Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Your Anger. Unless You Are So Crazy That You Must.

I'm veering dangerously close into personal territory here.   Gordon doesn't love it when I make reference to or divulge specifics about our relationship.  But I'm really talking more about myself, more than our relationship so much.

So anyway.  With that caveat in mind, I wish to discuss the concept of anger and sunsets.  Should one actually let the sun go down upon one's anger?  Or is it best to hash it all out and go to bed only when you have come to some type of conclusion?  

Recently, I read a little story about the traits of the strongest marriages.  One of them said that their marriage had survived almost 30 years due in part to the fact that they never went to bed angry with each other. I can't figure out how I feel about this.  It seems like a nice concept, but I have a hard time believing that those couples have never had a big enough issue that it lasts for a period of more than 12-14 hours. 

I can say this.  I am a highly emotional individual.  My initial reaction to almost anything is usually a frenzy of feelings, an emotional tidal wave, if you will.  It sometimes frightens me, the force of my reactions.  I sometimes feel the need to throw myself to the ground, wail and scream and yell and cry.  This is a problem.  It's a problem because this kind of reaction often solicits a not-so-productive reaction from the person on the other side of the wave.  Happily, the feelings ebb and I do return to a state of relative logic and reason.  But it can sometimes take a little while.  However, for the person who likes to deal with an issue immediately and move on, by the time I've come around to sanity, they have moved on, but without a solution.  

I acknowledge that this is not a healthy response.  There is a very strong possibility that I make things worse by flying off the handle in an awe-inspiring fashion.  How much of this is just innate, and how much can I change?  Is this an aspect of myself that I can change, or is it just part and parcel of who I am, a downside of my personality type?  Predictably, probably a little bit of both. 

Anyway.  What I'm looking for is your opinion.  What works for you? 

An Ode to Jeffrey Carl Willard

Father’s Day is just around the corner. And while my family celebrated the occasion last weekend, I believe this is an excellent occasion to revive my blogging habit. So I decided to put together a brief outline of some of the more momentous things I’ve gained from being Jeff Willard’s daughter. In no particular order…

 

1. A love of bleu cheese dressing

 

2. Dance moves rivaling those of the late, great Michael Jackson

 

3. The belief that Crown Royal is as much of a camping staple as the tent and the cookstove.

 

4. The Universal Truth that anyone who defeats you at any game or leisure sport is obviously cheating.

 

• a.   And in a subcategory, cheating is an offense that must be documented. On the actual game board. Take for instance, the family Parcheesi board. It honestly contains an inscription that says “Don’t play this game with them. They cheat.”
• b. And in yet another subcategory, when you do win, shout it from the mountaintops.

 

5. The fact that there is a Jimmy Buffett song for every single holiday, special occasion or day that ends in “day”.

 

6. Boxed wine is classy.

 

7. There is a logical answer for everything.

 

8. Mom should not be allowed to represent herself in any sort of legal proceeding. (True that.)

 

9. Love and loyalty to the people you love is all that matters.

 

10. The notion that muskrat hats are still poised for a comeback.

 

11. Yogurt and doughnuts are a totally viable dinner menu.

 

12. You get what you pay for. So buy the most expensive tools/largest televisions/biggest boats/high tech metal detectors, etc. It will definitely be worth it.

 

13. Anything in the bread family is not an acceptable breakfast food. This rules out pancakes, French toast, biscuits, etc.

 

14. The day that Jack was born should be a national holiday. Or at least a family holiday. P.S. Jack is a wire-haired fox terrier.

 

15. No matter what, your outfit is always cute, your haircut always looks beautiful, and your shoes are always exactly right for that dress. Especially when it comes to your daughters.

 

 

 

So here’s to you, The Best Dad In The Whole Universe. Some may know you as Jeff, Jeffy, Jeff-a-Lynn, Little Black Sambo (the best porn star name EVER), but we all know you are the best Dad any three rotten kids could ask for. Thanks for trying to make us behave!