Might have nearly stopped writing,
But I haven't stopped reading.Today I found The Frisky by way of a column on CNN.com about breaking the rules of dating. Rock and Roll Grammarian is moderately entertained.**********Yesterday, en route for a hike in the park, I mentioned to my friend a piece I'd read in Real Simple about the pursuit of happiness. Specifically it was this piece, by Gretchen Rubin, creator of The Happiness Project.(Note: The Grammarian promises she hasn't gone all self-helpy on you guys. It hasn't gotten quite that bad yet.)Anyway, I told this friend that one item on Rubin's list, "Do let the sun go down on anger," resonated with me. Persistent fatigue, homesickness, work stress, allergies, the nation's economic and political uncertainty, rude and/or crazy people on the sidewalks and subways of New York, screaming children, the mean kitty next door who pesters and hisses at young Simon, a general lack of clarity regarding where I'm headed -- these things have accumulated and compounded to such an extent that someone forgetting to say "thank you" when I hold the door for her provokes the same response as someone committing a real wrong.My friend told me he'd experienced the same thing after living a year or two in New York. He found himself angry much of the time. I guess this place can do a number on people if they're not aware.Rock and Roll Grammarian refuses to let misplaced anger ruin any more of her days. She will find a way to accept that which she cannot control, that she might avoiding punching those who:A) smack loudly and lick their fingers at feeding timesB) take up more than their fair share of the sidewalkC) won't step aside to let people on and off the trainD) allow their children to scream, yell and get in my way.Ahem. Stuff like that.Like my friend, I will learn to pick my battles and reserve my anger for those who:A) harm the people I loveB) harm the country I loveC) abuse children, the elderly and animalsD) gossip and malignE) lie, steal -- money, goods and ideas alike -- and manipulate to get ahead.And probably a whole lot more, but the point here is to be happy, not angry, so I'll leave it at that.
