#135 When you finish the shampoo bottle and conditioner bottle at the same time

Neil Pasricha

Things start, things finish.

Just sometimes not at the same time.

1. Ketchup and mustard. While you’re fart-squeezing that big bottle of ketchup I’m guessing the squat bottle of yellow mustard is still sitting pretty full right beside you, even though it expired in 2005. No need for the picnic multi-pack when you hit the store.

2. Toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash. After squeezing the final minty molecules from the tube it’s time to head to the drug store for a fresh box. But forget the floss and mouthwash because they’re still sitting under a layer of dust in the corner. There’s no point at all in trying to time the drugstore pickup. The two unopened deodorants in your medicine cabinet are proof of that.

3. Nachos and salsa. What is the ideal salsa to nacho ratio? Buddhist monks have debated this eternal question for centuries. And they haven’t figured out an answer yet, judging by the handful of nacho crumbs left beside your giant bowl of salsa.

Yes, salt and pepper, laundry soap and dryer sheets, shampoo and conditioner — often bought together,  always used together, but rarely dying at the same time. In a way the entire story is a parallel to our own relationships. After all, we grow up, come together, and eventually fall apart. Husbands leave before wives, parents before kids, and long loves end before the loving.

Maybe shampoo and conditioner remind us to enjoy every side by side moment like it’s the last.

AWESOME!

1000 Awesome Things has been updated every weekday for nearly three and a half years. Thank you for being part of the awesome community.

Photo from: here

31 thoughts to “#135 When you finish the shampoo bottle and conditioner bottle at the same time”

  1. We had this happen to us just before we went on holiday last week Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash and hair product JACKPOT.

  2. SWEET! First to comment! Love the photo, and while, different, like the post. Been following for over a year, have two books, will prob buy the holiday one, and any others that follow.
    Now, lets hope that after I’m done writing, I’m still the first to post!

    1. Actually…. ahaha.
      I’m exactly like you! I’ve been following for about 1 1/2 years, have both books and will probably buy the holiday one too :P

      And also, I believe this is one of the few posts on here that does not need words. Not because it’s about silence or laughing or happy dogs, but because it is probably the most internationally-agreed concept of awesome- finishing shampoo and conditioner at the same time.

  3. I’m still hoping for this to happen! Love the use of Head and Shoulders btw. Great shampoo (but who paid you to put it here? ;) )

  4. WOOO! Old people hand-holding FTW!

    But… Yeah. I’ve never had the awesomeness of shampoo and conditioner ending at the same time. I always overuse the shampoo… :|

  5. It is actually really tough to do this! I get a whole bunch of free stuff and they never run out at the same time. Then I start mixing a whole load of scents!! I love when you run out at the same time!!!

  6. Salt and pepper stick together- all four seasons- all storms weathered…
    Ebony and ivory inspire perfect harmony, through composition and song…
    The second ticks before first hand and months follow years~ on the calendar of life…
    Breath after breath, beat after beat- If only we lived on this easy street…
    and “enjoy every side by side moment as if it were the last…”
    Walk hand-in-hand, united stand; be picture perfect like the lady and man.
    *There’s a building up, to letting down and hanging on tight before releasing,
    A happy face that sometimes cries and a sad one at times smiling,
    One thing we know for certain, today’s post is #135…
    So let’s climb aboard this train and appreciate whole-heartedly, what we’ve left of this awesome ride!
    http://youtu.be/mXGNq2-S06I

  7. When I first found this website, probably a year and a half ago, I started seeng my own “awesome things” in everyday life.. and this was one of the first I identified. Thanks for coming around to the same conclusion :)

  8. What you need is the perfect shampoo partner – like having the perfect chicken wings partner, but for hair! Maybe one of you has long curly tresses that need lots of condish, but the other has a short cut and only uses a dab. But it combines to make things run out together.

    Wow, 3 and 1/2 years! Time sure flies when you’re having fun! I’m still amazed when I look back on this blog’s beginnings, just to see how everything exploded (in a good way)! Now that’s awesome!

  9. I just had to run out last night and buy a new bottle of conditioner. I don’t need a new bottle of shampoo yet! Sometimes I’ll go through two bottles of conditioner during the time it takes me to go through one bottle of shampoo, and by the second time I need to buy conditioner, I can buy them both at the same time! That’s always an awesome moment. :)

    1. You could be my chicken-wing-shampoo-conditioner partner! :) I always run out of shampoo before conditioner…usually go through two bottles of shampoo during one bottle of conditioner.

  10. congrats on three wonderful years! you make a gigantic difference in my life, not only every weekday (yours are the very first words i read after i wake up), but also whenever i’m just going about my life and i remember something i read on your site and it makes me laugh. also, when i get super sad and/or completely disheartened from “regular” news, i click on your site and find enormous comfort. you rock, sir!

  11. Congrats on the long run! It’s been fun being along for the ride! Can’t believe it’s been three and a half years already! :)

    I know I’m going to get nervous about the list wrapping up when we get close to #1.. where are we all going to comment then?!?

    This was a great post.. I particularly liked the last paragraph.. It took the post in a nice direction I didn’t quite expect..

    1. I thought the agreed upon follow-up location was somewhere in the California area? We were going to get off the ‘net and hang at your place?? Right? I mean I know I’ve been a bit absent lately, but did that change? ;D

  15. The shampoo & conditioner I buy is called “long term relationship”. (by herbalessence)
    No kidding. :D

  16. “Long loves end before the loving”…now that’s one of the saddest lines I’ve ever read. “Parting is such sweet sorrow”, “Bitter-sweet-mixed blessing’s”… similar.
    People who use phrases such as, “Buck-up, you’ll be stronger for the pain,” have robbed senses; haven’t endured or felt deeply the truth…they are those who sing, “Love stinks” when they really need “HELP!”
    Truth is-Loss sucks!
    “I ain’t missing you at all”, and “Nothing compares to you”, are “Closer to the heart”.
    The more you have lost, the more passionate you become about hanging on to precious moments, all that is, and who are~to keep faith, breathe and believe in something bigger than this…to be~ here~ present~ in life!
    People have learned to live here, been engaged, married and buried here.
    Babies have been born, learned to crawl, walk and talk…while others were healed from illness and found their voices here. We have suvived disasters here…found friends and people who care here!
    Who is to say, “When this door closes, another better will open?!”
    How do “they” know; who are “they” anyway?! I’d like to have a word with them and/or send a pleading petition from the awesome community here!
    I think to myself, this is a wonderful world when shared…convivencia style:)
    This ending reminds me of the manufacturers who think they’re doing us a favor by packaging a much larger bottle of shampoo versus conditioner, assuming this suits everybody. At our house, we have extremely hard well water; combined with most of us having very thick, curly, coarse hair, so packaging the large “shampoo” combined with small conditioner~ doesn’t work for us…we require MORE!
    *We need CASES OF MEGA-SIZED “Long term relationship”, (like Karen above), IN ORDER TO STAY AWESOME AND LIVE WITH ESSENCE!
    Could this go on “With a little HELP from friends!”…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ~ :)

  17. ***Someone commented awhile ago, something like this…”Sooner be a fool for a day and ask than not ask and be a fool for a lifetime”…??????***
    Anyone else dare to enter, “The Land of Hope and Dreams?”
    *******************************************************************
    For the record, I’m very thrifty- had I known I’d more space in the comment above, I’d have used it all up! LOL=D

    1. Don’t worry, The Hook! This can actually be a bit of a blessing.. I started losing my hair at a pretty young age, and eventually shaved it all off. Now I save lots of money on shampoo and conditioner by just washing my head with a bar of soap! It’s awesome in it’s own way! :)

  19. Wow, Magda, those 9 minutes and 30+ seconds are now imbedded in my heart! *You are really, truly Awesome!*
    I can only imagine how it must feel for those who have been here for the whole 3+ years. If it were me, I’d be like Humpty Dumpty!
    *Awe-mazing journey…Awe-mazing…Thanks~ Awesome!*

  20. Ratios are always good but shampoo and conditioner are on top of my list. I usually end up with more conditioner than I need.

  21. “Yes, salt and pepper, laundry soap and dryer sheets, shampoo and conditioner — often bought together, always used together, but rarely dying at the same time. In a way the entire story is a parallel to our own relationships. After all, we grow up, come together, and eventually fall apart. Husbands leave before wives, parents before kids, and long loves end before the loving.”
    It was all cheery until the last part, and then it hit close to home :'( True and relatable all the same.

  22. Leave it up to Neil to create such a beautiful metaphor using shampoo and conditioner pairs! Beautiful post!

    I will really miss the site when the countdown ends. It’s made a remarkable impact on my life. In the meantime, I will enjoy every post, all of the great people, and each spirit-affirming moment of Awesome! Thank you!

  23. I must be too frivolous with my conditioner. Without fail, any brand, any size — I always run out of conditioner first. I’m even AWARE of this and consciously try to use the same amount of each. Somewhere along the way, though, the plan fails. Maybe I can blame any shower guests I have? They’re probably in there all #905-style, using my shampoo and conditioner disproportionately!

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