So i'm lucky enough that my building has on-site laundry - which is kind of a big deal in the castro. We also have new fangled front loading washer that are energy effecient -8 of them in fact.
Unfortunetly we only have 6 dryers.
What this means is if all 8 washers are going at the same time for their 35 min cycle, 2 people are going to miss out on a dryer - which has a 60 min cycle.
It can just throw off one's entire afternoon! I actually missed a movie one night becuase I had to wait an extra hour just to dry my clothes. And, we all know that I am not a patient person when it comes to stuff like this.
Now, front loading energy efficent washers have a locking mechanism on the door, so once the cycle is about 3 min in, you can't open the washer. So, I have discovered a trick, that only works if you and one of your neighbors (competitors) start your laudnry at the same time. If one were to be evil enough to wait about 2 min and 45 sec then OPEN the neighbor's (competition's) washer for say...about 5 min and then restart it, that would give one enough of an edge to insure dryer space and not screw up ones evening plans.
See what living in the city has taught me. Now, I have to run, I have clothes to put in the dryer.
xo and downey fresh.
kel