Saturday, May 17, 2008

Appliances


Here's a question...
do you ever think of an appliance in your house as having gender???
Sometimes cars, especially the sporty little red ones, are referred to as "a lady"
then there are "man's tools"....the circular saw, the drill and bits...all this comes to mind...
well, for me, it is my hairdryer.  This has just occurred to me for a reason, not just randomly...so to all those a little worried about me, I can explain....
This is, ok was, my hiardryer for the past..hhmmm, maybe 10 years?  maybe more?

When I lived in Venezuela, which to me, in Maracaibo at least, happens to be the blow-drying capital of the world; I even had the button mechanism replaced.  It was way too expensive to buy a new one, so just like almost everything else, someone there can fix it!
Now, I soon took to going and indulging  in the salon because it was too cheap to not have someone else blow dry my hair. Might I also add, I use the word "salon" loosely.  I usually referred to my place as a hole in the wall!  So, my hairdryer got a rest.  Every once in awhile I wouldn't go out to get it dried by my favorite girl, Linda.  I mean she charged me about $2.50 to blow dry my hair!  Then my hair got a little longer, and times were a little tougher so she upped her price....but with the new exchange rates, it cost even less.

So, why am I asking if it has gender?  Here's the reason:

I had someone in the US buy one, any one, for me and bring it along when they came to visit.  I was worried while the other one was "in the shop" that they wouldn't be able to fix it.  I did need to have one right?
Well, tonight I finally had to let my old girl, which is what I think of her as now, go to her cooling place.  She conked out.  And here, forget about any sort of repairs...probably don't have the part, the know how nor the cheap price of Maracaibo.
I let my girl settle down on the sink, I had just been using her not two seconds before...trying to cool a little so that she would work once again, after she stopped overheating.  No luck, she was on permanent cool.
So, I pull out the big boy.  Now, why is this of male gender?  First look at it.  Besides the little purple splash on the side, it looks masculine.  Gray, big, (translation: hard to hold....)
and it has buttons on it that I don't even know what to do with!  I see the cool button...as Linda explained to me once, you cool your hair as the last bit of the drying process to make it shine.  The 3 choices of strength.  and then the two that elude me:
The turbo button...I don't really notice a difference when it is turned on or off.  Am I not in tune with my new guy?  

and then...
The ceramic button...CERAMIC button?  what the heck is that?  Once again, nothing happens when I turn it on or off.... 

Ah, the carefree days when Linda dried my hair...at least every Saturday and then during the week when I had something to attend....remember $2.50!!
those were the days my friend, I thought they'd never end.....
so...do you ever think of any of your appliances as masculine or feminine?:)

5 comments:

marine's words said...

ok,BG my little gril in my knew picture where I look in the late 80's or 90's whatever you can tell form my hair well that little girl my daughter that I had to make stand still to comb out her hair is now a hair dresser and I call and ask her what those names me she said you have a very good hair dyer!! that the Cramic bottom-means it heats better with out drying out your hair or damage but will heat up faster,Turbo-means speed its faster than most other dryers !
and I am jealous what would I give to have someone dry my hair for 2.50 it beats holding the hair dyer.anyday!
And since I am mexican-american I do see things as male or female I guess b/c I grew up speaking the language I mean like the door and the car and so on.
But I would have to agree with you that hair dyer is a man!!LOL!!
have anymore questions about your great new hair dyer ask me and I will ask my daughter the one I had to make stand while I comb out her hair. hope I help you out some anyways you got a really good friend that got you a good dyer!
ok I think that was hair dyer 101!LOL,marina

Anonymous said...

Isn't it amazing how technology has changed! I have no clue what those buttons are for either. I'm mystified at how when I go to get my hair cut/styled, they use that hair dryer to smooth out and make my hair all shiny, but I can't get it to do that! Oh well :)

marine's words said...

that is why I wish I could pay 2.50 to have my hair done over hear just for a stlye its 55.00 with out a tip so it better be something great you are going too.
and I can never get my hair to do what they do you are right ann.marina

Gabriela said...

Yeah, your new one is totally a boy dryer.

PJ said...

The old fan stashed in the closet in my classroom is a guy. "Buddy" actually. As in "Buddy, it is hot in here today, you'd better work!!" It looks like it was purchased in the 1970's -- one of those square intended-to-be-a-window-fan type things with three speeds on a knob. The electrical cord used to be white, but is now gray with black spots. The fan used to be beige, but is now dark tan with darker brown spots!!! It's my "Buddy." For days when the air conditioner just isn't doin' it! Or years it gets hot before they allow us to turn on the air. Ole Buddy! Hope he lasts a few more years!!