Since his start back in November of 2012, MarkE Miller has succeeded in grabbing nearly 450,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel over the past two and a half years. Paired with his boyfriend Ethan and (eventually) their dog Olive, the duo’s fame has been in large part to their everyday relationship shenanigans caught on video. They have fun, they spend time together, and they otherwise show the internet not only what makes a good gay relationship, but what makes a good relationship in general. Keep up to date with them here and see below for some of MarkE Miller’s best advice about gay relationships!
Have Fun Together
If there’s one thing Mark and Ethan do, it’s play games with each other. They spend plenty of time coming up with new, creative, and fun ways to get to know each other and grow closer as a couple. Everything from drawing on each other blindfolded (increasing physical intimacy) to guessing lies they’re telling each other (increasing their awareness of each other’s histories) has a purpose outside of just gaining more YouTube subscribers. In the end, it all comes down to them spending a huge amount of time being goofy with each other. Because if there’s one thing every good relationship needs, it’s participants who feel completely free to be themselves.
Spend Quality Time
Quality time is essential in relationships because they’re the hub of creating and maintaining intimacy in all of its facets. For plenty of people, this could mean taking a night off to watch a movie on the couch, washing the dishes together, or getting out of the house for an old-fashioned coffee date to help catch up in a new environment. For Mark and Ethan, they’re able to spend plenty of quality time with one another by going on lots of vacations. Miami, South Carolina, Canada…they get their fill of each other by sharing in the stress of plane flights and the boxed-in feel of long car rides. And they love every moment of it!
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
In one video, Mark and Ethan spend a few minutes reminiscing about their first times with, well, pretty much everything together. Every experience from their first kiss to their first date is covered, but with a surprising twist: They can’t really remember much about any of them. While some relationships may put a lot of pressure on the many firsts they will encounter, Mark and Ethan recognized that they’d probably just be awkward and leave it at that. And in the long run, they couldn’t even remember the past. What was more important was the present and the future. Memories are nice and all, but hey, let’s keep moving!
Take It One Step at a Time
Soon after their first anniversary of meeting, Mark and Ethan moved in together. During the documentation of the move, we see the two of them still unpacked on the big day, no usable boxes in sight, and without a moving van. Instead of showing any sort of stress about the issue, the two of them simply helped each other get their things into the car and proceeded to take several trips. They stopped multiple times to eat or drink without rush, and eventually have to extend their move into a second day. But throughout the entire video, not a cross word or upset moment happens between them. In the end, their moving process is great symbolism of their relationship in general: take it one step at a time, don’t rush, don’t get upset, and take breaks when you need them.
Work Up the Ladder with Your Responsibilities
After the two move in together, Mark and Ethan decide to get their puppy, Olive. And as the couple soon realizes, raising a puppy is a serious chore. She has many accidents inside, wakes them up early, spills her food all over the floor, and even breaks the only immediate rule they have: don’t pee on the bed. But again, do they get upset? Hardly. They continue to work with her, knowing that this is just another rung on their responsibilities ladder as a couple. They’ve already gone through some of the other trials: having a long-standing relationship, withstanding long periods of time in a car, moving in together. Sure, a puppy is even harder, but that’s why they worked up to it. And it’s clear with everything they’ve been through together that they can handle it!
So what’s the best gay relationship advice you’ve learned from MarkE Miller? Which video is your favorite? Tell us in the comments!
