M.R.S. Degree

I work with a group of fabulous ladies...all of whom are married, or have been married, and all of whom have children. Needless to say, I am the young one of the office. I hear many-a-story about husbands, kids, school, menopause, giving birth, and "life before marriage". All of my co-workers married young, either right out of high school or college. At 25 (my age), they were all wedded up, some with children and some without. This blows my mind. I barely claim responsability for myself, let alone a child. I don't even have any pets. And while I'm toally 100% pro-marriage, I also can't imagine being hitched at 25. 28, yes...but not 25.
At any rate, amid all the complaining and praising of husbands and children and life, I've been given some decent advice. Sometimes that advice is comprised of which grocery store has the best sale on paper towels, and sometimes that advice is on which vibrator works best. Yup.
But today, while listening to one lady complain about her husband's lazy ways, I made some decisions. Rather than just sitting there and nodding while I think of what websites I'm going to cruise after lunch, I listened and took mental notes. She, my co-worker, claims that her husband is "no better than her kids." He takes off his clothing and leaves it where it falls, he eats lunch and leaves the dirty plate on the counter, he takes a shower and leaves the dirty towel on the floor. Then, after asking him several times to complete a simple task like carry the dirty laundry basket to the basement, he doesn't do it. Not only does he not do it, but when she asks him a 3rd time, he gets smart with her and tells her he's "waiting for the perfect time" to cart the laundry downtstairs. BUH WHAT?! Are you kidding me? (This is what I thought to myself.) So she sits there, continuing to tell us about her deadbeat partner, who apparently makes up for his 2 months of doing NOTHING, by cleaning the bedroom once in a blue moon.
So that did it. I decided to make a mental list of things I will not put up with when I get married. Which I hope is some day. Before I'm 35. 0r 32. Or 30. Gah!
This list includes, but is not limited to:
- I will not always wash dishes. I like to cook, so I'll probably do most of the cooking. Unless I marry a chef, but seeing as how my last relationship with a chef turned out, I highly doubt that will happen. Apparently I have road rage.
- I will not always do all laundry. You can wash your own clothes from time to time.
- I will not pick up your shit that has been sitting in said location for several days. Actually, I probably will since it will drive me to the nuthouse, but I'll be a bitch about it.
- I will not clean your pee off of the toilet seat. That's nasty.

These are just a few things on the mental list. I think marriage is a union- a partnership. Maybe I'm more equally minded than some of my co-workers, but you better believe I'll be taking the car for a test drive before I say my vows. You can't change a man...THAT much I know.