My friend Kathleen who visits this space from time and time and is a regular on my facebook page suggested I include a blog entry on life's hassles and frustrations. This was a collaborative effort. Thanks for the idea Kathleen.


1. Trying to keep cool in Bakersfield during the summer. In cold weather you can always put on more clothes but there are only so many clothes one can take off and still walk around in public.

2. Almost anything to do with car repairs.

3. Trying to remember all the various computer passwords.

4. Dealing with bureaucracy of any kind, especially on the phone.

5. Programming electronic small appliances, such as BLUE TOOTH, personal travel assistant, IPOD, etc. - IPOD

6. Driving in foggy weather in Bakersfield during a really foggy day.

7. Trying to buy Christmas gifts for people who have everything.

8. Trying to multitask too many things at one time, like downloading an IPOD while talking on the phone and watching the news at the same time.

9. Picking a movie at the video store when you have two or three other people with you.

10. Reading through a digital camera manual which is now somewhere between 150 to 175 pages.

11. Listening to almost any talk radio show for more than five minutes. If it's Michael Savage or Sean Hannity you can reduce that number to two minutes.

12. Driving in heavy traffic in a large city that you have never been to before.

13. Finding parking in San Francisco.

14.Waiting in almost any hospital emergency room.

15. Going to Costco at the beginning of the month or the holidays.

16. Trying to explain to women why I like my beard and why it has nothing to do with trying to hide or cover up something.

17. Trying to explain to people how an educated and otherwise sane person like myself has a house filled with dragons, wizards, gnomes, and a couple of rather unsavory mythological creatures.

18. Explaining to school administrators how the use of movie video clips has potentially important educational value.

19. Unwrapping almost any sealed item from the store these days

20. Listening to computer geeks at the computer store tell you how easy it is to install and use some new computer program you just recently bought.