Monday, July 20, 2009

Adventure Day 1 - The excitement begins!

Well, I am a good part of the way through my first day of 40 on my great adventure. Now I have the feat of telling you how it all played out. The drama … the excitement … the big fat fight I witnessed in the laundry room.

I’ll have to get to that later. First I have to say I am a big fat grouch pants today, or at least I have become one. I’ll admit much of it has to do with having a final ice cap and donut which kept me up 3 ½ hours past my bedtime. Oh well, I’m glad I did it. Anyways I woke up at my normal too early time, with only 5 hours of sleep. I say that fully knowing that some people (at least one person) reading this, probably is lucky to get 5 hours sleep in a night. I’m used to 7 or 8 so I’m going to admit that I was tired when I got up, however I got up. And I was excited for my challenges.

I decided that I would try and tackle #10 on my list and work on going to the gym 6 times this week (my gym is only open 6 days in a week). I guess deep down I want to get that one over with, and I’m going to a wedding on Saturday and it wouldn’t hurt the bod. I went and worked out at the gym, posted a few random thoughts here, got clean, then enjoyed a great conversation with my auntie on the phone – man my day started out GREAT! I splurged with a chicken nugget and baked potato lunch, accompanied by far too much honey for dipping and a dollop or two too much sour cream – I’m off of sugary goodness I have to make up for it somewhere.

After lunch I decided to go tackle an ‘experience’ and visit the laundry room. It was time for me to get to know a dryer. So I took my 2 loads of laundry down to the 1st floor and began the process. I decided to be productive and leave it washing while I walked Sweet and Sour, no big deal. I then returned to take the clothes that I would hang up back to the apartment, after I put the others in the dryer. I loaded them in and filled the machine with change – 75 cents … wait it costs 25 cents for 5 minutes and unless these are miracle dryers there was no way my stuff was going to get dry in 15 minutes. I quickly added up how much more change I needed and thought to myself ‘THIS is why I don’t use the dryer when things can dry all on their own.’ I took the rest of the wet laundry upstairs and hung it, then grabbed my change.

I thought I’d quickly check my e-mail before going back. I did, then I grabbed my book and off I went. (Keep in mind I have now used the elevator 4 times in the past 20 minutes because I had also just taken the doggies out – these elevators are slower than molasses in January) and off I went again. As soon as the elevator door closed I realized I forgot to grab a laundry basket – I got my book, but that wouldn’t help me carry up my clothes (and knowing my luck I’d leave a Hansel and Gretel trail of sparkly undies for the creepiest old man to follow back to our apartment). I waited out the very long elevator ride and went back to our dwelling. I decided to go use the washroom quick before I went back. Once I’d done that, off I went again. Got into the elevator, to the laundry room, saw that the laundry needed a few more minutes and then realized I once again forgot the basket – grrrrrrrr!

So back I went, lucky to be on the elevator with the same old lady that several months back, saw me get on the elevator with my backpack and immediately asked if I was sick. I replied no and couldn’t figure out why in the world she asked me that out of no where. Then she went on and on about people travelling all over from Mexico with the swine flu and that she didn’t want to get sick – she was very annoyed. (Uh, hello, like I’d be travelling to Mexico with just my backpack – do I look like someone who would do that?). Anyway this broad held her tongue for both rides and I thanked the Lord above. I FINALLY got my laundry basket and went back down to the laundry room and that’s when I witnessed the laundry room brawl!

I went and checked my stuff, which still had 5 minutes, then went and sat with my book on a nearby bench. As I sat a little old lady, who maybe weighs a hundred pounds soak and wet, remarked to a big burly man about the 5 washing machines he was taking up (there are only maybe nine in total) . The man was a cheery sort … initially. He took it in stride at first, but then she wouldn’t let it go. He said that he had to work so he couldn’t come at all different times and asked what he was supposed to do. She kept challenging him and wouldn’t back off. I sat very quietly pretending to read my very spiritual book (come on, I wasn’t going to miss this – finally someone was calling someone else on breaking the ‘only use 2 washers at a time’ rule, which I had diligently followed – I’ve been waiting for this for months!!!).

After the rather intense confrontation (aka fight) was over I breathed a sigh of relief and went over to get my dry laundry. Only thing was that it hadn’t completely dried, harrumph! After all of the elevatoring I had done and waiting and watching, my towels and socks were still damp! Oh well. I had completed my task, I had used the dryer. Most of the stuff was dry, so I folded it up, went back to our apartment and hung what was still damp. I then decided that for all that hassle (not to mention the 2 bucks in quarters down the tubes), I would continue to hang every article of laundry I had. (Even though I have to admit, it was soooo nice not to have crunchy washcloths, socks and underwear – and yes that’s with fabric softener).

My concluding thoughts on using the dryer for the first time: Though I am too frugal to take advantage of the luxury of a dryer on a regular basis, I am indeed very glad I put this item on my list. Now I know how to use it if I want to (ok so it wasn’t that hard) and if I ever need it again I won’t contemplate for months before giving it a try.

THAT’S what this experience is about, trying new things so that I’ll try more new things … big or small. I wonder what’s on tap for tomorrow … Tequila or a bikini … I’m not sure but I think I’ll need the Tequila in order to get to the bikini.

Cheers!

Randomness…

Last night at work:
I apparently was asking Guy a lot of questions (the same guy I’ve mentioned before), such as: Where are you going? What are you doing? Why are you doing that? He responds to me with: ‘Eva, why are you so curious all of the time. You shouldn’t be – wanna know why? Because curiosity killed the cat Eva and you don’t want to die!!!’ Understand he said this with sincere urgency and in great seriousness.

Later Guy asked why I always held my head, looked down and shook it after he said stuff. I had no comment for him.

I was at the gym this morning and one lady said to another ‘It keeps slipping out, I can’t help it’ – in my head I laughed … I sometimes have a dirty mind.

Today on my walk with the poochies I passed by a Hershey’s wrapper that was lying on the ground, in that moment I hated #1 on my list.

Before I went to the gym this morning I had no e-mail, when I came home I had 4, 3 of which were from real people. First of all this is like the highlight of my day (I love real e-mails) and second of all, I learned that between 7-8 in the morning people are checking their e-mail.

Wally is a great writer and public speaker. He does whatever he does well. I have bad punctuation and say um a lot (or just too much of whatever’s roaming through my mind).

My list of 40 things to do in 40 days seems to be growing in my head (of course I’m now starting the next list). I’ve also decided to be a complete and true cheeseball and begin a ‘bucket list’. I love cheese. I really do.

Speaking of cheese – I haven’t tried enough different kinds – its number 1 on my next list – Try 5 new kinds of cheese. I don’t know if I’ll wait the 40 days for that one.

I think that when I type I’m dyslexic.

I met a woman at the gym today, who had great legs, the perfect hair, looked around 30. She has five kids, the oldest of which is 20. She strikes me as a genuinely happy person. She introduced herself to me, and said hello to several ladies by name. All around, she was just too cute for her own good. I liked her a lot and hated her a little.

I just realized the grammar check in MS Word sometimes has worse grammar than me or I, whoever.