Maintenance

Maintenance

Maintenance is one those word that I have to constantly check for spelling, so in a sense it’s a high maintenance word.  High or low maintenance is a common phrase used in our daily.  Human nature tends to want high maintenance rewards for low maintenance efforts.  That is why we call it human nature.  Not being one of those handy fix it guys, I have to pay a little more attention to maintenance and the world around me.

In a past life I worked as a landscape designer.  One of the first things people would say in the beginning of the interview was, “they wanted a lush beautiful landscape, but…but with little or simply low maintenance.”  My reply was always “the two don’t go hand in hand; I can’t create that for you.”  I then had to give the standard spiel that if you want something nice it would have to be taken care of…i.e., life in general.  This is the theory of maintenance and the way to a better life.

Talking about landscaping is something I know, so I will continue on.  Your landscape and house speak volumes about the person you are.  Your landscape is the snapshot, a Christmas card that your house sends to all the other houses in the neighborhood 365.  It takes time, attention, sweat, and perseverance, and a few aspirins after the Saturday or Sunday ritual, celebrated by a cold beer for reward.  What I am getting at here is who really wants anything low maintenance?

You hear that terminology about women, “high maintenance”, I don’t know about you other guys, but I want a woman that is high maintenance.  I want a woman who expects the spa treatment at home and requires me to check under the hood and perform routine maintenance.  I can guarantee she demands a more rigorous maintenance for herself, placed on herself, by herself. 

Hey, we hire so many maintenance companies.  That is the entrepreneurial essence of America.  We have the building maintenance man, the maintenance maid, the car repair maintenance greasy guy, the pool cleaner maintenance girl or boy, the plumber maintenance repair pipe guy (no crack jokes), the Maytag Repair Maintenance guy…(does nothing…I know you some of you women think your married to that guy), the food maintenance guy “chef” at the local restaurant (believe me he is high maintenance), the nail maintenance guy or gal that delivers you manicure…(just include the whole industry there), the bartender maintenance guy, and the waiter maintenance person whose job it is to maintain the drink in your glass, the banker, the CEO, the stay at home Maintenance MOM (there’s your real worker), the plane mechanic maintenance guy (our best friend we hope), the preacher who maintains our philosophy and Christianity, the doctor who either maintains our bodies or becomes the bone, or heart, or artery repair man, and so many more.  My editor is in charge of the maintenance of words; my therapist in charge of my sanity, my vacuum cleaner maintains the carpet, with a little help.  Maintenance Free…don’t buy in to that phrase!!!

I am coming to the end here. So please stay with me.  Of all the things we maintain, and higher…hire maintenance people for, let us remember the most important and higher one.  The Romance Maintenance.  Take time with the one you love.  Take your girl or guy to dinner.  Go out of your way to buy that rose, the card for no reason, the text that simply says…thinking of you, the spa treatment, the brand new 18 horse power riding mower and gas engine blower (no more extension chords), that stop, then turn around get another kiss in the morning, and always say I love you.  Pay attention, rapt attention…is there any other, listen, cuddle, go even as far as to pretend you care about what she or he might be saying, talk more, and in the silence hold hands.  High maintenance creates finely tunes hearts.  If you don’t, then someday, another maintenance man or woman might just be changing what was once your oil and tuning up what was once your engine.  The things we maintain, remain, the same.