CC&P 18: Dishes All About Household Chores

[Intro music playing.]

SAREENA:
Hello, my favourite fried potatoes! It’s so good to be chatting to you again, because Melissa and I weren’t sure we would be able to... since someone was so bored that they thought it would be fun to cyber-attack a podcasting website. It’s weird, because the attacker clearly hasn’t seen the membership plans for Buzzsprout, because they're quite reasonable! So if you were trying for big bucks, maybe look elsewhere next time? But a big thank you to Buzzsprout for sorting. Curried Chips & Poutine love you! 

We also love marvellousminion, who’s has been commenting on our episode posts and sharing her enjoyment of our ramblings so far! Thank you, and we wish many portions of chips in your near future. However, today we shall move back into the house - not like we ever left it - to discuss household chores!

[dun dun DUNNNNNN sound effect] And all I have to say on the matter is... ew. Would you like to add anything further, Melissa?

MELISSA:
I mean...... you've more or less succinctly summed it up...

SAREENA:
[laughing]

MELISSA:
Although I'm going to be a traitor here and say I don't actually- there are some chores that I actually don't mind?

SAREENA:
Yeah, but overall, the general genre - ew.

MELISSA:
Yeah.

SAREENA:
[question time chime] Shall I start this?

MELISSA:
Please do!

SAREENA:
Right then. Would you rather, Melissa... have to wash all the dishes of your household every day? Or have to change everyone's bedsheets every day?

MELISSA:
Every single day?

SAREENA:
That's what every day means!

MELISSA:
I mean- okay well, I'm not gonna fight that, I guess.

SAREENA:
[cracking up]

MELISSA:
But okay, hang on hang on - so the dishes bit, every single dish that I own, including all the good china? Every single spoon and fork, like that?

SAREENA:
No, I mean the dishes that your family or whoever you're living with uses in one day, including pots and pans and whatever - anything that needs to be washed in the kitchen, you would have to wash it every single day, or you would have to change everyone's bedsheets every single day.

MELISSA:
Bedsheets, that includes, what, bed, blanket, pillowcase?

SAREENA:
Yes, everything that you sleep on. With. Under, over...

[Both cracking up.]

MELISSA:
I mean, I hope you sleep UNDER stuff! Who sleeps without a blanket, come on!

SAREENA:
I don't know, I don't even want to explore that. [laughs again]

MELISSA:
I mean, I stick my leg out, hopefully it doesn't count.

SAREENA:
That's fine, that's fine.

MELISSA:
I'll be honest - and another dirty confession, confession hour with Melissa on, y'know, Curried Chips and Poutine - but! I don't really ever make my bed, I just sleep on it and leave it, and then I'll change the sheets every once in a while, but that's it.

SAREENA:
But that's fine, but the act of having to change the sheets- so it doesn't matter if you don't make the bed-

MELISSA:
Oh okay.

SAREENA:
-but you have to take it off the duvet, you have to take off the bottom sheet, you have to take the pillowcases, you have to change all that, all the bedding. Or you have to spend your life washing dishes.

MELISSA:
I can do dishes, that's actually not too far off what we do here anyways, we have a system set up, you see. So usually everyone washes their own dishes, but dinnertime is kinda like when all bets are off and usually one of us has to wash dishes because you know - somebody else cooked, so we have the responsibility of cleaning up afterwards!

SAREENA:
I mean, that's nice, but it would all be you, every meal.

MELISSA:
That's also fine, I suppose.

SAREENA:
[SHOCK] Is it?!

MELISSA:
Honestly, there's just something about struggling- putting fitted sheets on a mattress is the world's biggest pain! Like, I have fought with mine for upwards of five minutes, I have STRUGGLED with fitted sheets on beds, and I hate them.

SAREENA:
That's really interesting, 'cause I - HATE - DISHES.

MELISSA:
[cracks up]

SAREENA:
I loathe them, I rage when I do dishes, because the thing is with dishes, it's never ending! [whistling tea kettle sound effect playing and building up throughout the rage] You cook - and now there's dishes. You eat - and now there's dishes! And then you do it again, because you're eating, again! And it's like 3 or 4 times a day you're doing this, and then the next day it's the same!! [explosion sound effect] It just doesn't go away!!

MELISSA:
[still laughing]

SAREENA:
And what I hate the most is I'll try and put everything together nearby so I can see the visual damage of what I have to clean up and put away - and I will do it, and I will throw a cursory glance around the room, and I'll see one cup, just chilling over by the bedside table! And I- just- all the rage!! ALL THE RAGE will take over my whole body, because there's just one cup chilling and I missed it, and I'm like - it just prolongs the action of washing dishes? I just can't handle it, I just cannot handle it.

MELISSA:
[almost in tears from laughing so much] Oh. My god. Oh my god. I don't think I've ever heard you speak about dishes with such vitriol, that's amazing!

SAREENA:
It's awful! I could be much stronger, but this is family friendly! Family friendly!

MELISSA:
Oh my god. That's so funny!

SAREENA:
But - all the rage. And not in the good way. [laughs]

MELISSA:
Oh my god, that's so, so funny. And, you know - I get it, but that's just kinda what life is, things keep happening and you have to do these things, and it never stops!

SAREENA:
[GRUMBLES]

MELISSA:
It's every day!

SAREENA:
It's just- no, I hate it, at least changing the sheets I feel there is a moment of satisfaction, you know, when you go to sleep in fresh sheets, that's the nicest feeling and I'm like 'yes, okay' -

MELISSA:
Yeah, that's true.

SAREENA:
-well, I'm going to take changing the bedsheets for everybody, because once it's done, it's done for that day, whereas dishes are all the time. Dishes are for life!

[Laughter from both sides.]

MELISSA:
I mean, that's kinda what things are like! Unless you wanna be wasteful and just buy single-use things, Sareena? Hmmm?

SAREENA:
No, no, I don't want to do that, because I care about life and the environment and climate change, but... dishes! Oh, I can't, I REALLY can't articulate how I feel, it is the worst household chore for me, absolutely.

MELISSA:
That is so funny. So much anger contained within your frame, Sareena!

SAREENA:
[cracking fire sound effect] Barely. Barely contained!

MELISSA:
Barely contained... watch out, she's a tiger!

SAREENA:
No, I'm a bull or a monkey, you know.

[Both cracking up again.]

MELISSA:
Hey, bulls have a lot of rage, allegedly!

SAREENA:
Yeah, that's true! That's very true.

MELISSA:
[question time chime] Aw man, I'm gonna ask my question, but I already know what the answer is-

SAREENA:
Oh dear.

MELISSA:
-but hey! I'll ask it anyways. Would you rather have self-folding clothes/laundry? Or self-cleaning dishes?

SAREENA:
[immediately] Self-cleaning dishes, GIVE IT TO ME!

MELISSA:
[cracking up] Like I said, a gimme! I had no idea - I mean, I knew you didn't like washing dishes, but I just didn't know you hated them that much, you know?

SAREENA:
SO much! SO much... oh my god, my life would just change completely if I had self-washing dishes, I- ugh, I'd be so happy. I don't really fold that many clothes?

MELISSA:
WHAT?

SAREENA:
I tend to just hang them up, I don't have so many clothes that I have to fold them to store them, and the things that I do are like jumpers, maybe winter clothes that are a bit bigger that I would fold? But when I stayed with you, I know your mum wanted me to help with laundry and stuff-

MELISSA:
Yeah!

SAREENA:
-and she was very unimpressed with my shirt folding skills-

MELISSA:
Oh my god!

SAREENA:
I was like 'but this is what a hanger's for!'

[Both cracking up.]

MELISSA:
Oh, it was so funny, 'cause - that's the thing, laundry is almost like a ritual in my house? You know, we dump it out onto a big bed and we fold everything, we used to dump it out on the big table we have in our kitchen dining room room area, we just dump it out and everyone would come by and help out, right?

SAREENA:
Yeah.

MELISSSA:
I mean, the nice thing too about thinking- about entertaining the idea of self-cleaning dishes and self-folding clothes, it'd just be so handy for so many people!

SAREENA:
Oh yeah, definitely! Bu, protip: if you have a clotheshorse, if you just lay them on the different levels in a certain way, it'll help make your clothes not wrinkly. And if you just put them on a hanger, then that's it! You don't have to iron, it's a double win there. 'Cause for me, if I fold up clothes, it usually does put creases in them, and I'm like 'well...'

MELISSA:
Wait, really? Like, what- why are there-?

SAREENA:
The fold creases are gonna be in there, and sure, you know, when you're folding it there'll be other sneaky creases that get in there and you're just like 'agh, whatever, life'.

MELISSA:
Yeah, but aren't your clothes soft enough that creases wouldn't, like.... stay?

SAREENA:
I don't know, I'm not in the government of creases, they're just there!!

MELISSA:
[laughing]

SAREENA:
I'd rather just put them on a hanger, so the clothes just hang down so the creases fall out - I would always go hangers!

MELISSA:
I think you and I have very different ways of doing laundry, already I'm learning more things.

[Laughter from both.]

SAREENA:
That's fine! Hate dishes, we'll hang up clothes, I think that's very normal.

MELISSA:
Hey, I'd rather fold clothes, but these chores are not things that I have issues with, which is so funny to me.

SAREENA:
I think it's because I'm on my own and I have to do them, and I think it's the amount of times I have to do them - but you know, to be fair, putting a wash on and hanging up my clothes on my clotheshorse - [horse neighing sound effect] - isn't a big deal, I can totally handle that, but the fact is, the dishes will always be there! Just always be there, I'll always have a cup for water, I'll always have a cup for tea, and I'll have XYZ dish for food or snacks, and it's just like UUUUGH.... As I've said before, footnote: UUUGGGGHH.

MELISSA:
[laughing] Oh my god, that is just the funniest thing in the world to me, oh my god - like yeah, we have lots of dishes and things, we don't use them all every single time, it's just kind of like... 'oh, I'll just wash my cup, cool', or I'll rinse it out and I'll use it again.

SAREENA:
I know, I do that- I do that, I understand what you're saying, but! There is rage!!

MELISSA:
Well hey, an easy way for you to stop being so angry is to stop eating to stop using these things, I guess!

SAREENA:
[gasping crowd sound effect] How dare you tell me to stop eating! HOW DARE YOU!

MELISSA:
[cracking up] I'm sorry-

SAREENA:
Our podcast is literally two foods combined and you're telling me to stop eating- no! Never!

MELISSA:
Okay, well then stop crying about having to use cutlery in order to eat these things!!

SAREENA:
[unhappy noises]

MELISSA:
[laughing]

SAREENA:
[question time chime] Right, whatever! So, would you rather have someone come to tidy your room, but you can never find where they put things-

MELISSA:
Oh god.

SAREENA:
-or have someone clean your kitchen, but they always change where you keep your utensils?

MELISSA:
Oh my god, ohh! Maybe the kitchen one, 'cause the first one is what, they come in, they clean things but I can never find it?

SAREENA:
Yeah, so it's the same-

MELISSA:
-Ever?

SAREENA:
No, not ever, like your notebook that you've placed on your bedside table is now not at your bedside table, it could be in a drawer that you have to go hunting to find.

MELISSA:
Ohhh.

SAREENA:
It's just not immediately available, like I'm one of these people, I'm like a visual person, so if I just see where something is I'll know it's there, but once you change it without me knowing I can't - you know, I have to go look for it. So if I do have mess, it's organized mess, like I can picture exactly what's in that mess, and if you change it or tidy it I'll be like, 'why have you ruined my life?' You know, it's just that kind of thing. So it's kind of like that, it depends if you categorize your things in the same ways I do. Would that bother you?

And for the kitchen, you know, you have your drawer where you keep your cutlery, you have your place where you've got your pots and pans, they change. So you're like, 'I need a pot!' and where you look is now cutlery and you're like 'goddamn it!' But you'll find it eventually.

MELISSA:
You know, I don't actually mind that so much, 'cause it's a kitchen, so it's in the one contained area. At least I can poke around, be like 'ah, third time's the charm! There's the drawer that has all my spoons in it'.

SAREENA:
But all the time, it's not where you think- you can't ever get into a rhythm, you can't be like 'aha! Pots and pans!' And you're like 'no, it's not'.

MELISSA:
I mean, I almost would prefer that, rather than having somebody come in and touch my stuff and put it elsewhere. I'm like- I think that's kind of why- I mean, you've seen my house, you know how messy things are, how much stuff I have. It'd be a nightmare, are you kidding me??

SAREENA:
That's true.

[Both laughing.]

MELISSA:
So I'll go with that first option, I think.

SAREENA:
But the first option IS someone coming in.

MELISSA:
Nope, sorry, no no no no no, oh my god. That's another thing too, like... Asian parents, they clean things, and they yell at you for not having clean enough anything, so...

SAREENA:
[laughing] Yeah.

MELISSA:
I practically live with that. It'd be a fun sort of 'spin the wheel' of like - [spinning wheel sound effect] - "Where's! My! Soup Pot!" You know, spin it and see where it is.

SAREENA:
I feel like you're very easygoing this episode! I feel like either option would bug the hell out of me, but I will go with you in that I don't want someone else touching my things, whereas the kitchen stuff, I guess, as long as I can find it to use it, that's fine. The overall objective has been achieved. But if it's my things, I want to know where my stuffed toys are, and I want to know where my headphones are, and I want to know where my spare keyboard and things are, so. Those are things that I'll go to and be like, 'this is what I need and I know it's here, and it shouldn't move' but it's moved? I'll be like, MORE RAGE.

MELISSA:
I just feel like it's more invasive. I'm like, 'this is where I've lined up my sketchbooks, and oh, they're not there anymore? WHO has been touching my most PERSONAL items? Who's been doing it?! Who? I just wanna talk, turn on your location! Just wanna talk!'

SAREENA:
[laughing] Yeah.

MELISSA:
I mean, people make that joke about like, 'oh this place is a mess!' or you know, 'Bless This Mess' kind of thing. I live in that sort of- I don't wanna say squalor, but I do live in that kind of mess, and I know where everything is, so. Whatever. It's fine!

SAREENA:
Yeah. I mean, for me, as long as everything's clean then that's fine; it's just it can be in any kind of assortment, but as long as it's clean, we are happy.

MELISSA:
Yeah... as long as I can find it when I need it - like, personal stuff. I mean, kitchen stuff, whatever, you're gonna find it eventually. And then the next day you're like 'oh, it's over here'. But you'll find it out of necessity!

SAREENA:
That is very true, but what happens if you're making the perfect sunnyside egg and you just need that spatula, and you've got limited time before it becomes, y'know, cooked in the centre and you don't get your runny yolk? And you're like noooooooo!

MELISSA:
[cracking up] Um, are you speaking from experience? Are you upset, do you need to talk about it?

SAREENA:
No, I can't make sunnyside eggs anyway, I try so hard.

MELISSA:
What!

SAREENA:
No, I mean I always flip my eggs anyway.

MELISSA:
Oh, I see.

SAREENA:
I like over easy.

MELISSA:
Me too. This is from the chef side of me - you have to have everything in place, it's called mise en place, you have everything ready so this exact situation DOESN'T happen to you! In the kitchen where things are hot and sharp.

SAREENA:
And that's just you, not the cutlery! [rim shot sound effect]

[Both cracking up.]

MELISSA:
Hey-o!

SAREENA:
I think really, the root of all my rage is where I'm living at the moment, my kitchen space is really tiny-

MELISSA:
Oh, okay.

SAREENA:
-and therefore if... even with the amount of dishes that I have, which is not a lot - it can clutter a lot, and then it's like I can't do anything else until I've done the dishes, and I feel the dishes is just one job that would be just too much in this consideration, when I was like 'I just want some food!'.

MELISSA:
Yeah, I think it's probably a good difference of perspective then, because where I live- obviously I live in a house which is much more spacious, and so we have lots and lots of things, but I know where everything is, and I don't have to worry so much about having to wash the one cup that I own to use it again, when there's other cups I could be using. Still have to wash them, don't get me wrong, but like-

SAREENA:
You have options.

MELISSA:
Yeah. I have options, the clutter is not so quite noticeable if that happens?

SAREENA:
Yeah, that's true. 'Cause with me I've only got limited things, so as long- I've eaten twice and I've used everything up, so it's like 'aaaaagh!' [laughs]

MELISSA:
Well, that certainly sounds like a you problem, huh! [question time chime] Speaking of somebody coming in to clean your house, got something magical for ya!

SAREENA:
Oh yeah.

MELISSA:
Would you rather have your house cleaned by sentient magical brooms?

SAREENA:
[cracking up]

MELISSA:
Or would you rather have your house cleaned by singing mice?

SAREENA:
Awww. I feel, just like in Ratatouille, there is a health hazard here.

[Both cracking up.]

SAREENA:
And I'm sure the mice have lovely singing voices, but I'll go with the brooms.

[More laughter from both.]

SAREENA:
Will the brooms- will they come in one day, do their cleaning and leave? Or do they now live with me?

MELISSA:
Uhh.... hmm, that's an excellent question! They come in whenever there's cleaning that needs to be done, so however often you do a full-house clean, or whenever you need to sweep something up, your broom friend is there.

SAREENA:
Oh okay, and is that the same with the mice? They just appear and they're like - [sing song voice to the tune of Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik] "We're here, to clean, dodododododo~"?

MELISSA:
[laughing] Basically. They'll sing and- I don't know if they'll be wearing little clothes, but if it makes it cuter, then yes, they can. But the brooms will be- they come with their own sort of brooding, magical theme and they've got arms, which is weird.

SAREENA:
Yeah.

MELISSA:
They've got arms and they're gonna clean up your house.

SAREENA:
That's fine. Isn't that like, Fan....tasia?

MELISSA:
Fantasia, yeah.

SAREENA:
Yeah, I'll take that. I want to be practical in my cleaning, I want it done efficiently... yeah, I want results! And mice are cute, and I'll have the mice anyway, but... as pets, but cleaning? No, I need efficiency and I think that due to their size, they won't get very much done quickly, you know?

MELISSA:
Well, that's rude! These mice are very efficient, they're well trained!

SAREENA:
[laughs]

MELISSA:
'Cause they're still gonna clean your house spick and span, they're still gonna do that! They're just singing mice, and there's more of them. Versus an army of... y'know, sentient brooms.

SAREENA:
Yeah... nope, I'll take the brooms.

[Laughter from both sides.]

SAREENA:
What about you? What would you do?

MELISSA:
Honestly, I'll take the brooms too, 'cause the idea of singing mice would be very cute, but what if our music tastes are different, then what? This can't work!

SAREENA:
Yeah, what if they come in singing opera, like... oh no!

MELISSA:
Ohhh. See, no, I'm into it, I like opera, I appreciate it!

SAREENA:
[disappointed sigh] You like dishes, you like opera... oh my gosh.

[Both cracking up again.]

MELISSA:
I'm baring myself, you're learning all these new things about me!

SAREENA:
Yep.

[More laughter.]

MELISSA:
Oh my god. You're so shocked by all this information, and I'm just like, 'oh, this is normal, it's whatever', but maybe singing mice isn't normal, that's fine.

SAREENA:
[cracking up] No, Melissa, singing mice ISN'T normal!

MELISSA:
[also cracking up] But magical brooms are?!

SAREENA:
Yes! SO normal!

MELISSA:
[laughing some more]

SAREENA:
I think it's funny, because I think it is really a difference of living situations, I think maybe where a lot of my pet peeves - [sad boing sound effect] - may lie, is because I don't have as much space; but if I did, perhaps the things that ARE bothering me now wouldn't. Just wouldn't.

MELISSA:
Yeah.

SAREENA:
Yeah, that's a good point to make and keep in mind, and I think it's part of making your house or your space work for you, is you're having to clean differently as well?

MELISSA:
Yes.

SAREENA:
So yeah, to all you small-space-living people, I feel your pain.

MELISSA:
And there's me, with my house, like... 'yeah, it's all right! Lot of stuff to clean, but it's fine, a fun way to- not a FUN way to spend a day, but it's a day spent doing something!'

SAREENA:
Eugh, you're one of those. [laughs]

MELISSA:
I'm actually not, I hate cleaning.

SAREENA:
I mean, I like cleaning, I like the satisfaction that it does give me, like when I hoover, I feel like it makes my room feel so much bigger when it's literally just the same size - but I just feel that the dust particles that have been sucked up is like, added to the space I have.

[More laughter.]

SAREENA:
Yeah, definitely there is a lot of satisfaction, but I have to be in the right frame of mind to fully feel that.

MELISSA:
Oh, absolutely. Cleaning when you don't want to is honestly one of the worst feelings in the world.

SAREENA:
Oh yeah.

MELISSA:
You're like, 'uuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh I don't want to have to pick up all my laundry, urgghghg' and you just don't want to do it.

SAREENA:
Yeah. Do you have a bunch of clothes that migrate from your chair to your bed?

MELISSA:
No, actually, although I do have a chair that I like to drape all my hoodies on, so I've got three on a chair right now.

SAREENA:
Yeah.

MELISSA:
But not on my bed proper, no.

SAREENA:
'Cause like- because of my limited space, if I have clothes that I haven't had the effort to hang up, live on my chair when I'm not sitting on my chair, and they live on my bed when I'm not using my bed, so.

MELISSA:
[laughing]

SAREENA:
And then when it bothers me enough, I will finally decide what needs washing and what I can just fold and put away in the cupboard.

MELISSA:
Okay, that bothers me.

SAREENA:
[her turn to laugh]

MELISSA:
I'll admit, laundry - for a while, actually, especially in Korea, too - folding laundry is weirdly therapeutic for me, I like doing it. 'Cause I don't really hang my stuff up the way you do, so I actually kind of really like folding laundry? Especially if it's my own, I'm just like 'eh, I'll just fold up this shirt, like all right', and then that'll take like, what, 20 minutes, half an hour of my day, and I'll put on music or something while I'm doing it, and then I'm done, right?

SAREENA:
Yeah. And if you've been brought up that way as well-

MELISSA:
That too, yeah.

SAREENA:
-you know, that works for you. Whereas I've been brought up to hang up my clothes.

MELISSA:
Yeah.

SAREENA:
Yeah, 'cause I don't I've ever had a cupboard that's had shelves in it, to fold and put clothes on, I've always had the bar, where you get hangers.

MELISSA:
That's true, okay. Yeah, I don't really have that, we don't really use our closet except for... y'know... storage, but. So we don't really hang stuff.

SAREENA:
[question time chime] But let me ask another question and see how we differ on this one.

MELISSA:
Let's do it!

SAREENA:
Would you rather always have to get the food shop, but it's always a hassle in one way or another, like there could be long queues, or the bags could be super heavy; or, would you rather have someone else do it for you, but they always forget key items on your list?

MELISSA:
[gasp] You mean like, staples? So like things that I really need, they don't have it- they won't bring it?

SAREENA:
It'll be maybe one staple thing, and one thing you were really looking forward to, so if you asked 'oh could you get a box of chocolate brownies?' or something, and it was the one thing you were really looking forward to on your shopping list, and they're like "ah, soz, forgot!'

MELISSA:
[sound of protest]

SAREENA:
And it will happen at every time. But when you go shopping, it will also be ridiculously long queues, or your bags will be SO heavy that you're like 'what the heck!'.

MELISSA:
[GRUMBLE] Neither of these options are sounding especially appealing to me right now.

[Both laughing.]

MELISSA:
Aw, man. 'Cause the only problem with the second one, though, right, 'cause wouldn't you be able to work around that? If you know that they're always gonna forget something, then wouldn't you be able to work around it?

SAREENA:
But you don't know what item they'll forget, it'll just be- you make a list, and they will choose which ones to forget! But they will forget something.

MELISSA:
What am I paying them for?!

SAREENA:
You're not, they're just doing it! They're just a nice person, just doing this for you!

MELISSA:
They're deliberately antagonizing me by forgetting that I really wanted these Cheerios!

SAREENA:
Yeah.

[More laughter.]

MELISSA:
The thing is, I like grocery shopping... but long lines, or heavy bags are NOT things I like about the experience.

SAREENA:
Mmhmm.

MELISSA:
Could I get like a little shopping cart?

SAREENA:
No, I'm gonna say no, because I'm gonna make this like my shopping experience, because I don't have a car so I have to walk to my large supermarket, and then I have to take a basket and fill up; I usually do my shop in one go, because we're in lockdown and I want to reduce the times I go out - and then I have to put everything in my rucksack and a bigger bag, and then carry that back with me.

MELISSA:
Aaaah.

SAREENA:
So it can be very heavy.

MELISSA:
Yeah, I mean this is definitely true. But it's nothing I can't handle, but I would get just so annoyed though, if somebody- I get it, they're doing me a favour, but I would get so annoyed. I needed ONE thing, and you got me everything except the ONE thing! It would drive me crazy! Can't trust nobody!

SAREENA:
[laughing]

MELISSA:
Ugh, honestly, I might just have to go with the first one-

SAREENA:
Really?

MELISSA:
Especially when it comes to food shopping. I have things, staples that I need, and if I don't have them I get antsy, be like 'uuuuugh! Have to make a whole other trip to get it again!' You know?

SAREENA:
Yeah, that's true. I'm more- yeah, I was gonna say I was more inclined to get somebody else to do it for me, because the things that they forget, I can pop out - [popping sound effect] - to get those things on another trip and that could be like, 'ah, this is my daily exercise, I'll just pop down to the shops and pick up a few things and get my ice cream fix that way'!

[Both laughing.]

SAREENA:
But I do quite enjoy food shopping, it's the one chore that I don't mind doing, 'cause I quite like perusing all the aisles and be like, 'ooh I'll take this, and get that'. I don't mind if there are usually long queues, but I do mind the heavy bags, but it's kind of what I do anyway, so I'll just keep with it as well.

MELISSA:
Yeah, honestly, I have to agree with you on there - I do love food shopping, grocery shopping. That's one thing I do love to do whenever I go to- y'know, back when travelling was okay! Whenever I went to new countries somewhere, I just loved going to a local supermarket-

SAREENA:
Oh, yeah.

MELISSA:
-and seeing how different things are from home, right?

SAREENA:
Yeah, definitely.

MELISSA:
The big lines and heavy bags are universal, but, you know... that's the experience.

SAREENA:
I remember when I went to Lotte Mart in Korea, which is their massive supermarket-

MELISSA:
Yeah!

SAREENA:
I think I was looking for sanitary products? And what they have in Korea is, they have representatives in a few of the different aisles that will help you choose something-

MELISSA:
Oh, yes!

SAREENA:
-and so this lady, I was looking, 'cause limited Korean, looking at pictures and colours like 'ah, I think it's this one!', and this lady was like, 'So what do you need? Da-da-da-', literally speaking to me in Korean, and had different products, like 'This is for this, this is for that!' And I was just like pick- pointed at what I thought I needed, and she was like 'here you go!' And I'm like, 'thank you! This has been a very uncomfortable but very helpful experience!'

[Both cracking up.]

MELISSA:
Oh my god. No, I feel that! I mean, same thing too, I remember I wanted to go to- I think it was Lotte Mart also, but a big one. I went there and I was trying to look for specific ingredients, I think I was trying to find a specific cut of meat or something - but it's just so intimidating! They talk so fast!

SAREENA:
Yeah.

MELISSA:
And I'm just like, 'I'm... I'm sorry, I'm a foreigner who can't speak good Korean, eeuuhh.... point me towards the beef, please!'

SAREENA:
[laughs] Yeah!

MELISSA:
Oh my god, it was so bad.

SAREENA:
Yeah, the furthest thing I can say to you is 'hello' and 'thank you', and I will just point like the neanderthal that I am!

MELISSA:
[laughing] Just grunt, like 'ungh yes! Eh! Want!'

SAREENA:
It's so nice that they've actually made the effort to come and talk to me, because they obviously will know that I will not be fluent, and it will be a surprise to both of us if I was.

[More laughter from both.]

MELISSA:
It'd be something, wouldn't it?

SAREENA:
It would. I mean, when I got better at Korean, I relished the look of surprise, like 'yes! I understand now!'

MELISSA:
Your Korean is way better than mine, everybody looked at me and they assumed I could speak it because I look Asian - and I am, but I'm just not Korean-

SAREENA:
Yeah.

MELISSA:
So they would always default to me and I'd be like '[uncertain noises]'.

SAREENA:
Yeah, Melissa would be like, point to Sareena, like 'oh hi, I'm also Asian, but not as close as the Asian Melissa is, but here. I will order food for both of us, thank you.'

MELISSA:
Hey, I can read menus! That's the important thing, I can read menus.

[Laughter from both sides.]

SAREENA:
Food-related language skills are the first thing anyone should learn, going somewhere new.

MELISSA:
Yeah. People always ask the questions, the first things you learn for foreign languages: please, thank you, excuse me, I'm sorry, food items and swear words. I'm like 'wow, guys'.

SAREENA:
The fundamentals for any language.

MELISSA:
You'll go far, it's fine!

SAREENA:
Yeah. Do you have a nice question to end the episode with?

MELISSA:
[question time chime] I think this is a nice question! I mean, I was very tickled by the idea of this, because I'm sure you'll know what my answer is, but anyway.

SAREENA:
Ah-haaa!

MELISSA:
So! I mean, I hate dusting, dusting is actually up there with my least favourite chore-

SAREENA:
Mmhmm, yeah I can see that!

MELISSA:
So, final question that has to do with dusting! Would you rather have all the dust particles in your house actually be sparkly particles - [sparkling sound effect] - Or would you rather have all the dust accumulate into a big pompom and you have to get rid of it?

SAREENA:
Okay, so I can have the room sparkling because dust is everywhere, or - when you say accumulates into this ball, is it like this ball in the room that generally gets bigger until I pick it up and get rid of it?

MELISSA:
Yeah! That's- so your surfaces won't be dusty, but you'll see that giant fuzzball in the corner getting bigger and bigger and bigger, until you decide to get rid of it.

SAREENA:
But then once I get rid of it, my room is free of dust for however long it takes to come back?

MELISSA:
Yes.

SAREENA:
Oh that's so much easier! That is SO much easier, if I could just pick up a ball of dust and be like, 'begone!' That would be amazing, obviously I mean - dust sparkles anyway when you catch it in the right light, and-

MELISSA:
Oh, puhlease!

SAREENA:
[laughing] I don't mind dusting-

MELISSA:
ECHH!

SAREENA:
-I know dusting was a thing for you, because I went to your place in Korea, like oh my god. This girl...

[Both cracking up.]

SAREENA:
But yeah, dusting doesn't bother me. But if it was just conveniently- like I could just pluck it and put it in the bin or whatever, yeah, totally will take that. Doesn't matter how pretty it looks!

MELISSA:
Yeah, honestly, I think- 'cause what dusting is to me, is what dishes are for you.

SAREENA:
Yeah, possibly.

MELISSA:
I hate dusting, my least favourite - [noises of disgust]. Part of me was like, if it was sparkly I wouldn't hate it as much, 'cause I like being sparkly and I think it's hilarious... But also, the convenience of picking up- just hucking up a giant basketball-sized ball of dust, just hurling it out the window - [glass smashing sound effect] - The catharsis would be something else!

SAREENA:
Yes, and I'm all for convenience so definitely I would go with that. But it's funny that if you don't like dusting, surely that would make you want to dust more, so you don't see it?

MELISSA:
No, it's more like I ahte dusting because I have to get everywhere - 'cause dust covers everything, right? Dust accumulates, and I hate also- you wipe it with a Swiffer or something and all this gunk is in your thing! It's gross!

SAREENA:
I think it may come from the fact that you collect so much more stuff than I do, and therefore it is a bigger chore for you-

MELISSA:
Yes.

SAREENA:
-because you've got more surface area to clean, whereas I'm quite minimalist, I store nice things in my brain rather than on my shelves. [laughs] And so it's much easier for me to clean and wipe down surface areas, so... yeah, I can see why you would be more frustrated at the dust. But yeah, easily accumulated ball, give it to me. Nice.

MELISSA:
Yeah, me too. Just punt it out my door, like 'get outta here! BAM!' And that's another thing too that I hate about dusting, is that you have to move stuff! I have to lift things to dust around them, can't just dust- brush off the top and be like, 'oh I'm good!' No, we can see where you've decided to ignore where to dust! Can't get away with anything!

SAREENA:
Yeah, but see, if you had someone to come in to tidy your room, they would also dust your room for you!

MELISSA:
Yeah, but they'll be touching all of my things... while dusting!

SAREENA:
They will be touching your stuff, yes, yes.

MELISSA:
Well, that's what the brooms are for, they can - oh. A broom holding a feather duster, that's kind of meta, isn't it?

SAREENA:
Yeah.

[Both laughing.]

SAREENA:
But that's quite interesting, we obviously have our most disliked chores, and things that we don't mind, so we both like to go food shopping, but-

MELISSA:
Yes.

SAREENA:
-but I hate dishes and you hate dust, perfect.

MELISSA:
I think with dust too, is that a lot of people in my family are allergic to it, so, you know... there's dust somewhere and we'll go i there, and we'll sneeze for 8 years, and be like 'all right, cool! I'm not gonna clean anything now!'

SAREENA:
But that would make you want to clean more, if you're allergic to it! I don't understand!

MELISSA:
[whining] I hate ittttt! I just really HATE dusting!

SAREENA:
But I feel like it would change the quality of life if you did!

MELISSA:
Oh no, absolutely, vacuuming is fine! But like... wiping down the dust off of surfaces and things, I'll be like, 'I hate this, I hate everything about this, this sucks - [grumpy noises]'!

SAREENA:
I hate dishes, but I will still do the dishes, because I can't have anything to eat off if I don't do the dishes!

[Both laughing.]

MELISSA:
Well, there we go. We have our poisons - you, with your five minute rant on why dishes suck and my very impassioned five minute rant on why dusting sucks. [laughs]

SAREENA:
Together, we will take the household chores on together!

MELISSA:
Hey look, I will happily wash your dishes if you dust things for me!

SAREENA:
I'll dust things for you, that's easy!

MELISSA:
Do it! Okay!

SAREENA:
Well, then! I'll come over to Canada! [laughs]

MELISSA:
I expect you on the next flight over. Actually - [cartoon car screeching sound effect] - no, don't.

SAREENA:
No! It's illegal at the moment, but, you know.

MELISSA:
It's illegal...

[More laughing from both.]

MELISSA:
[soft chiming music playing throughout] It's time for the Self-Care Sign-Off! Now, despite what you may think after hearing us ranting about it, cleaning is actually pretty great. It also affords you a chance to think about what you hold dear, what you can't bring yourself to throw out. That being said, give yourself a mental clean up too! Don't dwell too long on bad memories or hard days; while having them sucked at the time, you don't have to hold onto it forever. Wipe it off, get rid of it! You've grown from it, you've learned from it. Hindsight is always 20/20... [stage whisper] Or in this case, 2021!

So, my darlings! If you would like to grace us with your support - and we would love that very much - the easiest way to do so is with one click! We have a link in the episode description that'll show you how you can help us out - updates, memes, merch, we've got it all. As always, here's our email - you can reach us at curriedchipsandpoutine@gmail.com.

Thanks once again for listening, it really means the world to us that you've been with us! We love you and appreciate you very much.

BOTH:
Byeeeeeeee!

[Outro music playing.]