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October 7, 2002

Clean, New Bowls

The novice monk said to Chao-chou, " I have just entered the monastery. Please teach me." Chao-chou said, have you eaten your rice gruel?" The monk said, "yes, I have." Caho-chou said, "Wash your bowl." The monk understood.

We have too many bowls of a nondescript variety. Alison's a morning oatmeal person and I'm a yogurt-n-granola fan. We go through a lot of clean bowls... they're easily 80% of our dishwashing load. So we bought new bowls we've agreed to wash as soon as we're done using them.

It seems like a small thing to agree on, but one of the perils of working at home and having an undirected personality is the problems that come from routines and habits failing to take root. Too much structure results in "Casual Fridays." Too little imposes its own problems.