Self Control

Sorry for not blogging yesterday, but I had a rough Tuesday.  But on the upside, it is providing the topic that I want to shed a little "lyte" on today, self control.

This is something I struggle with.  I mean, I can exercise restraint in some areas:  my finances, my health.  But I am a passionate person, and when I get carried away, my governor disengages, but my tongue continues to operate at full speed. Add to that the fact that I am loud. Really loud, and the more excited I get, the greater the volume.  So you get verbal diarrhea  plus my eviscerating wit all at maximum volume, not a pretty picture.  Needless to say, this combination has gotten me into a lot of trouble and more than likely has cost me some relationships.  

And the thing is, I don't even realize the my volume is at eleven.  Part of my problem is that I had very serious hearing problem that didn't get discovered until I started school. The people who administered the test were amazed that I learned to speak at all.  I got tubes put in my ears and it was like a whole new world opened up.  Until then, I got in trouble all the time for not listening.  On top of that, I inherited the loud gene in my family.  I am not kidding, remember the Loud family on SNL?  Go to a family reunion on my Dad's side, and you will need earplugs.  We used to joke that my dad didn't need long distance, he could just go outside and stand on stoop and yell at his family back in Wyoming... from Illinois.  I don't need microphones, or  a speakerphone, you can set the phone down and still hear me just fine. 

Last night I watched President Obama address Congress and the nation.  I admire the President's cool demeanor.  He never gets rattled, he never loses it, they call him "No Drama" Obama. I desperately need more of that.  I was not a big Obama fan, I was a Hillary girl all the way-until the nomination. But even then, I had the same enthusiasm for Obama that I had for (I am totally dating myself here) Dukakis.  Then I watched the debates, and the more I watched, the more impressed I was.  Candidate Obama never got flustered, never rose to the bait.  Cool as cucumber.  Positively presidential.

So, I am hoping that I can emulate our president.  Yes I can keep my mouth shut and my ears open.  Yes I can stem the verbal diarrhea.  Yes I can roll with punches.  I want to stop being of the Joe Biden school of communication and begin a new era of hope and change.  Yes I can!