The Ramblings of a Confused Fish

Necessary Evils

"I want to do the dishes."

Said no one ever. More often, it's:

"What do I have to get done today?"

Or:

"Why am I awake?"

Sometimes:

"Where did my glasses go?" (Probably under the bed)

I've never met someone who actively seeks to do chores. Whether it's doing the dishes, laundry, cleaning your room, or reorganizing your bathroom cabinet because you've been dumping things without any care for order (I'm not talking about this morning, you are).

Why should I even maintain order in my house? Simple. Discomfort. I am a neat freak who would sooner move out than live with a mess. A good amount of the time it remains dormant, but when it activates, evacuate all people in a fifty-foot radius. I feel bad for anyone dealing with me as I work. When the motivation hits, I'm terrified it will disappear as quickly as it appeared. I take joy in seeing everything clean and organized. I use these chores to keep my mind occupied and have something to do. It gives me a goal to achieve while allowing me to see my progress as I continue. I feel accomplished once I've done something I've been putting off. Of course, the Michael Jackson songs I blast as I clean also add some sense of enjoyment to a dull task.

Of course, singing along is a requirement for putting on music to clean. You can't be playing "I Want You Back" or "Black or White" and not be putting on an entire performance. It's against the law, no matter where you're from.

The first five minutes are the worst. Sometimes it's overwhelming how the mess oozes into any space given to it, unwavering and unmovable. Then I remember that if I can make it, I can undo it (do not quote me on that, and do not apply that to real-life problems).

After pushing past those first five minutes, you start to see a change, however small. Try doing the dishes for example. After a certain point, you see that you've made a dent in the pile of dishes and you start to take pride in your work. My father always told me to do things properly and to your best ability the first time. I believe that seven-year-old me took it personally and decided that my father would never say that to me again.

Cleaning my closet is the worst, though. I always wreck it right after cleaning it, since I use it daily. I always reorganize differently (sweaters on the top shelf instead of on the left) as if it will prevent me from trashing them a day later. Every time I go through my closet, I feel like I don't wear enough of my clothes. Most likely because so many of my clothes are piled on top of each other.

I always feel like a new person after doing some menial task. I cleaned the car once and suddenly I'm a professional car detailer. If I go out and grab some apples off the tree, I start considering selling the meager amount of apples I get from the struggling tree outside. I make some French toast and I've become a world-class chef.

In conclusion, the way to go about the chores you don't want to do is simple: blast MJ, take pride in your work, and be proud of your work. Go tackle that thing you've been putting off, it might be easier than you've been giving it credit for. Unless it's mastering quantum thermodynamics. Then carry on.