Not Cool.

Okay, so this evening I decided to take out the garbage.

They've moved the place we take it to, so now taking out the garbage means:

1) Going down 7 floors.
2) Using my fancy electronic key and password to get into the garage.
3) Walking through two underground garages.
4) Using my key to leave the garage.
5) A short bit outside.
6) Going into the separate-standing garbage room.
7) Putting my garbage in the correct bin. (they sort everything here)
The whole process takes 10-12 min.

And thus begins my story...

It's been really cold and snowy here, so I spent most of today inside. So I decided to take the stairs when I went to take out the garbage. I grabbed my garbage bag, headed out the door, down 7 flights of stairs, into the garage, etc. (Steps 1-5) I got to the door of the garbage room, and stopped. They had put locks in. This was new. (The apartment's still being finished, so new things are added all the time.) I was a bit worried because I only had my fancy electronic key and my apartment key with me, and not the fancy separate key for most "shared" things, like the storage area and bike area, etc. I figured I'd give my key a try, anyway.

The door didn't open. It is -11˚C outside, snowy, and windy. I'm carrying a bag of garbage.

Fine, I figured I must just need the other key, so I used my electronic key to get back into the garage, and completed steps 5-1. Again, I took the stairs (2 runs up and down will be good for me, right?). I still have the garbage bag. I unlock my door, go into my apartment, get the general purpose key, lock up the apartment... time for a second go.

So I go down the stairs, etc... steps 1-5. I get to the door. It is COLD outside. I try the general purpose key.

It doesn't work.

I try my house key again.

It doesn't work.

Fine. I remembered reading in a posting from a few weeks ago that the new excercise room and general "common room" would be unlocked with yet another key, one that works in place of the electronic keys to open the main door. We got this key when we moved in. Maybe THIS is the key I'm supposed to use; I mean, if it works for those other things...

So I repeat steps 5-1. Still taking the stairs, still carrying the garbage bag. I get to my apartment, unlock the door, get the other key. This must be it, because there are no other keys. So I take the stairs again--I mean, hey, if it doesn't kill me, it's good for me. And this will be the last time I need to do it with a garbage bag (which is just not a pleasant thing to be carrying around).

Repeat steps 1-5. I'm at the door of the garbage room.

I take out the third key.

It also doesn't work.

In disbelief, I try again. I try the other keys again. I go back to the third key. The door is simply not opening. I am standing in the freezing cold and snow, for the third time, carrying a bag of garbage, exhausted from running up and down the stairs, and I'm no closer to taking out the garbage than I was initially.

So I repeat steps 5-1. I take the stairs again, this time because I'm starting to feel ridiculous with my garbage bag, and I'd prefer not to get weird looks from people in the elevator.

And now I'm back in my apartment, with the bag of garbage. It's sitting in my entryway. That is not a permanent solution. I have no idea who to call about it, though, or how to find out the secret to getting into the apartment garbage room so I can get rid of it. I could try taking it to John's apartment garbage room (which I do have a key to), but I don't really relish the idea of taking a bag of garbage on the bus.

Not cool.