Thursday, July 3, 2008

another one bites the dust.

We went to one of those warehouse stores the other night to buy the meat for the party tomorrow.

(…Oh, yeah, the party... 4th of July/Mom’s birthday party…it’s a big one and I am so horribly freaking out about it that I’m having trouble sleeping and eating and just generally want to crawl under a rock. Or move to a different country and change my name, whichever. Family (at least my family) situations are stressful enough but this party has the potential to turn ugly. At best, it’s going to be strained and painfully awkward. (Whoohoo! Happy birthday, Mom! Love ya!) If I’m lucky I’ll be thoroughly anesthetized by a good IPA by the time they light the candles on the cakes…that I still have to bake today.)

Anyway, after we had picked up some bratwurst, the biggest can of baked beans I’ve ever seen in my life, and a Hawaiian shirt for Mike, we stopped to look at the electronics.

“I think we need a new alarm clock,” Mike mentioned, oh-so-casually.

“What? Why? We just got that one!” I knew what was coming, so I was working up some exasperation in advance.

“No, it’s really old.” (Mike has a different concept of “old”, at least when it comes to small appliances. We got that alarm clock after we moved into our house, so it’s about 3 years old. In fact, it seems like most electrical things last about 3 years when exposed to Mike - once is coincidence, twice is happenstance, three times….?) “And the buttons don’t work or something. I set my alarm every night and it doesn’t go off in the mornings anymore.”

I should have suspected that time was running out for the alarm clock when it started making that random beeping sound. I sighed and said, “I’m not going to say it. We both know what happened so I’m not going to say it.

Mike looked sheepish, but still stubbornly stuck to his denial. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Okay, fine. Be that way. But you’re still getting a wind-up.”

He grinned, delighted at the idea of a shiny little clock ticktickticking away on the nightstand, right next to the rotary phone.

14 comments:

Less said...

Anyway, after we had picked up some bratwurst, the biggest can of baked beans I’ve ever seen in my life, and a Hawaiian shirt for Mike, we stopped to look at the electronics.

So, you shop at Costco too??

;)

Anonymous said...

That's interesting. My alarm clock was bought in 1995 (or thereabouts). It was banged with crutches every morning for 4 years (high school) and slapped the living s*** out of almost every morning since. It has crossed the Atlantic not once but twice, to Scotland and back, in a soft-sided suitcase. It has run on 80-year old Scottish wiring.

It still works perfectly.

Anonymous said...

Windup alarm clock. Puts me to mind of sleeping on the sofabed at Great-grandma's house, and the sound of the grandfather clock ticking away -- tick... tock... -- out in the hall.

SWMBO has an old Regulator clock that I'd love to get working some day.

M

Mike W. said...

I'm with Legman. My alarm clock has to be at least 10 years old and still works. It's been dropped, kicked, stepped on, knocked off the bed, table etc. in a drunken stupor.

I love the thing, and it's so loud it literally shocks you out of bed.

Anonymous said...

Just bought my third of those Jamaica Jaxx tropical shirts at Costco two days ago. Every time there I decide I need another one. They'll probably sell out their stock before I decide I have enough of them.

Ride Fast said...

I own a few hand guns that are older than my 1920's Underwood typewriter. They're cool because they are not newish at all.

Anonymous said...

I use my cell phone as an alarm clock. Plays Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" . . . gets the job done.
- Brad

Carteach said...

I love wind up alarm clocks....
Tick....Tick...... BRAAAAP!

Myself, I really don't need an alarm clock. Something totally screwed up in my head wakes me at 5:22 every day. No matter if I have to or not.

Ruth said...

lol, if it makes you feel any better I had to stop wearing watches on my wrist because they'd just stop working after about 6 or 8 months. Replacing the battery didn't solve the problem. I finially switched to a watch on a caribiner type hook on my belt and so far have managed not to kill it. I seem to have a similer effect on coffee makers, but so far my alarm clock and computer have survived just fine. It is weird though.

Zendo Deb said...

It isn't that unusual to kill electronics. I don't wear electric watches anymore - in fact I just don't plain wear them in years... (I don't even know what day it is most days, why do I care about the time?)

aepilot_jim said...

Okay, so I had to go back and read the "demagnetizing ass" post and the image of that affecting the clock has me giggling still.

Anonymous said...

I still have an analog clock-radio that I bought in 1973 or '74. The dial is no longer lighted, but it still works.

Tam said...

I still use the stylin' Sony Dream Machine I bought almost 20 years ago...

phlegmfatale said...

I seem to have whatever Mike has. Oh, and I addle cash registers, too- they become befuddled when I come near. I frequently warn other shoppers not to get in line behind me because the register is due to malfunction.