I Read the Instructions Thank You

This weekend my BF decided to purchase a Blue Ray player. After we returned to his house he asked if I would be willing to hook it up while he did something or other with his kids. Being me and knowing it won’t be hard I said sure and asked him to move his monstrous TV so I could get to the hook ups. He asked if I knew what I was doing in a very condescending way. I held up the instructions book and said yup. After briefly reviewing what and where I quickly hooked up the Blue Ray player, tested it to make sure I had done it correctly and asked the BF to move his TV back. All of this took 6 minutes. Yes I am that good. Okay so it’s not a matter of being good so much as understanding the basics and recognizing the importance of reading the instruction manual.


Being single and living on your own has taught me that if I want to get something done to do it myself (no use waiting for some boy I was dating to help) and to read the instructions to do it correctly. I learned the last part quite young when my mom bought our first VCR (for those of you to young to remember VCR they were these big clunky things that we use to watch movies) and had no idea how to hook it up. I read the instructions and after a few minutes had the thing working. It was all very easy and I knew even at that young age life would be a bit easier if I just read the book that came with my electronics to discover how it works. (Now if only everything else came with a manual like sisters, parents, friends…The BF) This philosophy has served me well. I once put together a huge computer desk complete with shelves. I only need help once when I asked a roommate to hold some of the pieces so I could do whatever it was I needed to do.

I explain all this because after I hooked up the BFs Blue Ray player he asked why I had placed the player on top of the stereo speaker (again condescending). I told him the cord was too short to put it on top of the TV which is where I wanted to put it. (The whole I get to decided where things go in HIS house is another topic for another day). At this point the BF pulls the TV out and starts trying to figure out how to move the player to the top of the TV. I tell the BF you are going to need longer cords but he doesn't believe me and he tried to stretch pull and set up some elaborate system to get the stupid thing on top of the TV. I would be insulted but I'm not sure if he knows how adapt I am at hooking up electronics even complicated systems like his. (Seriously who needs this many speakers?) Finally after 10 - 15 minutes of playing with the damn thing he decides to go buy a longer cord. Only he says it like it’s a revolution from God and not something I told him 15 minutes earlier. When he gets back he spends another 10 minutes hooking it up when all he had do to was disconnect what I hooked up and connect the new cords. I'm not sure what he was trying to do but being that he is MacGyver's love child I am sure it was something but probably not necessary. After all who need a nuclear reactor made out of gun powder and duct tape in the family room?

I am sure that I am not the only woman who this happens to and I am not sure what my words of wisdom are to all the other woman suffering with a male like this. I can only offer my condolences and say I understand.