Mr. Fix It

I often wonder if there's any truth to a stereotype. After all, a stereotype is born of repetition, just as invention is born of necessity. The problem is that you can stereotype an individual just as easily as you can stereotype the whole lot of em.' There are some people with kind, and frustrated hearts that preach the demise of the stereotype, but those are mostly liberal fanatics. ;)

Anyhow, it's funny that I find myself, from time to time, a pretty good example of a stereotype. For example, when Katie has the blues, I want to fix it. When Katie wants empathy, my aim is most often to figure out a way to heal her wounds and move on. I'm not the only man that does this. Evidently there are whole books written on the subject of men not listening, and women demanding a change.

It's going against my fundamental, stereotypical, man-ness to force Mr. Fix It back through the door he barges into when Katie is feeling overwhelmed, but I'm trying. There are other times when Mr. Fix It is more than welcome in the room, and he's too busy building something outside to notice.

I'd like to take Mr. Fix It to finishing school. Teach him some manners. It's a hard thing to work against your own stereotype, but it can be done.