[LC-FAQs] Suggestions for Managing Geek Life

[Sheryl C. <we...@re...>]

3. Managing Geek Life
The Two-Hacker Household (Suggestions)

Share the technical chores, backing up, upgrading hardware, choosing 
utilities. If you find that the one of you is changing the printer's ink 
while the other is changing the hard disks, you might want to check if 
that's what you really want. After all, the technically weaker partner 
might not want to stay that way, the other might welcome a more equal 
partner. It's OK to carve out mutually-agreed-upon territories, but if you 
let your significant other become your 24/7 technical support department, 
you're missing out on some serious fun.

3.4. Housework & Clothing (Suggestions)

If you find that housework is overwhelming you, or the mess is getting out 
of hand, triage. Cut whatever you need to cut to make sure you can manage 
in peace. If you remember just one rule, that's it.

In my house, I limit all the clothing in the house (other than coats) to 
two laundry baskets per person. When we start to get more I start 
deleting.items. Limit the number of toys your young kids have, and go for 
the Lego-type toys over the pre-assembled toys. I'm still struggling with 
this one. It helps when I don't think of it as taking away toys, but as 
giving them a space they can manage.

Use defaults. Have a default meal and default cook for every day of the 
week. If something comes up, be flexible, but don't be stuck. Have a 
floating "Get out of Dinner Free." card tacked to the fridge with money 
inside. Pizza, chinese food... local places give more food value than 
chains for the money.

Teach the kids to use "defaults." Othewise known as good habits. Cleaning 
up after themselves. Proper systems shut-down procedures ... The important 
stuff.

Sheryl Coe