You know you are getting old when:

[ChiTownScion]

Every landuromat I've ever been in in fifty-five years of life has been dirty, smelly, and run down filled with tired, sad-eyed people staring vacantly into space or thumbing thru dog-eared, coffee-stained copies of the "Watchtower" as they wait for their loads to dry. I don't believe I have ever been in a more joyless place in all the world than any laundromat, with the possible exception of a hospital cafeteria on Christmas Eve.

I'll proffer an even more joyless place: Casino de Montréal. Only other gambling venue I've ever been in are the slot machine areas of Las Vegas Airport, while waiting for a connecting flight.. Those seem pretty grim and depressing as well.

Now, I can't say that all casinos are like that--- but after having experienced what I did, I really don't want to find out. At least at a laundromat, you come out with a basket or two full of clean clothes for your quarters.

 

[ChiTownScion]

With two washers and two dryers, a sink, and a built in folding table, I suppose that I have my own laundromat in my basement. Wish that we'd had the double capacity when we had a baby in the house: those things are awfully cute but they're messy as hell and it seemed like we were always running loads of laundry back in those days.

 

[tonyb]

There was an apparently short-lived trend 20-plus years ago for combination laundromat/taverns, and laundromat/coffeehouses, etc. Seemed like a great idea. But all such establishments I knew of are now defunct, which I gotta think can be attributed in large part to the increasing prevalence of "apartment size" washer/dryer combos. Rare these days are apartments without in-unit laundry facilities, leastwise those apartments built or remodeled in the past couple of decades.

I lived without washer and dryer in a freestanding house for nearly 20 years. So I put in my hours at the laundromat. But I got real good at washing shirts in the kitchen sink. It's been nearly 20 years since I lived in that little house. These days I'd buy a replacement washer and/or dryer before I'd resort to the laundromat.

FWIW, perfectly serviceable secondhand major appliances can be had cheap these days. The refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher in our rental we had for zero dollars because the person who presented them to us just wanted rid of 'em.

 

[HanauMan]

We have a washer / dryer at home nowadays but when we were students my wife and I did plenty of courting in various Laundromats, saying sweet nothings to each other while waiting for the washing cycles to finish. Or else we studied for our courses.

Well, I feel old now!

 

[BobHufford]

When you fall back on muscle memory from long ago. Twice this week I've listened for a dial tone on my cell phone -- I've had cell phones for decades and haven't had a land line for almost 10 years. I laughed at myself and then I starting to worry...

 

[GHT]

With two washers and two dryers, a sink, and a built in folding table, I suppose that I have my own laundromat in my basement. Wish that we'd had the double capacity when we had a baby in the house: those things are awfully cute but they're messy as hell and it seemed like we were always running loads of laundry back in those days.

Don't tell me that you didn't have an ironing fairy? My wife and I are both from humble stock, wouldn't dream of farming out our domestic chores, that is, until one day a young neighbour's husband walked out on her for an 18 year old, leaving her penniless and with two small children to raise. A proud lady, she wouldn't accept any sort of financial help, but was overjoyed when I suggested that we pay her the going rate per hour hour to do our ironing, that was forty years ago and we have had a number of ironing fairies since. Not to mention a gardening fairy and general house cleaning fairy, I wouldn't be without them.

 

[Fading Fast]

Having spent years in laundromats, I basically concur with Lizzie - they are populated with not-happy people who seem to have given up. But by the '90s, all the apartment buildings I lived in (none were fancy, just basic high-rises) had their own basement laundry rooms which, too, were pretty depressing, but usually owing to the basement location and general lack of room upkeep not human despair.

What drove me nuts back in my laundromat days was the smoking - come on! - how was that ever an acceptable thing (but it was)? I admit to being an anti-smoker, but where it was/is allowed, I accepted it and never complain (out loud), but allowing it in a laundromat always seemed counterintuitive to me - who wants their fresh laundry stinking of other people's smoke?

Another thing I used which did not cost one cent more than doing it yourself (believe me, I checked) was "wash-dry-fold" where the laundromat or dry cleaner, well, washes, drys and folds your clothes for you. It was nice in a way - you'd pick up your clothes all neatly folded in little plastic packages - but there was no control / no this doesn't go in hot / no this needs to be pulled out of the dryer quickly / etc. - so you could only use it for the some stuff which left you still doing laundry, but less of it.

Very small aside. Have you ever stayed in a mid-to-high-priced hotel and noted what they charge for laundry? It is usually by the "piece," (i.e., every sock, every T-shirt has a price) and the price is freakin' outrageous. I knew my girlfriend was a keeper when we went somewhere and ended up needing to do laundry - she took one look at the hotel rates, pulled out a phone book (yup, it was the mid-'90s) and found a local laundromat where we spent a few hours and save a ridiculous amount of money (more than covered a few days of vacation eating out).

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

.

The religious crackpots were rampant on shortwave then too. Harold "End of the World" Camping was a very prominent presence with his "Family Radio," but the real howler was "Pastor Gene Scott," who would lean asthmatically into the mic and order his followers to call in with donations. "You better get on those phones RIGHT NOW!" Those who think the internet lunatic fringe is something new didn't own a shortwave radio forty years ago.

Gene Scott is a name I know very well. He was based in L.A. and was on TV out here. My mom was a big fan of his. Sometimes when the donations weren't coming in fast enough he would stop his sermon and just silently stare at the camera glowering until the phones started ringing again.

 

[ChiTownScion]

Don't tell me that you didn't have an ironing fairy? My wife and I are both from humble stock, wouldn't dream of farming out our domestic chores, that is, until one day a young neighbour's husband walked out on her for an 18 year old, leaving her penniless and with two small children to raise. A proud lady, she wouldn't accept any sort of financial help, but was overjoyed when I suggested that we pay her the going rate per hour hour to do our ironing, that was forty years ago and we have had a number of ironing fairies since. Not to mention a gardening fairy and general house cleaning fairy, I wouldn't be without them.

Nope. No fairies, gnomes, pixies, or elves to do the ironing. I do all of my own shirts. Thank my wife: she showed me how because, after having ironed her Army officer dad's shirts as a kid she adamantly refuses to iron for anyone else. Just as well: after 33 years it's a skill that I think I do better than anyone else, including her. To the point that I'm a bit obsessive/ compulsive about always wearing a freshly ironed shirt when I go out.

 

[3fingers]

.


Gene Scott is a name I know very well. He was based in L.A. and was on TV out here. My mom was a big fan of his. Sometimes when the donations weren't coming in fast enough he would stop his sermon and just silently stare at the camera glowering until the phones started ringing again.

I used to listen to him on shortwave occasionally. He was just nutty enough to be entertaining in small doses.

 

[tonyb]

Nope. No fairies, gnomes, pixies, or elves to do the ironing. I do all of my own shirts. Thank my wife: she showed me how because, after having ironed her Army officer dad's shirts as a kid she adamantly refuses to iron for anyone else. Just as well: after 33 years it's a skill that I think I do better than anyone else, including her. To the point that I'm a bit obsessive/ compulsive about always wearing a freshly ironed shirt when I go out.

If there's any one thing to sharpen up a man's sartorial presentation, it's a crisp shirt. It'll improve the look of blue jeans and sneakers.

 

[LizzieMaine]

An electric ironing mangle is the best investment you can make. Nothing beats sleeping on crisp, line-dried muslin sheets that have been run thru a mangle.

 

[vitanola]

An electric ironing mangle is the best investment you can make. Nothing beats sleeping on crisp, line-dried muslin sheets that have been run thru a mangle.

One can, with practice, also make quick work of shirts on a mangle. Smooth the yoke and collar on the ironing board, and press the body and arms on the machine.

Saves a great deal of time and considerable effort.

A mantle also makes quick work of table linens. In fact, it makes their use practical.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

When you fall back on muscle memory from long ago. Twice this week I've listened for a dial tone on my cell phone -- I've had cell phones for decades and haven't had a land line for almost 10 years. I laughed at myself and then I starting to worry...

My personal muscle memory quirk: At the library, I take my books to the desk and automatically take out my wallet to get my library card. I haven't had a library card in decades, but I still reach for it.

 

[Trenchfriend]

When you miss the 90s, with the last good old character-cars!!

1 minute, 31 seconds, all is said, no further questions!

 

[GHT]

You know that you are getting old when the 90's was only yesterday, and when the missus daily drive is a car that she bought new in the 90's.

 

[1mach1]

When I constantly reach for reading glasses. Irritating.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[Trenchfriend]

When 2010s-youngsters are celebrating and talking about their childhood and good good memories on youtube, underneath the popmusic-videos.

The popmusic-videos from the 2000s!

Jeeesus...

 

[Zombie_61]

When I constantly reach for reading glasses. Irritating.

Boy, you aren't kidding. I know I need glasses to read, yet I'm still that guy who forgets that until they hand me the menu at a restaurant and I have to go back to my truck to get them.

 

[3fingers]

Boy, you aren't kidding. I know I need glasses to read, yet I'm still that guy who forgets that until they hand me the menu at a restaurant and I have to go back to my truck to get them.

Ah, you guys just aren't blind enough yet. Stick around. It doesn't get any better.