{"id":93,"date":"2008-05-13T15:46:08","date_gmt":"2008-05-13T19:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/washwords.wordpress.com\/?p=103"},"modified":"2008-05-13T15:46:08","modified_gmt":"2008-05-13T19:46:08","slug":"occams-razor-reversed-or-how-to-make-something-simple-complicated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/2008\/occams-razor-reversed-or-how-to-make-something-simple-complicated\/","title":{"rendered":"Occam’s Razor reversed: or how to make something simple complicated"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am continually trying to clean up \/ clear out \/ streamline my beautifully renovated Dupont Circle Coop.<\/p>\n

To that end a few MONTHS ago, I posted a note on my apartment message board that I was selling a bunch of furniture.<\/p>\n

Someone inquired about an old camping table I was selling. Originally purchased for about $50, I was offering it for $15.<\/p>\n

\"camping<\/a>The conversation on said $50-reduced-to-$15, used once, snap-together table went like this:<\/p>\n

Washy: <\/strong>I’ll be home after 6, apt. #12345 – I was asking $15 but it’s negotiable. I also have an ikea coffee table!<\/p>\n

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Tablebuyer:<\/strong> I’ll tell one of my sons to stop by.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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How much was the table new?<\/span><\/p>\n

Washy:<\/span><\/strong> Actually, I just looked it up and saw it for $58. I paid a little less than that I think, but do think it was close to $50 – so bargain! glad you inquired.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Tablebuyer<\/strong>: how many does it seat?<\/p>\n

Tablebuyer<\/strong>: (one minute later): and the measurements?<\/p>\n

SEVERAL emails (one asking “how about $12?) and two phone calls later and two hours after I said would be a good time to come, Tablebuyer’s goatee-sporting son showed up to peruse the table. I showed it to him, in its carrying case, with instruction manual, ready to roll.<\/p>\n

He had questions.<\/p>\n

Then he had to call his mom.<\/p>\n

Then he wanted to know if my typewriter was for sale. It wasn’t.<\/p>\n

Then he had to CONSULT with his mom.<\/p>\n

TWENTY minutes later he was back.<\/p>\n

Tablebuyer’s son:<\/strong> “She’ll take it for $9.”<\/p>\n

Me<\/strong> <\/span>(having to go meet someone): Okay, I’m not going to quibble with you over a few dollars. Fine. Here it is.”<\/p>\n

Tablebuyer’s son continued to talk. I had to go. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Me:<\/strong> Enjoy the table!<\/p>\n

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Flash forward to TWO MONTHS later<\/strong>. Two (2). Months (months).<\/p>\n

Tablebuyer <\/strong>(via email) : is that top the right one for the legs? It didn’t seem to fit correctly.<\/p>\n

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Me:<\/strong> Yup. I know it snaps into place. I used it only once but it did work. Let me know if you can’t get it worked out and I’ll take it back and refund your money ($9?)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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(In other words, are you f’in kidding me??)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Tablebuyer:<\/strong> Thanks for your answer Washwords. Maybe you could come by on Sat or sun to show me how you got it into place?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Dear Readers, I beg of you, how should I reply? Please! Help! Me!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I have several thoughts but none of them are nice. This is not providing the simplification I had hoped for.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Love, your pal, Washy (who advised you to take your $8 table and jump in a lake!). Smiles.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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– <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am continually trying to clean up \/ clear out \/ streamline my beautifully renovated Dupont Circle Coop. To that end a few MONTHS ago, I posted a note on my apartment message board that I was selling a bunch of furniture. Someone inquired about an old camping table I was selling. Originally purchased for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[766],"tags":[72,89,145,147,151,157,193,194,205,212,285,308,364,395,400,401,424,460,470,499,501,512,515,524,525,526,535,562,575,41],"class_list":["post-93","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-wash","tag-are-you-kidding-me","tag-bargain","tag-complicated","tag-confusing","tag-coop","tag-crazy","tag-dupont","tag-dupont-circle","tag-energy","tag-ethical-dilemma","tag-help","tag-idiot","tag-message-board","tag-nice","tag-occam","tag-occams-razor","tag-people","tag-question","tag-readers","tag-sale","tag-sarcasm","tag-selling","tag-seriously","tag-simple","tag-simplicity","tag-simplification","tag-snark","tag-table","tag-time","tag-thats-how-dc-rolls"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119,"href":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93\/revisions\/119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/washwords.com\/words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}