I only recently learned that if you have a septic system you need to get it pumped out periodically, like every 5 years. In my defense, I have never lived in a house with a septic system. And mr. flea (the water systems engineer) tells me that unfortunately a lot of people who DO live in houses with septic systems do not seem to know this either. He thinks that in some places - like Cape Cod, where there is a high water table and sandy soil, and leaks from septic systems are a huge environmental problem - the towns should actually require people to prove they've pumped the septic every 5 years as part of their property tax payment or something.

tommyrot, The Food Lab column on Serious Eats is my favorite thing on all of the internet, I think. Until his book comes out the best science of cooking book I've found in terms of combining readability with thoroughness is Cooks Illustrated Science of Good Cooking. [link]

I read the whole book like a novel. Then gave it to seventh graders studying food science for a science competition. It is cool stuff.

My parents have septic, but the soil is ...sand and limestone and a deep aquifer, so they usually go 10 years. Pretty standard for being on a mesa in the area. But eventually, sludge builds. Also, do not plant a desert willow over the leach line. Willow will REALLY like it and try to take over the back yard. We were amazed the roots didn't clog the line, but the septic guys said they rarely see them do that. Trees are a bigger issue.

Yeah, it's that sort of thing (especially regional variations that might not be in a manual) that scares me about owning my house. What if I'm making it turn to ROT and I don't even know it??

That's what neighbors are for. I know so much more about the quirks of my house courtesy of those that have BTDT. I've passed that knowledge along to the new folk and it has been appreciated. Of course, we're all of the same construction, so it makes it easier.

In another job, I had a girl like that, I'd give her instructions, then she'd tilt her head like a dog and say "What?"

I can take the "what?" so long as it's immediate. The smile and nod and then the non-action is another matter. I don't care of they don't get it, or understand it, so long as they are willing to say so. And if I'm standing next to you, and I've said it's totally cool to not get it, and you still do nothing because you don't get it . . . I don't get it.

Also, assuming interns are people without (much) job experience, they may just have to learn how to have a job

I missed the original (deleted) post, but this, so very much this. Student interns are used to being students, they're used to being given assignments, turning them in, and getting feedback. It's a completely different relationship than with a co-worker.

[edit: I typed that so slowly it is now completely irrelevant. Oh well]

That said, a past intern emailed me today with the word "reference" in the subject line and I can't even bring myself to open it up because she was terrible. I suppose if I agree to be listed as a professional reference, all I'd have to say is yes she worked here for X hours during this time period, right? But if she wants a letter I'm going to have to turn her down because she really was just godawful. She made so much extra work for us, it was such a relief when that semester ended.

I have some auditory processing issues, which means I might not respond right away, depending on the level of competing input, and the nod/smile is part of the frantic, "did I even hear words? there were words, right? context, context... what can I predict was actually said here?"

That said, she mostly sounds stoned. I mean, give me a non-vague instruction, and I'll do the non-vague task. That's more typical of behavior in the non-neurotypical. We like specifics! Specifics are good!

Okay, I've been a home owning adult for a long time and my house is still standing and in pretty good shape I think. I know some things. But, this:

now she has a house and doesn't even know that she needs to change the furnace filters

Changing furnace filters is a thing? Furnaces have filters? That you have to change? I'm pretty sure that's not common knowledge. Unless I totally missed that class in Being a Grownup Homeowner school! Or maybe this isn't true of all furnaces.

...

My god, WHAT ELSE DON'T I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY ELSE DOES??