Don't know if any of you caught last night's 60 Minutes, which featured a lengthy Steve Kroft interview with Barack and Michelle Obama. It was a hoot. The spouse and I especially enjoyed watching the husband-and-wife dynamics on display, particularly on the subject of household chores.
Taken from the transcript:
Kroft: You told me that when you went off to Washington and made the decision to live there and when you came back to Chicago you had certain chores that you had to perform. You had to wash the dishes and make your bed.
Mr. Obama: Yeah.
Kroft: Are you free now on that front?
Mr. Obama: Well, I…
Kroft: Certainly there’s gonna be somebody else to wash the dishes and make your bed.Michelle Obama: Yes.
Mr. Obama: Though sometimes it’s soothing to wash the dishes.
Michelle Obama: You? Since when was it ever soothing for you to wash the dishes?
Yeah, I find doing the dishes very soothing, too. How about you, ladies? (Must be all that Palmolive.)
Btw, my sister-in-law used to have a sign in her kitchen that read "No man was ever shot while doing the dishes." Unfortunately, it broke. And my brother-in-law hasn't done the dishes since. (Just kidding!) But seriously, Michelle may want to invest in one of these little aprons for Barack.
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10 comments:
I like washing dishes. I am especially good at loading the dishwasher so as to fit (safely) more dishes than might be thought possible, a skill I learned from a Russian master. That is, he was a master of that particular art; I have never been enserfed.
The only time I find it soothing is when I use dishes as an excuse to escape post-dinner arguments. Not in my house; we rarely argue. However, my husband's family are world-champion debaters who believe that volume is the key to prevailing in arguments.
I high-tail it to the kitchen and simultaneously avoid hard feelings and get credit for being thoughtful. Win-win.
PS: Still working on Rodent Cam. The puppies are back online. Saw one take a dump in the crate this morning. Only a puppy could look cute doing that.
It was a sad day when that sign broke! BUT, for the record, my husband COOKS AND DOES THE DISHES! Maybe he is still scared of being shot!
Or stabbed. The "sister-in-law" in question is now proud to have one of these on her counter... He should be nervous. As am I!
Thanks for the Puppy Cam alert, Betty! When I checked earlier they were sleeping again. (Man those puppies sleep a lot!) And do let me know when the Rodent Cam goes live, please. : )
Love the Anonymous comments -- and the voodoo knife rack. Brilliant.
And Dave, good for you!
Jewish men typically have no choice in the matter. We will wash dishes if we know what's best for us.
Back in my single days...in my one-bedroom apartment on the upper west side of Manhattan, I didn't have a dishwasher. But I was single, and washing up my own mess wasn't an issue. As a matter of fact, I had a number of self-actualising revelations at that run-down old sink.
And I remember the first few months home with a new baby. My husband was amazed that I often wanted to do the dishes when he came home from work, leaving him to play/burp/cuddle/cajole the newest addition. I found it very satisfying taking on a task that was finite, and leaving him with the great infinity that was our daughter, for a little while.
So yes, I'll go with "soothing". If I were in 1600 Penn Ave, I think I'd want to do some dishes every now and again, myself. I bet there's a lot of infinity in that house.
One of the reasons I have been with my husband for almost 20 years is he always does the dishes. He likes it! He puts on his rubber gloves and gets to work. He says that he does them better than I (or anyone else) does. Our cousins often give him brightly colored rubber gloves as gag gifts.
However, when he is away and I have to do the dishes, I too find it soothing IF I'm not in rush. It's immediate gratification and a sense of accomplishment.
Obama may need some soothing moments when he moves into the White House - late night washing dishes (after the staff has gone to bed) may be his therapy while he ponders world peace!
What ever happened to dishwashers – the non-human kind? I know, they’re ecologically incorrect. But suppose the Obamas only turn theirs on when the machine is brimming with dirty dishes? Or do they have to feed the Secret Service men and wash dishes for the whole crew?
We did not have a dishwasher growing up. I don't have one in my tiny place now. I agree that it is soothing, and in an odd way gratifying.
Don't get me wrong, I want one when I buy a place (and I'll probably only use it for dinner parties).
The Obama's interview was charming. Hey, he's going to be my President, I'm trying. Regardless, I'd never stoop to name calling.
The exchange regading his college dorm style Hill abode her refusal to stay ther made me laugh.
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