So back to my Carrie Bradshaw moment: husbands and kitchens, is it an uneasy compromise?
No. Yes. Okay, sometimes. Seeing as how the Moon sign describes nurture from the beginning, might our beloved men have experienced a little more independence surrounding food, more coddling and feeding from mom, and a smidgen less of her instructive coaching in the kitchen? This discussion is wide open. I’m of the generation (Pluto and Uranus in Libra) where gender roles volcanically erupted and broke down into something more equitable. Still, unlike my stepdaughters, or even my 5 years- younger sister, home economics was required class material. He took wood shop. Surely that counts for something, primarily me, doing laundry, and he, joinery (huh?). And we women, blame it on breast cancer, preservatives, or taking care of our children, do often end up at the fore of wellness movements. I mean, gawd, I know there are men who have to worry about incestuous food-related illnesses that prevent us from enjoying a simple piece of fruit without freaking out about candida albicans but the ratio is something ridiculous like 1 man: 1000 woman.
A harrowing but relevant statistic found in Time Magazine just today: 7 is the number of extra hours spent on housework married (vs. single) women perform per week, while married men do 1 hour less (than single men)*. Still, I remain resolutely optimistic knowing there’s expanding room for overlap. As we mix and mash up our gender roles, I like to think the feminine function, formerly known as Moon (or for single women, Venus), is slowly being emancipated from the dirth of dishes – so we can explore our other, richer feminine natures. Just as the Sun no longer belongs to the man in her life, Moon no longer belongs to the woman in his life. Modern men are learning to do their Moon. Even my mom didn’t have this shared opportunity but to be fair dad did show up on BBQ, chili, and the occasional fantastic omelet. Which fits right in to the patriarchal model; if men specialized because they could, women generalized because they had to. Guess who got extra credit points?
With my Moon on the cusp of partnerships (and husbands), it is oodles of fun to have a partner in the domestic Moon-sphere. Because I’ve got to hand it to him. He’s creative. He’s always in the kitchen at dinner time. And the company? There’s always plenty of food for thought. And when we’re both tired of cooking, one doesn’t have to have a Gemini Moon to appreciate falling back on the occasional cheese quesadilla (those Gemini Moons love quick finger foods) and abandoning the dirty dishes and spoons to the sink. For approximately one hour. Or until I ask him to help clean up. Not to be a control freak or anything.
How do husbands stack up in the kitchen? Click here for a hot helping heap of Husbands by Moon Sign.
*housework done by women has dropped 35% between 1976-2005 (Time Magazine, April 21, 2008).
Jessica, I can’t wait to read “Husbands by Moon sign.”
ha ha. I totally know what you mean with the Gemini Moon, I can see it in my dad.
Husband and Kitchens: Part 2
Husbands and kitchens are an easy compromise. It is nice of them to be a part of the cooking, buying and care of the kitchen.
I believe husbands have learned a lot about cooking from their mothers. I believe a husband can be of help in the kitchen.
A husband can rebuild a kitchen himself.
A man can be so particular about disease in food it is a wonder and a good idea to check it out.
If a man seldom cooks it is a special occasion. If a woman cooks, it is usual. I would think men would get the extra credit points for being nice in a world where women usually cook.
Women usually cook, men are nice to cook and washing dishes is women’ s work unless it is in a serious situation. That’ s how it comes to be a compromise in a kitchen as I know it.
It can be devastating in the menu in mind for food if it is not all right but with remembered suggestions I can have something to go on. It is easier to make food everyone likes than to just present something and believe it will be eaten with joy and acceptance.
Try new food or food you like for a meal you make for yourself. Maybe they will ask you to make some for them or taste yours from your meal and say they like it.
I had to look up the meaning of Username on the Internet. I didn’ t know what it was. It took me awhile to get a password because I didn’ t know the answer to sign up. Now I know my Username because I found out by myself instead of asking for help. I didn’ t pick out a password. It was sent to me. I did know my e- mail address so that was easy.
Now I think I can comment on this blog with the use of my password.