Once upon a time in Texas, there was a girl with an appetite and a dream...

4.07.2006

What You Can Tell from a Dustpan: Life Lessons from Naples

There is a certain someone that I know who has, on several occasions quoted another certain someone (I shall not name names) as saying, "You can tell how clean a person is by looking at their dustpan."

That would mean a really clean person has a clean dustpan, get it?

I tend to believe that you can tell whether or not a person suffers from OCD, Obsessive Cleaning Disorder and I can guarantee you that there is many a clean dustpan 'round here.

However, I, being the cavalier** American Tracie, would be suspicious of a person with clean "dirt collecting" utensils. I would think that this type of person NEVER cleans, or else there'd be a little bit of funk in there. For me, that just make sense.

BUT, you must understand that I am not to be trusted. No no, not at all. I am the girl who had to ask why one would iron underwear.

**Tracie is the cavalier American only when dealing with the following: (1) bare feet (2) wet head (3) well-hidden dust bunnies located underneath heavy objects



p.s.--I had lunch with my latest victim Nicky and her guy Carlo yesterday. She told me that she finds having a stalker to be quite flattering. Click here if you want to read about it...

13 Comments:

Blogger Susan in Italy said...

Amen Sister. Not having any Italian family members, myself, I have never encountered underwear ironing (whew!). However, our palazzo neighbors do think we are Martians for we do not wash our balconies every morning with soap and water. They're outside, am I wrong?
They also once remarked with something like awe, maybe polite horror as Gabriel and I were setting out the laundry to dry that he was "bravissimo". As a modern woman with a job, I do not need a.) to be on my hands and knees washing the balcony every morning nor do I need b.)to have Gabriel conform to the idea that a periodic household chore makes him "bravissimo". So far he seems impervious to the "lift a finger and you're some kind of superhero" philosophy. (Whew!)

4/07/2006 4:01 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with the OCD. You see as someone who was once a OCD person, I am proud to say that my dustpan is dusssssssssssty! although I have not added to the pan in a week. Go ahead and hang me! Sweetie you are a wonder. Just ask me I know, after all I am you Mom. Love you!!!!!!!!!!

4/07/2006 7:02 AM

 
Blogger Tracie P. said...

love you too mom!

4/07/2006 8:17 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

HMMMMMM! Seems to me like I can remember some other dusty cluttered areas besides the dust pan. Some well maybe room sized areas and assorted other collectors. Or maybe I am digressing back to my own childhood.

NAAAAwwwww!

guess who?????????

4/07/2006 8:25 AM

 
Blogger Simon said...

My girlfriend has OCD - she has the Obssessed with me Cleaning everyhting Disorder variant, though.

The joys of househusbandry...

4/07/2006 9:53 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ironing underwear???

Next thing you know we'll have cats and dogs living together!

Just stop that.

Stop it right now!

4/07/2006 10:00 AM

 
Blogger Unknown said...

cleaning just stinks in general. Maybe it's because I just clean way too much!

4/07/2006 10:15 AM

 
Blogger cristina said...

when it comes to cleaning, i have my moods. i can go days when i am just lazy and let the dishes pile in the sink. Then there are days when i am on a cleaning frenzy. I have been known to stay up until 3am mopping and dusting and ironing!!!!! Go figure...
We opened a Barolo 2002 today (not aged enough but hey), it was from Cascina Bruni in Sierralunga d'Alba. Am not a professional, so i certainly did not feel the 21 flavours jump out to attack me. But it was a great wine nonetheless! There is my report! ;)

4/07/2006 1:52 PM

 
Blogger cristina said...

well, the bottle is still half way, so maybe after another glass, i might be in a better position to distinguish the flavours.... chi sá?

4/07/2006 1:54 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

LOL Tracie, you're dead-on about Italians and cleanliness, My Neapolitan hubbie is obsessed about cleaning so much so that he often takes matter into his own hands around the house if he feels things aren't up to his precise standards and I say...go right ahead! I mean, I like to be clean and tidy, too, but c'mon.....My grandmother in Ischia was fond of saying that you could tell a clean woman from what was (or wasn't) underneath her bed!? Oh, those witty proverbs......

4/07/2006 4:15 PM

 
Blogger Tracie P. said...

susan--no, you do not need to scrub ANYTHING every day. especially an outsidey thing like a porch. don't let them get to you!! first it's that, then the next thing you know you'll be walking around in an apron all day...ugh

coffee--if you finish the whole bottle, you may start to taste more than 21 flavors...(jk)

silvia--under the bed is a GREAT PLACE FOR RANDOM THINGS THAT NEED TO BE PUT AWAY!! don't you agree? why doesn't anyone here get that? HHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAH :)

4/07/2006 5:00 PM

 
Blogger Sicilian said...

My Nonna's favorite english saying was "Keepa Nice!" Boy did she. The plastic on the french provential white furiture never ever had a crease let alone would you dare sit your little bottom near it. Oh my no way would a dust bunny dare be anywhere in Nonna's house. We won't go with the ironing underware, wet hair, and bare feet stuff.

4/07/2006 5:22 PM

 
Blogger Dayngr said...

You know you are a Type A personality when your 2 year old makes it a habit to put a coaster under his sippy cup. One day his wife will thank me!

4/16/2006 2:34 AM

 

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