Sometimes I'd like to kick myself in the kisser

I've been working on one of those pedantic cases that drive me up the wall—but are usually where all the interesting things happen, in terms of new and exciting knowledge. I have twice sat down and developed special cases to consider, and worked through them very carefully. At the end, I've found them to be great and wonderful.

They've also turned out to be special cases of things I've already discovered, dagummit. And I usually realize it only on the evening after spending a week or so analyzing these cases painstakingly. The irony of this latest one is that I'm sure that I checked to make sure this was a "new" special case, but nope! 'tain't. It's an "old" special case instead. I realized it only a few moments ago while talking with my wife (funny how the brain works that way) and after my face had several seizures she laughed, recognizing what was going on, and walked away. Yet I knew the term was 1, how could I not have considered that...?!?

There oughter be a law agin that kind of thing, dagummit. Big waste of my time, I tell you...