Keep Your Bad Day To Yourself

Have you ever been having a good day, one of those sing-out-loud-to-the-car-stereo kind of days when someone called you up and ruined it for you? This happened to me yesterday evening as I was heading home to be productive and apply for jobs. I had just been to the gym and then to dinner with friends and I was feeling on top of the world. Then my phone rang and it was a family member who yelled at me for something that did not deserve yelling and before I knew it, I'd been home for 40 minutes, I was still in my sweaty gym clothes and my eyes were red and swollen from crying. I was pissed. It was 9:30 already, the crying left me exhausted and it was all I could do to turn on some loud music (OK GO's Get Over It) and take a shower.

So, I am not angry or hurt by the family member who dumped on me anymore, but the experience got me thinking about how easily we can impact the people around us and how if we all thought a little longer before acting, we might be a happier society as a whole. Just a few moments of consideration last night could have changed the course of my night. I might have had the time to apply for one or two jobs, I would have called Patty back as planned and then I would have gone to bed in a good mood. Instead, I woke up with still-swollen eyes from crying. Of course, part of the problem is the fact that I'm an extremely sensitive person. But even if your actions don't result in tears, they can still significantly impact someone's day. I am going to try to be nicer to people, even on my worst days.

Weddings, Concerts and a General Lack of Sleep

Last week, we had four different house guests over a period of six days. One guest was a singer Neil met in college who was in town for a show. Two were wedding guests in town to attend my friend Chris's wedding to his lovely new wife Sarah. The fourth guest was Britten and since she's family, it hardly counts -- but it was still someone sleeping in the guest room. Sheets were washed several times, every night was a late one, and it felt great. I love having old and new friends around. I think Neil shares this feeling, and so we are house guest junkies. Often we invite people to stay with us, even when we're technically too busy.

This past weekend was particularly fun. I got to meet Brooke, who, in addition to being a talented singer/songwriter, is a lot of fun. I got to see Eric and Topher and we went to Chris's wedding where we had a really good time and danced all night. And I got to spend some much-needed time with one of my best and oldest friends Britten. Now it's quiet around the house again, which is nice after a week of chaos. But I like to think that all of our guests leave a little of their good energy behind, making our house feel more like home, for us, and maybe even for the next occupants.