Finally, let's take a look at the team that has been sitting atop the AL Central for the past couple of years. The Detroit Tigers. Of course I'm going to try and write an unbiased post, but that won't always be the case as I am a Tigers fan. But then again, this is a personal blog sooooooo.....
Last year, the Tigers were never really in doubt of winning the AL Central. By the time they had clinched the division at the end of the year, they had a ten game lead. The division is weak compared to other divisions in baseball, but that is what happens when you group smaller market teams together. After years and years of dealing with a horrible team, it feels great to have a team that is winning on a constant basis.
Their pitching staff is one of the best in the league. For some reason, Doug Fister was traded this offseason which hurt their profile, but I have faith in Drew Smyly who is suppose to be taking up the fifth spot in the rotation. The success or failure of the rotation is going to hinge on one person: Rick Porcello. So how does Porcello do well? It revolves around the defense. He is known as a ground ball/contact pitcher. He gets outs by getting the ball in play and having the defense help him out. That sounds like a horrible idea, but he throws a sinker which is suppose to result in ground balls. So, with the upgraded defense the Tigers now have, he should have a breakout season. My opinion is that he has started to breakout, he is going to be a gradual breakout pitcher. It is going to take place over last year and this year. Most people won't notice because of the three guys that are in front of him in the rotation. I have loved Porcello ever since he earned a spot in the rotation back in 2009, but I think this is the year everyone else jumps on the bandwagon.
The lineup is up near the top of the league as well. Thanks to a couple of big bats in Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez. Along with those bats there are a couple of professional hitters that can put the ball in play when it is needed. It's a whole new team because there is going to be a focus on small ball. Running the bases, getting steals, going first to third. It is something new and different. And it is exciting. With Kinsler, Iglesias, and Rajai Davis on the team now, the Tigers are no longer going to be at or near the bottom of stolen bases. Again, this makes me happy. It is something different over what we have seen the past five years.
The farm system is in question, as it has been over the past four years. The top prospect, Nick Castellanos, has been brought up for this season. After Castellanos, there are no big names ready to make the leap up to the majors. Even before the call up, Castellanos was ranked at number thrity two on ESPN's top one hundred prospects list (if you can put any money on that). The next Tigers prospect is....no one. Not one player on the top one hundred. The Fister trade did bring over Ian Krol and Robbie Ray. Ray is a prospect whereas Krol is going to be pitching this year.
I don't always put a lot of stock in these lists, but everyone knows the Tigers' farm system is one of the worst in the league. They are built to win now. Brad Ausmus is going to bring a new view of the game to the team. I love Jim Leyland and he helped bring the Tigers out of the basement of the major leagues and to the forefront and helped to make them contenders. The money that was spent on free agents and some of the trades that have been made (same trades that emptied the farm system of prospects) also helped the team out. This year, the Tigers are going to win the AL Central again. They are a strong, solid team that many think they can win ninety games or more. I'm always scared to make predictions for a team I follow, but I think right around ninety games sounds right. It helps to play in a weak division. The next two or three years in the AL Central are going to be interesting with the Royals players developing and the Twins (yes, Twins) prospects making their way to the majors. Can the Tigers hold on three years from now? Who knows. I surely hope so.
17/120
28 February 2014
23 February 2014
Coming Out Matters
Just recently, Michael Sam came out as a homosexual man. People come out all the time, so why is this a big deal? Because Michael Sam is going to be drafted into the NFL. And when he is drafted, he will be the first openly gay male athlete in the four professional sports (MLB, NHL, NFL, NBA) to be actively playing. Now, some might say, what about Jason Collins? For those of you who do not remember, Jason Collins came out last April, but has yet to play a game in the NBA. Not because of his sexuality (although that can be debated), but because of his ability to contribute to a team. It is well known that Collins is nearing the end of his career and is a role player at best. He has recently drawn some interest from a couple of teams, but nothing much. So, yes, Jason Collins is the first active player because he has not retired, but Sam could be the first active player to play. Unless Collins gets picked up by a team.
So, why is this such a big deal? Why should we care about this? Why should we remember the names of Jason Collins and Michael Sam? Because professional sports are something we care about in this country. We, as a country, spend so much time fixated with sports and players. We idolize these players (but we shouldn't) because they are in the limelight. This is such a big deal and is important because these two athletes can be true idols. Two men that stepped out of their comfort zone and could become legends. Not for their play on the field/court, but for what they have done off it. Sports are the ultimate man's man forum. Because this is history. These men are our generation's Jackie Robinson. This is another barrier broken down. These two men have the mental strength and poise to not hide who they are anymore. They have the support system whether it is family, friends, teammates, partner to stand up and let the world know who they are. They are two gay men who have put themselves out there in a world that is not fully excepting of their lifestyle. I stand up and salute them for their bravery. They both have to know they will not be fully accept by their peers.
In a world where same sex couples are slowly gaining the right to marry (by the way, why isn't same sex marriage a federal law? Come on now, 21st century and whatnot), these statements by athletes should not be a big deal. I know I am living in my little progressive bubble, but I would hope this would not be a big deal other than someone being the first of their sport to come out. We, unfortunately, live in a world full of hatred and bigots who cannot accept that not everyone is the same as them. And unfortunately, these bigots are at times the loudest and heard by too many.
On Valentine's Day, at the Human Rights Campaign Time to Thrive Conference, Ellen Page (that lovely little Canadian) came out. People didn't blink an eye at this statement. I shouldn't say that. You hear a lot of 'good for her' and the usual sentiment. There isn't a lot of shock or surprise because actor or actress to come out. It has happened over and over again. It's not a big deal. Hopefully, years down the road (or sooner), if a gay athlete comes out it won't be a big deal anymore. You also hear homophobic statements. Ignore those because people can be just fucking awful. Spend eight minutes of your life listening to her speech. It is beautiful and heartfelt. So it's apparently not a big deal (Yes. It is.) for an actor to come out because...Because...Because why? They are just the same as an athlete. They are human. They have feelings. They love. They hurt. They hide. They lie.
Everyone deserves the right to be open about who they are. Everyone deserves the right to be seen as an equal. Unfortunately, everyone does not get that right because they are different. And in a world where we try to be progressive and supportive, that makes me sad to think about.
16/120
So, why is this such a big deal? Why should we care about this? Why should we remember the names of Jason Collins and Michael Sam? Because professional sports are something we care about in this country. We, as a country, spend so much time fixated with sports and players. We idolize these players (but we shouldn't) because they are in the limelight. This is such a big deal and is important because these two athletes can be true idols. Two men that stepped out of their comfort zone and could become legends. Not for their play on the field/court, but for what they have done off it. Sports are the ultimate man's man forum. Because this is history. These men are our generation's Jackie Robinson. This is another barrier broken down. These two men have the mental strength and poise to not hide who they are anymore. They have the support system whether it is family, friends, teammates, partner to stand up and let the world know who they are. They are two gay men who have put themselves out there in a world that is not fully excepting of their lifestyle. I stand up and salute them for their bravery. They both have to know they will not be fully accept by their peers.
In a world where same sex couples are slowly gaining the right to marry (by the way, why isn't same sex marriage a federal law? Come on now, 21st century and whatnot), these statements by athletes should not be a big deal. I know I am living in my little progressive bubble, but I would hope this would not be a big deal other than someone being the first of their sport to come out. We, unfortunately, live in a world full of hatred and bigots who cannot accept that not everyone is the same as them. And unfortunately, these bigots are at times the loudest and heard by too many.
On Valentine's Day, at the Human Rights Campaign Time to Thrive Conference, Ellen Page (that lovely little Canadian) came out. People didn't blink an eye at this statement. I shouldn't say that. You hear a lot of 'good for her' and the usual sentiment. There isn't a lot of shock or surprise because actor or actress to come out. It has happened over and over again. It's not a big deal. Hopefully, years down the road (or sooner), if a gay athlete comes out it won't be a big deal anymore. You also hear homophobic statements. Ignore those because people can be just fucking awful. Spend eight minutes of your life listening to her speech. It is beautiful and heartfelt. So it's apparently not a big deal (Yes. It is.) for an actor to come out because...Because...Because why? They are just the same as an athlete. They are human. They have feelings. They love. They hurt. They hide. They lie.
Everyone deserves the right to be open about who they are. Everyone deserves the right to be seen as an equal. Unfortunately, everyone does not get that right because they are different. And in a world where we try to be progressive and supportive, that makes me sad to think about.
16/120
21 February 2014
Icy Drive
Minnesota has seen it''s fair share of snow storms this winter. With snow, and blowing, and wind chill not seen in several decades, it has been a rough winter all around. People are sick of it and ready for spring. Part of what makes the storms so bad is having to deal with driving during and afterwards. Minnesota does a great job at trying to keep up with the road conditions and everyone should applaud them for it. I'm sure it is tough being a MnDOT driver. All hours of the day and night in horrible conditions. Everyone was making fun of the southern states when they got hit with their snow/ice storm, but I didn't because I know that they are not prepared for it. They do not deal with that type of weather on an annual basis. Minnesota does.
The storm we got yesterday and into today has been the worst seen this winter. The previous two days were glorious. In the 30s and 40s. It felt like spring was around the corner. But oh no, Mother Nature had one more truck up her sleeve. She's a fucking bitch when she wants to be. Yesterday morning, it was warm enough that when the precipitation was coming down, it was in the form of rain/sleet. That would have been okay if the temperatures did not start to fall. The rain turned to ice and then the snow fell on top of that. When I left work yesterday, it took me a little over an hour to get home. The normal commute time is twenty five minutes. This morning's commute was going to take about an hour as well. But I didn't end up going to work. Why? Because the highway is ice. Sheer ice. If there was ever a need for a Tauntaun it was today.
The state of Minnesota issued statements saying that if you don't have to travel, don't. It is dangerous until MnDOT can start to get salt and sand on the road. And until it warms up (which it won't) there is going to be slick spots all over the place. I'm pretty secure in my winter driving abilities. I've been stupid and driven in blizzards before. I've driven on roads covered in snow and ice. Looking back, I am extremely lucky never having been in any type of winter driving accident. I was not looking forward to the drive this morning, and luckily I didn't have to.
15/120
The storm we got yesterday and into today has been the worst seen this winter. The previous two days were glorious. In the 30s and 40s. It felt like spring was around the corner. But oh no, Mother Nature had one more truck up her sleeve. She's a fucking bitch when she wants to be. Yesterday morning, it was warm enough that when the precipitation was coming down, it was in the form of rain/sleet. That would have been okay if the temperatures did not start to fall. The rain turned to ice and then the snow fell on top of that. When I left work yesterday, it took me a little over an hour to get home. The normal commute time is twenty five minutes. This morning's commute was going to take about an hour as well. But I didn't end up going to work. Why? Because the highway is ice. Sheer ice. If there was ever a need for a Tauntaun it was today.
The state of Minnesota issued statements saying that if you don't have to travel, don't. It is dangerous until MnDOT can start to get salt and sand on the road. And until it warms up (which it won't) there is going to be slick spots all over the place. I'm pretty secure in my winter driving abilities. I've been stupid and driven in blizzards before. I've driven on roads covered in snow and ice. Looking back, I am extremely lucky never having been in any type of winter driving accident. I was not looking forward to the drive this morning, and luckily I didn't have to.
15/120
19 February 2014
Cleveland Slides Back
Pitchers and catchers have reported. The rest of the players are starting to roll in and full team workouts have begun. Pictures of sunny Florida and Arizona have been posted on social media. I'm such a happy little camper right now. If only April would show up right about now, that would be great.
Last year, the Cleveland Indians sneaked their way into the playoffs. And the city was excited. And they sold a ton of tickets after being an attendance joke for the entire year. And then lost to Tampa Bay. What a joke. Everyone credits Terry Francona with getting the team turned around and heading in the right direction. I think that they are a one hit wonder. If you look at the final standings last year, Detroit won the division by just one game. ONE GAME! Cleveland was so close. Well, not really. Once the division was locked up, Detroit kind of shut it down. Plus, Cleveland ended the season on a ten game win streak (good for them). However, it was against Houston, Chicago, and Minnesota. Oh. In that case, that's not that impressive. That's like being impressed when the Harlem Globetrotters beat the Washington Generals. Come on now.
With the Tigers sitting comfortably on top of the division and the Royals clearly ready to take the next step, the Indians will be the odd man out. Not just this year, but in the upcoming years. That's my hope at least. If there is one team I despise not named Chicago White Sox it's the Cleveland Indians. Why you ask? Because of their racist little mascot. Also, Ohio. So, how does their team really stack up?
They do have a young pitching staff. Corey Kluber, Justin Masterson, and Zach McAllister are a serviceable top three. All three have combined have eight years of service under their belt. Plenty is also riding on Danny Salazar's development as well. Don't get me wrong, I think Salazar is legit. He did strike out Miguel Cabrera three times in one game before Miggy turned the table on him and did this. This young pitching staff has the stuff to keep them in games, but they will also make mistakes against professional hitters like Salazar did in that video. If they can keep three of the four of those pitchers for a long period of time, look out. That staff will be formidable against any lineup.
The batting lineup does not jump off the page at you. They don't have any big name players and at a glance, no one is that one batter that can change the game every game. Well, maybe Carlos Santana or Jason Kipnis, but they aren't players that are going to be top tier all year long. Oh, and how could I forget about Dude Bro Swisher?! Very easily. So, if there is a lineup that doesn't have big names stay in the hunt for a playoff spot? Just because there are no big name players, that doesn't mean the lineup isn't solid. They have players that put the ball in play. They have players that can run the bases. They have players that play the game the right way. Selfishness doesn't exist in the Cleveland clubhouse. One game, you could see Asdrubal Cabrera could win it for the team. The next day it could be Michael Brantley. This is one of those teams where any hitter can run into the right pitch and win the game. Because they are coached well.
While they may challenge for the division for parts of the season, I don't see them sticking out until the very end. Which is fine with me. Their future is a little hazy. They don't have the best team or the best farm system, but they are solid. They are a middle of the pack team on paper but can surprise a year here and a year there. They might end of being a team that will never fully get over the hump of being that middle of the pack team. Which, again, is fine by me.
14/120
Last year, the Cleveland Indians sneaked their way into the playoffs. And the city was excited. And they sold a ton of tickets after being an attendance joke for the entire year. And then lost to Tampa Bay. What a joke. Everyone credits Terry Francona with getting the team turned around and heading in the right direction. I think that they are a one hit wonder. If you look at the final standings last year, Detroit won the division by just one game. ONE GAME! Cleveland was so close. Well, not really. Once the division was locked up, Detroit kind of shut it down. Plus, Cleveland ended the season on a ten game win streak (good for them). However, it was against Houston, Chicago, and Minnesota. Oh. In that case, that's not that impressive. That's like being impressed when the Harlem Globetrotters beat the Washington Generals. Come on now.
With the Tigers sitting comfortably on top of the division and the Royals clearly ready to take the next step, the Indians will be the odd man out. Not just this year, but in the upcoming years. That's my hope at least. If there is one team I despise not named Chicago White Sox it's the Cleveland Indians. Why you ask? Because of their racist little mascot. Also, Ohio. So, how does their team really stack up?
They do have a young pitching staff. Corey Kluber, Justin Masterson, and Zach McAllister are a serviceable top three. All three have combined have eight years of service under their belt. Plenty is also riding on Danny Salazar's development as well. Don't get me wrong, I think Salazar is legit. He did strike out Miguel Cabrera three times in one game before Miggy turned the table on him and did this. This young pitching staff has the stuff to keep them in games, but they will also make mistakes against professional hitters like Salazar did in that video. If they can keep three of the four of those pitchers for a long period of time, look out. That staff will be formidable against any lineup.
The batting lineup does not jump off the page at you. They don't have any big name players and at a glance, no one is that one batter that can change the game every game. Well, maybe Carlos Santana or Jason Kipnis, but they aren't players that are going to be top tier all year long. Oh, and how could I forget about Dude Bro Swisher?! Very easily. So, if there is a lineup that doesn't have big names stay in the hunt for a playoff spot? Just because there are no big name players, that doesn't mean the lineup isn't solid. They have players that put the ball in play. They have players that can run the bases. They have players that play the game the right way. Selfishness doesn't exist in the Cleveland clubhouse. One game, you could see Asdrubal Cabrera could win it for the team. The next day it could be Michael Brantley. This is one of those teams where any hitter can run into the right pitch and win the game. Because they are coached well.
While they may challenge for the division for parts of the season, I don't see them sticking out until the very end. Which is fine with me. Their future is a little hazy. They don't have the best team or the best farm system, but they are solid. They are a middle of the pack team on paper but can surprise a year here and a year there. They might end of being a team that will never fully get over the hump of being that middle of the pack team. Which, again, is fine by me.
14/120
14 February 2014
Valentine's Day is Bullshit...Kind Of
Today always sparks a fun little debate on whether or not Valentine's Day is a Hallmark Holiday. I think that it is and it isn't. It's all on how you celebrate it. If you think that on Valentine's Day you need to go out and buy a dozen over priced roses and boxes of chocolate for your significant other, go nuts. If you find it necessary to get a reservation at a romantic restaurant that everyone else is going to be at, feel free. You'll be bumping elbows with everyone else in the restaurant, but don't let that stop you. Those acts are part of the Hallmark Holiday cliches that Valentine's Day is all about. Personally, I don't want to do any of that. At all. If you spend the day or evening with loved ones, that's what matters. I usually buy a small gift for my wife, but don't go overboard with it. Because I support capitalism. USA! USA!
Last night, my wife and I went out to dinner. We don't go out on Valentine's Day because restaurants are always packed and loud and obnoxious. So we either go out the day before or the day after. Just to avoid the rush. We aren't big crowd people. We didn't do the whole romantic restaurant, candlelight dinner thing either. We went to Buffalo Wild Wings. Because it sounded SO GOOD. Nothing says love like sitting across the table from your spouse and watch them rip meat off the bone. Wove. Twue Wove.
Here's the thing. If you spend Valentine's Day with the person or people that you love or care about, that's all you need. If you spend the day doing what you enjoy with a person, that's all you need to do. Enjoy drinking wine and watching a shitty chick flick? Call that a successful Valentine's Day. Is there a big game on and you want to go out with your drinking buddies to watch it? Success! Would it be weird if you were out with your drinking buddies and as you were leaving you said 'Happy Valentine's Day guys.'? Yeah. It would be. Unless you have that close relationship with them.
I won't condemn people for going all out on Valentine's Day. If that is how you choose to show your love for your partner, go for it. Everyone celebrates holidays in different ways. We are not big on it. That's just how we roll. It is more important to show love and affection and appreciation for your partner all year long not just one day. Am I the best at doing that? Absolutely not. Are any of us? You can always get better.
13/120
Last night, my wife and I went out to dinner. We don't go out on Valentine's Day because restaurants are always packed and loud and obnoxious. So we either go out the day before or the day after. Just to avoid the rush. We aren't big crowd people. We didn't do the whole romantic restaurant, candlelight dinner thing either. We went to Buffalo Wild Wings. Because it sounded SO GOOD. Nothing says love like sitting across the table from your spouse and watch them rip meat off the bone. Wove. Twue Wove.
Here's the thing. If you spend Valentine's Day with the person or people that you love or care about, that's all you need. If you spend the day doing what you enjoy with a person, that's all you need to do. Enjoy drinking wine and watching a shitty chick flick? Call that a successful Valentine's Day. Is there a big game on and you want to go out with your drinking buddies to watch it? Success! Would it be weird if you were out with your drinking buddies and as you were leaving you said 'Happy Valentine's Day guys.'? Yeah. It would be. Unless you have that close relationship with them.
I won't condemn people for going all out on Valentine's Day. If that is how you choose to show your love for your partner, go for it. Everyone celebrates holidays in different ways. We are not big on it. That's just how we roll. It is more important to show love and affection and appreciation for your partner all year long not just one day. Am I the best at doing that? Absolutely not. Are any of us? You can always get better.
13/120
12 February 2014
The Sox Still Stink
Excitedly, the baseball season is slowly approaching. It cannot come soon enough. Pitchers and catchers are reporting in the next couple of days if they have not already. With that in my mind, let's delve into the rest of the AL Central shall we?
After having some success in the mid-2000s, the Chicago White Sox have slowly found their way to the basement of the AL Central. Which is where everything Chicago should be. I can't stand any of their sports teams. You know, I do my best to cheer for teams from the same league/conference/division if the team I usually cheer for is not in the playoffs. Mainly because it is great to see the league/conference/division you root for succeed. With Chicago teams, not so much. I am happy to see them all fail.
The White Sox have been a roller coaster of a team contending for the division one year only to take two steps back the next. Sadly, though, they have won a World Series more recently than the Tigers in 2005. Ever since then, they have been inconsistent at best. There have been years where they have challenged for the division lead only to collapse at the end of the year. There have also been years when they started in last place in the division and never left.
They have started to rebuild their team with acquisitions and through developing their prospects. They have three prospects from their farm system (Matt Davidson, Erik Johnson, Marcus Semien) ready to contribute this season. They signed Jose Abreu out of Cuba this off season and he will be an upgrade over the aging Paul Konerko. The retooled offense is ready to keep the team in games, but their pitching staff is going to lose them games. When the ace of your staff goes 11-14 in 2013, you know you're team is in trouble. The positive you might find if you are an unfortunate fan of the White Sox is that the pitching staff is young and developing.
While they have a young pitching staff and a young team, unfortunately their farm system is not ready to go. They have been drafting fairly well by all accounts, but they will need a lot of time to get big league ready. Fans of the Sox are going to have to suffer through more years of basement dwelling before they are ready to compete again. And hopefully, those of us who are not their fans, will get many more clips of a sad Hawk Harrelson. Those sound bites are the best, are they not?
12/120
After having some success in the mid-2000s, the Chicago White Sox have slowly found their way to the basement of the AL Central. Which is where everything Chicago should be. I can't stand any of their sports teams. You know, I do my best to cheer for teams from the same league/conference/division if the team I usually cheer for is not in the playoffs. Mainly because it is great to see the league/conference/division you root for succeed. With Chicago teams, not so much. I am happy to see them all fail.
The White Sox have been a roller coaster of a team contending for the division one year only to take two steps back the next. Sadly, though, they have won a World Series more recently than the Tigers in 2005. Ever since then, they have been inconsistent at best. There have been years where they have challenged for the division lead only to collapse at the end of the year. There have also been years when they started in last place in the division and never left.
They have started to rebuild their team with acquisitions and through developing their prospects. They have three prospects from their farm system (Matt Davidson, Erik Johnson, Marcus Semien) ready to contribute this season. They signed Jose Abreu out of Cuba this off season and he will be an upgrade over the aging Paul Konerko. The retooled offense is ready to keep the team in games, but their pitching staff is going to lose them games. When the ace of your staff goes 11-14 in 2013, you know you're team is in trouble. The positive you might find if you are an unfortunate fan of the White Sox is that the pitching staff is young and developing.
While they have a young pitching staff and a young team, unfortunately their farm system is not ready to go. They have been drafting fairly well by all accounts, but they will need a lot of time to get big league ready. Fans of the Sox are going to have to suffer through more years of basement dwelling before they are ready to compete again. And hopefully, those of us who are not their fans, will get many more clips of a sad Hawk Harrelson. Those sound bites are the best, are they not?
12/120
05 February 2014
Separation of Chore and State
I was talking with a co-worker last week about chores around the house. The subject came up because her fiancee is going to be moving back to Minnesota after being out of state for a couple of years for work. I don't know, don't ask. She was talking about how he's got those years worth of chores to make up because she has been doing all the cleaning, cooking, dish washing, etc. I thought it was a weird line of logic, but whatever. Has she been keeping track of how many meals she has cooked that he will have to cook. How many times she has done laundry, or the dishes, or cleaned the bathroom? Does she have a spreadsheet of these events? The more I think about it, the creepier it seems. I mentioned that ever since my wife and I started living together back in college, we have done our best to do specific chores. And with rare exceptions, we stick to those chores.
For example, my wife does the majority of the cooking. Whether it is dinner, breakfast on the random weekend, or baking cookies, she does it. To counter that, I wash the dishes. She dirties them, I clean them. Fair play, right? My wife does the laundry. Is it because way back in the day I accidentally shrunk a wool sweater of hers? Mayhaps. I take out the trash and recycling. So things like that. Whenever it is that we move into a house, I'll end up doing the snow blowing and grass cutting. Now, are these chores that we do gender stereotypical? Yes. It's not like we sat down and said, 'well, you're the woman so you are going to cook and clean. I am a man so I'm going to take care of all the physical stuff.' It's just that she's a great cook. I'm okay at it. There are days when I cook dinner (but somehow still end up cleaning the dishes....) and there are times she has taken out the recycling or trash. We do our best to split the chores evenly. Do I slack on how quickly I get my chores done? Yes. Yes I do. But they get done.
My co-worker was blown away by this and I don't understand why. She wasn't taken aback by it, she just didn't understand the thought behind each of us having specific chores. Maybe she didn't grow up in a house where the chores were split up? Maybe one person did all the work? I don't know. Splitting the chores is just how our household growing up functioned. Everyone had their work to do. I think that is what makes a house a home. Everyone putting forth an effort to keep it up and going. If just one person does all the work, not everyone is invested in the house.
Is this a common thing? Does everyone else split the chores up or is it kind of a 'it's your turn to do the dishes because I did them last time' system? I think either way works. As long as it is doled out fairly, I think whichever method works for you and your household is best.
11/120
For example, my wife does the majority of the cooking. Whether it is dinner, breakfast on the random weekend, or baking cookies, she does it. To counter that, I wash the dishes. She dirties them, I clean them. Fair play, right? My wife does the laundry. Is it because way back in the day I accidentally shrunk a wool sweater of hers? Mayhaps. I take out the trash and recycling. So things like that. Whenever it is that we move into a house, I'll end up doing the snow blowing and grass cutting. Now, are these chores that we do gender stereotypical? Yes. It's not like we sat down and said, 'well, you're the woman so you are going to cook and clean. I am a man so I'm going to take care of all the physical stuff.' It's just that she's a great cook. I'm okay at it. There are days when I cook dinner (but somehow still end up cleaning the dishes....) and there are times she has taken out the recycling or trash. We do our best to split the chores evenly. Do I slack on how quickly I get my chores done? Yes. Yes I do. But they get done.
My co-worker was blown away by this and I don't understand why. She wasn't taken aback by it, she just didn't understand the thought behind each of us having specific chores. Maybe she didn't grow up in a house where the chores were split up? Maybe one person did all the work? I don't know. Splitting the chores is just how our household growing up functioned. Everyone had their work to do. I think that is what makes a house a home. Everyone putting forth an effort to keep it up and going. If just one person does all the work, not everyone is invested in the house.
Is this a common thing? Does everyone else split the chores up or is it kind of a 'it's your turn to do the dishes because I did them last time' system? I think either way works. As long as it is doled out fairly, I think whichever method works for you and your household is best.
11/120
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