Apocalyptic Obsolescence
My wife and I decided a few weeks ago to replace the polyvinyl chloride laying on our kitchen floor and door entry with slate tile. As I left my house today, the guys we hired to lay our tile were arriving, and it got me to thinking. Should I have installed the tile? Am I emasculating myself by letting another man do typically male household labor?
I mean, I don't want to do it. I don't even think I'd do a good job. But do I really want the rumor getting out that I'm incapable of doing simple masculine tasks? Because I'm not. No, really. I'm not. I did install the shelves in our garage, after all, and they haven't even fallen down yet.
And yet, it makes me wonder if I shouldn't have kept with the construction job I had in college, rather than do all this computer stuff. Sure, I jumped at the prospect of having a career where I could sit on my butt all day pushing buttons. But it makes you soft. And dependent on the fickle mistress that is Technology.
There's always the chance that the Earth will be hit by an asteroid, mammoth earthquake, or alien doomsday weapon. We'll watch in horror as the electrical grid collapses, society disintegrates, and the streets are overrun with mad dogs and Englishmen. How useful will my mad skillz in Photoshop be then? Not very. My family will need someone who can rebuild walls and fight off marauding mutants with a nail gun and crowbar.
Crap. All this could happen at any moment. I've got to find out how to filter urine into drinkable water right now. You never know when everything could go down the drain.
So to speak.
I mean, I don't want to do it. I don't even think I'd do a good job. But do I really want the rumor getting out that I'm incapable of doing simple masculine tasks? Because I'm not. No, really. I'm not. I did install the shelves in our garage, after all, and they haven't even fallen down yet.
And yet, it makes me wonder if I shouldn't have kept with the construction job I had in college, rather than do all this computer stuff. Sure, I jumped at the prospect of having a career where I could sit on my butt all day pushing buttons. But it makes you soft. And dependent on the fickle mistress that is Technology.
There's always the chance that the Earth will be hit by an asteroid, mammoth earthquake, or alien doomsday weapon. We'll watch in horror as the electrical grid collapses, society disintegrates, and the streets are overrun with mad dogs and Englishmen. How useful will my mad skillz in Photoshop be then? Not very. My family will need someone who can rebuild walls and fight off marauding mutants with a nail gun and crowbar.
Crap. All this could happen at any moment. I've got to find out how to filter urine into drinkable water right now. You never know when everything could go down the drain.
So to speak.
posted by Dean at 11/09/2005 11:30:00 AM
4 Comments:
Don't worry, sweetie, when the tile guys had to leave early, the ladies from Scrapbooking Sorority and I finished up.
Dean, I like the way you write. And, "the wife," I visited your name's link (squeetus) and read the first chapter of Princess Academy and I got hooked. I bought the book yesterday and finished it today. It's a good thing I have a lot of spare time right now--when I start a book I have a hard time putting it down so I discipline myself from reading too much. Anyway, I enjoy the way you write and admire you for it. I'm one sin-step less than envious of you...(Dean, sorry to praise your wife so much in your territory, but you'll probably agree she seems pretty great.)
She is great! And her books, while not ambulatory, are just as great as she is.
I can't believe you got to her through my piddly little blog. At least now I can claim it is worthwhile.
Wow, that is a bizarre run of events. And very cool. Thank you.
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