Multiconstruct

Last week was long and challenging. I’m working around a couple people’s work schedule and just working more in general. I went in last weekend and got caught up a bit which felt good the first part of the week when i could knock out some little things because i didn’t have the constantly existing backlog. Last session Wednesday I fell behind and then never got a chance to get caught back up. Jamming all day every day and falling a bit more behind. I’m not complaining just painting a context for where i was at friday afternoon when a co-worker asked if she could incorporate acomplaintfreeworld.org bracelets in her group. How it works is you where a bracelet and every time you complain you move it to the other arm. You do that until it stays on one wrist for 21 days. She said its 21 days because scientists say that’s how long it takes to form a habit. I questioned that. Sounds more like folk wisdom. She likes the gratitude angle and I do too. I asked her if gratitude has a downside. If it does we didn’t know it. I discussed venting, and she offered a venting exception, which I pooh poohed. Venting has a dark side, the rehearsal for a blow out. It keeps negative emotions alive when sometimes they just need to pass I told her. I said there has to be a way of letting off steam without complaining and I put it on. I said I would probably have to wear it for years. She said she ordered a 100 for when it wears out. It was late in the day and served as a nice reminder. I would’ve complained twice before leaving work if I hadn’t been wearing it. The bracelet was working. After work started to putter around the yard, beautiful day and a lot of projects to do. learned dad hadn’t eaten yet except for some candy. so i didn’t garden but got right on supper. i was already complaining and switching the bracelet. Dad had talked about cooking together because he had gotten all the stuff for walnut crusted chicken breast and a broccoli side dish out of Wednesdays Columbia Tribune. I washed the dishes and Dad talked about his day. Amy had come over with Olive Oil to play with Fido and Dad told me the blow by blow. Olive stayed over while Amy went to the dentist. she brought a box of tea and a bag of starbucks house blend. I’m pretty thankful for Amy. Comes over twice a week and hangs out with the popster for puppy play dates. I read through the recipes and decided to chop up everything then start the water for the pasta. i was chopping the walnuts when dad came to cook to. said i should crush the walnuts with a pop bottle. I told him advice wasn’t help and swapped the bracelet. i said i would just cook. the chicken called for chicken breasts pounded down to 1/2 ” thick. salt and fresh ground pepper on them. then you dip them in egg white and roll them in corn meal with cayenne. back in the egg white and then roll them in chopped walnuts. fry in olive oil until done. the broccoli dish called for boiling some pasta for 5 minutes, add broccoli, finish boiling pour off all but 1/4 cup add 2 tbsp olive oil and a clove diced garlic. the chicken took a lot longer than i anticipated and my rice pasta fell apart. sliced some maters, a black plum, yellow teardrop, what was supposed to be a green zebra but they keep turning orange (orange zebra?), and a store bought with some cottage cheese. Dad was trying to tell me about amy and michael’s date night, i told him i was busy, he said what, i yelled i was busy, 2 complicated dishes after a long complicated day i could not listen too. i couldn’t move the bracelet my hands were gooked up with chicken gook i totally lost my composure. i took a breath decided to complain again so it was on the right wrist and just get ‘er done. supper was excellent, the chicken really out of this world. the broccoli was tasty as well even dripping in gloppy rice scum. dad was complimentary. said he could see where i was coming from. it was really sweet. saturday though i got going rehashing friday night to sarah and harry. made my point about venting. there wasn’t anything unresolved, we talked about it fine, i was heard, it was acknowledged. the next day gripe was resentment pure and simple, with no need. a few more incidental complaints then i hit a stride. today complaint free, even though dad told me “quit complaining” when i was telling him he shouldn’t be buying the dog junk food treats. that was just telling him my view on our shared beast even if he knew and even if i’d said it before. mostly though i’ve just been a bit more positive. It’d be easy to take out my frustrations on dad, he’s around, it can be frustrating as i start to pick up even more of the upkeep of the house. but it wouldn’t be right. it wouldn’t be what i am about. i am looking forward to hitting day 3 tomorrow and being more grateful and less resentful.