Dancing in Bare Feet: A REAL Woman Would...

http://judgmentalobserver.wordpress.com

The following status has been doing the rounds on Facebook lately, people posting it as a joke -

"A real woman always keeps her house clean and organized, the laundry basket is always empty. She's always well dressed, hair done. She never swears and behaves gracefully in all situations and under all circumstances. She has more than enough patience to take care of her family, always has a smile on her lips, and a kind word for everyone. Post this in your status if you too suspect that you might be a man."

Is it wrong, that as I read that status, I think warm thoughts, perfect, well dressed, pleasing-everyone thoughts, and at the punch line I am disappointed? It's not that I don't have a sense of humour, I get the joke and I do think it's funny. But I want to be that person it describes.

I'm so far from it too. I hate putting laundry away, My hair is a mess. I don't take as much pride in my appearance as I wish I did. I swear like a sailor and have very little grace. I'm extremely impatient and I have the beginnings of frown lines, not smile lines. Perhaps that's why I love the idea of that perfect woman, because she's everything I'm not.

She sounds like what I imagine a 1950's housewife to me. I've always been fascinated with everything 50's, from the music to the film stars, to the decor and the attitudes. I've always wanted to be a 1950's housewife. I love the dresses, the hairstyles, I love that their houses (at least in the movies) are always well kept and clean. I love that they entertain and that they have dinner ready for their husbands when they get home.

Not a good start to my no-swearing!

I know the ideal is unrealistic, and I know that as much as I strive to be a better person, there are some things I will never change. If I tried to force myself to like laundry and a perfectly clean house, I would feel trapped and miserable. It's nice to dream though isn't it?

I really would like to stop swearing so much, it would be a start. Probably a start that will take awhile to get past the blocks!

Are you a Stepford Wife or are you more like me, making do with rough edges?