Sunday 28 January 2001

Pic of the day: I set my digicam to take pictures while I wielded my vaccuum cleaner. This pic was the best of the lot, I think. However, I was so undecided that I've included TWO pics of the day! Looking at the second picture, I remembered that I haven't included any gratuitous butt pic this month. So in thoughtful consideration of my female readers, just click on today's picture to see the runner-up. Incredible what perspective can do, hmm?

Housework bondage

So, am I the only one to think that housework can be just a tad erotic when performed by a member of the appropriate sex? Hmm? You really don't think so? That's what my female friends tell me too. I don't particularly think it is a problem, certainly not one that requires professional help. Let's look at this from a sociobiology point of view ...

It's a well known fact that many women, despite their better judgement, are attacted to men with a muscular frame, broad shoulders and a large chest. While the shoulders may occasionally come in handy for transport purposes, the reality of today is that a man doesn't need to fend off cave lions anymore. And mortgages show no respect for muscles.

Similarly, surprisingly many men are attracted to women with wide hips and well developed milk glands. The historic reason for this is pretty obvious. But today, giving birth and milk to lots and lots of babies is not really an important issue to most. Housework is. So the next step in human evolution should be to home in on whoever shows a talent for cleaning, cooking and doing dishes! Elementary, my dear Watson.

***

Now, it's not like I need to unbutton anything when my fleshworld friendesses are vaccuuming. (I'm sure this will be a relief for those of them who read this.) It's more like ... I feel more favorably inclined, overly friendly, more motivated for dinner and movies. You know. The invisible spark in the air, that kind of thing. Sadly (or luckily, some would say) this seems to be a one-way thing. I wonder if women feel something similar about men doing housework, or do they still feel that it is unmanly to do the dishes?

If so, they won't get much sympathy when they go on in married life to complain over "housework bondage", "double work" and "lazy males". I lean toward the belief that each get the spouse that he or she deserves. (The cynical reader will immediately point out that I evidently don't deserve any at all. But in this perspective, I guess things could be worse!)

I guess "housework bondage" may be a bit too strong an expression. And I sure haven't heard of anyone with a housework bondage fetish ... unless I am the first. Now that would be one for Guiness book of records.

Personally, I don't find housework demeaning or humiliating. I do however find it very boring. That is, when I have to do it myself. Otherwise, I could watch it for hours... "The joy of work is to see others do it", to translate my brother. (Joy of work - "arbeidsglede" - is actually a word in Norwegian. I guess that explains something. Protestant work ethics?)

***

Speaking of brothers, one of them called today. But we talked only computer stuff. Hey, it could have been worse.

Myself, I summoned up the courage to call my friend Superwoman today. Yes, she's my best friend and we've known each other since she was four or thereabout, but I still feel very tense about calling. Making phone calls is something that really stresses me. It's because I don't know how well it suits the other person. It's not like e-mail, which people can read at their discretion. Not to mention this web page, which people must actually seek out. I don't feel defensive about writing here. But calling someone, I feel like I'm interrupting them rudely. It's like walking up to a house and ringing the bell. I don't do that, either.

Anyway, she's in the middle of a string of exams, so was a bit stressed. She's caught a cold or perhaps a mild flu, and I could hear her voice was a bit rusty. Then again, so was mine. She's out and jogging three times a week in the new jogging suit. Oh lucky Germans! :) Rusty or not, it was good to hear her voice again. Gah. I can't believe I'm even thinking that. It's just modulated waves of compression in the air.

So, gURLs, are you going to send me links to your favorite housework pictures? Huh? You don't have any favorite housework pics? Oh well. It was worth a try! ;)

To bring you this fluff, I have gracefully postponed or discarded the following topics, among others: The health effect of preservatives, the falling trend in PC sales, the implications of constraints on free will. I hope you appreciate it! :)