The past few weeks were full of “repair” stuff. Mechanics, repairman, but worst of all multiple visits. Waiting around. Some companies have come a long way from “we’ll be there sometime Friday” to specifying time frames – 8 to noon, 10 to 2, and 1 to 4. It’s better but I’m never the first on the roster. *fingers thumping on desk*
These are first world problems. It’s irritating though. Especially when you have several of them running together. (I’m not even complaining about the cha-ching, cha-ching! That’s a whole different post and requires multiple margaritas!)
After a particularly trying day where I found out that two visits that happened that day would require two follow-up visits. I needed to decompress. Get my petal off the metal. Ease on down. Take a deep breath. Inhale, exhale. Right foot, left foot.
I couldn’t go for a walk (exercise is a fabulous way to work out the kinks and annoyances). I was hanging around for a call and follow-up trip.
I went on-line. (What did we do before the internet was discovered?) First I looked at cats on Facebook (I purred). Then I moved to blog comments (always a winner). I clicked on my family tree to revisit my newest entries, looking for inspiration or a new research angle.
The ancestry project can be very frustrating. Everyone has the same names in the same small villages without exact records. Anyone who knows anything is gone (I need my Mom!). Yet, there is something peaceful just looking at the chart. Good memories flood back along with some ache. It was nice. No action required.
I chose this BEFORE playing Free Cell on my Kindle which is my all-time “go to” for calmness. It’s Xanax for my frittered nerves. If I play Free Cell in a waiting room, the time flies. I don’t get agitated (they are always late). I’m delightful to deal with (ok, that’s hard to believe). My day doesn’t get ruined.
I have found a new drug-free soothing activity. I will need this for taxes. Those are planned for next week. It will be a very cranky week. I’m getting an IV ready. Just not sure if it will be margaritas or mocha lattes. We’ll see. Stay tuned.
How do you ratchet down when life is irritating?
We just had our taxes done, and it was more of a Jack Daniels kind of experience.
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I’m an avid reader and LOVE reading, but if I’m anxious or worked up about something I rarely grab a book! I need to find the calm before I can relax into reading. If I can’t get outside to take a walk or really change my surroundings, I cook! I like to bake bread or put together a quiche or something that takes several steps. It requires my concentration and it calms me. My mother would clean–I don’t have that compulsion! 🙂
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Good Lord! Clean? Never! Cook, yes!
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I like a beverage, either tea or wine. I like classical music. I like to play Farm Heroes on my phone. And if these remedies don’t work, I complain. Loudly. Until I feel understood.
[Not to add to your irritation, but I’m not getting your blog posts in a timely fashion in my Feedly feed. I don’t know why, but just found two of your posts together, today. Weird, huh?]
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Hmmm…I don’t know why that would be. I’m not posting everyday so they shouldn’t bunch up.
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They show up eventually so that’s good. Who knows…
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I play Free Cell before I go to sleep at night. It’s very soothing.
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It is soothing. I do it to unjumble my nerves.
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It’s dangerous for me. Sometimes it makes me doubt I have any brains left in my head. That’s not so soothing.
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I hate waiting for repairmen but the timeframes at least help a little.
I never tried free cell but Words With Friends helps me pass time and relax when exercising isn’t possible.
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There is something soothing about playing word games (not action games) on a computer. Timeframes are much better and the call before they come is good too. I remember when you had to take a day off from work for a repairman and sometimes no one showed up.
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I try to find something to study. I’ll chase down YouTube videos on something, and try to learn a new thing. Of course, that all goes out the window, when I attend the first doctors followup. Sit for 2 hours in the waiting room, then go to the exam room and sit for about a half an hour. The doctor comes in, asks how I’m doing, talks for a moment, and out of there in under 3 minutes.
I need to find my happy place!
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Something similar happened to my husband. His blood pressure was through the roof (it’s not normally). The doc wanted to put him on meds.
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I have a Mother-In-Law, that just grates my nerves. I’ve already had a massive heart attack once. She is a subject all its own.
I’m medicated now, so I manage to even laugh at some of the stuff she does.
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Too bad you can remove her like you would an infected appendix.
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Sadly, we are the only ones that will let her stay with us. Our son and his wife tried, it lasted three weeks. Then her brother tried it when she left the son’s, that lasted about 3.5 months. She fell, broke her leg, and wanted to move back to us. Only one brother out of 2 sisters and 2 brothers ever come to visit. I think she is embarrassed by our lack of a fine house etc.
You don’t need a refurbished house fixture do you? She’s free to good, no wiat! Any home.
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She is lucky. I’d drop her off at a senior living place and get out of there fast. You are a good person. A trailer isn’t big enough for drama.
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I choose margaritas and my new-found drug – free cell. thank you and I fully empathize. Roxie D.is still rolling around on the floor laughing at the “inner peace ” meme. She wants me to send it on to her Youtube Buddy, Maru.
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Hey it’s Friday Happy Hour. Margaritas are appropriate.
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Love the yoga kitty! Oh it’s sooooo frustrating to wait. Here lately I snuggle with one of my kitties and peruse pinterest. 😉
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I’ve never done pinterest. I hear it’s addicting.
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Absolutely is! I’m inspired to hoard do-it-yourself projects. Hehehe
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OOHHH! It’s a place you can fantasize about them instead of doing real work? I like that!
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I have my DailyWord readings, but when I’m really worked up, I can’t focus. So, wine might do the trick. I used to relax with a good cup of hot, creamy vanilla chai, but it was sugary and I’ve cut back on that. 😦
Hope your “fixes” are getting fixed.
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One more fix to go but it’s been a bumpy road. Best thing that happened is that the car place ate a $257 part because they broke it.
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I don’t mean to gloat (much), but when out internet went down on Sunday, we were told that they couldn’t send someone out until Wednesday (WEDNESDAY???). Since we had no choice, we canceled our Wednesday plans so we could be home from 12 – 4. Then, we got a call on Monday telling us that there was a service tech in the neighborhood. YAY! Our Internet connection is fixed and we were able to enjoy our day today as first planned. That almost never happens.
I’ve heard of Free Cell, but haven’t played it yet. Perhaps I should check it out for those (usual) times I am left waiting.
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We had a week wait for the oven repair. We could use it but turned the breaker off when we were done. It was so annoying. Then the repairman didn’t fix it. Now we’re waiting for a part.
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Just reading this made my blood pressure jump. Just the thought of waiting around for anything makes me antsy. I haven’t found my zen yet.
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Yesterday was another one. I had to take the car in for something that would only take a minute to fix (nothing takes a minute — waiting for your turn, paperwork, in queue for mechanic…). I was there an hour.
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It’s a new day and a new month. I hope your maintenance issues are now all behind you.
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Me too!
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Pets help a lot, and going for a walk is a good thing for me. Reading humorous blogs can also help. 🙂
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Pets are fabulous. They get me.
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I have never heard of ‘Free Cell’. I will definitely need to look it up!
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It’s a form of Solitaire — my favorite version.
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I rarely get that worked up. I am the calmest person I know. But, when I do get aggravated about something look out. As for just mindlessly waiting, I play Candy Crush.
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You are lucky. I start there but it goes downhill rapidly.
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Meditation or a walk outside.
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Excellent choices!
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Typically, I’ll get on my treadmill or elliptical, but if it’s later in the evening, I work on a jigsaw puzzle. That’s very calming for me.
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Free Cell offers me that same calming effect a puzzle does. No pressure to finish either.
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We actually were the first call on Monday of this week when we had a plumber come out. But only because they were supposed to come out last Friday and never made it. So I guess that’s “first” by a technicality only. And yes, the expense of such repairs are a whole other topic. – Marty
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*fingers seriously thumping on any horizontal surface!*
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I seem to ratchet up….most of the time. Agree with you about repair people and the wait times and disruption. To ratchet down I eat chocolate. Snuggling with a dog might help but no dog here….yet. Sigh.
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Pets do help. Sometimes I have to wake them up so cuddle! Had yet another negative experience this morning. Sigh! One more follow up trip and it should be over.
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😊 Yes!
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I like a good book. I’m not sure it’s soothing, though — I get all worked up about the characters and worry about them!
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I usually need something more physical. The internet for some reason is soothing. Recipe magazines will work. Nothing that requires deep concentration because most of brain cells are frizzling.
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I used to smoke.
Now, I just have to stay calm and keep breathing. 😀
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Sometimes I smoke from my ears!
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I make a shopping wishlist… but I don’t buy anything if I feel this way ;O)))
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Reverting to fantasy shopping trips is good! It’s shoes for me. If I’m really bad, I will go and fondle them at a store.
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I knit or read to pass the time and calm down. Of course that requires careful book and/or project selection so that I don’t wind up getting more whipped up!
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Reading that requires concentration doesn’t work because I can’t concentrate then I’m annoyed. I have to look for distractions.
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