An eventful day...

I know I've mentioned a few times that I never cook, but I don't think I ever explained why. I hate my fucking stove. Using it scares the fucking shit out of me.

When I moved into Delilah I thought I was getting a new one. Turns out my old super swapped the new stove for a pretty banged up one. The first time I used the oven my whole apartment smelled like burning rat poison. I immediately turned it off and never used it again. I occasionally use the stove top, but even that is a bit sketchy. Boiling a pot of water takes at least a half hour, the burners always go off, and sometimes it smells like gas is leaking. A couple of years ago I asked my landlord for a new one, but she said since the stove was "working" it wasn't a necessity and she'd have to raise my rent. I didn't push the issue.

As I was making eggs this morning, the smell of gas filled my kitchen and I became really nauseous and faint. I freaked out. I had no idea what to do, so I turned off the stove, opened the windows, and laid down. My head was spinning with thoughts of the apartment building blowing up and me being responsible for killing my neighbors all because I didn't feel like having cereal. I couldn't stop thinking about it so I did what any overly dramatic paranoid hungover moron who was about to pass out would do...I called the fire department.

They got here in like 15 minutes. No leak, although they did shut off my gas to be safe. I was so embarrassed. They told me I did the right thing and that my landlord should get me a new stove, but god, I was mortified. I still thought I was going to pass out so they offered to call an ambulance, but I declined. I just wanted to crawl back in bed and die a lonely death.

About a half hour later ConEd came. The guy opened up the stove and flinched. He said I wasn't smelling gas, I was smelling the carbon buildup that was all over the inside. He said this was dangerous and could make me really sick!! I couldn't believe it. I told him how I felt faint, he said that sounds about right. Then I realized this wasn't the first time I've felt woozy in my kitchen, I just always assumed it was me getting up too fast or a hangover or something stupid. Now I know it could have been my damn stove this whole time!

The guy wrote a ticket for my landlord saying that while this stove could be cleaned and fixed, I should really have a new one. Thank Shizza!! It will be nice to not have to worry about the stupid thing anymore. It's also nice to know my weird paranoia over it was validated.

I still feel a bit out of it, though. At this point I don't think it's related to the stove, I'm just emotionally drained from today. It was uncomfortable to ask for help. I didn't know what to do, so I called people who would. That's what they are there for, right?