We Got To Move These Refrigerators

When I was a kid, probably 14 or so, I saved up a bunch of the money I had made working for the summer at a gas station in my home town. My friends and I were in love with the music we were hearing which was popular at the time. Nirvana's "Nevermind" had been out for a few years and they had followed up with "In Utero" which was very different but still really good. Weezer's self-titled blue album was new in stores and we loved it. There were very exciting things happening in rock music that we wanted to be a part of, so we decided we wanted instruments to form a band. At the time none of us knew anything about playing instruments, keeping time, keeping rhythm, we knew nothing. We just knew we wanted to play.

So I took my money, painfully saved after washing cars, pumping gas, changing oil, and patching tires down to the pawn shop in Crowley (my home town didn't have a pawn shop) and found the only bass guitar I could afford. I bought it, I brought it home and I stared at it. I couldn't play it. I could barely pretend to play it. But it looked cool. It was not a nice guitar. It was not fancy and it was not expensive, but it was mine. I looked cool with it strung over my shoulder. I made loud noise when I cranked my amp to 11 and banged away on it, without playing chords or notes or anything that even resembled music. And then I placed it back on its stand and I looked at it for a while longer. Believe me, had I had a blog back then I would have blogged about nothing but that guitar for quite some time.

Eventually we gave up our rock god dreams and moved on to other hobbies, other interests. I think the other two guys I "played" with might have gone on to learn a bit more, but I know they didn't become musicians. One is now a lawyer and the other works in information technology. We are not the grungy slackers we once dreamed of becoming.

But to this day I remember vividly what it felt like to work hard and bring that bass guitar home and look at it. There was some power in knowing that I worked for it, earned it and it was mine. I didn't ever have to learn how to play it because it was mine and it looked so cool.
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It's funny how our interests change, but at heart we kind of stay the same. The things that once excited us now seem trivial, and the things that once seemed more boring than watching paint dry are now the things that get us giddy.

Taking advantage of Labor Day sales over the weekend, Lindsey and I bought a new refrigerator, a washing machine and a dryer. They haven't been delivered yet, but I've been looking at the pictures online. And I'm almost as excited about them now as I once was about that guitar.

They will be delivered on Saturday morning, and thankfully the guys from Best Buy will hook them up for us. I don't know that I will ever learn to work on these machines, in just the same way that I never learned to play that guitar. I'm not sure that I could figure out how to hook them up properly without breaking something. And like that guitar, they are not top of the line. They are not the best in their class. But when they arrive, they will be ours. And we earned them through our labor. And that feels as good to me as rock and roll ever has.

Frigidaire 26.0 Cu. Ft. Side-by-Side Refrigerator with Thru-the-Door Ice and Water - Silver Mist
Model: FRS6R5EMB

Kids in the house? No need to worry; this refrigerator's SpillSafe glass shelves contain messes and are easily cleaned, so you won't have to worry about a spill from the top shelf ruining everything below.

• Front-mounted electromechanical temperature controls make it easy to dial in your preferred climate settings
• 4-button electromechanical dispenser delivers PureSource-filtered water and ice for instant refreshment
• Ice dispenser creates crushed and cubed ice for any occasion that calls extra ice
• 3 SpillSafe glass shelves, 2 gallon door bins and 2 fixed 2-liter bins provide multiple storage configuration options
• 2 crispers (1 with humidity control), a dairy compartment with clear door and a deli drawer protect and preserve the freshness of perishable items
• 3 wire shelves, 4 fixed bins and a tall plastic basket keep frozen goods organized
• UltraSoft doors add a level of comfort and luxury to your kitchen

Frigidaire 3.0 Cu. Ft. 9-Cycle Super Capacity Washer - White on white
Model: CWS3600AS

With 9 wash cycles, 3 wash and rinse temperature options and 3 water levels, this 9-cycle washer is sure to take care of all your clothes' fabrics.

• Heavy-duty 2 speed motor ensures your washer will run strong for years to come
• True Slow agitation delicate cycle takes care of your most delicate fabrics with ease
• 9 wash cycles and 3 wash and rinse temperature options accommodate a wide variety of washing needs
• 3 water levels handle a range of load sizes
• Automatic bleach and fabric-softener dispensers give you the freedom to start the washer and go

Frigidaire 3-Cycle Crown Electric Dryer - White on white
Model: CER3600AS

The Frigidaire electric dryer features 2 drying temperatures and a balanced dry system with high air flow that gently dries without damaging clothes.

• 5.7 cu. ft. capacity
• Balanced dry system with high air flow gently dries without damaging clothes
• 3 automatic dry cycles
• 2 drying temperatures
• End-of-cycle signal