daddyshack.us

Originally published June 7, 2007 at Quirkee.com

The other day we were driving along in my truck when my wife looked around and said, "Have you just totally given up? This truck is a mess!" It isn't really a mess, just littered with random little toys, preschool art projects that haven't made it inside yet, at least one sippy cup that may have milk in it but I'm too afraid to look, and my wife's gum wrappers that for some reason don't make it into the trash tray.

I used to keep the inside of my cars clean and empty. This was not necessarily because I am a Virgo, but because my dogs would travel in the car with me to the park a lot and would tear things up. I also had a few cars that a lock didn't work on so I kept them clean and empty to keep thieves away.

The truck cleanliness is only one of the things my wife wonders if I've given up on. In a past article I mentioned my laundry basket arrangement. In case you don't remember, I proposed to her that we just live out of our laundry baskets instead of wasting time folding our clothes. We could use that saved time for more important things like catching up on the shows recorded on our DVR. My "no folding" idea spilled over into the kitchen towel drawer and now I just shove a pile of towels in it. This makes the hair on her neck stand up when she opens the drawer. She proceeds to fold them while asking me again if I have totally given up. We use them almost as fast as she folds them so I don't see the point. They all fit in the drawer in a pile and in five minutes half of them will be covered in food, barf, or spilled milk.

There is one thing that I admit to have totally given up on. I have accepted the fact that I will never again have a full head of hair. I refuse to use any type of hair growth stimulator and the thought of wearing a toupee someday makes me laugh. So I gave up and shaved my melon.

When it comes to other things like my collections of stuff (piles of crap if you ask my wife), I have to stand my ground. Some of our closets contain boxes of memories that we have been moving around for years. I'm sentimental, what can I say? And the junk drawer holds items that we need! She has threatened to dump it in the trash many times when I'm not looking. I keep telling her some of that stuff is worth keeping - to which she replies, "Like what?" I start pulling things out to show her and realize that I'm not even sure what it is.

"I know it goes to something, but what is it? I'll find out and if we don't need it then you can throw it away," I say.

"Oh, just give up," she tells me.

I can't. Getting rid of it all may require a therapist.

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Posted by Bee Repartee, on 08-05-2008 , IP 75.164.197.71, Guest I think with kids, parents like you and me give up the will to live orderly when all is undone so quickly. In a perfect world where time afforded nursing our type A-ness, we would have our color coded sock drawer, alphabetic bookshelf, and color coded bucket with keepsakes. Until that day dawns again (and it will, so help my sanity) we spend our time kissing boo boos, picking play doh from the carpet, and reading bedtime stories.   » Reply to this comment... Posted by MammaDawg, on 08-05-2008 , IP 67.181.244.95, Guest lol - I can relate. Hubz calls me a packrat - though I SWEAR I'm getting better.     Why, just last month, I actually cleaned out some files - and even tossed some old notes written to me in high school.    From, oh - about 15 years ago.   » Reply to this comment...