Monday, October 12, 2009

Cleaning Neuroses


Here's the thing: I am inherently messy. I have piles of dirty clothes on my side of the room. I have a still-packed suitcase lying in the corner. I have various and sundry receipts, clothing tags, Target bags hiding around the house. Point is: I am in no position to nag about messiness.
And yet, it's as though my DNA dictates I nag. What is that about? Do you guys do the same thing. I'm not saying it's a woman thing; I totally picked this one up from my dad. My dad -- God love him -- had a catchphrase when I was growing up: "I hate to nag, but..."
He used that line probably most often when I didn't use a coaster. That man practically followed me around the house with coasters. It took a very long time for that message to sink in, but when it did, it stuck. I NEVER EVER forget to use a coaster these days and when I go to someone's home and they say not to worry about it, I can't help but immediately start to worry about it.
Sean, however, is not a coaster user. And it drives me insane. Insane to the point of snapping last night and screeching, "OMIGOD USE A COASTER RIGHT NOW!" The worst part? My coffee table isn't even made of wood, so there's no harm in not using a coaster. But I feel like this is important training for when we do have a coffee table made of wood.
What about you guys? What do you nag about? What nagging have you adopted from your parents that you swore never to bug out about? Please discuss.
P.S. The coasters above are my actual coasters and they are available here.

4 comments:

Aliya said...

hmm... let's see. The dining room chair is NOT a coat rack. Dirty dishes should NEVER be left in the sink. EVER. (I mean, really.. how hard is it to hide something dirty in the dishwasher? The answer: not hard at all). We have a specific little basket for all our remotes. Apparently, Justin thinks its there for show. He also was never properly taught to close dresser drawers or bureau cabinets fully (that one REALLY irks me). Oh, and... I could wallpaper our entire apartment with all the rogue receipts I've found laying around the past year or so. There are more, if you'd like. Trust me.. you're not alone! :)

Becky Martinez said...

Dean actually used to nag me about using a coaster - to be fair it was on his grandmother's wooden coffee table and night stand. The thing is, the coasters came from his g-ma, too, and they're glass and plastic and stick to the condensation of the cup, so they fall on your lap when I pick it up for a sip, I usually end up with a fallen coaster in my lap, sometimes stabbing my leg with one if its four sharp edges. More often, I rest my cup on a nearby envelope or magazine.

On the other hand, it's a huge pain to nag him to run an errand because he often forgets or adds it to a long list of stuff he's "just about about do". Still, it always makes me feel bad when I start to nag and, like and angel, he's already done the task.

Such an angel.

Amber said...

OMG Aliya, what is it about cabinet doors? I actually hit my head once because Sean left one open while I was bent down and I stood up! And the receipts...geez. Glad to know these are plaguing others.

pbarfield said...

OMG I'm SO happy to know I'm not the only one plagued by receipts - what IS it with boys and their receipts? I have unfortunate news: I gave Chuck his own platter-type dish on the bar at our old place - no good, it overfloweth on a regular basis. So here, at our house, I gave him a beautiful (biggish) crystal bowl on a stand as he walks in the door... yet still, daily I have to retrieve Target receipts from Chase's little doggy mouth. I HATE RECEIPTS!!! Oh, and drawers??? That must be advanced male training, because after almost THREE years, Chuck still hasn't learned.