Not so long ago I had a conversation with someone about in which they offered instruction on how I ought to do things.
After a bit I gave them two of my standard responses, “I don’t wear a sweater because other people are cold” and followed up with “if we aren’t sharing a bed you’re probably not going to have much influence.”
I suppose I ought to confess that even if we are sharing a bed I might be pretty damn difficult to manage in some areas.
That is not to say I cannot or will not compromise but that approach and presentation are everything. Given that I haven’t felt right in a few weeks I am extra ornery now.
I figure it is just one of those moments in time and that it can be blamed upon an extraordinary amount of stress and the reality that more than a few people have been fighting my efforts to make some things happen.
So I am just pushing through it all and given a bit of time it will soon become clear if my assessment is correct or not.
Can always pivot if need be.
Some would call it uncouth to share that I see a family member acting like a boorish, entitled fool but I don’t particularly care.
The old man and I had a few conversations about this in which he assured me that relation by blood or marriage didn’t preclude someone from bad behavior.
He did suggest I temper my response to some given that the consequences of my letting the cad know my real thoughts might cause issues for others.
“I hear what you are saying, but I will not promise not to say anything. I am not impressed by degrees or fooled by titles. There are none that are out of reach for me. It was my choice not to become an MD, PHD or secure any other graduate degree you can come up with.
So if they are acting outside of their area of expertise I have even less reserve about pushing back and letting them know their behavior is abhorrent.”
Dad nodded his head and asked me to consider whether my words would be held against me alone or others.
“I promise to think about it but if it needs to be said I can do it and not lose sleep over it. Sometimes these things are required.”
****
The Dodger game made me think back to a time I had to do jury duty in downtown LA. It sticks out in my head because it was in Judge Wapner’s son’s courtroom and because Dad was still working.
What really jumps out is that I was working, newly married and hanging out downtown with Dad was fun. I wasn’t quite a peer, but he related to me differently.
We hit the Bob’s Big Boy, Philippes, and a few hole in the walls that Dad had a particular knack for finding. Tonight I wanted to call and ask about one of them, had these huge burritos that were outstanding.
Tex-Mex is ok, but it isn’t what I grew up with or consider real Mexican food. Some of it feels very white to me.
I very much miss having a gym to go to but am very happy to own a treadmill. Haven’t missed a day since we got it and am trying to be patient as I work my way back into shape.
Today I saw shades of what may one day turn into the treadmill war.
I did about 40 minutes and got off to rest thinking I would probably do some more but my daughter got on to go running.
My son prevented me from getting on earlier in the day when he chose to use it and so it came to pass that I didn’t get as much time on it as I would have liked.
But if I have to adjust my schedule and fight for a few minutes because the kids are using it I am ok because that is a good problem to have.
Truth is I spent some of that time lifting so it wasn’t a total waste. Now I just have to figure out how to come up with a couple of bucks and some space for some other equipment.
That will be another fight, but I don’t give up easily on the important stuff so we’ll how this all plays out. Maybe things will move in the right direction and I’ll be able to join a gym sooner than later.
Hard to say with this loon in office, I’d almost do it now but I figure if I have waited this long I can wait a bit longer.
And now I am off to attack windmills and cause trouble elsewhere,
