Six of One
Perhaps it’s because I’m basically an old-fashioned kind of girl that I tend to toss out old phrases like “don’t count your chickens,” “look before you leap,” along with one of my catch alls: “six of one, half dozen of another.” I tend to add that one in when there is a stalemate to a discussion. I can see there is more than one way to approach a matter so for argument’s sake I acknowledge we agree to disagree.
I then realized there truly is a different way to see and do a lot of things which can head up some fairly heated debates. For instance:
- Storing glasses: rim down or rim up in the cupboard?
- Shoes and socks: put socks on first and then shoes or one sock one shoe one at a time?
- Chilled water: store water in the fridge or water and cubes as needed?
- Bedsheets: pattern down or pattern up?
Swimming: dash in or bit by bit? - And the age old toilet paper controversy
Over or under: click here for the definitive debate
Can you add your own “see it two ways” to the list?
Pam Webb 
Glasses down, socks first, ice cubes as needed, pattern down, jump in, and toilet paper under… I think the toothbrush wet or dry when adding toothpaste is an under-rated controversy.
Wet the toothbrush? Hmm
I go with dry toothbrush + toothpaste and then water. People I asked seem to think that you wet the toothbrush first, that is so wrong.
Hmm,when eating,do you eat your favourite food first or leave it for the end?
Dessert is stressed spelled backwards. When stressed my favorite food involves chocolate. Emotions and food go together, correct?
Great debates all, except for the bedsheets, I’d never come across that before, so predictably that will now haunt me for the rest of my days. So thanks for that, or not…you decide.
Sheets are worth a double think–it’s your last chance for say so for the day. Print to me, thanks😊
Storing glasses: rim down or rim up in the cupboard? Down
Shoes and socks: put socks on first and then shoes or one sock one shoe one at a time? Socks first, then shoes. Any other way would be weird…
Chilled water: store water in the fridge or water and cubes as needed? I hate ice blocking the water, chilling my teeth and basically destroying and diluting my drink.
Bedsheets: pattern down or pattern up? Hmm. Down, I suppose so the pattern comes up when you flip the end over the comforter under your chin.
Swimming: dash in or bit by bit? Very gently and gingerly, holding on the guiderails. I don’t swim, you see…
And the age old toilet paper controversy. Over!!!
Ha–great comments. Do we dare address the lid up lid down squabble?
UP! You want another controversial issue? How about body hair?
http://sloword.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/hair-free-summer/
That is getting into culture, custom, and preference–back away slowly…although I do have a couple of interesting stories about being an American girl in Germany.
Not interested in the cultural aspect of it. People do what they do and I’m not judging. I’m only interested in the practical side if things. How do you avoid a demarcation line?
I’d love to read the stories about being an American girl in Germany.
Yet, culture often determines what a person does and why. Right? And perhaps I will gather together an American fräulein post.
Toothbrush should be wet BEFORE toothpaste goes on.
How about: Shirt buttons? Top down or bottom up?
Shirt buttons–good one. I inevitable have a leftover button. Yay for t-shirts.
My brain isn’t pulling anything different up, though I KNOW there are many since my boyfriend and I differ in many ways we do things lol I seem to be, for the most part, in line with South of the Strait in preferences. Now, because I’m SO into doing EVERYthing in the easiest, most efficient way possible, this post sucked me right in and I’m compelled to get involved and spend an inordinate amount of time on it lol I’m very much an engineer at heart 🙂
As far as the toilet paper, even with all the diagrams and technical-looking definitions and explanations in the “Great Debate” post, I happen to disagree with most of it ’cause I see much of the “evidence” as inaccurate 🙂
Regardless of which direction the roll is mounted, if you want to control the amount of sheets you remove at any given time, you will use your opposing hand to stabilize the roll so it won’t move when you go to tear the paper. If you don’t, virtually all the attempts–over or under–would be a “free” roll, ultimately unravelling more than you intended. So it is not easier to count the sheets or tear by dispensing it “over” as the post states. The only benefit I see is in reference to the cat, not the child, because a cat will naturally claw in a down direction. A child, however, will grab the loose end, regardless of the roll’s position.
Whether it’s a roll of toilet paper, paper towels or anything of that nature, when it is rolled out against the roll, it is easier to tear. Why? Simple physics: because you are using the roll itself as a tear “tool,” offering resistance, when you do it. So when you stop the roll with one hand and rip with the other, that is what you’re doing. Generally, it is slightly easier, motion-wise (which is also physics) to pull the paper, for tearing purposes, up or toward you rather than down or away from you. The exception to this would be if you are creasing paper over the edge of something, like a table or counter, using it as the cutting edge. You would then prefer to rip down or away. It all depends on the product and the method and often, personal preference for whatever reason.
Think about tape dispensers. A table-top dispenser rolls out in the “over” position because the cutter dictates it, and for this small usage/purpose, is easier to cut down/away. Then, look at a packaging tape dispenser. It is dispensed “under” because of the ease of cutting that way for its usage/purpose.
My preference is the roll down for several reasons: it’s easier to tear, it is less likely that in tearing this way that the end of the roll will “stick” to the roll, having to spin it to find the end, and I prefer the loose end at the wall, not hanging out into the room. That’s one thing I agreed with in the diagram–it’s more tidy-looking that way 🙂
Wow! I hadn’t given the scientific aspect much thought. I just go for attractive factor. I will now be giving more consideration to my tearing👍
lol, Pam 😀 You don’t have to necessarily be giving more consideration to these things unless find another way easier or faster and CARE that it’s easier or faster. In something like tearing toilet paper, it’s not a big deal ’cause the differences are pretty minute, yet it is a person’s individual perception as to what is better or preferred that causes the debate (but that’s ANY debate, right? lol). Not everyone cares or considers minute differences. It’s when the differences really MAKE a difference that it should matter. In fact, my boyfriend PREFERS to do everything the HARD way! It drives me nuts! My son doesn’t really care either way, but that’s ’cause he’s young. I told him there WILL come a time when he WILL care if something can be done easier or faster 🙂 He doesn’t have kids yet 😉
I’m ALL about not wasting time (or waste, in general) when I have control over it, and I’m a natural problem solver–literally, it’s part of my make-up. Plus I have too many things I want to fit into the VERY short day and I’m only of the “throw-away” mentality when there’s reason. I’ve even recently begun rinsing my coated paper plates when they’re only slightly soiled lol
I have very strong opinions on the following
-rim down
-put socks on first and then shoes
-Chilled water: get from tap, use ice cubes
-Bedsheets: pattern up
-Swimming: dash in
HOWEVER – strangely, no preference on toilet paper direction. come to think of it, we don’t have a tp roll, we just put a roll on top of the back of the terlet. perhaps that is the path to domestic harmony.
Perhaps you are on to something…