how to get a free oil change from sears

as a preface, let me tell you that if you wish to pursue this process of getting a free oil change, please make sure to request that the 'new guy' do all the work. because it is him that was blamed for the whole following bit.

last saturday i got my oil changed. i figured i'd been doing really well by my car. got the 80,000 miles tune up (replaced two drive belts and got a small crack sealed), got the oil change, and in a month, i'll probably get some new tires. nice to get it all out of the way before the summer becomes really insane.

this week, while leaving the opera for a lunch meeting, there was an usual sound from under my car. sounded like a rock had bounced up and hit it from underneath. one of the passengers in my car, who does a lot of her own car mechanics quickly figured out that the silver cylindrical thing we saw rolling behind me was my oil filter. i left a wonderful trail of oil as i turned around to park.

i made a call to sears. i reminded them that i had just gotten my oil changed on saturday, and that my oil filter had popped off in the parking lot. they asked me how i knew it was my oil filter.

'well, it's silver, cylindrical, and it has oil filter written on the side.'

i had to have the car towed to them, which they would pay for only if they were found to be negligent. i called them as the tow truck pulled away. i let them know that the driver had the key, and the filter was in a plastic bag sitting on the front seat. they let me know that they would call me shortly to tell me how everything went.

i got a call back, a bit later than i expected. it was from someone that wasn't even in the auto center. he didn't know too much, but he regretted to inform me that while being looked after, my car had been in an accident at sears. supposedly, while parking my car, some mechanic had swiped into another customer's vehicle. there would be an accident report and i talked to the police officer as well. still unclear about what the damage was, or who would be held responsible.

oh, and the 'new guy' had put on the wrong oil filter, which is why is popped off, and i got an oil change and new filter at no cost.

so i called my progressive insurance, to cover my own ass. within minutes a claims agent called me back to discuss everything. . . it took much longer to hear back from sears. towards the end of my work day, one of my coworkers drove me out to sears where we met up with the progressive guy, picked up the accident report, and took a quick look at my car. the damage didn't seem to be too much. mostly on the driver's side covering the area of the headlight. but it crunched part of the fender, part of the hood, and maybe a bit of the interior that holds the radiator. . . possibly a $3000 fix. . . but sorta drivable, as long as i don't have to drive at night.

i really had loss any ability to articulate, and to simply ask. . . 'who pays?'. the progressive guy totally had my back. we all walked into the auto center and when i explained that i was the owner of the car involved in the accident, i was offered my key. WHAT? no explanation? no immediate call to a supervisor? no, just a mundane conversation pitted with the bits of food flying out of this dude's mouth. . . really classy. only after my progressive guy outright asked who would be liable for the damage did the auto center guy say, 'oh, we'll cover, but you should talk to the store manager. would you like to?'

ummm. . . let me think about this for a bit. . . YES-YOU-MORON! finally, we get a store manager, who also is a little vague, but finally says that i need to get an estimate and they will cover it as well as a rental for myself.

the next morning went MUCH smoother. got the car to a shop, and a rental within the early morning, though i have no idea about the estimate, and with the long weekend, i'll probably be in a rental for a while. there seemed to be very little resistance in getting what i needed. all in all, not too bad. the progressive guy completely rocked. i only wish that sears had seemed to be a little more on top of their game. and the rental i have it all new and fancy. i'm not at all used to automatic locking/ unlocking doors, windows, seat placement, and side mirror control. plus, it's got a couple more cylinders, which is really nice on some of the hills out here.

barelyowlettes

barelyowlettes
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

it's been about two weeks since my last owlette update. they've gotten a lot of color and their horns are starting to appear. they are very aware of us now. they shift away when you approach them and make a clacking noise with their mouths as i got too close for their comfort to take this shot. luckily, mama wasn't around. . . .

pretable1

pretable1
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

one of my early projects this summer was to make a new table for the electrics shop. it should have lots of storage space, and well. . . it is in the electric shop, so it should look cool. and since i'm a bit better with metal then wood. . . . why not make the frame out of metal. . . yeah, yeah, and then grind the frame to give it a brushed metal look, yeah, yeah, i like that!

pretable2

pretable2
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

doesn't look much different does it?. . . but OH is it! i added casters. . . why? cause this mother is HEAVY! now it can roll anywhere. . . i then made the first set of drawers. then we got two apprentices in, and well, the process sped up a WHOLE lot. we put together the final set of drawers and did some painting before the next shot.

table1

table1
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

the old shop table. . . how bland!

table3

table3
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

a modification from the original idea. . . but a good one, lets add tongues that can slip out and add for a little extra space. . . and these bits will need some support. . . how about a little uhmw.

table2

table2
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

the table moves out of the scene shop and into the electric shop. sans table top. . . . now we need to fill it.

table4

table4
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

but how shall we ever know what is in each drawer without looking? well, add some labels, but not any old tape or labels. . . . let make 'em outta plexi and make the whole thing a complete day job. . . . but, ok, it does look pretty cool.

table5

table5
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

ahhh, the nearly completed table in use. in other words, already messy. there are still other bits to finish, such as the electrification of the whole thing, so it will always have power. . . . and i'm sure several modifications to be made in the future. but for the time being. . . here 'tis.

kachunk

kachunk
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

during a trip to the black hole, dave chose a very special switch box for the lights in the shop. there's still complete individual control, like what we used to have, but he put this in line above all others. the idea behind the whole thing was to have a very dramatic, and loud- hence, 'kachunk'- way of turning the shop lights on and off.

mini coop

did i mention that earlier, while shopping in albuquerque, i saw a cutie mini cooper with the license plate that said. . .. SUVBAIT.

oh, woe is me; my plate runneth over, and over, and over

so, if you are wondering what i'm up to or how i'm spending my time. . . here's the rundown:

to clarify. . . . contractually, i am officially an electrician. however, the scene shop won't be getting a new shopper for a couple of weeks, so i'm stuck in between right now.

- the refrigerator in the production break room broke down. 2 weeks ago i called in an repairman. he let us know that we needed a new compressor. he put the part on order and said he'd be back the next wednesday to install the new part. last wednesday i called when i didn't hear anything from the repair service. turns out, they were still waiting for the part to arrive, it would be another week. so, this wednesday i received a call from the repairman, he went to pick the part up from the warehouse, but the wrong part was ordered. granted, they probably order things by part number, but instead of ordering a compressor, a replacement door was ordered. a fucking DOOR! seems like . . . . perhaps. . . the mere size of the box would seem out of place. . . . anyway, supposedly the real compressor will be in tomorrow, and we'll get it installed monday.

- i have to complete a new work table for electrics. the new table that i'm building will have drawers for storage, in order to clean up some of the clutter on the counter tops. i finished the structure, and the first 8 of 24 drawers earlier today.

- there is the daily paperwork, bills and such, that i need to stay on top of. . . for both the scene shop and the electrics shop, and sometimes the paint shop.

- there always something to be bought in town. . . . if it's large i need to wait till the afternoon in order to use the truck (which is occupied by the maintenance staff in the morning). i'll shop for the electrics, scene, and paint department normally. . . but if anyone else needs anything from town, i usually will pick it up. at times it becomes a scavenger hunt, which i plan to blog about more in depth at a later time.

- i'm supposed to clean the electrics shop. it is in pretty bad disarray. . . but cleaning it by oneself is totally lame. . . and i really need that table made first as part of a way to clean up. so i haven't been concentrating on the shop, just yet.

- there's a concert this saturday, which i will be part of the set up for, though no one really knows what it will entail. but there is a full orchestra involved.

- i need to work on a list of things to teach the new shopper. there's the computer budget program to teach, how to sift through all the paperwork, from whom and how to order and keep up on stock, and probably a decent tour through the vendors in town- since the new shopper is from out of town.

- we just got some rental equipment back and i need to put it all away and make sure it's all in decent shape.

- there are a handful of practicals for some of the shows that we need to do prep work on. we don't know which types of lamps and batteries we'll need to use just yet. there are the head pikes that need to glow from the inside in turandot, as well as the beehive looking plastic lanterns (also in turandot), the executioner's blocks that are supposed to glow from the inside (again, turandot) . . . oh, well that list could go on, and on, and on. . . .

- there's the running blacks, the clothes that the crew wears backstage. the scene shop shopper usually orders them in late may, and i've been compiling all the sizes for all the crew since the new shopper. . . again, won't start for a couple more weeks and we need to keep track of everything so the clothes can be ordered soon.

- now that summer people are arriving, more of my friends are here, and my social life is blooming. . . .tonight is the first night i'm home after hanging out with chris, charlie, and dave's dog, reilly for the past few evenings.

- i also have to keep in mind my taxes, which i extended. . . so i'll get to deal with that sometime this summer. . . sounds fun.

- and on the way back burner is the thought of the fall weddings that i need to prepare for.

- oh, and there's mom's day. . . .

the short story. . . . i'm overwhelmed. my boss gets in tomorrow, and hopefully that will make some of the shop clean up go easier, but we will have a LOT to do before we get our first apprentices on MONDAY!

so. . . . what are you up to?

owlettes2

owlettes2
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

LOOK, they're starting to actually look like owls! they've gotten pretty big. they are both still huddled together, and i don't think i've ever seen the other's face. . . but aren't they sweet?

sleepingdog

sleepingdog
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

had a little time on my hands. . . but not enough to write anything profound. . . .

fox

fox
Originally uploaded by ekissam.

can you see it?