I'm on the verge of blacking out and going into a blind rage. The wife had put up a strand of 150 christmas lights. Same strand as last year. Worked fine for two days. Suddenly the first 40 bulbs near the plug go out, as does a bunch of bulbs on the end of the strand. The middle lights work, except for a few here and there that aren't lit. As an ex-engineer, I'm trying to process how this is possible. Unable to figure it out, I ChatGPT it. Immediately, it tells me it's either a bulb in the first section, that is also causing the last section to go out because of the way it's wired in sections. Weird. But okay. Fine. The solution is either to replace the fuses or find the one bulb in the section that's causing the problem.
I check the fuses on a multimeter and they are fine. So it has to be a bulb. But why is it that some bulbs can be out in one section, but not other sections. Makes no sense whatsoever. So.. despite being annoyed at the nonsense, I decide I'm going to test each bulb in the first section. I spend a half hour trying to find a compatible bulb because of course every strand of lights is a snowflake, with it's own bulb holder shape. I finally find compatible bulbs and start pulling out bulbs to test. On my second bulb, I try to pull and of course the light part of the bulb comes off and the plastic piece won't come out. After five minutes of trying to pry it out, I finally try to insert the new bulb. Of course, it won't go in. The tolerances of the plastic is so bad, some bulbs fit and some don't.
I end my adventure by saying fuck it and grab a scotch. The wife brings out two other strands. We plug one in and the first half is off. We plug in the second strand and the second half is the part that isn't lit. WTF? That's impossible.
Goddammit, these lights are viloating the laws of physics and I've fucking had it. Fuck China.