Helpful Hints

Living in a foreign country means that often times you have to learn to get things done in a different way.  It seems that improvizing is the norm around here.  The problem is that now, sometimes in the midst of doing something, I improvize a little too much.  I find "solutions" in things that should never be looked to for a solution.  Which, often means that I create new problems.  So, I put together a little list to help you if you're in a situation which calls for problem-solving.

Helpful Hints on Changing a Friend's Faucet
1.  If a friend's faucet is broken and they ask a super-handyman friend to fix it while they are on vacation, you may just want to let the super-handyman friend fix it, instead of doing it yourself.
2.  If you decide to go ahead and "help out" because you find a faucet for a great price at the store, you may want to turn off the water to the apartment before taking the faucet off the wall.
3.  If you have seen someone else take a faucet off and put it right back on real quick-like and everything was just fine, you still shouldn't take that as a cue to take the faucet off without turning the water off. (Especially if that faucet happened to be outside.)
4.  If you decide "What the heck, so the laundry room'll get a little wet...no biggie", check to make sure that the new faucet is the right size, before taking the old faucet off the wall.
5.  (Special step for those of you who wear glasses.)  If you neglect to check the size of the new faucet and go ahead and take the old faucet off the wall, and water is spraying everywhere, and you can't see out of your glasses, try not to take them off your face and throw them in the washing machine, as you won't be able to find them and will be able to see nothing.
6.  If you have lost your glasses, the water is spraying at high volumes and you cannot get the new faucet (which happens to be too big) into the hole on the wall, now may be a good time to call your super-handyman friend.
7.  If he can't hear you because the water is spraying too loudly, you may have to run to the other room to talk to him and then run back into the laundry room to see if you can carry out what he is saying.
8.  If he asks you if you know where the water turn off valve-y thing is, simply say "no".  It's faster. 
9.  If he says he's going to call another friend to come and the other guy is about 5 minutes away, calmly try to explain that the water will be chest deep by the time the other guy gets there.
10.  If you haven't tried to put the old faucet back on yet, by all means, try it now.
11.  It's always good to thank your super-handyman friend before hanging up...especially because he will have to come and put the new faucet on the wall inspite of your pitiful attempt.  (He will most likely turn the water off before putting the new faucet on...just sayin')
12.  If you don't have a wet/dry vac, absorbant travelers' towels are great for cleaning up 4 inches of water in a kitchen, laundry room, or any other room, although do not expect this to be a quick task.
13.  Fans are great for drying out sopping wet items that were being stored in the laundry room.