Of quotes, Frank Zappa, bats and anger

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“He who angers you conquers you.”
~ Elizabeth Kenny
(1880-1952)

An excellent way of looking at it.

As Paul Hodges posted on my FB page after seeing the above quote - Joseph Hunter: “My life is in the hands of any fool who makes me lose my temper.”

Alternately, any fool who makes me lose my temper puts his life in my hands.

Scary thought. 

At the risk of making some people spew whatever they are drinking across their computer, I state here I have a short fuse. I'd like to think otherwise, but reality says otherwise. At the same time, I don't stay that way long. Get mad. Get over it. Move on. I very rarely let the sun go down on my anger.

Speaking of bent out of shape, this is what nationalized health care does for people...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1218927/Plumber-shattered-arm-left-horrifically-bent-shape-operation-cancelled-times.html

Anyway, I will get bent out of shape over things that surprise some people. I also let stuff slide when some people think I would get mad.

A broadcast media journalist hard at work

Someone recently commented to me privately that my blogs express a lot of anger. Looking back, I have to agree. I do use this forum to vent, which is a good thing. But this column also reflects a small amount of the writing I do daily and weekly. It accounts for a fraction of a percent of my week's total communication efforts.

I do not often give writing advice (correcting mistakes is not advice). But I do so now. This is some of the absolute BEST writing advice I have ever received and it was supplied by a person who is not a writer.

Writing is an excellent way to let off steam. A former front office worker here once penned an extensive letter, aimed at corp. HQ. I looked it over and suggested some corrections. She said she never intended to send it, just wanted to get some things said.  Having done so, she was satisfied.

Wow.

Noooo. Deadline is Noon Monday, not Tuesday.

What about you? Get mad often? What do you do about?

Anger is often generated by frustration. Most of the time, I'd say. It comes from a failure to adequately control something. What that something is varies, but most of the time it comes down to a failure to control another person or yourself.

Be honest about it and you'll agree. More often that we're willing to admit, anger comes from shortcomings within ourselves.

Uhn. If the truth hurts, you're living wrong.

What makes you mad?

Frank Zappa and his daughter recorded "Valley Girl" in the 1980s. This song made me mad back then and it continues to make me mad. The reasons behind this I shall not share.

It makes me want to grab a baseball bat and inflict damage. I realize this is not rational, but I also hate armadillos and that ain't rational either.