On the meanings of words and gender deficiencies

-Mommy, does no mean no?
-yes.
-Mommy does tree mean tree?
-no.
-no?
-yes.
-what does tree mean? why do they call it that?
- tree is a word, collectively agreed upon by convention to mean that (I point at the Eucalyptus that seems to be molting, peeling back its dark outer skin in the gusts of wind)
-what does Ilana mean?
- tree
- ...
- ...
-in yiddish?
-no, in hebrew.
-oh.


God I suck at this parenting thing. But, I am happy to announce that I am now officially a "real" woman (and no, it has nothing to do with lactating apparatuses or anything of the sort, I was never even a member of La Leche League;)... I have inherited... dun dun dun...

an iron.

yes.

I know, some definition of womanhood. I really was only kidding. (I still don't know how to use the damn thing, but now if my mother-in-law comes I won't have to feel like such an inept grown-up).

More thoughts on gender roles and the use of adult objects. I really am a poor excuse for a feminist (if I was ever meant to be one, that is) because when mom asked yesterday, "so, your father will be out of town, but we'll invite people over on the 18th, and have a barbecue."
"Uh, mom? who's grilling, cause I certainly can't..."
"We'll have one of the neighbors do it."
"Let's wait for dad, and have the party Sunday."
"Ok".

Why is grilling a gendered skill??? I know, K. you'll snort at me, just like you did about the stickshift thing. I know. It doesn't have to be. But I was never initiated. There is this whole list of skills that I wish I had but somehow never acquired and I feel like I'd need a man (or an unconventional woman) to teach me. Ridiculous. Of course. And yet...

Little list of my gender-related deficiencies
1) grilling.
2) biking (for real) which entails being able to fix my bike in cases of problems.
3) rock climbing.
4) surfing.
5) rolling a cigarette (ok, not a skill I really need, but still, I feel so useless with my fingers)
6) saying no.