Basic Difference Between The Boys and the Girls
September 10th, 2007 by FiddledeedeeLast week I reminded Fiddledaddy that I had an appointment to make my pilgrimage for the annual scraping of the cervix. He shuddered when he realized what I was referring to and said, “What? You didn’t tell me you had a doctor’s appointment.” “It’s been on THE CALENDAR for a month now.” THE CALENDAR I’m referring to is an extra large for the hard of seeing dry erase calendar that is big enough to take up half of the right side of the side by side refrigerator. And it’s eye level for his viewing convenience. And since he opens the refrigerator at least 256 times a day (times 30 days approximately in the month), I would have thought he had seen it.
I was wrong.
He makes a sweeping gesture toward the refrigerator, “I cannot see THAT.” “You have to speak to me ELECTRONICALLY,” he now gestures with each arm in the general direction of our two computers at opposite ends of the house.
This is where I believe the basic difference lies between the boys and the girls. He’s all about electronics. Electrical gadgets, especially ones that disseminate information, make his eyes light up and pulse quicken. His computer holds his calendar and therefore, the key to all his comings and goings. If it isn’t on his computer calendar, then it’s simply not going to happen.
I, as a woman, prefer a more hands on approach. I keep a calendar in my purse, and the larger master calendar on the refrigerator. Where I’m sure never to miss seeing an appointment. At the beginning of every month, I get a little giddy at the prospect of filling in all the dates. By hand.
Perhaps I should get out more.
Before I married Fiddledaddy, along with all of his computer knowledge, I kept all of my self-employment records in a ledger. For tax purposes. My ledger was a work of art. And always balanced. In fact, I hate to brag but I will, my accountant offered me a job every year I took my taxes into his office. My checkbook would make you weep because of it’s magnificence. And every penny is accounted for. It should not surprise you that I insist on playing “banker” during Monopoly games. I don’t understand why no one will play with me.
For the longest time, computers and the people who owned them baffled me. My freshman year of college, in 1978, I took Computer Science. The “computer” was roughly the size of ME, and what with all that technical jargon. Forget it. I lasted two weeks. “This will never catch on,” I reasoned. And instead I transferred to Philosophy. Because I knew that someday I would be a deep thinker.
Where was I? Oh. Computers. Whatever.
Shortly after marriage, Fiddledaddy put his big size 10 foot down and insisted that I learn Quicken. You would have thought that someone was stabbing me for all the carrying on I did. I did indeed learn it, and keep track of everything including household and business on it. And now I actually will admit to liking Quicken. But it makes me nervous. In case of a permanent power outage, how would I do the taxes? If there was a government after such an outage. So, I print reports. And back it up (whatever that means, as Fiddledaddy set that backup thingy to work automatically). And that makes me feel better.
I am completely convinced that should something of a catastrophic nature happen, and we all found ourselves without the use of electricity, then women would rule the world.
Because we would have all the important information stored in our handbags. And that, my friends, would leave the boys standing around holding their useless remotes.
(insert maniacal laughter)
THE MASTER PLAN.
Posted in My Life as I See It | 30 Comments »
September 10th, 2007 at 4:14 am
How so very true! She who dies with the most organized calendar and balanced checkbook wins!
I’m a calendar freak, too. I also use Quicken and still balance a regular checkbook, just in case. And back up everything. And I have candles and flashlights in every room in the house. And maybe I should get out the Monopoly game, just in case the power goes out and we have nothing to do.
September 10th, 2007 at 4:20 am
This is EXACTLY the same as in our house. The calendar is right on the kitchen wall and my handwriting is legible. But it being on the calendar or me telling him means nothing. Until it’s in his palm pilot or on his computer (which apparently transfer info back and forth) it isn’t happening. Drives me insane.
September 10th, 2007 at 5:16 am
bwahahahaha!
Useless remotes, useless, cell phones, useless blackberries, useless palms…..hehehe
September 10th, 2007 at 7:24 am
But if we did take over the world with our organizational skills, they’d just take it back with their love of things that explode.
September 10th, 2007 at 7:26 am
oooooohh fun! The whole thing would be worth it to see them standing in front of the TV hopelessly pushing the buttons on the remote… LOL! I think I’m the last person in the world who still pays her bills with real paper checks! I don’t trust the internet – I like my paper checks!
September 10th, 2007 at 7:37 am
Wow–for me–well I always forget to write things down. I see things in my head after I write them so I don’t need the paper anymore. So I remember things by writing, if I remember to write, and that doesn’t help poor hubby remember when things are or what I spent. Sigh. I have recentl;y discovered the miracle that is Igoogle and google calendar–which you can share, which means that hubby can have his own Igoogle and then share my calendar, so when I write down a time or date or whatever, he can see it and remembers to look. This is very helpful when he is the best man in his brothers wedding and I am the one who knows when said wedding is, and things like that.
September 10th, 2007 at 8:04 am
We have been married for 6 years and still can not agree on how to communiicate on things like this..ugh1
September 10th, 2007 at 8:13 am
Oh, that is too awesome! I keep my wipe calendar behind a door in the hallway for a couple of reasons. The fridge would not hold a calendar the size I need with my size 9 family, and because when it is out in the open, little fingers like to wipe things off and color all over it with the pretty color markers I use for each member of the family.
September 10th, 2007 at 9:12 am
I’m afraid I’m in the boys camp on this one. My computer is my brain outside of my head. If something were to happen to it, I’m not sure I’d remember to make coffee in the morning. And that would be a disaster indeed.
On the plus side — it does keep my husband and me on the same page when it comes to dates and schedules. “Send me an e-mail reminder please,” is a common request at our house.
September 10th, 2007 at 10:07 am
So many options for calendars, and trying to keep everyone informed, no matter the option chosen, is nearly IMPOSSIBLE!. We use Google calendar, and really like it. That way either of us can post and see the full calendar. I can also send DH invitations to his email, so he can see new appointments/entries to the calendar. BUT the drawback is that my palm doesn’t sync to Google Calendars, and since I’m the chief booking officer for Chez Bick, and don’t have a permanant computer (internet accessible) implant, I choose, at this point to carry a purse size daily calendar to keep up with the “on-the-go” stuff.
All that being said, Google Calendar is pretty cool, and a generally nice option for today’s busy family.
September 10th, 2007 at 10:31 am
If it’s not written on my hand (bad habit, I know) or a Post-It within two feet of my line of vision, it probably won’t get done
September 10th, 2007 at 11:28 am
I’m so with you on this. We have 2 calendars- a one for the week on the fridge and a monthly one on the wall and my husband still misses things. I have to actually email him (talking is just so passe’) to get him to put stuff on his blackberry.
September 10th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
too funny. this is good on so many levels! thanks!
September 10th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
LOL! I love it! I too am just like you and have my calendar on the fridge, my pocketbook planner, and one calendar in the bedroom. But I have learned to link my Outlook calendar to hubby’s so that he has no excuses! Try it!
September 10th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
LOVE IT!! LMAO.
My hubby is the same way. I abandoned the fridge calendar, got myself a MomAgenda (to, you know, hand-write everything for myself) and EMAIL him scheduled appointments. And the email is for 2 reasons: (1) for notification “i.e. remember that oldest’s school picnic is sunday afternoon” and (2) for evidence. so he can’t say “you never told me about that!”
oh yes I did honey. on tuesday, sept.4 at 9:36am. check your inbox.
Women are SO ruling the world.
September 10th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Hi – I love the blog. My oddest job was counting bugs on grains at A&M University Agricultural Center. What a girl will do to make a buck and hang out with boys after school at the age of 16.
You go girl. did you see the ad for the pokemon cards on ebay? I laughed and cried.
September 10th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
that’s funny. the sad thing is i run all the handwritten calendars and the stuff on the computer so i am basically in charge of it all right now and it’s no picnic. i wish my husband was all techy and could fix whatever’s going on with my desktop right now so i could go fill in my school calendar by hand. sigh.
September 10th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
You were in college in ‘78??!! (ok going to run and duck) hehehe….
your hubby sounds exactly like mine. My hubby’s response would be “oh that, well I never look at THAT. I thought that was just for you…” (big sigh here)
September 10th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
It’s the same way around here. Last night we discussed buying a new laptop. It’s a long story. The short version is that my current one has “shut itself off” 4 times in the last 3 weeks. Anyway. The money won’t be there to buy until Christmas. But my hubby was busy researching last night and building his spreadsheet. = ) What would I do without him to keep me in the technology age?
September 10th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Oh – I am glad to know that someone else really enjoys filling in the days on the calendar too. I just got my little September blocks all up to date, and I love to go by the fridge and look at our schedule. Maybe I, too, need to get out more.
September 10th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Amen!! I feel so much better after reading this.
Bless you.
September 10th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Love it!
I would have to say that it happens around our house too. Amazing isn’t it. I guess all our guys did come from the same mold….
September 10th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
I’m a Quicken girl too! I get all giddy each month when I get to balance the accounts…lol.
Laura
September 11th, 2007 at 6:53 am
It is strangely satisfying to get a new calendar and commence to filling it in with the things that are important in my life. I am learning more and more about the computer, I use the Google calendar, and I have a Palm Pilot…BUT, I still like to get out my purse calendar to be sure it’s right. I just do not trust me and computers, yet.
September 11th, 2007 at 8:06 am
LOL! My husband is the same way. If it’s not in his Outlook, forget it, he’s clueless.
September 11th, 2007 at 8:23 am
Love the post! Have a wonderful, hand-written, organized week!lol
September 11th, 2007 at 8:58 am
Oh my gosh, this so true! Before marrying, I kept my checkbook balanced by hand, paid my bills by check, and filed my own taxes using a 1040EZ form.
Now, thanks to my husband, we use Quicken, pay most of our bills online, file our taxes using Turbo Tax, and invest money electronically.
I’ve told my husband that he needs to type me out a cheat sheet because if he ever dies I’m screwed!
September 11th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Ok, after reading this post I shall resolve to carry a pocket calendar, scribe my expenses into a ledger, and save every detailed receipt for tax purposes lest I be the last one holding my useless remote.
September 12th, 2007 at 12:43 am
i have a cheat sheet for C should something ever happen to me cause he probably couldnt even find our bank let alone get into our bank account. I am pretty sure he could locate the kids and the house but somedays I am not sure beyond that.
I have no idea how he EVER survived on his own before we got together. I think he just paid everything when it got shut off.
Steff
September 13th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Yum.
I just might try that! Minus the coconut and definately plus the peanut butter dipping. Mmmmm.