Starting is the hardest part to anything, including my day. With so much to do, I wouldn’t have thought I would have trouble. But I do. The getting up is not bad at all since I don’t go to ‘work’ anymore. I like getting up at 6:30 in the morning. I enjoy the still early hour when the world is just stirring. I sit with my tea and a book. These mornings, I’m reading Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller. It’s a very good read. I could spend the whole morning/day reading it. But I wouldn’t get anything else done, would I?

It’s disquieting having a murky list of to dos in my head. When I have no clear vision of what I want to do, how can I start? The thing I have to remember when I’m like this is to do nothing. Sit tight or rather lounge loosely. Do not attempt anything cerebral at all. This is after spending over an hour trying to on top of paper/financial crap. I understand clearly why I avoid them like the plague. Sometimes it is wonderful to have online service at our fingertips. We can do our business without leaving the house. You can get your stuff done with a few clicks and a send. No need to get bundled up in heavy coats and strangling ourselves with our scarves. No getting into your boots on and then discovering you can’t find your mitts and keys. None of that!

But then there are other times when things are not so simple. You don’t know what you have done with your clicks and send. There’s no way to find out. When you find that phone number, you get an automated voice with recorded options but none for a real person. When you do, you’re told there’s a 5 – 20 minute wait. You get canned music. Every once in awhile a recorded voice says you are important. Stay on the line. I did this a couple of times before finally giving up. I tapped out an email. WHAT HAVE I DONE? CAN I CANCEL? I will receive an answer usually within 24 hours was the answer.

I’ve calmed down after deciding that I haven’t really done much of anything. My attempt at trying to make my life move seamlessly was the opposite. All I got was vexation and waste of time. But at least it was free. Was it though? Why would a bank give away any free service? When I thought about it, I was stupid falling for it. You see, I got my new credit card with a new expiry date. I do have some pre-authorized payment on it – one. I should not have read the instruction letter on activating the card. Then I would not have known about PowerSwitch, this wonderful tool to make my life smooth as a margarita. NOT!

I feel like I got verbal diarrhea. I can’t stop my tirade. Who’s out there listening to me anyways – Siri? She will tell me to ask a question and she’ll try to help. She never gets it right though. I made one more call – to Sasktel, my one and only pre-authorized payee. I got the automated voice with options, of course. But at the end of it all, there was a real person. I gave her my updated info. I could have waited till the payment wouldn’t go through. Then they would have to call me. It would have been much easier. What a much of to dos for nothing. I need to do my own power switch next time.

My head is all messed up. Have to rethink on technology. We do have it. But not all is wonderful or good for us. What can we do about it? What do you think? I don’t think I would like online grocery shopping or shopping at Amazon’s high tech grocery store.