Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Household Chores and Bongs...

Did the title get your attention? Ha!

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So. I'm trying to catch up on everything work and have been in grading crazy mode the last two days. One of the assignments is part of an historical novel unit and is a drawing that shows the inside of a Puritan house. The boy is coming in from outside carrying firewood. The girl is sitting at a cauldron of water and dipping the candles she is making. The mother is on a spinning wheel.

The students were asked to make inferences on the life of the Puritans based on that drawing.

A male student wrote that the difference between the boys and girls was that "the boys do all the hard work while the girls do easy housework."

Ack. I was slightly offended and had to hold my hand back from writing on his paper that perhaps he should volunteer to do all household chores at home for a week since household chores are so easy. To make the experiment more Puritan-ish he should not allow himself electrical helpers.

The Universe was good to me though, and within seconds I came across one girl who wrote, "Boys carried wood into the house while girls had to drop things in a pot, they had to make things to eat in a fire, they had to make clothes out of threads, and then they probably had to serve the dad and all the boys. Nowadays boys just have to take out the trash while the girls have to wash clothes, dry clothes, fold clothes and wash the dishes. The difference for boys and girls is that boys get all the fun or easy chores while girls do all the hard work."

Hehehehehehehe.

* * * * *

Hubs and I went to a memorial service the other night for the mother of one of hub's high school friends. It was a beautiful service. The mom lived in a house above Honolulu with a gigantic back patio that looks out over the city. This patio is where they held the service at sunset. There was a microphone and people came up and told stories they remembered about the woman who had passed away. Funny stories. Poignant stories. Stories of lives she had changed and lives she had influenced. I had only met her a few times, but after the service I felt as if I had known her.

Afterwards, there was a buffet and a bar and a wonderful musician playing guitar and singing. Mostly Hawaiian music, with the twinkling lights of Honolulu in the background. The musician is another high school buddy of the son. Listening to the music, looking out on the city lights, toasts to the history of the house and the life of the matriarch. It was perfect.

* * * * *

Apparently the musician didn't play his whole repertoire. When we got home hubs got on YouTube and shared this song with me that would not have been in good taste at the event.

But it's a bit fun.




Perhaps Trixie took up her bong to avoid falling into the hard chores of housework....

For more Random, head on over to Keeley at the Unmom's

20 comments:

tulpen said...

Love that song!

And look, you've got the sisters on your sidebar. You're the shit.

Kristan said...

Ah yes, it's always a matter of perspective, isn't it? (And as usual, the girls are right. ;P)

cheatymoon said...

Awww, you put us in your sidebar?

Also, soooo tempted to share that video with the birthday boy. Perfect.

Also, girls are always right.

Irish Gumbo said...

Reprobate! Hooligan! Don't you know that household chores are a gateway activity?! Next thing you know, it's yardwork, then changing the oil or planting a backyard garden! I won't let you corrupt my morals! I intend to sit on my duff as long as possible. Ha!

(tongueedgedfirmlyincheek) ;)

Michele said...

I'd be tempted to show the boy the statistics that show that women do more work around the house and still work full time or do you think that would be too much?

Brian Miller said...

nice song...

the boy and the girl seem two sides of the same coin...

secret agent woman said...

I think the research is pretty clear that women do the bulk of the work at home even if both people work outside the home.

lisahgolden said...

Oh where to begin on the chores issue. Let's just say the yard needs to be mowed maybe once a week. Meals have to be prepared 3 times a day.

The memorial services sounds like a really nice way to honor your friend's mother.

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Now, that was too much fun.

sage said...

Nice title--especially from a teacher! Cute stories of Puritan life.

Unknown said...

I was laughing with you on the male and female versions of puritan life! And I love the singer's voice... maybe not the song so much, but he has a great voice.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great class project! Illuminating and is it still Puritan times- yikes! Great song!
What a beautiful shiva that sounds like.

Jan said...

The "Puritan Life Papers" cracked me up!

As for the memorial, we attended a very similar one this summer for Beloved's paternal grandmother, who was Quite The Personage. Three days of her offspring and their offspring and their offspring's offspring remembering her and celebrating her life. It's how I'd like to be remembered.

Sprite's Keeper said...

I think I may have done that assignment back in school!

Mama Badger said...

I want a memorial like that one. More of a send off into what ever comes next.

creative kerfuffle said...

what a beautiful memorial service. years ago i went to one similar to that (but in a church). my friend had died of cancer and so many, many people got up to tell how she'd touched their lives. it was amazing.

and--i have to say--that girl is right, the chores males do compared to females....not even close.

Joanna Jenkins said...

The different perspectives by the kids are interesting. I wonder how it compares to their home lives.
Cheers, jj

Liz Mays said...

I am so glad that female student set that boy straight for you!

DuchessOmnium said...

Can't watch videos on my boat... but I am with your girl student on the chore matter.

Fragrant Liar said...

That song is totally staying in my head now. Very funny.

And for as long as I have lived, women have done most everything! That's hard work!