Darby Hinkley

“Today, nothing makes sense.”

That’s what my horoscope said on Thursday morning. To which I thought, “Yeah, right.”

Well, it was.

I find horoscopes interesting, and I am not completely sure if I believe they are either “right” or “wrong.” I just think they give you something to think about.

I popped awake on Thursday in a pretty decent headspace. I had a loose plan, and I was going to make it happen, from start to finish. I would get my work done and head out the door by 6 p.m. and enjoy the beautiful evening. I might even go kayaking if I felt motivated enough. But, from the moment I walked out the door that morning, the day had a mind of its own.

The “check engine” light randomly turned on in my car, even though it seemed to be working fine. So I just kept driving to and from appointments, crossing my fingers and praying that nothing serious was wrong with my trusty 2014 Chevy Captiva. I call her the Silver Bullet, and she’s a good gal. She’s moody, but that may be why we get along so well. We forgive each other quickly, and carry on down the road.

When I got into work, I settled in with my coffee in hand and started booting up my computer in the newsroom. So far, so good. But, as I checked my email, I noticed the text and icons looked strangely grainy, as if my computer had traveled back to 2003 or something, so I figured I might as well just give it a quick restart.

My bad? I guess so, seeing as how it just ignored me the first three times, then, when it finally decided to somewhat communicate, all I got was the dumb Apple symbol and the teasing progress bar that only went 75% of the way across, then froze.

My brain: “Cool. Super cool. Now I have to figure out how to work from another computer, if that’s even possible, if it will convert my programs, if I can even log in from another computer, if I even have the wherewithal or patience to even deal with this today, but it doesn’t matter, because I have to, so I’ll do it, but why is this happening right now? Ugh.”

I think that’s a good question to NOT ask. I suppose I could answer it the best way my mind can manage, but my horoscope might have nailed it on the head. Some things don’t make sense. Some things happen for NO reason at all. As humans, we feel the need to tell ourselves there’s meaning in everything.

So, tell me, why does a computer just poop out in the middle of a Thursday? Must we analyze that? Or, can we agree that some things just happen, and we go on with life, altering our day to compensate for this or that inconvenience, and make it work, anyway? Perhaps the only question is, am I going to let this inconvenience or problem ruin my day? My day was not ruined at all. It was just weird. One dumb thing needn’t ruin an entire 24-hour timeframe. About 37 minutes of my day sucked. The rest was pretty decent.

I didn’t get to leave work at 6, but that’s OK. I still enjoyed the interviews I had with several very nice people, including the owners of one of the featured gardens in the upcoming Alpena Garden Club Summer Garden Tour, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 15. Tickets are $10, available at The Alpena Senior Citizens Center, Real Estate One, or from any Garden Club member. Watch for an upcoming story with garden photos, and come check out all the wonderful work those homeowners have put in to share their glorious gardens with the public.

My job is interesting every day, and I’m a big fan of spontaneity, but when my computer decides to be spontaneous, that’s not cute.

I knew this week would be weird, what with the holiday falling on a Tuesday, thus screwing up everyone’s ability to know what day it is until the weekend, which is slowly pulling into the long driveway now. And, boy, do we need it.

I love the Fourth of July, but the Sixth of July is kind of a stinker.

Here’s hoping that, when your computer, or car, or phone, or any other piece of machinery meant to make your life easier quits on you, that you don’t let it ruin your WHOLE day. It’s just a thing that happened. Chances are, the next thing is bound to be better. Grump around for 37 minutes, if you want, but then get back to work. You’ll feel better when you’ve accomplished something by using your brain to make good things happen the hard way.

If this column makes no sense, blame my horoscope.

Darby Hinkley can be found smashing electronics with a baseball bat in undisclosed locations around town. If you can find her, feel free to bring your own equipment and join in. Her email is probably on the fritz, but, in case it’s not, send your thoughts to dhinkley@thealpenanews.com.