Life maybe giving me 1,000 problems, I’ve been focused on maybe 10% of them, so 100 problems on my plate. Well, maybe a few big problems! Either way, life is a constant struggle even more so with mental health issues.

Finally, got those dreaded taxes done. Oui, my head hurts. I hate it as much as the next person. The stress of preparing and filing can be a pain with help like Turbo Tax. Something will always go wrong either because I move too fast on the program or I don’t care and need to get those taxes done and over with.

Typically, when the refund comes, you quickly put it away or know what you’re going to do with it. I know exactly what to do. Save, save, and save. The stress of constant car troubles that my dad is currently enduring is unbelievable. I hate car issues, and sometimes I wish I didn’t have to drive a car. I can’t fly because I’m not Wonder Woman. But for a newer car to have problem after problem is not fun.

You would think that the problems would be an easy fix and you wouldn’t have to go back again for a while. Oh no. Several trips in the garage and with repair bills that are unbelievable high and meant for rich people not working Joes, it’s enough to make your head spin. It’s like the car stepped on a crack and broke mother’s back. Being an adult can be very complicated especially when you’re trying to be financially independent, but you’re constantly struggling to survive paycheck to paycheck.

That’s usually the way it goes for me. I work my tail off and work for tips. I save for tips for rainy days. I pay the essential bills and still have less than a lucky penny to my name. Crazy how expensive life is now. And it gets worse because never accidentally put your phone in the washer and dryer.

Well, one sleep deprived fool did that and well the phone died and went to hell. Phone destroyed. Cue one angry, depressed person. Accidents happen to the best of us, but phone shopping is one of the worst kinds of shopping next to car and home shopping. I’d rather pick out clothes than a phone shop.

I’m very particular to companies. Everyone wants a great deal, a knowledgeable sales clerk, and a great product. You want to go into a retailer, and get what you want or need and call it a day. It’s not that easy. Since I’m a seasoned vet in sales, I can easily tell when a salesperson is honest and trustworthy of my hard earned cash.

Since I don’t believe in paying an arm and a leg for a cellphone and nor do I care about the latest phones and apps that I don’t have time for, I need a simple unlimited text and calling plan that costs very little each month. Why pay for something you don’t need? I don’t need to drop down $600-800 on phones like Iphones or new Galaxy that will be extinct in 24-48 months. I weigh all my options and choose the best deal.

Waiting to get a new phone was 90 minutes of a long day that I will never get back. One store was totally unreliable and unhelpful. They gave me the runaround and others tried to use their slick selling tips to make their commission. Nope, I will not buy unless I get what I needed. What I did need was a product that was available at another store, and I wasn’t going to spend another 30-45 minutes driving around rush hour traffic in Houston or driving in hell to go get it. Thankfully, another clerk went and got it.

So my entire evening was ruined by sitting bored in the store while the clerks and the managers were trying to sync their product with my old phone. They were able to keep my account, but it took them ages to do it. I felt like maybe I should work here. I would get this process done a lot faster and make the moment for the customer better. But then again, I wouldn’t want to be selling phones on commission because I know I would hate myself and hate working there. There are certain products that I refuse to sell because it’s not my thing like technology and clothing. So a life lesson here, don’t mishandle your phone. Been there, done that.

And while I’m dealing with those issues, my crew texted and said the company Ipad broke. As a manager, I wanted to say: “Who the f*** did that? And why are we stupid?” Again, accidents happen, but this is a huge accident. Imagine your superior asking you why you need of a new Ipad and that it costs x amount of money. Well, what could I say? That one of my colleagues made a mistake? Yes. Well, the superior wasn’t a happy camper, and neither were fellow managers, too. Since inventory and all of our other managerial work is all digital, we have to resort to a lost art known as doing everything by hand.

Counting inventory by hand with a pen and paper isn’t complicated, but time-consuming. Especially if it’s a big department count, then that will take longer than 30 minutes. Counting tills by hand isn’t hard at all if you can count change and money the old fashioned way like I was taught at the beginning of my retail career. Technology may have made the process easier and faster, but it’s useless when you have to resort back because of an error of colleague.

And if that doesn’t get a depressed manager’s life any better, customer complaints are always fun. I can’t go a day without a couple. In any business, we have complaints from customers. I understand, and some are legit and some that are a little outrageous. One of my favorites on Sunday was a woman who wanted a decaf ice coffee. Well, most places do decaf iced Americanos (watered down espresso to me), or decaf brewed coffee or decaf iced latte. Well, this person kept complaining and holding up the line and calling the staff unnecessary names. I simply stated: “We only do decaf ice latte, decaf iced Americanos, and hot brewed decaf coffee. If you’re saying that you get decaf ice coffee from us or another location, then they’re wrong. It sounds more like a misunderstanding, and it happens.” Well, she claimed that I didn’t know what I was talking about and kept ranting.

OK, so the manager of a café that worked there for four years and knows exactly what the products are inside and out; isn’t clueless as the customer told me. I can’t argue with someone because it’s worthless and it’s best practice to make the moment right. Don’t let someone’s rants and raves get the best of you. One thing about working in customer service and working with people that can be a little difficult is to remain calm. Do you your job to the best of your ability. It’s very hard, and if you can’t handle the pressure, then it’s not the job for you. I’ve become like an expert in dealing with difficult people or whiners as I call them. Nothing surprises me in my field anymore, and I think I’ve become immune to it.