Honey Do List

Every morning she told him the tap needed to be repaired.
Every evening she would come home to the leaking tap again.
And when she asked him why he didn't do it, he'd reply 'Honey, not again'.
"I forgot, I just didn't remember. You see, poor me, too much on my mind, and just so much to do,
in all this madness and the rush - I forgot honey. What could I do?"
Until one day she came home and saw her honey sprawled on that couch,
beer can in hand, pizza slice in the other and the leaking tap going out and about.
The frustration rose, the nerve threatened to burst, she paced up and down the hall...
Then just as suddenly calm descended and a smile came to her lips (not small).
She rushed to the room and made a list, she wrote and wrote till 3 pages were done.
Out she came and sat next to him till the beer in his glass was none.
Innocence spilled and a saccharine-sweet voice descended.
She started out in a tone that would never, ever have offended.
The list she'd prepared, of all the things that needed to be done,
promptly made way into his hands and found the right one.
The one that forgot and could never ever remember.
The one that needed a honey do list to take care of the task number.

The tap it's all fine and fixed, as are most things around the house.
But he doesn't call her honey anymore and she sniggers for what's the cause.

P.S. ~ This list is not meant to offend any husbands. Take it in the lighter vein

The Concept

It must've been a frustrated woman who was tired of her husband shrugging his shoulders and going 'I Forgot' who brought this concept into motion. That much I'm sure about. How else would you explain this idea? But then I'm jumping ahead of myself - do you know what this list is and what it does? No? You need to know about this novel concept, that is quite simple and generic and probably not that uncommon, but when one puts it down in concrete words, it takes up a whole new meaning and gives it that weight.

A honey do list is a list that one partner makes for the other (you see, it's not only the wives and girlfriends who do it), which has a listed record of the chores, tasks and errands that need to be done in and around the house. Even though this list can be made by both partners in a relationship, it has been seen that the list is mostly made by wives for their husbands or the female partners for their male partners (you can't make this stuff up). Of course, there are no gender specifications and either partner can formulate one for the other.

The Workings

I'll stop with the lighter vein of things that I had running till this point and take you through the practicality of this concept. Think of this situation- when you go grocery shopping, don't you make a list? Most of us do. And that helps us, yes? That is exactly what this list does, except that it is made by one partner for the other. In today's times when there is so much going on in our lives simultaneously, there are times when we forget what needs to be done and that is why a honey do list acts as a reminder and gets us to do things. Which is of course for the good of the house and helps in effective housekeeping.

Advantages

Not only does the list act as a reminder of things that needs to be done and therefore keeps a record of the things, but it can be structured and formed according to the specific requirements of a household. In that way no two lists can ever be the same. The most advantageous part of making this list is that one gets a lot of work done around the house because there is a record of what exactly needs to be done. Therefore it adds to the efficiency, saves time and gets the work done (which is prime). The list should be ideally made by both partners together so that the tag of 'taking orders' from the other partner is not suffered. This will allow for the equal distribution of household chores according to the expertise and skills that each partner possesses. Like one partner might be skilled at maintenance - like computer repair so he/she will take care of that aspect while the other can handle the home shopping, the house cleaning and the paying of bills.

Disadvantages

The only disadvantage of this list is if it is not used in the right vein and is used as a tool for nagging, keeping tabs and complaining about the pile of incomplete work. If the tag of 'honey do list' is eliminated and it is looked upon as a simple, everyday list, this factor should not cause any negativity. A person who has been given the list might feel that he/she is being pressurized into doing things or there is unnecessary pressure and demands that are being placed on them and that there is controlling behavior being exhibited. That is not what the list is meant to do. The way to handle this is to make a list together and distribute the tasks equally.

This concept of making a list can be a great thing for a household and its workings, provided that both partners are mature about it and that the list is formed in the right vein. Many couples have found that a honey do list has helped take the pressure off the household tasks by providing a checklist and has in fact been very helpful in the maintenance of the house. If this idea has appealed to you, then you can make a simple list of your own by referring to a template that is readily available on the net. Or if your spouse has a great sense of humor and can take a joke, then design one for your own and include funny puns and jokes that run like so ''This list is made for married men only because they know how to take orders''... And guys? Come up with a female equivalent, I'm sure she can take a joke as well.