Laundry Night

And now a word from Chairman Mao: "What is work? Work is struggle. There are difficulties and problems in those places for us to overcome and solve. We go there to work and struggle to overcome these difficulties. A good comrade is one who is more eager to go where the difficulties are greater."

Regular readers of the newsletter may have discovered what those who have worked with me have known all along: there’s nothing I enjoy more than sharing the intimate details of my life with everybody else. With this in mind, I would like to tell you about the center of my existence, the very foundation which all else revolves around – laundry night.

For me, laundry night is Friday night. This came to be because the last place I lived was woefully short on laundry machines, for the size of the building I was in. I discovered the best night to do my laundry was Friday night since most other people had a life to live and Friday night was as good as any to live it.

With my move to my current apartment, the gridlock over equipment has lessened, but establishing a tradition, I have continued to do my laundry on Friday nights.

For most, laundry night isn’t a big deal. To me it’s more than the separation of white and dark, more than choosing powder or liquid; many weekly decisions are based on working toward a successful laundry night. I have to make sure by Friday, I have at least four dollars in quarters to cover a week’s worth of dirty clothes. Since I refuse to take the easy way out and get a roll of quarters from my friendly bank people, this means plotting out a strategy during the week to accumulate the right amount of change.

During the week I like to enjoy a can of fruit juice each morning. The downstairs vending machine sells this item for seventy-five cents. Since the machine accepts one dollar bills in payment, this means I can collect five quarters a week and still enjoy my morning beverage.

This leaves eleven quarters to be gleamed from other sources. Groceries, gas and gum, more often than not covers this amount. If it is getting close I will cash a dollar in change- a bit of a cop out, but sometimes a necessity. Like the diligent government employee I’ve become, I’ve also

"…most other people had a life to live and Friday night was as good as any to live it."

Discovered the value of saving all quarters I come in contact with. Sometimes my bookshelf at home will have as much as two weeks worth of laundry money on top!

The ritual for the grand night itself has developed into something special. I get home around five o’clock on Friday evening. I play with my cat, Max, and sometimes lie down for a nap- have to be well rested for the upcoming events.

Max and I have our own "stupid pet trick." As I’m removing the sheets from my bed, he’ll tear into the bedroom and hide on the now stripped bed. I’ll put the new sheets on and he’ll lie under them and paw and claw at me.

NEXT WEEK: IRONING TIPS!!!!!!!!!