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I guess call me crazy, but I really enjoy chores. They aren't always pleasent, but they are a diversion. I can listen to NPR podcasts while grocery shopping. I

I guess call me crazy, but I really enjoy chores. They aren't always pleasent, but they are a diversion. I can listen to NPR podcasts while grocery shopping. I catch up on the "Stuff you should know" podcast while cleaning and vacuuming my apartment. And I enjoy a walk around the area in the evenings when the weather is nice out. The diversions are where I can really think. I often have too many distractions at the computer, and can't focus on the really hard problems I am working on. I've found when I am doing something menial like chores, that is when I can really think and solve hard problems, especially when I am not trying to at all. I would never outsource my chores. I just enjoy them too much.

sharkweek 12y ago
Agreed - but I think I know the source of my love for chores and it stems from, while I love him dearly and appreciate how he raised me, a cheap dad growing up who wouldn't be caught dead paying for someone else to do something around the house for him. I couldn't imagine paying someone money to come mow my lawn or clean my windows, etc. I do really enjoy the feeling of completing something on the to-do list as well, so that probably helps.
euske 12y ago
To me, what's really great is the feel of independence. When I do chores (or any work really) I'm always thinking like "Look, Ma - I can do this on my own!" even when nobody around is watching me. I guess the feeling that you can learn those small things and take care of yourself help boosting your confidence a lot. That said, I admit that there are many things I can't do - like making my own garment or my own transistors. But I'm trying to expand my abilities, and this everyday learning process helps me keep having positive attitudes towards many things (because you're often surprised by how little you knew about things that you've taken for granted!). A little side note. I work for disabled (blind) people and often I feel sorry for them not being able to do some of very simple chores without help by sighted people. Let them have a chance to enjoy their own chores. That would be a good society.
ryanSrich 12y ago
Yup. I don't even think of them as chores. I mean, maybe cleaning, but grocery shopping? I enjoy that shit. I'm too anal retentive to let someone else pick out my produce. Aside from that, if you're in a city why do you even need these services? Are these people so glued to their work that they can't take 30 minutes out of the day to walk to the grocery store and pick up a few items? This article was very sad to read imo.
- saiya-jin 12y ago
  that couple situation, whether imaginery or not, seemed almost desperate - she comes home at 9, he at 1 am. This might work for years (it would be a sad story if they had kids in this regime though), until something changes and they end up having more time for each other. Who they discover living with might be pleasant or nasty surprise... This might be just me, but being in relationship is always a strong bond for me, that works only if both parties have similar attitude towards each other and can actually be present in the relationship.
marcuskaz 12y ago
I agree, also gives a sense of accomplishment. I may not get a tricky problem fixed or make progress on a project in the day; but damn it, those dishes are clean!
serve_yay 12y ago
There is something soothing to me about grocery shopping. Everyone I've said this to thinks I'm nuts, though.
derwiki 12y ago
I miss having a lawn to mow -- it always had a meditative quality for me.
saiya-jin 12y ago
Similar here, currently living most of the time alone (gf's work is temporarily 200 km away), and the "chores", shrink to 30mins/week cleaning of appartment (max), spending maybe 10 mins/week cleaning dishes, and doing laundry takes away another 10 per week. Shopping? Extra 30-60 mins/week. I would even go further and say these activities are necessary for some sort of mental balance (for lack of better words). What I mean - life isn't always about nice & easy experiences. One needs a bit of fortitude, resillience when you are facing with some "have-to-be-done" mundane or hard task to just move forward. Be it professional, be it in parenting, be it in adventures. When I look around me, I see a lot of successful, bright people that are incredibly spoiled in interesting way - any at least a bit boring activity appears on horizon, they are going nuts. Well, however hard you try, you cannot avoid these things in life, so better be okay when dealing with those. I dont' want to sound extreme, some things can be done online easily and save a lot of time (managing bank accounts vs visiting local branch), just that some middle path by taking best of both worlds/approaches seems better to me. The situations in article seem on extreme end of scale (even within such a bubble as SF seems to be). So, for that delivery guy, living in similar appartment building sounds like a dream. For me, I wouldn't call it nightmare, but definitely a bit sad life I wouldn't like to live.

sharkweek 12y ago

Agreed - but I think I know the source of my love for chores and it stems from, while I love him dearly and appreciate how he raised me, a cheap dad growing up who wouldn't be caught dead paying for someone else to do something around the house for him. I couldn't imagine paying someone money to come mow my lawn or clean my windows, etc. I do really enjoy the feeling of completing something on the to-do list as well, so that probably helps.

euske 12y ago

To me, what's really great is the feel of independence. When I do chores (or any work really) I'm always thinking like "Look, Ma - I can do this on my own!" even when nobody around is watching me. I guess the feeling that you can learn those small things and take care of yourself help boosting your confidence a lot. That said, I admit that there are many things I can't do - like making my own garment or my own transistors. But I'm trying to expand my abilities, and this everyday learning process helps me keep having positive attitudes towards many things (because you're often surprised by how little you knew about things that you've taken for granted!). A little side note. I work for disabled (blind) people and often I feel sorry for them not being able to do some of very simple chores without help by sighted people. Let them have a chance to enjoy their own chores. That would be a good society.

ryanSrich 12y ago

Yup. I don't even think of them as chores. I mean, maybe cleaning, but grocery shopping? I enjoy that shit. I'm too anal retentive to let someone else pick out my produce. Aside from that, if you're in a city why do you even need these services? Are these people so glued to their work that they can't take 30 minutes out of the day to walk to the grocery store and pick up a few items? This article was very sad to read imo.

saiya-jin 12y ago
that couple situation, whether imaginery or not, seemed almost desperate - she comes home at 9, he at 1 am. This might work for years (it would be a sad story if they had kids in this regime though), until something changes and they end up having more time for each other. Who they discover living with might be pleasant or nasty surprise... This might be just me, but being in relationship is always a strong bond for me, that works only if both parties have similar attitude towards each other and can actually be present in the relationship.

marcuskaz 12y ago

I agree, also gives a sense of accomplishment. I may not get a tricky problem fixed or make progress on a project in the day; but damn it, those dishes are clean!

serve_yay 12y ago

There is something soothing to me about grocery shopping. Everyone I've said this to thinks I'm nuts, though.

derwiki 12y ago

I miss having a lawn to mow -- it always had a meditative quality for me.

saiya-jin 12y ago

Similar here, currently living most of the time alone (gf's work is temporarily 200 km away), and the "chores", shrink to 30mins/week cleaning of appartment (max), spending maybe 10 mins/week cleaning dishes, and doing laundry takes away another 10 per week. Shopping? Extra 30-60 mins/week. I would even go further and say these activities are necessary for some sort of mental balance (for lack of better words). What I mean - life isn't always about nice & easy experiences. One needs a bit of fortitude, resillience when you are facing with some "have-to-be-done" mundane or hard task to just move forward. Be it professional, be it in parenting, be it in adventures. When I look around me, I see a lot of successful, bright people that are incredibly spoiled in interesting way - any at least a bit boring activity appears on horizon, they are going nuts. Well, however hard you try, you cannot avoid these things in life, so better be okay when dealing with those. I dont' want to sound extreme, some things can be done online easily and save a lot of time (managing bank accounts vs visiting local branch), just that some middle path by taking best of both worlds/approaches seems better to me. The situations in article seem on extreme end of scale (even within such a bubble as SF seems to be). So, for that delivery guy, living in similar appartment building sounds like a dream. For me, I wouldn't call it nightmare, but definitely a bit sad life I wouldn't like to live.