Annoyed

  I have been doing some repair work on my car. I'm just an old school, do it yourself kind of guy. It isn't because I actually enjoy it all that much, it's a matter of practicality. I've always been told, if you want something done right, do it yourself. I have found there is some truth in that statement. Perhaps the job isn't always done right but I have peace of mind about what was done anyway. Today most mechanics, well automotive technicians, just replace parts. I'm old enough to remember having actually repaired the parts. Yes, that was possible in the middle part of the last century. Back then you didn't buy parts, you bought pieces of parts. So what I'm saying is I have been replacing some parts on my car. 

  As I mentioned it isn't something I do as a sort of hobby or just because I like doing that it is just practical as far as I'm concerned. I can see no reason to pay someone else to do what I'm capable of doing myself. That is especially true now that I'm retired, I have plenty of time. But the thing is my body isn't feeling that. Yes, I've discovered that my body is protesting a bit. I have some aches and pains, a few scrapes and bruises obtained during the struggle. It is a struggle to remove some of these parts as many things today were drawn up with a computer. It is possible to remove them if you know the sequence, like a Jenga puzzle, to remove first. There is that learning curve. Combine that with the use of metric sizes when my brain functions in the imperial system. I haven't done enough with that to immediately recognize a ten millimeter bolt compared to a three eights. I still remember that Chesterfield cigarette commercial where they said it was a silly millimeter longer. It was 101 millimeters long. That's just about 4 inches long. I have never found millimeters to be silly, just annoying.

  As I got up to get another cup of coffee I felt those aches and pains. My wife says, I could have gotten that for you, something she often does, God bless her. She mentioned how she could tell I was hurting just a bit. I told her, you have to walk it off. I went on to explain my thoughts on that. I believe that is a part of the problem today, people are getting soft. Oh, they will call it empathy but that is just an excuse so they can complain. The thing is this, we are all getting older every day. With age comes aches and pains, difficulty in doing certain things may arise, you just don't feel like you did when you were younger. That should come as no surprise to anyone, it happens. No drugs or therapies will reverse that. If you start believing that it will, that's your problem. 

  Your mental state reacts in much the same way. Old people aren't cranky, they are just annoyed. And the best thing you can do when annoyed is just ignore it. Odds are you aren't going to change anything. I spend my fair share of time complaining and pointing out the injustices and inequities in life, I'm no different. It does help a bit to just get that off your mind, makes breathing a bit easier. That is why we say we got something off our chest. Then we can ignore it afterwards. It is what it is. It's annoying. Stupid people annoy me, know it all's, annoy me, I've found the older I get the more people in general annoy me. Can't medicate that away either.

  I ordered parts for my car online and they arrived a week later. Seems like a long time these days but I remember when a couple weeks or more wasn't uncommon. Anyway, I get the parts and begin work. I get three quarters of the way through the job only to discover they sent the wrong part! I purchased this as a kit, surely they haven't made a mistake. After several hours, a few consultations with my local mechanic it is confirmed, they did indeed send the wrong part. Then I spent about an hour online, with customer service only to be told, they would initiate a return. It should only be a few days before they e-mail me instructions on doing that. 

  Annoyed, you bet I'm annoyed. But I can't medicate that, talk to a therapist or join a support group, it is what it is. I won't surrender! I will accept reality and move on. Waste of time to attempt to change reality, something far too many are attempting to do. Right now, I'm waiting on parts. Then the battle begins anew. I'm a survivor! Battered, bruised, sore, and annoyed but I have survived. As Chief Dan George said to Josie Wales in that epic western, "endeavor to persevere." That is exactly what I shall do.