Finished isn't finished

Finished!  After about 3 more hours Saturday the desk is finally complete.  Total work time was approximately 8 hours.  However, that doesn't count the three trips to the store for materials - four, if you count the one Mandy made for me after I cut the last board wrong (short by 1 inch).  Score:  Ana White's time estimate:  1.  My ego:  0.

There's a few key differences in my build compared to the instructions.  Mandy asked me if I was going to describe the changes on my blog.  My response:  "That's not my genre."  I'll leave the "how to" to her blog.  This blog is more for the "how come..."

Speaking of asking "how come" - how come I get plenty of unsolicited input on all sorts of subjects from the future owner of this desk, but when I ask for input on key decisions for the project at hand I get nothing?

Q: (Via phone call from the store)  "Hey babe, what kind of wood would you prefer?  Oak, maple, pine?"
A:  "Dunno.  Whatever's cheapest."

Q:  (right after the shelf units were built) "Do you want me to put trim over the exposed edges of plywood?"
A:  "Dunno.  Whatever you think."

Q:  (right before finishing table top) "Do you want the shelves placed all the way to the ends of the table top or inset slightly?
A:  "Dunno.  Whatever's easiest for ya."

Just for the record, I didn't pick what was cheapest or easiest in any of the above instances. It seems that perhaps she doesn't care so much about the technical details, more that she is getting a desk and that I'm building it (and perhaps that she gets to blog about it).

Man thought process:  Labor + materials = finished product.  Quality of the resultant depends on quality of the inputs.

Woman thought process:  I need more craft space.  I'll bet he'll build it for me if I give him a hint and wear my tight jeans.  And then I'll get to blog about it!

So I started this post by saying it's finished.  It's not.  The nail holes still need filled in and then it needs painted.  These are both tasks that Mandy wants to do.  This means to Mandy that now she needs to pick out a color to paint it.  What it means to me is that I won't be able to park in the garage for another week.

RANDOM TEST

What is depicted in the image below?  Hint:  it's frustrating.