Wednesday, January 5, 2011

For Kerry -- I Was Prickly .....

I can't be the only person I know who sometimes takes advantage of close friends and family, treating them somehow Too honestly -- with an extra heavy dose of sarcasm or nonchalance --  and with less care than I would friends who don't matter as much to me.  I'm not sure if it's a result of growing up in a big family, or a result of having a big family, or marrying into a big family.  Perhaps it has nothing to do with a big family.  In any event, when I recognize that I'm doing it -- acting extra "prickly" -- I regret it afterwards.

So it happened last weekend, when a lack of sleep and a glut of wine led me to be a bit more prickly than usual with friends and family at our annual New Year's Eve gathering.  When offered a compliment from a friend about Chasing Shade, I immediately turned it around with a sarcastic comment and self deprecation.  I had what I thought was a good reason -- I do wish people would be more comfortable putting comments on the blog itself rather than emailing me their comments or posting them on Facebook -- but I should have been more encouraging and appreciative for the comment and the support.  With some extra self-reflection, I realized that my assumptions regarding family and friend support for my blog leave me sometimes feeling (and acting) self-absorbed and presumptuous which is exactly what I wanted the blog to overcome.  Ahh, what to do, what to do.

Add "Less Self Absorbed" to my list of 2011 New Year's Resolutions.  Along with Lose 20 pounds, Workout every day, Get a job that provides health insurance, and Drink less wine.  Each of these resolutions has as much chance of success as the others, and is completely capable of being measured objectively and of being attained.  Especially now that I have a wedding to prepare for (latest news puts the Date at early August 2012 -- meaning three weddings in six months for the Sullivan extended family!).  If I haven't learned to be less prickly and less self absorbed by then, I'm in Big Trouble!

LATEST GOOD BOOK READ:  Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson -- A charming love story about a retired English major and a Pakistani widow in a small village in England.  Beautifully written, if small in scope.


5 comments:

nll said...

In my experience your bouts of prickliness pre-date having or marrying into a big family, so you can eliminate those two. Perhaps "sharing a small office" can be added to the list of usual suspects.

Lawyer Mom said...

@nll: Laugh Out Loud .... in fact, still laughing. Good thing I didn't share anything else capable of being in existence pre-big family ....

Al DeVito said...

I can't understand why you think you are overweight. You'd be a skeleton if you lost 20 pounds.

Lawyer Mom said...

Now THAT's the type of comment I'm looking for! They had better have Excellent internet service in Bloomfield.....

Kerry said...

LOL - your prickliness is one of the reasons why I adore you! I had a great weekend in CT and wish we could get together more often like this. Happy New Year! and good luck with your resolutions! Much love, Kerry

P.S. This could be a record # of comments for a post! See - 2011 already looking up!

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