Birds and a refrigerator door handle

Note the missing handle.

So how are these two random items related to each other? The common thread is frustration, and these two seemingly innocuous items have both caused me an inordinate amount of stress. The door handle broke back in March. Cindy pulled on it to open the fridge and it failed spectacularly, throwing razor sharp plastic parts about the kitchen, cutting her in the process. GE helpfully, and somewhat ominously, has the parts website URL inside the door. When I looked up the model refrigerator, and found the part, it was almost $100! They would not sell you just the plastic mounts, you had to purchase the entire handle assembly, including the stainless steel handle! I then noticed that ALL customer of the reviews were 1 star! Not a single person had given the "handle assembly" more than that. The reviews were scathing, not just because of the price, but because people in active households were replacing the handle once or twice a year at $100 a pop! I then noticed that some customer service rep was responding to the reviews and asking people to contact them.

Being the smart guy I am I decided to cut to the chase, not bothering to order the part, just get GE customer service on the line and see what they are willing to do for me. HAHAHAHA. That was 4 months ago. I have emailed three times and heard nothing in response, until Friday. Low and behold, they want me to call them and speak to a representative. While a good sign, I am still wary since Cindy recently spent hours on the phone with them, listening to elevator music with no result. We shall see. 

The Charger in happier times

Birds and I have a troubled relationship. I enjoyed watching my grandmother feed them during the cold winters in the Catskills. They were a sign of life in the dead of winter. As I got older, and detailing my cars became important to me, bird spotting became to mean the "presents" they left on an otherwise clean car. Then, twice in my 20s, I actually had birds poop on my head. Granted, my enormous skull is an easy target, but come on, really? 

Well this past winter I decided to let bygones be bygones and to feed the birds. I also figured our cats would enjoy the show. I got birdseed, a feeder and ended up ruining my Charger, The birds got me again. Well, not exactly the birds, it was the mice. They found the birdseed in the garage, gorged on it, and decided to pay me back by chewing the wiring harness on the engine. This in turn shorted the Engine Control Module, which is a rare and expensive part that Chrysler no longer manufactures for 2006 Hemi Chargers. There are aftermarket parts that have a bad reputation, so I hesitate to purchase one. The car runs, but only in manual shift mode, which is mainly a sport or track mode and is fun for a few minutes, but kind of a pain in the ass when you are going for groceries. It will not pass inspection this way so a decision is forthcoming. 

It's a Wonderful Life

First world problems right? Yes but it is frustrating. It makes me think of one of my favorite movies, It's a Wonderful Life. George Bailey has big dreams but is stuck running the family building and loan bank. His daily frustrations keep him from seeing how good he has it, until the friendly angel Clarence allows him to see life without him. A key plot point is the old house his wife insists on buying, but is a daily source of frustration and work, right down to the knob on the banister that comes off in his hand every time he heads up the stairs.  When Clarence returns George to his life, he races home to see his family and sure enough, the knob comes off the banister. But this time he kisses it, happy to embrace the frustrations in his life because it means he's alive, and home.