Man Space

As a woman, I find myself struggling to understanding "man space." My beloved husband has lots of "man spaces." I doubt he would agree with that, but as the woman of the house ... trust me, he has plenty of "man space."

I'll start with his chair. A cumbersome, over-sized, unattractive, slouch machine! Mr. LazyBoy knew of what he spoke. My husband's chair literally sucks the life right out of him on a daily basis. Now don't get me wrong, my husband isn't lazy, by any means, but once he has succeeded in whatever project he had planned, the infamous chair beckons.

Surrounded by two small tables in a corner all his own, there are five, yes five, remotes. I have one -- a lovely programmable gadget that runs all our components and even lights up when you enter the room, drawing you to veg in front of the boob tube for a bit. Even if you had no intention of stopping to gaze at the tube, you feel obliged to pick it up and ... well, see what's on the tube. Some days I'm strong and just pass it by ... other days, well ... no.

So, besides the numerous remotes, he has his basket which holds those items he may need. First, a cup ... it holds two nail clippers - one straight and one curvy, three pens - one doesn't work but it might later, a pencil, two permanent markers - one fat, one thin, a nursery marking pen for marking plastic or wood and is sun proof and water proof, of course. There is a ... well, I'd call it a toothbrush, but it isn't. So, I'm not sure I can tell you exactly what it is ... or isn't, but it's in the cup so I'm obligated to list it here. There's an emery board and a nail file, three stray AAA batteries and a small screwdriver. Next to the cup, there is an old votive holder filled with toothpicks and of course, paper for notes about things that are important for him to remember. He received some cashew heavy Poppycock for Christmas. It's on his table, too.

On my table I have my remote and my laptop.

OK, it's true ... I use his basket, too ... a toothpick, perhaps. An emery board. But, that's it. Really.

More man space is in the garage. I have my laundry corner, but the rest is well, his. Now, I'm sure he'll tell you it's my fault our two and a half car garage is full to the top because anytime I don't want something in the house, I put it in the garage. And, he's right. That does happen. So I am willing to take some responsibility for the clutter in his garage man space. Oh, I have a refrigerator in there, too. I use it for those items I don't need in the kitchen refrigerator, like extra soymilk, organic juices and extra food when we have guests. But, his diet Sam's cola is in there, too!

I couldn't possibly list the items in the garage, but we do manage to get both of our cars in there. His Dodge SRT-4 and my Prius. Thank goodness we don't have a full-size Lincoln! It wouldn't fit.

Then there's his office space. We each have our own computer and computer desk space. Mine has a workable space, but I have more drawers. His space is ... well ... cluttered, filled with bits of paper with notes (I use my computer for notes), magazines (I give mine away when I'm finished), and piles and piles of important stuff. I'm not even sure what there is on his desk - I don't have to work there and he's happy with it. I leave it alone. Though once in a when I catch him straightening it, I grab a dust rag and slip in there.

More man space is in the backyard. My lovely husband has created a tropical paradise in our backyard right here in southern Alabama. Tonight we expect a hard freeze so his project for today is to finish his greenhouse to protect those plants he can carry to it. I can hear the wind howl as I sit here - good thing he's almost finished. The backyard is his - overgrown, but organized. The front yard is mine - an unassuming hedge across the front of the house, a puddle of ivy around the post of our mailbox and the ever present azaleas. That's it.

OK, so now that I've note all his man space, I realize I probably have more woman space, IF you count the rest of the house as mine. He has some items in the house, too, items I have incorporated into my theme, my plan. But, if the truth be known, his "man space" isn't all the much ... it's just so busy and cluttered it seems like more.

He really needs more man space ... guess it's time to get a storage building for him to do what he likes ... fill it up.