“Oh damn! The lightbulb on my sewing machine’s burnt out!” she said.
“Uh, OK”, I said, “So what’s the problem?”
“No light, no sewing. We need a new one.”
“New bulb or new machine?”
That’s when I got hit with the full force of the famous SpousalOverunit StinkEye™.
“Gail, there are pyramids that are newer than your sewing machine!”
I didn’t think that StinkEye™ had another level.
I was wrong.
Gail popped the old one out easily (that should have been my clue that trouble was pending) and off we went to Fabricland. Yes, they had a replacement bulb.
We returned home. Gail had trouble getting it back into the machine, so she asked for help.
Sitting down at the machine, I pondered “What do I do now?”
I reached for the manual that came with the machine for the instructions (yes, a printed manual. I told you it was old.)
No joy in figuring them out. And I couldn’t get the bulb back in.
Frustrated and angry, I shouted “Dammit Jim, I’m an accountant, not a sewing machine repair guy!”
(In times like this, Dr. McCoy is a hero of mine.)
Another rule of my life: When in doubt, Google it.
And that’s when I discovered the world-wide, raving fandom for Gail’s Bernina Record 930 sewing machine.
Who knew?
And wonders of wonders, miracles of miracles, I found an article pointing to an archive of photos on a public Google drive showing how to replace the lightbulb. (Thank you Carolyn Blakeley!)
(If you’re curious, a door drops down after the bulb is removed and you have to push a lever up to open the door and slide the bulb in. It’s not spelled out in the manual. Once you know the secret, it’s easy peasy).
Armed with the knowledge, the bulb popped right in again. I went from zero to hero in about 30 seconds.
And a feeling of joy and peace of mind swept over the house. The sewing machine was back in business and the mending could commence!
Have you ever had a day like that when doing your books? Stuck, unsure of what to do and how to do it?
Getting ready to shout “Dammit Jim, a coach/consultant/creative, not a number cruncher!”
And while the interwebs may help, the solution is rarely just a simple photograph on a website from a fan of accounting.
I got you.
But here’s the big truth.
No accountant or bookkeeper is merely a number cruncher.
We’re bringers of joy, relief and peace of mind. (Ask any of my clients.)
Ever have a day like that? Email (lfox©accounting-wizard•com) me and say “Yes Lawrence, I did and this is what happened….”
PS For those who skip to the end: there’s really no feeling like going from zero to hero, is there? I love it.
PPS: Want to get some of that peace of mind about your books? I can help with that.
PPPS As superhero origin stories go, this doesn’t match up with Spider-Man’s but I think it’s pretty cool.
