Go Ahead, Call Their Bluff

This week I was subject to some drama that was totally unnecessary and only because that person wanted to blow off some steam and they lashed out.  They wanted to get back at someone else without thinking that what they were doing was going to cripple everyone including themselves.  Every part of me wanted to scream right back and tell them, "Whoa, there Sparky.  What you are doing effects other people as well as yourself.  How selfish and self centered are you really?  You've got your own selfish crap going on and you really expect people to jump when you say and I'm not the one."  But, I didn't.  I was proud of myself that I kept my mouth shut tight.  It was haaaaaarrrrrrd but I did it because I knew they just wanted to create more  drama than there needed to be.  So, I sat silent and waited until they were done and gone and went to work on plan B.  After I sat down and thought about it we would have and easier time of it than the person.  So we were quite relived with their decision.  It would have been rough for a minute but we were optimistic and said, "Screw it.  That person had somethings in the works that they needed us for and guess what?  They need to re-do it with someone else since the grass is sooooo green on the other side."  It was one less thing that we would be obligated to do.

This person kept this crap up for days.  The day of the tirade, they had the nerve not to speak to anyone like we were all to blame.  Then, to add insult to injury, they got over it the next day and began talking to everyone and got offended when no one really wanted to deal with them.  It was like some crazy mind meld between us all that called their bluff and said, "F*ck it!  Do it!"  Although, we are depending on this person, we are just tired of the constant drama that they brought into our lives and are ready to move on some other way.  Last night that person came to me singing a completely different tune.  No apology or anything and they just started talking.  I put up a big red stop sign and said,"Hold up!  I really want nothing to do with you.  You go on your tirade and treat everyone like we are leeches and then you want to turn around and chat it up with me.  That's not cool and I'm not going to stand for it.  Leave the group or stay.  If you stay, all the crap has to stop.  We are done."  I listed off the infractions that we had been biting our tongues on and I could see that person getting angry and they had the nerve to defend the bad behavior.  I said, "You know what we are done.  There is no excuse or defense of the crap that you have brought."  They got quiet and said OK.  Still no apology and at this point that's as good as it's going to get.  I warned them that they need to do some work to welcomed back and don't expect it to be immediate.  They realized that they bit the hand that fed them and they got a swat for it.

Sometimes the people that we love want to lash out.  They like the drama of it all and just want to get a rise out of you.  They want to let off some steam at your expense.  You know who they are.  Don't  give them the satisfaction.  The best thing you can do is to wait until they are done and say nothing.  Wait and see if they will follow through with their threat.  As long as the victim is only them, back off and say, "F*ck it!  Do it!"  Call their bluff.  The flip side of it is you need to also be willing to face the consequence, if any, to yourself as in my situation.  Have a plan B if that person does follow through.

Technology Is Something, Isn't It?

It's amazing how our gadgets have become so integrated into our lives.  I grew up where color television was a luxury.  Cable TV was brand spanking new and if you had it your parents were making big bucks (that may still hold true nowadays).  There weren't a million channels to watch and the only provider at the time was WHT.  Yeah, I went there for all you old heads.  There was no caller ID.  The phone rang and you answered it.  Like a cracker jack box, there was a surprise in every call.  :o)  Cell phones were bricks with antennas.  So, when my power went out from one of our wonderful tropical storms what happens?  Power came back but not my phones, TV or Internet.  My family was plunged into panic.  I had to laugh at myself because I started wondering how was I going to play my games.  Let's ignore the fact that I have many of the actual games offline.  Sad, I play them with my family online but not face to face.  Anyone thinking of that email that floats around, "You know you live in 2011 when...?" 

But, of course, there is Android.  So, when the panic settled, on went the mobile hot spots on the phones.  Amazing.  Growing up, there was a computer class!  It was once a week to learn DOS! Now, computer classes are something for seniors to take to learn how to open pictures and use email and Skype.  We can't do without our laptops and phones that surf the Internet.  As for me, I will enjoy my 99 million channels, my Nook Color, my Android phone, my caller ID and my laptop.  So, enjoy your toys everyone but sit down and play one of those dusty games face to face with the folks you love!

Little Blessings

So, this morning I woke up to my daughter bouncing on my bed screeching with laughter. At first I was a little annoyed. I like my sleep. Right behind her, there's hubby shushing and saying, “No! Mommy's sleeping!" Just as loud mind you. By this point I'm up and trying to put on a happy face for my daughter while hiding how pissed I am that my husband has yet again not kept my daughter out of the room until emerged on my own.

"Tag! You're it!" he screams and runs out of the room with my daughter screaming and trailing behind him. They leave the door open and I have nothing but my drawers on with three other people roaming around the house free to walk in at any moment. Then I hear footsteps. Boobs covered, check. It's hubby. "Sorry, babe," he said and closed the door. How can you be mad after that?

As I enjoyed the silence, I thought that it could be worse. My daughter is hilariously happy and loved and she knows it. So, when life is screaming around you and you are dead asleep and just dying to finish that good dream, think of your happy and hilarious daughter. Or something else that you are blessed to have. Someone that thinks of your needs without you having to ask. The ability to go to that job interview. Having enough money to put into your gas tank. Just think, it could be worse. Smile today. They are contagious.

Biting The Hand That Feeds You

When someone offers you a service are you gracious or do you keep it moving?  Think of the things that people have done for you and analyze how many times you said thanks.  Now, analyze whether you were truly grateful.  Think about what that person gained from doing that something for you.  Whether it was something large or small did you bite the hand that fed you?

Food for thought:  The next time someone does something for you, be gracious and say thank you from the bottom of your heart. No matter if they were passing a napkin across the table or giving you a baldly needed loan be gracious and think about what you are gaining as opposed to the person doing the favor.