An Easy Upgrade: Changing Outside Lights

Well not super duper easy but easy enough that I could watch a few YouTube videos, read a few tutorials and put on my electrician's hat to get it done. Maybe that hat would be one of those cool hats that you could buy at King's Dominion (a theme park in Virginia). The hat had a great purpose- keeping the sun off your neck. In 1993 a hat like the one below with "Anaconda" airbrushed on it was one of the coolest things you could own. 

Photo of the awesome "flap cap" from here

If I were to become an electrician or go back to King's Dominion I would invest in such a hat.


Back to my easy (but not super duper easy upgrade).

The outside of my house had two random light fixtures.  The only thing that matched was that they were both an ugly, gold color.  So, I bought two matching outdoor light fixtures online for $35 each.  Then I used these instructions that detail how to change them out.  It was pretty simple.  The first step and hopefully most obvious step is to turn off the power at the breaker box. 

Also, please realize that this job is best suited for an electrician.  Since, like me, you are probably not an electrician if you decide to change light fixtures on your own, use a ridiculous amount of caution. It would probably help to wear your electrician's hat too.



Number One Switcheroo: I changed this light on the back deck:

to this one:

Number Two Switcheroo: Here is the old light that was on the side of the house:

 The light is also seen in the background here where I am playing hop-scotch on the deck boards back in '07.

 Here is the new light!

Voila! I am an electrician (but once again... I am really not, even when I wear my cool hat). 

There is a theme park just outside of Charlotte, called Carowinds. It is EXACTLY the same as King's Dominion but they call all of the rides the wrong names. Also, King's Dominion has a miniature Eiffel Tower and Carowinds does not. If Carowinds had it they would probably call it something stupid like the The French Shorty. 

A list of my favorite rides at King's Dominion and what they call them at Carowinds:

• Shockwave (Vortex)

Photo of The Shock Wave- the first standing roller coaster at King's Dominion from here

• Anaconda (Carolina Cyclone)
• Rebel Yell (Thunder Road)
• The Hurler (The Hurler). I guess this Wayne's World themed ride was hip enough to keep its name at Carowinds

photo of Wayne and Garth's party time, excellent roller coaster, The Hurler from here

Thank you mom and dad for all of the King's Dominion season passes! Thank you, mom, for driving my friends and I there all the time and then waiting out in the parking lot reading a book.