#Laundromats

[afrotumble]

[high-quality-tiktoks]

Woman who overshares at the laundromat

[nulliustram-webfiction]

There’s a laundromat down the street from her flat. Xara likes to use it instead of the clanky ones in the basement of her building. Now, watching one of the machines rock back and forth, she was seriously rethinking that decision.

“Are we… supposed to do something?” Another concerned onlooker asked, watching the window fixed into the lid fill up white froth and begin to rock faster.

“Who’s washing their clothes in it?” Xara asked, unable to tear her eyes away from the travesty that was sure to follow. Something better explode.

“It’s a dryer, it shouldn’t be washing clothes.” Someone else answered, a small crowd gathering up at this point, “It just filled up with water on its own and started doing that for no reason.” The dryer landed even harder back onto all four legs with a sharp thud. Steam was pouring out of the tiny gap around the lid, and everyone backed away, bracing for an explosion.

“I- I’ll call a manager.” One of them choked out. A lot more wandered away, muttering about having places to go and stoves to turn off. Only a handful of them remained, all watching intently as the washing machine pulsed and throbbed with whatever demon power had overtaken it.

Several phones were out and filming. Xara should ask them to give her the footage later, because she hadn’t thought to film this before, and now she couldn’t bring herself to look away and set up her camera to get a recording.

All she could do was watch as the pressure built up and up, straining against the lid of the dryer, until finally, it broke.

Steaming hot water gushed out, along with a fleshy, yellowed lump that got washed out along with the strong current. The water spilled everywhere, and the lump being carried along was thrown like a sack at Xara’s feet.

The lump was a girl, dressed in bleached rags and a thin overcoat of faint purple. Her hair was dark black and frayed beyond repair, and there was a sword strapped to her waist. It might have looked intimidating if she wasn’t doing such a good job at impersonating a bag of soaking wet laundry.

Oh, also. A person had just popped out of a laundry.

“…What the fuck?” Someone whispered, still holding their phone to their face.

Xara had no way to respond, still looking down at the girl, absolutely stricken. She was waking up now, wrinkling her nose as she opened bright red eyes, looking up at Xara inquisitively.

“Who art thou?” She asked, accent thick with antiquity.

“What?” Xara squeaked, taken by surprise by the girl’s old-fashioned way of speaking. She was jumping up, easily recovering from whatever had happened to make her end up in that washing machine.

The woman drew her sword, a wild look in her eyes, and everyone immediately gave her a wide berth.

“Woah, lady, put the sword down, and I’m sure we can work this out.” Someone tried to do damage control, but all that succeeded in doing was making her snarl even more.

“I am no lady!” She snapped, whipping the sharp blade from person to person as she took in the scene, anxiety heightening visibly with every passing second.

The manager appeared, ready to deal with the fizzing dryer, only to find herself facing an entirely new problem.

The strange woman with the sword pushed past Xara, her hands strong on her shoulder, and Xara let herself be pushed to the side easily, watching her sprint outside with an air of desperation. For a striking moment, she felt sorry for the woman. In the next, she decided that it simply was not her problem to care about her wellbeing.

So, instead, Xara went home to her apartment, made dinner, and settled in to watch one of her recently acquired CDs. It was a new animated movie, something about sentient rocket ships treating stars like clownfish did sea anemones. She wasn’t certain, but she was excited to find out, considering the movie was now considered to be lost media and-

Something knocked on her window. She did not have a fire escape.

Xara was loathed to turn around, but something compelled her to.

The woman from the laundromat was standing there, wearing jeans, a purple button down, a leather jacket, and also a scowl. In her hand, there was a sword. She knocked on the window again, with such force that Xara immediately got up to open it for her before she decided to break it.

“How’d you get up here-” She started to ask but was quickly interrupted.

“Thou were there.” The woman said, looking intensely into Xara’s eyes, “Thou will answer my questions.”

It was not a request.

This is a beta project. Three extra chapters of it are available on all tiers of my patreon or to anyone who donates to my ko-fi. A full, free series will be developed based on a poll for all my original works that can be found here.

[allfreshlaundry]

Self Service Laundromat Near Me

All Fresh Laundry is your go-to destination for a top-tier Self Service Laundromat Near Me experience in Canberra and Brisbane. With convenient locations and impeccably maintained facilities, we strive to make laundry day quick, easy, and hassle-free. Our laundromats are cleaned daily to ensure a fresh and spotless environment every time you visit, so you can trust that your clothes will come out perfectly clean.

Equipped with express washing machines and high-powered dryers, we offer a fast turnaround, allowing you to complete both washing and drying in under an hour. Whether you're a busy professional, a student, or simply someone who values convenience, All Fresh Laundry is the perfect solution to fit your lifestyle. With spacious, comfortable areas, user-friendly machines, and affordable prices, our laundromats are designed to give you the best possible self-service laundry experience.

[piratedllama-art]

Quarters only, please [x <- prints here]

(done in procreate)

[gailcastillosj]

Revolutionising Laundry Care with Mobile Laundry Service, Laundromats, and Laundry Pickup and Delivery

Introduction

In today's fast-paced world, convenience is the key to success. Busy schedules and demanding lifestyles often leave us with limited time for chores like laundry. That's where Mobile Laundry Services, Laundromats, and Laundry Pickup and Delivery services come to the rescue. At TruckstopLaundry, we understand the importance of these services and how they have transformed the way people approach laundry care.

Mobile Laundry Service

Mobile Laundry Service is a game-changer when it comes to getting your laundry done. Imagine not having to worry about sorting, washing, and folding your clothes yourself. Mobile Laundry Services, like the one offered by TruckstopLaundry.com, bring the laundromat to your doorstep. Whether you're a busy professional, a parent juggling multiple responsibilities, or simply someone who wants to save time, this service is tailored to meet your needs.

With Mobile Laundry Service, you can schedule a pickup at your convenience. A trained team arrives at your location, collects your laundry, and ensures it's treated with care. The laundry is then taken to a state-of-the-art facility for washing, drying, and folding. Once it's ready, your fresh and neatly folded clothes are returned to you, eliminating the hassle of doing laundry yourself.

Laundromats

For those who prefer a more hands-on approach to laundry but lack the necessary equipment or space at home, laundromats are a savior. At TruckstopLaundry.com, we understand that not everyone has access to a washing machine and dryer, and that's where laundromats come in.

Our Laundromats are equipped with modern, efficient machines that ensure a thorough and quick wash. They are spacious and well-maintained, providing a clean and comfortable environment for customers to do their laundry. With a range of washing machines and dryers to choose from, you can cater to all your laundry needs at our Laundromats.

Laundry Pickup and Delivery

In today's world, time is money. The Laundry Pickup and Delivery service offered by TruckstopLaundry.com recognizes the value of your time. Whether you're a business owner looking to provide convenience to your customers or an individual seeking a hassle-free laundry experience, this service is designed to make your life easier.

Our Laundry Pickup and Delivery service is as simple as it sounds. You schedule a pickup, and we take care of the rest. Our team arrives, collects your laundry, and transports it to our facility for professional washing and folding. Once it's done, we deliver your clean and neatly folded laundry right back to your doorstep. It's a seamless and efficient process that allows you to reclaim your time and focus on what truly matters.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Mobile Laundry Service, Laundromats, and Laundry Pickup and Delivery services have redefined the way we approach laundry care. 

At TruckstopLaundry, we are committed to providing these convenient and efficient solutions to meet the diverse needs of our customers.

Whether you opt for the Mobile Laundry Service, prefer the hands-on experience of our Laundromats, or seek the ultimate convenience of Laundry Pickup and Delivery, we have you covered. Our goal is to make laundry day a breeze, allowing you to enjoy more free time and less time worrying about dirty clothes.

Experience the revolution in laundry care with TruckstopLaundry.com. Say goodbye to the hassle of laundry and hello to convenience, efficiency, and quality service. Make the smart choice today for a better laundry experience tomorrow.

[rubyfire777]

Image from Taiwanese yellow pages listing for Primus laundromat machines through Chaorui, a Taiwanese laundry machine (and related products) import company

[purpleponder]

Something about Laundromats at night feel so very liminal to me

Just sitting in here feels like you’re in your own dimension where the laws of time and space doesn’t apply, so quiet with only the sound of the machines working to fill it as you sit and idly wait for your laundry to get done. It’s as if your existence ends here, no one talking or looking at you as if you were just a ghost to them as much as they are to you, their eyes only on their laundry or their phones, just people sitting there and minding their own business as you do yours.

Then you look to your right and you can see the world continuing just outside, nothing but a pane of glass stopping the hustle from mixing with the unsettling sanctuary you found yourself in. People working and time moving as you can do nothing but watch life go on, just out of reach as you stay frozen in a sort of limbo. Trapped with laundry yet free to leave at any time.

All this to say that I like laundromats when it’s in the middle of the night :)

[glacier--freeze]

[ID: A photo of a laundromat with washers on one wall and driers on the other. The walls themselves are white and the floor is stone-like tiles. A couple short, black stools sit on the left side of the room. End ID.]

have the whole place to myself

[wonderbun]

have a coffee while you wait ♥

made with curiosities palette from lospec

[teachanarchy]

Watch "Why So Many Asians Own Laundromats" on YouTube

[lurkingshan]

Japanese BL Starter Pack

It’s been awhile since I dropped a rec list, so I am here today to share one that is very near and dear to my heart—a Japanese bl primer for those who are new to the jbl game. I created this for @neuroticbookworm to help her on her journey when she decided she wanted to start getting into Japanese works. The fandom (on Tumblr and generally) tends to focus primarily on Thai shows because they are the easiest to access for international fans, since Thailand is working its way toward world domination via ql media and wants us all to be able to watch. But there is a lot of great stuff to watch beyond the easy access Thai channels, and Japan is the country where this genre originated, so its shows are important for anyone who considers themselves a bl fan. Japan doesn’t cater nearly as much to the international audience so tracking down the shows sometimes takes some ingenuity and can-do spirit, but that’s part of the fun!

And so, the list! Bookworm is about halfway through it and having a ball, so I figured it was time to stop hoarding it and share it with anyone else who would like to dip their toes into jbl and isn’t quite sure where to start. A few notes: 

I am not here to teach you about the deep roots of the jbl genre or give you a primer on yaoi manga. I am by no means an expert and there are other places to find that information. Start here with this great post by @nieves-de-sugui and then maybe wander over to @absolutebl to read up more on the evolution of the genre.

This list is by no means an exhaustive accounting of every important Japanese bl ever made; it is simply a nice sampler platter of the cream of the crop among various styles you will find in jbl. Watching through this whole list will not only expose you to some fantastic shows, but also give you a sense of what makes jbl unique and how the country’s style differs from others, and point you toward the types of jbl you’ll like most (they tend to put shows in pretty specific style and tone lanes and once you find the ones you like there are lots more where that came from). 

If you’re coming to this post as a jbl lover and you don’t see your favorite here, I promise it’s not because I don’t love it very much; I simply had to make some choices to get this down to a reasonable shortlist. Feel free to leave extra recs for others to find! 

I’m putting these in a loose suggested watch order that will take you through the various jbl lanes in a kind of popcorn style, because I always think it’s good to change it up so you don’t get too stuck in one mode, and it works its way up to most of the extremely Japanese stuff (you will know what that means by the time you finish). But do what’s in your heart and change up the order if you want, friends, I am not the boss of you! 

Cherry Magic (Crunchyroll or grey)

gif by @liyazaki

I believe everyone on Tumblr is pretty familiar with this one, which is not a coincidence—this is one of the most accessible jbls. Not in terms of actual access to watch it, mind you (we’ve all jumped through shady internet hoops to watch it) but in terms of its content and style. Cherry Magic is a classic workplace romcom with a magical twist, and it is charming af. It’s a great exemplar of Japan’s light and zippy comedy lane for bl—a lane in which, importantly, the romances stay chaste even when the actual plot is about sex, or lack thereof. My friend @waitmyturtles would kill me if I didn’t make sure you know that Cherry Magic also has a lovely follow up film. And bonus: there is now a Thai remake airing so if you watch the original you can get in on the discussion about the different adaptations between countries. This is pretty easy to find these days in all the usual places, but I strongly recommend watching it here.

Old Fashion Cupcake (Viki)

gif by @liyazaki

Moving on to a slightly more mature workplace romcom. Old Fashion Cupcake, another Tumblr favorite, is an age gap boss-subordinate romance, and it’s both very adult and somehow wholesome af at the same time. Sure, there is a lot of carnal desire going on here, but there is also a lot of wooing via fluffy pancakes. It’s a tight five episodes and a fantastic example of what Japan, with its extreme technical precision in writing, directing, editing, pacing, and acting firing on all cylinders, can do in two hours. There’s not an ounce of flab on this thing and you’ll want to watch it over and over again.

Utsukushii Kare (Viki)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

Time to get a little weird! Weird is a key feature of Japanese media, and lots of jbls explore unusual relationship dynamics rooted in complex psychology. This is the first show on the list that will likely feel very Japanese if you’re new around here—my advice is to lean into it and finish the show, even if you get uncomfortable along the way. In Japanese media, discomfort always serves a purpose. This is a high school story with a twisted relationship at its center, and I’m not saying any more than that. Don’t spoil yourself and go watch it! This one also comes with two sequels—one short second season and one movie—that continue from the original story. They are less essential but still excellent.

I Cannot Reach You (Netflix)

gif by @my-rose-tinted-glasses

Next up, another high school tale, but with a totally different vibe. This show is kind of a revelation in its willingness to tell a story about overwhelming desire—including sexual desire—with young protagonists. It’s rooted in a classic but often misunderstood trope, friends to lovers, and takes the angst of it seriously, giving us a low stakes story that feels extremely high stakes to our leads. It’s also gorgeous and uses a classic Japanese visual style (bokeh) that you’ll be dying to learn more about. 

His (Viki)

gif by @gabrielokun

Time for a break from high school, and we’ll sprinkle in a movie for some added flavor. His is a jbl film featuring a second chance romance between a stoic, introverted man who moves to a remote town to start over, and his ex-boyfriend who follows him there unexpectedly, adorable child in tow. Importantly, this movie does not take place in what we often refer to as the “bl bubble” where homophobia doesn’t exist; the leads’ experiences of being gay men in a homophobic society are hugely important to the plot and themes of the story. It’s a beautiful film and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it. @bengiyo would surely also like me to tell you that this film follows a brief prequel show called His: I Didn’t Mean to Fall in Love about the characters originally meeting in high school; I do not think it’s really necessary to watch it but completists can start there.

The Pornographer series (Gaga)

By now you should be ready to get into some classic Japanese fucked up psychosexual material, right? Right! The Pornographer series is told in five installments in this order:

The Novelist, a six episode miniseries

Mood Indigo, a six episode prequel series

Spring Life, a 15 minute short

Pornographer: Playback, a two hour film

Spring Life Continued, a 15 minute short

Confused by that distribution model? So say we all; sometimes Japan likes to make us work for it to make sure we really appreciate its many gifts to us. The story across these installments is about a very difficult to love protagonist, what makes him the way he is, and the also-unhinged-but-in-a-different-way man who finally gets through to him. It’s an extremely satisfying love story and one of the best character arcs I have ever seen, full stop. For this one, you’ll want to just pull the word problematic out of your pocket and store it in a drawer; nearly everything that happens in this story is problematic and that’s the point. Lean in! All of these installments except for the film are on Gaga, if you get that far hmu and I will supply you with the final puzzle piece.

Our Dining Table (Gaga)

You could probably use a break after those last two, so it’s time to shift over to a heart-tugging twofer: family trauma mixed with the cutest shit you’ve ever seen. ODT is an example of another classic type of Japanese show: the food drama (you will see the GOAT in this category at the end of this list). In Japanese culture, food is love, and the act of preparing food for your loved ones is a common path to romance. You’ll love this story about an isolated office worker who meets a pair of brothers, learns to cook as a way of connecting with them, and begins to heal from his own trauma as a result. The image above is a scan from the manga, which @troubled-mind curates to make extremely cool comparison sets like this one. Many jbls are faithful adaptations of yaoi manga source material, so it’s good to have a bit of familiarity with them.

Minato’s Laundromat (Gaga)

gif by @liyazaki

Japanese media loves to explore taboo, and often manages to do it in a way that is surprisingly light and chaste. This is an age gap romance between a teenager and his adult neighbor that explores internalized homophobia, emotional repression, and falling in love across seemingly impossible social chasms. It’s also a great example of old school yaoi seme-uke dynamics that still show up across the bl genre. Also, take my advice: end your journey with this one with the first season and just pretend season 2 doesn’t exist.

Eternal Yesterday (Viki)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

Remember what I said about weird? Time to do that again, but with a heaping dose of grief and pain on top. It’s not a spoiler to tell you this show involves a major character death; a major character death is, in fact, the root of the entire story. This is a magic realist tale of first love turned tragic, and it will hurt and heal you. It is one of my favorite dramas of all time.

Restart After Come Back Home (Gaga)

And now for a break for your poor exhausted brain. This film is basically the jbl version of a Hallmark original movie, about a city boy who goes back home to the country and falls in love with a total sweetheart while working together on a farm. Enjoy it, bestie, you’ve earned it! 

Tokyo in April Is… (Gaga)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

You’ve probably noticed by now that emotional repression and failed communication are big themes in Japanese works. This second chance romance has plenty of both, and it’s a great example of a kind of muted emotional style that Japan does so well, where the surface of the story seems almost placid and calm even as deep emotion roils underneath. This one (and Eternal Yesterday above) are part of a special line up of jbls on Japanese channel MBS called Tonku (Drama) Shower. The shows air one after another in the same time slot on Fridays (in Japan, perhaps Thursdays for you depending on where you live) and you truly never know what you’re gonna get, but they’re all interesting. Warnings on this one for sexual assault and trauma. 

The End of the World With You (Viki)

Time for sexy and weird again, but even more so! This has to be one of the most unique bls ever made; it goes to some truly divine and strange places, and it feels incredibly queer while doing it. Made by the same screenwriter/director of the Pornographer series with a lot of the same sensibilities, but in a more heightened apocalyptic setting. This one has existential angst, a road trip, a redemption tale, and a variety of interesting side characters in the mix.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? (Gaga)

gif by @my-rose-tinted-glasses

Congratulations, you’ve reached the end of the list and your reward is watching one of the best bls of all time, and a perfect slice of life food drama to boot. WDYEY now has two seasons (along with a couple specials and a movie that fall in between) because the universe clearly loves us. You can now get it on Gaga for easy access but I’m partial to the versions over at @kinounaniresource for better subs. Wherever you watch, settle in to get cozy with Shiro and Kenji and make sure to always eat before you hit play.

[mintytea-exe]

put the Archivist in a washing machine call that Jonathan Spins

[totekeke]

🧺 Laundry Day with Bill! 🎰

[machinegrl]

a noodle shop down the corner of the street

[carolmunson]

“s’too hot to be doin’ this laundry ed,” you complain, holding your lower back while you get up from your seat to stand behind him. the fans above work overtime but the muggy air and hot sun have already settled in the light yellow painted laundromat. your sandals skid against the grimy tiled floor, your sun dress swooshing by your knees where there’s no breeze to blow against the sweat that had collected on the backs of your thighs. and it’s everywhere, dripping down your back, between your breasts. it’s too god damn hot.

“you wanted to come,” he shrugs, trying to hide his smirk, “i told you to stay home and lay down, you didn’t wanna listen.”

he folds the whites first on one of the folding stations — his work tanks and tees, socks and underwear, a few of your shirts and dresses. then the colors. hiding in the piles are a litter of onesies and coveralls, little pants and shirts, little socks that you’d lose if you blinked. all new stock from your baby shower a few days ago — as if this little creature didn’t already have enough clothes piling up in the closet you and eddie shared. you had to keep some of the clothes at wayne’s at this point.

“you promised chex mix,” you shrug, “even he’s excited for it.” you run a hand over your belly, firm and sitting low now that you’re closer and closer to your due date. you wished two months would fly by quicker but ed loved seeing you like this.

“i know what i promised, sweetheart,” he nods, loading the clothes up into laundry bags. he swats your hand away when you read for one, “how many times do i have to tell you?”

“i’m pregnant honey, m’not dying,” you laugh. he presses a kiss to your temple and then the apple of your cheek.

“i can carry them,” he assures, smiling, “just waddle to the car for me.”

you pout, a sad one, “that wasn’t nice.”

“i’m just kid— oh, oh no baby don’t cry, don’t cry baby i’m sorry,” he soothes while tears start to poor down your cheeks. he puts the bags down to hold you to him, his curls tickling your face.

“you think i’m huge,” you cry, “i’m huge.”

he tries not to laugh while peppering kisses over your face, “sweetheart you’re not huge, i don’t think you’re huge.”

“yes you do-oo-oo,” you sob, eddie offering the other patron in the laundromat a tight smile while they stare at the scene, “i’m huge and i’m sweaty and i’m hot and i just want my chex mix.”

“okay, okay,” he nods, holding your face in his hands. he nuzzles your nose with his while you start to calm down, “i’m gonna get you your chex mix.”

“and a cherry slush,” you say with a sniffle.

“and a cherry slush,” he chuckles, giving you a soft kiss, “what does the little guy want?”

you run your hand over your belly, both of you looking down while eddie puts his hand over yours. when his palm slides over the top the baby kicks, making you scrunch up your nose at the pressure.

“looks like he just wanted his daddy to say hi,” you say quietly while ed’s hand sits warm and firm. he looks up at you while the baby kicks again, his grin of excitement clear to anyone who might walk by and look in through the windows. he picks up the bags after stealing another kiss from you.

“okay princess. chex mix and cherry slush,” he says while you walk to the car. he walks slow so you can keep up, waddling in your sandals.

“and that cookies and cream hershey bar,” you add.

“and the cookies and cream hershey bar,” he repeats, “you bet.”