Homemaking Pains: How To Change A Light Bulb

In our family, Chris and I have distinct roles for tackling household chores: the outside one and the inside one. I have the inside role, so that means I am the “handyman” of the family. I actually enjoy being a fixer upper homemaker because it gives the tomboy in me an opportunity to shine every once in awhile. It also gives me an excuse to buy new stuff like light fixtures, cleaning gadgets, and drills. Yeah, the Dewalt in our storage area has my name on it, not Chris’s.

One thing I hate about wearing the tool belt in the family is that hardware store associates usually assume that I don’t know anything about tools or do-it-yourself jobs.

“Just because I am a woman doesn’t mean that I need your input every time I need to buy anything.”

This is what usually happens.  Just when I’m strolling the aisle with my “I got this” look, I see an associate with the ashy hands and toothpick in mouth swinging my way.

“Hi ma’am. Do you need help?”
“Yeah. I just need to find the aisle with the drills.”
“Drills?”
“Yeah, drills.”
“They’re in aisle four.”
“Ok. Thanks.”
“You need help pickin’ one out for your husband?”
“Actually, the drill is for me and I know which one I want.”
“A little lady like you? What kinda drill you lookin’ fo’?”
“A hammer drill.”
“Oh, you don’t want that. It will tear up your walls, honey.”
“Sir, I know what I want.”
“No, that will be too much. Lemme show you want you want.”
“You don’t know where I live or what type of walls I have.”
“Well, I know that unless you are driving through concrete…”
“Bingo…they’re concrete. Aisle four right?”

The nerve! I know he was trying to be helpful, but really, sometimes I just want what I want and don’t need all the chatter. Would he chat up Chris like this? I guess he would, but the conversation would carry a totally different tone and definitely without the “little lady” line. I am open to advice when I ask for it. The problem I have with store associates is that, when I finally need help, no one is around, or else I get a “I don’t want to do my job and help you” sigh whenever I do ask for help.

“Why can’t the store people just read my mind and come when I need them and go away when I don’t!”

Shopping for light bulbs the other day was one of those times I needed help. One of the lights in our range hood finally blew out after almost a year of use. I didn’t think it would be a big deal changing it, that is, until I looked at the bulb. After I wrested it out of its socket, I knew that this was not going to be a regular light fixture or candelabra screw-in job. This was a “baby” halogen (yes, I know that is not the technical name) with little pins on the bottom. I thought,

“Oh…it one of those weird bulbs! I hope they have this at Ikea….maybe Lowe’s?”

Well, I am sad to say that after three stores, two weeks, and several returns later, I finally got it right. Every store had the right bulb; I just kept picking the wrong one. Please note: eyeballing a “baby” bulb is an art. My ignorance cost me three tolls back and forth to Jersey! Finding the one that fit just right was a pain, but the bigger pain was not asking for help when I really needed it. I could have saved a lot of time, energy and gas money had I been less prideful and accepted the fact that hardware store associates can make your shopping experience easier if you let them.  Sure they are annoying, that is, until you actually need their help.