I did a really stupid thing. Well, okay, I’ve done MANY really stupid things. I’ll focus on one in particular.
A few weeks ago, I popped something into my trusty little toaster oven. Nothing happened. It didn’t get hot – nor did the food I put in it. I turned it off, unplugged it, and tried again in a day or two. I guess I was hoping I could “reboot” it like a computer. Still, nothing happened. I wiggled knobs, tried changing the temperature – nothing.
It seemed quite odd it would just “quit”. I’d expect it to die slowly – start cooking slower, or have one of the two heat lamps go out first, something like that. It was just not working at all.
After a frustrating week or two, I resigned myself that it was broken. I ordered a new one, and put the old one out by the trash – where the junk collectors would pick it up for the scrap metal.
My new toaster oven arrived. I plugged it in, and started it up. Nothing happened. I opened the instruction manual (always a last resort) and looked through to see if there was something special about starting it up for the first time. I didn’t see anything. I double-checked to make sure I removed all the packing materials. I had. What the heck??? Did I get a “lemon”?
I turned it off, unplugged it and plugged it back in. I wiggled knobs. I wondered if I should try another outlet. It was then that I realized, the GFC outlet was not operative. I pressed the little “reset” button and the oven started up fine. The good feeling of knowing I hadn’t bought a lemon was outweighed by the knowledge I’d thrown away a perfectly good toaster oven.
I also have can opener woes. I had no issue with my old can opener – it was a basic little manual can opener, nothing fancy, but it opened cans. Then my roommate moved in last Fall. She complained about my can opener every time she used it. I ignored her complaints, thinking my can opener was fine and if she didn’t like it, she could buy her own. She did buy her own. I have to admit, hers was much nicer and opened cans more easily than mine did.
The roommate moved out, taking her can opener with her. I decided to throw out my old can opener and buy a new one. I got the exact same brand and model she had. My new can opener is horrible. It won’t latch on to the cans, it won’t stay latched on, it won’t cut through the metal. I hate it.
I won’t even go into how much I hate my washing machine, as does everyone else who has ever used it. At least I like my new toaster oven, though I liked my old one just fine as well.
Submitted for publication in the Greeley Citizen
