Saturday, January 07, 2012

Just Breathe

I spent much of yesterday working on getting the software upgraded on my computer. Like the day before, it was hellish. But I vowed when I updated my blog last night that I wouldn't whine.
So I came up with another topic.
When I went to bed, something interesting happened. I couldn't sleep. I fretted for about an hour re-running the video of the day -- all the things I'd tried, and all the things that didn't work.
One of the reasons I'd upgraded to start with was to upgrade our recording software so that we can move forward with our music projects for the coming year, but the recording software upgrade was not going well.
So last night after I got tired of watching the re-runs, I quieted my mind, stilled my thoughts and simply breathed.
Each time my mind reached for the rewind button, I stopped it and continued to breathe. After about an hour, of mental stillness, I made up my mind to get up this morning and solve the problems I'd been having. I then promptly fell asleep.
While the coffee pot gurgled, I downloaded reference manuals. As most of you probably know,  I'd rather have a pencil jammed into my eye than read a reference manual.
I scanned the pages as I sipped my coffee. All of a sudden, my eyes latched onto a paragraph. I put the coffee down, walked into my office launched the software and with a few clicks, I solved the problems I'd been having. The problems that has eaten at least six hours of my life force. I laughed out loud.
It seems I do the shoddiest work when I get frustrated. I know that, but it's the first thing I seem to forget. Perhaps I should get a tattoo on my hand that says -- Just Breathe. 

8 comments:

  1. Hi Friend...
    I've been off the airwaves for a bit with illness, and not able to handle the laptop and fill the lungs. I'm better now and could really relate but in a different way to your post title. Glad you resolved your problems but I know you've got what it takes!
    Happy New Year and good luck on Monday...friends no matter what the outcome!
    Hugs~

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  2. Since you vowed not to whine, I will be happy to whine for you. Reading instructions gives me a headache, and all too often, I don't understand the instructions anyway. But I promise to breathe.

    Love,

    Janie "Lola"

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  3. Been there so many times. Darn manuals.

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  4. Now you see - different strokes for different folks. I actually LIKE instruction manuals - or as Doris Day once said, "That's just the kind of hairpin I am."

    But a poke in the eye with a pencil ....what are you, crazy?

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  5. Manuals are a pain but what can you do? Me - I beg someone else to read then explain to me in Old Kitty language! :-) Take care
    x

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  6. There's definitely a life lesson here for us all :-)

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  7. You and my husband would get on famously - he only reads instruction manuals as a last resort. I won't make a move without one. It takes all kinds.

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  8. Same here. I HATE reading all those thousand page long manuals. Glad you found the answer. It IS painful though, huh?

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