I have had a microwave oven in my life since 1980. I was 10 years old then and had no idea that my entire world was about to change with my mom's purchase, her “splurge” that brought the microwave into my life. In the 33 years since, even while living in the dorms at college, I had access to a microwave to cook my food. Being as I am no Betty Crocker—that little piece of electrical genius provided me with the majority of my meals once I was out on my own.
Microwave ovens, at least the one's that I have owned, use to stand the test of time for a decade or more, easily. But like most things, they don't build them like they use to. Thus, my dilemma began this weekend when out of the blue, while making microwave popcorn, my over-the-stove microwave stopped heating the food. I didn't believe it at first, so I kept trying to warm things up in it. Eventually I started hearing a little zapping noise that convinced me to stop testing fate and accept that my food source was broken.
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I almost immediately decided to go out and purchase a small, cheap replacement to get me through until I could figure out what to do about my bigger and more expensive microwave. Essentially, I panicked. I forgot how to simply warm things up on a stove top or in a regular oven. Embarrassing yes, but sometimes you don't realize how heavily you rely on something until you no longer have it. I know I can't be the only one that would feel powerless without a microwave, right?
Just as the newest generation would freak out if they had no internet, no Google to search? I mean, Generation X knows that life without the internet was not impossible. We had encyclopedias to look up information, and we used typewriters for our school reports. That would not fly with folks under 30 today. But the microwave oven has been so integrated into my life as a sub-par cook that I had forgotten that I could use a pan to warm up leftovers. Sad.
The good news is that I decided I could survive a week without my microwave, until the GE repairman comes out and hopefully resuscitates the little bugger. I did not go buy a temporary microwave oven and I have resolved to make food on the stove, or eat out! It did get me to thinking though, what luxury item could my fellow Gen Xers not live without? Feel free to share below.
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