# Do you identify with this Hyperbole and a Half cartoon about trying to be a grown up? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 9, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916 "2013-05-09T19:05:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/1 "2013-05-09T19:05:38Z")
> **[This is Why I'll Never be an Adult](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html)** > > I have repeatedly discovered that it is important for me not to surpass my capacity for responsibility.  Over the years, this capacity has g... ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/2 "2013-05-09T19:15:44Z")
Who doesn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/3 "2013-05-09T19:16:49Z")
Oh, yeah. Even at 59 years of age, coming home after 8 or 9 hours work to find I have 2 or 3 hours of chores is disheartening. Viva la Internet! Viva la SDMB! ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/4 "2013-05-09T19:19:53Z")
Why, oh why? Why do they want dinner _every single night??_ ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/5 "2013-05-09T20:04:16Z")
I do the procrastinating without the burning out. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/6 "2013-05-09T20:09:44Z")
Yep, that’s pretty much exactly it. Maybe once a month I try to CLEAN ALL THE THINGS. I clean, like, two things and then sit the fuck down because that shit is exhausting. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/7 "2013-05-09T20:10:12Z")
Yup. And yet, even though I read this years ago and laughed (oh, how I laughed!) at this tendency in myself (and apparently, a whole bunch of other people)… I _still_ do it. And _every_ time I do, I think, “Okay, but _this_ time, it’s different. _THIS_ time, I’m really going to make it stick!” Nope. Not this time, either. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/8 "2013-05-09T20:31:23Z")
I’m just enough of a responsible adult to hold down a job that allows me to have a cleaning lady. That’s enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/9 "2013-05-09T21:08:41Z")
I assumed, in retrospect after her later cartoon, that it was an early sign of her depression. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky\_the\_Wonder\_Spirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Sparky\_the\_Wonder\_Spirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky_the_Wonder_Spirit)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/10 "2013-05-09T21:29:33Z")
> [@Pixel\_Dent](#): > > I assumed, in retrospect after her later cartoon, that it was an early sign of her depression. Possibly, but I identify with that one too, so … ---
**Author:** ![Agnostic\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@Agnostic\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agnostic_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/11 "2013-05-09T22:00:54Z")
Strange, I had never heard of this blog until today when a friend posted her latest one about depression (which I also identified with a bit too well). Very happy I have found it. It’s like the support group I have always wanted. Ten times better than most therapy sessions I have ever had. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/12 "2013-05-09T22:06:42Z")
My situation is not identical, but I do identify with it, particularly with rewarding myself and then taking too long with the reward. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/13 "2013-05-09T22:23:57Z")
No, but my husband does. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/14 "2013-05-09T22:42:35Z")
No, I don’t… I’ve gotten to the point where it’s harder to manage the guilt and inconvenience than to do the chores. The house isn’t spic and span but the stuff that matters gets done and I don’t feel bad about the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/15 "2013-05-10T04:32:12Z")
I do. I even think that’s exactly what I look like while I’m cleaning all the things. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/16 "2013-05-10T04:44:52Z")
No, because I like cleaning and cooking. I idenify with her dog ones, though. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/17 "2013-05-10T04:52:25Z")
It’s cute, and I like it… But it isn’t quite accurate, because it fails to reflect the negative feedback effect. As we get pushed into attempting more and more tasks, yes, our productivity declines… But we also start pushing back, and turning down some of those additional tasks. We fail at some, while continuing to accomplish others. We usually don’t get to the “system failure” stage, but to a kind of partial success/partial failure situation. The curve should loop and veer around a lot in the time dimension, wobbling left and right (and up and down.) Some days, we accomplish a hell of a lot; other days, we stay home with the 'flu. (Or take a “mental health” day off, malingering!) ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/18 "2013-05-10T04:58:09Z")
I can’t say I identify with it very much. I enjoy the mundane things in life like cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping. I actually find a lot of pleasure in just existing, doing those things, getting to restore order to the house or my laundry or whatever, and getting to be creative when I cook and when I shop for what I want to use when I cook. But I’m only 27, so who knows what I’ll be feeling like when I’m 47 or 67. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/19 "2013-05-10T09:20:52Z")
Ever since I read this, whenever I go to the bank I think “going to the bank like a motherfuckin’ adult”. Even though I actually manage fairly well, I do see myself in the comic. ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916/20 "2013-05-10T10:17:44Z")
I manage fairly well, I have a job that means I’m out of the house all day but I manage to get stuff done at home without slacking off too much. I tend to parcel out the domestic chores through the week so I only have to do a bit every day instead of a massive blitz on the house at the weekend. The place isn’t filthy but it’s not sparkly white either, I have learned to live with a bit of dust here and there. OK, so it’s a big bit of dust, but it’s not life-threatening. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-identify-with-this-hyperbole-and-a-half-cartoon-about-trying-to-be-a-grown-up/657916.md?page=2)