That 70's Show

This morning I was carrying out my normal morning routine when I heard a rather humorous, but painfully true, dialogue. I woke up, prepared some breakfast, and sat down in front of the television. I usually watch Saved By The Bell, but this morning I flipped to That 70's Show. Ashton Kutcher's character never ceases to entertain me, but I’m also fascinated by Eric Forman's dad... RED.

Red is a hardass Vietnam veteran that comes down on everyone. He's very dry, has a short temper, is not easily amused, and is likely to "put his foot up your ass" for any number of reasons. He fancies himself a "man's man" and is always disappointed when his son fails to live up to his expectations of how a man should be. Maybe you know someone like this. I'm not sure I do. Either way, his character is an exaggerated example of a masculine father figure -- what a real man looks like.

But I digress... This blog isn't about analyzing TV sitcom characters. It's about observing relationships and communication between people, and getting to the root of differences between men and women, and specifically how they perceive the world around them. These differences can cause a huge break in communication when not understood.

In this particular 8th season episode, when the plaster clown is stolen from the drive thru of the local burger joint (Fatso Burger), Foreman's mom, Kitty, reflects on the significance of the clown as a landmark of their small town. She explains that the clown had been a symbol.

She recalls to Red, "don't you remember when we would sit at Fatso Burger and dream about our future?"
Red's response: "And I thought we were just eating burgers... Women are always doing something else."

While the dialogue in this scene reinforces Red's lack of emotion and careless nature, I feel the statement makes a good point. I'll break down exactly what I believe this point to be at some time in the future, but I'm curious to hear from others on the statement "women are always doing something else."

Women, how many times a day are you thinking about one thing, while doing something completely unrelated? Of those moments, how often are your thoughts focused on something deeper, more emotional, or romantic than the task at hand?

Men, same question.

Please send me your thoughts. Ask your friends the same question. Shoot me an email. Consider this a private discussion between me and you. I'll never share your thoughts without your consent. But the more ideas you share, the more I have to write about. I look forward to hearing from you!