effort. Surprises are how girls know their husbands still love them.
Jojo: You know the other way to look at this is how some couples love each other so much and are so comfortable with each other they don't need surprises to show their love.
Joanne: No, I like my argument better ... the one where surprises show us that our husbands still love us.

In all honesty, Jojo has a whole list of wonderful traits but he's never really been big on spur of the moment events. Even when we were dating, he was very reliable and rarely did things I did not expect. But there were times when I would get an unexpected note or a small token, once in a while I'd get flowers out of the blue, or sometimes he'd make plans for us to try some place new. But these days those rare surprises have become even fewer and more far between! Of course I would gladly take a a guy who is reliable and practical over one who is unpredictable and volatile. But at the same time, believe me when I say this, every girl wants some spontaneity in a relationship. Some little unexpected extra step that makes us feel we're still worth the time and the effort.

So anyway, the end of our conversation goes a little something like this:

Jojo: Okay, okay if it's a surprise you want ... then it's a surprise you'll get ...
Joanne: I want you to want to do it too.
Jojo: Of course, I want to do it.
Joanne: Okay ... so when should I expect the surprise?
Jojo: This is why I don't plan surprises.
Joanne: Sorry, I'll back off. But the surprise you're planning has to have some parameters.
Jojo: Like what?
Joanne: Like a time limit. I can't wait a whole year for the surprise. Maybe something in the next few days. I know, you could plan how we'll spend our Memorial Day weekend.
Jojo: Memorial Day Weekend? Okay I'll think of something to do.
Joanne: Maybe an out of town trip?
Jojo: Sure. I'll plan a trip to Catalina Island.
Joanne: Wait! Don't tell me! I want it to be a surprise ... but now that you mentioned it, Catalina would be horribly overpriced and overcrowded cause we'd be going on a long weekend.
Jojo: That's true. How about Yosemite?
Joanne: It doesn't count as a surprise if I know about it.
Jojo: Okay. Got it. I'll take care of it.
Joanne: How about a trip to Sacramento? We've never been there ... it's far away enough for a vacation get-away but near enough for a 3-day weekend, you know what I mean?
Jojo: I don't know ... who goes to Sacramento for vacation? Don't know of any attractions or any really fun things to do over there.
Joanne: No, it'll be fun. I have a classmate from high school who lives there and I could write her and ask for suggestions on what to do and places to visit.
Jojo: Okay if you really want to then I'm okay with it too.
Joanne: Great. Leave it to me ... I'll make the plans ....

Okay, okay. I guess some things never change - there are some people that are not good at planning surprises and there are others that are not good at letting others plan surprises ...