Customer service is key

I just shelled out $335 to replace 2 valves that weren't even essential to the functioning of my car. :(

It wouldna been so bad if I hadna known that the mechanic by where I work could have done it for less than half that amount. He tried ... but he couldn't get the right parts from the dealer, so he sent me there to have it fixed. He did print out the tech service bulletin describing the exact problem and how to fix it. This morning, however, when I showed the piece of paper to the lady at the dealer, she just waved me away. She didn't even want to look at it! Said something about when you go to different doctors, they each do their own separate diagnostic work. I don't know about that, but she came back 15 minutes later and told me what I already knew--that the CCVV and VSV valves had to be replaced. :/ The parts themselves were expensive, and if I decided to buy them separate and have someone else do the work, she was gonna charge me the $90 diagnostic fee -- exactly what I was trying to avoid! Finally I agreed to have it done. I wanted to get it out of the way before vacation, because I'm going to have to sell my car when I come back, and the "check engine" light was on. Grrr ... this is the same place that raped me when I had to have my catalytic converter replaced last September. I love having a car, but this is one aspect I could do without.

However, I was a bit mollified later when I got a free bag of salad at the supermarket. They charged me full price even though it was on sale, so per supermarket policy, the item was on the house.

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I was talking to the high school volunteers today during my shift at the hospital. A couple of them took the SAT II's this morning, and they were talking about this doozy of a problem on the Math IIC exam:

ln x = e^-x

Anyone got a clue on how to solve it (besides using a graphing calculator)? I'm afraid I was of no help to them. Sometimes when I try to recall stuff like math and German, I think I know what Louis Armstrong is saying in "What a Wonderful World" when he sings, "They'll learn much more than I'll ever know." Just replace the "they" with a younger version of myself. :P