There's a first time for everything...

Today I am proud to say is the first time I truly dumpster dived.
(I really don't count the time when my parents had us dumpster dive at a construction site for scrap wood in Colorado Springs...it's a great experience when your in 3rd grade. Thanks mom and dad! ;)

Me and my roommate were having a little cleaning spree this weekend. When I finished vacuuming I did the responsible thing and went to empty the vacuum canister outside in our dumpster.

Now Colorado has just had a day or so of snow, about 8 inches of beautiful serenity, and the temperature is hanging around 25 degrees and dropping. It was going to be a quick out and in deal.

No mess, no hassle.

In my hurried, freezing trip I forgot that in the vacuum canister was a filter that I had to take out before dumping out all the goodness that I collected while vacuuming.

As I'm mindlessly banging the canister over the dumpster thinking of nothing more that just getting back to the warmth of inside I realize...wait, was there something I was supposed to take out before I did this?

A moment of looking at the empty canister brought the dreaded sense that I had effectively thrown the filter away.

In an attempt to rescue my vacuum filter I climbed up the side and was able to hang half way over grasping at air and was naively optimistic about how far I could reach...but no dice...rats.

As I jumped down from the dumpster hoping no one was watching me and wishing I had "Go Go Gadget Arms", I scrapped my arm against the germ infested, tetanus covered, rusting corner of the dumpster...yikes.

Great...not only will I have lost my vacuum filter but now I'm going to get a massive infection that is going to require hospitalization, then it's going to go septic, the bacteria will settle on my heart valves, and then they are going to have to amputate my arm!

(Ok, maybe this is an slight over reaction from the nurse, possibly ;)

As I quickly inspected my arm in the dark I realized I could use my window scrapper to fish out the filter! After a couple of attempts I finally was able to get a hold of the dust and snow covered filter. YEAH!

Now to all my fellow dumpster diving who are smelling what I'm stepping in: keep your head up high and enjoy the adventures of discovering the treasures amongst the trash; and if you ever find a vacuum filter do you mind returning it to me?