%title House Rules
%date 2009-04-17 00:00:51
:diary:livejournal:fossils:

<em>I've been thinking of some rules for harmonious living.  I need input before I, like, make signs or draw up leases for roommates, so let me know.  No offense is intended against anyone by these.</em>
<strong>1. Everyone must have a job or be actively looking for one.</strong>

I have a strong desire to live with constructive members of society, and this means that if people aren't leaving the house on a daily basis for work or to look for work, they need to be working from home in some capacity.  This is not about money, so I don't care if your parents are paying your rent - this is about being a normal person.

<strong>2. The common areas will be cleaned regularly by everyone.</strong>

I don't care about your room*.  Honestly.  You should see what my closets look like.  However, the common areas of the house must be presentable.  That is, we need to be able to welcome someone into our house on no notice without having to apologize for anything.

<small>* NB: see rule #5 and understand that walls and doors don't stop <em>everything</em></small>
<strong>3. The kitchen is a sacred place.  See below:</strong>

I know that cooking is a lot of work and a lot of fun.  I also know that dishes are a lot of work and no fun at all.  However, I will wage religious war on you if you disobey my will in regards to the kitchen.  There are decidedly less than 613 rules for you to follow: 

<em>a. cleaning shall take place after every meal;
b. clean dishes may remain in the dishwasher for a maximum of six hours;
c. when feeding everyone, he who cooks shall not clean;
d. there is a place for everything, and everything shall ever be in that place;
e. you are responsible for everything you do.</em>
<strong>4. The bathroom is a sacred place.  See below:</strong>

As above, prepare for hellfire should you disregard the following:

<em>a. your shit stinks, guaranteed - you will use the fan;
b. a consequence of bar soap is scum - if you must use it, rings and clogs are your responsibility;
c. the sink, tub, and toilet are not containers, and should accordingly not have your spare facial or head hair/tooth paste/excrement stored in them or their drains;
d. water belongs in the aforementioned non-containers, not the floor;
e. the bathroom is also a public place and the rules above apply.</em>
<strong>5. Respect everyone.</strong>

Automatically assume that every action you take in this dwelling will affect everyone else that lives there.  I think we can all agree that cleanliness is less offensive than messinessm and there are five senses for you to consider, each as important as the other: raunchy smells, eating others' delicious food, disturbing others' sleep with light and loud nose, and slimy counters or floors are disrespectful.  Passive-aggressiveness will happen, to be sure, but part of respect is working problems out when they happen.  In order to live well with others, make sure that everything you do takes them into consideration and accept possible compromises you will have to make if something goes awry.