After reading Tribune Publisher Scott Schmeltzer’s column last week on the complexities of women, I think it would be a disservice to women if I didn’t ask our male counterparts some questions.

Such as why can’t men see household tasks to do and just do them? One friend volunteered this scenario: She takes a load of laundry from the dryer and puts it on the couch, where her husband sits to watch TV. She thinks she’s pretty clever &045; if the task is in the vicinity of her lounging husband, she believes he will fold the laundry as he watches his favorite show.

Some time later, however, husband is happily watching TV, but the laundry remains unfolded.

She explained men are single-minded. They focus on one thing at a time and do it well, such as watch TV, earn a living, take care of their families. The couch, even with unfolded laundry sitting there, is meant for relaxing and watching television &045; he probably didn’t even see the clothes.

Every now and again, an e-mail is circulated detailing a woman’s path to sleep. Though I don’t remember it exactly, you should get the idea: She announces she’s heading to bed and her husband says he’ll follow after the news. She remembers the laundry in the dryer, folds it and puts it away; sees shoes scattered by the couch and puts them in the appropriate bedrooms; makes the kids’ lunch; and sets out bowls, spoons, glasses and cereal boxes for breakfast the next morning.. Almost to the bedroom, she notices a couple of dirty dishes left on the table and removes them to the kitchen, where she finds a dishwasher full of clean dishes, so puts them away to make room for the dirty ones. She checks to make sure doors are locked and lights are off.

As she passes by the kids’ bedrooms, she goes into the room to pull the covers up and give her sleeping angel a tender kiss, sees a school project that will get forgotten if not put by the front door; and closes the closet door. She moves to the next child’s bedroom and picks up dirty laundry from the floor and puts in the hamper and kisses the child’s forehead.

An hour later, in the bathroom she prepares for bed &045; removing makeup, brushing her teeth and setting out her own clothes for the next morning. Slipping between the sheets, her husband joins her and comments on her taking so long to get to bed. All he did was turn off the TV and the lights, drop his clothes by the bed and snuggle under the covers.

Women, without a doubt, take multi-tasking to lofty heights, but would it kill you fellas to look beyond the TV once in a while?

My own husband is a great help around the house, but completing each task is more like a conquest. He gets it done quickly.

Until our home sold up north we lived separately. Once a month I would drive back for the weekend. Though the house was generally neat and clean, any woman could see it was a man’s clean, not a woman’s clean.

Another burning question: Even girls seem to instinctively know how to clean a bathroom, but with a boy, every single task must be spelled out.

–

Take a rag from the drawer

–

Get the bathroom cleaner from under the sink

–

Turn the water on

–

Wet the rag

–

Spray the sink, faucet and counter with bathroom cleaner

– With the wet rag, wipe the sink, faucet and counter until it is clean

–

Rinse out the rag and rinse sink, faucet and counter.

All this and he hasn’t even cleaned the toilet, tub, floor or mirror. And don’t dare leave out a step &045; it will come back to haunt you when the neighbors go to use the bathroom. I tell you, it’s exhausting.

A reader sent this ditty and it seemed appropriate to the topic today. I could only nod in

agreement. Hope you also get a chuckle from it. Though I’ve had to edit it down, I would be happy to send it out to anyone interested. Thanks for sending this along, Joyce.

Men are just happier people.

Wedding plans take care of themselves.

Chocolate is just another snack.

You can be president.

You can never be pregnant.

Car mechanics tell you the truth.

Same work, more pay.

Wrinkles add character.

Wedding dress $5,000. Tux rental $100.

The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.

One mood all the time.

A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.

You can open all your own jars.

You almost never have strap problems in public.

The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.

You only have to shave your face and neck.

One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color for all seasons.

You can do your nails with a pocket knife.

You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

No wonder men are happier.

All in all, it’s a good thing women and men are different &045; our gender strengths actually compliment each other, enriching our lives beyond measure.