Condo Update

We closed yesterday and I spent the first night there. Seeing the view at night made all the frustration from the past six months worthwhile. More later!

The Condo That Wouldn't Close

If anyone out there can build me a 26" deep washer/dryer front-loading, exhaust-free appliance(s), then you'd solve my immediate problem. What problem is that, you ask?

Oh, well thank you for asking... my lovely and friendly neighborhood developers, MacKenzie House (yeah, the same builders that are 5 months behind on completion of the project) and their idiot architect (yeah, the same architect who doesn't understand natural gravity run for plumbing and the same architect who doesn't understand how deep the tread should be on stairs... I can talk smack about architects because I have a friggin' Bachelor's of Architecture)... anyhow, this idiot architect gave me a laundry room that is 28" deep from hookups to the interior side of the laundry room door. The smallest brand-known W/D you can get it 27 1/4" deep... 3/4" for hookups, I think not.

And, those lovely (aka, POS) stackable W/D units (yeah, the ones where the washer door only opens up about 45 degrees before it hits the bottom of the dryer) are the only ones that are 27 1/4" deep.

That's great... half million dollar condo and POS washer/dryer. Just great. Anyone want to buy my awesome front-loading -no-longer-need-a-dry-cleaner STEAM-based W/D that's 31" deep?

Perhaps you just want to regularly do my laundry for me? I should just put a washtub and waashboard in that laundry closet. GRRRRRRRRR!

Oh yeah, and let's not forget that the dryer exhaust vent seems dangerously close to the electrical wiring for the foyer/hallway switch panel.

DOUBLE GRRRRRR!

Backdraft Chicago

I came back to my friends' condo after the MU loss last night to hear a ton of sirens heading toward me from all different directions. All I had to do was step out on the balcony to see billowing smoke about 3 blocks from me. Threw the shoes back on and went to check it out... never imagined that it'd be a huge gathering of emergency services! Here are some iPhone pictures and my micro-blog of the event via Twitter (follow me).

• watching and listening CFD go to town on a burning building. Chicago & Wolcott.
• lots of glass being smashed. 2 ladder trucks. Another line into bldg.
• ferverishly pulling more line into building. Looky-loos building. Can hear firemen giving updates over radio.
• Lots of updates about location in bldg over 2 way. More firemen going in.
• 4 story bldg. H&R block at ground.
• Lots of shit being thrown out of bldg. Heard over 2 way, "no fire here. Further investigate."

• Lots more window smashing. CFD don't play. Pumper trucks still pumping.
• Fire coming up from first to second floor (overheard)
• Longest non-truck ladder ever raised from ground to third floor now.
• More sirens approaching. Hmmmm. Gurney waiting at entrance of bldg.
• 8 trucks that I can see. 3 ambulances. Countless support vehicles.
• More first floor glass pummeled. More sirens approaching
• Female EMS-PIC Murphy using hose leak to wet towels.
• (radio) we're gonna bring her out the front door
• Big time smoke from first floor adjacent bldg. More sirens approaching.
• Another gurney. And the sound of power tools.
• Smoke turning from white to black. Glass getting smashed over and over.
• Master use of pole axe only before seen in Diablo video game.
• Firefighters yelling, "anyone live in this bldg?" girl next to me says YA

• Hugging and crying happening behind me. "I was dead asleep in there and barely got down stairs"
• Overheard: "I'm glad your alive"/ "thank you!"
• Overheard: I was a little bit awake and burned incense earlier and I looked out my window to see flames (cough) and holy fuck!
• Another line going in. 2 fighters coming out with oxygen tanks ringing. Expired.
• Real American heroes walking out of bldg and declining wet towels.
• Real American heroes getting new oxygen tanks and going back in.
• Guy on phone behind me: my car is parked right in the middle of the action.
• Holy crap. Just looked around. At least 30 vehicles here now.
• Overheard smoke so thick nine blocks away (bar: happy village?) that they closed.
• Overheard: they brought a girl out. No idea on status.
• Last microblog. When these guys come out someone else pours them some Gatorade. Props to the CFD.