Apr302008

Soaking Wet

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I have a problem with showers.

I know, I know. You would say, “Well Jack, you are a pot-bellied, twenty-something computer programmer who buys all his t-shirts off the internet. It is absolutely no surprise that you are not on great terms with the shower; a modern marvel of personal hygiene.”

That was uncalled for.

My actual problem with showers is that every time I stay over at someone else’s place, I try to use to the shower and I always have a problem. The pipes might groan and rattle when I push it towards the temperature I want. Maybe the hot/cold labels are reversed. Maybe it’s one of those artsy fartsy shower controls that do not conform to common sense; they are free spirits that require you to push up and outwards for temperature and invert the lever to increase water flow.

The shower I have in my current apartment is kind of weird. It conforms to this new American standard of only having one knob for temperature, water pressure is kept constant and, by default, water will begin spouting out of the faucet to fill the tub rather than the shower head. I imagine we arrived at this strange configuration because of some series of class action lawsuits and corporate lobbyists. American readers will nod their head at this description but I’m sure my Australian friends are thoroughly confused.

Here is the basic process:

  1. Turn the knob to a position where you guess the water would be the right temperature
  2. Pull the weird thingo on the tub faucet to switch it from Bath Mode to Shower Mode
  3. Do your thang
  4. Turn the knob to the off position

It’s actually a simpler process than the traditional system with separate hot/cold controls but I’m getting old now and I like to complain when things are no longer the way they used to be.

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3 comments »

V

Old? Seriously? Oh, stop whining. My last shower (in France) required that I step up into it, as it was 2 feet above the ground, and well… at least you’ve got hot water. that’s something, right?
Ashley

see being American, I would have to complain if it was done any way else. The whole balancing hot & cold water with 2 knobs business seems like a lot to ask before I’ve even had my coffee.
Jen

No, I totally get where you’re coming from. The most horrendous thing of all is when the shower head is old and sprays tiny streams of water all over the place instead of in the direction you want.

Pisses me off bigtime.

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