Lemonade out of lemons

I'm trying not to let little annoyances totally piss me off any more. It's difficult for me. I have a tendency towards negativity and I am also easily riled up. However, I've decided that I really don't want to be that person any more.

Friday morning, my husband informed me that our all-in-one printer was jammed. I was on the exercise bike. I really hate being interrupted while I'm exercising. But, I calmly asked if he needed me to fix it at that very moment. He said 'no', so I asked him to please leave me a note so I would remember to look at it after I was done on the bike. Score "1" for me for not snapping at him like I normally would have for the interruption. (Yes, I really am normally THAT grouchy.)

After I finished my exercise session, I went to take a look at the printer. I had assumed that it was a simple thing. It was not. I could feel the irritation rise in me when I came to that realization. In order to clear the jam, I had to open the rear of the printer which still had the original packing tape on it for over a year ago. But, I took a deep breath and decided to look at the event as a challenge to solve. I was able to take the back off the printer, clear the jam, and get the printer back together without getting annoyed. In the end, I decided that the event was a learning opportunity. I now understand more about how my printer works.

On Saturday, I discovered a great web site to order printer ink from. Laser Monks sell new and refilled cartridges for less than almost anyone else. Plus, the profits go to support the monastery and a few select other charities. So, I ordered four cartridges.

Later in the afternoon I discovered that my printer really wasn't fixed. Every time I tried to print, it would jam again. We purchased the all-in-one printer about eighteen months ago. It was well out of warranty. Plus, I have about four color ink cartridges for it and the four I just ordered. I didn't want the investment in cartridges to go to waste. So, I either wanted the same model printer or another one that used the same cartridges.

I shopped around off-and-on for the rest of the afternoon. Eventually, I stumbled on an all-in-one printer that not only uses the same printer cartridges but has the ability to etch labels directly on to some CDs and DVDs. I had bemoaned the lack of that feature when I made some mix CDs for some friends before the holidays. Plus, I managed to find the printer at a pretty good price from a vendor who I had a $10 coupon for.

Not every potential frustration can be turned around this way. However, I am hopeful that I can truly reduce the negativity in my life a bit at a time.