I have been banging on like a bit of a banshee at home lately about the fact that I feel taken for granted. I really don't think that my husband or man-child are doing this intentionally, I just think that they have just gotten too accustomed to me doing everything for them and are not giving me enough of that love and attention in return lately.
Naturally, it is my duty as primary nagger to remind them of this fact by pointing out to Craig that I am not his mother and by riding Seth every time he doesn't do what I have asked him to do. But in all honesty, I find the mere act of even needing to point this stuff out to them incredibly irritating. I am sure that there are million other people out there that are going to agree with what I am about to say, and unfortunately I would hazard a bet that a lot of them are also women.
I find that I am always having to think three steps ahead of everything, and I mean everything. And no this has very little to do with me being a pedantic bitch, and everything to do with the realities of running a household. Whomever gets the title of household operator (often the wife) needs to be on their toes 99.9% of the time in order for everything to not fall into a shit pile rapidly, in our house this duty falls to me.
Apart from mowing the lawns and doing generally manly-like things around here (like operating heavy machinery, digging trenches, cleaning gutters, fixing broken things and catching various feral animals and the like) I feel like I do everything. I cook, I clean, I shop (and I'm not talking about fun shopping here- I mean food and necessary items shopping), I pay the bills and manage the money, I organise birthdays, holidays, Christmases and Easters and every other major event that happens in our lives. I do the school pick ups and drop offs, I do the after school classes, I do the homework lessons and guitar lessons daily, I do the laundry, I cut lunches, I keep the garden in check, tend the veggies, spray the weeds......blah blah blah...honestly this could go on for pages, but you get the drift right?
Well, is it really that much to ask for a little gratitude once and a while for all this fussing about that I do? Yes apparently it is, because when I get fed up to the eyeballs with it all, which I do from time to time and just have a good old hissy fit about it, my two manly men look at me like I've just landed from Mars and they have no idea what I'm talking about. Of course they appreciate me, what would make me think otherwise? Ah, maybe the fact that I need to remind you about everything 5 times before you do it, maybe because I'm exhausted and don't feel like cooking 365 days a year, maybe because I'm still running about like a fricken crazy lady at 9pm finishing chores and maybe, just maybe...I'm a bit strung out from being off the fags and you bastards should cut me some slack!
Woah...okay...well that actually felt pretty good to get off my chest. Feeling much calmer now. So, back to the point I was making, which is, that it is probably this way for so many mums in the world. And I am not trying to be sexist here, some dads too for sure, but generally it's the mums that are juggling all of the extra responsibilities along side of their work, and in general I do think that we are pretty undervalued for all of that extra effort.
They say that it takes a village to raise a child, but sometimes I do feel like a one woman show, not all the time, just sometimes, and those are the times when I just want my other half to notice the struggle and to let me know that what I am doing is all worthwhile and that I am fricken awesome at doing it too. Because even the most organised and fantastical of us get beaten down from time to time, and it helps if the ones that you are beating yourself down for don't make you feel taken for granted.
And that's perhaps the strangest thing about all of this really, the fact that we all willingly string ourselves up for the one's that we love, every single day. Pulling and stretching at the fabrics of ourselves and doing all that we can time and time again to go that extra mile. And all that I have ever really ever wanted in return for all of my efforts was to be validated, to be seen and not to be left strung up and hanging out to dry. And I suppose that is all that any of us really want if the truth be told, to know that we are valued, to know that we are loved.
Naturally, it is my duty as primary nagger to remind them of this fact by pointing out to Craig that I am not his mother and by riding Seth every time he doesn't do what I have asked him to do. But in all honesty, I find the mere act of even needing to point this stuff out to them incredibly irritating. I am sure that there are million other people out there that are going to agree with what I am about to say, and unfortunately I would hazard a bet that a lot of them are also women.
I find that I am always having to think three steps ahead of everything, and I mean everything. And no this has very little to do with me being a pedantic bitch, and everything to do with the realities of running a household. Whomever gets the title of household operator (often the wife) needs to be on their toes 99.9% of the time in order for everything to not fall into a shit pile rapidly, in our house this duty falls to me.
Apart from mowing the lawns and doing generally manly-like things around here (like operating heavy machinery, digging trenches, cleaning gutters, fixing broken things and catching various feral animals and the like) I feel like I do everything. I cook, I clean, I shop (and I'm not talking about fun shopping here- I mean food and necessary items shopping), I pay the bills and manage the money, I organise birthdays, holidays, Christmases and Easters and every other major event that happens in our lives. I do the school pick ups and drop offs, I do the after school classes, I do the homework lessons and guitar lessons daily, I do the laundry, I cut lunches, I keep the garden in check, tend the veggies, spray the weeds......blah blah blah...honestly this could go on for pages, but you get the drift right?
Well, is it really that much to ask for a little gratitude once and a while for all this fussing about that I do? Yes apparently it is, because when I get fed up to the eyeballs with it all, which I do from time to time and just have a good old hissy fit about it, my two manly men look at me like I've just landed from Mars and they have no idea what I'm talking about. Of course they appreciate me, what would make me think otherwise? Ah, maybe the fact that I need to remind you about everything 5 times before you do it, maybe because I'm exhausted and don't feel like cooking 365 days a year, maybe because I'm still running about like a fricken crazy lady at 9pm finishing chores and maybe, just maybe...I'm a bit strung out from being off the fags and you bastards should cut me some slack!
Woah...okay...well that actually felt pretty good to get off my chest. Feeling much calmer now. So, back to the point I was making, which is, that it is probably this way for so many mums in the world. And I am not trying to be sexist here, some dads too for sure, but generally it's the mums that are juggling all of the extra responsibilities along side of their work, and in general I do think that we are pretty undervalued for all of that extra effort.
They say that it takes a village to raise a child, but sometimes I do feel like a one woman show, not all the time, just sometimes, and those are the times when I just want my other half to notice the struggle and to let me know that what I am doing is all worthwhile and that I am fricken awesome at doing it too. Because even the most organised and fantastical of us get beaten down from time to time, and it helps if the ones that you are beating yourself down for don't make you feel taken for granted.
And that's perhaps the strangest thing about all of this really, the fact that we all willingly string ourselves up for the one's that we love, every single day. Pulling and stretching at the fabrics of ourselves and doing all that we can time and time again to go that extra mile. And all that I have ever really ever wanted in return for all of my efforts was to be validated, to be seen and not to be left strung up and hanging out to dry. And I suppose that is all that any of us really want if the truth be told, to know that we are valued, to know that we are loved.
PUNCH DRUNK LOVE
Release Date: 2002
Rating: M
Running Time: 95 mins
An off-beat romance, written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson that showcases Adam Sandler's ability to really act, which sets this apart from any of his other material. The story is put together in an art house kind of a way, and plays out like a bit of an ongoing car crash, in other words, terrible things are continually occurring which pushes the main characters along in the most unpredictable of ways.
Barry Egan (Sandler) is a lonely supply salesman with problems. Torn between his overbearing sisters, his anger issues and his impulsive quirks, his life is one big cacophony of noise and agitation. That is until he meets Lena, a calm amidst the calamity and a possible solution to all of his problems.
There is a lot of good stuff going on here, the script is sharp and witty, the play on the auditory levels of the movie had a real impact on me, and I adored the darling budding romance between the main characters Barry and Lena, who are portrayed perfectly by Adam Sandler and Emily Watson. I found this to be an incredibly sweet and poignant tale about finding your purpose in someone else, and accepting people flaws and all, because it's so damn good to be in love.
FINAL SAY: I have a love in my life. It makes me stronger than anything you can imagine.
3.5 Chili Peppers
Release Date: 2002
Rating: M
Running Time: 95 mins
An off-beat romance, written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson that showcases Adam Sandler's ability to really act, which sets this apart from any of his other material. The story is put together in an art house kind of a way, and plays out like a bit of an ongoing car crash, in other words, terrible things are continually occurring which pushes the main characters along in the most unpredictable of ways.
Barry Egan (Sandler) is a lonely supply salesman with problems. Torn between his overbearing sisters, his anger issues and his impulsive quirks, his life is one big cacophony of noise and agitation. That is until he meets Lena, a calm amidst the calamity and a possible solution to all of his problems.
There is a lot of good stuff going on here, the script is sharp and witty, the play on the auditory levels of the movie had a real impact on me, and I adored the darling budding romance between the main characters Barry and Lena, who are portrayed perfectly by Adam Sandler and Emily Watson. I found this to be an incredibly sweet and poignant tale about finding your purpose in someone else, and accepting people flaws and all, because it's so damn good to be in love.
FINAL SAY: I have a love in my life. It makes me stronger than anything you can imagine.
3.5 Chili Peppers
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