# Chores



## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

Chores are.. chores. 

There is no better word for them. 

Very tedious repetitive tasks that cannot be dodged. At least they cannot be dodged when Mrs Johnson is on her annual visit to her sister (this is preferable to her sister coming here by a very wide margin by the way :lol and I am left for a week to fend for myself. 

It is the washing up that I find the most tedious. Of course, I can eat out a bit during this period or get a takeaway and consume it straight from the container, but, in the end, there is always some washing up to do: mugs, cereal bowls, wine glasses, side plates that have borne rounds of toast, butter and Gentleman's Relish and, of course, the cutlery.

I suppose we could get a dishwasher.

On the other hand I believe that servants are very expensive these days.

How do other members cope with the numbing tedium of chores?


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I perform my tedious chores in the morning. That's when I'm most alert and least likely to procrastinate.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I try to minimize the chores by reusing dishes before washing, cleaning up spills and splashes before they develop into huge jobs, splitting the tasks into smaller sub-tasks so that I don't become overwhelmed, and putting them off a bit for rainy days, so that I don't have as much cause to complain about them. Simplifying my living circumstances—enjoying space instead of clutter, getting rid of things I neither need nor use, etc.—helps a lot, too. Enjoying simple and real food, instead of preparing complicated recipes, saves a lot of time and is likely much healthier.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Dust - that is one of my main domestic bugbears! How the hell does so much of the damned stuff accrue in such a short space of time?

Cleaning the cooker both inside and out is something else which is guaranteed to put me in a bad mood.


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

elgars ghost said:


> Dust - that is one of my main domestic bugbears! How the hell does so much of the damned stuff accrue in such a short space of time?
> 
> Cleaning the cooker both inside and out is something else which is guaranteed to put me in a bad mood.


Mrs Johnson is particularly annoyed by dust. I have explained to her that, if one ignores dust for long enough, it settles down under a sort of crust, but I think her brain may have shut down before I had finished my exposition. In any case, coming from Africa (where, apparently the fight against dust is a sort of quasi-religious duty) she is convinced that English dust is more pernicious than whatever swirls around the sub-Saharan continent and is thus to be tackled more often and with greater gusto


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

I do small bits at a time. Maybe 5-10 minutes worth, then move on. I quickly become bored. 

I do own a dishwasher (thankfully). What really gets me is ironing. I maybe do two shirts in an evening, then set the rest aside for the next day.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

GreenMamba said:


> I do small bits at a time. Maybe 5-10 minutes worth, then move on. I quickly become bored.
> 
> I do own a dishwasher (thankfully). What really gets me is ironing. I maybe do two shirts in an evening, then set the rest aside for the next day.


Concerning the ironing, I have a dryer that has a 15 minute steam cycle. It does a good job getting rid of all the wrinkles. Sometimes, I just watch the clothes going round and round; gives me a few minutes to figure how I'm going to select the 5,000 discs for the desert island.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

Darn. I almost had successfully forgotten to clean the toilets, but then came across this thread.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Since I had children, I've found out that chores are not only BEAUTIFUL, but also actually like therapy. Like music. Think about it: you can arrange this little world how ever you like! You can take all the time you need! You don't have to run after the dirty dishes. The dirty dishes OBEY you. They don't break your CDs or defecate on the floor. All that dust just sits there, awaiting to be wiped away. The dusty carpet doesn't try to KILL the bookshelf, you don't have to stop them from doing anything, because they don't actually do anything. In chores, YOU are the boss. It's almost perversely empowering.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Next to mowing which I _won't_ do, washing dishes is my least favorite. I'm pretty tall and the sink is too low so it hurts my back after only a few minutes. I finally bought a dish washer and this helps a little, but you still have to sort of wash the dishes before putting them in the dish washer.

For most quiet household chores, I listen to audiobooks or podcasts to keep my mind engaged. If only we had had these devices when I was a kid! Being in my own private sound world makes all the difference.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

My favorite chore is walking my dog. I like to see them as walks more for myself. I'm always taking long walks at school because I'm by the lake. Here, there's not much to walk around except the neighborhood, but I get to listen to music. My dog is impossible to walk with though. He's tiny, so he barks at everything that moves and acts like he's tough. Just makes him annoying really.

Dishes are tedious, but I don't mind doing them because again I'll either have music on my iPod, or more often, a podcast. I don't mind doing dishes at home, at school I hate doing dishes because my roommates never wash up and despite all of the schedules and systems we plan, it only ends up with two of us doing the dishes [our third roommate is lazy and filthy, his room is a mess, and it takes him multiple reminders to do ANYTHING]. And while my other roommate gets mad when I say this, he doesn't do the dishes as often as he should. So I end up doing them the most and I find it irritating just because of that.

My least favorite chore is my once a year room clean out, where I go through everything in my room and toss whatever i don't want. I have a bad habit of just dropping random stuff on my desks; receipts, coins, cards, chords, books, etc. I throw away old papers from my desk, I gather old books to donate to the library, and I get rid of clothes that don't fit. The process takes several hours and I do it over the course of 2 days


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Xaltotun said:


> ...I've found out that chores are not only BEAUTIFUL, but also actually like therapy. Like music.


I KNOW that I will NEVER become such an enlightened one as you


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I hate them with a passion and can only get through them by rewarding myself after I've done a couple. E.g. Wash the dishes = reward of 20 minutes of opera CD.

The _only_ way I can get any ironing done is by watching an opera DVD while I do it.

HATE HATE HATE ironing!!! :lol:


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

I cope with chores via two tried & tested methods.

1. I don't do them
and
2. I do them at the last minute when I have to because friends are coming over, or whatever.

Dusting I practically never do, as a supporter of Dr Johnson's theory, above. :tiphat:

Washing up, I don't mind. I'm one of six, and was brought up to do the washing up while Mum took a rest. We rowdy bunch had some of our best discussions and joke-sessions while 'drying the pots'.

Other things I don't mind, although it takes me time to get round to them, are sewing, hoovering and mowing.

Ironing I can do in small amounts, getting the skirt crease-free before I put it on & go dancing.

No, the real terror is *cleaning the kitchen floor*. 

Here are some more opinions about housework (on another thread) from Talk Classical Members:
http://www.talkclassical.com/34553-how-about-housework.html?highlight=


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

The wife and I have divided the chores. She does the laundry, I do the dishes. Cooking is split roughly 2/5 per week (I cook 5 times). Light work like dusting is done by whomever of us spots the dust. For the rougher work we get a cleaning lady one afternoon every three weeks.

PS: I walk the dog most of the time, but that is never considered a chore.


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

^^^
My thoughts exactly, walking the dogs is nowhere near a chore!
I usually cook the meals, I'm better at it and enjoy it more than my wife. Also the garden is my domain (and not considered a chore). Garbage, fixing stuff in and around house or car are mine. As are the thorough cleaning of the "terrazzo"floors and waxing the parquetfloor (the joys of an old and original house !)
My wife does everything concerned laundry, ironing is outsourced to one of the daughters (5 euros for a full basket, and the only chore they get money for)
For general cleaning we have a lovely lady visiting every other week. Modern blessings like dishwasher and laundrydryer (only in autumn and winter) also help. As does a high tolerance towards a somewhat messy household.....
And I enjoy bullying the three teenagers around like we're in the fifties, with all kinds of little tasks:lol:


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

Ingélou said:


> I cope with chores via two tried & tested methods.
> 
> 1. I don't do them


That is brilliant advice ! Will certainly try it and report back :lol:


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## Potiphera (Mar 24, 2011)

Dr Johnson said:


> Chores are.. chores.
> 
> There is no better word for them.
> 
> ...


Just get the darn chores done in the morning while listening to your favourite classical music on the radio and say to yourself, right I'm only going to do this for one hour, you'll probably soon find you have got through a lot, then relax for the rest of the day. :lol: 
If you are on your own for a few days, you can use paper plates or paper cups to eat from, but then you have to used proper pans to cook in I guess, unless you restrict yourself to salads or ready cooked meals. 
Of course you could go out and eat. I happened to do go out this morning with my family for breakfast, something I haven't done in a long time, I had Crepe with strawberries and maple syrup, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and as many top-ups of coffee for free. It was delicious!


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Potiphera said:


> Of course you could go out and eat.


All things said and done, going out to eat costs as much, if not even more _time_ than cooking at home and doing the clean-up oneself. It's nice being served, of course, but there is also the fact that restaurants serve a lot of pre-prepared and packaged foods that are loaded with fat, sugar, salt and chemicals. At one time, a chef actually cooked; today, they're more likely to open a package and heat it. That incenses me. I cook from scratch at home, but restaurants audaciously feed me packaged foods and charge me an arm and a leg for doing so. And that brings me to the _cost_: eating at home costs 75-80% less than eating out. Multiply that by how many days you eat out and you will know why you are still paying off a mortgage.


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## MrTortoise (Dec 25, 2008)

brotagonist said:


> ... but restaurants audaciously feed me packaged foods and charge me an arm and a leg for doing so. ...


One of the reasons I love to go to my favorite taco stand where I can see where the meat is grilled and watch my meal while it is prepared! Totally agree with the point, cooking at home is so much more cost effective and healthy. Most restaurants are trying to make a profit and have no interest in your well-being or pocket book. And most restaurants interested in your well-being are definitely interested in extracting as much cash from your wallet as possible!


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

^^^^ Plus, I hate that *powerless* feeling of waiting to have your meal brought - at least when I'm cooking at home, (or Tag is) I know what's going on, what might be causing delay, and whenabouts we'll get to eat.

Someone pops by to ask how you like it - I usually do, but if I think it's not that good, I still lie to keep him happy. At home, if something doesn't work out, you can chuck it in the bin and make yourself a piece of toast!


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Ingélou said:


> ...At home, if something doesn't work out, you can chuck it in the bin and make yourself a piece of toast!


If it's burnt or otherwise ruined, I'll throw it away, but if it is otherwise not to my liking, I'll just eat it anyway :tiphat: There's no need to lie to myself: I know what it is.


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

Ingélou said:


> ^^^^ *Plus, I hate that powerless feeling of waiting to have your meal brought* - at least when I'm cooking at home, (or Tag is) I know what's going on, what might be causing delay, and whenabouts we'll get to eat.
> 
> Someone pops by to ask how you like it - I usually do, but if I think it's not that good, I still lie to keep him happy. At home, if something doesn't work out, you can chuck it in the bin and make yourself a piece of toast!


Funny, that had never occurred to me 

I like sitting in idleness waiting for someone else to bring me my food. Unless, of course, it's late arriving.

Or doesn't come at all....


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Or the hostess seats you and the server never comes out. You sit there waiting and waiting and waiting... and when the bill arrives at the end and you pull out a $50 bill to cover your $20 order and she says coyly: "Do you still have change coming?"


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

^^

Surely you don't pay the blighters if they haven't brought you anything to eat?


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## MrTortoise (Dec 25, 2008)

brotagonist said:


> If it's burnt or otherwise ruined, I'll throw it away, but if it is otherwise not to my liking, I'll just eat it anyway :tiphat: There's no need to lie to myself: I know what it is.


This sounds like the results of most of my culinary adventures, though I confess, I can make a tasty eggplant parm!


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

MrTortoise said:


> This sounds like the results of most of my culinary adventures, though I confess, *I can make a tasty eggplant parm!*


Splendid!.....................................


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

MrTortoise said:


> This sounds like the results of most of my culinary adventures, though I confess, I can make a tasty eggplant parm!


Sounds delisch! I am actually a very good cook. I used to make a lot of recipe stuff  but I have simplified to basic ingredients and simple preparation to keep my food close to its real state and flavour.


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## Potiphera (Mar 24, 2011)

Of course I do prefer my healthy home cooked meals, but just as a treat I suggested going out for a meal. 
I'm pretty careful where and what I eat, for instance I would not order a full blown carcinogenic fry-up meal. The particular local restaurant I visit specialize in foods, modestly priced and are clean. 

bon appetit! :tiphat:


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Household "chores" are always present ... I had those responsibilities as a youth and now in my senior years I still do the same, except that I no longer collect an allowance for doing so. 

Our floors are 100% ceramic tile - no carpet in any room - so a daily run with the 36" wide dust mop on the floors is an easy task ... and once every two weeks I run the power floor scrubber machine (soaps, scrubs, rinses, vacuums up water) which takes about 3 hours to do the entire house. 

KP duties are equally shared between the wife and myself. Cooking, dishes, etc. We have a dishwasher for plates and utensils but the cooking pots and pans are hand washed after each use. 

I prefer getting all the housework done in the morning hours whenever possible.


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

Xaltotun said:


> Since I had children, I've found out that chores are not only BEAUTIFUL, but also actually like therapy. [...] The dirty dishes OBEY you. They don't break your CDs or defecate on the floor.


In the Vox household, it's the children that OBEY me, if they want their rent and monthly allowance paid...



Cosmos said:


> My favorite chore is walking my dog.


My favourite chore is walking the cat. Any time, it's really not a chore but a pleasure. I don't have to move a muscle. And he eats what he murders.



Cosmos said:


> My least favorite chore is my once a year room clean out, where I go through everything in my room and toss whatever i don't want. I have a bad habit of just dropping random stuff on my desks; receipts, coins, cards, chords, books, etc. I throw away old papers from my desk, I gather old books to donate to the library, and I get rid of clothes that don't fit. The process takes several hours and I do it over the course of 2 days


Ditto Vox Jr. He discovered how to do this urgently one day when he discovered he was sharing his room with some wildlife...


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Krummhorn said:


> Household "chores" are always present ... I had those responsibilities as a youth and now in my senior years I still do the same, except that I no longer collect an allowance for doing so.
> 
> Our floors are 100% ceramic tile - no carpet in any room - so a daily run with the 36" wide dust mop on the floors is an easy task ... and once every two weeks I run the power floor scrubber machine (soaps, scrubs, rinses, vacuums up water) which takes about 3 hours to do the entire house.
> 
> ...


I like the sound of that 'power floor scrubber machine'!


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