Friday, March 2, 2007

No loonies = puppy dogs socks

I hate coin laundry.

I hate coin laundry not just because there are only two such washing machines in my entire building, meaning that I have to seize on to a random evening like Wednesday to get any clean clothes (and I know that has nothing to do with the coin part and all to do with the lame building management part), but also because they just upped the price so that I need three loonies and two quarters to do a load.

Now, $3.50 isn't an exorbitant price or anything.
But, needing $3.50 in exact change is difficult.

For those of you not familiar with Canadian currency, we have both one dollar coins, called the loonie (because of the noble loon adorning them), and two dollar coins, creatively called the twoonie (as a really lame inside joke that actually got government mandated!)

The problem is, that when you get change, it is highly unlikely that you will get more than a loonie in one sitting. As such, I have had to become a loonie horder. However, loonies are also ridiculously handy for everything else. For example, as a tremendous caffeine addict, there are several times that I have contemplated actually using my credit card to pay for a coffee rather than using my valuable horded loonies. I can also recall several times, dining out with friends, when someone says "Actually, we should put down another dollar or two for a tip"-- I stay silent, hoping someone else will offer, but eventually, out of a sense of obligation, another loonie or two is thrown down, and I curse the lack that there is no laundry again tonight. Several times I have even had enough to do laundry, but not to dry, and have been so desperate as to string wet jeans and t-shirts across my entire apartment. Furthermore, given there is no change machine, and the nearest convenience store is at least a 10 minute walk away (yes, we are all extremely lazy, I know!), everyone else in my apartment building is consequently also loonie horders, and are not about to help you with change, because it means their clothese remains soiled.

Anyways, last night I got home late, and thought I had sufficient change to do laundry, but I was wrong.
As such, I am doing a research presentation in front of a whole bunch of people today wearing puppy dog socks.
I guess it will be our little secret.

***

And I am fully aware the easiest solution to this is simply to go to the bank and get a roll of loonies. However, banking hours and my schedule don't go together very well. Also, I think as a way of making up for not being able to procrastinate in my professional life, I make up for it by doing so copiously in my professional life. A few days ago, I finally renewed my driver's licence after over a year of it being expired... seemed like such a waste of an hour to get it done when I don't have a car.

14 comments:

iFreud said...

I like the wearing the puppy dog socks option myself. Makes 'em wonder!

L said...

At least it wasn't puppy dog socks and sandals!

The Author said...

I LOVE shit like this! My plan is to go to Whistler next year for a fair while, do they call them Loonies there too??!! It's so cool! Wonder if I can get a roll on ebay.

I've got a bit of a thing for stuff that's Canadian. My mate brought me back a beanie hat with a maple leaf on it about 6 weeks ago. I haven't stopped wearing it. Actually, I should probably wash it...

Sorry...chatting rubbish again!

Spinning Girl said...

I have long loved the loonie.

Ant said...

Hah! I had exactly this problem in Vancouver strangely enough...

However I ended up loving the loonie too...

Pie! said...

My friend met this one Australian guy that kept calling the loonies a "one-ie". Cute.

Also cute: calling toques beanie hats.

When I lived in Drumheller, I'd always end up driving back to Calgary to do my laundry. Mostly because I was itching to get out of the small town and also because I didn't want to have to deal with the whole proper change at the laundromat.

Anonymous said...

Update your labia

Princess Pointful said...

Apparently everyone has a lot of love for the loonie and not so much for the poor lonely twoonie!

iFreud- It is kind of a nice little secret to be holding onto as I pretend to be professional.

Lmizzle- Yeah... boots were appreciated at that point in time!

John- I find your appreciation of all things Canadian strangely endearing :). Lesson of the day (as you will see in Pie's comment)- we call beanies tuques, pronounced "tooks".

Spinning Girl- Thanks for stopping by. I'm quite sure the loonie has long loved you in return.

Ant- Funny how the loonie can taunt you so, but still entrance you all the same.

Pie- That is adorable! Onenie!!!
That is also funny that you would use something as banal as laundry to attempt an escape.

Dr.- My hoo-haa is already state of the art, thank you very much. And using Dr. and PhD is the same title is pretentious and redundant!

The Author said...

Took?! Sweeeet! Although it's one that I think I'll pass on using over here. My mates with think I'm wearing a Hobbit on my head (I wonder if anyone will get that?).

A hoo-haa and a labia? Are these things also Canadian? Are they also forms of headwear?

The Author said...

I'd just like to apologise for my incredible lack on English skills on that last comment. I hang my head in shame.

cinemec said...

On my visit to Toronto I loved the loonie and the twoonie also.. they're just the cutest darn bit of currency on the planet! I also like the £2 coin as it looks somewhat like the twoonie but they are hella rare over here - don't think they really caught on so much.
Also when I first arrived in Chicago on my first trip over there I was getting the El downtown and needed change. I went to a change machine and stuck in $10. Out came 10 dollar coins! I had no idea these even existed and neither did the American guy who was stood next to me!

Princess Pointful said...

Sorry for the mispronunciation, John. It is actually a "tooke", with an extra "ooooooh"-y sound. As for labias serving as hats... there's a lot of places I could go with that, but I'm just going to plug my ears and not think of any of them. La la la....

Cinemec- Sweet! We Canadians have a lot to be proud of in terms of our stereotypes, so I'm more than happy to include cutest currency on that list, along with best use of gravy (poutine baby!). One dollar US coins?? I bet they are nowhere near as adorable!

eric1313 said...

Excellent handling og the "get your labia updated" comment.

I've always loved the term hoo-haa, but rarely use it.

A hat... maybe a fez, or a toque... a strange spin on the term "ass-hat", no doubt.

Your sense of humor is grand. I'll see you later. No more lurking and reading tonight. I have to make some rounds. But your writing really, really is top-notch entertainment.

eric1313 said...

don't mind me or my sense of humor when I or it get tired. I know it's defficient...

Sweet dreams, friend.