There must be SOMETHING good......

I'm sure that men have their strong points.

But putting together a timeline in order of priority is not one of them. Neither is understanding a simple sentence, come to think of it.

Everyone knows that girls can do 52 things at the same time. Everyone also knows that guys cannot. So if Steve and I are doing something in the same room, it may LOOK like I am just returning an email, but in actuality all you girls out there know that I am also thinking about the next load of laundry to be done, forming a grocery list, thinking about what homework the kids have left to complete, and planning meals for at least the next four days. Steve? Well when it looks like he is putting the dominos back in the box, he is really just putting the dominos back in the box.

Sometimes when we are in these close-but-a-world-apart situations I mention things that I need him to do. It's not until well into the little conversation that I sometimes realize he thinks I mean to do them NOW.

For example: "Steve, could you please pick up those dominos?"
He sits down to do it.
One minute later: "This window handle has GOT to be tightened. Its making me crazy."
He gets up to get the screwdriver. The dominos remain. (Keep in mind that I am still going from pot to pot, watering the plants.)
One minute later: "I forgot to dust this bay window. Shoot. When are those people coming over?"
He has the screwdriver in his hand so he puts in into his back pocket (where I will find it a week later when something is BANGING in the dryer), and goes to get the vacuum cleaner -- steps on the dominos on the way over.
One minute later: "Did you ever shut off the garage light?"
Now he is completely overwhelmed. "WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FIRST???"
I look up and realize the position he has placed himself in. It never occured to me that he was actually performing the actions I was talking about. Most of the above were just THOUGHTS, not instructions anyway!

So tonight. It's 5:55pm. I mentioned the package of steak that needed to be grilled for supper. He knows this is his job since I do NOT operate fire-based outdoor appliances. He said he would do them. He puts on his coat and is looking for his shoes (incidentally -- they are in the closest where *I* put them so he is now unable to find them). I had just been looking through Benjamin's backpack and came upon some homework that needed to be done by tomorrow morning. I said, "I need you to go get Benjamin by about 6:30 because he has some homework to get done." Steve stops in his tracks, coat half-zipped, shoes half on. "Bu......." I give him a leveling look and wait for the tremendousness of all these tasks to sink in. "AFTER you do the steak." A look of relief. "Oh ok. Cuz I thought you just said to make the steaks."

Ok. Maybe this doesn't seem very earth-shattering, but seriously! Can't everyone else on the planet figure out that since it is 5:55 and steaks take about 10 minutes that, by the time the steaks are done, he will even have time to EAT before needing to go get Benjamin (who is 10 minutes away).

This stuff makes me nuts. I just don't think I should have to explain the order in which these events need to occur. Although in hindsight, I should have made it REALLY complicated and told him to throw the wet towels into the dryer too......