During the day, I rarely watch
TV if I’m home and at night, I’m usually content with just hearing background
noise of whatever’s on local programming while I make dinner or read. But on Sunday nights? I love me some trash TV and housewife fighting. It's my one TV vice, so stop judging me!
Anyway, last week, Melissa Gorga tried to coach Albie Manzo’s new girlfriend on how to
get a man to marry you.
Her advice?
“Vacuum when he’s not home, do his laundry, and take over
all the responsibilities that his mother used to have.”
Hold on one second, guys…
OK sorry, I had to go VOMIT really fast.
As a former relationship advice columnist, let me tell you
that that advice is bullshit. I’m not
saying that you can’t ever do a nice thing for your man, but you should not be
trying to win his affection by sneakily doing his laundry or heaven forbid, trying to be his replacement mother figure.
In fact, not only is trying to do a date's laundry weird, but if you live in
the city, it’s freaking expensive and requires breaking and entering. Like, “Oh hey, you left me here in your
bedroom after that one night stand and said to let myself out. But
instead, I’ll leave with your clothing and
take it to the basement/building across the hall/paid laundry service and be
back later. Oh, what? I don’t have keys? I have a job of my own? Don’t worry, I have street
skills and a roll of quarters!”
Seriously. Stop
saying dumb things, Melissa Gorga.
I’ll admit that when I was a writer, things were a lot
different in my relationships. I’ve
always dated professionals who have demanding schedules and I expected to
pick up the slack when they were busy. In
return, I expected that they’d do the same when I was say, MCAT studying, or trying
to survive MSII.
As a result, The Lawyer is basically
dumbfounded when I do anything remotely domestic.
After all, he met me when I was starting
second year and was sleep-deprived, emotional, and basically dependent on him
for everything. As far as who had the
busier schedule, I won hands down and he definitely picked up my slack.
Now, he’s the one with the crazy ridiculous work
schedule. Since I pushed my primary care
rotation back to 4th year, things are definitely quieter for me.
I’m an audio learner and most of my days
consist of Board reviewing, so it's been fairly easy for me to put my lectures on when I do chores. It really is no big deal.
But, when you walk into the house at 11:37 p.m., after being
gone for 14 hours or more, and find that your laundry has been folded and put
away? Well, you’re prone to write things
like this:
Then again, The Lawyer has also done the same for me more
times than I can count and I know the feeling of coming home exhausted only to
be surprised by a clean bathroom, folded laundry, or homemade dinner.
And that’s how relationships are supposed to be (MELISSA
GORGA).
*The Lawyer doesn’t have a car because he lives in the city
and walks to work. He uses Zipcar,
Car2Go, or weekend car rentals to get out to Virginia to see his
girlfriend. Said girlfriend has also been
known to go to city too, where she might fold the laundry or even turn the
dishwasher on when The Lawyer is at work.
5 comments:
HAHAHAH I love this! I totally agree. Why can't both people do nice things for eachother?! And I really wish people would stop adhering to such harsh gender role expectations. My bf does half of the household chores and I do half. Sometimes I pay for dinner, sometimes he does, other times we split it in half. It works for me!
I haven't seen the TV show you mention, but have heard it is train wreck and exactly the kind of show that doesn't make you think too hard - perfect for winding down at the end of a busy day. If I had the channel available, who knows - maybe I would be watching it right now.
I agree you don't want to be the mother, but I find myself doing the same thing (although I am already married, and never once did this kind of stuff while dating). When the house is taken care of it means his limited free time is for me and the kids instead of taking care of household chores. I try to have it all done, but I draw the line at mowing the lawn. I still believe the yard is a mans domain and he needs to contribute something. Plus I don't like my neighbors to see me all hot and sweaty:-)
MS3- Agreed! I think if the woman has any sort of career, it's hard to think in such specific gender roles, because it just doesn't work. Both people are working, tired, and busy, so both people have to split the chores (or be rich enough to hire help, which med. students are NOT...haha)!
Doctor's Wife- Yes, the show is total mind trash, which is exactly what I need sometimes! I have NO PROBLEM with one person doing the majority of the household chores if the other person has a demanding outside job...I just didn't agree with Melissa's advice to young women, as if the only way to get a man to marry you is to be his maid...bleh! Also, I have bitterness and rage from being a certain banker's trophy girlfriend, so I am prone to spewing hatred on this subject :)
Perfect. I would have loved to read your relationship advice column!
that is so sweet. And also, I feel ya on the trash tv. I won't even tell you what I watch, haha.
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