Maybe Sometimes the Fish Just Doesn't Feel Like Swimming
I've lived my entire life by the principle that I do not need a man to complete me. That I am a wholly capable being unto myself. And I'm pretty ok with that. Sure, it's required some attitude adjustments over the years, but I've rolled with it.
I can open my own jars (I highly recommend those under the counter mounted thingies. So much more effective--and quieter--than bashing on the lid with a knife). I know how to correctly plunge the clogged toilet and clear the drains. I have even killed the biggest, ugliest, scariest bug I have ever seen, all by myself. I accept these tasks as part of the territory. Responsbilities that, since they must be shouldered in the absence of a Y chromosome, should be met head on.
But man, I hate putting stuff together. I loathe looking at pages of incomprehensible diagrams. I abhor allen keys. If ever there were a time I wished there were a man around this house, it's when I'm faced with those three horrifying words: Some Assembly Required.
I was reminded of this embarrassing chink in my feminist identity yesterday as I struggled to put up The Ladies' new tent. The sun was shining, the breeze was not attached to a windchill warning, and some nimrod had scheduled an Early Dismissal day smack in the middle of Turn Off The Screens Week. The tent seemed like a perfect idea. Until I spread the poles and instructions out on the balcony and attempted to magically transform a piece of shaped canvas with only 4 segmented poles, an x joint, and my imagination.
It wasn't even that difficult, really. Once I figured out where the slots for the poles were, all I really had to do was apply a little muscle to make them bend into the joint. And yet, I found myself wishing that I didn't have to do this. Grumbling to myself that this was not in my job description. Thinking that I'd give just about anything to have someone else here to do this for me.
Well, maybe not anything. The awe on Sabrina's face that her Mommy had put the tent up all by herself is something I wouldn't trade for the world.
Comments
Yep... been there, done that and totally feel the same way! My older boy kinda takes it for granted that Mommy can put things together cuz that's Mommy's job... but I don't like it any better than you seem to. I do get a great sense of satisfaction, tho, when things go together exactly as they're supposed to, don't you?
Sooo familiar. I can install a ceiling fan or fertilize the yard. I'll even brave the attic, knowing there are bats up there. I just can't seem to put anything together. I hate the allen wrenches, the dowels, and the tiny tubes of wood glue. I hate the poorly written directions with pictures that make no sense. But most of all, I hate that my bother can easily put it all together through the mysterious alchemy of the Y chromosome.
Ugh! Yuck I am with ya there!
I completely understand.However, I don't really mind. Just the other day I had to fix the vaccum cleaner, change the belt,pin point the exact clogged area and all. It frustrated me to no end, but a long time ago I knew I was going to have to do these sort of things all by myself and my daughters,(I have two) kept asking if they could help. So I let them hold the holes while I cleaned out the clog and push the button to see if we had done it all correctly. This is priceless, They will never feel like the are limited.
Ha. I have accepted that I have no mechanical ability whatsoever and enlist a neighbor, co-worker, friend's spouse,or whoever else I can con into it to fix things. I am married, but my husband is only home every couple of months for a week or so due to work so I am pretty much on my own when it comes to the bug smashing, scary basement, and bathing the dog as well! Thanks for having such a gusty and great blog for us read!
You go gal...!! There's nothing that men can do that women cant do better.....err except of course certain obvious things pre-defined by Nature!;-)
And somewhere or the other, all these "fix-it", "assemble-it" and "batteries requried" stuff happen to fall into that very category, don't they?
Well......
I am a some assembly required Queen (self-proclaimed). Sometimes, I have extra pieces, which I use in my collages or save for later because they look important.
Recently, I assembled an easel in the same amount of time it took two men to put one together. Yes, they were ashamed at first, but then they realized how hot it was.
