By Michael Dean Cook 5-23-21
I do the laundry around here, but I dislike it about as much as cooking and doing the dishes. I'd rather spend my time on Facebook making (hair-on-fire) political comments.
One evening, I started up the washing machine and figured, "why not check out Facebook while doing the wash at the same time"? Something to do, right?
My method of doing laundry requires some attention during the various cycles, but in between, other things can be attended to as well. No need to stand there transfixed, with bated breath, while the cycle dial crawls along.
A quirk of mine is that I like to start the water and add the soap, and when the water gets high enough, add in the clothes. A critical point for me in the operation is when it comes time to add fabric softener ahead of the final fill, agitate, and rinse cycle. I admit to not being "Johnny on the spot" at that point in the past, so I always try to pay particular attention.
So, I crank up the washing machine. I start up Facebook and right away get into a heated political discussion. But hey! When the water got going, I added the detergent. Good for me! Back to the political discussion, with one ear out on the washing machine. I'm multitasking!
I was in a deep political argument when I realized the washing machine had momentarily stopped, and it was time for me to add the fabric softener for the final agitation and rinse. That's the way I like to do it, and by golly I managed to keep track of it. I tore myself away from the computer and grabbed the jug of fabric softener and was ready to pour it in. I lifted the lid. There were no clothes in the washer!
Maybe multi-tasking means, "you have to do it all over again".