Stop, Drop, & Roll


I just almost set myself on fire.

I was in the kitchen, heating up some water for coffee. Got the kettle on the stove. My cup on the counter. Grinder ready for beans.

It’s a little chilly inside, so I’ve got a scarf on. A pretty Persian looking scarf my sister bought for me a birthday ago.

So I’m reaching for the beans over the stove, humming to the tune of a self-made happy ditty, when suddenly I hear something vaguely resembling the sound of wind rushing over sand dunes. Or the napkins I used to set on fire in my parents’ back yard just to see how quickly they’d get reduced to ash.

In a flash, my scarf is OFF, and I’m stamping that mf’er out on the tile floor. There were FLAMES coming off the tail-end. Somehow, I managed to unwind it from around my neck without catching my hair on fire.

All in the matter of about a second and a half. Glad to know I’ve good reflexes.

And that was my excitement for the evening. Never wear a scarf (or long hair or clothing) around a gas stove. Thankfully, though a little black around the fringe, the scarf will also survive.

Now back to work. This short story I’m working on is busting my ass, so I gotta bust its ass in return.

Currently reading “Dealing With Dragons” by Patricia C. Wrede and “Fight Club” by Chuck Palahniuk. How’s that for a mix?

8 Comments


8 Comments

  1. clovereyes  •  Nov 21, 2009 @6:35 pm

    Oh wow! Glad you're safe. x-x;

    And Fight Club is a fun book. If you like it, you should for sure check out some of his other books too. :)

  2. greenapple2004  •  Nov 21, 2009 @6:45 pm

    That's scary about the fire. It's kind of amazing how human survival instincts persist even in our comfy modern lives. I almost stepped on a rattlesnake while hiking once, but heard the tell-tale warning sound, and had shrieked and leaped about 8 feet back before my brain had even processed what was going on.

    In other news, the “___ with Dragons” books are some of my all-time, super-duper favorites. :-)

  3. mattious  •  Nov 21, 2009 @6:47 pm

    Good thing you don't wear hair spray.

  4. kittytreats  •  Nov 21, 2009 @7:26 pm

    Yikes! Glad to hear you got out of it unscathed! That reminds me of a mess I made a few years back. What's funny, the oven was a mess when I left the apartment but still got my deposit back! I even told them about it before I left. I miss that place.

    So I was getting ready to cook chicken for my brother & husband (they were out getting something from the store). So I preheated the oven. Usually I'm pretty paranoid at checking things that heats up but I forgot this time. What happened is I put Tupperware in the oven to store because some guests came over the week before. I totally forgot to take it out! So yeah… I heard the whoosh in the oven. I quickly took the flaming rack of goo and put it in the sink to dowse with water.

    My husband and brother come back. They instantly say “What did you do?” because of the smell and I had a guilty look on my face. I learned my lesson the hard way, don't cut corners when trying the clean up the kitchen…and never put stuff in the oven that can't be cooked.

  5. Anonymous  •  Nov 21, 2009 @8:47 pm

    Whoo, swift Rivkah reflexes for the win!

    Also, that is a hilarious mix. I'd pay to see Cimorene vs. Durden, though, come to think of it. And my money would be on the princess. ^_~

  6. p_the_wanderer  •  Nov 21, 2009 @9:31 pm

    I've had gas stove for my whole life and the only things I've managed to get on fire was a kitchen cloth and… I've melted a cutting board XD

    Good think for your reflexes, though.

    I've cooked many times with hair let down and loose clothing but it's good to pay attention at those moments and I usually try to tie/fold them up. And NEVER cook when half-asleep.

  7. Anonymous  •  Nov 21, 2009 @11:40 pm

    Nice book mix!

    “In which Jack destroys something beautiful”

  8. AGolden1  •  Nov 29, 2009 @11:21 am

    Was only a matter of time… Lucky you got your hair cut a while back!

    Best with the new place, town & adventure!

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