Even though the clock is ticking, I want to think I'm still patient. I don't want to morph into an irritable old curmudgeon who turns people off. In any case, it takes incredible patience to deal with all the b*llsh$#t today.

Example in point-- I just tried to pay my internet provider bill over the phone. It could have gone through their online autopay or my bank's bill pay. But I prefer to feel I have marginal command over things. My payment choice might be a byproduct of my feeling life is out of control. I wish I could do something about disturbing things happening everywhere. So I suppose I kid myself into thinking I'm in charge by micromanaging personal affairs.

Five minutes ago, a thankless recording came on with a woman's grating voice. I don't know who 'that woman' is behind the computer-generated voice, but I find her tone jarring and unpleasant. The computerized voice has a low register that I find dissonant. With all the talented voiceover actors looking for gigs, why not, at the very least, hire someone who can record an agreeable audio presentation?

"I have the numbers of your street address as... Is your address blah blah? Press 1 if that's the right address, if not, 2." I hit 1. "Sorry, that's not right." (ARR!!!!) "Enter the zip code where you have or want service." I did and then received a cursory response, "That's not right, let's try something else." I was at the point of screaming my head off!! Next, I got the same syrupy voice saying that to continue and get you to an agent, I had to give my account number. I did--and it was still not accepted by the system.

So--I listen, with irritation, through what seems like a million prompts to get to the place I need to go-i.e., "Press 1 if your question is about billing, 2 if it is technical, 3 for sales, 4 for something else." By the time you even have a prayer to get to the correct department, you're ready to pull your hair out by the roots (Ok-I'll admit it, in my case, gray roots).

I hit 1. FINALLY, I thought I got was in the right place. The SAME voice confronted me (does she know me?- she addressed me by my first name at the top of the call!!) and announced that my check by phone could not be accepted and I had to call a payment system's 800 number. AUGH!! ARR!!! My frustration turned to worry. Is fraud going on? Was my checking account compromised?!?

Immediately, I called the 800 number, but no one answered (naturally). I called the cable provider back and FINALLY reached a live person by hitting 0 multiple times. Problem solved--the agent said my check got rejected because I hadn't registered my checking account with my provider.

My bank's bill-pay just got a new account added. I'm exhausted.