Women Generals say the darndest things

This morning The Bitter Half pussyfooted into the kitchen, Newsweek in hand, brimming with giggles. (He would call them chortles). He said, "You've got to post this on your blog!". What he was referring to was a funny quote from Perspectives section of the 11/24 issue of Newsweek:

"There is no one more surprised than I—except my husband. You know what they say: 'Behind every successful woman, there is an astonished man'."

~ Gen, Ann Dunwoody, speaking at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., honoring her for becoming the first woman to achieve the rank of four-star general in the U.S. military

It was funny! He was right. I responded with a "Well, good thing you'll never have to worry about that!" and a smile.

Not having been a victim of astounding success in any field, I can't speak to the truth of her statement. Is it true? Are the "men behind the women" (figuratively of course) astounded when their xx's achieve critical acclaim, accolades, or crash though a plexiglass ceiling? Successful women out there, please speak to this if you can.

I can't help but wonder if this is the curse of familiarity rather than a gender issue. You know. You've been there and done that. Your loved one introduces you to something, be it a concept or product, and tells you how wonderful it is. You give outward gestures of support and encouragement even though your mind is glazing over. But it isn't until a source outside your bubble of love and nurturance introduces you to the very same thing that you begin to get excited about it.

Then you do it—that thing you swore you'd never do. The thing you'd stab your significant other in the eye for. You go back to your loved one and tell him or her about this great new concept or product, about how it's going to change their life and make everything finally gel and develop new meaning. It's going to crack open their artistic eye and reveal life's true hidden purpose and God's real intentions. Your loved one spontanously combusts in a fit of fury and rightly so.

Generally speaking, that is.