Comments on: Guys Grillin’

By: John G

John G — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:06:21 +0000

Jerry, I agree wholeheartedly. If not completely, I know a lot of guys that at least split the cooking duties. I do almost 100% of the cooking for many of the reasons listed in your post. I’m better at it/and find it more enjoyable than laundry, keeping track of bills, etc.

On top of it all, it just feels good – in a primordial sort of way.

I have worked. I have gathered food. I will now cook the food, eat it, and be happy.

By: Jody

Jody — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:08:54 +0000

Its a great discussion. I don’t mind sharing the fun as long as I get to keep some to myself and know many f both types of relationships. It all works as long as each gender pulls their own weight and the couple values what the other does.
In our case, it took an early death of each gender to wake us up. I took on more responsibility for my own car, etc, and my mate began to cook… but even more important, we each learned how to make the decisions of what and how to buy and take on clean up chores. Soon we regressed into doing what came naturally for each…but the lines were broken, tied together better and if we should ever make another commitment (we’re approaching 50 years) we will do so because we want to not because we can’t exist without a mate.

By: John Geary

John Geary — Wed, 16 May 2012 02:00:11 +0000

Actually, she does Jerry! Well, we both do the work – but she’s the “supervisor.”

By: mlinsell

mlinsell — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:29:41 +0000

Delusional, as usual, Jer.

By: LKE

LKE — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:57:08 +0000

Perhaps you nailed it with the generation note. My cohort came of age in the Regan 80′s. ….aka 1950′s revisited.

By: Jerry Dennis

Jerry Dennis — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:53:25 +0000

Maybe Jerry’s been robbed of his motivation in the kitchen because you’re such a superb cook!

By: Jerry Dennis

Jerry Dennis — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:51:52 +0000

Thanks, John. I hadn’t thought about the generation of latch-key kids who learned their way around the kitchen early. And how great that your wife is better than you at vehicles and computers.
Does she do home repairs also?

By: Jerry Dennis

Jerry Dennis — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:47:16 +0000

Great points, Chris. In my case, cooking is not only a consequence of learning more about food, but a rewarding way to unwind after a day of work. With a glass of wine and rock-and-roll on the stereo, it becomes a party.

By: Jerry Dennis

Jerry Dennis — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:45:57 +0000

Great to hear from you, Gretel. I think it’s absolutely a consequence of women’s lib. Most of the men I know of my parents’ generation not only don’t cook, but don’t know how. Those of us who came of age in the 1960s and ’70s embraced equal rights for women and threw ourselves wholeheartedly into equal division of labor. There’s no doubt we all have a long way to go: women are still underpaid (though not in our family), underpowered (not ours, again), and underfished (guilty as charged).

By: Jerry Dennis

Jerry Dennis — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:39:28 +0000

Hmmm. Maybe it’s not as widespread a phenomenon as I think. But, really, most of my friends of the Bigfoot variety and otherwise do most of the cooking, in the kitchen and at the grill. And most of us enjoy it.