". . . little shall I grace my cause

In speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience,

I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver . . ."

(William Shakespeare's Othello, I.iii.88-90)

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Answer Me This

Why is it that as long as I am washing dishes or doing laundry or engaging in some other mundane and mindless household task I find myself awash in solitude, but as soon as I attempt something that requires a bit more brain power (like reading or blogging or having a conversation with someone) I suddenly become the most interesting and desirable person in the house?

Just wondering.

3 comments:

Hannah said...

The first thing I would watch out for, given this observation, would be confirmation bias (something I just learned about in psychology class today!). Perhaps you might keep numerical track of the cases when you are interesting/uninteresting.

Not to discourage you or anything. ;)

Melody said...

Because when you are washing dishes or doing laundry or engaging in some other mundane task, the possibility exists that you might ask for help. In this instance, the dirty rotten sinners avoid your "radar/"
When you attempt something that requires a bit more brain power, the thought occurs to those dirty rotten sinners that your mind is occupied on something other than themselves. They can't stand that thought. So, they get into your "radar.'
That'll be $25 for my daily dose of psychoanalysis.

Cheryl said...

You know, it's not always this way, but some days it seems like it! I was feeling particularly grumpy and frustrated when I wrote this. I think part of the problem is that our one main computer that we all use is in a room that we also all use a lot, so it's easy to start talking to whoever is working at the computer at any given time, whereas the laundry room is hidden away on the lower level. And if I try to go hide in my bedroom to read or study or something my 4yo takes it as an invitation to jump in bed for Mommy cuddles. I know--I need to designate time for me during which I am not to be bothered. Sometimes I do that more successfully than others.

And about those dirty rotten sinners, I don't want to be too hard on them. They are so very loveable (and of course I'm a DRS, too).