Your frustration comes from the simple fact that when women communicate they place more emphasis on the 'feeling' of the situation they are conveying than the actual content or context of the information they're relating. These women's concern wasn't the fact that you were tired or even your actions (or inaction), but rather how these actions made them feel personally. You're communicating information, she's communicating feeling. When women say "guys never listen" or tell you that a man who's a 'good listener' is attractive, they're only grabbing at what they think is the problem. It's not the information that's important, but the feelings they associate with the communication and how well you interpret the feelings. This is akin to speaking Swahili for most guys, but if you can train yourself to read the subcommunications of the feelings disguised as information she's relating you have a huge advantage in a Sarge, with your Mom/Sister, with female co-workers, even your Grandmother.
My 8 year old daughter actually made me aware of this aspect of feminine communication and now I apply it to my wife and co-workers. It's not what she's saying or how she says it, but rather what she's feeling when she does. She wants to know that Daddy can feel her associations too. This isn't to say that you should in anyway try to identify with those feelings, but try to ask yourself, "what is she feeling while she relates this stuff to me" while she talks and you'll do better. Yes, women analyze things, but they associate their analysis with accompanying emotional response.
