That got my big wheels to keep on turning. Proud mary keep on turning. Rolling. Rolling.
And we're rolling on.
I can't tell you how many women I know who believe men's roles in their life is more utilitarian than anything else. It's not that you all don't love us, it's just that if we are only good for putting food on the table, well we can be fairly useless. And I'm not talking about normal things like killing vermin and fighting off intruders. I'm talking about things you all could easily do yourself but somehow, if a man WON'T do them, he's useless.
Kind of like warming up your feet. Here are few others.
1. Changing light bulbs
There's a reason there are multiple "changing a light bulb" jokes. It's simple. But I've learned that women view this as man's work. Except, what if the bulbs blow when a dude ain't home? It's a freakin' light bulb. Screw out. Screw in. It's like sex only with more tangible and positive results. Always.
2. Driving
Riddle me this, Batman...why for come don't women ever seem to like to drive? Let me caveat this by saying that I know it's not all women. But a signficant portion of women either really love being chauffered or are allergic to steering wheels and forward motion. This one has often puzzled me when I have chick friends...just friends...who always want me to drive their nice cars when we go places. It could be a CVS run and I still have to drive.
3. Walking the dog
Your dog. Your job. You go out in subzero temperatures to let Lovemuffin get some relief.
4. Getting the car serviced
Hey Batman, I've got another riddle. What's the deal with women in relationships preferring for their chaps to take their cars to get serviced? Oh...right. You all don't like to drive. Never mind. Silly of me to even ask.
5. Talking to customer service reps
This could be a personal one because one of my sisters was notorious for snaking me into calling customer service and waiting for 45 minutes to wait while she did other stuff. It got to the point that if she handed me the phone, I'd run like the wind, Forrest.
That's a fairly solid list methinks. Ladies, are men preferredd to do certain things you could do yourself? Do your men make you do things that they feel are women's work? <---I've never actually uttered those words or made my woman do anything I couldn't do for myself. Thank you. And good night.
Yup.. number 5- talking to a service rep when I know diddly about cars sucks. Since my husband knows about the engines and other components of the car, I figure he will do the job more justice and likely save money.
However there are jobs that he stays clear of by claiming ignorance. Like kids and anything medical because I'm a nurse. So I carried the solo burden and honor of loving 5 kids through surgery, broken bones and every illness. Also, he is useless at anything educational so that put a huge job on me as well.
I've sewn for hundreds of hours on dance and halloween costumes and home decor items. I have made hundreds of frozen dinners for his ailing mother and cared for and bathed her. Plus I've clocked hundreds of dog walking miles.
I have never mowed the lawn nor painted. It was never spoken of either. He just does it. He gave my sons their first jobs and taught them to have integrity on the job. He also does some of these things you've listed. The rule here is that if you discover the burned out bulb you change it. Same with the empty toilet tissue roll.
I cannot list all that I have done nor all that my husband contributes but I guess my point is that we strike a balance.
In the best relationships, the couple works as a team, each complimenting the other's weak areas.
In my case...
BF to me:
Changing light bulbs - "you're too small get off that mountain of chairs you've assembled before you kill yourself"
Driving - "no..I'LL drive"
Walking the dog - "I'll take the dog out - you cook dinner"
Getting the car serviced - "If you go down to that garage they're going to take one look at you and charge you double"
Talking to customer service reps: "did you cancel our subscription? NO??? What do you mean they persuaded you to sign up for an extra 12 months??"
Ok, some of these are really on point:
Light bulbs: I'll change them, as long as I can reach them (I'm 5'2). The ones I can't reach I call on the bf (he's 6'3).
Driving: Well, the bf back seat drives something serious -- it's awful. He actually makes me nervous. So, he get to drive.
Getting the Car Serviced: I usually take care of this myself, unless the bf hears something that I just can't. However, he doesn't complain, he just takes it in for me.
You forgot one! Men, stereotypically, have to kill the bugs. I am AFRAID of bugs, so yeah -- bf has to kill 'em.
Loll! I change lightbulbs myself, thank you very much. That's a man's job? I've been screwing and unscrewing lightbulbs since I was 10 (really. It fascinated me).
Driving - if it's my car, I'll drive. If it's his, he'll drive. Girl friends (not girlfriend) made you drive their car to CVS?! That's crazy!
Car Serviced- I don't enjoy getting my car serviced; it's too boring. I'll make my bf do it, lol.
Customer Service- I always do this myself if the product/service is my own. If it's something we have together, I'll make him do it. I can't not do it, I just dislike doing it.
1. Haha, my husband has to change the bulbs, I'm too short to reach, even with the chairs in our apartment! If one blows while he's gone then I just climb my way up there.
2. I love to drive, especially when I don't feel like gripping the seat as my husband does a sharp turn at 40 mph.
3. We don't have a dog, but I've grown up with several at all times - I love taking them out!
4. Okay, you got me there. I make my husband do all things car-related, although I have him explain to me while he does it. I'm not good with cars and in regards to taking it to get serviced, I'd be afraid I'd get ripped off since I have no idea what they're talking about.
5. I actually do all the phone calls in our house! Which is odd, since I'm mostly deaf and phone convos are hard for me. But my husband gets too mad too fast, especially when dealing with doctors or making appointments, so I take the rein for that.
I have to say, I know a lot of women that adhere to these stereotypes though, and I don't know why. I do know, however, why we use our husbands as foot warmers - because they do the same thing!
I realized what you forgot. We always expect the men to kill the bugs! The killing of the "icky things" is a man's job!
It's because daddy always did these things! A girls relationship with her father really effects how she acts in a relationship. If I always depended on daddy to change the ink in the printer, I'm gonna make my man change the ink, but I never make a man drive unless he knows where we are going and I do not.
I just figure all those 'mens jobs' are balance and payback for all the 'womens work' Are men physically able to: wash up / cook / scrub toilets and showers / vacumme / iron / do laundry...(really, I could go on all day here)? Of course they CAN but do they? Mostly, and I do say mostly because there are some men who share the house work, I guess thats the gender roles they have grown up with. Of your list I'm guilty of 1 and 4, because of the practical reasons ie men are generally taller and know more about cars. 2,3,and 5 dont make sense to me as mens work. And even though my dad didn't do some of these I'll also add my list of 'mens jobs' Changing my bike tyres, hooking up the tv / computer cables, taking out the bin for collection, mowing, putting new batteries in things. I guess for me the way the jobs get divided comes down to the fact that deep down women like to nurture, men like to feel usefull.
the only one i kinda, push for, is the car repair stuff. It is true that because most women do not know much about cars, men at the auto shops take adavantage of that. Women do it to for men lost in a womans world. It is just natural. I would be with a guy to do, not send him on his own... but be with him. I even grab one of my best guy friends for that.. just so i'm not completly screwed over
I completely agree with Mel, if dads had certain jobs then we think thats the "mans job"
or if your dad didnt do something but you thought a man should then you might make bf/husband do it.
Changing light bulbs - I'm way too short. sure I could go get a chair but ill just go to another room if my hubbys not home if I really need light.
Driving-
a) my dad always drove, I dont think i have ever seen my mom and dad in the same car where my mom drove.
b) I'm not great at driving, I admit it so he can drive. Our changes of survival goes way up! plus he likes driving...but he might just be saying to get out of me out of the driver seat.... who knows
I do all the man's work mentioned at our house plus recycling and trash to the curb. Grilling and anything outside is my husband's responsibility. Hmmm.