Life is like an analogy.
The restroom sinks at my workplace are deep half-spheres made of shiny, polished metal set in a tan wooden counter over which hangs, somewhat cheerlessly, a simple metal tube of a faucet. If one places one’s hands below counter level within the basin, the sink is functional as a normal sink would be. But more often, my co-workers are careless with their post-relief ablutions. This results in pooled water across the remarkably level surface of the counter, which could eventually warp the counter but is also unsightly and inconvenient if one brushes against it in the course of restroom business.
There are many complaints about these sinks. They range from derision of the design to outright anger at its users. I choose to see these sinks as a metaphor for humanity’s great diversity. Without going into detail, as I am already verbose, I will sum it up for you, the Steelbuddha reader.
There are those who use the sink properly to avoid splashing.
There are those who splash some, but clean up when they are finished.
There are those who are careless and leave their mark in puddles.
There are those who clean up the mess whether they made it or not.
There are those who seek to get others to clean their mess through group chastisement.
There are those who leave the mess, claiming not to have time or mental space.
There are those who suffer silently.
There are those who actively seek out the offenders.
There are those who passively assume the offenders.
I may have missed my calling as a sociologist.
Ah, the notorious HD faucets. As a visitor, you don’t realise that your standard faucet-usage patterns will create a mess until it’s already been done. Then, you clumsily try to clean it up a bit and remind yourself to use them differently the next time, but of course you forget between visits. So, weeks later, you find yourself cleaning the same mess and grumbling.
It’s like the bauhaus doorknob: minimalism for people who hate cripples.
I’m working on carving out a fourth niche — people who shake their fist and curse the faucet-maker.
Comment by daicerio_blue — 6/8/2006 @ 2:38 pm
Oh, and sorry we missed you guys down at ye piratefest. It just wouldn’t fit into the schedule last weekend.
Comment by daicerio_blue — 6/8/2006 @ 2:39 pm
I guess I fall into the group of people who have never had a problem with the sinks, other than the problem of dealing with others’ messes.
I suspect this is possibly because I haven’t had an apartment with anything more than a pedestal or wall-mounted sink in almost 20 years, so it’s either stick the paws down far enough into the sink or get the floor all wet.
And I’m getting to the point where if I bump up against a wet sink in one in HD’s bathrooms one more time, I’m gonna find who was in there before me and punch them in the face. God, I’m getting sick of that. It’s not rocket science, people. And if you’re making that much of a puddle, you clearly see it. Be an adult and clean it up. Sheesh.
Comment by czeltic girl — 6/9/2006 @ 3:59 pm
I am one of those who clean up the mess whether they made it or not. I treat the sinks as a Zen exercise. One must be aware and conscious while using them, otherwise the act of handwashing does not become artful.
On the other hand those faucets are so f*%king horribly suited for those basins that I’ve been tempted to cut 8 or so inches from the faucet’s vertical rise. The faucets are hospital surgical ward-style and are meant to be paired with a huge, deep basin.
On a final note, I say all interns should required to use the 4th floor restroom. We run out of paper towels by 2 pm on most days now, due to the excessive sopping up required.
Comment by vonherwig — 6/11/2006 @ 9:19 pm
I like the idea that how you deal with the HD bathroom sink (poorly designed as it is) is the way you deal with life (also often poorly designed). I’m with Herwig on this one. I clean up the mess, whether I made it or not, and try not to think too much about the so-not-enlightened splashers. I hope that I gain karma points by doing so. I also like to pretend for 10 seconds or so that I’m in an airplane bathroom and not at work. But that’s me.
Comment by BB — 6/12/2006 @ 9:41 am
I’m with you two. I clean the counter whether I made the splash or not. I don’t like the sinks, but I’ve learned to make them work for me. And outside of this blog entry, I am not one to bring up the subject.
But I have the feeling that because I am not fastidious about my appearance (hygiene, yes; appearance, no) that many people assume I’m one of the careless people turning the bathroom into a drippy cave. And that is frustrating.
Comment by steelbuddha — 6/12/2006 @ 9:47 am
I’m embarrassed to admit that Katie caught be being negligent one day and called me on it. I must work on my sink Zen. Be present in the handcleaning moment. OM.
I’m more careful to clean-up, now. Nothing quite like having a small Irish woman chastize you. :)
That being said, the design is quite frustrating. Moreso now that we’ve instituted real silverware, small stir sticks for coffee, and an actual recycling bin in the production room in an effort to be more green. Do we make our efforts null and void by having to use excessive amounts of toweling to mop the counters?
Comment by K-Co — 6/14/2006 @ 2:42 pm