Monday, July 23, 2007

Hypothetically Shmypothetically

If someone came and stayed at your house overnight and accidentally left a pair of pajamas in the bathroom, would you wash them before returning them? What if they also accidentally left a pair of underwear? I hypothetically feel like I should wash everything, but I think it might be weird to wash someone else's underwear. Hypothetically. Does anyone else have these dilemmas, or is it just me? Or maybe you just do whatever the heck you want and don't worry about stupid stuff like this.

Hypothetically.

It doesn't seem like most of the bloggers I read are going to BlogHer. I am not against it because there are a lot of people I would love to meet. But I will be spending this weekend at my brother-in-law's wedding instead. I just realized yesterday that since H is the best man, I will be on my own with his parents and siblings most of the time. Serenity now!

Hypothetically.

My in-laws aren't really that bad. In fact, everyone in H's family has always been more than nice to me. His family is just very different than mine. For example, I have one sister. H has three sisters and a brother. My extended family includes approximately 10 people (counting myself). H has 24 sets of aunts and uncles and over 100 cousins. So you might see why I think our families are different. You might also see why I (jokingly) say serenity now!

Don't forget: there is still plenty of time to ask H questions.

20 comments:

Stefanie said...

I come from a comparatively small and not-so-close family myself, so I would be in exactly the same boat as you. (Is there wine in that boat? If so, that could help.)

I thought repeatedly about BlogHer but eventually decided to skip it. And now it is all anyone can talk about (well, that and the damn Harry Potter book), and suddenly I am feeling left out! I just have to focus on the several hundred dollars I am not spending by not going. Serenity now indeed.

Stefanie said...

I totally forgot about your hypothetical underwear question. I am sure you are dying for my opinion on that, so I will tell you I would probably wash them as well, though I would feel equally weird about it. Good luck with that. Hypothetically, of course.

Marmite Breath said...

Wash them. Even if it feels weird. It would be weirder to hand dirty underwear back to the person. And what if you got in a wreck on the way to deliver the underwear to said person. Would you want the paramedics to think you are the kind of person who carries around dirty underwear?

I have issues, yeah.
And Serenity now is one of my favourite phrases.

3carnations said...

Hubby's and my family dynamics are very similar to yours. He is one of seven children, while I am one of one. He has more cousins than I could even tell you about, or than HE could even tell you about for that matter. I have seven cousins. We also have an extended family function this weekend. Serenity now, indeed.

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

I'd go with wash them, too, just b/c carrying around someone else used underwear (more than just from the bathroom to the washer) just seems weird. And as long as you're washing underwear, well, the PJs are nothing.

I wish you serenity now also on the whole washing thing too.

Noelle said...

I don't like it when other people wash something I've lent them, unless it's something they got dirty. I feel really guilty and I am uncomfortable with the smell of someone else's detergent. Don't wash it.

I completely forgot BlogHer was coming up. Actually, I don't think I ever knew. I'm not really involved in that. I prefer to meet bloggers at tiki bars!

Anonymous said...

I actually would not wash them... mostly because I would not want someone to wash them for me if the situation was reversed. That has more to do with pickiness about how things are washed (less of an issue with pajamas, but whatever) and an allergy to practically every laundry detergent out there than ickiness about underwear handling.

KM said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
KM said...

To wash or not to wash...I left my PJs and underwear in a hotel that I was sharing with a few friends once. My PJs and underwear were returned washed. I felt incredibly weird about that. I'm not sure I would want them to be returned dirty either. I kind of wish they had never been returned at all. OK, I guess that's not a solution, but it is seriously how I feel about my non-hypothetical situation.

Geek and I both have big families, but they’re big differently. It sounds like it doesn't make sense, but it does. Trust me. Hopefully it will be so much fun that you don't even realize you are sitting with the ILs all night. One can hope, right?

Stefanie said...

I really don't need to leave three comments on one post, but I just have to say I understand One Smart Cookie's point of view, because I am very picky about how things are washed myself. I almost suggested you wash the items but not put them in the dryer, but I thought perhaps hanging someone's wet underwear to dry would eek you out even more than washing them in the first place.

bittenbyknittin said...

I would not wash the pjs and underwear unless I wore them. ;-)

L Sass said...

I will be so close to BlogHer, and yet so far away... at a wedding in glamorous Milwaukee, Wisconsin!

I find AS' family's communication style utterly baffling, too... Serenity now is right!

Isabel said...

I think I would wash the underwear with the pajamas.

Oh hooray for weddings. I love them so much. Just try to focus on the pretty table settings and ignore the family!

Single Jens said...

Depends on who left the PJ's and undies. I'm guessing, since they are staying at your house, they are friend or family? I would wash them. Now, if they are husband's frat-brother from college....I'd think twice about it. - SJ

don't call me MA'AM said...

If it's boy's pjs and undies, wash them. If it's girl's, I'd say don't.

As for the wedding, I'd say drink heavily. ;-)

I'm also NOT going to BlogHer, because it's right before the biggest weekend of my work year. Boo! I really want to go. Perhaps you and I can create our own blogging conference and invite everyone. Just a thought.

lizgwiz said...

Seal them, unwashed, in a giant Ziploc bag and when you give them back, hold them in front of you, with one hand, with a pair of tongs, while you hold your wrinkled (with digust) nose with the other hand and say "ewww, you left these."

What? No good?

metalia said...

Yeesh. Serenity now, indeed. Oh, and on your question: I'd probably wash the stuff, but feel weird. Think about it: Do you want to be the gracious host returning freshly laundered garments, or the weirdo walking around with a bag containing dirty underwear?

theotherbear said...

I just giggled my head off at ligwiz's comment.

If what was left behind was just PJs I would wash them. If there were undies too I would not. Because you can hardly only wash the pjs and then say "I didn't want to wash your undies as well in case you had a disease" can you.

Whiskeymarie said...

I would wash the jammies or undies.
I wouldn't be able to stand knowing I had someone else's dirty laundry just laying around. I don't think I could sleep- knowing they're lurking about.

I'm not going to Blogher either.
Just because I don't feel like leaving the house this week, that's all.

3carnations said...

Thanks for haunting me with your laundry question. Last night I had a dream that hubby had a bunch of guys over to play pool (we don't have a pool table and I didn't recognize the guys). Apparently a couple of them got some red drink on their shirts, and as they were getting ready to leave, they handed me the stained shirts and asked me to wash them. It was creepy, and frustrating because I did not have a load of laundry going in...