Kitchen Cupboards

Why why why place cups and glasses upside down in your kitchen cupboard?

I'll bet everyone who does this is pretty sure there's a rational reason for this practise - but will have difficulty convincingly verbalising it.

(Don't I sound cantankerous?)

But why shouldn't you? You may ask...

Well, consider - there would not be a kitchen in the world that does not have little unhygienic beasties skittering about in the cupboards. Show me an Aussie kitchen without cockies.

And dust. No matter how thorough you are, there is a fresh (or stale) film building even moments after you last wiped.

OK - so that's the state of the surfaces in your cupboards.

Which brings us back to our upended cups etc. The rims of which now resting on the distinctly undesirable residue.

And what is the part of the cup that we press to our lips as we take a drink?

Personally, I'm glad my drinking edge has been up out of reach of the nasties.

Undercover Umbrellas

Why why why keep an umbrella up where it isn’t raining?

If you’re walking ‘round town and it’s bucketing down, you’ll naturally find the most congested areas are under shop awnings. This, obviously, is because rain does not fall there. 

Yet, despite this, there is always a contingent that persist in barging through the crowds, brollies aloft at full spread.

Apart from just looking silly, this is a display of supreme ignorance and/or carelessness as to the physical well-being of their fellow pedestrians when they present a circle of spikes at a dangerous coincidence to eye height (mine in particular). 

Dishwashing suds

Why why why is the power of a dishwashing detergent measured by its suds?

Contrary to popular opinion, suds in no way contribute to cleaning power. It's all in how much detergent you use. Here's a radical behaviour shift - try putting it in your water after filling the sink... Who does that? Nobody, right? But I assure you, it’s just as effective at shifting grease

...and you don’t get all that bloody froth.

Potato peelings

Why why why peel potatoes into the sink?

I assume you’re just going to fish the bloody peelings out again...

This is one of those never-rationalised things adults did when you were a kid and, well, you just end up doing it too. 

Freezer compartments

Why why why do so many refrigerators have the freezer compartment at the top?

The natural tendency of coldest air is to move downwards, so you’d think that’d be the place for the coldest section of the fridge (like in supermarkets).

But, apart from that, one goes to the freezer a lot less frequently than the main ‘regular chill’ section.

So why curse yourself to a life of constant bending down?

Hah? Why? 

Why "Why? Why? Why?"?

Most people do weird stuff that defies rational explanation.

They also mostly don’t know and/or don’t care.

My curse is: I know they do it and I do care...

And I want to say how they should be doing it.

But what is there to gain from picking faults with the behaviour of society at large and offering ways to set it straight?

In those few life-threatening instances I mention herein, something worthwhile. But mostly, not much.

Nonsense is common and who really wants to change?

It’s pointless and that, really, is the point.