Toilets and Editing

So because it is summer, we thought forcing our children into labor was a nice character-building experience (though our children are much older and less content than this laboring child). Our son, ever the miser, is pretty much willing to do anything for money. Our daughter, on the other hand, thinks her time is worth a treasure trove, and there is nothing we could pay her that would be equal to the work time she puts in. We have to disallow all social contact until certain requirements are met, because she is 'all that' otherwise, she will do NOTHING.



Her task yesterday was the bathroom. She cleans much like my husband, but even MORE annoyingly superficially. My husband hates my piles and stacks, but he's never lifted a THING to clean under it. He tidies, I SCRUB. My daughter doesn't even angle to clean the exposed, but not obvious, just yet.



Oddly though, she was thoroughly offended with my RECLEANING the toilet.



And thus begins the writing metaphor.





Sometimes we WANT to know... we want to keep improving... and sometimes we just prefer to get away with what we can. It depends on our goals, I suppose... and how much of ourselves we invest in the identity.



My daughter has no identity whatsoever tied up in our toilet (which is probably good, cleanliness notwithstanding). I suppose that means the bathroom is NOT her book.





But what does it mean for the rest of us?





So do we want a white glove test of our stuff? Do we want to be our own worst critic, obsessed with the quality of EVERYTHING? Do we want to have an impressive entry to just lure people into the house? Maybe an impressive entry can intrigue a decorator who can guide us through the improvements we need?



I guess my philosophy is clean it so it is approachable, then have a nice PARTY and ask the opinions of our friends on how we ought to rearrange... then we choose the suggestions that seem really groovy—do THOSE and then clean it up before inviting the important people over. Because if we take ALL the suggestions, it is no longer our house. And if it is too sterile, then it is boring.



But how we want to clean it is ultimately a decision of personality and goal. I am not a clean person—I know that. I ask for help. Some people are VERY clean.... Probably there are some non-writing types so clean they are too boring to produce anything interesting (my bias against cleanliness is probably showing).





So how do you like to go about your cleaning? Are you tempted to pretend it is clean before it it done? Are you too hard on yourself?





And a little game, courtesy of Rosie C. who tagged everyone interested, but of course, suffering from FOMS, I am pretty much always interested....



1. Your name/Blog's name

2. Are you right-handed or left-handed?

3. What are your favorite letters to write?

4. What are your least favorite letters to write?

5. Write: "The quick, brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."

6. In CAPS, write: "BABOON, SPLENDOR, ONOMATOPOEIA, FLIP-FLOPS, HUZZAH!"

7. Your favorite song lyrics are?

8. Make sure you tag 7 people to join in on the fun.

9. Tickle your fancy and add a special quip for us to enjoy.



1.  Hart Johnson/Confessions of a Watery Tart

2.  Right handed. HOPELESSLY right handed.

3.  A, D, T and lower case b, f, q, x, y and z.

4.  C, I, U. Nothing lower case bugs me.

5 and 6 -->

7.You Learn (Alanis Morrisette)

8.Consider yourself tagged.

9.  It's THURSDAY and you know what THURSDAY means!!!



(these are the bedside books you would have if you are ever a house guest at the Tart's house.)





Okay my friends—hope you have a fabulous day!