River: watching you work

[mdlbear]

I was suddenly reminded, while doing the dishes of all things, that I get an odd sort of pleasure out of watching other people work. Not because they're working and I'm not, but because I like seeing how other people do the same kinds of tasks that I do. Sometimes I end up liking my way better; sometimes I decide to change.

I was reminded of this because I'd observed cflute washing a pan by dribbling a little soap on it and then attacking it with a sponge. I do the opposite, putting the soap on the sponge first. It was from C, also, that I rediscovered how much better bacon is when you fry it rather than microwaving it.

In the other direction, I remember how surprised jenkitty was to learn that I scramble eggs in the pan instead of in a bowl. I enjoy hanging around, chatting and occasionally helping, while people in a household I'm visiting go about their daily chores. I don't think this is weird, but I suppose it might be. I don't get out much.

Anyone else? Actually, I expect this is pretty common, especially among geeks. Is there anyone out there who doesn't like to see how other people do things? Or who prefers to be left alone while they're doing chores?

Comments

[mia-mcdavid.livejournal.com]

Nothing you say seems strange to me. If I'm visiting, I want to hang with my hosts and maybe help, and I enjoy the differences between myself and others...

[ranch101.livejournal.com]

I go both ways at different time, depending on my mood, and who I'd have to be working with. I've got friends I love to dabble with, doesn't matter what, we just work together and it's great fun. Some people have to have things done their own way which makes it less fun.

And then there's kids. I spend most of my life working with one or more kids (less and less small, but one's still a toddler). Things take approximately 4 times a long when kids that age are "helping" (and require a challenging amount of patience). Often I bite the bullet and we do whatever it is together, because how else will they learn to do these things (laundry, cooking, gardening, crafts...). But when I have the chance, it's refreshing to disappear inside myself and do whatever it is my way without really thinking about it or how anyone else is doing it. Then it becomes a form of "me time".

[shadowe_wraithe]

I also watch, and learn, but tend to offer to help as well, dependent upon who/where the situation is happening.

I share my shortcuts with folks often, along with where I learned this or that, as the history behind the shortcut can sometimes make for fine conversation bridges...

So you are definitely not weird...*HUGS*

[mdlbear]

*hugs* Thanks.

It's always nice to get a reality check from time to time. (My reality account is chronically in the red.)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

I, too, like to watch people do things, whether it's to watch how a friend of mine cooks (or crochets, or tunes their guitar), or to watch the person who's fixing the furnace/plumbing/car does their job. You can pick up a lot of useful information this way, and sometimes even the beginnings of a new-to-you skill.

[mneme]

Wow -- you'd never gotten fried bacon rather than microwaved growing up?

I was rather surprised about the "scramble egs in the pan" thing myself.

And yeah -- it's very cool to have company when doing chores -- and to see the different ways other people do things.

[mdlbear]

I had it fried growing up, but we'd been doing it in the microwave for roughly as long as we'd had one. Long enough to have forgotten the difference.

I was pretty surprised myself the first time I saw somebody using a bowl. I use a bowl for omelets, of course, but not for scrambled.

[chaoswolf]

I don't get out much either, and I learned how to scramble eggs in a bowl because I learned from flower_cat.

I enjoy watching people do their chores also, but it works so much better when they actually do their chores. Emmy has a hard time with doing what she's told. L....well...I'm still trying to teach him that the kitchen is not a place to pile plastic bags (especially on the stove).