I am catching on (slowy but surely)

I would like to take some time out of my day to tell you something that I have come to realize. I will try to keep my ranting to a minimum (believe me I can really rant on this subject). As I have mentioned before, I work at a place where women are the majority. Naturally, this entails some unique learning experiences for me on how to deal with women ( ok now lets all get our minds out of the gutters). Since, I have been around seven years at my job I have gained a few women friends (yes, just friends), and I have slowly gained a trust with them. There are times during the day that we might have a chance to have nice therapeutic conversations (talking with kids all day can get tiring). Naturally, working at a high stress job will lead some conversations to be nothing but expressing frustrations (I call it venting), and I have slowly become experienced at just sitting and listening to my friends. I'll be honest I usually listen but at the same time try to come up with solution to their problems (I think finding solutions to a problem is considered a male trait), but lately I have been told that I am good listener. I was taken aback by this wonderful compliment, but I also thought it was too generous. I think I am slowly getting the grasp of listening, but it is hard to keep focus on the talker and not let one's minder wander (guilty). The main motivation for me on learning to be a better listener (especially to women) is I need practice, and I wanna be an atypical male. Guys, I am sure you all have heard women complain that men never listen, well I don't want to be included in that group (sorry guys). During the past few days, the tables turned on me and I truly learned how frustrating it was for women. The other day I was venting to a friend at work about a hard week that I've been having, but it was hard to get things out due to endless distractions that made me feel worse than before I started talking. The distractions mainly of the cell phone variety, which (I think) caused her not to be as focused as I wanted her to be. Needless to say, she is still my friend and I don't hold a grudge (God knows I am guilty of not be focused during a conversation). Things like this will happen to all of us, but that experience made me think of that complaint that women hold against men. I see how frustrating it is and I get it ladies. I am learning, women of the world, and I want you all to know that I am learning (if ever so slowly). Sometimes, bad experiences can be learning experiences and if takes a failed vent session to make me see that I need help in listening, then so be it.