It's no secret that I like to complain.
In fact, it's a large joke/jab in my family. There's always some undertone about how I'm a whiner.
I almost feel that it is part of my divine right as a reporter (OK, ex-reporter now -- but is the reporter nature ever something that really goes away?).
As a reporter you whine a lot. There was a lot of complaining going on in the newsroom. You'd complain about the injustice of something then go out to unravel the mystery and write about it for the world (or perhaps just the small community you covered).
You'd also get a lot of whining from readers/people you wrote about. I'm talking about A LOT. Enough to give a young reporter an ulcer (true story) and learn to cringe and hide from the sound of her cell phone ringing. They whine from everything to "you misquoted me" (famous -- because "sub-human species" is a product of my imagination as it is a term I use on a daily basis) to "it is all your fault CPS took away my children" (because I'm the one that held you at gunpoint and made you start a meth lab/distribution in your garage).
But next week it will be four years since I packed away my reporter pen (moment of silence, please) and I am still complaining. Because it is a part of my innate nature.
Which brings me to the New Deal.
A week and a half ago, I was in Lane's study calmly talking (read: Complaining) about a certain hobby/past time of his.
The conclusion of the peaceful discussion? In the spirit of martial compromise, we both agreed to give up something that annoys the other for one month and see how we fare.
He's doing awesome. And I've been complaint free for 10 days ... well, almost. Lane claims there's been four relapses. I only concede to one of these, which was given the Presidential Pardon. But he's kept his side of the deal seeing as I am trying so frightfully hard.
And, honestly, even if you can't admit to being a habitual complainer (honestly, I only know a handful of people who aren't, my husband being one), YOU try to stop for a month. It's hard.
Nineteen more days left. I'll let you know if I emerge triumphant, Rocky-esque like waving my arms at the top of my Philadelphia Museum of Art steps.
2 comments:
You make me laugh, especially the presidential pardon part. Complaining is so subjective, where does one draw the line? I don't think I could give it up for a day, much less a month. Good luck!
what a great challenge for you both and to be so successful in making it work....Lane has been a really easy male to raise and I imagine it just continued.. .a great idea...but I probably have way too many things that annoy Lorin that just the decision making would be major for identification. . .he's so nice, he wouldn't tell me. See you soon. . .
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