Obviously there are some things I'll never learn. It's odd to say that, because if I know what I need to learn, I should be able to learn it. Knowing what you don't know is a huge advantage when you're sliding down the learning curve.

I'm not even talking about intellectual enhancement. After all these years, my brain is full of useless minutiae that I can't get rid of. I guess I'll never have room for any more useful data, like how to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius. It's a good thing you can look those things up. I don't have to remember how to calculate ERA or quarterback ratings (which I never knew in the first place).

What I need to learn, that I'll probably never learn, is that when the power goes out while I'm working on a spreadsheet (or watching General Hospital), it's not because some great cosmic force is out to get me. It's definitely not something to shout and curse over, and yet that's what I did today. I stomped around the house, and then I went outside and stomped around the yard.

It didn't do a bit of good the first time, because two hours later it happened again. I was a little better the second time, but I'm an old dog, and you can't teach me to take these things lying curled on the rug by the fireplace. Fighting back doesn't do a bit of good, and trying to place blame is ridiculous, but I can't help it. It just makes me so darn mad to have to deal with things I have no control over.

The power didn't stay out for long either time, and at least I got some practice setting all the clocks. Plus, I got just as mad at the universe when I had a sneezing fit later this afternoon. That didn't help either, and I've been sneezing my head off a lot longer than I've been setting electronic clocks. I just don't learn.