Outtake from conversation with kitchen contractor:

Actual conversation.


Contractor: Are the cabinets going to be there on the 28th? If not, and if you can't confirm by tomorrow, then I'm gonna keep fishing this week.

Me: I'll confirm that for you.

Contractor: I mean, we gotta get going, because my house closes soon and I would rather work on my own place.

Me: I see. Well let me find out about those cabinets because we would like you to start earning the deposit we just paid you.



Contractors. They exemplify the new customer service, don't they?



In other news, there is nothing new to report in the world of decor.





I went to Banya5 last night (stupid name, admittedly). It's a kind of modern Russian bath located in the South Lake Union area of Seattle. You've got your sauna, your steam room, your cold plunge (properly named Really Fucking Cold Plunge), your hot tub, and your salt-water body-temp soaking pool. I am pretty sure that I steamed/soaked/beat every last bit of 2008 toxins from my body. I feel like a new person. If you're in the Seattle area, I highly recommend it.

The only problem was last night, there were tons of dudes. More than usual. The good news is that only the guys do platza, which is the art of beating the crap out of one another in the sauna with water-soaked oak leaves (called venik). And since there were so many guys, there was a lot of free entertainment there. The process is supposed to rejuvenate you and rid the body of toxins. I just think it's really a way for straight dudes to work out their sexual issues in a safe way, but that's just me. It's a good show. The added benefit is that the process of flapping the oak leaves in the air brings down all the heat from the top of the sauna, so everybody wins.

The other bad thing was the Loud Talker who seemed to be on the same circuit of steam/soak/sauna/plunge as me, and he couldn't shut up about the economy and how BAAAAAD it is. Dude, you just paid $35 to get the crap beaten out of you for two hours, how bad can it be? I would like all conversation about the economy to stop. Just wake me when it's over.

That is all. Enjoy your Monday. Happy MLK day. The dream is alive. (Except for Chinamen on walls n' stuff.)