Saturday, April 3, 2010

What Gives You a Feeling of Accomplishment?

I changed the distributor cap and rotor on my truck today and it made me feel good. It made me feel good for two reasons. First, I did it. This distributor is buried up against the center firewall, in an alcove underneath wiring and plumbing. I remember the old VW beetles. I think it took about a minute to change the cap and rotor on one of those, provided none of the wires stuck. The distributor cap on my current truck is held down by tiny little TORX™ screws, in a tight, inaccessible spot. The rotor, in turn, is held down by even smaller versions of those fasteners from hell. Shiny little things that I can't see...

The second reason that R&Ring the cap and rotor made me feel good is that it confirmed my hunch about a slight miss in the engine, and a few trouble codes indicating a "random misfire" or a "cylinder 6 misfire." The logical thing to do upon receiving those, I think, would be to pull the spark plug on cylinder 6 and check it out. Logical, perhaps, but not in keeping with my truck's history. Instead, I replaced the cap and rotor, and the engine smoothed out. (I'm still going to replace the plugs, but that's another Saturday afternoon.)

I changed the truck's oil, too. Afterwards, I realized that I felt good about making the repair. I felt a sense of accomplishment. Fixing things does that for me. And I'm pretty good at it.

What gives you a feeling of accomplishment?

11 comments:

hale-bopp said...

I changed the drive belt on my scooter...that was pretty cool.

I have installed new lights, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and several faucets over the years...washers and dryers are almost too easy to say you installed them. New screen door.

Think a new ceiling fan is the next one...as soon as I find a replacement one I like!

Lizardmom said...

nicely done Orbs!!
My sense of accomplishment comes from crossing things of my never ending list of things to do, with every scribbling out, I feel better and better. I try to update the list every night of what I need to get done. It's been an in-depth detailed spring cleaning list really, but I WILL conquer :)

Sassa said...

I make lists of things to do during the week. If I can't finish them all they go on to next weeks list. Once in a while I get the whole list done by Friday and I think..Aah this was a good week.

Toad said...

I would really have to think about it Orb's, but I really like your post. It's a VERY positive post and states something most people never consider. KUDO'S

OKIE said...

Great Blog Orbs!

I would have to say getting my spring cleaning started and sticking to it. Started with the ceiling fans and fixtures and have now completed cleaning all the blinds and inside windows. Next project spraying ortho on the inside and out as this morning the ants made their first major appearance in the house. I intend for it to be their last.

OrbsCorbs said...

Thanks everyone. I was dreading the cap and rotor job because I had attempted it a few years ago and failed. (I didn't know what type of fastener was used and didn't have the proper tools.) So I paid a guy $90 to put in a cheap cap and rotor, whereas I bought the premium ones for $50 and installed them myself yesterday.

I always have lists of chores to be done, too. Cleaning various parts of the apartment are permanently on it. It feels good after I do that, too, but not as good as "fixing" something. I am a caretaker, a fixer, and if I can't fix it, it ain't broke.

Anonymous said...

Hearing the toilet flush.

drewzepmeister said...

LOL logjam! How come I'm not surprised? :P

Many things give me the feelings of accomplishment. Like a well written blog post or getting my place all cleaned up. I could really go on about this...like watching my son grow up to be man, knowing that I had a part of it. Even simpler things like a good honest day's work.

Great post, Orbs! It gives me a lot to be thankful for!

kkdither said...

I try to do at least one positive thing each day. The task can run a wide gamut: a simple household task accomplished, making a good meal or fixing something, or making a connection with a student who needs it.

MinnesotaChick said...

I'm about to find out...........

Why Not? said...

I really like cleaning bathrooms. It doesnt even have to be my bathroom. I really like the way they look and smell when they are done. I feel so completely accomplished when I get down with the bathroom. People think I'm nuts for wanting to clean them but I really like it. I worked at a certain Restaurant for awhile as a cleaner (one of my summers there visiting, I like to take a simple summer job) The woman that normally works there refused to clean the cooks bathroom (actually it's the cooks job to clean it but they don't do either). It was the nastiest thing I have seen in my entire life, but I cleaned that bathroom and it was beautiful by the end of my day (yeah it took most of my 8 hours there to do it) but I really felt great when I was done.