Not entirely true, I’ve also pretended to understand “guy speak.”
For several years I have listened to the men around me talk about maintaining stuff, repairing things and a number of boring male subjects entailing steps required to do this or that or whatever it is they do in their spare time. When I need a picture hung– it happens, a wall painted–done, my car oil changed–taken care of.
The other evening Derrick was outlining the process involved around sanding Akupara’s decks. I sat quietly, nodded, smiled and made affirming knowing comments. Anyone watching this “conversation” take place without a shadow of a doubt would have been left with the impression that I knew all about what he was talking about. And then, he mentioned the word countersink.
I have heard the term countersink a thousand times from the men around me. I have always pretended (convincingly I may add) to know and care what countersink means. As Derrick spoke about countersinking I smiled, nodded, maintained eye contact and then realized with a horrible drop in my stomach that I will actually have to countersink something.
As the horror of this began to sink in I concluded silently that I would have to Google this term, Countersink.
That is exactly what I did the moment the Captain turned his attention to relaxing in front of the TV. I put my ear buds in, grabbed my phone and Googled away with the air of someone who is listening to a great song on their headphones. I even watched a step by step tutorial on countersinking.
When the time comes to countersink during the deck repairs I will still smile, nod and maintain eye contact but! I will actually know what the heck it means.