To Do Lists and Problem Solving

My To Do List. . .Simplified

It's hard to believe that anything in life feels like progress when one is constantly immersed in the level of problem-solving, and it's infuriating when the things you acquire to get things flowing more smoothly turn out to be just other things that bog you down with more problems. For example, I'm so backlogged with things to scan and convert to hardcopy because of the printer issue I had earlier in the year. I finally bought a new printer, but I couldn't configure the stupid thing to scan my documents by either USB or wireless connection. I used all the troubleshooting tricks I know, plus those that were suggested to me by the manufacturers of the printer, my wireless router system, and Microsoft, but nothing worked. I changed my wireless network settings over twice; everything else in the place that uses wireless works fine except the goddamned printer. I'm taking a blog and coffee break to decompress and vent some frustrations.

My actual to do list. I must add to it. . .
 "Go back to Staples and return piece of shit". 

Maybe it's because I'm getting older, and realizing that time is getting to be a more and more scarce commodity for myself, and I'm thinking that this is why I have lessening patience and tolerance for people, businesses, or institutions who seem to have nothing better to do but take my money and stick me in a spot where my time and energy is wasted. When I go back to the retailer to return this defective all-in-one; if I get an earfull of excuses or resistance, I will be asking them if they have the eight hours that were wasted in trying to unsuccessfully configure this thing in their till that they can return to me as well (I'm almost ashamed to admit that I was that persistent, and got no results). That usually works to get me more compliance and corrective measures for these types of problems.

I should blow this up and hang it on my wall. . .
BUT I WOULD NEED A F**KING
FUNCTIONAL PRINTER TO DO THAT!!!!

My to do list as it is doesn't show it, but generally this is the order of how I tend to prioritize to do's and problems, from the categories listed and ranked here from the easiest to most difficult:

• Home/Household duties - cleaning, sorting, organizing. When I tidy up my environment, it helps to clear my mind better for tackling bigger issues. It's my effort to economize, master my space/assets, protect my pet/companion, and assess what I really "need"
• Fitness - when I use physical energy, I shake off a lot of excess energy that could be misused for hostility or aggression in handling challenging bigger issues. It's my effort to feel centred, maintain discipline and gain self-control. 
• Learning/Education - for knowing and working within, or expanding the limits of what I can control when facing bigger issues. It's my effort to try to be less like my antagonists of the next point.
• Dealing with Other Peoples' Stupidity - Human stupidity is 99.99% of the source of my "bigger issues". Human stupidity usually involves people who want to make a problem more complicated than it really is with extra drama. It stems from people who are too damn lazy and won't commit to what they said they would do. It spreads and festers from ignorant and deluded people who don't hearken to the reality of a situation. Add in obnoxious/impudent assholes, or manipulative bullies who front up aggression and trickery: these are the sort of people who actively only want to worsen a problem and won't take ownership of their particular role in it. What is most shameful about them is that such people think that their shit doesn't stink, and the world owes then some big favour. That generally is the sum total of the "bigger issues" I face caused by such idiocy. I'm sure a lot of others would concur with the behaviours and attitudes I listed here as the source of their people-based problems. I'll admit that I've been stupid in throwing around some of the things that I just listed once in a while. If you personally have been affected by it, I'm sorry. Having enough guts to admit your guilt/wrongdoing and being honest with yourself is the first and biggest step in absolving yourself from the crux of stupidity. If you don't, then karma will dictate that you'll just be a continuous victim of your own idiocy.

Given what I just listed, it's no small wonder why I haven't exactly evolved into someone who could be called a "people person". Dealing with my own moments of lapsing into ignorance is exhausting enough for me, never mind confronting the schemozzle of crap others toss at me from time to time. I'm wary that I work at a position where some people, through no fault of their own most of the time, either through prolonged institutionalization, or an actual physical/mental deficit, aren't able to process or deal with several of the daily problems of theirs that they present to me. Dealing with such things is my job. However, I'm grateful at those times when such people do honestly try to be responsible in tackling or correcting things for themselves, and mindful of consequences before we as staff are called to help, or intercede*. Others, however, really do need to grow a brain on what constitutes an "emergency", or "essential care", or about how their drama, gossiping, and other activities of impulsive thoughtlessness negatively affect their standing with those of whom they intermingle. When I say "others", I speak in general terms: including both clientele and staff**.

*- The price for the right to "independent" living, whether you are disabled or not, entails being accountable for yourself and your own degree of well-being, taking responsibly for your own actions, and facing the consequences for your own mistakes. If this isn't happening, the scenario that unfolds is interdependent living, which is the more accurate term for all social spheres we live in.

**- Myself included.