"Men can think about up to three things at the same time (provided the three things are sex, food and beer)" I object! As a male there are a variety of thoughts that run through head that by no means fall under the category of "sex, food, and beer." For instance, this very moment I'm thinking . . . hmmm . . . never mind.
I may offend some die-hard fans, but this male detests baseball, and is at best lukewarm toward any televised sport. I would much rather spend my time cooking, or writing, or reading, or watching DVDs. Now being from Massachusetts, I would prefer the Red Sox take the World Series, but there is no way in Hell that I would want to actually watch it happening. So Pbblblbltth to male stereotypes!
I don't like baseball either... though I'm quite fond of a good football game. However, not to the point where it surpasses the importance of well... much of anything. I like shopping for clothes, and can spend way too much time doing so. Same with interior decorating... everything involving aesthetics really.
I myself would much rather be playing sports then watching them. I remember on Super Bowl Sunday my brothers and I would be outside playing our own game of football instead of watching the game with the adults. That's how I prefer LIFE, as a matter of fact. I'd rather be doing the thing rather then sitting back and watching others do it.
There are some differences in the meaning men and women apply to some words. When women say the word "little" to describe something, it's often a term of endearment("what a cute little house"). For men the word is often a subtle way to dismiss something (what's this little project you've got going here?").
One difference with women is that they process langauge -- you might say -- more deeply. If you look at an fMRI of a woman's brain when she is being spoken to, both sides of the brain light up, it's no the case with men. This might explain why miscommication between the sexes is so common. Men sometimes don't think about what they are saying; that it might be insensitive or just plain ignorant. Women sometimes don't realize that what a man says is just that, there's nothing to read into.
Actually that was my point. Men's words can often be taken at face value, but woman sometimes read too much into it. And then there's the problem of men not understanding woman because they aren't reading enough into what they are saying. I don't mean to sound for or against either sex, really the problem can goes both ways.
Women: Honey, can you take out the trash for me? Men: No. -------------------------------------------------------- Men: Honey, can you get me a glass of water? Women: I've got things to do. Men: It's just a glass. I'm thirsty. Women: I'm busy here; can't you see? Men: All I want is a cup of water. Women: Do you have legs? Go get it yourself. Men: Just one? Women. NO!
Woman: "Honey can you get me a glass of water." Man: "No." Woman: I can't believe this. I ask him to do one simple for me, one simple thing. Is this how it's always going to be? _______________ Man:"Honey can you get me a glass of water?" Woman: "I'm busy." Man: ........ "Please."
Men: God, if I do this one simple task--one simple task--she's going to force me to a thousand more simple tasks. Let's not go there.
And it's again wandering off topic, from designing characters of the opposite gender to gender bashing.
That's not what I wanted this forum to become. And NO that's not how I view men, Eyezforyou, I'm a happily married woman, and the reason why I began this thread was so I could give my wonderful male characters more depth, I'm just not sure how. You are all funny though, I will admit.
Gender bashing? Who was bashing another's gender? I was telling the truth (through dialogue) on what I hear and see in real life. Only when you tell the truth will your story have much more impact. As Stephen King once said, you must tell it how it is, without sugar-coating anything with all the flaws and blemishes--only then will your readers truly be able to relate to your characters, and care for them; for the world is not made up of black & white, but gray (yellow, pink, orange, green)--just like us. Read our dialogue, again, Lily. That's how you give them depth.
Tell the truth. Or you can go this route: Men: Honey, I love you. God, you're the goddess of my life. Women: I love you to. I can't live without you. Men: How will I be able to survive without you? Women: I know. I can't stand the thought of ever leaving. You are a beautiful, beautiful man, which no man can ever surpass. Men: You are the light of my life. Women: I can't live without you. Men: Neither can I. Women: You are the sunshine the fills my soul. Men: Same here. Women: Jesus Christ, I love you. Men: I love you, babe. Women: You complete me. Men: So do you. Women: I love you. Men: I love you. Women: God, I love you. Men: So do I. Women: I love you. Men: I love you. Women: Love you. *snuggles* It's up to you, Lily.
Compare that crappy dialogue I just wrote to Stephen King's knack for ear, in his short story, Children of the Corn: "Where are we, anyway?" "Nebraska." She gave him a cold, neutral look. "Yes, Burt. I know we're in Nebraska, Burt. But where the hell are we? "You've got the road atlas. Look it up. Or can't you read?" "Such wit. This is why we got off the turnpike. So we could look at three hundred miles of corn. And enjoy the wit of wisdom of Burt Robeson."
