My Ott Lite Died!

Oh Horrors.  The worst thing in the universe.  My Ott Lite died.  Well, ok, it didn't die, actually.  But the bulb burned out.  So I raced to the phone book to call the Light Bulb Store.  We don't have clay in Honolulu but we have a Light Bulb store.  Go figure.  Anyway, the nice guy on the phone tells me that they don't carry them but Ben Franklin and Walmart do.  I call BF.  Naturally, this being Honolulu, they don't have them in stock but sometime, in the next few incarnations, they "might" have a shipment.  Do they know when?  Nope.  Maybe I should call on Friday.  Ok, thanks.  Sure, I'll call Friday.  ;(  I can foresee that this is shaping up to be a day when my wine bottle starts rattling.  Sigh....

Then I called Walmart.  Did you ever call a Walmart?  My suggestion is this:  Don't.  Even if someone holds a weapon to your throat or threatens water boarding.  Offer to give it up before you'll call Walmart.  It is a study in patience, perseverance and learning how not to say bad things on the phone.

I call.  They answer.  Almost speaking a language I can understand.  Almost.  Click.  Hold.  Ok, then someone who does speak my native tongue picks up and says, "yerholdingforhardwarerightbye" Click.  Hold.  I didn't even get a chance to say a word.  Then a guy answers after an interminable wait.  I ask him if he is in the hardware department.  He thinks about it for a while then allows that he is.  Ok, I ask him about the Ott Lite.  Him: "WHAT?  We don't carry no 18 watt bulbs."  So, I tell him that I had been told that Walmart was an Ott Lite distributor.  Nope.  No 18 watt bulbs.  But wait... what was that brand?  Ott.  I spell it.  Nope, they don't carry no Otts.   Also don't carry no grammar.  :(  Ok, I thank the guy and hang up.  I begin to hear a faint rattle from the fridge.  I am still Ott-less.

What to do?  What to do??  Ahhh, a small Ott light appears over my head and I think...online!  Yes, Kathi, it's finally sinking in.  :D  For those of you who don't know who Kathi is... can that be possible???  Kathi is my clay pal, my everything pal and my computer guru.  She never loses it when I ask insane questions and always has the answer to everything.  She also makes cool stuff.  She's over there>>>>>>>  Dragonsglass.

Ok, I have the good sense to Google OTT LITE BULBS.
WHOA!  There are lots!  So, I look at a couple.  Some want 20 bucks for the bulb and a couple grand to ship it to me.  Swell.  Definite rattles now.

Then I go to this site called, Light Bulbs, Etc. Inc.  I call.  I'm no dummy.  And guess what?  I gets a real live person by the name of Tim.  Tim is a sweetie and actually KNOWS about Ott light bulbs.  He asks me pertinent questions then tells me which bulb I need.  This guy is fantastic!  The bulb he says I need is the spitting image of the dead one in my hand.  How cool is Tim?  I love this guy.

Good old Tim even takes my order.  I buy 2 bulbs.  He comes up with a very acceptable amount for shipping and I am a happy girl.  Tim says he'll get my order out right away.  I sure hope so!  Then I look at the website again.  Oiks.  Kansas.  I guess I won't be getting my bulbs for a while.  But talking to Tim and having a person who actually knew what they were doing makes the wait worthwhile.  I wonder if we could clone Tim?  I guess I'll have to find another excuse to go drink wine.  ;O