Beginning in July 2014 and continuing to April 2015, someone (possibly Ian Bogost) maintained an obsessive Tumblr site about whether Ian Bogost, an eminent and brilliant video games critic and editor of a spectacular series on everyday objects, would buy a pressure washer, and if so, which one.
More than 4,000 words later, the site (seemingly?) concluded, when Bogost bought a RYOBI RY14122 in the same month the site launched. But then, in April 2015, a burst of activity, as Bogost queried the manufacturer about an attachment, and got a response.
The whole thing is incredibly entertaining in the most boring way possible. I don't know if Bogost is behind it, or if it's supposed to be making fun of the idea of criticizing everyday objects (or both, I suppose), but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
DIBOAPW?: Is the pressure washer currently in your possession (did you buy it locally)? Or are you waiting for it to get shipped to you?
IB: I’m going to answer these together because they are related. In our last interview, I mentioned Woot.com as an appealing source for things because the options are so limited. Here’s one thing, take it or come back tomorrow. I discovered that I had a $50 gift card at Home Depot, and it occurred to me that this could be used to purchase a pressure washer! When I arrived at the store, I discovered that their in-store stock was also limited to only a few models. I’d already committed (or at least strongly leaned toward) electric, and the Ryobi also met my “does not look like a Gobot” criterion, unlike the other models I saw. Finally, the price was $159, which meant that I was able to get a pressure washer for just $109 out of pocket after the gift card. That’s hard to beat.IB: (Actually, technically speaking it was my wife’s gift card, which I stole from her. Don’t tell. If she finds out she’s going to try to strongarm me into applying the value to a tiller. She really wants a tiller.)
DIBOAPW?: What's the first thing you are going to pressure wash?
IB: I’m pleased to report that I have already pressure washed my curb. There’s no residential street cleaning in my county, and as I mentioned this in our last interview; an unsightly collection of soil accrued at my curb. Not only does it look bad, but it also allows weeds to grow easily. Not only did I extract all this matter to the best of my ability, but I also cleaned off the curb itself, which was startlingly dirty. I’m reminded of when I first bought a Dyson vacuum cleaner and immediately noted all the dirt I’d apparently not been vacuuming previously. Owning a pressure washer begets more pressure washing.
Does Ian Bogost Own a Pressure Washer? [Bogost Pressure Washer Status]
