Is it Straight or Level?

This has been a standing argument since we started hanging pictures on the walls. Himself walks in the house, looks at a wall and secretly sighs. I know he does this because he gets this crooked set to his mouth that means he's not going to say anything, but he's sure going to think it and think it with all his might.

What he's thinking is, "That wife of mine does not know how to hang a picture. And I've told her repeatedly I'd do it." I tell you that I do know how. I locate the photo, locate empty wall space, and locate hammer and nails. This is all done in about 11 seconds. Now to hang the picture. I put the photo in several places that look balanced on the wall. If there are several photos to hang, I might arrange them on the floor first. Then I eyeball it a couple times to figure out the space and dimension. I do not bother with two nails as this is taking up time. I whap the nail in place, slap up the picture, push it left and right so it hangs straight on the nail and I am done. The whole process maybe takes 5-10 minutes.

However. Himself has an entirely different routine that I've yet to understand the first time I asked him to hang a mirror. He locates his Dewalt Impact Wrench with the philips end, the sheetrock screws, finds his tape measure, his carpenter pencil, the level and piece of paper. Then he asks ME where to hang the photo (he's smart btw) and I stand back while I'm giving six instructions of where it goes. Finally he yells enough, asks me again if this is where I want it, then proceeds to measure, mark, locate, level, remark, measure, level, etc.  He does this for even a 5x7 wall hanging. Of which can take up to an hour.

I am a watch-and-do-kind-of-girl- completely visual. So I saw all that he had done hanging a mirror and proceeded to do as he had done with a housewarming gift we received. I measured, subtracted, hung the first screw, saw it was definitely secure, leveled the picture, made a second mark, put in a 2nd screw, and hung the picture. Admittedly it was not the most level thing I've ever seen. Admittedly also, I was quite irritated that it had taken me 3 tries to get it as level as it was (It's not easy to drill through plaster) and I blamed the level considerably because obviously it didn't help me as much as I thought it should. But I was done, especially dangling 3' in the air and I called it good. Homey even. Quite sweet and thanked my thoughtful sister-in-law for such a nice housewarming gift. That evening he walks in the kitchen, looks up at a newly hung picture and gave an endless sigh. I laughed, completely unconcerned and went back to making supper. I did not know my little act of putting things in their place was gouging the part of his level-laid-out-evenly brain at regular intervals. 

For this is what I found this morning: Note the included level.

It's even funnier because at this angle, I see two more screw holes –NOT mine. I was definitely not that off. 

So we agree that he hangs the photos. If I hang them, he will only rehang them. I have no use for a level- they tax my abilities and leave the whole business to him. We're happier this way. The house is content, the occupants at peace. Oh the things you learn in the first year of marriage…..