@robx: we don't appreciate things that are commonplace. What gets more attention is the infrequent & almost non-existent things.
In a completely non-relationship analogy (maybe useful for @Coach+@Greek's young-couples-counseling as a result) -- this is why "the news" is always "bad news."
Why does the Mainstream Media always focus on bad things? goes the meme.
Because no one's going to turn on the television and hear Katie-Dan-Keith-Sean-BillO-Rachel-etc. say, "It's Saturday, October 3, and the sun rose again today; the Earth didn't spin off of its axis; children played outside; and the night fell. And that's the news."
The news is, by definition, new -- exceptional.
Just gets to the point -- we are animals of surprisingly selective attention. This is why camouflage works, among other things.
@Thinker: I have spent years getting criticized for not being "supportive enough", but not once in the M have my W ever said "Thank you for working so hard to earn enough to support our family". I've started to get a bit bitter about it.
I wonder about this in terms of my own (former) sitch. Are we supposed to express appreciation to those with whom we are bound when they are "doing their job"? It's not a loaded question -- don't read it that way, please. I mean, WAW and I agreed that I would be the "woman" and she would be the "man" (in terms of gender roles) because I'm far-and-away the "better" (her words) parent, cook, and housekeeper [and for Chrissakes let's not start that Deida/gender differentiation convo again -- just go with it for now]. So is it reasonable for me to Expect (that word again!) Mrs. SP to say "thank you for doing what you agreed you would do"?
