How Many Meteorologists Does It Take To Change A Lightbulb?

I stopped by an auto parts store on my way to work today. They were very nice, but I’m sure they assumed the dorky guy in the suit had no clue what he was doing! I give off those outward signs.

My car turned 100,000 miles last Friday. When I climbed in to drive home Friday evening the left headlight was out. Is it possible the car knew? It’s a bulb which had been replaced just a few weeks ago.

Cue the Twilight Zone music.

Two bulbs out so quickly hints at an electrical problem. I drove by my friend Steve’s yesterday. I give him computer advice. He gives me car advice. I get the better end of this deal.

He pulled the lamp and looked. It was burned out. You could see a blob where there had once been filament. Wow. That’s an awfully short life for a bulb. At least there was no electrical problem.

I stopped by an auto parts store on my way to work today. They were very nice, but I’m sure they assumed the dorky guy in the suit had no clue what he was doing! I give off those outward signs.

I went back to the car, popped the hood, threw on a pair of latex gloves Helaine had in the kitchen and did a bulb transplant. There’s no way I could have done it had I not seen Steve do it first.

Let there be light!

For guys like me who grew up knowing we had no physical acumen the mere act of changing a lightbulb is cause for celebration… and a blog entry.

11 thoughts on “How Many Meteorologists Does It Take To Change A Lightbulb?”

  1. Hey they can’t not expect one to know everything.. Oddly enough my man is not mechanically inclined either. That said i chided him big time the first time i had to change his bulb and replace the battery in his car. Incidentally when I took that ASVAB test i did well in mechanics but stunk at home economics. Hmm

  2. Congrats Geoff! In my younger days I knew a lot about VW bugs. My boy friend and I were getting off the highway one time (in his truck) and saw a VW bug with four guys on the side of the exit. “Should we stop?” my bf asked. “Sure” I replied. When we got out of the truck, all four guys looked at my boyfriend and started talking to him. He laughed, shook his head, and said “No, SHE”s who you want to talk to. I don’t know anything about cars.” They were hesitate but yes, I got their car running.

  3. Latex gloves to change a light bulb? Sigh. Turn in your man card, Geoff. 🙂

    I remember changing the carburetor on a Street Stock at the Speedbowl while waiting in line to go out for our heat race. With long finger nails. Ah, for the good old days.

  4. My neighbor was a Chrysler expert. Taught automotive at a technical school. Solved problems on my car the dealers and garages couldn’t solve. He went and died….I’ll never forgive him for that.

  5. Actually, wearing latex gloves to change out a headlamp bulb is a GOOD idea. Also on any Halogen bulb–like a mercury-vapor yar light, etc.

    Oil transferred from your skin will cause the bulb to burn out early or the glass to shatter. THe heat from the bulb quickly carbonizes the oil and causes premature failure.

    Never mind the “man card” comment–Geoff did it the EXACT right way…

    I’m one of those guys that takes on any fix-it project…I used to own a veritable fleet of five Volvos, and did all my own wrench swinging on those swedish bricks…Which is why we all drive Toyotas now–less pain.

  6. Geoff can’t be pointing at the weather maps on air with grimy dirt stained hands, so I understand the latex gloves. I had a dentist friend who was a car nut and was always tinkering on old Triumph sports cars. The latex gloves while working on the cars kept his patients from running away when he went to work on their teeth. 🙂

  7. This also clearly proves Geoff actually READ the directions on the bulb packaging…which actually could be grounds for revoking his man card (grin).

    In this case, however, I’d rather he has BOTH headlights working when he drives to and from work…

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