light the candles, take three
(or: boy things and four bucks’ll get you a venti)
posted at 3:05 am by brandon in me me me (by way of her her her)
So, the event itself had the phenomenally awful timing to fall during the most brutally busy weekend of my entire year (which explains why this is being posted twenty-four-plus hours past the fact), but the fabulous Sherry Ann celebrated her birthday yesterday. I phoned her at midnight to offer her fond wishes (a tradition we began back when we were but wee chillins), and she was ringing in the day by camping out in the front yard (in a tent and everything!) with her two sons. When I expressed disbelief at the mere idea of this, she informed me, as if it was the most (and perhaps only) natural thing in the world to say, “I’m the mother of boys. Boys like to do boy things.”
After our (too brief) conversation, I was left to ponder how (and why) I never really cared to do so-called “boy things” like camping (which, as my mother and sister will haply attest, I hated — and, often, flat ass refused, with adamant vehemence — to do) and fishing (the single time I went with my grandfather on a walleye hunt, the revelation that subduing our quarry actually meant touching it revolted me so much that it took me weeks to surmount the trauma) and watching football (a hobby I didn’t stumble onto until I was well into my twenties, and the only reason it happened then was because I thought UT’s then-QB One Major Applewhite was the most hopelessly adorable guy I’d ever laid grateful eyes on) and working on cars (can change a tire and check the oil, that’s pretty much the extent of my skill set). Rarely ever have I felt even an iota of angst about my lack of interest in any of these pursuits, which means this entire post has nothin’ to do with nothin’ (and certainly has no relevance vis-a-vis Sherry’s special day), so even though it may or may not like I’m aiming for something profound here, I’m quite honestly just musing.
Had “boy things” filled the gaps in my attention span, it’s a pretty safe bet that the Buzz would be non-existent, so even if it accomplishes nothing more, may this silly blog illustrate with fierce and unyielding precision that “boy things” are overrated anyhow.
Much love always (and happy birthday!), Sherry Ann.
P.S.: The maid’s name was Florence. đ
June 16th, 2008 at 9:14 am
I am a single mom, so yes, I do things like camping and playing sports. However, we were 10 feet from the house and had two tvs, a playstation, an ipod, a phone, and a fully stocked cooler full of food. That’s the way I do boy things! I think that my kids get the best of both worlds. They can sit down and watch NASCAR and then when it is over watch One Tree Hill, and know everything about both. As for you, I love you just the way you are. Who else can I have long in depth talks about General Hospital with or stay up all night waiting for Time Life infomercials? I’m glad that you never liked the so called “boy things”. That’s why we work so well together. Although, I am glad that we can finally watch and discuss football.
June 16th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
First off, happy (slightly belated) birthday wishes to Sherry!
Second, by labeling certain activities as âboy things,â Brandon has opened a well-known and well-used can of worms. Like Brandon, I too have not felt any particular angst about possessing (or lacking) predisposition to âboy thingsâ or âgirl things.â I think itâs important to expose young ones to football and soccer, painting and music, interior design and hiking (among other activities) and let them find what they like. A simple thought, isnât it? No âboy thingsâ or âgirl thingsâ involved!
The same goes for skills, not just âthingsâ. For example, changing tires, balancing a checkbook, and sewing on a button are skills that may have been at one time labeled âboy skillsâ or âgirl skillsâ but in reality are skills that every boy and girl should (eventually) learn. Again as simple as that. (Thus, kudos to Sherry Ann, for exposing your sons to so much! However, I donât think âcampingâ with two TVs, a PlayStation, and an iPod qualifies as camping!)
Third, I too have been traumatized by my fishing experience at an early age. However, thatâs probably a story for another post.
June 16th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
I don’t see what traumatized you guys so much… I always found scooping a goldfish out of the tank with a net to be rather fun. đ
June 19th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Well, Mike, you’re the biologist. Dare I declare to the blogosphere what you did for a living in the lab just a few years ago? đ
June 19th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Well, my intent had been to describe myself as so disliking ‘fishing’ as a kid that I limited it to fish tanks, but yes, years of dissecting mice for a living has long since cured me of any remaining squeamishness. đ