--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There isn't a button,\" she said. \"You…" description: "\"“There isn't a button,\" she said. \"You choose your setting and then you pull the dial.\" He glanced at her as she folded a shirt, annoyed by her nonchal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/j-m-darhower-1058_laundry_there-isn-t-a-button-she-said-you-choose_2295631.jpg" --- # There isn't a button," she said. "You choose your setting… ![“There isn't a button," she said. "You choose your setting and then you pull the dial." He glanced at her as she folded a shirt, annoyed by her nonchalance at doing laundry. "What exactly is my setting? It looks to me like the setting is the goddamn laundry room and the plot is I don't know how to…” quote by J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/j-m-darhower-1058_laundry_there-isn-t-a-button-she-said-you-choose_2295631.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/j-m-darhower-1058_laundry_there-isn-t-a-button-she-said-you-choose_2295631.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/j-m-darhower-1058_laundry_there-isn-t-a-button-she-said-you-choose_2295631.jpg) > ““There isn't a button," she said. "You choose your setting and then you pull the dial." He glanced at her as she folded a shirt, annoyed by her nonchalance at doing laundry. "What exactly is my setting? It looks to me like the setting is the goddamn laundry room and the plot is I don't know how to fucking turn this thing on.”” [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels lost in a mundane setting, yearning for control over life’s direction. **In simple terms:** Feeling stuck in everyday life. Key Takeaway Seek agency in routine. Themes existential frustration control Mood frustrated introspective Type narrative conversational When to use this quote - daily chores - career decisions - creative projects Key Concepts psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What setting feels limiting? - How can you change your 'dial'? A Different Perspective Control may be limited by external factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Laundry Room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laundry-room/) ## Related quotes > [I love being a housewife... I love doing laundry. 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It is already clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-really-like-doing-the-laundry-because-i-succeed-at-it-but-i-loathe/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Before you go to bed, write down three 'gratefuls' for the day and three 'did wells' (they can even include something as simple as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/before-you-go-to-bed-write-down-three-gratefuls-for-the-day-and-three/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) > [The most important thing is to try and enjoy life because you never know when it will be gone. If you wake up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-tenneson/the-most-important-thing-is-to-try-and-enjoy-life-because-you-never/) [Joyce Tenneson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-tenneson/) > [Machismo makes no provision for preparing lunch, doing the laundry, or minding the baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/machismo-makes-no-provision-for-preparing-lunch-doing-the-laundry-or/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The secret to finding your passion is to bring it to everything you do. --Marie Forleo (Yes, even doing the laundry!)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/the-secret-to-finding-your-passion-is-to-bring-it-to-everything-you/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [I'm good at doing the laundry. At least that. 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"You did it on purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-jakes/i-m-never-letting-you-do-my-laundry-again-i-didn-t-know-the-red-towel/) [S.E. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-jakes/) > [I try to keep Alaska fresh by doing laundry and bathing at least once a month.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaska/i-try-to-keep-alaska-fresh-by-doing-laundry-and-bathing-at-least-once/) [Alaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaska/) ## More by J.M. Darhower > [“The world isn't always black and white. sometimes, it's gray, and sometimes that gray explodes into colors you never knew existed before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/the-world-isn-t-always-black-and-white-sometimes-it-s-gray-and/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“I see you’re not being as sneaky this time around. I’m glad. You make a gorgeous couple.” Carmine smirked as he looked at Haven,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/i-see-you-re-not-being-as-sneaky-this-time-around-i-m-glad-you-make-a/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“He's a beast. A monster. And he looks like he wants to devour me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/he-s-a-beast-a-monster-and-he-looks-like-he-wants-to-devour-me/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Everyone falls sometimes, son, even me, but the trick is to get right back up. They’ll always target the ones who appear vulnerable, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/everyone-falls-sometimes-son-even-me-but-the-trick-is-to-get-right/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“You know what's kind of funny? Well, not funny, but ironic, maybe? 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Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Life is a struggle, and it would be so easy if it came with an eraser, but it didn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/life-is-a-struggle-and-it-would-be-so-easy-if-it-came-with-an-eraser/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“The fire? It still burns. Something tells me it always will, no matter who tries to put it out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/the-fire-it-still-burns-something-tells-me-it-always-will-no-matter/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“The Battle of Gettysburg was fought in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 18-something-or-nother. The year doesn‘t matter.They considered it the turning point of the war, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/the-battle-of-gettysburg-was-fought-in-gettysburg-pennsylvania-in-18/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Nella vita: chi non risica, non rosica," he said finally, his voice quiet. "In life: nothing ventured, nothing gained. My mom used to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/nella-vita-chi-non-risica-non-rosica-he-said-finally-his-voice-quiet/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“I don’t care what else you do in the future, even when you’re the biggest movie star in the world… the dead kid on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/i-don-t-care-what-else-you-do-in-the-future-even-when-you-re-the/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Life’s a struggle, and it would be so easy if it came with an eraser, but it didn’t. What's done is done, as hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/life-s-a-struggle-and-it-would-be-so-easy-if-it-came-with-an-eraser/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“This boy--this stubborn, selfless, stupid boy--had given himself to the Mafia. He had handed control of his future over to the men they hated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/this-boy-this-stubborn-selfless-stupid-boy-had-given-himself-to-the/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Fuck those motherfuckers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/fuck-those-motherfuckers/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) [Explore all 291 J.M. Darhower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) ## More Laundry quotes > [I had to grow up quite fast, trying to cook for myself, trying to make laundry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jannik-sinner/i-had-to-grow-up-quite-fast-trying-to-cook-for-myself-trying-to-make/) [Jannik Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jannik-sinner/) > [If there were a category in the Olympics for laundry, my mother would have been a gold-medal winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/if-there-were-a-category-in-the-olympics-for-laundry-my-mother-would/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [The reality is that we do not wash our own laundry - it just gets dirtier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-serpico/the-reality-is-that-we-do-not-wash-our-own-laundry-it-just-gets/) [Frank Serpico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-serpico/) > [Better to have loved and lost than to live with regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-pun/better-to-have-loved-and-lost-than-to-live-with-regret/) [Big Pun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-pun/) > [I only wanted Uncle Vernon standing by his own car (a Hudson) on a clear day, I got him and the car. Ialso got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-friedlander/i-only-wanted-uncle-vernon-standing-by-his-own-car-a-hudson-on-a/) [Lee Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-friedlander/) > [Once you get yourself on that path where you're willing to find something delightful in laundry and in dishwashers, it means that you train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/once-you-get-yourself-on-that-path-where-you-re-willing-to-find/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [Do you like laundry detergent lmaoo !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-like-laundry-detergent-lmaoo/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The ordinary activities I find most compatible with contemplation are walking, baking bread, and doing laundry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-norris/the-ordinary-activities-i-find-most-compatible-with-contemplation-are/) [Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-norris/) > [If you saw me trying to do laundry or something, well, I'm not really equipped to do anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pitt/if-you-saw-me-trying-to-do-laundry-or-something-well-i-m-not-really/) [Michael Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pitt/) > [Airing the family's laundry can make people upset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/airing-the-family-s-laundry-can-make-people-upset/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [For every nineteenth-century middle-class family that protected its wife and child within the family circle, there was an Irish ora German girl scrubbing floors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/for-every-nineteenth-century-middle-class-family-that-protected-its/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [In a way it was like washing your laundry in public and, yep, there you go, you've seen my underwear. And now I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-law/in-a-way-it-was-like-washing-your-laundry-in-public-and-yep-there-you/) [Jude Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-law/) > [“Dear wife, I'm sorry that I am mysteriously incapable of folding clean laundry, but I iron, oh, I iron. Sweetheart, I'll make your white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/dear-wife-i-m-sorry-that-i-am-mysteriously-incapable-of-folding-clean/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I farm - there is something visceral about being attached to the land. I am a recording engineer. I do my own laundry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-lerner/i-farm-there-is-something-visceral-about-being-attached-to-the-land-i/) [Sandra Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-lerner/) > ['Washio' provides laundry and dry cleaning on demand. They pick it up, clean it, and return it within 24 hours - and often with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yael-cohen/washio-provides-laundry-and-dry-cleaning-on-demand-they-pick-it-up/) [Yael Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yael-cohen/) Browse all 353 Laundry quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There isn't a button,\" she said. \"You choose your setting and then you pull the dial.\" He glanced at her as she folded a shirt, annoyed by her nonchalance at doing laundry. \"What exactly is my setting? It looks to me like the setting is the goddamn laundry room and the plot is I don't know how to fucking turn this thing on.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.M. 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