Things I'll never complain about again (I hope)

1) I haven't always been very good about cleaning toilets. I have been known to procrastinate that task for a few days longer than I am proud to admit. But now, every Wednesday, I get to clean five public toilets, and two urinals, in addition to the two bathrooms that contain them.... And it hasn't killed me yet. So I vow that once I leave, I will never again complain about or hesitate to clean the one toilet that I personally use on a regular basis.

2) I used to get kind of weird about preparing vegetables, and the perceived hassle would often make me walk to Commercial Drive to get food to go, rather than taking the time to clean and chop fresh veggies to eat. Last week, as I peeled, seeded, and cubed DOZENS of butternut squash for a hundred people for dinner (and even enjoyed myself in the process), I vowed to myself that I would never again let one squash sit on the shelf for weeks out of hesitation to do the work of preparing it. Vegetable prep for a small meal is NOT a big deal.

3) While I've usually been pretty good about doing dishes, I've often secretly thought it to be a nuisance, and have felt dread inside looking at the kitchen after a large meal. Last night, as I worked with four other people in the dishroom after dinner, tackling the MOUNTAIN of baking trays, metal bowls, serving spoons, wash tubs, and everything else that has to be washed by hand (nevermind the mountains of plates and cutlery that had to be put through the machine), I promised myself never to think that the dishes generated by a dinner party are a nuisance. (Of course, it IS much easier to handle dishes when you have a whole room devoted to the task, with three huge industrial sinks and a tile floor that can get as wet as necessary in the process....)