Have you ever had a day where just about everything seemed to go wrong? I think I am having one of those years. So far, 2011 has been the year to get things fixed. Individually, most of these issues are mere inconveniences at best, but as these technical issues pile up onto my aching back, it begins to feel like everything and everyone is out to get me. Maybe the painkillers are causing the paranoia; who knows? You can judge for yourself. Here are seven issues I have had to deal with since the beginning of the year.
1. Keyboard This thing is like a bad boyfriend that won't go away. I've been fed up so many times with the skipped spaces and the 'V' key that only works when it feels like it. So every once in a while I toss it aside and search for a replacement. The thing is, I can't find a keyboard I'm happy with. Constantly revising my work to separate words and add letters every couple of sentences is nothing compared to achy wrists and stiff keys. So I take my old keyboard back, willing to put up with its shortcomings. That is, until I am once again sitting at my desk at one in the morning, trying to fix the disastrous mumbo-jumbo that is my latest chapter. Is it too much to put up with? Yes it is. I know I wouldn't have this problem if I was not so darn picky. But my keyboard is the most important tool I have, so I suppose I will be on again off again with it until the Prince Charming of keyboards shows up in a Best Buy or Comp USA near me.
2. Camera This is by far the most aggravating thing. My camera simply stopped turning on in January. Not too long before this, the little latch arms on the battery cover snapped off. I am sure that was my fault, probably by desperately attempting to change the batteries out during Christmas Eve so I wouldn't miss a moment. No problem. A bit of scotch tape fixed that right up. But then it just died on me, right when I was taking pictures. Since hubby doesn't like to hear me complain, he made me find the extended warranty and gallantly called to see what could be done about the camera. And guess what he said was wrong with it. Yep, he did. He told them that something was wrong with the battery cover. I don't think I need to explain why they refused to repair or replace my camera. What a waste of twenty bucks!
3. Printing order Now this has been a complete nightmare. I ordered some bookmarks, postcards, magnets and posters from this printing company. The first order was terrible. The graphics were too dark, and the bookmarks and postcards were badly cut. The magnets were fine though. The company agreed to a reprint, so I sent the items back. Nearly a month and several frustrating phone calls later I receive my reprints, which look almost exactly the same (although the cut is better). I will probably blog about this in more detail in a future post, once I have a good enough camera to show how the prints came out. Here is a phone pic of the bookmark I ended up with:
4. Tire pressure sensors There are few things that are more unsettling than to think that something is wrong with your car and not be sure. My tire pressure light is on, but my tires look fine. I think the cold weather is causing the pressure to drop just enough to trigger the sensors, and I am afraid of putting more air in the tires and have them overinflated once the weather gets warmer. But the sensors could be damaged. A simple pressure gauge would solve this problem, but since I found out there are some recall notices for the car, off to the dealership I go to get my ride fixed. Wish me luck!
5. Wireless Mouse At first I thought it was the battery. Nope. So I tried to reconnect. Wrong answer. I pulled out my husband's wireless mouse. *
annoying buzzer sound* Okay, let's dig up the spare USB mouse. Oh, sorry, you need the driver for that! .......ugh! So I'm using the cheesy mouse that came with my Wacom tablet. Please don't break, I beg you.
6. Watch This is now fixed thanks to my awesome local jeweler, but when I noticed that the watch I paid about one quarter of it's value in a movement a few months ago was dead, I reached the point where I threw up my hands and yelled "Seriously?"
7. My back It isn't broken, but it sure feels like it is. I can't stand or sit for very long due to a pinched sciatic nerve. I can't get much done, and of all my malfunctioning things, this is the one that worries me. But I found a very nice chiropractor who was able to do in five minutes what days of Advil and Aleve could not. I have to go back a few more times, and the pain is not completely gone, but I wish I had gone a long time ago. My friends have warned me that chiropractic treatments can be addictive. They are probably right, but I think I have found a new lifelong friend in my chiropractor.
The phrase 'when it rains, it pours' is absolutely true. But the saying 'God never gives us more than we can handle' is also true. So I would ask you all to think and pray for those who have suffered through this terrible winter and those who have sacrificed and lost loved ones in this historic movement in Egypt. Even if you don't believe in God, kind thoughts and well wishes never hurt anyone.
