FOTFL 274 - 10-01-09

As a long-time pool owner, I have heard many people say that maintenance of the old swimming hole is just not worth the time and money.  To them I reply, I can tell you do not own or use a pool!  Given our climate and the ability we have to swim for more months than we cannot, the opportunity to bathe in the cement pond for each of nearly 210 or more days actually only relieved us of about seventy-five cents a day, and well worth the refreshment and entertainment received.  With a recent wave of nine consecutive days where we received rain showers, I have been battling the onset of a green cast of algae trying to invade our concrete oasis.  In a discussion with Cynthia about part of how I am combating this foe, the disparity of perspective between Mars and Venus became evident.  Referring to the 1999 book by John Gray, who asserts that when it comes to communicating, men and women have totally different points of view, the point was well made.  We were discussing whether changing the way the circulating valves of the pool filtration system might affect the outcome of treatments and thus get rid of the ‘green’ making its way through the normally crystal clear liquid.  By changing the valves, only the intake of the circulation is changed, while the output of the jets remains constant.  Could I make her understand that, my Venus?  Nope.  Could she make me understand her point of inquiry to offer potential suggestions?  Nope!!  How did we discover this dichotomous perspective in light of our forty years of constantly working on our communication skills?  By observing her sister, who began the conversation seated at the kitchen table with us, who now had FOTFL, which for you who are not emoticon and cybertalk savvy is Fallen On The Floor Laughing.  Has this ever happened to you?

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