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Burn Unit
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You Always Hurt the Ones You Love, But Do You Have To? by Burn Unit

July 24th, 2006 1:24 PM

INSTRUCTIONS: Duration: One week

The Task: Record daily - in a manner of your own choosing - the answers to the following questions in reference to one you love:

1) What did I receive from this person today?
2) What did I give to this person today?
3) In what way may I have added discomfort or suffering to this person's life today?

This task was difficult, because you really have to think about it. Also, I found some specifics (numbers, for example) decreased and others increased while making my record through the week.

Monday
I received six kisses
I received a hug
I gave a harsh tone and a lot of anxieties
I added discomfort by vociferously complaining about what a difficult time I'd had putting the child to bed and then not being sensitive to our shared bad moods and creating a combative atmosphere

Tuesday
I received two kisses
I received warmth in the cold early morning from her body next to me
I received dinner
I received relief and comfort and a shared time to vent while we strategized together about bedtime routine and other pre-schooler problems

I gave her a promise to send a check to pay a bill
I gave her some ideas about how we could take her to her rehearsal tomorrow
I gave her my advice and informed opinion about contacts and glasses with regard to our budget
I thanked her for her good idea about fixing the car
I received many laughs from her various witty remarks.

I added discomfort by calling her in the morning with something I'd forgotten the day before, but then grew very defensive and snappy almost certainly because I subconsciously decided she wasn't being appreciative or something so I said "I'm trying to be helpful" in a really unhelpful tone of voice.

Wednesday
I received a kiss
I received a ride home
I gave a ride to rehearsal
I gave her many laughs and stories about our picnic on the train.

This is the one day I simply cannot recall adding discomfort or suffering to my beloved's life. That's not to say it didn't happen, I just didn't get a record of it.

Thursday
I received many laughs from her various witty remarks.
I received a long tale of struggle and disappointment from her as she told me about the problems she's been having with Eleanor's

I gave her a few beers
I gave and received lots of kisses, cuddling and other intimacies.

I gave some comfort and reassurance when she was filled with a lot of anxiety and anger about Eleanor's summer class not going well. She was having a lot of problems with the child's behavior and I listened actively and tried not to "solve" it, but give lots of support and I think I gave her a brief sense of calm. I gave some questions that helped provide insight into what might be contributing to the problems.

I gave cake

I added suffering in my visible displays of anguish and frustration after another bedtime struggle with the child.

Friday
I received some kisses.
I received a bite of ice cream.
I gave access to a company party and the swimming pool.
I saved a plate of food from the buffet and gave that.
I gave a tasty late night dinner, including a couple pieces of my sushi.

I added some inconvenience and suffering when I had to take the car in the morning and she had to work out her own ride details in the afternoon.

I don't know whose fault it was but her swimming suit got left out of the bag and didn't get to the party. So her discomfort shot up because she couldn't swim on a day that turned out to be hot.

I added discomfort by not checking in clearly with what she was expecting when we went to Tai Hoa, a Vietnamese barbecue place. When she heard "Tai Hoa" she thought I'd said "Thai" and was expecting Thai food, not a tiny deli specializing in whole roast ducks, all the parts of the pig, and chicken feet salads so authentic the guy behind the counter very diplomatically suggests you maybe get the plain roast pork and come back later for the more esoteric dishes.

I added suffering in the form of mild nausea when I opened the little styrofoam containers of roast pig and broiled pig trotters, and bucket of pork with tofu and boiled-then-fried eggs.

Saturday
I gave a break and some working room by taking the child with me on errands. This gave her support while she worked on the roof soffitts with her dad, a project which they were able to actually finish.

I gave another break by sending her shopping for a while and cleaned up the aluminum shavings from the soffitt cutting project and sent Eleanor to play with the neighbor kids. I gave a decent dinner.

I added inconvenience by asking her to pick up sweet corn for the grill on the way home.

I gave her some beer.

I gave and received many more kisses and much cuddling.

Sunday
I gave her time to do her training walk by taking the child to church and then to an outside activity.

I gave kisses and hugs.

I received relief by being able to go to the grocery store alone.
I received relief at bedtime.

I received many laughs from her various witty remarks.

I added suffering by dozing off for a bit in the late afternoon, leaving her to work on laundry and keep a bored three year old occupied by herself.

I surely added discomfort in the act of reviewing and preparing to post a week's worth of intimate details on the internet.

- smaller


9 vote(s)



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5 comment(s)

(no subject)
posted by Ink Tea on July 24th, 2006 2:03 PM

That strikes me as very intimate, and very earnest, and somewhat humbling.

(no subject)
posted by Gadget on July 24th, 2006 4:29 PM

Thanks for sharing!

sweet
posted by spotlight skullshines on July 24th, 2006 9:53 PM

very sweet

thanks
posted by Burn Unit on July 25th, 2006 7:33 AM

thanks for the votes and the nice comments, guys!

(no subject)
posted by beverly penn on July 26th, 2006 2:45 PM

I am honored that you completed this task, and in such a thoughtful and loving way. Thank you.