偉民 ([info]andr00) wrote,
@ 2004-09-07 04:28:00
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Did I mention I locked myself out of the house over labor day weekend? Bad time to lock yourself out of the house. Landlord / friends/ girlfriend with the extra key are all out of town or busy. I had recently bolted the balcony sliding glass door, too, so getting in by climbing wasn't an option.

So I did what every guy with lots of time on his hands does when he locks himself out of the house: I tried to pick the lock. Surprisingly, in about 30 seconds of twisting with the two-pronged fork on my bike tool and sweeping with a kinked paper clip, the lock cylinder turned. Unfortunately, I was turning it the wrong way. "Well heck," I thought, "that was pretty easy. I'll just pick it twisting the other way."

FOUR HOURS LATER

"Hmm. Not as easy, twisting this way. And my hands are getting pretty raw. I'm going to go sleep in the car."

So I slept in the car, with all my leftovers from Charlie's sitting in the back seat and a pack towel over my head. The next day I went to go see Ed in the Grupo Axé batizado and then Helen came back, so I got let into the house. Man, it's nice to be in your own house. I hope all you Florida folks get back to your homes okay with everything intact.

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[info]story_of_harmon
2004-09-07 05:23 am UTC (link)
yea, my home is alright...

bad luck with the lock tho... i have spent some nights in my car as well so i can relate, but it was to avoid going home...

it seems the two hurricans did nothing to my house or anyone in my neighbor hood, but i know that the mobile homes near Orlando are done...

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[info]andr00
2004-09-07 11:05 am UTC (link)
Aright, good. It looks like Frances left my LJ peeps intact for the most part, so far.

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[info]audrey1hepburn1
2004-09-07 05:58 am UTC (link)
I locked myself out of my house twice this weekend. Fortunately, I can just call campus safety to get let in. I am an idiot.

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[info]andr00
2004-09-07 11:08 am UTC (link)
Doh. Well, one suggestion I got was just to never lock the self-locking part and only use the deadbolt. That way it is impossible to lock onesself out. Maybe you could do that?

I can see that leading to me just forgetting my keys at home all the time and leaving it unlocked, though.

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[info]audrey1hepburn1
2004-09-07 02:30 pm UTC (link)
I've tried this, but apparently my housemates don't believe in just using the deadbolt. I'm the only one with the leaving my keys in my room problem. Oh, well. Eventually I'll learn.

Glad you got back in eventually!

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[info]caeruleus_spark
2004-09-07 06:48 am UTC (link)
How could you make such an awful experience so damn funny?

FOUR HOURS LATER. oh, dear. Thank G-d for Helen is all I can say, dear one. Holy craplets!

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[info]andr00
2004-09-07 11:15 am UTC (link)
Ya know, even when very unpleasant things are going on, in the back of my head somewhere I'm thinking, "this is going to seem funny in X years," where X increases with severity of unpleasantness. Heck, this whole lock business already seems funny!

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[info]chorus
2004-09-07 07:38 am UTC (link)
Yeep.

But, well, it could be worse. It could've been winter.

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[info]supa
2004-09-07 08:24 am UTC (link)
it could have been winter and you could have had to take a shit super bad


glad things weren't tooo bad....=\

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[info]andr00
2004-09-07 11:18 am UTC (link)
As Kris always says: "Could be worse... could be on fire."

Actually he only says that when we're not currently on fire.

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[info]chorus
2004-09-07 11:20 am UTC (link)
Which leads to the obvious question: has there ever been an instance in which he could not say this?

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[info]andr00
2004-09-07 11:54 am UTC (link)
Well, there was the time we were seeing if you could throw a fireball by cupping a bunch of butane in your hands. This led to us not having arm hair for a bit. Then there was the time we did that commercial for Pepsi...

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[info]cheesetruck
2004-09-08 03:31 am UTC (link)
who is kris and why is he saying MY line.

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[info]m3owm3owcatchow
2004-09-07 07:55 am UTC (link)
lmao.

That kinda reminds me of the time I locked myself out of my house on Christmas eve last year. I woke up and put a nice yummy chicken hot pocket in the microwave, went out to the back to get some fresh air, opened the door, steped out, and "SLAM", turn around, door was shut and locked! the bottom lock locks by itself when the door is shut. You'd think I would know better, seeing how I lived there and all *slaps himself*.

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[info]andr00
2004-09-07 11:22 am UTC (link)
Argh! That's the worst! When I was telecommuting, once I woke up for a conference call, went outside (all scuzzy and bleary) to get coffee, came back, and was locked out.

That time, I went to mailboxes etc. and bought a plastic binder. Then I cut out a little L-shaped piece to jimmy the door with. That worked pretty well.

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[info]m3owm3owcatchow
2004-09-07 12:42 pm UTC (link)
Good thinkin.

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[info]sexi_mexi
2004-09-07 09:00 am UTC (link)
man, that happened once, me and my sisters boyfriend had to sleep in the car and wait until my sister came back early in the morning...ugh it was awful, some stupid lady lost her dog and she kept saying the dogs name over and over in a high pitched voice, it lasted for half hour. My sister's boyfriend had to hold me back so i wouldn't rip the womens voice box out of her throat. >_

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[info]andr00
2004-09-07 11:30 am UTC (link)
That's a pretty bad one, too. Every five minutes or so, someone yelling "LEO!!!!"........
(five minutes)
... "LEO!!!!!"

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[info]sexi_mexi
2004-09-07 12:00 pm UTC (link)
it wasn't every 5 minutes....she would yell it then right away she would yell it again, it was probably 10 seconds or so after she yelled it the first time....over and over...*twitches*

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[info]lunesse
2004-09-07 09:40 am UTC (link)
THat's why it's good to have a key swap with a friend or two. Even if THEY aren't home, you can get in their house to get YOUR key. ;)

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[info]andr00
2004-09-07 11:38 am UTC (link)
This seems like a good idea. Except for two things:
1) If carry each other's key around with us... then my key isn't in their house, when they're gone.
2) if we leave the keys in our houses.. their key gets locked in my house when I lock myself out.

hrm.

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[info]paigedayspring
2004-09-07 11:07 am UTC (link)
Last time I tried picking a lock, I realized after about half an hour I was doing it backwards...

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[info]andr00
2004-09-07 11:53 am UTC (link)
Did you ever get it picked? Professional locksmiths have this springy tool that you wind up which can flip the cylinder in the other direction, for when they accidentally pick a lock twisting the wrong way.

Of course, an experienced locksmith could've got me in with two paperclips in ten seconds.

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[info]paigedayspring
2004-09-07 11:56 am UTC (link)
Haha, no I didn't get it picked...my area of expertise is apparently getting in through windows and patio doors...*whistles innocently*...but there was this one time an ex locked himself out of his apartment. Luckily, the neighbors knew what he looked like so let us in and I just stepped from there balconey to his (3 floor) and went in the open balconey door. That was fun.

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/edit/
[info]ibneko
2004-09-07 03:25 pm UTC (link)
Mmm, I must seriously try picking a lock someday... could be useful.

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Re: /edit/
[info]andr00
2004-09-07 05:49 pm UTC (link)
It seems a lot easier that you'd think to get through a keyed lock. Of course, if you get good at it, then you're "that creepy guy who might be snooping through my desk/garage/house when I'm not there."

Yeah, if you get good, don't tell anyone.

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Re: /edit/
[info]ibneko
2004-09-07 06:11 pm UTC (link)
Heh. Oh, would picking a keyed lock be the same as picking the lock on a car door? (if you know, anyways?)... 'cause I'd actually be more likely to lock myself out of a car then lock myself out of a house...

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[info]vanille_bleu
2004-09-07 04:58 pm UTC (link)
Why not a window?

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[info]vanille_bleu
2004-09-07 05:00 pm UTC (link)
Actually, nevermind, your stalkers don't need to know that.

You'd have to be Spiderman to break into my apartment. And I locked myself out just last week. Pleasant story, that.

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[info]andr00
2004-09-07 06:13 pm UTC (link)
My windows would require an unsupported 12' vertical leap to hit, and hit I would, since they're locked.

These days, worrying about being stalked is pretty low on the priority list. Thieves, insurers, and debtors - that's who makes my life more difficult. Oh, and car doors.

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[info]pianodude34
2004-09-07 10:52 pm UTC (link)
LOL that's a funny story. Locking yourself out of your house to make yourself more outdoorsey or something? I too spend wayyy too much time on the computer.

~Chris

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[info]colddeath17
2004-09-08 03:53 am UTC (link)
well at least u didnt get locked out for like a week, that wouldve sucked!!

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[info]andr00
2004-09-13 02:01 am UTC (link)
Hah, I wouldn't just sit around outside for a week, I know how to call the locksmith. Those guys charge a lot, though. My friend Kris had to get one to let him into his car and it was like $75.

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well
[info]montirawker
2004-09-10 01:05 pm UTC (link)
...i hit random on the toolbar and came upon your journal so i shall add you my my friends list just cuz you seem to be an amusing type of fellow...

::monti::

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Re: well
[info]andr00
2004-09-13 02:02 am UTC (link)
All right, that is cool with me. I'll just add you back, then, if that's all right.

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[info]byebyeblack
2004-09-12 01:51 pm UTC (link)
i am adding you. because this story makes me giggle.

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[info]andr00
2004-09-13 02:02 am UTC (link)
Ok, I am adding you too. Please tell funny stories when you have a chance!

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