You know those little nagging, annoying things in life? Those issues that don’t really matter in the broader realm of life on the planet Earth, but still, they get to you every time you think about them? Get this.

I solved one of those this morning.

We’ll be heading to the Galapagos tomorrow, after I’ve resolved my picture storage issue (so many pictures, so little storage), but today, I want to reflect upon getting that pestering splinter out of your paw. It’s a relief.

Before I tell you about my issue, you have to agree not to judge me. OK, hypothetical reader? Are we on the same web page? No fair keeping your fingers crossed. Are we good? Yes? On we go.

My scanner on my printer mysteriously stopped working. OK, OK, keep it down hypothetical reader, I know. I started out saying it was a minor thing, didn’t I? Yes, minor. I mean the scanner isn’t going to make or break your day, in the scheme of things.

But boy, did it rankle, that every time I tried to use it, the printer said talk to the computer and the computer said, hey, what scanner?

Those electronics can be so cliquish.

This morning, I drew a line in the print queue, and declared “No more!” What’s that, hypothetical reader? No, there was no fist in the air. Why would you think there was a fist in the air? Can we…? Yes? Awesome.

Anyway, I did all the things my depth of knowledge suggested I do. By depth, I generally mean the shallow end. And by shallow end, I mean that glossy layer of water over the steps. I updated drivers.

It didn’t work.

I googled the issue. I tried what they suggested, but it didn’t work. It did, however, lead me down the right path. I had software to download.

I did, and with a grumble as sweet as a choir of super-sweet angels, the scanner worked. It worked!

It’s easy to ignore the thing that bothers you every time you think about it, every time you look at it. You can think away that dull ache of the needle too thin to see but making its presence known.

Or you get hunker down with the tweezers, and get that sucker out.

In or near Chicago in October? Come see “Me Inside Me Presents: Witch, Please,” on October 1, 8, 22 and 29 at Donny’s Skybox Theater at 7 pm. Tickets available at SecondCity.com.

Check out  my full-length novels,  Her Cousin Much Removed,  The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management and Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only), and the sequel, Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) which is now available!

And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s free!

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