Bodacious Boomer

I was just working on a design for a new floor cloth. Since I’m just looking at photos on the computer and doing some sketches. I had the TV on for background noise. I’ll admit it. It’s really on a lot. However, in my defense, I am usually multi-tasking at the time-  painting, cooking, brushing dogs, answering emails.  You know how it is. Doug though can’t seem to do that, multi-task that is. He says he’s going to do this or that while watching the game. It just doesn’t happen very often. He’s not lazy. Quite the opposite. It would  be better for me though if he said “I’m just going to watch the game” and not get my hopes up. It really doesn’t matter what the game is either. I think last week he watched the tiddlywinks championship from Guam followed by the camel races from Morocco. (In his defense I think he had a small wager on that one.)

Once upon a time I heard a statement describing men and women. “Men are like rifles, women are like shotguns.” At least in my house that is pretty accurate. I would just love the luxury of being able to focus on only 1 thing at a time. Of course if I did the house would be in a bigger state of kaos  than it is.  The problem is that women have to to focus, organize, prioritize ; whatever you want to call it, all the time. I really think the earth might just stop if we didn’t.  How would the giant ant for science class or the panorama of the Alamo for history class ever get made if women weren’t like this? The dogs would never get their rabies shots, etc. It really explains a lot if you think about it. (Before I get jumped, I do realize that there are single dads that have had to adapt and can now do this.)

Not to sound unappreciative however, when Doug has his cap set on a task, nothing deters him. He is consumed with whatever it is til it is done- and it is done well. When he’s in the “zone” though don’t ask him to do anything else. I guess that’s the part of being like a rifle part coming in.  The bullet from the rifle goes only one place. Since I’m a shotgun I have a hard time understanding why he just can’t shift his attention to something I need for 5 minutes. Short of me standing in front of him holding a severed appendage this won’t happen.

After a full day we go to the bedroom.  Now his priorities have changed. Doug is “good to go” in less than 3 minutes. It’s as if he’s put every concern or thought in his life in a tiny jar and placed on a shelf in the closet and can focus solely on one thing. Out of sight, out of mind I guess. I am so jealous. I would kill for that ability. I’m laying there trying to remember when I changed the sheets last. Did I leave laundry in the washer? Did I give Gizmo his meds? What bills do I have to pay tomorrow? I can’t turn my brain off. Where’s the switch?

In the end however, I suppose it really doesn’t matter if you’re a rifle or a shotgun as long as you both hit the target.