The World Ties My Hands or Something

Ha Ha, World!

I do not like it when the World comes in and forces me to do something for my own good. I am, by nature, self destructive.

Today, however, I'm stuck. I came to the coffeeshop as I always do, laptop in hand, ready to make a teeny morning of work before heading back to my home when my battery runs out for an afternoon of wishing I was doing work.

But, the World has intervened. It is raining here in San Francisco just like it does in normal parts of the country. It is pouring down a lot of the time, with little bits of clearing and dying down now and then. I have no hat and no umbrella and no cover for my laptop.

But, ha ha, World, today, by chance, on a whim, I happen to bring my laptop power cord with me.

I am trapped. Trapped in the coffeeshop with nothing to do but work. I cannot tell, World, if you thought you were going to trap me without my powercord, like you did that time on the flight back from Boston, when I had all the emergency work to do, and you granted me surprise internet on the flight, but no way to plug the laptop in. I thwarted you there, World, by having a wonderful time on the flight by getting drunk with some terrific old ladies.

Here, somehow, things have worked out between us.

Unless you want to count the time I used, writing this.

Please enjoy the rest of your day.

Me and the World: Head to Toe This Morning

I have these deadlines, and they drive me crazy. They are very real and very serious as we know all deadlines are. Deadlines, as I have found out, can certainly make your life miserable because they are real.

I know today I have a lot of stuff to do. It is Sunday. I did a good amount of work yesterday, which was Saturday, but I left myself with a tough amount of stuff to do today, which is Sunday.

I got up before 7 because I knew the deadline is today at midnight. I packed up my computer, my mouse, my calculator and went out to the coffeeshop like I do, seven days a week. I find that I must get a good start on the day, or it falls apart. Today, it is raining, just like it was yesterday. Today, just like yesterday, the coffeeshop has no one in it, and it is locked up, dark, unwelcoming. So, like yesterday, I go back home, unpack my stuff, and start to do my work at my horrible, unkempt desk.

My neighbor downstairs is a young lady who seems capable in all her faculties, but try as I will, I cannot get her to keep her radio, tv, or videogames down to the point where they do not vibrate my desk. Seven thirty this morning she's got her whatever going, not crazy loud, but the idea that I can't have a Sunday morning that is just quite tends to get on my nerves.

To add to matters (nice going, World) the internet (which I "borrow" from wonderful neighbors) crashes (or something, ceases to work). They are always wonderful about rebooting it for me. They are so terrific. But I understand they like an occasional Sunday morning without a knock at the door from me. So, I repack all of my stuff and head back to the coffeeshop in the rain, hoping for an openness. It's eight o'clock.

Now, I'm frothed by this, and also my downstairs neighbor. I am sensitive to sounds and also, she's got me at a disadvantage because I have, every month or so, people over who play music. And when I see her the next day, she always says she enjoys it.

Anyway, a little shaky from frustration (it's really not such a big deal, Raymo). I get to the coffeeshop where they play nice music, but on top of that, the owner also plays stuff on his iphone like newscasts or, I don't know what.

Very frustrating morning. Still: Ha ha, World. I got almost all of my work done. More than half, and it's not even noon, yet. I've got a good amount of work left to do, but the stuff I was nervous about is done. I come back to my apartment, and I pray, please let my downstairs neighbor be quiet today. And, Ha ha, World, she is! Oh, miracle of miracles!

But, just so you know, the world is not one to be trifled with. My goal was to have all my stuff done by the afternoon, so that I could have time to not have to do anything before the weekend is over. But, ha ha, Ray, the school's site is now down, so I am unable to do the work I need to do, at the moment.

Which is how, dear readers, I have time to address you about some of my petty frustrations today.

Thank you for listening. Please enjoy the rest of your day.