Working on Being Less of a Procrastinator

Raise you’re hand if you’re a procrastinator. What’s that? You’ll do it later? Yeah, exactly. I used to think that I wasn’t a serious procrastinator, but at the end of a given day when I can’t shut down Firefox on two computers because I have six different site posts started by not finished…I can’t argue with that. One look at my overflowing desk of review items also confirms that I say yes to things but have a hard time meeting my obligation to review them in a timely fashion. Those two particular problems are things I’m constantly working on, but I also have a different type of procrastination issue: not wanting to do tasks that are particularly onerous, whether for reasons of time-consumption or reasons of pain-in-the-butt-ness. Yesterday morning I decided to tackle a couple of the issues that had been sticking in my side for many months…

Selling my time-share in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, to my company: Thoughts Media Inc. is going to use it for a one-week giveaway prize in an upcoming Pocket PC Thoughts contest. Selling it involves paperwork, and I hate paperwork, but yesterday I bit the bullet and started the process. And, in a stunning move, I had the paperwork faxed back to the timeshare company on the same day I received it (thanks to my wife). So, scratch one task I’ve been putting off for, oh, 14 months.

Getting a new microphone clip: this one was more me being stubborn than anything else, because I felt like “the system” beat me and I hate that. I bought a NeXXtech tie clip microphone (not exactly the version I have, but close) that connects to my Canon GL2 camera for use in doing video reviews. When I bought it, the first day I tried to insert the microphone into the clip, the one side of the clamp on the clip snapped off. I was really gentle inserting the microphone, so I was completely baffled. A few weeks later I went back to The Source (formerly known as Radio Shack) and exchanged it – the guy popped open the other package they had in the store and gave me the clip from that one. I went home, gently inserted the microphone into the clip again…and it snapped. I was so incredibly angry that I shoved the whole thing into a corner and ignored it for a few months. I then decided to call NeXXtech support, and they informed me that a new clip would cost $23 CAD including shipping. WHAT?!? Keep in mind the whole microphone is only worth $60, and the part in question probably cost them 10 cents to make.

I declined being ripped off and they told me that the local Source stores provided warranty support so I should go back there. I went back to The Source store I bought it from to see if I could find some sort of satisfaction – I was convinced NeXXtech had released defective clips. The sales drone listened to me explain the problem, went and got a new package from the shelf, and guess what? It had my broken clip in it from months ago. He said he could order one in, but it would take about a month. I declined and went to another Source store, and they didn’t have the product in stock either. The manager on duty listened to me explain my problem, and he said he’d order in the part for me – and was vague on whether or not I’d be charged. I agreed, at this point willing to pay whatever it cost to get the stupid situation resolved, and he said he’d call me when the clip came in. That was back in February. So yesterday, after three months of waiting for the store to call me, I decided to call NeXXtech support and pay the $23. The money isn’t the issue, it’s the fact that I felt like the system beat me. But you know what I’m doing to do? I’m going to take that fresh clip into the Source store, and ask one of the employees (hopefully the manager) to insert the microphone into it for me. That way, if they break it, I’ll hopefully have some recourse. This goes without saying, but the NeXXtech tie clip microphone is a product best avoided.

Replaced a Headlight in my Car: Relatively minor, but it’s awkward and frustrating replacing the headlights on my Mazda Protege 5. I have a long history of headline problems with this car, so again I felt a high level of frustration that I was having to replace it at all (I lose a headlight every 4-6 months). But I gritted my teeth popped the hood, and spent a good 20 minutes fighting with the clamp trying to get it inserted and secured. Turned on the power, tested it – it worked! But my other headlight, which was working perfectly an hour earlier, wasn’t working. @*#&@#&(@*#&(@#(@. I’m convinced there’s an electrical problem with my car, but the only way Mazda will fix it is if I go back to them, let them install two factory headlights, and then I can’t touch it, and we see what happens. This morning I’m booking an appointment with them to get that done – I’m sick of being Mr. One Headlight.

Editing Japan Photos: Getting back from Japan meant returning with over 2000 photos in RAW format, and coming back to thousands of email messages and a pile of work. I got photos from days zero through five processed while I was in Japan, then I hit a wall with over 800 photos from Himeji Castle and couldn’t get through them while on vacation. Then the thought of having to deal with so many photos really put me off dealing with it – Captain Procrastination flies again – so I ignored it for more than a month. Earlier this week I finally blasted my way through them, publishing our day six photos earlier this week. Yesterday, on a roll, I finished our day seven photos as well (I just need to add the comments, then I can publish them). Chaaarge!!!

Now if only I could get through that big pile of technology…I’m going to try and do a couple of unboxing videos today. Here I go!