Vive la difference!

….some thoughts about men and women - by Susan

Of course we all know there are differences between men and women. Periodically, in this column, I’m going to explore some of them. No gender bashing (at least not in this piece!)… just food for thought.

I recently read that men have an average of 6 items in their bathrooms and that women average over 400. And furthermore, most men can’t even identify half of the items a lady has in her bathroom.

I decided to test this theory around town, so this "roving reporter" hit the street to ask people about their bathroom collections. I found out that on Cape Cod, there are a lot of men who claim they have fewer then 6 items. (They need to go shopping.) Many of the men I spoke to said that their significant other has so many items that they don’t even have space for their allotment of 6! One guy told me he keeps his stuff in his truck for lack of space in the bathroom. (So look for this guy brushing his teeth at a red light.)

Most of the women I talked to initially thought 400 was WAY too many toiletry items. However, as we talked about what we have and what we can't live without, they came to the conclusion that 400 items was just about right. (think: make-up, face creams, tweezers, Q-tips, curling irons, permanent magic marker?)

The article went on to say that even after years of sharing the same bathroom, many men were mystified by the items their wives/girlfriends kept in there. During my interviews with Cape men I tested this theory by showing them a few items from my own bathroom. No, an Epilady is not a stun gun. (It hurts enough that it could be used as one in a pinch.) Yes, a PedEgg is sort of a "sander." But my eyelash curler stumped almost all of the guys out there. (One man may still by trying to clip his toenails with it.)

I began to ponder the cost of all this…. if the average item in my bathroom cost me about $5. each (and I’m sure that average is far too low considering the cost of my anti-wrinkle creams) then I’ve got an ongoing $2000. investment in just in my bath toiletries. (Please don't go looking in my purse.)

I’m sure I replace these items at least a couple of times a year, which over the course of 20 years is an $80,000 investment. If I had banked that money I’d be in a happier place, given this economy. Think about that! I did, and let me tell you, I’m opting for the anti-wrinkle cream.