Wishing I Could Use My Hands to Wash and Dry My Hands

Ah, it's great to be back in NYC. Amazing how quickly our perspective of our own life can change when we get a little breather. I just took my first week off in more than 3.5 years. I didn't look at a newspaper, I didn't read a magazine, I didn't let any of the central powers broadcast any of their propagandic (ooh, I like that one) take on the news to me over a radio or TV. I was mostly in the middle of nowhere on the border of Colorado and New Mexico and spent several days hiking and camping all alone. I'll post more about my reflections, my experiences and what not with some pictures throughout this week.

But I had one pressing observation about the conveniences of our modern world that hit me when I got to the airport in Denver on my way back.

I can't work these automatic sinks or hand dryers. It drives me crazy. First of all, I can be a bit of a germ freak when I'm in a city (dirt and mud and stuff don't bother me so much in the country....but all these people in the cities...) and so I so very much want to love these sinks and hand dryers that are supposed to work without me ever having to touch them. And second of all, aren't they supposed to be pretty much idiot-proof? I think I must be beyond indiocy when it comes to simple, every day tasks like washing and drying my hands. I can't ever get these damn machines to turn on. I move my hands, up closer to the sink or the blower -- nothing. I move my hands further away -- nothing. I move my hands towards me, away from me and suddenly they'll turn on. For like two seconds. And then I can't find the sweet spot again. I look around at the 7 out of the 23 other guys in the bathroom who bother to wash their hands and they don't seem to be having any problems with these auto machines. What's my problem?!


I'd almost rather just use my own hands to wash and dry my hands, you know?