"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny." -- unknown

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results - Albert Einstein

water on the floor
May 17, 2008 - 11:55 am

That's probably the wrong phrase.

Keeping with the water theme... I also ran the dishwasher today and saw a bit of water on the floor. Just little. I wracked my brain to see if I'd been doing anything to cause water on the floor... as the dishwasher ran.

I had not.

A brief exploration revealed a bit of water on part of the door. So it seems I've got a leak in a seal in the door. In the past, such a problem has present no problem at all. I was a renter. Just call the landlord or office and all's fixed in whatever time frame they feel like fixing it. It's really of no concern to me.

However, I'm now the landlord and office all in one. Getting a new item isn't such a big deal, in fact... having to buy one is something of novelty. I've never had to buy one before, but I've sure seen the multitude of different ones in stores before. Always been a bit boggled by the amount of choices.

In truth, the biggest choice I'll have is what style. Right now I've got... what I'd call old school-type appliances. Nothing wrong with them, just mean they are basically black and white.. and I plan on using each until each dies a long slow lingering death that hopefully doesn't involve major damage of any sort.

New school.. would be something like stainless steel. New school would a bit past being functional items and more into having a sense of style, of design.

This is what makes the dishwasher important.

At least according to the current thought processes of my slightly deluded mind.

If I go with a fancy new school washer, then I'll go new school with the stove and refrigerator. If I go old school, then so shall the other two go in their time.

Of course, as I ponder this... I sort of already went down this road a few months ago when I bought a microwave. I bought a stainless one... I think mostly because it was on sale.

Am I really a fan of stainless? I'll say no... I've very little 'metal' in my house. I'm decidedly a wood person. In fact... I was considering my ceilings the other day and how very awesome they would look with wooden beam rafters -- at least in the very high places and on the sloped ones. Yes, my roof is not all rectangular, I've got some funky sloped corners.

Anyway. As for as appliances go... I suppose the truth is I don't care. I want a quiet dishwasher. That's really it. Cycles and options and movable tines... what the fuck is all this about?

I'll tell you... companies need to find a way to make money, so they create "options" no one really needs... but in offering them they help sort people into two basic groups:

1) those who want to pay more (and yes, there are a great many people who knowing nothing about two products will invariably choose the more expensive one)
2) those who want the lowest price

It's a very basic thing to say, so hold off on all your counter arguments. A simpler example is done with coffee.

A coffee shop may offer a special "organic" coffee for an extra $0.20 or whatever. Think about that for a moment. These "organic beans" that make up your coffee surely don't cost that much. It's one f'ing cup. I doubt if the real cost of these organic beans more than a penny per cup. What they are saying.. is hey you folks in group 1 who want to pay more, here's the option for you. You folks who want to pay less, go with the regular coffee.

The store makes more off group 1 who is glad to pay it.. and everyone wins.

Anyway. My point is really about dishwashers. Right? My point is really, I'd probably fall into group 2 on a dishwasher. As long as it cleans and is quiet, I don't much care. I don't need a dozen cycle choices. I really don't.

However.. what lingers in my head what if you sell? Well, what about when you sell? The appliances stay. A nice appliance will help move the place. Most folks seem to like stainless -- in fact, finding a person from group 1 to buy my place would be i-fucking-deal. They want what they want.. and will pay.

I was surely a group 1'er when I bought here. It was the only place I'd seen in months that had all I wanted. I mean all. Location, features... setting... as good as it could possibly get for my price range -- or surely in the top 1 or 2%. So I jumped and I'm happy.

Buying this dishwasher will be chore. I know me... It will be lots of internet researching.. haggling.. debating... going to stores and looking. I know the price range, that's the easy part. It's sorting out the 'style' and how to get it installed... does that come with? An extra? Will they take the old leaky one away? I assume I've got to pay extra for the install.. even had to do that with the crapper.

So.. what's my point? I'm not sure really, but earlier today.. there was a bit of water on the floor and I'm thankful my cat has a short-term memory issues.