Embracing the wash cycle
This weekend, I broke the cycle. Or should I say, “I started a wash cycle”
Because as an Asian, I finally embraced the dishwasher.
Despite being very well aware of the scientific fact that using the dishwasher saves more water than hand washing, for many years it just never crossed my mind to switch over to it full-time. I’m sure folks from many other cultures can relate, but has been so deeply-rooted in my psyche that the dishwasher was reserved for large loads and special occasions only.
Maybe because of its size, the time, and mystery, the dishwasher also just gives off the impression that it consumes a ton of resources. Waste is a no-no when you’re raised with a scarcity mindset. But even having read the stats and seen multiple videos from go-pros inside the dishwasher, I still continued to (or forced my boyfriend to) dutifully hand wash the dishes after dinner.
In fact, when my boyfriend and I moved into together, one of our first major arguments was specifically on who/when should do the dishwashing (emotional labor!). It was an act of service. The amusing part is that he, also Asian, never considered (or dared?) to propose the use of dishwasher either.
So here I am… finally grasping not just how time, energy, and water we could have saved, but all that stress and relationship stain too!!?
ai-yeeeeee
I can’t tell you how or when the moment of clarity came to me this past weekend, but it wasn’t an easy transition either. It felt like I was tapering off an addiction. I had withdrawal symptoms. It felt SO wrong. And it took a lot of internal dialogue to reinforce: “Must… not… rinse… the dishwasher… is more… efficient…”
But I’m warming up to it.
The dishwasher is whirring in the background and with my newly discovered free-time, I just composed my first post in a decade.
