One of the greatest benefits of a blog - I can go off on stupid issues whenever I want, and no one can stop me. If I go in the other room and try to tell Beloved about my upsetedness, he sort of looks at me from under his eyebrows in a way that says, "when is she going to stop yammering about this ridiculous issue? I am so fucking sick and tired of hearing about this!"

But then I can come and bitch here, and really, ya'll can't give me dirty looks. You can quick-click-away - but what the hell do I care? You still show up on my sitemeter. I still get to feel more popular. I don't really give a shit if you hate my laundry stories. You likely have a topic that irritates me, and yet, I come back to you, and I have confidence that despite the fact that you every now and then must skim the first line (or in this case, 3 paragraphs) in order to say, "Jesus Christ, Zuska, I am so sick and tired of reading about your fucking laundry room! Buy a goddamned house already, and buy your own fucking laundry machines, or shut up!" you're gonna come back. Because tomorrow, I may have something insightful to say.

About law school.

Or working mommies.

Or perhaps some truly invaluable parenting advice.

_______________________________

I have had multiple issues with the laundry in the basement of my building. Issues surrounding asshole neighbors, issues surrounding shitty machines. Tonight, the two collide (and I'm sure not for the first time).

7:35 - I go downstairs with two loads of the girls' clothes. All washers (2) are running. One dryer is running. I leave my basket and go back upstairs.
7:55 - I go back downstairs and start my washers. One (out of two) dryer is running, with 10 minutes left on it. Washers take 3 minutes. All should be well.
8:25 - I go downstairs - my washers are done. The dryer is done. Woo hoo! Laundry time! I check the dryers. The one that had been running still has clothes in it, but I take my time removing my clothes from the washers, allowing more time for the owner of the clothing to come and get their clothes.
8:35 - Person still isn't there. No biggy. I will give them more time. I fill the now-emptied washers with MORE dirty clothes. I put quarters in the machine. I start the machine.
8:36 - I put quarters in the one empty dryer. I push in the tray and then press the "start" button.
8:36:05 - weird shrieking noise comes from dryer.
8:36:06 - I let go of start button; noise stops.
8:36:07 - I open and SLAM shut dryer; thinking perhaps something had obstructed the door.
8:36:07 - I press the start button; noise resumes.
8:36:08 - I slam door again, and sort of .... punch it. Thinking I can MAKE it close; noise persists.
8:36:09 - Being a considerate person, I think, "I shouldn't slam anymore. Kids may be sleeping." and instead look for clues.
8:36:10 - I feel up the dryer. It feels dented underneath the door. The door doesn't seem to shut, but it seems like perhaps something got FUCKING PISSED OFF and kicked the damned thing, and damaged it.
8:36:11 - I think "fuck." The other dryer still has clothes in it - someone else's clothes. These clothes are not fully dry (b/c the dryers SUCK), and I don't think it's right to take the clothes out.
8:36:12 - I weigh the situation: It would not be right to take someone's damp clothes from the dryer - it's still "their turn" - but at what point can I consider their turn abandoned? Their clothes abandoned? It's been over 30 minutes. I then consider the fact that there's only one working dryer, and decide that this should inspire a more vigilant consideration in those who put their clothes in the dryer.
8:37: I take the damp clothes out of the dryer and put them on the table which seems to have no other purpose than hold the clothes that others remove from abandoned machines.
8:37:01: I put 2 rounds of quarters in the dryer, as well as 2 loads of clothes. I feel like shit.
8:37:06: I come into the apartment and complain to Beloved that the laundry room sucks. He tells me "oh, don't worry, I am not in desperate need for my clothes." I tell him to just SHUT UP (b/c I'm nice like that), since I already started the damned washers before I knew there was a dryer issue!! So just ..... stop talking. He mutters something about me being an unreasonable bitch and him just trying to help and me sort of sucking. Not in the good way (although I do -- in the good way).
8:38: I bring an apologetic note downstairs explaining that I waited for a LONG TIME before removing damp clothes from dryer.
9:00 - I go to check on dryers. Damp clothes still on table, note still there. My clothes are still way wet. Fuck.
9:45 - Back downstairs. Clothes still wet. Damp clothes still there.
10:48 - My clothes STILL wet, damp clothes gone. No apparent retaliation.

And still, I wait. I'm going to be up for a very, very, very long time tonight.

Expect more posts. He he he - American Idol was on tonight, don't you know.

Labels: housework, laundry

posted by Zuska @ 10:27 PM

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