The difference between G and the rest of the world.

I read an article in the local paper about the differences between men's and women's brains. The article spoke of complete generalizations and was written in a loose, entertaining sort of way. Feel free to interpret this as largely fluff. The first category they covered was "Why don't girls play with trucks?" Since some of my first toys were those super-cool metal bulldozers and dump trucks that would entertain me for hours in the patch of dirt behind the shed. I continued to read as mere curiosity. They explained that cars and trucks are mechanical systems which indicate a right-brain interest (men are said to have right brain dominance which explains their interests in math, maps and other complex systems) while dolls require empathy, a sign of left-brain dominance (the left brain is better at language, making friends and empathizing).

I tend to think of myself as kind of straddling the line between left and right brain dominance, favouring the left brain a bit more. Anyone who has seen my home repairs and improvements will vouch for me. G is awesome at math and complex systems, indeed. I could never compare with his mental abilities and his business acumen, but he also has far better language skills than me. He doesn't mimic the accents as well, but he learns foreign words and understands languages far better and more quickly.

Having said that, I continue. The next topic in the article was why men can't find their keys and the one following asked why women can't read maps. This required me to ask G, "Do you think I'm a good map reader?" Of course, the answer was yes. While I readily agree that my natural sense of direction is not as keen as G's, if I am given an accurate map, I can navigate us anywhere. I looked back at the previous heading about lost keys. Every man I've lived with has had issues finding their little essentials. G usually puts his keys and glasses in one specific location. Whenever they aren't there, he has to ask me what he did with them. I often have an answer, having seen them in an odd location somewhere. The day before, G had asked me where he put his pants. His pants. One might suppose that, having stepped out of them the night before, one might remember the area that took place and go there. Not so. As a matter of fact, he walked by them twice while looking for them before vocalizing his quest. Not that I'm immune (I have been known to lose my sunglasses while they are perched upon the top of my head), but G falls victim more often than I do.

So, I posed the question to him... why do you think men can't find their keys, glasses, etc. and women always know where they are? His answer: "Because the women always move them on us." After a good laugh, I then asked why he thought women can't read maps. His response: "I don't know. They're incompetent?"

All thoughts of further serious discussion were thus ended. Welcome to my life.