While eating oatmeal at a truck stop I was enlightened as to the difference between men and women. I was introduced to the Nothing Box.
Apparently, as it was explained to me, women's brains are constructed like a ball of twine - everything overlaps and interweaves. For example, a mother may wake up in the morning, get her three boys fed and ready for school, do a load of laundry, plan dinner, and head out the door to her own full time job. When a woman hears shes getting company, she plans to change the sheets, stock the fridge, straighten the house, and find a few local activities her guests may enjoy. Everything interconnects, overlaps, etc.
A man's brain, on the other hand, is constructed like boxes. There's a work box, a family box, and there's probably a golf box. A man can only be in one box at a time, singularly focusing on one issue. The man who has company enjoys his company. He's not in the kitchen prepping hors d'oeuvres, wipping dessert plates, and refilling the ice trays - he wasn't in that box.
The most favored box a man has is the Nothing Box. Jumping in his Nothing Box, the man can shut off anything and everything, clearing his head and recharging. Ahhhhh, the nothing box.
Unfortunately while the nothing box is heaven for the man, it's the box women hate the most.
The man who explained this to me believes in the Nothing Box theory. He said it's glorious. (I really think he used the word glorious) And I - after knowing my brother for all 29.9 years of my life - definitely believe it's true.
So why would the woman hate (loathe?) something that is so central to a man's being? Is it because women are jealous they don't have an invite to the box? That was the wisdom of the Nothing Box dweller in my life.
My view, however, is there is a much simpler, easier-to-buy reason. I submit that women are annoyed by the fact that, after putting up with a man who can only handle one-track-thought all day long, that man gets to jump in his Nothing Box to recharge; thus leaving the woman to handle: everything.
Tricky little buggers.
All is not lost though. Not to be outdone, I also believe that women are learning to find their own Nothing Boxes. With the ever-increasing delay in marriages and reproduction, women are able and willing to cuddle up in newly discovered nothingness. I'm not sure which came first, finding Nothing or staying single longer, but the relationship is surely strong.
I know I possess the ball of twine upstairs. But I also know I'm getting more comforable with my very own Nothing Box. I like it in there - it usually involves a good book or a chick flick. At least until the commercial break brings me back to earth, what's not to love?
....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuMZ73mT5zM&feature=related
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So true. I remember early in our relationship, Brian refused to think about work at home. How can you NOT think about it? Tell a woman not to think about something, and it's all they'll think about. I am so jealous of the Nothing Box. I don't know if women can really get them though - the wiring up there is just completely different. Women are caretakers - whether it's genetic or learned - and are going to take on all those piddly tasks that keep the world running smoothly.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your post, it just simply amazes me how men can survive without women...I mean how do single guys do it....I suppose for awhile you may have a mother, but what happens when you are truly a male on his own? I bet that's when Beer, BBQs, Sports, Video Games, Fast Cars, Rock and/or Roll, (just to name a few favorite male activities) where invented...by some guy who had grown tired of sitting in his nothing box...
ReplyDeleteI say we Celebrate the Nothing box...and to play a little Devils advocate...perhaps men, may or may not think about the same things women think about because most of the time (and I am making a HUGE assumption as the Devils Advocate here), women spend time worrying about what happens if, or what happens when....
As a male I would argue while women spend time worrying about what may or may not happen in the future, men jump into their nothing box so they are rested and ready to handle it....
Just my two cents...
But I declare Nov. 4 National Nothing Box Day...A celebration of the glorious wonder Nothing really can be....
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