Do you have an "essential" morning ritual?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238306)
Walnut Creek, California
November 12, 2015 11:26am CST
Do you have certain things you have to do before leaving the house to see other people? I absolutely HAVE to take a shower (and I always shampoo) if I'm going to teach a class or see clients, but beyond that my ritual is pretty simple: a touch of Sure and a spray of Bvlgari. I usually brush my teeth as well, but occasionally I forget.
The strange things is, when I'm in Montana working on the family cabin, I rarely shower and could care less about my "presentation." If I have been building a fence and have to go to town to get nails or something, I don't care if I haven't showered in three days and am as dirty as a pig.
If the "townies" were to judge me, or think of me as "dirty mountain folk," I wouldn't care. But I don't think any would (judge me) because the town (of about 8,000) there is surrounded by ranchers, most of whom are working on tractors, plowing fields, and in general getting pretty dirty.
I know the stereotype is that women take longer to "get ready" than men, and we've actually supported this in my research methods class (One of our survey questions is "How long does it take you to get ready to go out in the mornings?").
But I was just wondering what others' rituals are. I also usually have a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal. But here I'm mostly thinking about "hygiene."
When I'm being "professional," I need my shower!
7 people like this
10 responses
@LadyDuck (502466)
• Italy
12 Nov 15
I have several morning rituals, first think in the morning, I need two cup of coffees. I go out to check if the birds feeders are full, so they have something to eat. Immediately after I take a shower and I wear clean clothes, even if I stay at home.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238306)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Nov 15
Actually, watering my balcony plants is usually a part of my overall ritual as well, But often I don't do that until AFTER class, if I have a class to teach. With the recent rains, the balcony plants actually don't need my attention.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238306)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Nov 15
@LadyDuck I take it that even in the South of Switzerland, you have "real" Winters, with snow and cold temperatures--correct? As Winter comes to us here in Norrthern California, we'll have the occasional frost, meaning all I can grow (among my favorites) is snow peas.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
13 Nov 15
You must smell awful ripe there if you decide to not shower for days on end. I guess when you go to the market or town nobody wants to get too close to you.
I have to have my shower and wash my hair every night. My hair is very long and I can\'t stand the way it feels if it's not clean. I guess the only time I have not taken a shower is when I go out to the desert and ride bike. Before coming here and some places I lived and worked we had a lot of places to go and ride bikes. No showers and we had to haul our own water. By the end of the week my hair was plastered with sand. I braided it when i got there and never bothered to take it down and comb it out til I got home. The dust and mud rolled off me. It was nice to get a shower after a week.
@allknowing (153530)
• India
13 Nov 15
i have routine every single day - waking up, having tea, logging here, freshening up, dressing for the day, having breakfast, strolling in the garden, going up the terrace, et al
@Marilynda1225 (91086)
• United States
13 Nov 15
I shower first thing every morning regardless if I'm staying in or going out, Then it's coffee...the rest of the day falls into place.
@boiboing (13147)
• Northampton, England
12 Nov 15
I have to take my medication on an empty stomach, an hour before I eat. That pretty much determines my morning ritual.
@TheHorse (238306)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Nov 15
Oh, that's a necessary thing. But do you have to shower before you see people? I generally do. Actually, I thin the guy who bought my speakers on Monday caught me pre-shower (I didn't have to teach at 8 AM that day). I have some meds I take as well.
@troyburns (1405)
• New Zealand
13 Nov 15
My day begins at 5 when I hop out of bed to make coffee for my early-to-work wife. Then it's back to sleep until 8, when the ritual of getting the boy ready for school begins. Other than that, a quick check of the overnight news is always one of the first things I do.
@fawkes62 (1276)
• United States
12 Nov 15
If I know I'm leaving the house I will make sure to shower. If I think I will be staying home all day I may skip the shower, but not always. I then eat breakfast before doing my hair. I just put it in a ponytail, but it needs to be dry before I do that. If it's not dry by the time I need to put it up I will blow dry it, but I don't like doing that. After my hair is up I will brush my teeth, that way I don't get hair in my mouth. I almost forgot, if my husband and I both work that day, I will take him to work after I shower but before I eat.
@KristenH (33591)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
12 Nov 15
For me, I have to check my cats' litter box and feed them. Add new water to their bowl. When I was at the gym, I had my showers after my workout and not before, since my class is early. During Nano, tea and a small breakfast to get me going through the day. I always change my clothes in the morning too.
@TheHorse (238306)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Nov 15
Waiting to shower until after your workout makes sense. But today I'm going to head into work to turn in some progress notes (after I shower), THEN I'll cycle. So I'll be sweaty again before seeing my afternoon kid client. He won't care, though.
@ThankyouLord (698)
• St. Petersburg, Florida
13 Nov 15
I have to shower every morning, shampoo, have my coffee, and do my hair/little makeup. I don't care if I'm just mowing the grass, I can't stand the feeling of my skin without a shower. I feel grungy when I get up, even if I'm not. I have oily skin, and I have to shower. Coffee, one cup. No breakfast.
@JudyEv (382068)
• Rockingham, Australia
13 Nov 15
When I was working I showered in the morning but now it varies. If we've been out working in the yard and get hot and dirty, I'll have a shower when I come in. Sometimes I'll shower just before tea (supper). If we're working on something and needs parts or paint or whatever we'll go the five miles as we are. There are plenty of farmers and orchardists running round in their 'working clothes' that another two aren't noticed. And as soon as we're up, one or other makes coffee.
@TheHorse (238306)
• Walnut Creek, California
13 Nov 15
Right. Sounds like it depends on the circumstances, like me in California v. me in Montana. Funny, even if I've been out cycling or playing sports of some sort, I rarely shower in the afternoon, even if I'm going to a social gathering that evening. Habit, I suppose.
1 person likes this
