This really annoys me
WARNING: This post is not much about writing. I felt the need to vent a little online. I don’t do it very often.
Most of the time I am very calm and don’t let minor things upset, but every now and then something gets up my nose.
Briefly.
Then I try to let it slide; life’s too short to let a minor irritation get the better of me.
For many years now I’ve had a watch which had a stopwatch facility. Whenever I am writing, or doing research linked to my writing, I have used this facility. At the end of each day I record on a chart how many hours I’ve spent on my writing that day, as well as how many blog posts I’ve written and a word count for the day. These figures are kept as a tally on this chart so I can see if I’m reaching my writing goals. It’s a way of keeping me accountable to myself. Works for me.
Just over two years ago I bought a new watch. The old one had seen many years of faithful, reliable service, save for an occasional new battery. The jewellery shop I usually go to no longer stocked the watch, and batteries were no longer available. Time for an upgrade after many years, I thought. The new watch was good, albeit a little bulky/clunky in appearance, but I coped.
A few weeks ago the battery failed. Suddenly – right in mid-sentence. So I went to have it replaced – not a problem. It was a few weeks out of warranty, but that wasn’t what upset me. A few days later the rubber/plastic strap threatened to break at any moment. Oh no. Having just spent money on a battery, I wasn’t keen to fork out more for a strap. It would have almost been cheaper to have bought a new watch. So I did.
The old watch is still very functional; I just can’t wear it, so it sits on my writing desk still performing nicely in timing my writing patterns. I am determined to get my money’s worth out of that battery.
The throw away society mentality really gets up my nose. Built in obsolescence has always pushed my button.
And I won’t even start on about having to replace a perfectly good – but very old – mobile phone this last week. SIGH.
Good writing.
I’m in the position of having to retire perfectly functioning computers because Apple has declared them “vintage” and “obsolete”.
There was a time when I would stop at rubbish left out for collection. You might pick up something useful in wood. Now it’s all chipboard and melamine which becomes useless after a little moisture gets into it.
It is a frustrating world at times, Ken. I’m pleased that our local council is one of about 14 state wide now accepting old televisions and other e-waste. Last year I dumped our old tv after it sat in the shed for many years, along with a deceased elderly friend’s tv and my m-in-law’s tv. All in perfectly good working order but now useless – analogue was switched off here on Tuesday.
I must also gather together the numerous keyboards, monitors, printers and desktop hard-drives cluttering up the shed and dispose of them as well. Make room for other “rubbish” but that which might become useful someday, says “she who must be obeyed.”
Fortunately I am not tempted by hard rubbish collections as we don’t have them here, but I agree with you on the poor quality of many items discarded these days. Many years ago going to the local rubbish tip was a trip worthy of an adventure novel; you always returned with something useful or interesting. Not allowed anywhere near the rubbish these days. Sigh.