h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've never thought of linking lights with toilet use. Nice one TiT

I'm so glad someone else said it so I didn't have to

Deb

We do have a motion detector switch in the toilet and if you sit still for 15 seconds the light will go out on you

Do you have to wriggle a lot?

Moving an arm usually gets the light back on

Must make reading a book a bit of a pain.

I'd found reasonably priced low energy bulbs for all of our lamps- including the recessed can lamps which use the dimmer switch, and the globe lights in the bathroom. My problem with them is they are blindingly bright- and the lowest wattage I've been able to find is 60 watts. I had to switch most of them back and return the others because they literally hurt our eyes. We left one of them out in the foyer outside the front door to our apartment, because the fixture's about 15 feet above the floor and it's a pain to change. It's so bright that there's no need for bulbs on the first or second floor landings.

Am I the only person who never turns a light on to go to the bathroom during the night?

Too bad I couldn't swap my insanely bright bulbs for the dim ones some of you folks have had...

I have a halogen reading lamp in my bedroom (I dimmer lamp would be great, but it's one of those 'tomorrow' things ) and I use that if I need bright direct light, but I got so fed up changing the incandescent bulb every few months (literally twice a year minimum) because, I assume, the electrics in my house are old beyond reckoning, I bought a half decent energy saving bulb. It cost around £3 and I've never had any concerns about it, it's been in for at least two years now. It's also cool and spiral-shaped.

How do people have time to read in the toilet?

it's a constipation thing.

It's a bloke thing.

When the apartment complex we live in was completely redone last year, we got motion sensor switches in the dining room, bathroom and both bedrooms, but not where they'd actually be useful, like the kitchen, hall, and entryway (didn't get one in the living room either, but that's fine). I'm just glad the motion sensors can also be used like normal switches-not only do they make compact fluorescents flicker horribly when in sensor-mode, but you have to wave your arms wildly every couple of minutes to read in bed--and PaperBaby's not tall enough to set the sensors off unless she's right next to them--perfect for middle-of-the-night potty trips, huh?

>> "How do people have time to read in the toilet?" <<

Case of needs must, if you need to read, you must hide from the women folk, because if women see you it does not matter if you're trying to read, they start to talk to you, and expet you to interact. Bloody nerve of it!



As for free energy saving 'bulbs', we've had a few posted to us, I noted the last lot now state a bulb lifespan of up to eight years, before it was just six.

But these free ones, it's a case of you get what you pay for. They always have been the ugly tubes type. Fine for hall and landing use with their ugly looks hidden behind a shade. 40W and 60W "equivilent" and they are no use as reading lamps.

I've even bought bulb shape ones 'soft tone', they are a little less harsh in tone but still don't compare with incandescent bulbs.

As for getting rid of the low energy bulbs, more junk to store in the garage until the pile is big enough to make a passing trip to the recycle center.

*ahem*

Reading in the toilet is a much-loved past-time. I personally feel a little cheated if I must attend for a number two without suitable reading material, even if I have but five minutes.

It's the only place nobody bothers you! (well, until they figure out that you go in there with the intention of getting some peace and quiet!!!)

And 'tis a rather manly thing to do, but I also eat Yorkie bars and fix big trucks, so there

I'm still threatening to set up one of our old PCs in teh bathroom and ahve it wified up to the broadband, but I@m a bit concerned about how the PC would cope with steam

I like watching things on the iplayer while I'm in the bath...

(run the bath first, rest laptop on loo with the lid down, cover with a folded towel draped over the keyboard and covering all the sides)

I'm sure it gets a wee bit steamy but it's not too bad in my bathroom (it all gets cold so quicky it doesn't get time to build up!) so I get away with it.

Not so sure about being interactive though, if I wanted that I'd read in the bath but i cant wash my hair while I'm doing that either... (I do love reading in the bath, however...)

I have a mini library in my bathroom - Calvin & Hobbes, Garfield, a few interesting snippet-type books. There's usually at least one magazine on the go too.

It's comfortable, it's peaceful, why not?

Deb

The danger comes in a good book. The number of times my legs have gone to sleep due to the circulation being cut off

I usually keep my catalogues in the bathroom, even built magazine racks

I've found I can get almost an hour and 20 minutes in there before people need the room, / come looking.

I have wondered, just what the heck do they think I'm doing for that time?