Life can get random, so here's a collection of random thoughts/events for the week.
Popcorn Popping (but not on the apricot tree):
What was the inventor of popcorn ceilings thinking? Seriously, they're annoying. On Tuesday, I had to get something from the top of my closet. As I stood on the stepstool to reach for my bag, I bumped the ceiling, knocking little bits onto my head. I stepped down (bag in hand) and brushed the bits out of my hair. I turned to my sister, who was sitting nearby, and I said, "Do I have any of the ceiling in my hair?" Naturally, she burst out laughing, informing me that was the funniest thing she had heard all week.
Job Seeking Advice:
Over the past four weeks since I started working in HR, I have probably reviewed close to 500 resumes. Here's some advice. First, please get a proofreader. I'm not likely to give your resume a closer look if you misspell words like "experience" or "relevant". Second, read the job posting carefully before applying. If you live in Los Angeles and are adamant about not relocating, don't apply for a position in Bangalore. Third, submitting your resume once is sufficient. Submitting it four times in a two hour period will not make me give it extra consideration. It will just annoy me, hurting your chances.
Advice for Corporate Recruiters:
If you want your clients to get hired, don't be annoying. Nothing has changed in the last 10 minutes. I didn't have feedback 10 minutes ago on the interview that ended 15 minutes ago, and I don't have feedback now. When I do, I'll let you know. If you keep bugging me, I'll stop answering the phone when you call. Caller ID is a great boon to productivity. Oh, and cc'ing my boss on every e-mail you send me will not only annoy me, it will annoy her as well. Once you've ticked off the VP of HR, you don't have a chance. Her word is law when it comes to hiring.
Seen on the Way Into Work:
I was driving into work this morning across Highway 237. (For those of you who aren't local, it's the highway that runs between Milpitas and Mountain View.) I glanced off to the right, somewhere around San Jose, and I saw a herd of goats grazing on the grass. I'm totally serious. In the tenth largest city in the US, there was a herd of goats grazing along the highway, right in front of an office park.
The Cat Lady:
I feel like I'm living in an animal shelter. My roommate has been feeding the stray cats, and one of the cats had kittens. So, now there's a box of seven kittens in my apartment. This is in addition to the mother cat, who comes and goes, my cat, and my roommates' chihuahuas. That's a grand total of two cats, seven kittens, and two dogs. If anyone wants a kitten, we'll have several we're looking for homes for in two or three more weeks. Once the kittens and the mama cat are gone, we can go back to normal. (1 cat, 2 dogs)
Friday, August 7, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Freedom!
I finally did it! I submitted my resignation letter (with "great regret", of course) for my weekend job. I'll lose my dental insurance, but it's a small price to pay for getting my weekends back. Just two more weekends and then I'm free!
I only intended to have this job for 4-6 months to tide myself over while I found myself. That was 3 years ago. I have found myself in the interim, and it isn't there.
I'm going back to school full-time in the fall, and I'll be working part-time at my other job (HR at a software company). I've found that I enjoy working in HR, which is a surprise to me. I thought I would dislike it.
I have a pretty good class schedule lined up. I'm taking Copyright Law, Constitutional Law II, Health Law Seminar (this will satisfy my thesis requirement), Appellate Advocacy, and Civil Procedure. I'm also on the Computer and High Tech Law Journal and the Journal of International Law. Things are looking up. Hooray for the end of the crazy insane juggling act.
I only intended to have this job for 4-6 months to tide myself over while I found myself. That was 3 years ago. I have found myself in the interim, and it isn't there.
I'm going back to school full-time in the fall, and I'll be working part-time at my other job (HR at a software company). I've found that I enjoy working in HR, which is a surprise to me. I thought I would dislike it.
I have a pretty good class schedule lined up. I'm taking Copyright Law, Constitutional Law II, Health Law Seminar (this will satisfy my thesis requirement), Appellate Advocacy, and Civil Procedure. I'm also on the Computer and High Tech Law Journal and the Journal of International Law. Things are looking up. Hooray for the end of the crazy insane juggling act.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
I'm still alive over here! (More or less)
I survived summer school. That may not sound like that much of an accomplishment, but when you consider that I was taking 6 units (technically a full-time load for summer school), working a 40 hour per week job, and working a 34 hour per week job, it's a bit more.
Typical weekday day:
6:15 am - Alarm clock goes off. Hit snooze button
6:20 am - Alarm clock goes off again. Hit snooze button again.
6:25 am - Get out of bed, get ready for work.
7:00 am - Leave for work.
7:30 am - Work.
4:00 pm - Leave work, head for school.
4:20 pm - Arrive at school, spend the next little bit preparing for class, etc.
6:00 pm - Class.
9:30 pm - Get home from school. Do laundry, household chores, etc.
11:00 pm - Go to bed.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Typical Weekend:
8:45 pm Friday - Leave for work.
10:00 pm Friday - Arrive at work. Crash on the couch while being on-call for the night shift.
8:00 am Saturday - Revel in the joy that is my only day to sleep in (presuming that there were no emergencies overnight).
All Day Saturday - Just call me "Mercenary Soccer Mom". Shuttle my clients to their Special Olympics practices, grocery store, bank, and various other errands and community activities.
10:00 pm Saturday - Clients are in bed. Try to do homework, but usually end up crashing on the couch while being on-call for the night shift.
7:00 am Sunday - Get up, take a shower.
8:00 am Sunday - Go home.
9:30 am Sunday - Church.
1:00 pm Sunday - Get home from church, see about this whole "Day of Rest" thing.
Now that summer school is over, I get my weekday evenings off. It's going to be great! I'll get to do my laundry before 10:00 pm, and I'll get to spend some quality time with my cat. =^. .^=
Typical weekday day:
6:15 am - Alarm clock goes off. Hit snooze button
6:20 am - Alarm clock goes off again. Hit snooze button again.
6:25 am - Get out of bed, get ready for work.
7:00 am - Leave for work.
7:30 am - Work.
4:00 pm - Leave work, head for school.
4:20 pm - Arrive at school, spend the next little bit preparing for class, etc.
6:00 pm - Class.
9:30 pm - Get home from school. Do laundry, household chores, etc.
11:00 pm - Go to bed.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Typical Weekend:
8:45 pm Friday - Leave for work.
10:00 pm Friday - Arrive at work. Crash on the couch while being on-call for the night shift.
8:00 am Saturday - Revel in the joy that is my only day to sleep in (presuming that there were no emergencies overnight).
All Day Saturday - Just call me "Mercenary Soccer Mom". Shuttle my clients to their Special Olympics practices, grocery store, bank, and various other errands and community activities.
10:00 pm Saturday - Clients are in bed. Try to do homework, but usually end up crashing on the couch while being on-call for the night shift.
7:00 am Sunday - Get up, take a shower.
8:00 am Sunday - Go home.
9:30 am Sunday - Church.
1:00 pm Sunday - Get home from church, see about this whole "Day of Rest" thing.
Now that summer school is over, I get my weekday evenings off. It's going to be great! I'll get to do my laundry before 10:00 pm, and I'll get to spend some quality time with my cat. =^. .^=
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Physicists at Fed Ex
Albert Einstein taught us that matter and energy are the same thing. E=mc^2 and all of that. Well, it seems that the good folks at Fed Ex have taken it to heart.
I was preparing a shipment of marketing materials to go to our India office. In order to get shipments through customs, I have to fill out a declaration form detailing exactly what is in the package. There's a box for the description of what it is, i.e. "Widgets" or something like that. Then there's a box to type in the quantity. Then there's a drop-down menu to select the unit. It has normal choices such as "dozen", "pieces", "cubic inches", etc.
As I scrolled down, I saw some that made me laugh. "Kilowatt-hours" and "British Thermal Units" were options I could pick. Yes, I'm going to mail 47 BTUs to India. Naturally, it will fit nicely in my cardboard box.
I was preparing a shipment of marketing materials to go to our India office. In order to get shipments through customs, I have to fill out a declaration form detailing exactly what is in the package. There's a box for the description of what it is, i.e. "Widgets" or something like that. Then there's a box to type in the quantity. Then there's a drop-down menu to select the unit. It has normal choices such as "dozen", "pieces", "cubic inches", etc.
As I scrolled down, I saw some that made me laugh. "Kilowatt-hours" and "British Thermal Units" were options I could pick. Yes, I'm going to mail 47 BTUs to India. Naturally, it will fit nicely in my cardboard box.
Monday, April 27, 2009
A New Addition to the World!
Believe it or not, I'm capable of writing a post that isn't about me! :-)
Elisabeth, who is practically like a sister, just successfully defended her thesis and gave birth to her first child, a baby boy! (That makes me an almost-aunt, I suppose.)
Pictures can be found here!
Elisabeth, who is practically like a sister, just successfully defended her thesis and gave birth to her first child, a baby boy! (That makes me an almost-aunt, I suppose.)
Pictures can be found here!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
AAA AAA AAA AAA AAA!
I'm a great money-maker for the good folks at AAA. My car has 260,000 miles on it, and it just keeps going and going.
When some people are under stress, they binge on junk food or get snappy with people. I get absent-minded. I forget basic things like where my keys are, etc. Well, between school, work, and work, I've been under a bit of stress lately. As a result, I've been leaving my headlights on frequently. My car is old, so it doesn't turn them off for me. It just leaves them on until the battery dies.
My AAA plan allows for four emergency road assistance calls per year, and any calls above that number cost $65 each. Because of when I originally signed up, my year runs from April 30 to April 29. Behold the following list of times I've used AAA this year:
1) May 2008, Alameda, CA. Jumpstart dead battery caused by me leaving my lights on.
2) September 2008, Sunnyvale, CA. Jumpstart dead battery caused by me leaving my lights on.
3) December 2008, Milpitas, CA. Called AAA to go rescue my sister who had a flat tire on the side of the freeway at midnight. (She didn't have AAA.)
4) February 2009, Milpitas, CA. Jumpstart dead battery caused by me leaving my lights on.
5) March 2009, Mountain View, CA (1 week later). Jumpstart dead battery caused by me leaving my lights on. This is when I first found out about the $65 racket. I was running late to class, so I didn't have much of a choice.
6) March 2009, Mountain View, CA (2 weeks later). Guess what! The battery again. I was determined not to pay again, so I called my sister who had the week off, and I asked her to come and give me a jump start. (She owed me one after the flat tire at midnight...) She came up and we weren't able to jump start the car. (I have really wimpy jumper cables.) I resigned myself to having to cough up more money when she got the bright idea to call using her AAA card. (She signed up after the flat tire incident.) So, we did, and this one was free because it counted against her 4 calls for the year.
7) March 2009, Fremont, CA. (3 days later). My battery was dead again, but I didn't leave my lights on. I had just replaced the battery in between incidents 4 and 5, so I was surprised by this development. My roommate and I tried to get it jump started, but once again, thanks to my wimpy jumper cables, it didn't work. I called AAA, figuring that I would need to get towed to the auto shop. Somehow, the tow truck driver was able to jump start my car. I drove to the auto shop and crossed my fingers that it wouldn't be an expensive problem. It turns out that my battery terminals were bad, so they replaced them. It took 30 minutes and cost me $60. Not too bad, since I was expecting it to be the alternator or the starter.
8) April 21, 2009, Sunnyvale, CA. I've been extra careful about turning my lights off. I even bought a portable jump-starter to keep in my trunk. There's no way I'm going to be putting any more money in the hands of AAA for something as careless as leaving my lights on. So, as I was leaving work last night, I walked out to my car and started digging in my bag for my keys. I couldn't find them. Then I found them. They were sitting, in all their mocking glory, on the passenger seat of my locked car. I've already paid my renewal fee for my AAA membership, and I've already gotten my new membership card. It's sitting in my wallet. I figured, great, clean start, this one should be free. No...they still charged me because my new year doesn't start for another 9 days!
This morning, I put a spare car key in my wallet. That should cut down on problems of locking my keys in my car. So, now that I've prepared myself for dead batteries and locked keys, I figure I'm due for a flat tire. If it happens before next Friday, I'm going to either change it myself or hitchhike home. There's no way I'm paying AAA another dime!
When some people are under stress, they binge on junk food or get snappy with people. I get absent-minded. I forget basic things like where my keys are, etc. Well, between school, work, and work, I've been under a bit of stress lately. As a result, I've been leaving my headlights on frequently. My car is old, so it doesn't turn them off for me. It just leaves them on until the battery dies.
My AAA plan allows for four emergency road assistance calls per year, and any calls above that number cost $65 each. Because of when I originally signed up, my year runs from April 30 to April 29. Behold the following list of times I've used AAA this year:
1) May 2008, Alameda, CA. Jumpstart dead battery caused by me leaving my lights on.
2) September 2008, Sunnyvale, CA. Jumpstart dead battery caused by me leaving my lights on.
3) December 2008, Milpitas, CA. Called AAA to go rescue my sister who had a flat tire on the side of the freeway at midnight. (She didn't have AAA.)
4) February 2009, Milpitas, CA. Jumpstart dead battery caused by me leaving my lights on.
5) March 2009, Mountain View, CA (1 week later). Jumpstart dead battery caused by me leaving my lights on. This is when I first found out about the $65 racket. I was running late to class, so I didn't have much of a choice.
6) March 2009, Mountain View, CA (2 weeks later). Guess what! The battery again. I was determined not to pay again, so I called my sister who had the week off, and I asked her to come and give me a jump start. (She owed me one after the flat tire at midnight...) She came up and we weren't able to jump start the car. (I have really wimpy jumper cables.) I resigned myself to having to cough up more money when she got the bright idea to call using her AAA card. (She signed up after the flat tire incident.) So, we did, and this one was free because it counted against her 4 calls for the year.
7) March 2009, Fremont, CA. (3 days later). My battery was dead again, but I didn't leave my lights on. I had just replaced the battery in between incidents 4 and 5, so I was surprised by this development. My roommate and I tried to get it jump started, but once again, thanks to my wimpy jumper cables, it didn't work. I called AAA, figuring that I would need to get towed to the auto shop. Somehow, the tow truck driver was able to jump start my car. I drove to the auto shop and crossed my fingers that it wouldn't be an expensive problem. It turns out that my battery terminals were bad, so they replaced them. It took 30 minutes and cost me $60. Not too bad, since I was expecting it to be the alternator or the starter.
8) April 21, 2009, Sunnyvale, CA. I've been extra careful about turning my lights off. I even bought a portable jump-starter to keep in my trunk. There's no way I'm going to be putting any more money in the hands of AAA for something as careless as leaving my lights on. So, as I was leaving work last night, I walked out to my car and started digging in my bag for my keys. I couldn't find them. Then I found them. They were sitting, in all their mocking glory, on the passenger seat of my locked car. I've already paid my renewal fee for my AAA membership, and I've already gotten my new membership card. It's sitting in my wallet. I figured, great, clean start, this one should be free. No...they still charged me because my new year doesn't start for another 9 days!
This morning, I put a spare car key in my wallet. That should cut down on problems of locking my keys in my car. So, now that I've prepared myself for dead batteries and locked keys, I figure I'm due for a flat tire. If it happens before next Friday, I'm going to either change it myself or hitchhike home. There's no way I'm paying AAA another dime!
Washing Machine Update
Life marches on, and clothes still need to be washed. I ended up buying a spin dryer, and I love it! My roommate did an experiment, and she measured the amount of water the spin dryer extracted from a load of laundry. The result: 6 cups! No wonder it took so long for the clothes to dry. Imagine how long it takes to boil off that much water. Now it takes about 30 minutes to dry a load. Hopefully this will help with the electric bill.
So, now that the spin cycle problem is fixed, it paved the way for yet another problem. I got home last night, and my roommate was mopping up water from the kitchen counter. Apparently, the faucet adapter that allows the washer to hook up to the kitchen sink is loose. We tried tightening it, to no avail. This has happened once before, and a little bit of plumber's tape fixed it. Unfortunately, we're all out. At least this is a problem that can be solved with a trip to the hardware store and 2 minutes of taping.
So, now that the spin cycle problem is fixed, it paved the way for yet another problem. I got home last night, and my roommate was mopping up water from the kitchen counter. Apparently, the faucet adapter that allows the washer to hook up to the kitchen sink is loose. We tried tightening it, to no avail. This has happened once before, and a little bit of plumber's tape fixed it. Unfortunately, we're all out. At least this is a problem that can be solved with a trip to the hardware store and 2 minutes of taping.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Dreams That Come True
File this under W for weird...
Last night I had a dream that the phones were out at work today. When I woke up, I chalked it up to wishful thinking and got ready for my day. I had to be in early for a conference call. (Someone ought to tell the people on the East Coast that it's 3 hours earlier in California...)
I showed up at work and logged into the conference call. (It's web-based.) All is going well with the call. However, I got an e-mail from the IT director. The phones in the office are out.
We still have internet and Skype, but the regular phone is out. I told the marketing director about the dream, and she told me that I should dream about winning a million dollars. :-)
Last night I had a dream that the phones were out at work today. When I woke up, I chalked it up to wishful thinking and got ready for my day. I had to be in early for a conference call. (Someone ought to tell the people on the East Coast that it's 3 hours earlier in California...)
I showed up at work and logged into the conference call. (It's web-based.) All is going well with the call. However, I got an e-mail from the IT director. The phones in the office are out.
We still have internet and Skype, but the regular phone is out. I told the marketing director about the dream, and she told me that I should dream about winning a million dollars. :-)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The Extended Pain of Finals
When I was an undergrad, finals weren't too bad. They came regularly every 10 weeks and were over with in a period of 3-4 days. It was a predictable part of the circle of life. The occasional take-home final would come a week in advance and still be due during finals week. Totally manageable and low-stress.
Now that I'm in law school, the universe has decided to prolong the agony. My first take-home final was distributed on Thursday. (April 2) The in-class research exam relating to the final is this Thursday (April 9), with the actual finished product due April 20. Then I have in-class finals on May 7, May 13, and May 18. Total time from start to finish- 47 days!!
Needless to say, I'm going to be a bit unpleasant to be around for the next few weeks. I apologize in advance!
Now that I'm in law school, the universe has decided to prolong the agony. My first take-home final was distributed on Thursday. (April 2) The in-class research exam relating to the final is this Thursday (April 9), with the actual finished product due April 20. Then I have in-class finals on May 7, May 13, and May 18. Total time from start to finish- 47 days!!
Needless to say, I'm going to be a bit unpleasant to be around for the next few weeks. I apologize in advance!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Washing Machine Agitation
I live in an apartment with no washer/dryer hookups. I'm on the third floor, and at least one person per week gets stuck in the elevator. As a result of the flaky elevator, I just pretend that it doesn't exist and take the stairs all the time.
There is a laundry room downstairs, but it costs $2 to wash and $1.50 to dry. Figuring on 2-3 loads per week, that's $35 per month spent on laundry. Plus, the one time I used the laundry room, my only good towel got stolen. (The thief left the old ratty towels alone and took my pretty blue absorbent one.)
I decided to invest in an apartment sized washing machine, and my quest for cheap clean laundry has given me some great stories.
Story 1 "Free Can Sometimes Be Expensive"- Setting: February - July 2006
I don't remember exactly what prompted this one, but I ran an internet search for dryers that run off of 110 volt power. I think it's because in my quest for a washer, I wanted to see if I could find a dryer, too. Anyway, I discovered that there is such a contraption as a 110 volt ventless dryer. I was excited by this find because I didn't have anywhere to vent the dryer, and I didn't have a 220 volt dryer plug.
I checked craigslist, and I found a couple of these dryer contraptions. It turns out that it's actually a washer/dryer combo unit. Not a stackable unit, but a washer and dryer in one. Put in dirty clothes, and clean dry clothes come out. There was one in Pacifica that a guy was giving away for free. The catch was that it needed a new water pump.
I figured free was a good price and that a water pump would be easy enough to fix. I called my mom and asked if I could borrow her minivan to haul it, and she said yes. My mom lives in San Jose, I live in Fremont, I went to school in San Francisco, and the washer/dryer was in Pacifica. I called my neighbor who went to school with me and offered him a ride to school in exchange for helping me pick up the washer. He said yes. (We usually took the train, so it saved him the cost of a train ticket.)
The running total for the free washer/dryer: $10 savings for not taking the train, offset by $10 for parking. No bridge toll because I was carpooling. $25 for gas. Net total: $25- still a pretty good deal.
I got out of class and headed to get the washer/dryer. Of course, I got lost driving down a windy mountain road. I finally managed to find the place and we hauled it into the back of the van. When we got it home, we tried to get it up the stairs. This contraption probably weighed 75 lbs. It took me, my burly former football player neighbor, and my roommate to get it up the stairs.
I hooked the washer up to the sink and ran a test load. It worked beautifully. I figured I had gotten an amazing deal, and I was excited. This excitement lasted for about 10 loads before the water pump gave out, flooding my kitchen floor. I mopped up the mess and called Sears to get someone out to repair it. The repair technician came out and said that he had never heard of my brand before and had no idea how to fix it. Fortunately he didn't charge me for the visit. I did some checking online, and I made some phone calls, and nobody could fix it.
I decided to cut my losses at this point. I placed an ad on craigslist offering a free washer/dryer combo that doesn't require hookups, but has a broken water pump. I received several responses. The first person I set up an appointment with stood me up. The same with the second, the third, the fourth, etc. Finally, I got sick of it and moved the monster out onto my front porch. I put up an ad describing it and saying that it was free to the first person to haul it away.
I got home the next day (it's mid-April by now) and saw that someone had strapped the washer to a furniture dolly and had left me a note saying that he would be back the next day to haul it away. Apparently he had tried to move it himself and had quickly realized that he needed help. I called him back and confirmed that he was coming.
Several days passed and the washer was still there. I called the guy again. He made some excuses and said he would come and get it. This back and forth continued until June, when he called me and said he wasn't comfortable taking the washing machine because he suspected that I was mad at an ex-boyfriend and was getting rid of his belongings in a fit of rage. (I have no idea where he came up with that one. Maybe he was projecting something that was going on in his personal life.) Meanwhile, nobody else wanted it either. I asked the guy when he wanted to come retrieve his furniture dolly, and he kept putting me off.
I finally got so sick of the ugly washer on my porch that I decided to haul it to the dump. I called my dad and he came with the minivan on a Saturday morning. We managed to get it down the stairs and to the dump. It cost me $50 to dispose of it, and I took my dad out to lunch for his trouble, costing another $15 or so.
So, the total cost of the "free" washer/dryer combo that lasted me for 10 loads: $90. Oops. Free can sometimes be expensive.
Story 2 "They Don't Make Things Like They Used to, and Sometimes That's a Good Thing"- Setting: March-August 2006
While the nonsense with the impossible to dispose of behemoth was going on, my clothes still had to get clean. I looked into other ways of having a washer in my apartment, and I stumbled upon the Wonderwash. Basically, it looks like the offspring of a propane tank and a slot machine. You put your laundry, detergent, and water in, close the lid, and crank it for two minutes. Then you drain the water, fill it with clean water and crank it for another minute to rinse. Then you wring your clothes out and dry them.
The wonderwash worked ok, but it was extremely labor intensive. I was basically hand-washing everything. Also, it's really small, so I could only wash a few items at a time. Since it doesn't have a spin cycle, my clothes took forever to dry on the clothesline I had strung up in my shower to compensate for the loss of my dryer.
I still have the wonderwash sitting in a closet somewhere. If I ever have a laundry emergency during a power outage, I'm good to go.
Story 3 "All Good Things Must Come to an End"- Setting: February 2009
In August 2006, I bought an apartment sized washing machine. It's made by some company in China called Haier. It's about the size of a garbage can, and it's designed to hook up to the sink and roll away into a closet when not in use. It can only wash small loads, and it plays "Jingle Bells" at the end of the cycle. I found a 110 volt dryer in December 2006, and I leave it on my balcony so that it can vent. All in all, I've got a pretty good setup. No more laundromats for me.
Well, when you buy a $100 washing machine that comes from some unknown company in China and is made of plastic, a limited life-span is to be expected. When I first got the washer, I was the only person using it. I'm single and I don't generate much laundry. Now, both of my roommates are using it as well, and they each have a kid. So, instead of laundry for one adult, it's laundry for three adults and two children.
About three months ago, the washer started making awful clunking noises during the spin cycle. I took a look at it and noticed the belt was getting worn. I trimmed the loose bits of rubber and that seemed to fix it for a short while. About a month ago, it started making the noise again, and clothes would come out soaking wet, as if it hadn't been through a spin cycle. I replaced the belt last week. (It took that long for the part to arrive.) The first load worked like a dream. The second load was back to the clunking, whirring jet-engine noise and soaked clothing.
I figured it was toast, so I started scouring the internet for a replacement. A new one was going to cost $200. I found some on craigslist ranging from $50 to $120. At first I was hesitant to buy a used appliance that only had a lifespan of 2 1/2 years, but I decided I was cheap. Anyway, the first appointment fell through, and my roommate managed to limp the washer along a little while longer.
Last night, I did my laundry again, and I had to majorly wring my clothes out. The spin cycle is completely toast, but the rest of it works fine. Now I have to figure out what to do. My options are:
1. Replace the washer. This would have the advantage of getting a fresh start and may end up being the easiest solution. Still, I'm hesitant because the washer still gets my clothes clean.
2. Deal with it the way it is now. This may be the cheapest solution. However, it's a pain to have to wring out the clothes, and even when I wring them out, they still take longer in the dryer because I'm not as good as a spin cycle. Plus, I don't know how dilligent my roommates are going to be about wringing out their clothes, and I'm the one paying the electric bill.
3. Invest in a spin dryer. I've recently become aware of a nifty contraption called a spin dryer. Basically, it's an appliance that is like a souped-up spin cycle. It spins at about 3200 rpm and uses centrifugal force to extract the water. You run it for 2-3 minutes per load. It cuts down drying time because the clothes are practcally dry already.
So, that's my laundry saga. Who knew that getting clothes clean could be such a task. At least I don't have to beat my clothes with rocks in the river.
There is a laundry room downstairs, but it costs $2 to wash and $1.50 to dry. Figuring on 2-3 loads per week, that's $35 per month spent on laundry. Plus, the one time I used the laundry room, my only good towel got stolen. (The thief left the old ratty towels alone and took my pretty blue absorbent one.)
I decided to invest in an apartment sized washing machine, and my quest for cheap clean laundry has given me some great stories.
Story 1 "Free Can Sometimes Be Expensive"- Setting: February - July 2006
I don't remember exactly what prompted this one, but I ran an internet search for dryers that run off of 110 volt power. I think it's because in my quest for a washer, I wanted to see if I could find a dryer, too. Anyway, I discovered that there is such a contraption as a 110 volt ventless dryer. I was excited by this find because I didn't have anywhere to vent the dryer, and I didn't have a 220 volt dryer plug.
I checked craigslist, and I found a couple of these dryer contraptions. It turns out that it's actually a washer/dryer combo unit. Not a stackable unit, but a washer and dryer in one. Put in dirty clothes, and clean dry clothes come out. There was one in Pacifica that a guy was giving away for free. The catch was that it needed a new water pump.
I figured free was a good price and that a water pump would be easy enough to fix. I called my mom and asked if I could borrow her minivan to haul it, and she said yes. My mom lives in San Jose, I live in Fremont, I went to school in San Francisco, and the washer/dryer was in Pacifica. I called my neighbor who went to school with me and offered him a ride to school in exchange for helping me pick up the washer. He said yes. (We usually took the train, so it saved him the cost of a train ticket.)
The running total for the free washer/dryer: $10 savings for not taking the train, offset by $10 for parking. No bridge toll because I was carpooling. $25 for gas. Net total: $25- still a pretty good deal.
I got out of class and headed to get the washer/dryer. Of course, I got lost driving down a windy mountain road. I finally managed to find the place and we hauled it into the back of the van. When we got it home, we tried to get it up the stairs. This contraption probably weighed 75 lbs. It took me, my burly former football player neighbor, and my roommate to get it up the stairs.
I hooked the washer up to the sink and ran a test load. It worked beautifully. I figured I had gotten an amazing deal, and I was excited. This excitement lasted for about 10 loads before the water pump gave out, flooding my kitchen floor. I mopped up the mess and called Sears to get someone out to repair it. The repair technician came out and said that he had never heard of my brand before and had no idea how to fix it. Fortunately he didn't charge me for the visit. I did some checking online, and I made some phone calls, and nobody could fix it.
I decided to cut my losses at this point. I placed an ad on craigslist offering a free washer/dryer combo that doesn't require hookups, but has a broken water pump. I received several responses. The first person I set up an appointment with stood me up. The same with the second, the third, the fourth, etc. Finally, I got sick of it and moved the monster out onto my front porch. I put up an ad describing it and saying that it was free to the first person to haul it away.
I got home the next day (it's mid-April by now) and saw that someone had strapped the washer to a furniture dolly and had left me a note saying that he would be back the next day to haul it away. Apparently he had tried to move it himself and had quickly realized that he needed help. I called him back and confirmed that he was coming.
Several days passed and the washer was still there. I called the guy again. He made some excuses and said he would come and get it. This back and forth continued until June, when he called me and said he wasn't comfortable taking the washing machine because he suspected that I was mad at an ex-boyfriend and was getting rid of his belongings in a fit of rage. (I have no idea where he came up with that one. Maybe he was projecting something that was going on in his personal life.) Meanwhile, nobody else wanted it either. I asked the guy when he wanted to come retrieve his furniture dolly, and he kept putting me off.
I finally got so sick of the ugly washer on my porch that I decided to haul it to the dump. I called my dad and he came with the minivan on a Saturday morning. We managed to get it down the stairs and to the dump. It cost me $50 to dispose of it, and I took my dad out to lunch for his trouble, costing another $15 or so.
So, the total cost of the "free" washer/dryer combo that lasted me for 10 loads: $90. Oops. Free can sometimes be expensive.
Story 2 "They Don't Make Things Like They Used to, and Sometimes That's a Good Thing"- Setting: March-August 2006
While the nonsense with the impossible to dispose of behemoth was going on, my clothes still had to get clean. I looked into other ways of having a washer in my apartment, and I stumbled upon the Wonderwash. Basically, it looks like the offspring of a propane tank and a slot machine. You put your laundry, detergent, and water in, close the lid, and crank it for two minutes. Then you drain the water, fill it with clean water and crank it for another minute to rinse. Then you wring your clothes out and dry them.
The wonderwash worked ok, but it was extremely labor intensive. I was basically hand-washing everything. Also, it's really small, so I could only wash a few items at a time. Since it doesn't have a spin cycle, my clothes took forever to dry on the clothesline I had strung up in my shower to compensate for the loss of my dryer.
I still have the wonderwash sitting in a closet somewhere. If I ever have a laundry emergency during a power outage, I'm good to go.
Story 3 "All Good Things Must Come to an End"- Setting: February 2009
In August 2006, I bought an apartment sized washing machine. It's made by some company in China called Haier. It's about the size of a garbage can, and it's designed to hook up to the sink and roll away into a closet when not in use. It can only wash small loads, and it plays "Jingle Bells" at the end of the cycle. I found a 110 volt dryer in December 2006, and I leave it on my balcony so that it can vent. All in all, I've got a pretty good setup. No more laundromats for me.
Well, when you buy a $100 washing machine that comes from some unknown company in China and is made of plastic, a limited life-span is to be expected. When I first got the washer, I was the only person using it. I'm single and I don't generate much laundry. Now, both of my roommates are using it as well, and they each have a kid. So, instead of laundry for one adult, it's laundry for three adults and two children.
About three months ago, the washer started making awful clunking noises during the spin cycle. I took a look at it and noticed the belt was getting worn. I trimmed the loose bits of rubber and that seemed to fix it for a short while. About a month ago, it started making the noise again, and clothes would come out soaking wet, as if it hadn't been through a spin cycle. I replaced the belt last week. (It took that long for the part to arrive.) The first load worked like a dream. The second load was back to the clunking, whirring jet-engine noise and soaked clothing.
I figured it was toast, so I started scouring the internet for a replacement. A new one was going to cost $200. I found some on craigslist ranging from $50 to $120. At first I was hesitant to buy a used appliance that only had a lifespan of 2 1/2 years, but I decided I was cheap. Anyway, the first appointment fell through, and my roommate managed to limp the washer along a little while longer.
Last night, I did my laundry again, and I had to majorly wring my clothes out. The spin cycle is completely toast, but the rest of it works fine. Now I have to figure out what to do. My options are:
1. Replace the washer. This would have the advantage of getting a fresh start and may end up being the easiest solution. Still, I'm hesitant because the washer still gets my clothes clean.
2. Deal with it the way it is now. This may be the cheapest solution. However, it's a pain to have to wring out the clothes, and even when I wring them out, they still take longer in the dryer because I'm not as good as a spin cycle. Plus, I don't know how dilligent my roommates are going to be about wringing out their clothes, and I'm the one paying the electric bill.
3. Invest in a spin dryer. I've recently become aware of a nifty contraption called a spin dryer. Basically, it's an appliance that is like a souped-up spin cycle. It spins at about 3200 rpm and uses centrifugal force to extract the water. You run it for 2-3 minutes per load. It cuts down drying time because the clothes are practcally dry already.
So, that's my laundry saga. Who knew that getting clothes clean could be such a task. At least I don't have to beat my clothes with rocks in the river.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Goodbye, Sunglasses
When I was 15 1/2, I bought a pair of sunglasses to celebrate getting my learner's permit. My original goal was to have them last at least until I got my driver's license. I paid $9.99 for them. My dad said he thought I would lose them before my 16th birthday.
I loved those sunglasses. Not only did I manage to hang onto them well past my birthday, I managed to hang onto them into and past college. Those sunglasses have been sat on, stepped on, and left in the hot car to melt. They still survived and thrived. They've been to France, Israel, Canada, North Carolina, and Virginia. I wore them in an Air Force uniform, in missionary attire, and in normal clothing. Those sunglasses were a part of me.
Last week I went to put them on and the temple snapped clean off. There's no repairing them. It's time to move on and find a new pair. I hope I can find another pair as good and sturdy.
I loved those sunglasses. Not only did I manage to hang onto them well past my birthday, I managed to hang onto them into and past college. Those sunglasses have been sat on, stepped on, and left in the hot car to melt. They still survived and thrived. They've been to France, Israel, Canada, North Carolina, and Virginia. I wore them in an Air Force uniform, in missionary attire, and in normal clothing. Those sunglasses were a part of me.
Last week I went to put them on and the temple snapped clean off. There's no repairing them. It's time to move on and find a new pair. I hope I can find another pair as good and sturdy.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Feeling Overwhelmed
I haven't blogged in a while because I've been swamped. The nature of temp work is that it's either feast or famine, and I've been blessed with steady regular temp work for the last few weeks. This is in addition to the weekend job that I hold down to give me health insurance and tide me over during the dry spells. Oh, and I'm still in law school. Needless to say, I'm exhausted. The company I've been temping at is considering hiring me on full-time in the HR department. (Of course, if I had a dollar for every company that has told me that, I would be able to take you out to a nice dinner...)
So, I need to make some choices and changes, and what better way to base major life decisions than by taking a poll of anonymous internet people?
Update: We're going to do this low-tech because I couldn't get the polling software to work properly. If you want to vote, please leave your answer in the comments.
Trudy should...
a) Keep things the way they are. It's only for 2-3 more years, and who needs sleep anyway?
b) Stay in law school part-time and work full-time as Catbert's minion.
c) Switch to full-time law school and graduate with a mortgage sized student loan debt load.
d) Stay in law school part-time and work full-time as a Biglaw paralegal.
e) Forget law school and join the circus.
So, I need to make some choices and changes, and what better way to base major life decisions than by taking a poll of anonymous internet people?
Update: We're going to do this low-tech because I couldn't get the polling software to work properly. If you want to vote, please leave your answer in the comments.
Trudy should...
a) Keep things the way they are. It's only for 2-3 more years, and who needs sleep anyway?
b) Stay in law school part-time and work full-time as Catbert's minion.
c) Switch to full-time law school and graduate with a mortgage sized student loan debt load.
d) Stay in law school part-time and work full-time as a Biglaw paralegal.
e) Forget law school and join the circus.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Trials of Fake Post Offices
I'm sure you've seen those post office branches. They're post offices, but not post offices, and they're commonly found in places like greeting card shops. (I won't name names, but the chain rhymes with "ballpark".) Sometimes they're convenient, and I mail a lot of stuff, so I like to think I know the ropes about mailing.
Usually I'll go to the regular post office, but it's tucked away in a little corner of town surrounded by one-way streets and poor traffic control. One day last summer, I went to the fake post office at the local "ballpark" store intending to mail a book. There was a man staffing the counter who I'm pretty sure was the forgotten eighth dwarf, Surly, who didn't make it into Snow White's story. He snapped at a little old lady for asking how much it would be to mail a calendar. When it was my turn, I presented my package. Surly weighed it and quoted the price. I tried to pay using exact change, and he wouldn't accept my pennies. He was quite rude about it, so I decided to take my business elsewhere. I've never mailed at "ballpark" since.
Today, I needed to mail another book. I had to be on campus early for a meeting today, so I figured I would just mail it from the university post office. (This is at a private university.) I went down into the cavernous recesses of the student union basement and ventured into the underground parcel lair. I'm sure the woman who staffed the counter must be Surly's sister. I presented my package and she weighed it. She quoted me a price, something like $2.53 and said cash only. I pulled out three $1 coins to pay. She looked at me with a scowl and said "I don't accept those." I politely informed her that it was valid U.S. currency, and she scowled and said that she couldn't exchange them (whatever that was supposed to mean). She said I could go next door to the quick mart to get change. I was annoyed, so I politely asked for my package back. I'll mail it from the real post office on my way home.
It's pretty sad that the people at the government run post office actually provide better customer service than people at privately run post offices. What's so hard about accepting U.S. money to mail packages from the U.S., to the U.S. to be delivered by the U.S. postal service?
Usually I'll go to the regular post office, but it's tucked away in a little corner of town surrounded by one-way streets and poor traffic control. One day last summer, I went to the fake post office at the local "ballpark" store intending to mail a book. There was a man staffing the counter who I'm pretty sure was the forgotten eighth dwarf, Surly, who didn't make it into Snow White's story. He snapped at a little old lady for asking how much it would be to mail a calendar. When it was my turn, I presented my package. Surly weighed it and quoted the price. I tried to pay using exact change, and he wouldn't accept my pennies. He was quite rude about it, so I decided to take my business elsewhere. I've never mailed at "ballpark" since.
Today, I needed to mail another book. I had to be on campus early for a meeting today, so I figured I would just mail it from the university post office. (This is at a private university.) I went down into the cavernous recesses of the student union basement and ventured into the underground parcel lair. I'm sure the woman who staffed the counter must be Surly's sister. I presented my package and she weighed it. She quoted me a price, something like $2.53 and said cash only. I pulled out three $1 coins to pay. She looked at me with a scowl and said "I don't accept those." I politely informed her that it was valid U.S. currency, and she scowled and said that she couldn't exchange them (whatever that was supposed to mean). She said I could go next door to the quick mart to get change. I was annoyed, so I politely asked for my package back. I'll mail it from the real post office on my way home.
It's pretty sad that the people at the government run post office actually provide better customer service than people at privately run post offices. What's so hard about accepting U.S. money to mail packages from the U.S., to the U.S. to be delivered by the U.S. postal service?
Monday, January 19, 2009
Un-Shopping
I really dislike running errands. It's just a big pain that takes away from other things I would rather be doing, like reading, sleeping, working, etc. Shopping is my least favorite errand, because not only is it annoying, it's also expensive.
Last week, my to-do list finally got so long I couldn't put it off any longer. I got started on what I like to call un-shopping. I had some old clothes that needed to go to the thrift store. I had some books that I needed to sell to the used bookstore. I had a television antenna that I needed to return to Radio Shack. So, I started out with a bunch of stuff and no money, and I ended my trip with no stuff and a bunch of money. Much better than shopping.
Last week, my to-do list finally got so long I couldn't put it off any longer. I got started on what I like to call un-shopping. I had some old clothes that needed to go to the thrift store. I had some books that I needed to sell to the used bookstore. I had a television antenna that I needed to return to Radio Shack. So, I started out with a bunch of stuff and no money, and I ended my trip with no stuff and a bunch of money. Much better than shopping.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year!
I've been a vacationing slacker. (I haven't been slacking in my vacationing duties; I've been on vacation and slacking at everything else.) As such, I completely neglected to make posts about Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, or any other holidays celebrated this time of year. I'm going to at least recognize what my cousin refers to as "the arbitrarily designated end and start of the Earth's revolution". So, there you have it, Happy New Year.
I make resolutions each year, and I break them by the end of January. Here's this year's list:
1) I resolve to stop procrastinating...tomorrow.
2) I resolve to tone down the sarcasm. (Yeah, right...)
I make resolutions each year, and I break them by the end of January. Here's this year's list:
1) I resolve to stop procrastinating...tomorrow.
2) I resolve to tone down the sarcasm. (Yeah, right...)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)