It's My Blog and I'll Rant If I Want To

So I'm watching a rerun of 'Everybody Loves Raymond' and the epiphany strikes. I think I know why everybody loves him.

He is the perfect typical, stereotypical, shallow, sports obsessed, unmotivated American male who wants to do the right things in life as long as they are not too difficult to accomplish.

Women love Raymond because they all know someone like him, have married someone like him, dated or divorced someone like him.

Men love him because they know, at least subconsciously, that there is a little Raymond in all of us. Raymond gives the average man another excuse to be lazy, unromantic, insensitive to their spouse, or to be focused on the next slice of pizza to come their way. This character gives the average woman a reason to make sweeping generalizations about men and gives the average guy the lame excuse to justify their bad behavior by pointing to Raymond and saying "See, we're all like that, it isn't just me".

Well, not me. I have had it. I refuse to allow this sitcomish caricature of modern man to perpetuate itself. I henceforth declare my un-Raymondness.

Listen, I'm not saying I'm perfect. You all know that I'm not. Many of the men who read this blog do not fit the Raymond mold. I'm just overly annoyed that such a popular show for so long has been able to get away with this. I even let the CBS fat cats get away with it by watching every week. What a dufus I am. Now I know how women feel when they are confronted with stereotypes of little Susie Homemaker as the only means to define them. I'm sorry ladies.

I proclaim my independence from this stereotype with every meal I cook, every dish I wash and every dirty diaper I change. Every bill I pay, each pediatrician's appointment I make
is now striking a blow to the myth of the average American goofball male. With every bag of trash I take out and all the floors I mop I am defining male domesticity in strength of character and personal fortitude. Each homework assignment I help with, every load of laundry I do and every anniversary I remember I proclaim, I am not Raymond.

Alright, I know it is just a television show, but I had to get this off my chest. I'm done now.

Peace to all who care to read.