rmd: (party position)
[personal profile] rmd
the hallway light in the entryway of my apartment is on a dimmer. the dimmer was old and kinda busted and didn't work great and the knob kept falling off. this has been annoying me for *years*, but i never quite did anything about it.

i finally put "replace the damned dimmer" on my to-do list a few weeks ago.

yesterday, i went down to visit my oldest brother, who runs a (comparatively) big electrical contracting company to help him do his homework[1] because it was FULL OF MATH. afterwards, it occurred to me that i was in an office full of electrical supplies, so i hit him up for a dimmer. he had a couple of old ones and i took two.

then i went home and proceeded to actually replace the annoying dimmer. (in spite of being unable to find a pair of lineman's pliers. i've got at least 3, possibly more, and i can never find them when i need them.)

GLORIOUS VICTORY.

[1] him: "Hey Re, what's a 'logarithm'?" me: "Birth control for Catholic lumberjacks."

Date: 2010-02-22 01:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lara68.livejournal.com
w00t! maybe your GLORIOUS VICTORY will inspire us to do the same in our dining room!

Date: 2010-02-22 02:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lillibet.livejournal.com
Congratulations!

One of the things I've been thinking about yesterday is how taking care of a task that's been undone for a while often frees up a logjam of productive energy, so that I get not only that, but several other things done soon afterward. May this be true for you!

Date: 2010-02-22 03:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] doze-e-fish.livejournal.com
Go you! Taking care of those small but annoying (for you) obstacles is so satisfying!!! And just think of all that low-level stress you'll be relieved from.

Date: 2010-02-22 03:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kimberlogic.livejournal.com
Go you! Inspired by this, I'll try to do at least 2 things today that have been sitting on my to-do list for more than a month.

Ha!

Date: 2010-02-22 03:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lioritgioret.livejournal.com
When my dimmers were all bad it was because I am afeard of electrons -- I'll use lye to strip my woodwork, but I'm not messing with *wiring*. But coming from you, this is a pretty "shoemaker's children" kind of story -- right down to the person who has three sets of lineman's pliers not being able to find one. Around here, I, the cloth and sewing addict, cannot always find a pair of fricking scissors. I must have 20 all told, but that does not mean any of them are, you know, available at the time. Yay you for attacking an frustration and prevailing!

Date: 2010-02-22 07:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] donnad.livejournal.com
Hrm... I need an electrician, where is your brother located? I seem to recall he's south of Boston someplace. Do you think he would be willing to come up to Townsend or is it too far? I would much rather give the business to someone that is known by my social circle than a stranger. You are no longer licensed right?

I need line put in for my dryer, a bunch of dimmer switches replace and a chandelier replaced with an ordinary ceiling fixture. (the chandelier is a tall person detector and since I wont be putting a table under it and even if I were I need it moved.) The whole house needs GFI sockets. And I got a burned out socket on the deck that needs to be replaced and checked out to make sure it's not shorting someplace and that's why it's scorched.

Date: 2010-02-22 07:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rmd.livejournal.com
Yeah, I am no longer licensed.

My brother Andy is in Boston. I'm not sure how far and wide he ranges, these days.

I'll send you his phone number.

Date: 2010-02-22 07:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] donnad.livejournal.com
Thanks.
donnad at lj works...

Date: 2010-02-22 08:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] whitebird.livejournal.com
Do you have to turn off the power to the breaker for the circuit in order to replace a dimmer, or will it work out okay if you don't?

(I too have an annoying dimmer. Well, my landlady does, but that's the size of job that I don't bother landlords with if I think I can do it without injuring the house.)

Date: 2010-02-22 08:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rmd.livejournal.com
i don't have to turn off the dimmer, but most folks should.

the trick is to just not complete a circuit. :)

Date: 2010-02-23 06:46 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] whitebird.livejournal.com
That's what I thought. I wonder how well my circuit panel is marked. Figuring out which breaker it is when one is by oneself is irritating at best.

Date: 2010-02-23 06:03 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hammercock.livejournal.com
VICTORY IS YOURS!!!

Date: 2010-02-23 12:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] galestorm.livejournal.com
*snicker*

Date: 2010-02-24 02:19 am (UTC)
muffyjo: ! (!)
From: [personal profile] muffyjo
1. Joke is great
2. Small victories is how wars are won
3. This is made of wholesome happiness.

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