Limiting reagents


You know you’ve reached an extreme level of laziness when you work using the idea of limiting reagents. I’ll put something off as long as possible until I’ve run out of some substance that is just too important to do without. For example:

Laundry:
Limiting Reagent: Panties. Girls can’t really get away with wearing underwear more than a day. Ew. Laundry day!

Dishes:
Limiting Reagent: Whatever you don’t have a disposable version of.
Don’t have any plates left? No problem, you have paper plates! Out of paper plates? If your food isn’t too messy, paper towels will do! I find that cups tend to be the most common limiting reagent, since I usually don’t have plastic cups sitting around, and I’m not to the level where I’ll drink milk out of the bottle.

Food:
Limiting Reagent: Money
Money? Yes, there is no such thing as a food limiting reagent. Even if your cupboards are bare, you can always order something or go out. That is, until, you realize it would be cheaper to get off your lazy ass and just go grocery shopping.

That being said, it’s time for a Walmart run. Not because of any of these things, though…but because I have fallen victim to the Limiting Reagant that trumps all Limiting Reagents: tampons. Curses! Oh well, I was almost out of toilet paper too anyway, and I’m not going to start substituting stuff for that…eww.

Comments

  1. Falyne says

    The laziest act I performed in college also revolved around Limiting Reagents. Y’see, I had no major assignments that weekend, and endeavored to spend as much time as possible sitting at my computer playing games. Unfortunately, I hungered. Now, around my computer, I had a microwave, ramen packets, a bowl and fork (who cares about clean, they only ever hold ramen), and a bottle of water.

    But, sadness! The water bottle was empty! And while the drinking fountain was about 15 feet away in the hall, going to it would require moving and dressing, both activities that I had hoped to avoid. On the other hand, while I didn’t have water close at hand, I did have… a full bottle of diet coke!

    …i hadz a tummyache that day…

  2. says

    The laziest act I performed in college also revolved around Limiting Reagents. Y’see, I had no major assignments that weekend, and endeavored to spend as much time as possible sitting at my computer playing games. Unfortunately, I hungered. Now, around my computer, I had a microwave, ramen packets, a bowl and fork (who cares about clean, they only ever hold ramen), and a bottle of water.But, sadness! The water bottle was empty! And while the drinking fountain was about 15 feet away in the hall, going to it would require moving and dressing, both activities that I had hoped to avoid. On the other hand, while I didn’t have water close at hand, I did have… a full bottle of diet coke!…i hadz a tummyache that day…

  3. says

    Yeah, I’m not quite that bad yet. I once used water instead of milk for instant potatoes, and they were very Not Tasty =(

  4. says

    Yeah, I’m not quite that bad yet. I once used water instead of milk for instant potatoes, and they were very Not Tasty =(

  5. says

    Haha, I love this.

    There are times, though, when a catalyst trumps a limiting reagent (your chemistry analogy isn’t perfect; I’d argue that these limiting reagents are actually catalysts, although that isn’t perfect either: the lack of something isn’t actually a true chemical catalyst). A date, an interview or a presentation will sometimes catalyze the need to do laundry.

    And it’s probably for the better that you are “lazy.” Waiting until things run out probably saves money: you don’t take more trips to Wal-mart than are absolutely necessary. Laziness has its merits. Keep it up =P

  6. says

    Haha, I love this.There are times, though, when a catalyst trumps a limiting reagent (your chemistry analogy isn’t perfect; I’d argue that these limiting reagents are actually catalysts, although that isn’t perfect either: the lack of something isn’t actually a true chemical catalyst). A date, an interview or a presentation will sometimes catalyze the need to do laundry.And it’s probably for the better that you are “lazy.” Waiting until things run out probably saves money: you don’t take more trips to Wal-mart than are absolutely necessary. Laziness has its merits. Keep it up =P

  7. says

    I’m afraid that I’ve repeatedly bought new underwear and socks rather than doing laundry (and right now my dirty laundry is, in fact, in my car). I’ve sort of bought dishes rather than doing them too. And my eating-out budget is many times what it ought to be because I hate cooking and grocery shopping. Limiting reagents? Hah!

  8. says

    I’m afraid that I’ve repeatedly bought new underwear and socks rather than doing laundry (and right now my dirty laundry is, in fact, in my car). I’ve sort of bought dishes rather than doing them too. And my eating-out budget is many times what it ought to be because I hate cooking and grocery shopping. Limiting reagents? Hah!

  9. says

    I find that eating utensils tend to be my limiting reagent for dishes, as I don’t often have disposable versions of those around because it seems like a waste. Though I have been known to stretch that time frame by deliberately planning my meals to not require forks and spoons and such. :-P It can also work out that way because I have a dish soap limit too, and so I will wait until I have enough dishes to justify the use of my apartment’s dishwasher.

  10. says

    I find that eating utensils tend to be my limiting reagent for dishes, as I don’t often have disposable versions of those around because it seems like a waste. Though I have been known to stretch that time frame by deliberately planning my meals to not require forks and spoons and such. :-P It can also work out that way because I have a dish soap limit too, and so I will wait until I have enough dishes to justify the use of my apartment’s dishwasher.

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