By The Wiz
1. Waking my kids up on the first day of vacation to take them visting teaching at eight thirty in the morning to the Relief Society President’s house is my NEW FAVORITE THING. (It was fine, though, really.)
2. I believe that a shower isn’t really a successful shower unless your skin is bright red when you get out.
3. Someday they will discover that Dr. Pepper is very very good for you, and then I will outlive you all.
4. I don’t really want to outlive you all. Old age .. like, REALLY old (90s and beyond) freaks me out.
5. Let me clarify - old PEOPLE don’t freak me out. Just the thought of ME getting super old….I just don’t want to. Mostly because I’m afraid if I live too long, I will run out of money and then it’s either move in with my children and have their spouses HATE me, or it’s be a bag lady. Neither option sounds good.
6. Youth is not an accomplishment. It’s just youth.
7. Sometimes people know me and I don’t know them. This I obsess about. It’s very disconcerting.
8. I want a pool. I never thought I would, but I do. Go ahead and tell me I should send the money to Africa. You’re right. I should. I don’t have the money, anyway, so it’s a moo point. You know, like a cow’s opinion. It’s moo. (reference?)
10. I hate the phrase “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Really, I do. I think it gets misused and instead of being a little reminder to use resources wisely, it now means: Sit on that hideous, germ-infested, hand-me-down couch until it literally falls apart, then go pick up another one off a curb somewhere that somebody’s thrown away, and THEN you can get to heaven. This bothers me.
11. Also, I have decided that the wonderful feeling you get when you are in a nice clean house is not worth the massive amounts of effort it takes to get there, and I have yet to find a way to make cleaning fun. I’ve tried timers, I’ve tried music, I’ve tried chocolate. I’ve done the cost/benefit analysis, and the price is too high. The only thing I like is robots. MORE ROBOTS. Is there a way to make cleaning fun? Don’t lie.
12. Nature Valley’s Roasted Nut Crunch Granola Bars, Almond Crunch flavor, may just be the best granola bar ever invented. (Roasted almonds, peanuts, and sunflower seeds.) Seriously good. SEND ME FREE BARS NOW, YES?
13. Generic Windex does not give you a “streak-free shine.” Real Windex does, though, and I want them nice folks to send me lots and lots of free Windex. HELLO?? PLEASE SEND ME FREE WINDEX! GENERIC SUCKS.
14. “Your house did not get dirty in a day and it will not get clean in a day.” This phrase also bothers me, because while it may be true that my house will not get clean in a day, it’s also true that my house DID get dirty in about 20 minutes.
15. And finally, my dog is scared of the wind. It’s very, very odd.




This cracked me up!
Comment #1 by Lisa MMay 23rd, 2008 at 12:30 pm“Moo point” from Friends, I was just thinking of that the other day.
Comment #2 by JessicaMay 23rd, 2008 at 12:31 pmThat would be Joey from Friends. Heh.
I am also disturbed when people know me and I don’t know them. Am I having blackouts? Early on-set dementia? WHY CAN’T I REMEMBER? I am also disturbed when people I know don’t remember me. I always suspect that they are lying. Because how could they not remember me?
I’m tired of cleaning my house. It’s so pointless. I’m also tired of trying to bribe/threaten/cajole my kids into helping to clean the house. That is also pointless. Pointless and frustrating. I’ve decided that the whole cleaning thing? Will be my husband’s job. I haven’t told him yet. He’s going to be so excited.
Comment #3 by SueMay 23rd, 2008 at 12:37 pmAmen to everything you said. Amen.
Comment #4 by Can't say...yetMay 23rd, 2008 at 12:47 pmI am the RS pres and I don’t want anyone at my house at 8:30am, I love diet coke, I have started putting a “Tetnus shot is required” warning on all bday invitations because my house is out of control, music DOES work for me when cleaning, and the chocolate just makes me happy, and I think old, raggedy nasty looking people and furnishings are bad for missionary experiences. Seriously, how can we sell anyone on the beauty of the gospel when we look like trash. Looking good (trying to at least) is how I spread the gospel. I have the spiritual thought in welfare counsel, and as the only girl, I feel like I need to bring this up.
Amen on the house getting dirty in a day. It gets dirty a heck of a lot faster than that. And the mess that appears twenty minutes after cleaning STILL takes all day to clean up again.
Comment #5 by KerynMay 23rd, 2008 at 12:49 pmI have not found a way to make housecleaning fun, but I HAVE found a way to make myself do it. I invite people over. It’s the only thing that works for me. And then I’m always really glad to have had them, and it makes keeping the house clean, if not exactly fun, at least sort of worth it.
Comment #6 by EmilyMay 23rd, 2008 at 1:04 pmI told Hubby that I want to live to 80 and that’s it.
Comment #7 by LCMMay 23rd, 2008 at 1:07 pmI reward a few minutes of housework with more than a few minutes of blogging and/or TV watching.
When you outlive us all, will you take care of my husband for me. Cuz he will live to be very old with his Dr. Pepper habit.
This was fun to read!
Those granola bars sound divine! I will have to try them, as I haven’t yet had the pleasure.
Comment #8 by Michelle AMMay 23rd, 2008 at 1:14 pmTheses were great! I, like Emily, like it when my VT come over or we have presidency meeting at my house or have a friend comeover, then I have to get it clean. Otherwise I have come to the decision that until all my kids are in school all day it won’t be clean. Somehow it took me this long to figure it out, I have a 16 year old, 10 year old and 5-who will be going to all day kindergarten in September and I just came to this conclusion yesterday.
Comment #9 by ValerieMay 23rd, 2008 at 1:26 pmRemember that there is a difference between dirty and cluttered. When I think of dirty I think of my floor that hasn’t been washed in oh, let’s just say WAY longer than it should go between washings. That is dirty, and it took much longer than one day. When I think cluttered I think of my boy’s toys that he dumped out and has strewn all over the living room. That is clutter, and, yes, it happened in less than 20 minutes.
And who could forget one of the classic “Joey-isms” from Friends? A moo point! Hee! Gets me every time.
Comment #10 by tisheliMay 23rd, 2008 at 1:41 pmRe #3, I think I have Dr. Pepper flowing through my veins instead of blood.
Comment #11 by FaithMay 23rd, 2008 at 1:52 pmI have LOADS of real windex…you want some??? Seriously, my dad bought like 5 jugs of it and my mom secretly gave me about 3 jugs because she knows they will NEVER go through taht much! And now I have 4 jugs because I had one BEFORE my mother gave me 3… (I couldn’t see if go to waste! SUE ME!) Please, tell me WHERE TO SEND IT!!! PLEASE!
Comment #12 by AprilMay 23rd, 2008 at 2:03 pmThis way I can feel like I’m not being wasteful and I can feel like I’m doing a nice thing…. Both better than chucking the stuff when it comes time to move… UGH
Joey Tribbiani, Friends. I remember choking on my drink when I saw that episode.
Comment #13 by Barb @ getupandplayMay 23rd, 2008 at 2:18 pmI get a little freaked out getting old too. I want to be taken out in a field and shot when I reach like… oh. I don’t know. Old age. I even asked if I could have that in my will. My attorney (my husband) shook his and groaned really loud.
Comment #14 by themotherboardMay 23rd, 2008 at 3:35 pmMY house gets dirty while I sleep! How does that happen? I just pretend that I am moving and get rid of all sorts of crap. Then don’t do anything for a while, and then pretend I’m moving again. (or is wishing? humm.)It works quite nicely.
I am lucky. My MIL likes to clean. Periodically I have her come over and help me “organize” my house. Today we did the pantry. Ah, the pantry–my kitchen is so clean and organized it makes me want to cry. And so is my food storage downstairs. And even the horrible tupperware cupboard that used to be a boobytrap. Next stop, the linen closet.
Since my daughter has a chance of having the super clean gene in her DNA, I am trying to encourage her to pick up after herself while she is two, so that in theory by the time she is 16 it will be locked in and I won’t have to clean up after her. I know this is a longshot, but I can still dream!
The only way I have figured out to keep the house within 15 minutes of clean is to just throw stuff away. Which reminds me–I have two trash bags of stuff to take out to the can after cleaning out my pantry…
Which also reminds me, now I have room to put the fridge packs of Dr. Pepper in my pantry. It’s 2 for $5 at Wal-Mart.
Comment #15 by LindsayMay 23rd, 2008 at 3:54 pmClassic humor! Love it. Thanks for putting a smile on my face today. You’re a really nice person to do that for me today. Perhaps I can return the favor but cleaning your house for you. O, that’s right, I live in a different state!!!
Comment #16 by AbbyMay 23rd, 2008 at 3:58 pmYou live in Arizona. Anyone who can stand Arizona summers enough to live there deserves a pool.
Comment #17 by mmilesMay 23rd, 2008 at 3:59 pmHmmm, I always thought that it was a ‘moot’ point…maybe I need to get my hearing checked! Or watch more Friends.
I love #2 and would extend that to the bath!
Comment #18 by JSMay 23rd, 2008 at 4:08 pmI thought pools were mandatory anywhere south of St. George? And you need spell check. And not because of the moo point. Thinking of “roach” and “couch” at the same time is not a good idea. Or maybe you weren’t thinking of either of them, you were multi-tasking in thinking blog post and Cinderella at the same time. I understand how the two can easily be confused. You probably don’t want me telling people who you are then? Hmm??? How about sending me that free Windex??? A little blue-mail never hurt anyone >:D
Comment #19 by SallyGirlMay 23rd, 2008 at 4:57 pmApril - I’d be happy to take that Windex off your hands, but the thought of the shipping cost alone….
Did you know that if you have burners that can be removed, if you put them in a closed bad with some Windex, the ammonia fumes will remove the grease and then cleaning them is almost easy? It’s awesome.
I guess generic probably would work for that, though.
Comment #20 by The WizMay 23rd, 2008 at 5:37 pmFunny stuff. My house indeed gets dirty in much much less than 1/2 a day. I have these two guys that come over. One on Thursday and one on Tuesday to clean for a couple of hours. Truth be told, they’re lousy cleaners, but they need the money so I want to give them work. Anyway, RIGHT after they’re done, the house looks pretty decent (just don’t look under furntiure or anything like that). 2 hours after they’ve left, it looks like they were never there. It’s soooo depressing.
Comment #21 by meemsMay 24th, 2008 at 12:28 amI’m with you on #10. I certainly don’t believe in making do… what fun is that?
Comment #22 by AndiMay 24th, 2008 at 11:35 amAs soon as I walk out of a room it is trashed.
Dr. Pepper is the ONLY thing I have really missed since being on Weight Watchers. I did sneak a bottle into the PICU one night while Parker was there. It was either that or jump off the roof.
Sometimes the making do thing can be fun. Sometimes. I’ve had WAY too much practice lately. No germ infested couches though. I swear.
I’m hoping that Tracy might be willing to help me pick out a paint color to paint my bedroom furniture. The furniture is gross, but I’m hoping to ‘make it do’ by slapping on some paint.
Get the pool.
Comment #23 by Tammy and ParkerMay 24th, 2008 at 5:27 pm#2 AMEN! I think I’ll go have one now.
Comment #24 by Alison WonderlandMay 24th, 2008 at 10:57 pmHmmm… houses shouldn’t get dirty in a day? Where does this happen? I want to live there. ‘Cause my house? Totally gets dirty in a day - and I only have two kids. And while we’re at it, the other thing that baffles me is how quickly we run out of things! I want to live in the place that rarely, if ever, gets dirty, and where all the household goods like food and toilet paper last at least twice as long as they do in my house ’cause I can hardly keep up! *sigh*
Comment #25 by Carole G.May 25th, 2008 at 9:05 amThe whole getting old thing: I don’t want to be incontinent or smelly or unable to care for myself. The truth is that no one really wants to take care of the elderly in our society and I really don’t want to be put out to pasture in some nursing facility that’s mediocre at best where people just wait to die. Long, boring days, most of which no one comes to visit you, patronizing “games” conducted by the underpaid and resentful staff, etc. Sorry if that’s a bit on the morbid side, but I figure it’s true. Again, *sigh*
The only thing that makes cleaning fun for me is listening to books on tape or CD. Seriously, nothing is more motivating to wash your dishes or clean house than being in the middle of an exciting novel.
Comment #26 by TiffanyMay 26th, 2008 at 9:34 amMy best friend’s parents said that when they turned 70 they were going to take up skydiving. That way as soon as their minds start going, it will be obvious for a few moments and then over. Grim idea, but as I watch some elderly suffer from dementia I start to see their point.
Comment #27 by SeekerMay 26th, 2008 at 10:28 pmMy wife just had foot surgery, and we got insurance to pay to send her to a rehabilitation center. Guess what? “Rehabilitation Center” is insurance-speak for nursing home. And now they tell us we can’t take her out without a doctor’s orders or insurance won’t pay for any of it.
Get the pool.
All our three dogs are scared of the wind, too.
Comment #28 by CS EricMay 27th, 2008 at 8:11 am