Perhaps one of the most enjoyable aspects of doing this series of columns is ruffling feathers and reflecting – often with humor – on my own life and wife. Since my wife rarely reads my columns, I can write whatever I want with relative impunity. Of course, I’m ALWAYS writing the exact truth. It’s never slanted or biased from my male point-of-view. I’m the objective journalist with this series.
I also have swampland for sale if you’re interested?
There was a popular feminist slogan in the early days of “the movement” that went something like, women need men as much as a fish needs a bicycle.
Thankfully, we have moved past the radical nature of early feminist’s beliefs to a middle ground, though you’d never know it if you looked at the courses and syllabuses in Women’s Studies departments at colleges.
But, most men and women, especially moms and dads, understand that equality doesn’t mean we’re the same. We all tend to agree that equal pay for equal work is the way it should be, but in other areas our gender needs are just different. We are built differently, so get over it.
So, what do my wife and I fight about? The big things like sex, money, and the kids? Nah, that would be too easy, too typical. We fight about a clean house including the dog-hair, where the dishes go, the vacuuming, wiping off the counters, folding the laundry, and the kid’s messy rooms. Oh, and making the bed with ALL those pillows!
I was a 24/7 single dad to my two boys and two dogs for several years. During those years, I lapsed in the area of clean house. There were more pressing things to deal with, in my opinion. Dating again, for one thing. And, more seriously, the emotional fall-out to my boys because of their (biological) mom abandoning them.
I’m going to reveal yet another male dirty little secret to add to my blogs on “Looking” and “Farting.” We men don’t understand, feel comfortable around, or really “get” women and their bleeding. Of course we know what it’s about, but women talk to us about it like we would talk about having a runny nose. But it’s bleeding.
My wife just went through an emergency that related to this part of female plumbing. We ended up in the ER and I ended up doing the laundry. I held her hand, I listened, I was worried, and the two doctors even showed me pictures and tried to explain.
