..ruminations on bathroom etiquette..

1) the handicap stall: when is it okay to use the handicap stall? unless i'm waiting in a long line and the handicap stall is the one that opens up when it's my turn, i rarely use the handicap stall. i can understand why people would want to use it-- more room, handy dandy handlebars, etc.-- but it seems immoral somehow to use it when a handicapped person with a full bladder might need to get in there while you're taking your sweet time. (okay, maybe not immoral, but you know what i mean.)

2)noise-making: why do we always wait until someone flushes the toilet, turns on the faucet, or leaves the bathroom to let out our bodily noises? i wonder why it became such a societal taboo, since we all know that we all have to do it-- especially when we're sitting on the pot! now, today i had the additional joy of witnessing the tail end of a grunting session-- and while it entertained me to no end, why not be able to get out your constipational woes while occupying the porcelain throne? (for reference materials, please see the special features on the harold and kumar go to white castle dvd.)

3) the group trip to the bathroom: what is it with people who have to go to the bathroom in pairs or groups? are we more comfortable peeing around people we know, or do we just enjoy conversations through partitions? maybe it's just an initiated break in conversation or activity, so more than one person decides to take advantage of it. yeah, that must be it. group pee-ers (should that be peers or peeers? heh.) don't want to be rude.

4) hand-washing: eww. wash your hands after you wipe your crotch, please. i know that they say urine disinfects stings and such, but it's really not good for you to be ingesting food, etc. with pee-covered hands. plus, it's gross.

my apologies to my mother for my crass posting today.