Thursday, September 9, 2010

Encounters with Rantwick, episode thirteen: Extreme Optimism

It seems like an awful lot of things are Extreme these days. People seem to be into lots of Extreme Sports, that's for sure, like this extreme mountain unicyclist I saw yesterday on bikesnobnyc. When things get popular, like extremeness, marketers and manufacturers start getting a little, um, carried away. One example is this restroom hand dryer:
We have this thing at work and it is indeed extreme. It makes your hand skin go all woogly it is so strong, and there's a reason you can't point it at your face:

That dryer is so strong and loud that almost nobody uses it. Man, that image is distracting. It makes my gums feel like they're drying out. Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, extremism. It would seem you can also apply extremism to other "isms"! I'm not on about nihilism this time, but rather Optimism. I encountered Extreme Optimism out on the bike a couple of days ago. Behold:

Yer Pal,



Oldfool said...

I don't use those air machines because they don't dry anything. In these modern and advanced times I have to resort to drying my hands on my clothes or not wash them. I think I'll just start carrying a towel everywhere. That ought to set me apart as an extreme weirdo.
I like the extreme optimist. Out smoking on his bike for his health.

Anonymous said...

You're absolutely right about those air dryer machines at work... one need not bother seeking an aesthetician, a quick session with that blessed air dryer, machine thingy will do the job for you. Just be very careful. Scared to use it myself, skin bits will be all over the bathroom!

RANTWICK said...

Oldfool - You are already an extreme weirdo. In a good way.

Anon - "skin bits"? Eeeewwww. Are you are leper or something?

Yokota Fritz said...

Dyson has a hand dryer they call... "The BLADE." That sounds extreme.

RANTWICK said...

Fritz - Your hands would be even easier to dry if they weren't attached to your arms... wait. You have no hands. Never mind.

Steve A said...

My baby sister introduced me to extreme skiing once. That cured me of extreme things. There is really very marginal societal benefit to learning about "tucking trees" and what a "mandatory deduct" is. On the other hand, "ski armor" might come in useful for all kinds of purposes.

RANTWICK said...

East there, Dr. Love... this is a family show.

RANTWICK said...

ooops! I read "Ski Amour"! Turns out I'm the perverted one.

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