dishes before computer

Woke up this morning, and instead of a session online I cleaned the kitchen! Part of it is due to the little girl’s bday party tomorrow and having to clean a house that hasn’t been cleaned EVER.

I did it – sat down to the computer to surf basically – hit 43things somehow and saw this goal… and got up and did all the dishes. Even made the kids put their dishes in the dishwasher themselves.

Just logged into 43things for the first time in a long time with the express intent of getting rid of anything that can’t be “DONE” – like “be a better blah blah blah” – and was about to delete this one when I realized there were dishes in the sink. So I did it. And I’m leaving it.

Doing it, and doing it, and doing it well. Maybe 3 or 4 days I just did NOT want to do the damn dishes and I checked my email… only to regret it the next day. Gotta keep this one alive, as it really work. Glancing at a clean kitchen gives me a sense of satisfaction, while looking at a dirty one makes me feel tense and anxious.

So far this one has caused the biggest change in my life. I’m pretty sure it’s for the best, but part of me always thinks I’m doing the dishes more than I should have to. But I’ve always felt like this.

One major thing though, before I added this goal there were times where the kitchen was a compleat disaster… like 3 days of dishes not done. That hasn’t happened in a while. Actually, there hasn’t been more than a few hours of mess since I really started following this one closely.

I’ve probably violated it a few times just to check email, but before I settle into a “session” online, I usually end up on 43things and see this one and immediatly realize what I promised to do, etc… etc…

This is a good one… I need to invite people to do it. It works.

M@

Made some dinner tonight, used a few dishes, and now dinner is done and my lovely wife started the dishes but left a few things soaking. I hit 43things.com, saw this thing, and started washing the remaining stuff. She got upset though… said she started it and she will finish it, but she’s “taking a break” and playing on her computer. Well, technically, she’s working on some stuff for an exam she has coming up – on her computer – but it’s a clear case my “things” conflicting with hers. Sigh.

A cutting board, a plastic bowl and a pan are dirty as I type this.

M@

I decided I can play on the computer if all the dishes are clean, and all that are dry are put away. So in essence, I can leave things to dry on their own.

No need to be crazy… I mean, a pot and a couple bowls is okay to leave drying right? Not like the pope is gonna stop by.

M@

As I type this I am looking at a green sippy cup on the counter next to the sink.

It’s got milk in it I think. It hasn’t been there for more than an hour, but it is a clear violation of this goal to type this while it sits there.

The problem: The washer is full of clean dishes… which is also a violation…. but maybe not until there is a dirty dish that needs to get INTO that washer…

Ah screw it, I’m gonna go clean the kitchen AGAIN.

M@

Sorry to be writing about such a boring thing – but this one has probably made one of the bigger differences in my day to day life. Just now I almost decided to wash a pan that turned out to be too hot to wash. It’s an obsession almost.

M@

Most of my time on line is spent on a laptop on an island between the kitchen and TV room, so I have an excellent view of both the kitchen and the dining room. Every time I see this goal I glance up and see a solid 180 degrees of potential dirty dishes. This is why I am worried about this goal being far too optimistic.

M@