The Fine Art of Complaining

Ginger is soon to be 7

I've been inspired, by another blogger,  to write about the fine art of complaining.  Their story was a bit technical in nature but basically said complaining isn't good for you.  Just in case you are interested here is the link, gillisfitnessconsulting.com.
 Their entry has very legitimate points.  Here are a few glowing reviews of those points from my perspective.

Ruffles is the old man of the bunch at 10 or 11

Okay, first of all the only members of my household that don't complain are my dogs.  My older dogs that is.   The puppy still complains in her own way.  She's in her kennel now because I really have things to do, like write.  I can't write and chase, retrieve things from a puppy mouth, keep her from eating the sofa as well as protect my older dog from her puppy teeth. Take a look at her picture. She looks scary but really isn't possessed and she doesn't have cataracts.  I'm still learning how to take a picture.  I'm 45.  You would think I would have an understanding of the basics of photography by now. 

Bella is the devil puppy.  She'll be 7 months old soon.

As I'm writing,  the whimpering and whining, while she is in her kennel,  is almost unbearable.  It reminds me of when my kids were babies and felt they were being tortured (restricted) while in their crib, carseat or Exersaucer.  In particular, my daughter.  No, we didn't put her in a kennel. Although...  Her Exersaucer was kind of like a portable kennel.  It allowed me to shower occasionally. 


When she was an infant/toddler/preteen she wanted to be with me all of the time.  I'm not complaining, only stating a fact.  I'm a stay-at-home mom.  This truly means that she could be with me 24/7.  Now that she's in school that is a little harder for her to do. When she was a toddler, her room at night was like a jail and her crib was her cell.  Very fitting because she was also an escape artist.  Many a morning I would find her next to me. I'm not complaining!


 As the article in Pure Women's Fitness stated, complaining is not healthy for anyone. The more people you complain to, the more people are fed and the more the complaining continues at an alarming rate.
As the years have flown by the whining, huffs and puffs, sighs, moans and groans, head thrusts, head banging, feet stomping, and verbal assaults continue.  It isn't all of the time.  Usually when one member of the family isn't complaining the other one is. When it's at it's best,  complaining is like a chess game.  


If I do/say _____  I hope they will notice and do ______. 






My husband and I started the game of hidden complaints.  We are filtering what we say but figure out other ways to get our complaint across.  It looks like my son will finish it with a combo of implied discontent and in your face verbiage.  He's working on his filter. When my husband and I complain we would probably say that we aren't complaining.  We are only stating a fact.  


On the subject of dinner-


My son...


                                Son: "Mom, what are we having for dinner?"
                                 Me: "Baked chicken, asparagus and a salad."
                                Son: "Please don't tell me it's crock pot chicken.Crock pot chicken is completely disgusting.  It makes me want to throw up.  Okay, now I can't eat dinner."


My husband...


                         Husband: "What's for dinner?" (I sense in his tone, and the pleading in his eyes,  he's hoping I'll suggest going out for Mexican)
                                 Me: "Baked chicken, asparagus and a salad."
                         Husband: "Ohhh"  


Now how motivated do you think I am to come up with something other than microwave quick or take out? Not that I'm complaining or anything. What are some of your complaints?

Remote Controls

Christmas vacation and I am forced into cohabitation with those I do not see very often. It is bittersweet.  I do love my family but once I get there I realize they have a different way of living. It affects me, more so than it normally would.   Secondly, it seems there is never enough space.  Everytime I turn around I bump into someone I don't want to bump into.  Lastly, the kids are bored unless they are with their cousins and even that, after a while, becomes old.  There is an overload of not just people and problems but also food, sleepless nights and trying to make heads or tails of it all.  


We really don't know how to behave around one another.  We aren't ourselves which is just plain uncomfortable.  Things that, on a regular basis,  don't make me nervous make me nervous now.  For example, at home I am the "go to" member of the family when we're talking electronics.  From phones to computers I can figure it all out with ease.  On the other hand,  I am afraid of the electronics at my parent's house. More specifically the remotes.  Deathly afraid.  I know, your asking why would I be afraid of a remote?  


First of all,  there are about 350 of them.  No really.  Secondly, the remotes are all different.  Just when you think you've found the remote to control the channels and volume you don't.  The cable remote only controls the channels.  There is another remote for the sound because it's surround sound.  At my parent's house there are 5 remotes per TV, 3 per DVD player, ... You get the picture. The remotes really need to be labeled.  I know, if I were a good daughter I would do it.  


I decided a long time ago to just avoid the remotes.  It's scary to think that the TV has the potential to explode if I press the wrong button. No really, stranger things have happened.  If it were just one TV that would be one thing.  There is a TV and 2 DVD players per room.  Let me rephrase that, a TV and 2 DVD players per room that isn't... Nevermind.   One time I accidentally touched the wrong button and zap, the screen went not just blank but went completely black.  I quickly escaped from the room.  My dad yells out,"Who was just in here?" I holler back, "I think I saw Susie in there Dad. You know kids."  


If something can go wrong when my parents are watching me it will.  

By the end of the week everyone is ready to hop back in the car for the 6 hour trip home to normal.  

Snow Day

Very few are venturing out in this weather. The Atlanta metropolitan area is shut down all due to the newly fallen snow that has blanketed the city. Next comes the ice. School is closed for today and the kids can enjoy the winter wonderland for as long as it lasts. With temperatures remaining at freezing or below for the next several days, things are going to stay this way for a while.