10.31.2008

Cabinetry Conundrum

The onset of fall has led my boyfriend to dive into a furious frenzy of spring cleaning--he is from the east, so west coast "seasons" mean very little to him.  In a fit of rage at his bedrooms lack of storage capabilities, he demanded a late night trip to target.


The nonsensical remodel and renovation of my local target left us lost and confused in search of a filing cabinet.  We then realized target lacks such practical necessities as filing cabinets.  We weighed the pros and cons of a relatively inexpensive set of drawers, heaved them into the brand-new all-plastic cart, only to find a cheaper version the next aisle over.

An hour, $65, and a pack of low cal gatorade (quite possibly one of the greatest inventions of late) later we ripped the contents from the shelves box and began to throw it together.

I never knew carpentry could be a point of argument.  Oh how I have learned.  He wanted to read the pictograms, I wanted to build on instinct.  He stripped the screws, I flipped the top and bottom.  Two hours later our cabinet is nearly complete, our thumbs are sore from rogue hammer thrusts, and we realized that the jerkass company neglected to provide screw holes for the cabinets latch.  That was enough. we are suing. and quite possibly never buying ridiculously cheap furniture from target. ever. again.

and a memo to others who wish to have a date over a hammer, nails, and masonite--don't just don't do it. Hire a professional. Have Ikea assemble for you.  Splurge on pre-built stuff.  It won't save you money, but at least will prevent unnecessary headaches and heartaches.


4.30.2008

Spring Cleaning

Obscenely warm weather and hard case of the sneezes have alerted my senses to the existence of spring. Once again the time has come to clear out the dust bunnies, scarp the old swimsuit thats elastic has the stretch of soggy spaghetti, and clean.

Why is it we choose spring as the time to rip open our closets, grab our skeletons, and stick them on the curb for the whole neighborhood to see? Wouldn't winter be a more appropriate season, when everyone is too cold to peer out their windows at their neighbors' dirty laundry?

It has been said that a person's living space be it bedroom, living room, office, or car reflects the place he/she is in in life. A messy room means a person's life has become scattered, and disorganized. Perhaps it too has developed the aroma of unwashed socks. Perhaps, this is what prompts the urge for a good April or May clean. But, what about people who are just messy? Is spring cleaning and the theory of house reflecting life not just a big fat insult to their way of life?

Maybe. Regardless, there is dust to bust and dirt to devil--best get scouring.

4.29.2008

Breakup Etiquette

Until recently, the phrase "breakup etiquette" was more foreign to me than the concept of deep fried twinkies (yet equally unappetizing). A good friend's breakup has lead me to question the "rules" of post-breakup behavior. What are these rules? Who wrote them? Where can I get a copy?


Breakups are a tricky thing as one world transitions back into two during awkward exchange of socks and cds. Neither party knows exactly what to say, or when to say it. Customarily there is a grace period between first breakup and last goodbye, allowing each member to cool there jets, self reflect, construct apologies, and beg for forgiveness. What happens when that grace period doesn't exist?

How are two beings expected to coexist when one ignores the so called "space" the terminated relationship needs?

The problem I see is this: there are no rules.

Nowhere does is say "Thou shall not call for 48 hours after breakup," "Thou shall not fear ex's decision to take up krav maga," "Thou shall throw ex's dirty laundry in closest dumpster."

Therefore, with no rules, or rather, guidelines, we are left in the dark wondering if our actions fit into this neat little box with a time stamp on it revolving around said dumpage.

So to this I say scrap the crap about breakup etiquette. Do unto your new ex as you would have him/her do unto you. There is no proper dumping, so why waste the time fretting? No one expects you to act like a lady or gentleman. There are no finishing schools for this stuff, so tip your hats adieu, go about your lives, and let a new relationships (and most likely new breakups) ensue.