It turns out I wasn't meant to be a man...

Occasionally I wonder if I was meant to be a man and was somehow born female.  I don't mind being female...although I could go without periods, but there have been several occurrences that make me think that I was potentially supposed to be male. 

For example, I have been called "sir" multiple times on the phone.  I have a lower female voice, but I didn't think it was that low.  I did use it for my advantage once and was able to get a question answered posing as my brother for his university (I had the pertinent information as well).  My dad even confused me for my brother on the phone once--that was a depressing moment. 

The really disturbing part is when I've been called "sir" in person.  I realize that there are some time from far away with short hair and a hat on that I could appear as a man, but up close, I thought I looked fairly feminine.  Not that I'm well endowed but I do have more of a chest than a man ought to.  I end up just curtly replying "ma'am" and remind the perpetrator of my female status. 

Then besides my low voice and the lack of knowledge of high school students of the word ma'am or my supposed manly appearance, I tend to do a lot of things that are typically considered the "male" role.  I love to fix things up.  I have done a decent amount of home projects that people always find interesting that me--a girl--have done.  In fact, my boyfriend's friend got a bar-b-que for christmas and we decided to put it together for him.  Somehow I ended up putting the bar-b-que together while my boyfriend cooked a fabulous breakfast.  We swapped roles that day and I loved it.  I own way more tools that other guys my age.  I was ecstatic to get a drill/light/saw combo from my dad for Christmas and absolutely love getting Home Depot gift cards for any present occasion. 

The electrician I called the other day to come finish installing my ceiling fan that had perplexed me for some time was impressed that I managed to put the black with the black, the blue with the black and the white with the white for the wiring.  However, when I did that the fan and light worked, but not through the light switch.  No worries, the electrician came out and fixed the wiring problem (which apparently in this case the black went with a white and some other random combination--good thing I called him).

In college I was hired as a second tier tech support for internet.  As it was a campus based job, I was the first girl to be hired on the team and all the guys I worked with definitely had an adjustment period to having a "girl" in their work environment. 

With all these things and particularly being called sir frequent enough, it makes me think about my gender (not seriously as if I would change it, just contemplation).  However, I am reassured that I really am female from a recent purchase--the wii.  I caved and bought a wii.  I'd been considering it for awhile and was convinced I needed one after spending a week out of town at my friends house playing old nintendo games that I loved.  I made the purchase at least a few weeks ago now.  And guess what?  It's STILL in the box!  GASP!  Fool-proof evidence that I am not meant to be a male.  What male in their right mind would buy a really cool electronic device and not actually open it for several weeks?  I know of none.  And now I have a reassuring event to prove mostly to myself that there is very much a feminine side to me. 

As a side note, the original plan was to keep it in the box so I would finish some project--which I can't recollect what that is anymore--and I just haven't actually made it to opening it.  Maybe this weekend seeing it's Labor Day and I have an extra day.

Come to think of it, I did that when I bought my first ipod and a dvd player.  I didn't open my ipod til a day or two before I was going to Europe even though I'd bought it awhile before then.  I think my DVD player I opened quicker, but it still sat for awhile.  I must be more feminine than I think.

FYI--I am trying to even be more feminine this year and wear make-up almost always.  I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but I find make-up time consuming and frustrating to get off at the end of the day.  My sister was thrilled when I recently called her to ask her what make-up I should be buying.  She directed me through the choices over the phone while I was at the store.  I am happy to say I have worn make-up every work day thus far (which means 7 days).  Yeah for me and my attempt at regular make-up usage.