One of the more — ahem — glamorous aspects of my urban life is the weekly trip to the laundromat. While at times it’s a going-through-the-motions experience, sometimes I actually relish it. Once upon a time, when I had a more conventional work schedule and commuted to New York every day, I sent out my laundry. I’ve come to the conclusion I was missing out on an experience. A few years ago while going to a laundromat owned by a Chinese-American couple, I would have these lively political and social conversations with the owner as she took a break from [...]