Monday, June 8, 2009

How Mysophobic Are You?



Treppenwitz has a laugh out loud post out about his son, a toothbrush and some pretty nasty bathroom germs, that I think many of us can relate to.
It certainly got me thinking....
We each have our own personal comfort zone.
For some it's the "10 second rule". Others will employ that leniency only for dry food.
Drinking out of the container? (See Frum College Girl's post about tactics to keep roommates away from your food stash....)
Public washing machines?  (We had a guest once who said that he was hesitant to use the public machines in his apartment building and could only bring himself to put his laundry inside by imagining "pretty girls" using them prior....)
What about the cook's hands in the kitchen? (Squeamish guests... stay at my dining room table please....)
Are you a "Purell Princess"?
What are your 'deal breakers'?

10 comments:

frumcollegegirl said...

i don't like sharing utensils or plates with my siblings, but they don't mind so i usually find myself sharing with them. but what really gets me is sharing a bottle of water. i can actually see the backwash. it's gross.

efrex said...

Here's one where my inherent "guyness" comes through: If food doesn't have visible dirt ("visible" being defined as "still apparent from five feet even after a quick sleeve-dusting"), I'm good to go.

I do launder linens separately from clothing, though, and table linens (on the rare occasion that we use them sans plastic cover) separately as well.

Eating/ drinking out of the container? Absolutely not I, nope, no way, never happen, no idea what you're talking about, and that goes for the finger tracks in the ice cream too*.

The Lovely Wife(tm), having subscribed to the "sterilize everything that comes within a mile of the little darlings" school of parenting, is routinely prepared to scrub/ disinfect/ irradiate anything that the children touch, but is fortunately much more tolerant with her husband's predilictions.

The one thing that I am pretty good about is keeping everything separate when I work with raw poultry: I'll usually clear and cover the work surface under my cutting board with disposable towels, and get everything set up (spices and chopped herbs in little piles on the board) before unwrapping the chicken. If I need to handle anything after working with raw chicken, that means a trip to the sink, a scalding handwash with anti-bacterial soap (the only time I prefer to use that stuff), and turning off the water with a paper towel. If I'm in a rush (which is more often than not), I actually make sure to only use one hand for the chicken, and one for the spices/herbs. I don't bleach my cutting board, but I keep meaning to, and I'll usually throw out the sponge used to clean it right after. I have no problem using raw eggs in dishes, though: don't even THINK of getting between me and my aioli and/or zabaglione!
__________________
* Okay, okay, I 'fess to that, but that's excusable: nobody else in the family even looks at the ginger or green tea ice cream, okay?

tembow said...

I don't think i would be described as a Purell Princess but i definitely always use purell after going on the subway or taking the bus. like FCG described it, i can actually see the germs.

I don't like sharing utensils or drinks with my siblings but i'll usually share with close friends (how's that for weird?) a guy on a second date once asked me if i wanted some of his soda and i was like "nooooo thank you!!"

other people's showers kind of make me nervous. especially hair in the drain :0 one of the worst parts of camp and seminary was the shower!!

Mikeinmidwood said...

families utensils can be reused by me, drinking from the same bottles included, but I dont hold of any 10 seconds or even a 1 second rule.

cuzzinbuzzin said...

being a shabbos guest at someone's house and the dad makes kiddush, drinks from his cup, and then pours out wine.

and eating anything from someone who has awful breath

Jewish Side of Babysitter said...

I once wrote a post about Germs...and decided that some is good for the immune system.

harry-er than them all said...

if you don't see it, it don't count.

Naftali said...

Harry,

Does that apply to bugs in the water, too? :P

Naftali

really Not Anonymous said...

having worked in a kitchen for a few summers, I lost most of my squeamishness ( actually, it should have prevented me from ever eating in a restaurant or other commercially prepared food place.) But I always wash my hands as soon as I come home.

I also like to torture the members of my family that are unconfortable when you eat or drink from their tableware.

G6 said...

Oh, I totally forgot about camp kitchens!!!
Such memories....
Mixing the punch in (hopefully new) garbage pails, etc......
Good Times......