Sofas, Computers, and the Battle of the Sexes

Nobody will ever win the Battle of the Sexes. There's just too much fraternizing with the enemy. 

--Henry Kissinger

It's not true that life is one damn thing after another; it is one damn thing over and over. 

--Edna St. Vincent Millay

 

So, this past Tuesday, December 7, the world changed.   And, sadly, I'm not talking about Pearl Harbor.  No, I'm talking about an online RPG that has sucked millions into its pixelated oblivion.  Yes, ladies and gents, I'm talking about World of Warcraft's newest expansion, Cataclysm. 

  My husband didn't stand a chance. 

So, mom and I were talking about men, how every man has some sort of obsessive hobby: cars, video games, sports, politics, music, technology and the repair/enjoyment thereof . . . and it reminded me of a story my mom once told me.  Once upon a time, when my parents were but wee newlyweds, my father had a couch. And not just any couch. It was large, hand-me-down, L-shaped,covered in a colonial pattern featuring coffee grinders couch. It was, in essence, a "bachelor couch."  Ladies, you know exactly what this means. Men, you're probably not understanding the issue here . . . basically, it was that foul thing tainting an otherwise lovely living room. So my mother goes to my father and says, "Honey, we need a new couch." My father and I have the same views on money: it stays in the bank, so my dad promptly answers with, "Well, we can't afford it right now." Mom digresses, and moves on, casting long, hateful glances at that funiturial blemish. Not long after this, my mother comes home to a huge, brand-new, spankin' set of sound speakers. New couch? Nope . . . just these super expensive pieces of equipment, sitting in her house like it's nothing. Oh no, he didn't!  Now, you have to understand my dad is a techy and sound boards/music are a hobby of his. When my mother approached him, bewildered and outraged that they could afford speakers and not a new couch, Dad simply replied that he needed the speakers for his sound business. So I relate this story to Chris, and Chris replies with a smirk, "Your dad has his priorities in the right place. I mean, aesthetics over new technology? Come on! There's no comparison!" I, on the other hand, was shocked that my father would do such a thing when the living room was in so dire need of a makeover. Men and women will just never see eye to eye on some things. For now, I'm content to simply say that Chris's WoW habit is my father's new speakers . . . or maybe the really ugly couch?

How about you? What's your ugly couch/new speakers?

P.S. To be fair, I do play WoW with Chris now and again . . . it's bonding time . . . ;]

Text Message Mix-Ups

Yesterday, a student came up to me and said, "Mrs. Bocchino, my mom got your text about you and your husband . . . you know . . . " And she gave me that shy smirk we all wear when we've found something naughty.

Now, I don't send those text messages, but, every once in a while, something comes up that's for Chris's eyes only. My phone is a touch screen, and, sometimes scrolling through contacts will accidentally select more than one name so . . . Panic much?

"Honey, what text message?"

"Oh . . . you know . . . "

I'm checking my Sent Text. "No, hon, I never texted your mom." And then a lightbulb. "'Leyna, was it my blog? You know, an online journal with stories about Mr. Bocchino and me?"



She was talking about the banner on here. You know, because there's PDA. And, when your seven, PDA is so scandalous.

May I just say that my relief made the day so much better?