All Aboard the Crazy Train
Stupid things I do November 16th, 2012So I noticed last night that my car’s left headlight burned out. No problem. I got this.
I’ve changed out the bulb in the right headlight all by myself before. In fact, I’d be surprised if you didn’t hear about that because I told everyone by all means of communication how awesome I was, for like six months after.
So now I get to be awesome all over again.
I drove to my local AutoZone and told the sales guy what I needed – a single bulb for a 2000 Honda Civic LX.
He checks the database for the kind I need and then takes me over to the bulb aisle.
He explains that I can’t buy the exact bulb as a single, since they’re out of singles. He tells me I can either buy a pair of them, an option I decline, or I can buy a bulb that’s similar, but somewhat brighter than the one I really need.
I tell him I don’t want a bulb that’s more intense than the other.
He says “Don’t worry, it’s not one of those really bright ones that blind other drivers.”
I said “No, you don’t understand. I know it’s not the screaming bright ones. But I’ll know that it’s slightly brighter than the right side and that will bother me.”
“Bother you how?”
“Bother me because I’m OCD.”
“But you won’t see that they’re different while you’re driving.”
“But I’ll know they are different.”
“But you don’t have to care because you’re not the one looking at them.”
“But I’ll care. I’ll just care.”
He stared a hole through my forehead, which ended the conversation right then and there.
I thanked him and left immediately, in search of another auto parts store that sells singles of the bulb I need.
I found one and here it is:
I don’t remember the last bulb I got having a nipple on it. I was just about to ask the sales guy “Why does this headlight have a nipple? Am I supposed to take the nipple off?” but thought better of it.
One ridiculous conversation at an auto parts store is plenty for today.
I’ll just Google it because Google doesn’t judge me for the stupid questions I ask.
Wish me luck replacing my nipple bulb!
Stumble it!
November 16th, 2012 at 8:31 pm
I get you. It’s like when my underwear totally clashes with my outfit, ’cause I need to do laundry. No one else may know or care, but I do!
November 16th, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Thank God Google doesn’t judge. I’ve asked it some incredibly stupid and/or bizarre questions. Good luck with the headlight and the, erm, thingy.
November 17th, 2012 at 4:39 am
I have to admit, I’m the same, if something has to be replaced then it should be the same, if not I’ll buy two and replace them together.
Good luck with searching Google and I do hope you find what you need to find out 😉
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November 17th, 2012 at 9:54 am
I am a live and let live goat
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November 17th, 2012 at 10:47 am
I’d like to tell you it wouldn’t bother me, but I’m a bit OCD, too.
My auto parts guy is nicer about it though. He ordered the part for me, and told me it would be there the next day and not to drive that night.
SewDucky´s last blog post ..Tuesday’s Tools: Chatelaine/Equipage
November 17th, 2012 at 11:03 am
If one bulb goes doesn’t that mean that the other is likely to follow shortly? I think I would have replaced them both, but what do I know about cars? Nothing!
Babs´s last blog post ..Apple Pie and an update
November 17th, 2012 at 11:16 am
It would bother me too! No one wants to have the brightness of their lights to be all lopsided.
MO Smiley´s last blog post ..Road Work
November 17th, 2012 at 11:30 am
I’m with Babs. I think I would have just replaced both. I mean, you can’t have lopsided headlights, right?
You do know that now all bizarre google searches regarding headlights and nipples are now going to lead right here to the Junk Drawer, right?
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November 17th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
The nipple bulbs are brighter than the un-nipple ones. You were conned.
November 18th, 2012 at 12:18 am
I so get it. I’m OCD too. It would bug the bejeezus out of me. Auto parts guy just didn’t get it because he’s a dim bulb.
Mod Mom Beyond IndieDom´s last blog post ..Cider House Rules…Rule #1: Add Alcohol!
November 18th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
I have an idea: you could always skip ever driving at night and then you wouldn’t have to worry about the headlights!
Daisy the Curly Cat´s last blog post ..Daisy in the Hood
November 19th, 2012 at 6:19 am
All: I couldn’t gain access to the old bulb that needs to come out, so now I have to find a mechanic who can do it for me. Really wanted to save the money, and it’ll probably be more than I expected because stuff that’s blocking the bulb will need to come out first. Ugh.
Musingwoman — That’s funny. I do the underwear check,too. It really shouldn’t be a difficult decision, but…
absepa — Which is why I should periodically clear my search history. And you probably should too!
Karen — I just replaced the right side bulb less than a year ago, so they don’t need to be done together, but it concerns me that the bulb I bought didn’t look like the right side one, so maybe they will actually illuminate differently. Ugh!
Pricilla — That sounds like a much more relaxing way to live.
SewDucky — But now I need someone to replace it for me! ARGGGH!!!! (see above)
Babs — Not in this case because I just replaced the other one within the year. Hopefully I’ll have a new car before either needs replacing again.
MO Smiley — Or nipple headlights, if you know what I mean.
lin — I did search nipple headlights yesterday because I didn’t know if I was supposed to try and remove the nipple (I’m not, it’s permanent). And Junk Drawer came up first in the search results. But I think that might be because I was logged into Google at the time. We shall see.
Richard Catto — Oh, great. Well, when I take my car to a service station, they may not even want to use the one I bought for myself. I’ll have to have this lopsided discussion again with someone.
Mad Mom Beyond IndieDom — Har! Dim bulb!
Daisy the Curly Cat — I would love to not drive at night! I feel like an 80 year old woman these days, but with stupid DST, I have to drive in the dark on the way home from work. Stupid dark!
November 19th, 2012 at 10:02 am
Great, thanks a lot. I didn’t even think about the differences between my car headlights. Since reading this, I am now checking them constantly, which is proving difficult since its a sunny day. This was a cruel post on your part. I’m calling my therapist, and on behalf of fellow OCDers, will ask that a writing restraining order be placed on your blog.
November 19th, 2012 at 10:33 am
Have the mechanic check for it. You would be surprised what people ask for of service people of every kind, and I promise the lopsided thing isn’t unusual.
SewDucky´s last blog post ..Weekend Update: 11/19/2012 What about the Machines?
November 19th, 2012 at 10:56 am
“But I’ll know they are different.”
Oh, Kathy! That cracked me up – And you’re right, one ridiculous conversation at an auto parts store is plenty!
Good luck with Google and replacing your nipple headlight bulb.
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November 19th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
Nipple Bulbs. Only the COOL kids have ’em!!! 🙂
November 20th, 2012 at 1:55 am
If bulbs didn’t have nipples, baby bulbs would starve to death.
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November 20th, 2012 at 11:43 am
Oh, to lead a nipple-free life…uh, not so fast, lol!
November 20th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Won’t it bother you all the time because even though the nipple doesn’t make a difference in light intensity and you can’t see the nipple while you’re driving, you’ll KNOW it’s different? Won’t that drive you crazy? That would drive me crazy. It’s all I would think about and I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on my driving. Knowing that I only had one nipple. Nipple, nipple, nipple.
And…..nipple.
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November 26th, 2012 at 11:32 am
You do not have OCD. You were totally right. You cannot ride around at night in a car that has headlights of different intensities. The car knows something is wrong. It is an embarrassment to the car. Anyone who works in an automotive supply store should know this. The kid was in the wrong business. You were right to leave. I wouldn’t worry about the nipple. If the nipple is that little gray projection at the top, it really looks more phallic than nipple like. I think it is unisexual. all cars should be unisexual because guys and girls both drive them.
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