distracted

 We all get distracted by the bumps in the road. There you are just rolling along, singing along to the radio and you hit a bump! That's what has happened to me. It isn't a bump in the road though, it's car trouble. My car has decided to run a little hot and the reason isn't obvious. So now I am distracted. I need to figure out what the problem is and what to do about it. And yes, it is my problem. I find it quite difficult to just take it to the shop and tell someone else, fix it. It just grates against my sensibilities. I have always repaired my own cars, always. It started out of necessity. Then it became somewhat of a habit. I wouldn't call it a hobby, as I rarely worked on my vehicles just for the fun of it. Oh, I've been known to fool around with them a bit, but not seriously. That is also a hobby for a man of far more means than myself. Well, the truth is, that isn't where my priories lie. We all seem to find the money to fuel our priorities don't we? Yes, whether it is clothes, cars, or partying we always found a few bucks for that stuff. I enjoy my hobbies as well and spend my money there, justifying the cost. But now, now, I'm distracted and have to fix the car.
 It is annoying and frustrating. It's annoying because it should be easy enough to determine the cause, and frustrating because it isn't. The engineers made sure of that. I can't help but believe it is a purposeful thing, designed to discourage. The whole thing has become so overcomplicated. Keeping the engine cool is really a simple straightforward process requiring only a few components. Ah, but no, not any more. Now we have to get the computer involved. The computer requires input signals and relays. And then we have to make the sensors as inaccessible as possible and the relays are numerous and expensive as possible. Yes, they are designed to discourage! Take it to your " certified " mechanic. Why is he certified? Because he has been to school to teach him/her where all this crap is and how to test it. You begin by having a bigger computer to diagnosis what he computer in the car is saying. Yeah, you can go to the auto parts store and they will read your " check engine " light for free. That's the best way to sell you a part you know nothing about, or didn't even know existed. After you purchase it and are lucky enough to install it you will discover you need to go to the dealer anyway. That was only the tip of the iceberg! It isn't as easy as all that you know.
 And so now I find myself distracted from the things I really want to do. I feel a compulsion to repair the car. I have always repaired the car and can't let my wife down. Yes, it's a man thing, pride rears its' head. I will not be defeated by this. Oh there will be complaining, there will be frustration and anger. But I must prevail. It is that underlying obligation to provide for the family. To be the man! There's no calling someone, no just paying someone else to solve your problems, you don't just quit. But mostly, mostly I don't want to disappoint. I don't want to disappoint my wife or myself. I can do this. Time to get at it.