Kitchen Cupboards and Their Care

[blisterine]

I removed one whole upper wall of cabinets and replaced it with open shelving. Then I removed most of the lower cupboard doors and replaced with fabric. Very little polishing left.

heathen slacker! i hope you didn't get your buddy in too much trouble when you destroyed your jurisdiction. but if god told you to do it, it's okay!

[gustava]

I removed one whole upper wall of cabinets and replaced it with open shelving. Then I removed most of the lower cupboard doors and replaced with fabric. Very little polishing left.

heathen slacker! i hope you didn't get your buddy in too much trouble when you destroyed your jurisdiction. but if god told you to do it, it's okay!

She was convicted to do it.

[Katiebug]

I'm an engineer and I'm not awkward, and most of my classmates and colleagues haven't been either. This is a stereotype that needs to die. There are probably engineers in your life that are perfectly normal but you don't really notice them because they don't stick out.

We're also not all giant tools like Steve. I wish I could tell Teri that this engineer thinks it's stupid to polish OR "wipe down" cabinets that often, but she won't believe me because I'm a woman even though I'm probably better engineer than Steve is.

I'm also an engineer and have found that the stereotype of the antisocial nerd just isn't accurate. In fact, a former manager of mine was notable because he DID fit that image and was very awkward even in a professional environment - a brilliant guy, he just couldn't relate to anyone. Some folks with Asperger's due gravitate to engineering but that doesn't mean that they make up more than a small minority of the profession. Engineers today have to be able to function in teams and to work collaboratively and especially in a large organization, if you're socially awkward you won't get hired to begin with.

[dormouse]

I only clean the cupboards when I move to a new apartment, or if there's been a spill. Cleaning lady quickly wipes the doors every other week, I'd rather she concentrates on the important stuff like the floors and bathroom. Those people have way too much time on their hands.

[Fun-Dee]

This reminds me of how much my kitchen cupboards need cleaning, inside and out. Unfortunately my girl child just moved out to attend an evil university. But she's coming home for a visit this weekend. I'd better get the timer ready!

[Hane]

I'm an engineer and I'm not awkward, and most of my classmates and colleagues haven't been either. This is a stereotype that needs to die. There are probably engineers in your life that are perfectly normal but you don't really notice them because they don't stick out.

We're also not all giant tools like Steve. I wish I could tell Teri that this engineer thinks it's stupid to polish OR "wipe down" cabinets that often, but she won't believe me because I'm a woman even though I'm probably better engineer than Steve is.

I wasn't saying that the "vast majority," or even "most" of them were--I'm just saying I heard that they were more likely to be than people drawn to other professions.

Strangely enough, though, the women I've known in engineering and other formerly male-dominated technological professions tend not to have these traits. Maybe it's because certain professions used to attract a large number of "I'm good at math and science so I'm better than you" types of douchey males, and that the women have realized how important it is to use social interaction and networking to get ahead.

[Buzzard]

I've tried to implement this with my two DMCs and three DFCs but have gotten nothing in return except a confused countenance and/or attempts to jump in the cupboards to explore. Happy sounds *do* ensue, particularly if you count the sounds made by inanimate objects as they're flipped over by a furry paw and explode in a shower of shards, but I'm not entirely convicted our effort as a family is resulting in anything that could even remotely be considered as glorifying to God. It's obvious I'm failing as a keeper at home, but I'm not sure if this is due to my lack of a male headship, or the fact I much prefer to spend my time knitting and watching Dexter rather than cleaning my kitchen. Pls advise.

I just coughed up some cotton candy drool all over the computer screen (much to the delight of DMD (dear male dog)). I really need to lay off the cotton candy...

[Katiebug]

I can honestly say the only time I've done much with my kitchen cabinets was around a week and a half before I gave birth when I decided to spend a Saturday afternoon scrubbing the doors. For reference, a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is the best implement for this purpose. I simply couldn't handle the idea of bringing a newborn home to anything less than gleaming kitchen cabinets. :lol:

How does one polish a cabinet? Don't most wood cabinets have some sort of a lacquer or polyurethane even if they're stained? It's not like you're going to be buffing wax into it.

The Maxwells frighten me.

[Swamptribe]

I've tried to implement this with my two DMCs and three DFCs but have gotten nothing in return except a confused countenance and/or attempts to jump in the cupboards to explore. Happy sounds *do* ensue, particularly if you count the sounds made by inanimate objects as they're flipped over by a furry paw and explode in a shower of shards, but I'm not entirely convicted our effort as a family is resulting in anything that could even remotely be considered as glorifying to God. It's obvious I'm failing as a keeper at home, but I'm not sure if this is due to my lack of a male headship, or the fact I much prefer to spend my time knitting and watching Dexter rather than cleaning my kitchen. Pls advise.

My headship insists that cabinets are only for holding such sacred objects as kibble and treats. Or to provide a convenient napping place. That any foray into the kitchen is purely for the purpose of glorifying Herself, exemplified by filling the offering dishes on the floor.

[emmiedahl]

I wipe down my cabinets once a week. It takes less than five minutes. But then, it takes the Maxwells three days with several people helping to make burritos. Efficiency experts they are not.

[Lillybee]

I have convicted my DMD (who is white and has long curly fur) to do the work of a dust mop in my dining room. He tends to do a good job by rolling around. His favorite place to do this chore is under the table.

[browngrl]

I've tried to implement this with my two DMCs and three DFCs but have gotten nothing in return except a confused countenance and/or attempts to jump in the cupboards to explore. Happy sounds *do* ensue, particularly if you count the sounds made by inanimate objects as they're flipped over by a furry paw and explode in a shower of shards, but I'm not entirely convicted our effort as a family is resulting in anything that could even remotely be considered as glorifying to God. It's obvious I'm failing as a keeper at home, but I'm not sure if this is due to my lack of a male headship, or the fact I much prefer to spend my time knitting and watching Dexter rather than cleaning my kitchen. Pls advise.

Of course I am not as Godly as Steve (who could be?) or even as Godly as Terri, but I would advise : pray, pray and pray and if that doesn't work take to drink

[clibbyjo]

Speaking of kitchen cleaning.... Sarah could start her own cleaning business if she ever broke free. I would hire her in a minute. Or she could work in a Mexican restaurant making burrito's...

[Guest Anonymous]

Wow, what a lot of stuff about engineers. My hubby is an engineer and extremely OCD about cleanliness etc., although I'm not sure that's a feature of most engineers.

What gets me is that they actually thought about and discussed this. All it takes in my household is "hey, the cupboards are getting kinda gross, we should clean them", and then someone will go to it, and probably hand the kids a few rags etc.

[NurseNell]

For reference, a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is the best implement for this purpose.

What is it about those erasers? They work so well. Regular sponges don't.

Nell

[Kitchen Princess]

From Teri in 2004: From Teri in 2004:

To learn more and see how this led to a discussion of stewardship see http://www.titus2.com/corners/7-04-m.htm

Nell, whose cupboards really do need some care

Did she say what she used to polish them? I really need to do mine.

[MamaJunebug]

How opportune that Steve's profession-by-training came up! I had an intriguing convo w a cousin who is in electrical engineering & knows a fair biton aeronautics.

I told him about Steve and the year-long ordeal at Steve's former employer wherein Steve refused a task because it conflicted with Steve's religion. What sort of task could do offend a nominLly Christian engineer. I asked Cousin

Cousin said (this is almost verbatim), "Maybe a bomb project? Thing is, that sorta thing wouldn't be dragged out a year. A war plane...is this the guy w the vasectomy reversal & the married kids next door?".

When I said yes, Cousin shrugged and said, "Eh, sounds like the guy's just 'mental 'l

LOL (sadly). Cousin did add thst mental notwithstanding, a guy who played cat-&-mouse w his employer over a religious-discrimination case for a year was pretty danged savvy legally. Doesn't

surprise in the least.

[emmiedahl]

I have a close family member who is a mechanical engineer and quite the social butterfly. I don't know if he is typical; he did not feel in college like he fit in well. dh originally got a degree in electrical engineering and he is the typical analytical personality that you would expect. However, he *does* have enough savvy that he would rather clean a cabinet himself than tell an already-overworked wife to do it.

Take notes, Steve.

[mnb357]

This guy is giving engineers a bad name, frankly. My ex-husband was an engineer. He was so wrapped up in his work, that there's no way he would have noticed the cabinet surface...unless of course he was designing a cabinet surface cleaning solvent. None of his colleagues would have. Now the inside...that's different. They had definite suggestions about how to organize those, and those actually made sense.

[Katiebug]

I still suspect that Steve's issue at his former employer was related to working with/for a woman. Maybe eventually someone made a discrimination claim (or more than one) against him. If his employer was doing some force reductions around that time, that's a convenient way to rid the company of a difficult employee without having to document and terminate for cause (which could lead to a lawsuit). Better to give him a nice severance package and let him leave on "good" terms with a lot of other folks.

[gustava]

I still suspect that Steve's issue at his former employer was related to working with/for a woman. Maybe eventually someone made a discrimination claim (or more than one) against him. If his employer was doing some force reductions around that time, that's a convenient way to rid the company of a difficult employee without having to document and terminate for cause (which could lead to a lawsuit). Better to give him a nice severance package and let him leave on "good" terms with a lot of other folks.

+1

[MamaJunebug]

I still suspect that Steve's issue at his former employer was related to working with/for a woman. Maybe eventually someone made a discrimination claim (or more than one) against him. If his employer was doing some force reductions around that time, that's a convenient way to rid the company of a difficult employee without having to document and terminate for cause (which could lead to a lawsuit). Better to give him a nice severance package and let him leave on "good" terms with a lot of other folks.

i did propose that poss to my cousin. Who shrugged again and said, "As before ... 'mental.' " :lol:

I'm privileged to know lots of people - men and women - in engineering, and from most of the disciplines (electrical, civil, aeronautical, etc.) and have come to really enjoy their quirks and weirdnesses and strengths.

One thing that's made it easier, though, is learning to talk back to them. When one gets all obsessive about something that doesn't bother a normal person non-engineer, I've found that the best response is, "You're the engineer, you take care of it!"

Delivered in the nicest possible way, of course.

In the case of the polished cabinets, I imagine it's partly like the ceiling fans. Teri wrote that she added ceiling-fan-cleaning to the weekly or daily chore list just to fill up the kids' chore packs. :roll: Oh well, whatever keeps 'em busy, I guess.

Back to the (nasty, outside-the-home) job Steve left. He wrote that he and Teri had "given it up to the Lord" and told the Lord, "let us know what we are to do by having my employer either fire me or fix the ungodly situation."

And the employer ... offered Steve another job -- presumably one that didn't involved anything that would displease Steve's set of values God. Which vexed & perplexed the Maxwells, since that was not one of the options they'd given God! :roll: :(

So it seems the employer was savvier than Steve. And that Steve probably did a good enough job for them. I'm glad for the firm (IIRC it was a privately held company that sold itself to a French engineering concern a few years back) to have gotten a burr out from under its saddle. So to speak.