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Friday, March 5, 2010

47 Times?

Some mornings on my way into work I like to listen to a segment on a local Detroit radio station called "impossible trivia." They ask questions like "44% of all women wear this to bed every night" (answer: makeup) and "what's the first place most women experience their first kiss?" (answer: their back yard).

The other day I heard one that caught me off guard. The question was "the average woman does this 47 times a year....the average man, only 7."

My guess was "wash their sheets" which I know is really harsh on guys but guys sort of have a reputation for that kind of thing. But anyway, I was wrong. The answer was "cry."

You know what my first thought was? "Only 47?" Then I realized that's nearly once a week, which is sort of a lot. For a second I worried that I might cry more than the average woman but I think I just have a loose definition of crying. I mean, I can easily get a tear in my eye at the end of a sad movie or tv show...or even a commercial.

But in those cases I'm talking about a single-tear-quick-wipe-nobody-noticed ("there's something in my eye") type of crying. Do each of those tears count as a crying session?

I was also surprised that men cry 7 times a year. Do you think that's accurate? And what do men cry about? My guesses: sports, movies about sports, Magnum mustache envy, women (?), and lastly sports. Am I close?

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

My first thought was "7!?! That's total BS!" Magnum Chest Hair Envy I'm aware of! LOL

Jules AF said...

Hmm, I definitely do NOT cry that much a year. I hate crying more than anything in the whole wide world.

Wolfgang said...

what shocks me more is that 44% of women wear makeup to bed. Why?!

I would say I cry more than 7 times/year. Maybe not much more though. And never in front of other people, except when I saw "Marley & Me" in the movie theater last year. That was embarrassing.

Kathy said...

In my case, 47 is probably a little low. I cry pretty easily at t.v. and movies. If you think Paula's crying face is ugly, you should have seen me when Jin was on that exploding freighter. Not cute.

The 7 number is really high in my husband's case. I can't remember the last time I saw him cry. I think it's when he opened the table saw that I bought for him on our last anniversary. :)-

~ Malissa ~ said...

47, huh? I can easily count those 47 times I cried in the past 18-months! Crying is so draining, though. I've noticed that the older I become, the more of a headache I get after a good crying session lol.

7 sounds accurate - that's like once ever other month! I think they also cry about their cars.

Natalie said...

I wonder if they average it out over a lifetime or just polled a very emotional group. I have the tendency to be overly emotional when I'm pregnant and can easily see 47 times...otherwise, I'd say about 10. And Kevin cries maybe once a year, maybe.

Amy said...

47 sounds about accurate for me. I actually love a good cry, as long as I can do it in the privacy of my own room with no one listening. My mind can get stuck thinking about things that are beyond my control sometimes. In situations where I'm tired of thinking, crying can be a huge, easy, senseless, wonderful release. But I find it really hard to imagine a male over the age of about seven having that same kind of cry. Maybe they do it in the privacy of their own bedrooms with no one watching, too, and no one's the wiser.

Christi said...

Wolfgang, I'm with you on the make-up thing. Why?
I see those numbers as being pretty accurate. And I definitely don't count the times I tear up at Biggest Loser (I'm just so happy for them!) or when Fivel was finally reunited with his family in An American Tale...

joeandbridge said...

Good Morning! Happy Friday Follow! I am your newest follower. Come visit me :) and have a great weekend! Shoot me an email if you'd like me to subscribe, twitter or facebook.

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Sarah said...

The wearing make-up to bed thing, in my case, is pure laziness...I just don't do the whole removal routine sometimes and then it's late and I just give up and go to bed. :) I can't say I've ever actually APPLIED make-up to go to bed. And I'd hope that is an averaged number (47) because otherwise, I'm so sad for my fellow women out there that, well, I might cry! I bet that a woman going through a break-up cries 2-3 times a day, so that is going to increase the national average, easy...

And men, I hope they cry over women as much as we cry over them!! :)

krystal said...

I'm a new follower. You look interesting :)

Deb said...

Happy Friday Follow!!

Hope you stop by my blog.

CB said...

I found your blog through Friday Follow and I love it! So nice to see a blog that has *content* rather than just reviews and such. Hope you can check out my blog when you have a chance. Oh, and I saw your post from Wednesday too - I just bought Shape Ups and I love them - they aren't too ridiculous looking once on your feet and they do work! Totally worth the splurge (and I am not one to spend tons of $$ on shoes). Have a great weekend!

Katherine said...

I think guys also cry in manly yet emotional movies ("Braveheart," "Old Yeller"). ;) And I'd say 47's about right, as long as you do count all of those tear-ups that happen as a result of TV/movies/books.

Christi said...

I'm guessing that most girls don't cry once a week, they cry four times one week of the month.

Anonymous said...

I have to clarify I don’t cry. I do get emotional a lot  far more than 7 times a year.
Here are a few reasons:
Hymns in general - I need thee every hour – a very personal favorite
Seen my nieces smile
Friends succeed
Close friends struggling to figure out life
Great memories

An admirer from the distance. ;)

Erin Gong said...

First of all, because I do surveys and evaluation for a living, I have to say I'm skeptical there's not some self-reporting bias going on. For girls it's more socially acceptable to cry, so they probably give more accurate numbers; for guys, not so much, so I bet they under-report.

That said, I've just been waiting for when I will see Abe cry. Not a tear when we got married, nothing when I had to go to the ER, never during a spiritual moment ... maybe when we have our first child? when I die? (but then I'll miss out!)

Maybe I should try being really mean to him.

Unknown said...

As Erin pointed out, I think there is some self-reporting bias. I think those 7 times are either 7 times in one decade (cuz the guys weren't listening and misunderstood the survey question) or it is accounting for those 7 days after some girl broke us. Mean girls! ;)

Though, I will admit that I might just cry if you took away my blackberry or my hi-def tv!

Brian said...

If you showed me "It's a Wonderful Life" 47 times a year, I would reach the female crying rate. Gets me every time. Actually, it would be higher, because I usually cry at multiple points in the movie.

Polly Anna said...

I think these numbers are too high on both accounts. I don't cry 47 times a year and Brian doesn't cry 7 times a years. Maybe we just can't judge correctly for our selves, but that seems really high. May be where just not emotional basket cases like the rest of the population. I don't count my one or too tears at a movie either though.

Valen Hunter said...

weird. I can count the times I have cried on one hand.

And replying to your comment, yes I made my header. Thanks :)

Anonymous said...

I bet I cry more than 47 times a year. I'm way too sensitive to sad scenes in movies. My hubby doesn't cry ever.

Friday Follower here. I’m making my way through the list and I am now your blog follower.

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http://www.middayescapades.com

bizzimommiofboyz said...

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Mrs. Sanchez said...

Great Post. The AVERAGE women cries 47 times a year, I cry much more, haha.

Does my husband cry 7 times a year. I don't know, I've only seen him cry about 3 times in our entire marriage..... ALTHOUGH, I know my dad got weepier when he got older, perhaps that is what averages it out.

I found you via FF and am now following. Follow back at http://jotgiveaways.blogspot.com

Drake said...

7 times seems a little high for me. I guess it depends on how many times I watch Marley and Me in a year.

Angela said...

i've got to cry more than 47 times, i swear. movies, previews, commercials, testimony meetings you name it, i'm probably wiping some of those pesky tears away. AND also, i don't wash my face at night - only in the morning in the shower, thus I am one of the 44% that goes to bed with makeup on. doesn't "hurt" my skin, never has, and i don't get the sink all gooked up with water everywhere, and i get a cleaner clean in the shower. the neck is difficult to wash when you're trying not to spill water everywhere! i'm just saying.

lizzie mc. said...

ok, so my husband's a crier, but usually it's because of the kids. Dad's are more sentimental about them than their wives, but every once in a while he's overdue for a guilt trip, and upon reflection he feels sorry and cries. But still (not counting a quick tear) he cries about once a month...does it matter, no.

Ok, I got about 1/2 way...did noone watch the you tube clip. What a riot, and truly they only pull it off because they really do sing well. I love your sense of humor!

Anonymous, get off your butt, you sound like a great fella, and Elizabeth is as good as they come so do something more than send flowers!

Liz Hughes said...

I cry waaaay more than that. Men cry about seeing the Grand Canyon.