Today I had a revelation. I have decided it’s time. Time to stop dreaming. Time to start acting. It is time to stop doubting myself, my skills, and frankly if anyone will f-ing like me… It’s time to follow my passions and share them with the world.  (Note: I censored my cursing there, this censorship won’t last, it will likely be over before the end of paragraph two.)

I have been talking for a couple years about getting my blog up and running. I have had the social media game started with Instagram for quite awhile. At the end of 2017 I moved onto Facebook and my (currently) rarely used Twitter. My friends and family have encouraged me, yet I still had doubts, and wasn’t ready to commit. Today is that day. Today I am ready. I am sorry this post is going to be really long! I just need to fully describe why today is the day.

I would like to start by truly thanking the appliance repair man that just left my house and charged me $60 for visiting. He was a friendly older man that has been in the appliance business since washing boards were invented. He may in fact have been the inventor. This man, in the 15 minutes he was here gave me the confidence to start typing. Here’s how…

A couple weeks ago I noticed the glasses on the upper rack of my dishwasher were not getting cleaned. So I did what any “normal Millennial” (33 years old is Millennial I think?) would do, I googled “dishwasher repair.” The first recommendation I found was to run a dishwasher cleaner through the empty dishwasher. This would break up any particles causing a clog. That’s easy enough right? Wrong. Didn’t fix it. The dishwasher is sparkling like its brand new though!

Time to go back to google and read a little further. This was a rabbit hole I was not quite prepared to fall down. The problem with researching appliance repair is the confidence, then in turn the doubt, that it gives you. After reading for a half hour or so about moving parts I moved on to the dreaded step two.

I bit the bullet and called my dishwasher manufacturer help line. This is where my self confidence began its turn for the worse. The representative told me that it “sounds like your filter is clogged.” When I asked her how to clean it, I received what is hands down my favorite response by a customer service rep ever. “Youtube it.” Don’t get me wrong, I love Youtube. Here’s the thing, there aren’t any videos specific to my dishwasher. The closest I could find had me disassembling the entire damn thing. Uh NO! Like there is ANY hope I will put that back together correctly. On to step three.

Time to call the appliance shop my parents swear by. It’s a local mom and pop business. Which let me state for you now are my absolute favorites. I love to utilize local small business whenever possible. You (usually) get the best service from people who actually (usually) care. This is how I met the hero of our story, Mr. Repairman. He entered the house and had the helpful demeanor of the guy at the oil change place who shows you the dirty filter that “needs replaced.” I explain to him that in this case I was told it is (ironically) a dirty filter… He tells me “you don’t have a filter on this machine.” WTF. Honestly is this how this is about to go? Is Mr. Repairman crazy or am I?

Mr. Repairman proceeds to plop himself onto the floor in front of the dishwasher and compliments me on how clean it is (the dishwasher (see above) not the floor, even though the floor is also sparkling.) So far so good. He starts the dishwasher and as soon as it is running, yanks it open. Water EVERYWHERE. He looks at me and says “Hmm not sure that you are getting enough water to clean the dishes.” Again, WTF.

Now I am still trusting that the inventor of the washing board knows what he is talking about. I do point out that he gave it all of 30 seconds to fill with water, and that he is now wearing half of it. After an awkward, abnormally long chuckle he decides to let it run a bit longer and see if it fills further. This time he waits 45 seconds, pops it open, and says “Yeah theres a problem with the spinning mechanism, you aren’t getting water to the top shelf.” Now if you recall this is where it all began, the glasses on the TOP SHELF weren’t being cleaned. I replied (sarcastically yet of course sweetly) with “no way! How do you fix that?” Our hero’s response…. “I’d buy a new one.” He goes on to explain that everything in a machine is interconnected and if one part doesn’t work you have to replace the whole mechanism. Out of curiosity I ask, “how much does it cost to fix?” He says “$350 plus labor.” I thanked him for his time and gave him my credit card for the $60 repair “fee.” He proceeds to explain to me that things “just aren’t made like they used to be. But if you buy a new dishwasher from us we give you a $45 credit.” Thank you Yoda for the explanation and the discount code.

Our hero leaves and I am now annoyed. Not with him, he did what I expected him to do, and did his job. He really only confirmed my fear of having to get a new one. I’m actually annoyed because this is a $800 dishwasher that is two years old… That comes with a one year warranty… what a rip off. I’ll write one of my “famous” letters to the manufacturer…

After a couple minutes (seconds) I decide to start taking apart the spinner thing that Yoda says is the problem. What is the worst that can happen? I break it and need to buy a new dishwasher? We’re already there. Now we finally get to the part where I become the strong, confident, woman who believes people will care about what she does or what she has to say. Here we go… Are you ready…

I fixed the fucking dishwasher.

As soon as I took the spinner off two years of built up dishwasher detergent fell out into the sink. Its official! I am a strong, competent, knowledgable woman! I need no man to tell me how to fix things! I followed my gut, and saved $800. Like any other smart woman I know, I popped open a bottle of Rosé to celebrate and basked in my infinite ability. After a few sips (a glass), I paused my celebration and said to myself “what’s next?” (Other than the laundry that just buzzed to remind me it is finished, that I am currently ignoring.) That’s when I saw it. My Macbook staring at me. Calling to me. Saying “Bitch it is time.”

It is time. Time to get this new adventure started!

I’m not going to be great at this at first. I have a full time (plus extra time) job. I have friends and family that I force my love and attention on.  But I promise you I will get better. I will commit to sharing posts with humor and honesty. I will share the thoughts, the trials, and the tribulations that define me. I am not going to be one of those “perfect” bloggers that always has their shit together. This is real life. I work really hard and I pretend to play hard. I live to travel and I travel to live. I enjoy nothing more than a great meal and a glass (bottle(s)) of wine with my friends and family. I am my happiest when I am sharing my life with others, through beauty, travel, food & wine, and design. This life is A Beautiful Quest and I for one am excited to be on it.