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Random thoughts...It's Sunday

S

S.Crum

Well-known Member
Over the years I've heard and seen some pretty amazing thinking that ranges from truely great to completely stupid (done a few of each myself). Two of the aspects of this that amaze and amuse me at the same time are the "That's the way it's supposed to be" and "that's the way we've always done it" factors.
A good example that came to mind just this morning, is the location of the roll of toilet paper in the big bathroom. For the past 25 years I've lived here this has been my bathroom of choice. As such I tend to form things to my liking rather than conform to a "set of rules". Anyhow the contractor that built this house saw fit to locate the toilet paper roll on the wall that is behind the john which for me anyway is somewhat awkward, so I've always left the roll of paper on the corner of the vanity for easy access. Former wife seemed to have a 'simmering' problem with this. She finally one day stated "that's not where it's "supposed to be".
Ok then, was it a perticular law that the contractor followed that put that roll where "it's supposed to be"? Or did he locate it there because it was convenient, cheap and easy for him to locate it there? Even though I've had to live with this decision for the past 25 years.
I guess my question is how many day to day things can be done quicker, easier, more efficently and even cheaper if we were not to accept the thought that "it's supposed to be that way" and "we've always done it that way"?
Granted many things are the way they are because that's the way they "gotta' be" whether by law or emminent destruction otherwise. So what is your "supposed to be like that" thought?
 
Well, in her mind, and her probably orderly world, the roll needs to be on the dispenser fixture. Can you just put up another roll holder in a convenient - to you spot? No use letting a little thing like that create a problem with the wife!
 
People with low IQ have to have things done the same way all the time.I call it the Old Milk Cow Syndrome.You try to get an old Jersey or Gurnsey to do something out of their regular routine and they can't handle it.Normally gentle old cow can go nuts over using the ajoining stall.
 
Your post reminds me of a speech given by LBJ when he was stumping to get congress to pass some of his Great Society measures.
Imagine him on the national stage talking about the nice high rise apartments we are going to build for our poor and elderly citizens.
Then as he talks he squats down and reaches around behind him and says something like; "and were going to build them smartly and efficiantly.
So people don't have to reach around behind them to get to the toilet paper..."
Imagine a recent president doing something like that.
I build and remodel bathrooms and kitchens for a living and have quoted LBJ's line many times when talking to clients.
I put a lot of thought in to placing the accoutrements - mirrors, lighting, towel bars, robe hooks, soap dishes, shampoo shelves and TP holders where they are safe, convenient and enduring - all the while planning for the inevitable future art, wall hangings and sundrie items found in a bathroom.
 
I know what your talking about,My mind has always run that way. Growing up Dad quit farming and we did heavy equipment work. When ever I came up with a quicker or easier way to do something he would tell me I was lazy. Maybe he was right.
Ron
 
Obviously,

Your household has never had to deal with the handy stacks of old newspapers; pages ripped from an old Sears and Roebuck catalogue or better yet, the tender effects of the corn-cob. :>)

Allan
 
Obviously,

Your household has never had to deal with the handy stacks of old newspapers; pages ripped from an old Sears and Roebuck catalogue or better yet, the tender effects of the corn-cob. :>)

Allan
 
Allan,
I suppose you are talking about using a brown corn cob then a white corn cob to see if you need another brown one?
Ron
 
Wasn't really a question of the placement of the dispensing material, rather, the 'biggy' was the relocation of the whole derned little house to a freshly dug 'new hole' in the ground.

That indeed was always something to look forward to. :>)

Allan
 
I write software; things in that field are different almost from month to month. If you try to do a new project like you did the last one you're hopelessly behind the times. That's one of many reasons software tends to be unreliable. Every product is done differently than the one before it, and it's running in a different environment.

On the other hand, Ray makes a good point. Instead of assuming the roll is supposed to be on the edge of the vanity, upset your routine and move the holder...
 
A few years into our marriage, wife and I were arguing about whether we should use Can't Believe It's Not Butter / vs. / Real Butter. I / we discussed, argued, explained the pros and ons, we could NOT agreee. FInally the light came on in my head; we buy both, and each uses their favorite.
Works for almost everything in our marriage.
 
Is it the fact that it has always been done this way or I want it done my way? there is a lot of that too, for example my supervisor at work. I was sent out to pull some wires in through conduits about 400 feet in length underground to a manhole about 5 foot wide and deep. When I pulled the lid off of it it was FULL of water. So I called the shop told him that there was about 400 gallons of water in there and to bring me a pump. I specified pump several times in the phone call. When he showed up the clown had a shop vac! took me and another guy with 2 shop vacs 4 hours to empty out that manhole! I guess he knows best, just do it my way is what that was.
 
Maybe this is related or not: I've attended and belonged to the same little country church for more than 50 years. Membership/attendance ran 80-plus in the '50s/early '60s; we now average about 20 for worship service. NO children; the youngest member is in her late 50s and average age is about 70. A former pastor would occasionally remind us of the "7 last words of a dying church".........."We never did it this way before". That's the mantra of most of our members.
 
c-man, yeah, I missed the "former" part. Must have been a real issue where the TP belonged!

As far as I'm concerend, I just hope the one who uses the LAST puts up a NEW roll!!!!!
 
My toilet paper holder is also in a place not to my liking.I set it on the vanity this also bothered my wife but every time she moved it to its respectful place I would just get another roll and set it on the vanity.We argued at first till I pointed out this was not something to argue about this was my liking and if she wanted hers on the roll then we would both be happy.Problem settled things like this are not worth arguing about.
 
"Anyhow the contractor that built this house saw fit to locate the toilet paper roll on the wall that is behind the john"

Have you considered the possibility the "lady of the house" at the time it was built may have INSISTED the dispenser be placed in that location?

My late Uncle did electrical wiring and hydronic heating work in several new houses built on tenant farms for a large landowner who's wife had her own "ideas" about how things should be done. Whether they made sense to anyone else, were doable, or cost-effective was ANOTHER matter.

But "she who has the gold makes the rules"!
 
After I lost the diagram showing where the extra 2x for the holder was inside the wall of the new bathroom, I created a free-standing holder for two rolls. Non-tip base is inch thick steel, square tube upright, and a "T" on top. Set it wherever! And the spare roll is always handy....
 
I hate those big Plastic toilet paper cases they have in the big box stores WHY didn't they put the bottom of the thing at eye level instead of ankle level?
 
I follow this quote as much as I can.
" If we do as we have always done, we will get what we have always gotten."
 
Well the lady of the house was former wife and she didn't really care too much about the construction of the house, all she wanted was a house. I didn't give it a thought about the location of the roll holder until we moved in and I used the facilities a few times. But for the past year or so, the roll of paper has set on the corner of the vanity no fault and no foul.
Former wife is one of those people that can only see things in black or white.
 
This is a good topic, this reminds me of when i first started helping my neighbor when I was about 14 on his farm. He always insisted that we plow the furrow up hill and only up hill "thats the way weve always done it. So over two years we timed how long it would take, how much fuel it would take to do it his way and then my way. My way was go down one side with the plow down then come back on the other end with the plow down. His way was you had to drive all the way back to where you started to drop the plow again. well doing it my way we saved over 2 hours on the field and I think about 10 gallons of fuel.

Shows that sometimes change is better :)
 
Sounds like mine is very similar, but it only holds one roll.

<img src = "http://www.dking-gallery.com/pix/HeadShop/27Bath.jpg">
 
You guys have me rollin on the floor."LOL" Heard them all. Main one is a stuped man designed this house.
 
Our little 100 year old farm house finally got indoor plumbing in the late 50's. The only space avalible made for a small bathroom where you faced the bathroom door, which was an arms length away when on the toilet.
Well the original design put the paper roll on the wall at the side of the toilet tank, because "thats where it is supposed to be". Most unhandy to reach, especially when a bit stiff and sore.

About 15 years ago, I got sick of that hard to reach paper roll, so in spite of horrified protests from the rest of the family, I unscrewed the dispenser thingy from the wall and screwed it to the back side of the bathroom door, right in front of the operator. It ain't where it is "supposed to be", but dang it works good. ;-)
 
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