Light bulb woes

Like most people light bulbs are generally the furthest thing from my mind. We essentially now take light for granted, as it is never further away than the nearest wall switch. Within the last month I have been reminded twice of how fortunate we are compared to those that went before us, both times during a movie.

The first was while watching The Prestige with Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale (Sara’s favorite since Little Women). Jackman’s character arrives at a train station on his way to meet Nikola Tesla in order to bring David Bowie into the movie, just kidding. While standing on the platform Jackman looks up at a light street light in wonder and then toward the near by city all alight as the camera pans. It really is a perfect moment that serves to remind the audience that electricity is magic to most during the period of the movie.

The second was yesterday while watching The Muppet Christmas Carol with Michael Caine and the extensive Muppet gang. The movie is a great rendition of Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol with lots of comedy. The scene where Scrooge enters his house and makes for his bedchamber up a length of stairs with only a candle in hand gives the audience the suspense needed for the following encounter with the ghosts.

However, I am not from that era and take for granted light as much as anybody else. The only exception is of course when a bulb dies and I need to replaced it. Our apartment has multiple dome light fixtures per room with dual 40-watt bulbs in each (a lot of light bulbs to be sure). Due to the fact that bulbs are the furthest thing from my mind it is always an after thought to buy them and thus I usually pick them up at the grocery store (when Sara reminds me). Sobeys sells super cheap Our Compliments brand bulbs and I have had nothing but problems with them. The bulbs die constantly, sometimes within a week and other times within a month. I’ve even had dead bulbs come right out of a fresh package.

I am going to make a special trip to Canadian Tire to pick up some Noma bulbs this week and will never buy another grocery store one again. I suggest you do the same, for your own sanity. After all I enjoy taking light for granted, don’t you?