Roughin' it in a Superpower

The other day I was out in the pool floating around and reading a book. All was well until I realized that I forgot to put my water in an insulated cup, causing the condensation to get all over my hands when I picked it up. Then my pages would get damp from the cup. While I'm getting all huffy from this indignation, I noticed a little frog on the side of the pool. So I put down my book get out of the float, causing the pool water to run into my cup. Irritation. I had to scrounge around for a little plastic toy shovel to scoop the frog out and after all that, it was hardly even worth the effort to get back in the pool. Thanks a lot for almost drowning and ruining my float, frog.


These sorts of incidences are what are called 'First World Problems.'

I have traveled to a couple Third World countries, but that is a post for a different time.

For the time being, let's take a moment and discuss how absurd our struggles are sometimes.

On Tuesday I went to the grocery store (Jack and Kate have homeschool PE those afternoons so I go shopping with Noah. It's almost like a vacation. I think about how stressful it was to go grocery shopping with one child when Jack was a baby. The diaper bag, the little sanitary grocery cart covers, the pacifiers and toys. Come on. Nowadays I might give the cart handles a quick swipe if they're available, otherwise we  throw caution to the flu-ridden wind. Noah's not even wearing pants most of the time, let alone carting around an educational toy.)

Anyway, while at the store I saw that my favorite brand of peanut butter was sold out, causing my to get a different brand. The only thing left in that brand was crunchy. Which makes me shudder. Don't even try to tell me that's peanut butter. PB is supposed to be creamy and smooth and wonderful. Butter is in the name, for goodness' sake! No one thinks of butter as having great huge chunks of stuff in it.

Forced to buy another brand of food - First World problem.

Your cell phone is only getting 3G when 4G is available. This causes slightly lower data uploading. Critical when your large screen tv and tablet are on the other side of the house and you only have your smart phone with you. Those episodes of Ice Road Truckers won't watch themselves.

First world problem.

Sometimes you go to a gas station and realize there's no little metal thing under the handle.  Instead of being able to put that little metal thing down so the gas pumps itself while you put your credit card back in your wallet, you're instead made to stand there and pump your own gas. Like a peasant.

First World problem.

Or when the air conditioner is so strong you have to go put on a cardigan.

Or you look in the fridge to get the carrots for a recipe and see that you only have baby carrots, not the big ones. Which wouldn't normally be a problem except you have to grate these carrots. So there you are, grating each tiny carrot for about 5 seconds, before it gets too small and your fingers hurt from the grater and then you're left with a pile of tiny, half-grated baby carrots.

Like this:

It's world class dining in this place, people.

So many problems. It's a wonder we survive in this cruel, cruel, world.