I’ve only been writing this blog since the very end of September… so it’s really only been a little more than 3 months of giving you a tiny glimpse into my every-day life.
I take snippets of real interactions with my hubby.. I do not make up these stories, they are all rooted in truth which is probably part of the reason some of them are entertaining. Many of the posts are funny because the conversations really do happen and they’re funny because many women have hubbies of their own who do similar things, say similar things or somehow exhibit similar qualities. It’s amazing how many women have contacted me or commented that our husbands must have been separated at birth. I truly sympathize with those women, because I know what their every-day lives are like, because I do believe that sometimes we are living parallel lives and, I know that beating your head against the wall (which is sort of what it’s like talking to a man) can be incredibly frustrating!
Anyhow, this blog has done much more for me than simply allow me to share stories that (hopefully) make you chuckle. It’s actually been somewhat therapeutic for me. It allows me to take a conversation with hubby that would otherwise irritate the crap out of me, and put a funny spin on it so I can laugh about it rather than hit him in the head with a wooden spoon (the response I’d like to have at times). So, when he doesn’t listen, or ignores the laundry basket, or leaves his soda cans lying around the house, instead of bitching at him, I take to the internet and blog about it. Interestingly enough, this has accomplished 2 things:
- It has exposed his absurdity to the world [insert evil laugh here]
- It has allowed me to vent (in a lighthearted way) about how annoying dear hubby can truly be.
The other thing that has come out of this blog is something that I perhaps wasn’t prepared for…. For now, I think I’ll call it the Spotlight Syndrome.
Let me explain:
Hubby is a regular blog reader, some of you may have seen responses from him on a few posts. He likes to jump in at times, to try to support his version of the events or to try to argue his side. It’s interesting to me because it’s been a great way of communicating with hubby and highlighting his behavior. This way, I can show him that I’m not the only one who doesn’t understand some of his crazy antics. He fully supports the blog and he has shown his support by telling me that “nothing is off limits” and that I can blog about absolutely anything (we really do love to laugh at our house!)
Here’s where the Spotlight Syndrome comes in…. I think, hubby thinks, he’s now some sort of celebrity. It’s only taken 3 months for him to do things around the house (or better yet, not do things) and say to me… “so, is that blog-worthy?”. Or, to proudly declare that he “provides me with so much material”. Sometimes I wonder if he’s just performing for the camera…. No, there’s no actual camera in my house but I’m beginning to think hubby views himself as some sort of reality internet celebrity. And, as I watch his head grow bigger and bigger (cause you know, bigger is always better..) I realize that maybe, just maybe, I’m creating my own monster!
In all honesty, I don’t think he’s actually changed his behavior in any way. He does (or doesn’t do) all the same things that he’s always done. But now, as I ask him for the 10th time to carry something downstairs, or as he bullies me into agreeing to buy a new tv, he may on occasion, in the middle of our conversation say to me… “you’re gonna blog about this, aren’t you?”. To which of course I say…. “probably”.
So, if you have stories you’d like to share about your hubby or, ideas about topics that you’d like to see me blog about, please feel free to comment below..
Perhaps we can give your hubby a “moment in the spotlight” too but I can’t be responsible for what happens afterwards 🙂
Is your nameless hubby familiar with the term “passive aggression”? If he isn’t, have him get in touch. And: are you going to provide your hubby with opportunities to defend himself? I suspect not. All writers–especially comic writers–are passively aggressive. Why let him speak when The Hubby Diaries is having so much fun taking him over the jumps? I suppose he’ll just have to be satisfied with his state-of-the-art vacuum and billboard-sized TV.
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Ahhhh bk, a wise question as always! Hubby has indeed been invited to provide a “from the hubby” segment for the blog. He has yet to take me up on this offer but continues to tell me he’s “working on his submission” (read this as: male procrastination at work!). So, since I have no idea what that means, or what to expect, I sit here patiently waiting. And, I will continue to tell the stories from my point of view and I’ll allow him the small satisfaction of a non-moderated comment now & then!
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I look forward to Hubby’s oeuvre. My wife and I have just started collaborating on a blog that takes an approach similar to yours: it’s made up of “enhanced” conversations we have, short dialogues, at http://drinksbeforedinner.com
I think you and your readers might like it. But then I would.
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So far I haven’t heard you blog about the boob graze or the random grab from behind. Maybe too graphic? This has got to be my hubby’s most annoying quality. What about me standing in the kitchen making breakfast, packing lunches, feeding kids, dogs, myself, making coffee and in general trying to get out of the house advertises – please come feel me up I have nothing better to do!
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Fluffy Bear is exactly the same, except his is more of a rueful: “Oh fuck, you’re going to BLOG about that, aren’t you?”
Like this post: http://www.ittybittycrazy.com/imported-data/2010/1/24/he-said-she-said-dinner-party-prep.html
Then again, sometimes he does get the celebrity treatment and his wonderful sense of humor is shared with my readers (I was going to write “shared with the world” but I am kidding myself about the number of people who read my ramblings!).
Here’s a great example of how he makes me laugh: http://www.ittybittycrazy.com/imported-data/2010/1/16/he-said-she-said-in-the-car.html
If a man can make you laugh, he’s a keeper, because that lasts for life. I see us sitting on rocking chairs in our twilight years, with him still making me chuckle.
Like you, blogging is therapeutic for me and has also opened up a new avenue to communicate with hubby. I wish he’d post more replies to my posts, but he tends to read my blog, laugh and say “I still love you, you crazy woman.”
Which is good enough for me.
And yes, our hubbies WERE separated at birth.
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It’s so easy to inflate men’s egos… they think the world would stop turning if it weren’t for them!
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