When we designed our house on the pond 7 years ago, we spent a lot of time planning the shower off the main bedroom (the en suite, as they say on HGTV.) We made it spacious, with extra jets up front (my request because I like the power) and a handheld spray towards the back (Barb’s request thinking ahead to our golden years.) A bench in the back, a soap-shampoo niche on the side. At our request the architect tried to make it zero-threshold (easier for wheelchair access, again for the golden years) but some design flaws led to the bathroom flooding the first time I took a shower. (Don’t worry future buyer—that has been remedied.)

The only thing we left out of our super shower was the opportunity to include a steam shower. We thought about it, but the price was high, and the likelihood of it getting much use was somewhat less than the likelihood of our winning the lottery. So the steam was vetoed, but every thing else was a go.

And I have enjoyed that shower. It is my morning wake-up, and you need that when you get out of bed at 5 am—the lab world is an early morning world. I enjoy the front jets; I scrupulously squeegee the glass doors and (some of) the tiles after each use; I unclog the drain on a regular basis. The shower is a temple to good hygiene.

But a controversy erupted last week at a neighborhood canasta game. Is there a proper way to face when taking a shower? Some people like the water beating into in their face, others (like Barb) are face-away-from-the-spray people (I am not implying that either method has any psychological implications.) Then there are those with overhead rain shower sprays–well, they have no choice in the matter.

I claimed to be in the face-the-shower spray camp. But when I showered the next morning I made a stunning discovery. I am a “revolver.” I start with that burst of hot water in my face accompanied by a full-frontal body shot from the extra front jets. But when it’s time for soaping up, I pirouette to face the back. Shampoo and conditioner are applied following a quarter-turn to the side wall, while another quarter-turn returns me to facing forward for the final rinse out. I make so many twists and turns in my 5 minute shower, I should be on Dancing with the Stars.

So what do you do in the shower? Well you don’t have to tell me everything…just answer the poll below, results to follow in a future blog. In the meantime, just be careful in there. And all you neighbors—no peaking!