I hope I can wash my hair

Not that I dated much when I was in high school, or college, but it seems like getting ready for a date was a lot easier back then. Back then, pre-date preparations required making sure I smelled good and my clothes looked cute. That was about it.

Now though, especially since I live on my own, there is so so so much more to getting ready for a date, that often I'm watching the clock and just hoping I have time to wash my hair and make sure I smell good. Not only do I have to look good, but my house does too. Can you imagine if a guy where to pick me up and the dishes from lunch were still by the couch because I was watching tv while I ate, and there was laundry drying in the dining room, and four days worth of shoes piled next to the door, and the dishes from the previous day still in the sink, and a full garbage can that needs to be taken out? My house gets more pre-date work than I do most times.

My to-do list for a date now often looks something like this:

• take out the garbage
• empty the dishwasher
• put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher
  
• put away the laundry (or at least make sure it is hiding very well in my bedroom)
• make sure there's nothing embarrassing in the bathroom
• put away shoes
• vacuum/sweep
• straighten computer desk
• wipe off counters
  
• make sure there is something cold in the fridge to offer them to drink
• shower
• get dressed

Let's see, that makes ten things for the house, two for me. More than once I've managed to throw a shirt on just moments before my date arrives and then try to slip into some shoes as I go to answer the door.

And if the date is a bit last minute, well lets just hope I washed my hair that morning, because I'll be cleaning the house from the time he calls till when he gets here.

I will say this about it though, I have a cleaner house when I'm dating more than when I'm not.