Sometimes it all comes down to one little thing.
Ever had a day where, for no really justifiable reason, you just ended up pissed at the whole damn world by the end of the day? And then found that the mood carried through into the next day?
There wasn’t any one thing that led me to this point. Hell, most of them were so minor as to not even make a blip on my radar, and some of them were things that I’m not even pissed about at all. Or at least wouldn’t be on a regular basis.
Taken together, somehow, they all add up to one extremely unhappy, angry, almost bitter GeekHiker.
I keep running through all the possibilities:
The pounding headache I woke up with yesterday morning, but decided to go into work with anyway (Why? Because I am stuuu-pid, that’s why. Any questions?)
(But that’s not it, it was just a headache.)
The fact that the main client software was down when I arrived at work yesterday morning.
The fact that in fixing said main client software, I also discovered that my backup system wasn’t working.
And hadn’t worked in 10 days.
(But that’s not it, because that’s just a part of working in IT.)
Overhearing co-workers in the lunchroom go on and on and on and oh-my-God-make-them-stop on about their new love lives, how wonderful the new menz & womenz in their lives are, how often they make out with them, and how great the sex is blah, blah, freakin-blah. Yeah. This is exactly the conversation a single bloke wants to hear while trying to get the vending machine to take his dollar bill, which is being rejected because it didn’t come straight off the damn printing press at the U.S. Mint.
(But that’s not it, since no matter what I may feel, I’m happy they’ve found someone.)
The lady on the way home who decided that she didn’t really want to make a left turn, but instead cut across me (also trying to make a left turn) and make a right. Why can’t people in this damn town just go around the block when they make a mistake?
(But that’s not it, since it’s just standard traffic and idiots driving in LA.)
The fact that I was totally exhausted at the gym, and cut my workout short. This despite the encouragement of the way-too-damn-happy trainer who pointed out an article about how working out takes your mind off all the things that are causing stress in your life. Yeah, lady, maybe for you. Me? I’m perfectly capable of lifting weights and thinking about my crap day at work all at the same time, thankyouverymuch.
(But that’s not it, since I was probably just tired and not in the mood to work out.)
And so it continues today with the sales guy who, even though I have never, not once, told him how I thought he should go out and sell, decides when I give him an answer to his question and he doesn’t like that answer, that he has every right, nay, responsibility to tell me that I’m wrong and then go about telling me how I should do my job.
(But that’s not it, since I’ve known the guy for years and he’s always been a dick like that.)
Or the lady who decided to take a right turn in front of me while I was crossing on the green, in the crosswalk and, upon seeing me, flipped me the bird because I was in her way.
(But that’s not it, because that’s just life as a pedestrian in LA.)
Or the department manager at work who, since I haven’t completed a task for her yet, decided not to ask me about it, but instead went straight to my manager and, not having gotten the answer she wanted there, went straight to upper management to bitch and moan. Then smiles at me nicely and says she wants to take me out to lunch for my birthday in a couple of weeks. “Why on Earth would I want to spend my (unpaid) lunch hour with you?” I’m thinking, “So you can use a literal knife to stab me in the back rather than a verbal one?”
(But that’s not it, that’s just office politics as usual.)
The more I think about it, though, the more I realize that all those little things don’t really add up to my crappy mood tonight. You know what I think it really is?
My eyelid.
The right lower one to be exact.
Which has, off and on now for over a week, decided all on it’s own to twitch uncontrollably. Sometimes so strong that my vision actually becomes blurred. Like a little micro-earthquake for my right eye.
I can’t get it to stop. It’s just one little problem, it’s annoying, and it’s seemingly impossible to change its behavior and make it stop.
Which, at the moment, seems to speak volumes about my life, you know?
Ugh. Bah-freakin-humbug. Screw it. You know what? I’m not going home after work. I’m gonna go see the new Batman flick. And ya know what else? I’m gonna see the darn thing in IMAX (if I can get in), even though the tickets are something like $47,000.00 twelve bucks.
And darn it, I’m GONNA see the new X-Files flick this weekend. Somehow. Some way.
Really.
The GeekHiker 
dude, i think the eyelid twitching is a manifestation of your stress… i hope a little movie-watching does your body good and that you wake up on the other side of the bed tomorrow morning! lol
By: charlotte harris on July 24, 2008
at 7:03 pm
Isn’t it amazing when one thing is out of whack (like a wigged out eyelid) it can make everything seem like gargantuan issues?? At least you nailed down what it was and thats probably what caused your headache (strained eyesight and all).
I hope you thoroughly enjoy your movie choices!!
By: Backpackermomma on July 24, 2008
at 7:03 pm
You have pretty much described my day in a nutshell…really….work woes, traffic nonsense…stress…twitching…oh, except for the overhearing in the lunchroom part…replace that with people talking on the bus…and it’s exactly the same!
Thanks for sharing and the laugh…puts it all in perspective…hope the movie was great!
By: rosemcom on July 24, 2008
at 7:53 pm
I’m over Batman already…but wouldn’t mind seeing it in the IMAX,should be amazing.
X Files, SOOO excited. Told the mf that I would go alone, I didn’t care…I’m GOING to see that movie this weekend…
By: cripkitty on July 24, 2008
at 8:05 pm
I hope you got a big tub of buttered popcorn for the Batman viewing, because you totally deserve it.
I can relate to the eyelid twitching – that happened to me last fall. I think we’d only been in school two weeks when it started…
Stress. Definitely stress.
By: East Coast Teacher on July 24, 2008
at 8:06 pm
Hey I had that eyelid thing (it was left upper eyelid though) circa September 2006. It was definitely stress related.
By: tgaw on July 24, 2008
at 8:11 pm
And if you were a girl, there would probably be someone who looks at you and says, “It must be PMS”…
Things will look up. Enjoy your movies and don’t think about all the crap.
Oh, and thanks for your comments on my blog recently. I appreciate them, even though I haven’t been responding. I’ve become a bit of a hermit.
By: lea on July 24, 2008
at 8:20 pm
Mine too! I think because I have been so damn tired. I’ve been getting a bit more sleep the last few nights and it’s less insane now so maybe you should try that too. Loved the rant, by the way. Felt cathartic.
By: Moshizzle on July 24, 2008
at 9:43 pm
so, um, in case you didn’t get the message, the eyelid thing is stress related 😉
Hope you enjoy Batman! I really loved it!
By: Gabe on July 24, 2008
at 10:22 pm
Gosh I hate having that twitch.
Good call on the movie though. Sometimes it’s necessary to just disappear for a bit and let your mind be filled with enjoyable nothingness.
And sure all the stinky stuff is nothing by itself but it adds up and then the silliest thing breaks the camels back.
*hug*
By: just a girl on July 24, 2008
at 10:46 pm
When the office Lotharios talk about the wonderful women in their life, don’t you mention me? They would just DIE with envy. Try it and let me know how it works.
The eyelid twitch? I know others have mentioned this but listen to me, I got my expertise from Google University (and some personal experience). Diagnosis: Stress. Treatment: Relax. Because I like you, I’ll give you a discount on my internet doctor fees. Please send U.S. currency in the amount of a gazillon dollars to the address I’m sending you in an email.
By: Dingo on July 25, 2008
at 12:13 am
Argh! hate days like that! Hang in there bud, hope your headache is gone.
By: dobegil on July 25, 2008
at 6:06 am
Dude, I hate it when my eyelid twitches uncontrollably! As far as your traffic woes, that really makes me flip my lid. If you do something stupid and I give you the honk to call you out on it and I get flipped of in return? Wow, that’s road rage in the making right there.
Sarah wants to go see Batman tomorrow. I’m too cheap so unless there’s a cheap show we’ll wait for NetFlix.
By: Aaron on July 25, 2008
at 8:00 am
Make sure you wear glasses to the movie or some teenage girl will think that you’re winking at her with your eye-twitch, and have you arrested.
Or
She’ll think you’re kinda cute and she winks back and now you’re really feelin firm cuz the girl is stacked. Reception’s jumpin, bass is pumpin….
oh, that was a bit of sidetrack. Just a little “Bust A Move” to start your weekend off right!
By: thecoconutdiaries on July 25, 2008
at 9:19 am
Oof, what a day!!! How was Batman? Hope that things are looking up!
By: singlefabulous on July 25, 2008
at 10:27 am
Sorry to hear about the stress. I have to agree with everyone – the twitch is a symptom, not the cause.
We went to see Batman – IMAX and it was worth the $12.50. I little long but a good distraction from stress.
Take it easy, relax, and if all else fails, take a rusty butter knife to the eyelid.
By: Homer-Dog on July 25, 2008
at 10:36 am
This link from the venerable Dumb Little Man just came up in my RSS feed and has some worthy pointers: http://tinyurl.com/5n3vmm
By: Phil on July 25, 2008
at 11:59 am
I get the eye twitch when I haven’t had enough sleep. I also get cranky when I don’t sleep. And cry-ee. Could this be what’s making Geekhiker bitter? I say, it’s siesta time, my friend.
By: Mel Heth on July 25, 2008
at 2:51 pm
Charlotte – Well, yeah, that much I know. But what stressor is the cause?
BackPackerMomma – It is, isn’t it? The movie was okay, but very dark…
Rosemcom – You’re welcome and welcome to the site!
Cripkitty – The IMAX was sold out… until next Tuesday! Didn’t make it to X-Files this weekend, but maybe this week…
East Coast Teacher – LOL, no the popcorn at that theatre is too expensive!
TGAW – Now if I could just figure out what the stress is to make it go away…
Lea – *snicker* Check, trying to push the crap outta my brain…
Moshizzle – Glad I’m not the only one! I think the sleep may play a part. The fact that this place is so warm during the day makes it tough sometimes, though…
Gabe – Heh, thanks…
Just A Girl – Annoying, isn’t it? Hopefully the stresses will abate soon…
Dingo – Will be sure to try it next time. Easier said than done, my friend, easier said than done…
Dobegil – Thanks. Head is okay, twitch is still here…
Aaron – Honestly, I don’t even bother to honk much anymore. I’d say see it on the big screen, as it is quite lovely in that format…
TheCoconutDiaries – I’m near-sighted, I have to choice! Nice song pull, though…
SingleFabulous – It was good but, like I said above, very dark…
Homer-Dog – Haven’t decided if I’ll see it again in the IMAX or not… worth seeing twice?
Phil – Nice tips. Thanks for the link.
Mel Heth – I agree. As much as I love my little home and all it’s extras, I do sometimes yearn for a place with a/c…
By: geekhiker on July 27, 2008
at 4:51 pm