Trying not to be grumpy...

[LovesYouCrafts]

We've all had bad computer days, but this one has pushed me almost to my limit!

For the first time in a couple of weeks we actually had a sunny morning which meant I could take some product photos I've been needing to do. Then after I had them all edited and was ready to start posting the internet stopped working. No big deal so I started trying to fix it. Well almost 2 hours later (half of which on the phone with our cable company) They finally decide there's an outage in my area. So I took it as an opportunity to have a break so once it came back I could work super hard. It came back on, but after completely writing up my new listing my computer decides to crash. Forty minutes more trying to get it back up and running and I am pretty much done with technology. I think I need to step back for a bit otherwise I may scream!

So I wanted to ask all of you what you do when you have days like this? Are you like me and you need to take a step back and do something else for a bit? Does it not bother you at all and you keep working? Or do you need to put on a tiara and dance around singing in your living room to feel better? Maybe I can learn some new coping techniques!

[MerlinMN]

Sounds like you have a handle on the problem and know that its not you! I get interrupted by a two-legged variety of trouble and they have to come first or there will be consequences.
I'd rather deal with mindless things, ha!

[LovesYouCrafts]

Merlin- Luckily my little ones are actually being pretty good today so Mommy's only pulling her hair out over the computer! (I'm from MN too btw!)

[CelesteCraft]

Days like that, my brother used to say very seriously "I think you need some tea." Once a slow deliberate pot of tea is in front of me, I can usally wrap my head around what can be done with the tools I have, and which of those things furthers my goals. And then what order they should be done in.

THEN the tiara dancing to get re-energized for the projects!

[LovesYouCrafts]

Celeste- That sounds like a really good plan of action. Step away for a moment, reassess the situation, make a plan, then let loose a little!

[CelesteCraft]

Yeah, my brother is good for that sort of well-grounded advice!

[SpangGangDesigns]

Ugh - seems like some days, the smallest mishaps can derail my entire day if I am not careful. Do something fun or funny! Laughing raises the spirits :)

[Former_Member]

On days like yours i like to get my hubby on the phone and tell him my world is falling in around me and he usually understands that the tech has stopped working and he is able to direct me on how to fix it....funny how he can do it whilst not seeing it all in person and i cant seem to figure it out. but he is my knight in shining armor.

[rhodyart]

Step back, breathe, and do something else for a while. I was working on a collage today and it's not going well so I agreed to my cat's pleas and left it alone and I will do so til tomorrow. And then I played with my cat for a while til he got bored. Feeling much happier now

[Former_Member]

my computer never crashed while on etsy and my internet is slow all the times so i learned to be patient

[cushncovers]

Hi Jenn.....I was impressed with how you handled things.....Picking out some key words in your message....(QUOTE)

"No big deal"...." I took it as an opportunity"......" I think I need to step back".

You are very healthy! We all have bad days and yes....when it is the tech stuff that goes awry it can suck up your entire day if you let it....and sometimes you have to get on the phone with someone and it will suck up lots of time...but hire an IT person if you can afford one! LOL!

Walk away....do something else you love....still the prob. could still be there...but if something you don't have control of...leave it alone.

I too am from MN.....St. Paul area.

[PaperCreationsbyDeb]

I am, normally, a very patient person and will walk away, rethink, find a solution and implement it.
There was a computer I had a few years ago that decided it needed to go in for repairs every two to three weeks starting two days after the warranty expired. The fifth time it broke down I took it out back and put a couple of rounds into it. Then I dismantled it to nuts, bolts and stripped boards and gave most of it to an artist friend who created some gorgeous wall sculptures and I created some altered books with the bits and pieces I kept.

[LaLindaArtStudio]

I have learned to step away from the computer when I feel my stress level getting out of hand. It is remarkable what a nice walk to the park or beach will do to give you a fresh prospective on the problem. I find Cranking up the tunes and dancing like nobody but the dog is watching is excellent stress relief too.

I have definitely mellowed with age, I have not threatened to throw my computer out the window in years. Ha!

[beatroad]

If you're at the mercy of the ISP, take a step back and go do something else for the day. ;) But at least you got the photos taken! That's an accomplishment.

[MythOfTheWild]

Days like this I just take a hiatus. If everything's going wrong, and, more importantly, making me miserable, I back off. I take care of other things that need doing. Perhaps I'll decide to plan out a series of blog posts, perhaps I'll design new products, perhaps I'll just craft for crafting's sake, or go out, tidy up, do things I've been putting off.

I totally understand when this stuff happens that you want nothing more than to sit down and just do it all over again to get it done, but if you get stressed over it you'll miss important details. I just turn myself away from it and do something else, and remind myself that the world won't collapse if I let myself take a break, but if I -don't- take a break under these circumstances, I MIGHT collapse, if you get me.

[Former_Member]

In my non-etsy job I use the computer ALL day every day and with the programs I use there are crashes :0( we have a motto here and that is "save early save often" But unlike at home when the internet goes down, here at the office when servers go down or crazy techie stuff happens we all goof off and have fun... so even if we loose all our work at least we have fun LOL.

When it happens at home it doesn't really phase me so much... but when I get frustrated I go for a walk around my neighborhood :0)