random thoughts

2009-10-21T16:50:26Z

I finally managed to connect with a friend who was evidently having a very busy two weeks. We chat about everything under the sun, and get all our housekeeping chores done at the same time - it's a great arrangement. I got all my clean laundry folded.

Somehow, her teenager appears to be taking after neither his mother nor his father, but after me. In that, he is "not realizing his potential" (oh, I saw that on a report card so many times) - he's following the pattern I did in school - getting As on the tests, but Fs on the homework. Although I think I generally got pretty good class participation grades. I just always saw the homework as so pointless and such a waste of time (and there are studies that back me up on that).

It's funny, but I think being able to skate through school like that put me (and others) at a real disadvantage. Yes, DISadvantage. I don't really know how to study. Or take good notes. And the few topics that I was not able to at least partially grasp the first time through - I really have no concept of *how* to learn them. It's like I either get it or I don't, with no in-between. I think the people who had to work a little, who have a system for that, are better off in the long run.

One of my aunts has two kids, one of which was more like me, and one who had to work a little harder, and she felt like the second way was better too. Because for people who almost always have it easy, when you *do* hit something hard, you don't know how to deal with it, and you just give up. Anyone else feel like that?

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2009-06-30T14:50:36Z

I am stuck in one of those places where there is no good solution.

In our house, I am the slob. That does not mean I am a slob, but my threshold for dirt/messiness is somewhat higher than Rich's. Very seldom does the house make it to the point where I feel like cleaning. And frankly, I dislike cleaning. I don't mind putting things away as much (books on the bookshelf, clothes in the closet, cat toys away, etc.), because everything looks so much neater when you're done, but the actual cleaning, which makes less of a visible difference, I hate. And I hate it twice as much when someone makes me do it when I don't think it's necessary. Rich will occasionally announce that we need to spend the next hour or so cleaning, which I never want to do. He likes to get everything done in one big push; I have more of a "5 minutes here, 10 minutes there" approach. Interspersed with rewards for myself, if I'm doing it all in one day.

Furthermore, I was raised by a woman whose philosophy was, "there are some things it's worth paying someone else to do, and cleaning is one of them." Hell, yeah.

Right now, he's stressed out about the upcoming fireman's test, and the house does get on his nerves when it's messy, so he asked me to help him stay on top of it for the next month. Which I totally understand.

So, now that my raise finally came through, I'm more than willing to get someone to come in and do the cleaning stuff every week or two weeks. Except, Rich hates the idea of a stranger coming in and cleaning. I think it sounds like the best thing ever. I wouldn't even mind being there while the person is cleaning, since he can get remarkably paranoid, though I wouldn't mind handing over a key to someone who came vouched for. But the main point is, he wants me (and himself) to do it, and I'd really prefer someone else to do it. Because I hate it, and frankly, when you force me to do something I hate, I do a freakin' half-assed job anyway. So if I pay someone, not only will I be happier, but it will get done better. But bringing someone in will just stress him out more, which is the last thing I want to do right now.

Sigh. I hate cleaning. This sucks.

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