I honestly would do the laundry more often if it wasn’t so needlessly confusing. It’s never as simple as throwing the clothes in the wash, turning it on, and coming back in an hour. No. You have to actually separate the clothing into three separate piles: darks, whites, and colors. Okay, okay. I’m sure there are many urban legends about the hapless husband who tosses the colors in with the whites and ends up transforming his wife’s favorite dress into a rainbow mutation but, seriously, how likely is that? It’s not like my t-shirts were hand painted. Still, best not to tempt fate and so the clothing is separated into three separate piles. Sort of. What about cream items? Do they go in with the whites or the colors? Where is the dividing line that separates cream-okay-to-go-in-with-the-whites and cream-not-okay-to-go-in-with-the-whites? Is there some rule of thumb that will let me know how creamy is too creamy? And what about the white outfits with the color or black trim? Do they go in with the whites, the colors, or the darks? Let’s face it. Whatever decision I make will be the wrong one, so I set creamies and hybrids aside, along with the pile of whites that may or may not necessitate bleach in their washing process (I’ve heard rumors, but nothing solid), and leave them for Fondy as I concentrate on the darks and colors.
I can’t imagine what kind of problem mixing darks and colors could cause (and will admit to even having tested conventional wisdom by tossing my green Doctor Doom t-shirt in with my dark socks to no obvious ill result), but I nevertheless do stick to the game plan and keep them separate. I start with the darks, cramming them into the washer and then somewhere, in the back of my mind, I seem to recall Fondy advising against this. She may well have cautioned me against packing the washing machine so full I have trouble closing the lid, or it may have just been a fleeting memory from some long-forgotten dream but, just to be on the safe side, I empty the washer of half its contents and decide to run two loads. I then add the blue syrupy gunk. Again, I’m not sure what I’m doing here but my improvised rule of thumb is “trace a trail twice around the clock”. I figure that should be enough to clean the load yet not too much that it would overwhelm me in a sea of pulsating foam like one of those far-less-savvy 1950’s sitcom dads.
Now, all that’s left to be done is twist, pop, and punch the various dials on the washer console that slightly resembles something out of mission control. Let’s see.
Dial on the very left (above the words “Infinite Water Level” which I find cheerfully optimistic) gives me the choice between Mini, Small (seriously, they’re too completely different things), Medium, Large, Super, and Reset. I choose and twist, aligning the arrow with Large.
The next dial to the right gives me the choice between: ATC cold/cold, ATC warm/cold, ATC warm/warm, and hot/cold. Hmmm. This one’s trickier. Well, reverting back to the logic I used during my high school multiple choice exams, I decide that the answer should include ATC since it is in 3 out of my 4 choices. They last choice is never the right one and my high school self tells me to choose Warm/Cold, but I am older and wiser and for no good reason, I turn the dial to ATC cold/cold.
The third dial gives me a whole host of choices: Handwash, Delicate, Sweaters, Perm./Press, Cotton/Colors, and Regular/Whites. Well, I’m not washing this by hand, I’m getting the machine to do it, so I can discount Handwash. And they’re darks so I can discount Regular/Whites. And I don’t wear much silk or chiffon, so I can exclude Delicate. And, really, do I have to commit a whole separate wash to sweaters? I think not. I exclude that choice as well, leaving me with Perm./Press and Cotton/Colors. Well, as anyone will tell you, while white is an absence of all color, black is a merging of all colors (including, yes, teal). So I turn the knob to Cotton/Colors, wondering whether I don’t have it backwards and black is the absence of all colors while white is the merging…only to be distracted by the writing I failed to notice directly beneath my various choices, from Ex. Gentle/Slow beneath Handwash to Normal/Fast beneath Regular/Whites. Ah, the hell with it. I’ve already cast my lot with Cotton/Colors. Medium/Fast it is.
Okay, almost done. Moving eastward, I come upon two buttons. The first, beneath the words Extended Spin, give me a choice between On or Off. Hell, I work on Stargate. Make it spin! On. The next button, beneath the words Extra Rinse, also give me a choice between On or Off. Sure, why not? Extra Rinse it is. On.
Which brings me to the biggest dial of all, a huge silver knob surrounded by a dizzying variety of choices: Soak Only (On or Off), Extra Rinse (which, I must point out, already has its own separate selection dial, but I digress - On or Off), Spin, Rinse (Can you actually choose Extra Rinse without getting Rinse?), Hand wash (Again!), Light, Normal, Heavy, Prewash, Presoak, Quick Wash (On or Off), Extra Rinse (They are really pushing the Extra Rinse option! WTF? On or Off), Spin (!), Rinse (Aw, come on!), Light, Normal, Heavy, Extra Heavy, Prewash, and Presoak. Just above these various choices are the seemingly random interspersed words “REGULAR” “Cotton” and “PERMANENT PRESS”. I choose Heavy - the second Heavy under the words “REGULAR” and wait. Nothing happens. I twist the dial to another selection and wait. Nothing happens. It takes me fifteen minutes to realize this dial requires me to not only twist it, but pull it as well. I pull and the machine rattles to life.
Too late I notice the final two buttons on the very right of the huge silver knob: Chime (Hi, Off, and Lo - which was set on Hi from the last wash) and Finger Faucet which is thankfully set to Off. Seriously, at this point, I don’t even want to know. The washer is humming along, the spin-thing is sloshing around, and something, perhaps the change I forgot to take out of my back pocket, is rattling around quite nicely.
Tomorrow’s blog entry: Mastering the dryer.
Just kidding of course. Tomorrow is the day I believe I’ll be getting those test results back and while I’d like to be upbeat, given the way my visit went on Tuesday I’m more than a little anxious. Seriously, at this point if some above-average cholesterol readings are the worst of it, I’ll be thrilled.
Oh, and I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know I cleaned out the refrigerator today. Another JM rule of thumb when it comes to refrigerated take-home: “If you can’t cast your mind far back enough to remember when you ate it the first time, turf it.”
Also, to all those of you asking, I spoke to both Joe and Jason yesterday. They and their families are doing fine and their houses escaped the wrath of the fires. Many many others were not so fortunate.
Today’s pics: Mission Control in my basement, today's breakfast: all the goodness of low-fat yogurt, protein powder, flaxseed, all-natural peanut butter, steelcut Irish oatmeal, banana, and strawberries in a shake form!
Today’s video: Still none.
Today’s mailbag: Checking…Hmmm. Nope. None today either. Sorry.
106 comments:
Which other of the Stargate actors lived near or in California during the blaze?
Which other Stargate actors or crew live in California that you know or have heard from that there houses and families are fine?
In that case, let me reiterate my questions for that dryer mastering tomorrow:
1. Does Atlantis have 2 ZPMs now? One that we already had (but heavily drained) and the new one from the Replicator Homeworld? Does this development play any major roles in Season 4?
2. The 6th episode of the 5th Season of Atlantis will be the 300th episode of the Stargate franchise. Do you think you guys will be doing anything special for it?
Ah, Joe. I'm sure it must be extremely nerve-wracking waiting on the results. I've had some extremely rare medical issues and they ended up testing for just about everything they could think of. Fortunately and unfortunately, they found nothing, but also couldn't say why I have this certain medical issue (some eye thing that is usually associated with the big diseases..) But, I'm a religious person, so I'll keep you in my prayers. Whether you're religious or not, it makes no difference, just know you're in my thoughts :)
And glad to hear Joe and Jason are all ok. Lets hope it stays that way and also hope that other families are as lucky as them. And to the ones that aren't, they too will be in my prayers.
Cheers and at least you are attempting to take on the washing machine...
Hi, Joe.
Best wishes to Martin Gero for the Gemini Awards on Saturday night for the Best Writing with "McKay and Mrs. Miller."
The electrical appliance I can't use? The electric can opener. I've tried several different models and have given up in frustration.
Plus, the old hand operated can opener keeps up the grip strength in my right hand.
:)
Morjana
Ha, I hate wash, too. And for some reason, I never seem to get any better at it. It always takes me just as long to do it, always having to go through the same confusion every time. My wife says I do it on purpose, but really I'm just truly wash stupid. Oh, and your breakfast sounds terrible. Those tests really must've done a number on your head.
On the SGA front, now that season five is a go, I hope there will be some serious thought given to doing another big cross-over episode with SG-1. I thought Pegasus Project worked out great, and I'm currently loving Carter on Atlantis. I'm also pretty jazzed about Midway after watching TV Guide's Infanity on SGA. What can I say? I love SG-1, and I think those guys really bring out the best in Atlantis. Grace Under Pressure, Real World, and The Return really help make up the creme de la creme of SGA.
Thanks,
Rob G.
Umm haven’t you ever heard of doing this really cool load of laundry called “A bachelor load” This is where you throw caution to the wind and throw everything in at once. It is kind like playing the slots except with the laundry. Sometimes you win sometimes you lose.
Joe, is that a Maytag Atlantis you're driving there? I thought about getting one but the sheer amount of choices required to do laundry forced me to revert back to beating my clothes on a rock in the river out back.
Hope your tests come out okay!
Okay, Joe. As an experienced housewife who has a washer very similar to yours I'll give you my best advice that has worked well over the years with little complaint from the family.
Wash everything in cold water. It cleans better and saves on energy. No sorting issues. I also toss in a cup full of Clorox for colors with every load. When a spot is disovered...I spray on an abundunce of 409.
I hate sorting clothes and this method has been used by me for several years now with few issues unless you count the occasional stain that refuses to budge no matter what.
I have the solution to all your problems - buy a cheaper washing machine. Seriously, mine has 3 buttons and a dial. Ahhh... the simple life. :)
Joe. It's a washing machine. I thought you were at least a semi-geek. Fondy knows how to operate the washer. Does she write the heavy tech babble for your scripts? ;)
Hell, I work on Stargate. Make it spin!
To be fair, you work on Atlantis now. Are you sure there isn't a button for "lots of pretty lights" that you could push instead? You make me laugh Joe. You know what else makes me laugh? What Chris Judge called me on Sunday. Sigh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enKc45ZcZeY
I kicked my washer in frustration yesterday.
And that shake looks... awful. Does a tall iced chai tea latte count as food? If so, I have eaten today!
Good luck for you results, Joe.
Hi Joe...you just proved you can write about anything...you lost me at laundry.
=)
hope the test come out ok. And you can keep indulging in delicious food.
Question:
I don't know if this has ever happen but, have you ever cameo on stargate?
If not what roll would you like to play?
Your washer is just waaaaaay to complicated! I try to go for as few buttons and dials as possible. Then again, my husband usually does the laundry. He could explain that whole sorting thing to you. He tells me I don't do it right.
Hey Joe, can we make RODNEY the hero when the team is captured(A plot), but i don't want a really annoying cut to B plot for some time wasting.
Even though that's what B plots are used for(a lot). but not on Stargate, because B plots do have some good character developments.
Move to Scotland. We have nice front-loading washing machines that even men can use.
Watched the clips on Youtube of Joe F in NZ. It looked like a terrifying experience, up on the stage answering questions all on his own.
I think that when there are two of them it is easier for the actor and more amusing as it gives them the chance to joke around a bit and lighten things up.
Good luck with the test results tomorrow.
Also, do you know if RDA and his family are OK?
1.)For Atlantis's 100th episode, do you think you guys will do something epic or comical?
2.)Will any other major characters (Sheppard, Ronan, Teyla, McKay, Zelenka, Keller, Carter) bite the dust this season?
I'm going to second the person who said to just throw everything into a cold wash. Modern detergent being what it is, you don't really need the hot water to get your clothes clean.
Hi Joe,
If ever we should be as unfortunate that Arlantis is cancelled in a few years, I suggest you turn to writing instruction manuals for washers, dryers,... It would change the world... people would actually read the instructions.
Someone mentioned ZPM's in the comments, I was just rewatching the episode with Rod from the alternate universe... when he is sent back the ZPM screen says "ZPM Module 0%" is that not wrong? would that not mean "'Zero Point Module' Module 0%"?
Hahaha, you really know how to describe attempting to do wash! Reminds me of last year at my college when I had to teach foreign students not only how to wash clothes, but the difference between the washer and dryer. Don't worry, it seems like you got that one down :).
Right, sorry to post twice in one night, but I had to after reading PG15's post. Something special for the franchise's 300th episode, he says? Big cross-over with SG-1, I say? Well why don't we all just put our hands together! Sounds like a barn-burner to me.
Thanks again,
Rob G.
Bit of a slow day today then?
It never ceases to amaze me that with all the bravado that men have with taking car engines apart etc.
Ask them to put clothes in a washing machine and you would think we had asked you to pilot the Space Shuttle.
Some universal truths about men and women.
1/ Man flu, will we ever find a cure, apart from sitting at home all day watching sport and complaining.
2/ Why is it when we damage the car we’ve had a ‘CRASH’ but if you damage it you’ve had a ‘bump’ and it’s always someone else’s fault!!
3/ We lose our car key’s on purpose, were as yours have been put away somewhere by some one with nefarious intent.
4/ Men never have a hang over. It’s always something they ate.
5/If at first you don't succeed, shouldn't you try doing it like your wife told you to do it?
6/The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four people suffers from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends, if they're okay, then it's you.
Okay note to ones self don’t read and then comment on Joe’s blog after a long day in work and a bottle of wine. As one has a tendency to ramble on!!
Pauline
Did you know that odd socks are the larval form of wire hangers?
They transform during the spin cycle of your washing machine.
Also, I've heard rumors about a possible strike by the Writers Guild of America. Would that effect a Canadian based production in any way?
I'm sure Carl isn't too excited about staying in LA for long, with the state of emergency in California currently. I hope that no Stargate people have run afoul of the blaze.
Washing clothes. Unless your washing the King's underwear, or something really special like delicates, I don't think that separating clothes is all that important. That is, as long as you wash them on a normal cycle (not super hot or with bleach). I've never had any problems. Just wash sheets, and special stuff separately.
What type of yogurt do you like to use for your breakfast shakes? Do you vary flavors or stick to tried and true favorites?
You need to be cast as Atlantis Cleaning Guy#1 on the upcoming Atlantis ep: Ronon does his washing!
with the following concluding part Never Give up, Ronon's washing shall be done!.
which involves Atlantis Cleaning Guy#1 going offworld to find the right cleaning solution so Ronons clothes don't shrink, only to get into trouble with .. oh well i haven't thought that far.
Only to find Ronon gets captured, or cleaning guy gets captured, and either one of them saves the other, to conclude with Ronon walking around atlantis, in clean, flowerly smelling clothes :)
LOL! I always say men have a natural brain deficiency when it comes to doing laundry. No matter how many times I remind my husband not to overfill the machine, he overfills it.
This probably explains why my machine broke Sunday night. So I will be without laundry capabilities until Tuesday, when the repair man comes. That is IF it is fixable. D=
It's a Maytag too! What's up with that??
Actually now that I think about it, I will take a couple of loads over to dad's house tomorrow night when I go over to watch Atlantis. =9
Rules to help you remember not to overfill the washing machine:
1. Over-filling machine doesn't get clothes clean.
2. Over-filling machine wears out belt and make machine go BOOM.
=D
Here's something to cheer you up/distract you that you may find amusing: Michael Kenmore and Teyla as Romeo and Juliet.
No, really! Sheppard can be Paris, Ronan can be Tybalt, Mercutio can be Wraith Steve, Radek can be the Apothecary... it all fits!
Okay, maybe not, but wouldn't a Teyla-Michael episode with underlying R&J elements, humorous or not, be great? At the very least they could finish the conversation they started and have been continuing since his change-over.
Good luck in your battle with the washer, and best wishes to all dealing with the fires.
Trying again since you did not do any mail yesterday:
Joe - just curious if the actors have been signed for season 5 and if not how it is possible to start "breaking" stories for season 5 when you do not yet know which actors will be signed for next season, ergo you do not know which chracters you will have to write for. Thanks for the insights.
What you need is a washboard. Fifth season is such a relief. Usually the instant I get hooked on a show, it's cancelled. Next year, I'd like to see Aiden Ford back. He was wonderfully nuts in his last appearance.
JM, you have way too many bells and whistles on your washer. There are simpler models that work perfectly well, you know.
Good luck with the medical test results.
I'm happy to know that JFlanigan and JMomoa weren't affected by the fires. I hope everyone else from your crew are also safe.
Ok, I'll admit, I posted my questions before actually reading the blog. I'm a bad Regular Joe's Blog reader.
But now...damn Joe, WTF? I am almost certain that the makers of that washing machine put extra labels on there just to mess with people. Or...if you set it to the right combinations, it'll trigger some device that blows up the Earth. Do be careful with that, won't you? I like my planet in one piece.
*runs to see his own washing machine*
*comes back*
Huh, mine's kind of complicated too, but nowwhere as complicated as yours. On a sidenote, this is the first time in 5 years that I've actually laid my eyes on the washing machine controls. Go me!
Yeah, that machine is intense.
You should just buy new clothes for all that!
Good luck on the tests.
And let us know if you ever unravel the mystery of the 'finger faucet'.
:D
Bienvenue dans le merveilleux monde de la femme au foyer ! Non mais, sans blague, qui aurait dit que faire le lavage est une science si complexe ?? Il y a quelque chose de réjouissant dans le fait de voir un homme tenter de faire la lessive... Ho oui, nos grands-mères ont eu raisons de se battre pendant des années pour l'égalité entre les femmes et les hommes !Ha ! Ha! Sans rancune
Hey Joe! Did you hear about the Stargate parody on South Park this week? It was the Stargate movie, of course, but at least they stuck in the franchise, right? :) What do you think of franchise getting attention like that from shows like South Park and The Simpsons?
And good luck with the laundry in the future. As a college kid, my washer isn't quite as difficult to use. ;)
joe, that looks an awful lot like the machine we have at the clinic that i avoid with a vengence till the end of the day as i hate all the choices it gives me.
Oh you wouldnt happen to know anyone who needs an apparantly suicidal gene drop(like a gene pool just shallower) would you? Cause my neighbors apparently felt there were not enough fires in california and they should start one here too, so they blew up a gas can, let me tell you that is LOUD and scary...
How about when the tags on multicolored clothes say "Wash Colors Seperatly". Seems like funny wording to me - cause the only way to do that is to take the item apart :P
Gotta love salt...helps stop colors from running; helpful when washing new clothes.
*Wipes away a tear of laughter* Only *you* could make doing the laundry into such an adventure! I eagerly await tomorrow's installment! :D
Oh, and it's "White reflects all colours of the light spectrum, while black absorbs them." And yet, if you mix all the colours of paint in a palate, you get *brown*. Go figure. It's funny, my art degree is actually called an "Associates in Applied Sciences" -- I guess it was because of the colour theory and optical illusion stuff we were taught in the curriculum's "Visual Science" class .... I'm sure Rodney would make fun of me. That's okay, I didn't consider it a real science course either!
In the interest of fair trade, I offer you this story which seems to have inexplicably amused a number of people on my flist (isn't that tpical? I can pour out my soul and get no response, but I tell a silly story and they come out of the woodwork ...):
Thursday (last week) I decided to make corn muffins. So I looked for the muffin pan, but could only find our *old* one, the one I wouldn't used without baking cups, and we had no cups.
So I'm holding the old pan, right, and I say to my parents, "I can't find the *new* muffin pan! Have you see--" Then I stop, and I look dad in the eye, and we both start laughing. Mom thinks we're laughing because I'm holding a pan in my hand, assuming that I'm having one of those "Have you seen my glasses?" "Yes, you're wearing them!" moments. Dad obviously gets it, though, and sing-songs, "Have I seen the muffin pan? The muffin pan?" "The muffin pan," I confirm -- or I try to, but I'm laughing too hard. And it's quite a while before we can stop laughing enough to explain to mom what was *actually* so funny. And all dad's had to do since is say, "Muffin pan," and I start laughing so hard I can't breath. I think he's trying to kill me.
(Er, in case you're as lost as mom was, there's a children's song that goes "Have you seen the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man?" Although apparently there's another version that goes "Do you know ..." instead.)
Aaaaanyway, glad to know Joe and Jason's families and homes are okay, and I hope anyone else in the cast and crew who live out that way are also safe. (Paul McGillion? Doesn't he live down there?)
Good luck with your test results!
Just wanted to pop by and say:
Red Soxs won their 2nd game of the world series!!!
Thanks for the info about Jason and Joe. Glad everything is OK.
About your tests--I'll include you in my prayers. I'm sure, though, that it will be fine.
Looking forward to friday's episode!
Royal
So, wow. I just laughed through that entire post. And I completely understand! I just bought my first washer and dryer set and each time I do laundry I have to stand there and ponder for a bit. Then I randomly turn knobs and choose settings and hope for the best. Thank goodness mine aren't that high tech with *gasp* digital screens and buttons and fifty billion options for each setting. Mine is bad enough.
And I'm a girl! I feel I should be hardwired to just know this sort of stuff. Alas.
-Kimberly
Hello, Mr Mallozzi.
Congratulations for the season 5 renewal.
You don'y have ideas yet for the fifth season ? If I may suggest...
A two parter finale that would conclude a long story arc would be great.
Maybe you could also concentrate of the basis of Stargate Atlantis that gave you great ratings in season 1 :
-The Lost City of the Ancients and its marvels
-The threat of the omnipresent, powerful and genius wraith.
The others seasons of Atlantis were great, but maybe a little less than the first, because they didn't talk much about this.
During the seventh season of Stargate SG1, searching the Lost City was almost an obsession, but now that it has been found, it is not as the tablet said. There could be anything in the city, including weapons other than the drones. You writers could show it. That could be also convenient for you because you could write great "bottle-shows" that take place inside the city and are about one or several ancient device. I know lot of people who think thaht "Hot Zone" and "Hide and Seek" were great.
Rising showed us a formidable enemy, that was, diring the season one, maybe the most scary race of the franchise. But season 2 made sometimes the wraith look week and stupid. That's infortunate. Season 3 made the wraith almost diseapear. We don't see them offworld very often, whereas we should because the woken up. There is a lot of unsolved questions about the wraith : How does the feeding process work ? How do they born ? Have the a Homeworld ? How and Where are built their ships ? How can their ships heal ? Do their ships also need to "feed" in some way, if the are "alive" ? What is the purpose of the blue ray we saw in "letter from pegasus"
What is the organisation of their civil society ? (I suppose they're not all soldiers)
There's a lot we don't know about the wraith, and so there's a lot you could tell us about them.
The other races you develloped are also very interesting, but anyway less than the wraith.
Thank you for reading me. I didn't thought of it alone, this is the reflect of what a lot of french fans said on internet forums. That is why I told you that, because I thought thaht It would be good that you know how fans feels about the show.
Please, tell me if what I say is just nonsense. And also please excuse my English.
I have *exactly* the same problem with washers/dryers. It's insane! Eventually though the clever marketing people will come out with a machine that has one big button - 'WASH' - and will make billions!
Also I'm going to repeat a question, just to be annyoing :) When it comes to the hiring or writers in "the industry" is a college/university background in writing considered important, or more just whether the writing jives with the production?
Thanks ^.^
Hi Joe:
Please be careful with that washing machine. Sometimes the little Maytag symbol at the front of the lid will fall off, opening up a whole new can of worms.
I know, because it happened to me. Now what am I supposed to do with the symbol?
Good luck with all the little problems in your day, Joe.
Patricia
Hi Joe
I remember in the publicity before Season 4 Atlantis it was said that Sam would be in 14 episodes, meaning that she would not be in six episodes. So far, we have seen her in four out of four episodes, though her "on screen time" within some of these episodes has certainly not been long!
Does the episode count still stand at 14, or has it gone up?
Also, will she be in most episodes in Season 5?
Especially through the more recent seasons of Stargate SG-1 (Season Six and onwards), Sam has grown as a character so that she is now ready for a command such as Atlantis. It will be great to see how she continues to develop over the next few years.
I look forward to hearing your reply
All the best
Pam
Thanks for letting us know that Joe and Jason, their families and homes are all safe!!!
WOW!! you did the washing!! Lucky Fondy to have a man who likes to help around the house.
Tip for tomorrow - dont put Fondy's lingerie in the dryer.
Glad to hear that Joe F's and Jason's homes are still in one piece.
Thanks for the info. on Joe and Jason. I was thinking about the actors and wondering if they, their families and their homes were ok!
Joe said "You have to actually separate the clothing into three separate piles: darks, whites, and colors."
You are lucky! At my house its: Whites(basically anything needing a bleaching), lights(those creams you talked about plus any light color), reds(we have so many), darks, and towels(if I wash them with anything, they leave lint everywhere). Every once in a while I will do a light blue pile and a yellow pile! I am thinking we have way too many clothes! ;~P
BTW I love your Maytag! My Maytag is about 10 yrs old...and I'm hoping it lasts another 10..but if it doesn't, I want one like yours! I really miss not having the extra rinse setting! When you bleach things, you really need it!
Kimberly
Where the hell did you buy your washing machine - NASA?!
Seperating darks and colours - forget it. And just stick the creams with the whites. And frankly everything goes on the 40 degree (celsius) cycle and be damned with the rest.
Good luck with your test results!
girly_curl_3 said...
"I thought about getting one but the sheer amount of choices required to do laundry forced me to revert back to beating my clothes on a rock in the river out back."
I know that's supposed to be funny, but it really just makes me shudder when I think about life without all the wonderful machines we have.
My son asked me the other day (I think it was a question at school): If you could only have 3, what 3 machines would you keep?
Right away I thought of my computer and TV as must haves, along with my car(duh! that was an after thought which tells you how much I love my computer and TV). But, how the heck could I live without my refrigerator, AC/Heat, washer, dryer, stove/oven, printer or especially my DVR??? I could live without the dishwasher, as we wash the dishes so well before we put them in that we could really just stick them on a rack to dry. But really, I could not live without the other 10 machines! (and that's not including the machines at a hospital you need to save your life, copier I use at work, etc etc etc)
Crap...and how about lights and alarm clocks...or watches or phones for that matter? Lol..dang that's 14 machines there's no way I could live without! I know my kids would add their gaming machines and stereos to that!
Can anyone think of any others they couldn't live without?
(when I say couldn't...I mean wouldn't want to, of course! We wouldn't die without them...um...well maybe!)
Thank God I live in the time I'm in!!!
P.S-I can add hairdryer to that list too! It just never ends!
Hi, Joe.
The US TV Guide has listed Tabula Rosa on their Hot List for Nov. 2.
Morjana
Just to let ya know, I am not anonymous Kimberly. I never sign on as anonymous. Always as Kdvb1. In case you were wondering...probably not...but there it is!
Kimberly too
I was going to write some smart-assed comment how how can a guy possilby NOT know how to run a washing machine in this day and age...
Then I actually looked at the picture of your washing machine.
*pets JM on the head* Yeah, that thing has more controls than a Cessna. Good luck with that.
Also, if you're on well water and running two rinse cycles, your water softener salt supplier must love you!
Tip: bleach gets out most regular stains, ammonia gets out underarm rings and yellowing. Mix the two and you get a noxious toxic cloud. Skip that last step if possible.
G'day Joe,
Does your washing machine say Atlantis on the left side? Did you write that, or a freaky coincidence?
Much relief on the season 5 pick up! Great stuff!
Slightly belated congrats on the renewal! I'm thrilled from a purely selfish perspective in that not only do I get more of one of my fav shows (the world wouldn't seem right without some SG in it), but also because it means a higher chance of set visits for the convention next year :-D
I found your washing machine instructions highly pertinent - I have just taken the plunge and bought my very first house... well, small unit would be more accurate, it's amazing what quarter of a million New Zealand dollars won't buy you, and will therefore increasing the term of my indentured servitude to also buy a washing machine. Thanks to you I now know to avoid one with all those buttons and dials - hey, maybe that PhD will come in handy after all - surely it can't be more complicated than a mass spectrometer.....?? ;-)
Really? 2000+ words on the "Washing Experience"? Is that what its come down to now?
One day after getting the greenlight to a 5th season and you spend it writing about washing clothes. Talk about disrespect. I'm betting you thought most of your readers would just love to read about you and your washing machine.
I've lost 3/4 of my previous respect for this blog today. And you as well.
Seriously Joe, I didn't think anyone could make a day of laundry funny. I can't remember the last time I read something so am amusing. I hope you don't need a gate room tech guy to help you figure out the dryer. Also good luck with the test results, I'm sure it'll turn out to be nothing at all.
I will NEVER look at laundry quite the same way, again! I do admit you have me a bit puzzled by the whole finger faucet thing. Intriguing.
I wanted to share that I just had my first tasting of Vosges' Mos' Bacon Bar.
I think I've died and gone to heaven....
Congratulations on the renewal! Must be a load off your mind, right? (or perhaps it makes things worse, as you will have to begin spinning for season 5 soon!)
With a now-confirmed season 5 in mind, I have a couple of questions:
1. Does this mean we'll get to see Daniel make his way to Atlantis?
2. If the above is true, any chance for Vala to make an appearance?? Please!
3. Is there a possibility that Weir could pop up in the fifth season as well?
Thanks!! And congratulations again.
Hey Joe...atleast your washer/dryer doesn't have touch screen controls. Talk about confusing!! And I'm a techno-geek but I seriously dread having to do laundry. My husband and I end up flipping a coin to see who tackles the washer every time we do laundry...and I've lost for the last 2 months! I swear I've nicknamed our washer the DHD and the dryer is a MALP because they are THAT complicated...and I'm an engineer's daughter for cryin' out loud!!
And since I haven't said this yet...CONGRATS ON THE RENEWAL!!!! I knew SGA would get renewed...I mean come on it's the BEST show on SciFi! :)
Glad to know that Jason M. and Joe F.'s homes are okay. I've been watching TV footage of the fires and that's some scary stuff.
And your test results will be fine I just know it. :) But Jason, my husband, and I are the same way about waiting for test results...we're on edge the entire time until we get the results.
I've wracked my brain trying to come up with a question for you but I've got nothin'...yet. ;)
Desi
PS. Now I have a question!! (This is why I don't hit "Publish Your Comment" right away.) Did you ever watch any of Babylon 5? The reason I ask is there are some interesting similarities/parallels that can be drawn between part of the major story arc of that show and the last 2 seasons of SG1 so I was curious if you'd ever watch B5...
I had to laugh when I saw your machine...of course it's a Maytag Atlantis! And as we all know, everything about Atlantis is complicated! I look forward to tonight's exciting blogisode--"Can you take the heat? Dryers from hell..." !
My husband has never ruined a favorite dress, but he did ruin a brand new, Christmas present sweatshirt by washing a white sweatshirt with something bright red. I then had a pink sweatshirt. I think it's genetic. His mother, who has been doing laundry longer than I have been alive, helped out just after we'd had our baby by washing a burgundy blanket with a pale blue baby blanket. Guess what color the baby blanket was at the end? No, seriously, I need someone to guess. I still haven't figured it out. There must be a word for that color somewhere.... I think it's all a plot to make me responsible for all the laundry.
I'm glad to hear that Joe F. and Jason and their families are safe. We're praying for the fires to end--and now praying for Maggie and her mom.
Congratulations on the pick-up!
Like Alipeeps said - way too complicated for a washing machine, mine has 4 buttons and a dial.
Good luck with the blood tests. At least you get the results in a couple of days, usually in Aberdeen we have to wait a week to find out they're back then another week to get an appointment (usually to be told nothing useful). The joys of the NHS!
What with the recent renewal of your show{cngoratualtions btw}, it would seem you've been put in somewhat of a bind.
For SG1, you made comical episodes for the 100th and 200th episode.
For SGA your 100th episode will fall on the season finale, do you imagine you'll make this episode a comical one as well or will you perhaps be thinking of making a special one off episode to celebrate the 100th episode.
Well Joe, it IS an Atlantis washer. You should have thrown McKay on it. After much self-aggrandizing, and pithy banter, your clothes would have been the cleanest in the Pegasus Galaxy...or Vancouver.
Congrats on continuing the series.
No plot requests, just a set piece request: bigger, longer beds for the characters in their rooms.
When we watched Doppelganger and saw Colonel Sheppard laying in his bed, with his legs and feet hanging off the end, my 6'2" husband remarked, "That man needs a longer bed."
Joe, best of luck with the test results. I hope all is well!!
Oh Joe!!!! I have tears in my eyes...really! I do!
You need to get a simpler washing machine. Okay, so mine has three dials and five buttons *shrugs* But honestly it's a helluva lot simpler than that monstrosity currently living in your house and waiting for its chance to head for the skies!!
Glad to hear the Californian living cast and their families are okay.
No mail bag two days in a row? Do you not love us anymore? *grin* I'm just trying to come up with a decent question - work is not a good place to be doing the thinking-thing these days!
Have fun mastering the dryer! *giggle*
Dreams
1)Will the crew discover any cryptic messages this season pertaining to their survival?
2)Will any other interesting things be found hidden amidst the Replicator base code?
I love the photo of the whiteboard from yesterday's post!!!!
Pour tout dire, les femmes aussi s'y perdent parfois avec ces machines. :P
Can someone who has seen the South Park parody of Stargate describe it? Did it have all of the SG1 or Atlantis characters? I tried to find it on YouTube, but it hasn't been posted. Would love to see it.
To clean, to clean, to clean... it is terrible but it is necessary!!!
How the Stargate Atlantis team cleans their clothing? In Atlantis city exists some type of technology for to clean the clothing??? If indeed it exists, I want this technology please!!!
I have read the news about fires in California, this new it reminds me the fires in the Peloponnese (Greece)this last summer. It is terrible.
I hope all the Stargate cast and workers live in California are OK.
And my thoughts are with people that they have lost their homes.
Ah teh ineffable laundry sorting plan, I've been doing laundry for thirty-odd years and still haven't worked out what pile the mostly whites with a flash of colour go in, I've only managed to change the colour of a couple of things in my life so I must be getting it mostly right LOL. As far as drying is concerned I have an outside clothes line, a tumble dryer and coathangers above the fireplace, which is also another way of making your house smell like lavendar and camomile or whatever flavours the damn stuff comes in these days.
Fingers crossed for your test results tomorrow and I'll stick with my breakfast plans for now:)
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Salut joseph ☺!
Waou, oui en effet, trés compliquer la machine a lavé!! Je me pose les même questions que vous! mais pour l'instant je n'est qu'une réponse: MAMAN!!!!
lol
Sayer! je vient d'avoir le livre 7 d'Harry Potter ☻! Super contente!
Je suis enfin en vacance!! c'est génial!!
Glurp le petit déjeuner, c'etais bon au moin? moi j'ai manger un bon pain au résin fait par mon pére^^! Rohh j'ai bien raison, j'ai besoin de grossir en plus.
♣Mes questions♣
1)Quand allez vous commencer l'écriture de la saison 5?
2)Quel est le plat préféré de Lulu?
3)Vous penserez a mettre un personnage francais pour la saison 5?
Jespert que vous me répondrez☺
Bon allez, gros bisou, bonne journée, je vous love, Merci, a demain.♥♥♥♥
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Good luck with the test results, hope all goes ok.
Congratulations on the renewal for a 5th season, I was beginning to wonder what I'd do without and SG variant on tv.
Just seen the Reunion episode on UK tv, loved the walk through from your script perspective. Any chance of some more of those soon?
You know we are all kinda rabid fans and love any insights, clues, rumours and facts that arent on the program itself. No tittle too small, no tattle too big for us!
Oh, I also really enjoy they commentaries on the dvd releases, please let TPTB know that they should always have them.
Thoughts to the people in California as well in fiery times.
So I read that Season 5 is a go this morning on Scfi.... Congrats I guess you get to put those pilots down for another year.
Did you get a Maytag "Atlantis" on purpose or is it purely coincidental? Also, I would like to think you're not that un-saavy with a washer and dryer, but incase you are, I took the liberty of answering a couple of your 'questions'. "Mini" is for the odd occasion when you only have to wash the 3 socks you dropped on your way down to the basement. And you don't put colors with darks, because it will darken or fade your colors. While your Doctor Doom shirt might look fine, if you do it often enough, it won't be the same vibrant green I imagine it was when you bought it.
Oh, by the way, I missed your birthday but it is never to late to wish something good to someone,I wish you the peace of the heart and inspiration for season 5.
WTF? Indeed. Mine has an on button, that's about it. For that, I am a grateful grapefruit.
Best of luck for tomorrow :)
As someone who devours a Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Urban Fantasy title every weekend, I am always looking for new authors or series to try. I have been reading off the Hugo nominee list recently and have had some disappointments. As such, Can you please create a master list of the BOTM entries (and like to it on the side of the blog??
Thanks!
Oy, washing machines. They are tied with C-4 for the scariest invention award.
Could you please have Carter, Zelenka, Beckett, Ronon, Ford, O'Neill, Teyla, Sheppard, Lorne, Michael, Weir, Mitchell, Daniel, Vala, Hammond, the princess in Harmony, and the girl in Sateda in at least one episode of season five? Please?
Please answer my question. Who is 'the guy in Washington'?
Oy, washing machines. They are tied with C-4 for the scariest invention award.
Could you please have Carter, Zelenka, Beckett, Ronon, Ford, O'Neill, Teyla, Sheppard, Lorne, Michael, Weir, Mitchell, Daniel, Vala, Hammond, the princess in Harmony, and the girl in Sateda in at least one episode of season five? Please?
Please answer my question. Who is 'the guy in Washington'?
Don't tell me you're going to kill Carter off! If you want to get rid of her, send her back to Earth!
Another JM rule of thumb when it comes to refrigerated take-home: "If you can’t cast your mind far back enough to remember when you ate it the first time, turf it."
me too.
the same applies for leftovers from dinner. "when did we have the chicken?"
"uummmm......wednesday? tuesday?"
"toss it just to be safe"
Hire a housekeeper/employ someone who does laundry in addition to cleaning the house. Let that person fight with your washing machine.
Have you already started to think about story ideas for S5, or letting it all settle in?
I am going to also include my request in this to bring back Weir for S5.
Joe...laundry? Not that complicated.
Keep in mind that I'm a freak when it comes to clothes. Everything I own (most of it high-end designer) is custom taylored and dyed to match -- with purses and handbags custom painted to match the custom dyed outfit. Like I said...I'm a freak.
Anyway, there are some things I hand wash with dishsoap because they'll be shredded in the washing machine but, otherwise, everything (whites, darks, colours, silks, cottons, linens, polyblends, velvets, washable suedes etc.) gets dumped in together with a cup of non-chlorinated (very important) bleach/detergent, water set to warm wash & rinse. A half-hour later it's done like dinner, then I toss the whole lot into the dryer for an hour.
It's nice to know that you pitch in at home, when you're not busy lording over a multi-million dollar mega-hit sci-fi franchise. :-)
KJC
Anonymus just asked :
1. Does this mean we'll get to see Daniel make his way to Atlantis?
2. If the above is true, any chance for Vala to make an appearance?? Please!
Unfortunatly for us, Vala's lovers (!),I think that we will not see her next season. I agree that it would be illogical to see Vala without Daniel in Pegasus but also I see no logical reasons why Vala would visit Daniel or Atlantis or Pegasus galaxy since that Sam is there. If Mrs Black should have to play role in season 5 it should be as a new character but that also would not works because the viewers would have great difficulties to ignore that she was personnifying a strong character just a moment ago. Then what ? A leading role for her in the next spin-off Stargate Universe would be great. Oh Yes.
For the 100th ep. I suggest something weird. But, before to be lynched by a group of fans, I must to say that I love very much Sam character and Amanda as an actress (for me it is easier to play extreme emotions such as ,anger,fear,foolishness, to die, etc than a calm, methodic, reasonnable scientist during 11 years).
Also, we know that it is not a good thing to kill one of the main character of a show (it is why the writers kill the doctors ! it is good for the drama side of the plot and not too bad for the ratings).But after 11 years it could be possible to do so.
So the 100th could be the occasion to end season 5 whith something big: the death of Sam Carter in a stupid accident ( life is so stupid some times )whitout any clue if it is an other Martin Lloyd mess or not. The answer in season 6! It should be such an issue for her character, and for the actress it could be a great way to turn the page.
Finally I understand why you do not answer to our questions probably because you do not know what to choose now among many ideas that you already have in mind and there is too many imponderables for the moment
yeah i have a hard time with the laundry too. thank the Lord that's my mom's favorite chore, so she usually does it. our washer overflowed the other day so just count your blessings joe!
Can someone who has seen the South Park parody of Stargate describe it? Did it have all of the SG1 or Atlantis characters? I tried to find it on YouTube, but it hasn't been posted. Would love to see it.
They parodied the movie. Kurt Russell was leading the team through the gate and saying, "But I'm just an ACTOR!" There didn't seem to be any of the TV characters, just lots of soldiers and scientists, but I'd have to see it again. It was hysterical and I was laughing to much, I'm sure I missed stuff. They had the set down perfect!
BTW - it was "to be continued". :o)
As someone who regularly gets the 'we need to send you for lots of blood tests', try not to worry too much about it - you'll only make yourself ill. Hope all goes well tomorrow.
oh and more comments from me... i can't ever just say one thing can i? anyway for you it's laundry; for me it's cooking. when it comes to cooking, i do absolutely anything in my power to avoid it. seriously. i consider making a sandwich cooking though so that is rather difficult. in general people encourage me to not cook. why you ask? because i have managed to practically poison eveything i have attempted to make. soup always explodes. honestly, they really should put a warning label on the can that says, "warning, spontaneous combustion of potatoes, though rare, has been known to occur when cooked in microwave by idiotic chef." and macaroni? first i don't see the little spot on the side that says "tear here". meaning the bag finally pops open and suddenly there's macaroni noodles, albeit uncooked macaroni noodles, everywhere in the kitchen. huh. who knew macaroni could fly? then once again i'm not paying attention- which is typical as i'm diagnosed ADD- and i put in 1/3 cup of water instead of 2/3 cup. or i forget to put the water in altogether. (yes this has happended multiple times.) resulting in very burnt very untasty macaroni. and yes we're talking about microwavable mac n cheese here. there's more, but i might frighted anyone who has been around my cooking...
Hi there!
Not written on here for a while, but Bob Picardo told me to get online and write to you!
Met him today at Collectormania and we ended up talking about you, his wife's baking and also the dog skeleton he gave you for Hallowe'en last week! I couldn't see any pics on your blog, but would love to see some. The idea of the skeleton sounds hilarious!
Tracy
Hi.
Okay, take two because blogger hates me today. Or perhaps it's posted, seeing as it's signed me in.... oh dear. I could end up looking like a prat. Scrap that, already do.
Okay, following instructions from Bob Picardo who said to get online and write on your blog. So yeah. Here I am.
I met him in Milton Keynes today and we were talking about his wife's baking and your blog and then he told me about his visit to you last week!
The dog skeleton he gave you for Hallowe'en sounds hilarious, though I'm sure it gives the poor pugs a fright (though Bob gave quite the evil laugh at the thought of scaring your dogs shitless!). I'd love to see some pictures or hear your side of the story (could be here and I've missed it!).
But yes, Bob instructed me to come to your blog and mention it!
Tracy
hehe do what i do leave a big pile and then when the girls come over to visit they end up cleanin :P ok so iam joking but ya i know doing washes are a pain, and you have to do them so often to.
dustin
elizabeth said: Please answer my question. Who is 'the guy in Washington'?
None other than Dick Cheney. Their's was a torrid and passionate affair, yet deemed unsuitable for viewing on television due to the projectile vomit factor. Oh Dick, you'll always be that guy in Washington to Sam.
By the way I don't know whether to be horrified or incredibly jealous that you're only finding out about the wonderful world of laundry now. Once filming begins again you should drag down sacks of clothes and get the extras to do it between takes. It could be a second income!
You had a lot of typos in this entry. Distracted much?
bonsoir joe,
ici en France il est 12:30 am, aprés le message se sera un dodo!
mes questions sont la suivantes :
1)Pourquoi vous avez-pas de sénaristes femmes? vous avez-peur qu'il ait trop de romance entre les personnages?
2)Le retour de Elizabeth Weir est-t-il toujours possible dans la saison 5?
3)Vous-êtes déjà partie au Maroc, Algerie et Tunis? La nourriture est excellent surtout le couscous,vous connaissez? Si vous voulez je peux demander à ma grand mère de vous en faire si vous venez un jour à NANTES.
Vous êtes génial!!!
Hey there...So now that SGA will be back for a fifth season will Rachel be back for the new season?
Oh and could you tell Rachel congrats about the baby and looking forward to seeing her back on SGA in S5 assuming she'll be back of course :)!!
Hello,
I was very happy to hear that SGA will be around for another season - great news! I want to continue to help pump the ratings however I can. I'm not a member of the Nielson clan, so I can't affect ratings directly, but I do TiVo. Does it help if I TiVo both showings? How do they monitor the TiVo use, by working directly with the company, or through some other means?
Thank you for keeping your blog up to date.
--p
For the people who want to see the South Park/SGA clip, you can searchon Youtube to find it.
Will we ever see Fifth again? - if you know. Right when he was killed it looked like he may have ascended. Thank-you.
I agree with others that most of the time cold water is sufficient. It saves money & keeps the clothes looking better longer.
Separating clothes does make a difference. My husband throws his white shirts in with dark pants. It's not obvious, but the shirt acquires a slight grey cast. If you compare it to a new shirt, ( like they do on the commercials ) it looks dingy.
Another consideration is weight of clothes. Lightweight items can get pulled out of shape if washed with towels or sweatpants.
Suggestions for Season 5: Ford and/or Genii!
Good lord, looking at that washing machine, I think you seriously need to find someone with the ATA gene to come in and work that piece of highly advanced tech for you. That thing looks like it would be right at home in the Gate Control Room on Atlantis. Makes me happy to have mine, which has a couple of dials and does wonders.
As for stories in season 5, they still haven't explored all of the city. There are definitely marvels to be found therein which could cause all sorts of interesting mayhem, not to mention exploring the mainland with its huge, honkin venomous snake/dragon things. Surely there's some great potential there. :-)
Hey there...So now that SGA will be back for a fifth season will Rachel be back for the new season?
Oh and could you tell Rachel congrats about the baby and looking forward to seeing her back on SGA in S5 assuming she'll be back of course :)!!
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