Seeing Myself Through Somebody Else’s Eyes
Something interesting happened this morning. I witnessed a cranky Randy for the first time. We stayed at my place last night so we were on a tighter schedule to get out of the apartment this morning. Plus, my place is 1/2 the size of his place so it’s not as easy for one person to sleep later (him) while the other showers and prepares for work (me).
Anyway, after my shower I let him know it was his turn to use the bathroom. It was then that he notified me that he was “pissy” (his words, not mine). I shrugged it off because he was still smiling and friendly.
After leaving the apartment and getting off the train at Porter Square we started discussing iTunes and the annoying issues I’ve been having with songs I’ve downloaded from them.* My problems with iTunes are ignorance/user related (the software does what it’s supposed to – I just don’t understand the logic behind certain things). It was then that Randy really snapped. And it made me realize something about myself that I didn’t like.
How he was responding to my software stupidity is EXACTLY how I react to my Dad when I visit him on the cape and he has problems with his computer. The solutions seem so simple to me, yet no matter how many times I try to explain things to my father, he just doesn’t get it. It doesn’t help that he uses the wrong terms to describe his problem.
And this morning I was my Dad. Only this time, Randy was me. Now I can completely understand two things: 1) how annoying it is for the “knowledgeable” person in the party (in this case Randy) to have to keep explaining things, and 2) how disconcerting and shocking it is to get snapped at (whether justifiably or not).
This made me realizse that I need to work on treating my father better. Or at least have a little more patience with him (he is approaching 80, after all). He loves my company and loves me…and yet I’ll get really pissy (my words, not his). He takes it in stride…he just shouldn’t have to take it at all.
As for Randy, I was tempted to post a very unflattering photo of him on my blog just to spite him. But instead, I guess I should thank him for bringing all of this to my attention (even if inadvertantly).
It’s kind of funny that with a blog title such as this (Seeing Myself Through Somebody Else’s Eyes) you’d think I’d be the perfect segue into photos to post today…but I can’t think of anything.
*My iTunes issue is this: I downloaded songs from iTunes. That worked. I put those songs on my iPod. That worked. But when I connect my iPod to my work computer, I use PodPlayer (since I don’t have iTunes installed on my work computer). And now those songs don’t play. EVERY other song I have plays (whether burned from CD’s or downloaded from other sites) – but iTunes songs don’t play (even though I’m not stealing or sharing them). Yet, apparently, if I take those iTunes songs, burn them to a CD, then re-install them into iTunes, it will work. What a freaking waste of time (and a perfectly good blank CD).
6 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
I also said i was sorry for being cranky today! Mwah!
True, true. He did apologize.
He always has to have the last word, that one.
Does it have to do with the media protection on the songs you download from iTunes? I know that it “authorizes” your computer once you download a song to play it. It could be that the protection bits on the song files are keeping your work machine from playing it.
Yes, it is because of DRM (digital rights management) that iTunes uses. There are tons of programs out there that will remove this restriction (do a search for strip itunes drm). Another hack is to do what you had mentioned, burn the CD and then import them again. The newly imported songs won’t have any of the restrictions on it.
Just the fact the you use 80 year old father and computer in the same sentence impresses me!
Do Not. DO NOT. Let me hear that you are verbally attacking your dad! I love that man! You be nice.
And if Randy has to have the last word, you let him. If this is the first cranky spell he’s had in all this time, for crissakes, you’re doing okay.
Not that you aren’t loved and wonderful too. But man o man, nobody badmouths yo daddy on my clock! 😉 xoxo