Summer Shares March 3, 2005March 25, 2012 Still in computer hell, but I figure those of you in your twenties are beginning to form your summer shares and set the rules. And this actually applies to family situations year-round. Herewith a counterintuitive but BRILLIANT suggestion one of you offered: “You cook, YOU clean.” Sounds crazy, no? The guy who cooks should kick back and watch everyone else clean. But think about it. The cook who knows he’ll have to clean will replace bottle caps as he goes, will rinse the utensils clean rather than lay them in a pan of grease, and otherwise organize things so as to cut the average cleaning time by 28.3%. (This based on a study of 1000 families and summer shares conducted in six geographically diverse communities entirely in my imagination.) The next night, the chef gets to kick back entirely, as someone else both cooks and cleans. A small problem if someone is a terrible cook. But how badly can anyone muck up black bean soup, burgers, corn, and frozen grapes? Voila! Everyone clears the table, but otherwise, you’re on your own, Cookie.