Gotcha!

Did I tell you that my favorite set of headphones suddenly and without warning went kaput? No? 

I am sitting at the marble island counter in the cozy kitchen of the house I am sitting as the owners vacation in Mexico. The three dogs, also under my care, are all sleeping on the couch, the floor bed and the overstuffed chair by the fire. It had been a long day, two spin classes, shopping, a long walk on the beach with the hounds and the official wrap of the latest video. Dinner was over, dishes washed, the next day’s agenda solidified and it was now MY TIME.

I have a MY TIME ritual when things are running in normal mode that consists of three basic itineraries. It is important to recognize before I fess up, that these three are only available as distractions when everything else has been checked off my daily list of world changing chores. The three are:

1) I watch Rachael Maddow on YouTube.

1.a - Sometimes Lawrence O'Donnell too.

2) I watch an episode of a TV series.

2.a - I am currently re-watching Season 5 of 24

3) I read a chapter of whatever book has made it to the top of my read list.

3.a - Currently The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler.

After that it is official lights out. Interestingly enough, comically so, it should be fairly evident from this ritualistic routine that I live alone. Maybe one day the three things will change to something a little more, how shall I say, romantic? I dunno, tried that a couple of times and I always end up missing my books. (smiley face)

So I am sitting with the cans on watching 24 on my laptop. It is the final episode and things are, as in any good TV drama, out of control. I hear something to my right and turn my head, keeping one eye on the screen, to see what the issue is. I see nothing urgent and return to the small-screen chaos. I hear it again, like when your ears rub the insides of a hoodie and you get that kinda scratchy friction, totally irritating, noise? I look again expecting to see the cats rubbing my leg but, again, nothing. It is the moment of truth as Jack is about to once again save the day (and pay the price) as the entire right channel goes mute. I spew my favorite, go-to expletive and hit the space bar. Gotta figure this out. 

I do all the tests I can without a oscilloscope, change out my cans with some cheap airline crap, try the buds, check the wires and ports, nothing works. Totally unsat. 

I decide more testing will be necessary, but not until tomorrow. I refuse, however, to watch the last five minutes of my favorite show with anything less than superior sound, a level of quality not available from the tiny built-in speakers on my first generation mac book. So I bail on the dramatic conclusion, curse again and log off. 

Politely I ask the dog on the couch to relocate so I can stretch out and read (number three of the routine). She begrudgingly complies and I grab my trade paperback and open it to the bookmarked page. 

The paragraph starts with another of the traits shared by all champions and ultra successful people. It is about instantaneously dealing with minor irritants, like a flat tire, traffic or a some mechanical problem, or as the author calls it, real-time, high-speed problem solving. 

Gotcha!