Please to invent gadget shoes?

[susie_flo]

Good day fiends. Today I am pondering the topic of self-sufficiency.  (Not in a Felicity Kendall sort of way... more along the lines of whether it is best to do things for yourself even when you are clearly challenged and have a nearby serf who could do it for you.)

Lacking as I am in the stature department, I tend not to let it get in the way if I can help it. As a result, G frequently wanders into the kitchen to find me using a large chef's knife to flick wine glasses off a high shelf and catching them underneath with my other hand.  To me this seems an entirely natural and instinctive thing to do, because I am a pragmatic type and the wine glasses live next to the knives.  Otherwise I would have to traipse across the kitchen and get a stool... and who has time for that?

G's perspective, on the other hand, is a mixture of green-faced horror and bemusement at why I do not make use of the handy 'man' implement to get me wine glasses when I want them. 

But see, the idea of having to ask whenever I want stuff seems intolerable.  Even when G is standing next to me I rarely make use of his elongated limbs.  what I would really like is an extending arm like Inspector gadget... or shoes with extendable heels (imagine how useful those would be at gigs!)  I do occasionally ask tall strangers to get me things from the top shelf of the supermarket, but only if I cannot come up with a Heath Robinson way of getting it myself.

So I have a quick question for any females who may be reading...  do you consider it a feminist issue to do your own heavy lifting/reaching etc or are you of the mind that male serfs are a perfectly valid way to go?

Finally... this has reminded that if I ever get invited to one of those 'album cover' fancy dress parties, I must try and convince childeric  to do Rumours with me. 

(We'd have to manufacture a left shoe for him that has a little stool attached to it, otherwise we might get mistaken for the 1989 Brit Awards, which would never do.)

Comments

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

*heh* I'm with you; I remember the look on < ljsuer=margotmetroland>'s face once when she was visiting me and my kitchen lightbulb died. I duly got a new one out of the cupboard, got up on my handy kichen stepladder and changed it. She pointed out that she could have done it without the stepladder, and couldn't understand why I didn't ask, but, well, why would I? It was my lightbulb, in my kitchen!

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

I think if you've always had to go mountaineering in order to reach high things, you simply don't think twice about it... even if it does make tall people look on in bemusement.

[childeric.livejournal.com]

Felicity Kendal *and* Stevie Nicks in a single post? Is it 70's crumpet week?

I hope I'm not being cast in the role of 'male serf' here! Certainly accessorising me as Mick Fleetwood seems something I should probably resent. Incidentally, what on earth are those danglers doing hanging down from his groin and how come I've never noticed them?

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Perhaps I should have made it a triumvirate of 70s crumpet... maybe some some Susan Hampshire? Or Wuthering-era Kate Bush?

And good god, you're right... I have never noticed those danglers before either. What the devil are they?

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

I think they're bobbles on the ties to his waistcoat, but they do look rather horribly like rodent testicles...

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

"I think they're bobbles on the ties to his waistcoat, but they do look rather horribly like rodent testicles..."

...from a very large, scary rodent!

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Ok that's weird... I just replied to Sushidog's comment, but her original comment has disappeared.

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

Very weird; I didn't delete it, I promise!

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Perhaps I had a fit of ineptitude when I clicked on it and accidentally deleted it.

[moral-vacuum.livejournal.com]

A quick google (I typed in "mick fleetwood w" and the autofill offered me "Mick Fleetwood wooden balls") reveals the following:

Mick Fleetwood always wears a pair of wooden balls attached to his belt when on stage. “My drum solo consisted of me stepping out in front of the kit and dancing while clacking my balls together. I still have these wooden balls, and I never play without them. If I didn’t have them, I’d be very loath to play at all.”

I feel none the wiser.

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

"dancing while clacking my balls together"

...I'm not sure whether I would pay to see that or run in fear

[moral-vacuum.livejournal.com]

I think fear is probably the most sensible reaction.

[steer.livejournal.com]

Do your balls hang low? Do they swing to and fro?
Can you tie 'em in a knot? Can you tie 'em in a bow?
Can you throw 'em o'er your shoulder like a Continental soldier?
Can you do the double shuffle when your balls hang low?

http://www.folklore.ms/html/songs_sorted_by_name/with_music/d/do_your_balls_hang_low.htm

[moral-vacuum.livejournal.com]

I refuse to answer on the grounds that it might incriminate me.

[ivory-goddess.livejournal.com]

(I've seen childeric used to change an otherwise inaccessible lightbulb!)

Doesn't really apply to me - I'm not exactly short so I rarely have a problem. D's not any taller than me so I can't just ask him if I can't reach something.

I think if there was someone around who was handily tall or long-limbed and I really needed help, I'd ask. But frankly it'd probably just be in the supermarket...and it's more often me being asked to help with an out-of-reach item when there are no staff around!

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

You're one of the lovely service providers! (If you ever reach anything for me, I promise not to call you a serf) :-)

[r0ck3tsci3ntist.livejournal.com]

do you consider it a feminist issue to do your own heavy lifting/reaching etc or are you of the mind that male serfs are a perfectly valid way to go?


Of course they are! That's why god put them here.

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

She sure knew what she was doing!

[steer.livejournal.com]

Heh... it's a whole new way of thinking about tool use -- "Hey tool, get that down from the shelf."

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

In general I'd rather he used his hands...

[steer.livejournal.com]

Yes... I guess "look no hands" is more worrying than impressive in that circumstance.

[rosamicula.livejournal.com]

I am quite happy for male to do any tiresome task I can't be arsed to do. I'm just as happy for a female to, as well, though.

At school the year eight, nine and ten boys do all my tiresome chores and seem to enjy s doing, to the extent that they fight over the privilege.

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Somehow you fail to surprise me... you do seem to have the knack of recruiting willing serfs. I bet they're not so helpful to the other teachers.