i love advancements, but i swear this is a step back
So how many people does it take to change the headlight in a 2004 Kia Sorento. Apparently two people, three stops at parts stores, and about an hour of spare time.
Whatever happened to the days when you popped the hood of your car, unscrewed the light bulb and quickly replaced it? Wait, those days don’t exist anymore? Why?
The headlight on my car went out on Saturday night. Being the car savvy girl I am and the fact that I’ve owned more than my share of “project” cars, I thought this no huge feat. I went by the local Wal-Mart thinking I could make the quick switcharoo in the parking lot.
I’m all dressed up, cute black stilletos, awesome black dress that I picked up from my favorite store, White House Black Market, but I’m not fazed as this should be REALLY easy. Well, after walking to the Parts department and not finding anyone to assist me with a bulb, I find a guy who works in Sporting Goods just asking him to direct me to the little book that tells you what car receives which part. This proves to be a huge mistake as the guy insists on standing there with the book in hand and looking at a massive selection of INTERIOR bulbs. I stand there patiently, hoping he’s going to eventually start looking at the headlights. Boy was I wrong and finally, I let out a big sigh and just ask if I can read the book. He looks at me, as if I’m too “pretty” to understand the technical jargon, and then says, “no.” Needless to say, I just turned around and walked out.
I decide at this point, I’m just going to contact my friend Jay and see if he can change it for me and then purchase some bulbs at the auto store in the morning. Upon going to the auto parts stores and seeing the prices for the bulbs and installation, I thought I might be able to get it changed at the store. However, due to the complexity of my beloved vehicle (having to remove the ENTIRE headlight assembly) no one wanted to touch my car with a ten foot pole. One idiot even suggested taking it to a dealer. For a headlight replacement, you’ve GOT to be kidding me.
So I waited until Jay called me later that afternoon and I had him change out the bulb. Forget the fact that he thought he could take a short cut and not look at the directions located in the owner’s manual (yep, I read it AFTER the fact). It took him about 35 minutes to change the first one and then a minute and a half on the second one, but at least he had the one thing that I was missing — tools.
Here’s to hoping that the freaking lightbulbs don’t go out anytime soon. And yeah, I still love my truck.
if you don’t blog, you don’t have blogger’s remorse
Of course, I have a lot of “thinker’s” remorse, but no one ever knows about that.
Yesterday was “Negro done lost his mind day.” (Yes, I used the word Negro — and?)
My friend’s boyfriend asked her to go to the movies earlier in the day. Said he’d pick her up at her house since she doesn’t like the drive to the mall that they were going to, and then an hour before the movie is to start he tells her that he’s not picking her up, that she should meet them there (his other friends and girlfriends) because he’s picking them up and that she should understand that his friends are like “family” and that family comes first.
Needless to say, she calls me asking for advice and the first thing I ask her is, “has that Negro lost his mind?”
And while I’m not the best at staying objective in these situations, I may have told my her not to go (she’s like my little sister, I had to), though she claims she had already made that decision and I believe her. He then calls and proceeds to go off on her, yelling and screaming saying that she ruined the night and they were all supposed to hang out until she’s crying. Yeah, we don’t cry much in this family.
Supposedly, he apologized today, but I’m not buying it. I’m skeptical. I haven’t really told her, but I think it’s all my residual father issues. She was crying and all upset because the way he talked to her reminded her of her father. And well, no many how apologies are said, I’m real slow to forgive when it comes to things like that.
So I’m blogging about it instead of giving her any more “sisterly” advice. I feel my advice is tainted anyhow. I don’t want to do any more damage then what’s already been done.
you say he’s just a friend…and other random happenings
I went to dinner with a friend today. Yes, I say he’s a friend. There’s nothing romantic. I think he’s a great guy but he’s young and he’s flight and I have Mr. Man to keep me occupied most days anyway.
So we’re sitting at Chipotle. Huge burritos in hand when his friend, Tony, looks at me and asks if we’re going to have children. “We’re” as in me and my friend, not me and him. I said, “um, after the wedding?” Not that I was really thinking about it, but let’s face it, I’m not having kids until I tie the knot or visit a sperm bank, whichever comes first.
I found it interesting though that I’ve only been hanging out (and I use that term loosely) with this guy for the past few months that already, despite the fact he’s been MIA for most of our friendship, that somehow he’s become someone that I’m “dating.” Well, according to his very good friends.
I should’ve know better given the cultural differences that hanging out with someone could be misconstrued as a romantic relationship, but I just wasn’t thinking. And now I have to tell this nice boy that well, I’m just not into him like that. *sigh* Who knew?
But hey, in random news, my mother decided to purchase a new car today.
Not to mention, that while it’s not okay to “surf” the internet at work. It’s perfectly acceptable to blog. Seriously. At least that’s what it said on our internal website today and needless to say I was — perplexed, just a little.
But they did say in order for my blog to be acceptable I needed to add a disclaimer. So, there’s a new page that I’m adding and that’s my disclaimer. Hell, I pretty much should just write, “enjoy this blog at your own risk!”
so blessed
Ladies and gentleman…I have been blessed to purchase a new vehicle. I no longer have to roll around town in an embarrasing old Cavalier with no bumper, a missing hubcap, turn signals that didn’t work, and a tempermental stereo system.
I now am the proud, smiling owner of a 2004 Kia Sorento. Yep, I’ve joined the ranks of gas guzzling SUV’s but my car is a stick shift so I feel slightly more fuel efficient. I now have the room, though I probably will not, to carry multiple passengers in my car. I can finally rid myself of the twin bed that my mom’s friend was supposed to pick up from my house months ago. I can finally go up to Ikea and return with everything my little heart desires. (Providing I can afford the expense of driving there…)
It’s the first time that I’ve purchased a car where EVERYONE in the dealership remarks that the car, “looks like me.” And well, it does, the color, the styling, fits me well.
It’s black. With tinted windows. Ahh…it’s sexy.
Pictures will come soon.
