What kind of person gives away their otherwise perfectly functioning microwave because the light inside no longer works?


Apparently someone at Grinnell, because that is exactly what I found and claimed this afternoon as I was walking home from the library. It had a note attached that said in big capital letters, "Free" and underneath, "Works great, the light doesn't work"

I figured, well I mean there is really no other good reason for that microwave to be there and if I don't take it someone else will. It doesn't matter that I already have access to a perfectly good microwave on my floor, and that I don't have room for a microwave in my room, and that something clearly exploded inside of this one, how often do you find a free microwave?

I would venture to guess almost never of the time, which is a meaningless phrase to be sure.


So I grabbed the (surprisingly light) microwave and brought it back to my floor, where I ran into my friend Joel. Joel was as impressed with the find as I and we decided to test it out immediately. The only thing we had on hand to microwave was some left over pancake batter from the previous night. I figured what the hell and tossed it in. After some mild confusion and worry that by "light doesn't work" they meant, "the timer function which actually makes the whole thing start is broken," I set the timer for 1 minute and waited patiently.

Much to my surprise not only did the microwave work, but the pancake batter actually sort of turned into a pancake. I mean it wasn't the same color, but it was mostly the same consistency.

Thus I have learned two things:
1. Some idiot just tossed out a perfectly good microwave that instead of giving away for free they could have sold to a consignment shop or something, AND
2. You can make pancakes in the microwave.

Truly my life has been changed.

Also I still don't have a place for the microwave. I'll probably have to get rid of it, which is depressing. But instead of simply giving it away I will attempt to sell it.


Also tomorrow (or I guess today) is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. Regardless of your opinion on the matter of German Reunification (a lot of people hate that term) you cannot deny that it is an incredibly momentous occasion in German history. I hopefully be celebrating with my fellow German majors by getting irresponsibly drunk, partly on expensive imported German beer, and partly on Hawkeye Vodka, which is a chilling reminder of the dangers of drinking Hawkeye Vodka.