Think calming thoughts.......

That's my mantra for today.

Think calming thoughts
Think calming thoughts
Think calming thoughts

Not that it's working. Or perhaps it is and I should be wailing like a banshee without it.

I have spent ALL of today in an increasing spiral of frustration and annoyance.

Damnable technology........

OK, I'll take some deep breaths and start at the beginning.

Up bright and early this morning full of enthusiasm for an idea I had during the night while tossing and turning and trying (unsuccessfully as it transpires) not to disturb Small Dog, who decided to settle herself across my ankles then fall into a deep sleep, snoring her head off.

When disturbed from her nocturnal slumbers, Small Dog becomes feral and immediately goes growly. I suppose it harks back to when she was a puppy and still in her sibling pack. She was the runt of the litter (yes, hard to believe I know) and had to endure no end of bullying from her brothers, one of whom was appropriately named Thug. I expect that all the puppies would snuggle down together initially, then gradually the bigger pups would push the smaller ones out of the way, or lie on them, or frogmarch them out of the basket altogether.

Anyway, something traumatic must have happened to Small Dog in early puppyhood because if she is disturbed when she's asleep, she immediately goes on the defensive, stares at you accusingly as if you'd just taken a stick to her, then stalks off in a huff.

But I digress.

Back to this morning.

My idea seemed simple enough. I allocated what seemed like a reasonable period of time to see it through.

2 hours start to finish.

HA!

After 2 hours I hadn't even begun to plumb the depths of despair to which I would eventually descend.

The idea?

Make a video of a rather lovely new little toy doll I made earlier this week.
Upload said video to YouTube
Embed said YouTube video into an EBay listing.
Upload EBay listing

Like I said. Simples! (sadly I can't make Alexander meerkat's 'simples' clicking noise but you get the idea)

Bloody technology!!!!

Now, I'm no Luddite. I think I do pretty well for a woman of reasonably advanced years.

I blog.
I've created and manage a website.
I'm comfortable with manipulating digital images.
I have been on the interweb for over 15 years.
I've created video tutorials.
I can use Bluetooth.
I can find my way round HTML and have a working knowledge of FTP.
I use advanced programs for word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations.

In short, I am reasonably au fait with technology and its applications.

Which is why today was such a bummer.

I'll gloss over the whole video debacle.... setting up my little mobile lighting studio, getting everything ready for filming. All I was aiming for was a 1 minute clip for goodness sake.

I'll refrain from describing the video editing software fiasco. Well I haven't used it for a while and it's not exactly intuitive, despite what it says on the box.

I won't linger on the havoc wreaked on my sanity by trying time and time again to use EBay's Turbo Lister to prepare the listing and upload it. I haven't listed anything for sale on EBay for 18 months, and today I remembered why.

I've spent 9 hours today (9 HOURS!!!!) making a 1-minute video and embedding it in an EBay listing.

That's 9 hours of my life I can never recoup. Although to be honest it's 9 hours I'd rather just put down to experience, forget and move on.

And the results of my labours..........

You can view it HERE.

I am now overdue a VERY large glass of super-chilled Sauvignon Blanc and a lie down.

Sheesh.............!