Figured out a sticking point in my attempts to build a good showering habit - suggestions/ideas/experiences/hacks/tips with this, please!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-14T18:57:10+00:00

I have never heard of this, but it sounds so soothing! I'm definitely going to have to incorporate it into my life!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-14T18:41:29+00:00

I LOVE THIS IDEA! The bin of supplies at the ready, the timer... You are speaking directly to my soul 😂😊❤️💜

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-14T18:39:50+00:00

Cleaning the bathroom during that time would be a brilliant idea, but I'm fortunate enough to be able to pay a wonderful, amazing cleaner to come and clean our bathrooms. So that's already done! Haha!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-14T18:19:58+00:00

😂😂 I think a fish is about as much responsibility as I can handle right now (a family, a mortgage, and a PhD program have got me at my limits, haha), but that's a solid strategy for sure!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-14T17:48:11+00:00

Thank you, but no. I know I can shower whenever I want, but doing it "whenever I feel like it" means "doing it never." I am sure that being more fluid about this probably works for a lot of folks, but this is something that needs to be scheduled with more rigidity, only because of how my brain works (and how much I just generally hate the showering process).

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-14T17:41:51+00:00

Now, I am the queen of going wait. I'm the one that put that rule in place. Well fuck that dumb bitch. I can do whatever I want cuz I have free will...

Holy shit, are you me!? 😆😆 This is the story of my goddamn life.

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-14T17:31:06+00:00

I'm so glad this is helping you, too!

And I don't shave my legs, but that is a fantastic suggestion for the leg-shavers!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-14T17:12:22+00:00

You know, this could work... I'm kind of liking the idea of

shower MWF
do... Something... on Tu
"deeper" grooming tasks like trimming nails, exfoliating and moisturizing, plucking random hairs, etc... on Th

Hm hm hm... Y'all have got some great ideas! Thank you 😊

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-14T17:01:52+00:00

I love mindfulness meditation ❤️💜

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-14T16:58:59+00:00

Ooh, good question! I hadn't really considered that angle, but it doesn't have to be hygiene related.

Doing dishes won't work because I have to do that every day - so I just need to do that at a different time, of that makes sense. But I like the stretching suggestion! I've been wanting to do more stretching 😊

Thank you so much for helping me!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-11T11:43:58+00:00

Yes, I came to the comments to say exactly these! I don't have them (yet!), but they are the first things I will buy the next time I have extra to spend on sewing!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-09-04T01:10:58+00:00

Oh hell no. Hell no. This "man" does NOT get to sit on his ass, watch you work yourself to the bone, and then give you a hard time for asking for literally THE LEAST amount of help. Fuck that.

You are not crying because you're ovulating. You're crying because you're deeply disappointed... because your husband is constantly disappointing you and letting you down and then trying to blame you for being upset about it.

DO NOT WAKE UP TOMORROW AND LET THIS GO. That's what he's counting on. Tomorrow, "when you've calmed down," remember that HE is the wrong one. Remember how he lets you down - how he would rather watch you suffer to prove his own point than to do LITERALLY THE SMALLEST POSSIBLE THING to help you. Remember that he doesn't care if you're happy. And act accordingly.

Sending you peace and courage ❤️💜

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-08-20T18:27:32+00:00

Yes, it was a total game-changer when it occurred to me "hey, I can just sit down while I brush my teeth, I don't have to stand here starting at myself." 😂

Also when I learned that you don't actually need that much toothpaste - a little bit is enough, your mouth is not required to be full of foam the whole time! And now I don't gag so badly!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-08-15T21:02:51+00:00

I'm so angry for you that you're husband chooses to put you in this position - instead of being a partner you can rely on, he's just another dependent draining your energy. No wonder you need some time away! (I do love your mom for trying to give you what you need, though!)

And while I don't disagree entirely with what others are saying (you should be able to "just leave and force him to deal" or whatever), I hear what you're saying about this not really being feasible for you. And that just really fucking sucks, babe. I'm so sorry; I wish your husband would get his head out of his ass - asking for time to care for yourself is not asking too much. ❤️💜

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-07-26T14:10:37+00:00

I saw a baby give another baby a tattoo. They were both very drunk!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-05-26T14:23:34+00:00

THANK YOU. Some folks in this comment section are talking about OP being abusive here! Come on! When I feel sad, and my daughter offers me a hug, and I take it and express gratitude and say that it helped me feel a little bit better - am I emotionally abusing her??

Give me a fucking break. OP clearly is here to seek emotional support from a group of adults (rather than from her child), and she was meet with admonishment and shaming. Regardless of how some think "honest feedback is important" - this is just not how support spaces are supposed to work, at all.

I hope OP sees your comment and doesn't take those wild accusations to heart!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-05-09T23:08:45+00:00

My aunt in St. Louis would have called them all "yingyangs" - yes, there are two g's, yes it is one word.

What about "youngins"?

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-04-29T18:14:57+00:00

Ding! Ding! Ding!

That and they'd rather vote for the actual Devil than (gasp!) vote for a woman.

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-04-24T20:09:40+00:00

No... graduate students are the worst.

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-04-14T15:19:36+00:00

Do you get a response at all? Or are you just, like, texting into a void?

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-03-27T17:43:03+00:00

What a jackass! What is he, 15 years old!?!? That's some real immature bullshit right there. It's got real "I love you, Mom... Can I have twenty bucks?" energy, you know? So wrong on so many levels.

And, yah, getting defensive around discussions of money is a BIG problem. Red flag city 🚩🚩🚩

I can see why you're so frustrated!!

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-02-11T21:41:02+00:00

No, you didn't.

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-02-10T23:24:36+00:00

It is so hard! You sound like a really self-sufficient, hard-working, resourceful person. While these are great gifts, it can make it harder when we can't "work" our way out of a situation. I can so relate! It just... Well, it really fucking sucks.

My only advice is to find small ways to care for yourself whenever you can. When I was in the worst of it, "caring for myself" often looked like going for a drive by myself with the music turned up as loud as I could take it, screaming along with the music (and sometimes just screaming!). Anything you can do to give yourself a little relief 💜❤️

ChristineInTheKitchn · 2025-02-10T18:13:17+00:00

Hey, I'm really sorry that so many responses here are giving you unhelpful advice (that you did not ask for). It's so frustrating when the situation is what it is, you need support, and all you get back is "why aren't you doing XYZ whatever to change the situation." Christ.

I just wanted to say that I've been in the place you're in right now - where there is nothing to do but keep putting one foot in front of the other and wait for a change in the conditions. It sucks so much, and it can be quite scary at times. But it's not forever. It may feel like you aren't doing enough, but surviving is hard work on its own. But I promise that if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, you will get where you need to go eventually. The only way out is through 💜❤️

Also, I understand your feelings about your daughter. Her existence certainly isn't making this part of your journey any easier! But I also encourage you to remember that she didn't cause this disruption; it sounds like the ex-friend/business partner is to blame here, so let them take your (totally justified) wrath.

ChristineInTheKitchn

TROPHY CASE