Men think in series. Women think in parallel.

Do you have the gift cards?

Of course, I answered.

I had the Cheesecake Factory gift card, along with the Cold Stone Creamery gift card.

Steve, however, was referring to the $150 in Disney gift cards.  He didn't specify Disney when he asked me about the "gift cards" before we left home for vacation.

When this error in communication was discovered in the hotel, five minutes before we left for the Magic Kingdom, Steve and I sure did exchange a number of heated words.

Your Mom was the one to gift us the Disney cards, so you were in charge of those! I repeated.

What do you think I meant by gift cards...when we were going to...Disney?!

As if I didn't have any other things to handle before we left?! 

And this is where the pilot wife stuff enters...

Steve and I now recall this morning argument with grins on our faces.  As a matter of fact, we recalled this argument the other night with friends.  I have blogged about this guy before (Pilot Dork)...he is totally Steve's soul brother from another mother. He is an aerospace engineer.  He is also a pilot, although I am not sure how current he is.

So, as we were replaying this argument to Mr. Aerospace Engineer, he chimed in with his thoughts...which is totally the motivation for this post.

Mr. AE states that men think in series and woman think in parallel.

image credit

When Mr. AE travels for work, he makes sure to bring his cell phone, his credit card, and his boarding pass.  Anything that may have been left behind, contact solution for example, can be bought.

Whereas women think of everything: cell phone, credit card, boarding pass, nail clippers, hair mousse, razors, rain ponchos, swim shoes, sun screen, hair ties, brushes, ect.

And my response to this was "um, yeah we have to think of everything!"

Of course this is a mother thing, but I think this is even more fitting because I am a pilot wife.

Why is it more fitting for the pilot wife? Because we have to fucking think of everything, all.the.fucking.time...and, most of the time without our spouses involvement.

Let's face facts, generally speaking Steve is gone anywhere from 42% to 57% of the week. This leaves me a lot of time as being a single mother.  It is all me when he is gone, and because of this I have to think of everything.

Let me share another story with you, folks.  A couple of years ago Steve took part in a wonderful tribute dedicated to the person who started the flight program at his University.  A number of University planes did formation flying over a reception that was taking place for the man.  Steve was flying in the formation, so I thought it would be neat for the kids to see it.  I loaded the kids in the car, and off we went to select a great viewing spot.

Great viewing spot was found.  We got out of the car, place blankets on the ground, and our potty training son started to have some GI distress.  Ok.  Loaded back into the car, drove to the nearest toilet, only to discover that said distress had passed.

Ok.  Back in the car. Back to great viewing spot.  GI distress starts up again, but this time it was fast.  Our son made quite the mess, a couple of times.  I blew through the spare pants, and the spare diaper I had for him.  He ended up wrapped in a blanket by the time everything was said and done.

Fortunately, amidst all this commotion we were still able to see the formation, which was very cool.  But, because of all this I now carry a little potty when we go places where I know a toilet won't be near.  I never want to be in a situation again like I was.  Steve thinks I am nuts since the kids are well past potty training age, and scoffs every time I load the potty in the car.  I simply want to be prepared.

Because pilot wives are conditioned to being a single mother a lot, we make sure we are prepared by thinking of everything.  And with that comes a pilot who is conditioned to a wife that does everything...everything accept bringing the damn Disney gift cards.



**said gift cards have since been used...to book our next Disney cruise.