Do you ever feel like you just can’t do anything right anymore?

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Everyone makes mistakes, but it sure seems like I’m making a lot more as of late! Some are instantly obvious, while others can take six months to notice. The latter was me yesterday. I have severe vision issues but I can usually tell when the color changes in my di canisters. Sometimes I can’t (dark blue to gold is fairly easy but the dark blue to purple/red, I can’t tell the difference) and use someone else’s eyes in person or over the phone. My cation and mixed di canisters haven’t changed colors in over six months. They typically start changing at four months and need to be changed by six months. I opened up the canisters and, well…I screwed up last time I changed them and apparently put them in upside down. I know I can’t tell visually anymore, but I know….like burned into my memory banks forever, know….. that the rubber seal faces up. I always feel for that when changing canisters. I guess I had a memory read error that day. One would think that they would have designed the housing and cartridge so that they could only be installed one way. Where you would not be able to screw on the canister if the cartridge was upside down. I mean, I can’t be the only idiot on the planet, right……right? Wait, don’t answer that! My tds was still zero and no ill effects have been noted….yet. Other than the little mental blows I get more often nowadays that have pretty much decimated my confidence. Awhile back @Thales had talked about the new Reef Factory tds meters and app (before they got consumed by apperature and that mess). It sounded like a great fit for me (I can’t read the standard digital triple tds meter, but anything with an app would be read aloud for me on my phone) but was a bit spendy for me (if you get three units especially) for the time being so I didn’t get it. That said, it wouldn’t have helped in this case as my tds was still zero. Had this been my anion I’m sure my tds would have crept up. Anyway, just my I pulled a stupid post for the day.

 

[Katrina71]

You're not stupid at all. You're human. I need reading glasses and 100% can appreciate your situation.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

You're not stupid at all. You're human. I need reading glasses and 100% can appreciate your situation.

Well they do say to err is human. I’m just making more errors these days. Thanks for this!

 

[kevgib67]

If it makes you feel better my wife of 33 years reminds me every day that I can’t do anything right! With corrective lenses I see fine and I’ve made worse mistakes.

 

[jda]

It is not about the mistakes that you make, but how you handle them. If that is the worst thing that you do this month, then you will have a great go of it. Just be confident that you can fix things when they go awry - that is all that matters.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

It is not about the mistakes that you make, but how you handle them. If that is the worst thing that you do this month, then you will have a great go of it. Just be confident that you can fix things when they go awry - that is all that matters.

I’m more forgiving of myself on more difficult task issues….knowing I have my limitations now. It’s the simple tasks that bother me the most when I screw up. I try to laugh it off…I’ve been laughing a lot lately!

 

[Reefer Matt]

Everyone makes mistakes, but it sure seems like I’m making a lot more as of late! Some are instantly obvious, while others can take six months to notice. The latter was me yesterday. I have severe vision issues but I can usually tell when the color changes in my di canisters. Sometimes I can’t (dark blue to gold is fairly easy but the dark blue to purple/red, I can’t tell the difference) and use someone else’s eyes in person or over the phone. My cation and mixed di canisters haven’t changed colors in over six months. They typically start changing at four months and need to be changed by six months. I opened up the canisters and, well…I screwed up last time I changed them and apparently put them in upside down. I know I can’t tell visually anymore, but I know….like burned into my memory banks forever, know….. that the rubber seal faces up. I always feel for that when changing canisters. I guess I had a memory read error that day. One would think that they would have designed the housing and cartridge so that they could only be installed one way. Where you would not be able to screw on the canister if the cartridge was upside down. I mean, I can’t be the only idiot on the planet, right……right? Wait, don’t answer that! My tds was still zero and no ill effects have been noted….yet. Other than the little mental blows I get more often nowadays that have pretty much decimated my confidence. Awhile back @Thales had talked about the new Reef Factory tds meters and app (before they got consumed by apperature and that mess). It sounded like a great fit for me (I can’t read the standard digital triple tds meter, but anything with an app would be read aloud for me on my phone) but was a bit spendy for me (if you get three units especially) for the time being so I didn’t get it. That said, it wouldn’t have helped in this case as my tds was still zero. Had this been my anion I’m sure my tds would have crept up. Anyway, just my I pulled a stupid post for the day.

Hey, if you don't make 40-50 mistakes a day, you aren't human. From not qt'ing fish to overflowing water containers, I have had my share as well. I believe making mistakes and learning from them makes you smarter, not dumber. No one is immune from making errors, but plenty of people would like you to think so!
Good catch!

 

[Roatan Reef]

It is not about the mistakes that you make, but how you handle them. If that is the worst thing that you do this month, then you will have a great go of it. Just be confident that you can fix things when they go awry - that is all that matters.

This 1000%

I wanted to quit at the 8 month mark...I thought I had it figured out, tank kept going to ShYte, .. wife kindly reminded me that my original $1500 idea that turned into a $3500 idea had to see it to the finish line, or else she would have kicked my you know what...

2 years in, and am so glad I didn't quit!

Now tank is doing great, even got the Nephew into it with his own 13.5 Evo tank.

So now we have a 125 fresh, 40B Saltwater, 13.5 Evo Saltwater, and a 5 gallon Planted tank (the wifes)

Hang in there OP....YOU CAN DO IT!!

Like people say.. NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS FAST IN THE REEF... but patience is your friend, along with hard work, you will be rewarded!

 

[Debramb]

I’m more forgiving of myself on more difficult task issues….knowing I have my limitations now. It’s the simple tasks that bother me the most when I screw up. I try to laugh it off…I’ve been laughing a lot lately!

Best gift my husband got for me……hand held led lite magnifying glass with 3 light settings, I can see the tiniest pods, bristles that I can see the mouth, ugh, but re-checking your work this way, I promise will help!!!!!
Debra

 

[Debramb]

Forgot….Go Bills

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Best gift my husband got for me……hand held led lite magnifying glass with 3 light settings, I can see the tiniest pods, bristles that I can see the mouth, ugh, but re-checking your work this way, I promise will help!!!!!
Debra

Unfortunately, my vision is too far gone for this to help me. These are great little tools though and a very good suggestion! Thank you. There’s a couple apps that I use quite often. Seeing ai is a free app for the blind that is truly amazing. I use it to read any and everything aloud to me. The other is Be my eyes, which allows a volunteer to see through your phone’s camera and assist. Admittedly, I do not use be my eyes hardly at all as I feel like I’m bothering someone…. That’s just a personal glitch I have.

 

[RocketEngineer]

I purchased my tank Black Friday 2019. It’s currently sitting about 1/3 full due to evaporation, everything turned off. It’s never seen more than salt water. Life happens. Sometimes you just have to keep going.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I purchased my tank Black Friday 2019. It’s currently sitting about 1/3 full due to evaporation, everything turned off. It’s never seen more than salt water. Life happens. Sometimes you just have to keep going.

Oh the joys of life happening! I feel for you there. I went through a similar situation when I started my journey with vision loss and neurological motor issues a few years back. Luckily I was tech nerd slash gear junkie and had a fully automated tank setup. So when I was in my spiral of depression I had completely neglected the tank for at least six months. Yet it continued to chug along on auto pilot with basically zero intervention by me. When I finally started to realize that life wasn’t over just yet I figured out ways to get back to being involved in the tank despite no longer being able to visually appreciate it any longer. Before I neglected the tank I was manually eradicating aptasia every now and then. I knew after six months that it was probably overrun with it but the good news was I couldn’t see to tell. I still enjoy the tank and imagining in my head what things look like. I can see blobs of color but have zero definition. Like you said, you have to keep going.

 

[00W]

I wake up every morning at 2:30 to go to work.
First thing I say is where am I.
Next thing I say is don't screw anything up today .
Usually lasts about 5 minutes, maybe 10.
I'm right there with you.