Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Slice of Life 2019 13 of 39: The Devil is in the Details


Throughout the month of March, I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge. I am happy to co-host this event with the team at Two Writing Teachers. Everyone is welcome!


I think about yelling, but that seems futile. 
I think about swearing, but that also seems pointless. 
I think about just walking away, but the instigator won't care at all. 

So I sit, trying to be patient, and that spinny thing keeps swirling on the computer in front of me. You know the one. The multi-colored circle that indicates the computer is thinking about whatever it is you've asked it to do. And tonight my computer has a whole lot of thinking to do. 

I try to make use of the time I have to pass as I wait for the computer to stop thinking and just find the picture I need to upload. 

I play a turn in Words With Friends. (Yes, I'm supposed to not be playing for the month of March, but there are a couple of lingering games and a couple of people I can't turn down.) 

I file a nail. (Someone, not me, had left an emory board in my top desk drawer.)

I jot down a couple of things on my to-do list. (That adds to my impatience with the spinny circle.)

I begin a possible slice of life with a pen on a piece of paper. (Yes, a pen and a piece of paper!)

The spinny thing still swirls. 

For me, the devil is in the details when it comes to finishing off this project. The pictures, the permissions, the citations could all drive me crazy. Throw in a computer that is taking a million hours to find a picture, and I'm well over the edge.

I debate getting my other device and letting the computers race each other in functionality. I do realize it's giving them way too much credit to think that they could motivate each other to be more efficient. I set myself up with some laundry to fold. If it's really going to take this long to upload pictures, at least I can match socks. 

Happy Slicing,

8 comments:

  1. Oh that spinning thing....it could drive you wild (at least you are making good use of the time while you are waiting).

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  2. Ugh, I can so identify, Melanie! And it's funny you mention pitting two devices together in a race of functionality, as I often do this at work (my desktop is dreadfully slow). Love how you slow this moment down with many small actions.

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  3. That slice totally could have been me! I think I even wrote a slice about the spinning thing once ... I have to dig it up! We should just breathe, enjoy the calm of the moment -- but there are always so many other things calling. Loved the use of repetition in this piece - really helped build the tension of the spinning thing.

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  4. What a clever way to get the best of a frustrating moment! And to think, now your even your socks are matched!

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  5. You are way more patient than I. I do talk to the "spinny thing" and what I say is definitely not complimentary. My favorite line "someone, not me, had left an emery board on my desk." Ha!

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  6. Perfect small moment packed with thinking and frustration and impatience that we can all relate to.

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  7. And while it took just minutes to read this slice, I bet it felt like forever in the moment. Been there. Done that. Own the t-shirt!

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  8. This moment is so common... but I love how you stretched it with all the distractions in hopes that one of those distractions would be the thing that makes it move faster! And thank you for keeping our WWF game!

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