More about the title of this blog: The Joyful Housewife: Domestic Bliss, Eventually
I’ve historically not been that joyful (having suffered from chronic major-depression for much of my late teens and early twenties) and I’m not a housewife in the traditional sense of the word, but I’m obsessed with both ideals.
And most interesting and telling of all my biographical facts: I’m the child of a recovering compulsive hoarder.
This is where my hopelessness when it comes to cooking and cleaning surely originated. I mean, I remind myself that many, many women have the same overwhelming, daily feelings about chores as I do, it’s just hard to believe that I’m not exceptional when I grew up in such exceptional circumstances!
I intended for the Joyful part of the title to come off as ironic to those who know me well. After all, those closest to me (sisters, mother, husband, old friends) probably remember my disposition as being less joyful and much more like the above young lass (whose picture my husband clipped out of our local grocery circular and posted on our fridge).
I’m highly particular and resistant to change in most things. Some say this is because I’m a Virgo – but note that most of my friends are Virgos, and I’m by far the fussiest. While I’m lucky to have a husband who has done a lot of cooking for me, especially while I was busy in grad school, this pout has often been my response to his experimental nature in the kitchen. Another testament to my fussy nature: I switch my socks back and forth several times every single morning before I’m satisfied with their fit.
As for the Housewife part, I’m hopeless, just hopeless when it comes to keeping house. So the tagline which follows the title is quite apt: Domestic Bliss, Eventually. I hope to live up to this manifesto as I post to this blog in the days ahead.
More about me:
I’m 32 year old Linguist and I live in Colorado with my husband and my dog. Previously I lived in Iowa City, and before that, Long Beach, California. I sometimes teach American Sign Language and sometimes English as a Second Language. I knit. I like to talk about knitting and to think about quilting. I spend my days reading, writing, and attempting to make my home less of an utter mess!
Anyway, this year I plan to conquer my un-domesticity! Watch me!
Following are the original comments to this page that were accidentally erased when I erased my entire blog:
Comments (10)
1.  Mom –
November 11th, 2008 at 2:57 pm Ahem! Call a spade a bloody shovel…but back when I was growing up it was called frugality. Your grandparents were newly-weds when the depression hit, and they saved everything that crossed their paths because they knew how hard things were to come by. You never knew when you might need a certain screw, a piece of wire, plastic bag, etc., and what if you couldn’t get another? OK, so there probably is no chance that I should ever need the 50 plastic bags cluttering the wall of my pantry, hanging in their hoarded bag holders which I bought so many of because they were so cheap…and why wouldn’t I buy them? They were on sale, and I probably would never see them for that price again. Sure they fall off the nails when I try to get in there to see if I have two cans of pumpkin to make a pie, but I don’t anyway, because I have filled the shelf mostly with odds and ends appliances which I have not used because they don’t work, but I am going to fix them. Wouldn’t it be nice to try out a bread machine if it worked? And I might drink coffee again some day and want to grind it. The seed sprouter…well, you should have seen all the beans I sprouted back in the 70’s. When I find those mung beans I bought I’m going to sprout them on the spot…wait…the phone’s ringing, and I have no idea where it is
2.  Jessielme –
November 11th, 2008 at 3:49 pm Hahaha! Thanks for the comment, mom! It put a smile on my face!
3.  Mom – November 11th, 2008 at 4:57 pm No problem. About those ‘Victoria’ magazines you liked so much…if you left them with me, they’re still here!
4.  Anjali MULLANY – December 18th, 2008 at 12:18 pm I love these photos of you! I still want to see your honoymoon snaps. xo
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7.  Lauren – February 16th, 2010 at 8:48 am I LOVE your tag line! As far as getting the domesticity thing down, I have no idea what hair brained woman came up with that idea. I can try and try and try, but there will always be fur on my floors, a bed unmade and laundry and dishes piled up…and I don’t have any kids. Stopping by from Blogtrotting!
8.  jessielme – February 27th, 2010 at 11:23 am Thanks, Lauren! I’m thrilled that you like the tag line. I kind of wish I’d named the blog “Modern Hausfrau: Domestic Bliss, Eventually.” But, alas, I’ve already bought this domain, and moving to a new one is such a pain. I’m so glad to know that others have perpetually furry floors too. That’s a confession even I have been afraid to make! I love your blog! Thanks for stopping by.
9.  Carrie – May 5th, 2010 at 8:26 am Enjoyed stumbling on this site. Boy, do we have a lot in common! I’ll be visiting you now that I’ve discovered you! Good luck on conquering your undomesticity… I’m anxious to see how you figure it out! I sure could use some tips! And kudos for posting pics of your kitchen… that really made my day. I’d consider myself a rather honest blogger, but I cannot bring myself to post that openly. I’m truly impressed.
10.  Jessica – May 11th, 2010 at 7:00 am Thanks, Carrie. I’m glad you found me too! I’ve been reading your blog – so nice to see someone blogging about the same things. I’m glad you enjoyed the pics of the kitchen. I like to hear that because it encourages me to keep pushing myself to blog honestly with more messy photos! You seem to be pretty honest on your blog too. I really feel that’s the whole point of doing it – to demonstrate to others that none of us are perfect, we’re just doing our best to figure this life out! Cheers!
