Over the weekend, The Guy and I washed the porch and porch furniture. It was imperative to do it early Saturday morning because we were having people over for the 2:30 kickoff and I wanted to go get some pumpkins before then.
So, I did what made sense to me. When I got up, I dressed in the around-the-house pants I'd worn the day before and put a bra on under the Jimmy Buffet t-shirt I'd slept in. I would shower and dress after the porch washing.
Not The Guy. He came down for breakfast showered and dressed in his game day shirt.
"You do remember we are washing the porch, don't you?" I asked.
"Yep," he said. "So?"
So, indeed. I shouldn't have been surprised. He can't get out of the box. It was morning so, he had showered. It was game day and somewhat cool, so he had donned his clean Crimson Tide long sleeved t-shirt. (If it had been hot, he would have worn his short sleeved shirt; later he'll put an Alabama sweat over the t-shirt.) Why, you ask. Because that's what he does. People who can't get out of the box consider it more important to do what they always do than to do what makes sense. I don't get it.
He's got a whole set of stuff in the box: half a teaspoon of sugar on the cheerios, a cup of coffee about midday Saturday, and birthday presents are never opened early. I could go on, but you get.
I might add, he did not get wet or dirty during the porch washing. I did.
How about you? How do you feel about life in the box? In or out?
Life in my box is very cozy. It's nicely furnished, with pillows and coffee and routine. I like eating the same thing for breakfast for months on end, because then I don't have to think about it. I like doing things in the same order every day (see above for reasoning). However, my prime tie-breaker on any non-life-threatening decisions is: which will be less-stressful for me? If getting out of the box and rearranging the order in which I do things is less stressful, then that's what I'll do. I might change clothes to scrub the porch, but I'd wear my stomping-around-the-pasture waterproof boots. And I wouldn't put on a bra :-). I'd put on a man's shirt with two front pockets. Those pockets are the most wonderful invention for women!
ReplyDeleteI tend to live my life in the box. As Maven Linda said it is nice in the box and tidy so that's comfortable for me. Recently I have been getting out of my box a little bit but that has been an adventure for another day. Maybe I will do a view from the edge of the box blog one Thursday.
ReplyDeleteLiving on a pseudo-farm, I see creatures living in a box every day. Pavlov would be so proud. Horses are the worst creatures of habit - they must be fed at the same time, fed the same amount, fed in the same place - everything must be the same or they will make you pay (vet bills and with worry). Since being around my animals, I too have succumbed to living in the box. My schedule is set. However, sometimes for a lark, I spice it up and move the time up five minutes. LOL
ReplyDeleteI moved out of one box and into a different box two years ago. I've tried to shake things up a bit so I didn't miss the old box too much. But now that I'm working again, I've had to get a bit box-y again.
ReplyDeleteLOVE the idea about the shirt with two front pockets!
Marilyn
For the most part, I'm like you...whatever the occassion calls for is what I'll do. However, one of the things I love about "in the box" kind of men is when I don't know what to do, they're still going, functioning and outwardly unphased. I find that very comforting and it makes me love them all the more!
ReplyDeleteI think we all have boxes, but I am very much willing to leap out of mine at any time. I like my routines, but I don't have a problem trying something else. If I don't like that something else, I'll go back to the routine.
ReplyDeleteAnd I most definitely wouldn't have showered and dressed before the porch washing.
LOL! The Guy is such a gem!
ReplyDeleteLike Lynn, I'd do the same thing you did. There is a time and place for everything under the sun.
We are boxy, but we don't mind stepping out of the box when needed. I admit that I fuss about change before it happens. Then, when the changes come or need to be made, I make them happen and adjust/bend to whatever comes my way. Probably learned that growing up an Army brat. Lynn, too. (AF brat)
I apologize for not answering yesterday. I stepped into a box I was not expecting that took me right up to a meeting I had to attend, that took me right up to falling asleep on the sofa.
ReplyDeleteThat box was no cozy like M.L's but it was necessary like Lynn's and Kathy's.
Stephanie--change is good. Or so I'm told.
Cheryl--I'll bet you do all you can to make those boxes comfortable.
Disa--Oh, I'm with you on the unexpected. I know what he is going to do and what he is going to refuse to do. I might not like every bit of it but I became accustomed to it years ago!
Marilyn--I think you fit your new box beautifully!