Susan plays NICE

I realize that I have written two pretty gripey posts in a row. Don't worry, I have NO intention of apologizing. In fact it looks like I hit a nerve. A lot of you seem to feel the same way as I do. Which, believe me , I really do appreciate. But I feel that I am being pretty negative and gloomy about the current state of things. There will always be stupid, clueless, malevolent or just plain crappy, parents. And I don't see a shortage of dimwitted, incompetent, ignorant, minimum wage earning type people any time in the near future. So I have decided, strictly for my own peace of mind and mental health, to

Don't Worry and Be Happy.

In fact I have decided to spend this coming week being . . . . . NICE! Yes that's right NICE.

I haven't really done that for a while, you know.

And, as I was coming home from the craft store (To buy something pre-made. I don't really do the craft thing anymore) and was driving on a street CLEARLY posted at 35 miles an hour, which everyone knows, means you go 40 on. (Well, everyone except for my sweet Lisa who even though she is from California, will not drive one mile over the posted speed. Trust me, Donald and I have tried.) And as i was stuck behind a gray haired couple of the geriatric persuasion who for unknown reasons were barely doing 25. And of course my normal reaction is to be really pissed (sorry Dani) and to, while not exactly, tailgating, I do try my hardest to let them know what a problem they are being. And as I saw us all being passed by a guy on a motorcycle. (He used the center turn lane) I decided, enough of this crap, and I took to the center lane and passed them myself.

It was okay. There were No cops around.

Well after I passed those old befuddled lollygaggers, I felt quite pleased with myself. But right after the good feeling, for some reason I started to feel bad.

I was not expecting that.

I started thinking to myself. I reasoned with myself that perhaps, just perhaps, they were an out of town Old Couple, who had traveled four hours from the Seattle area, to, maybe, see their grandson play in a ballgame, or maybe even to celebrate a birthday, and just maybe their son and his wife had moved to a new house and a new neighborhood since the last time they had been here, and even then, they had needed a lot of help getting around because after all they are old and they aren't very good with directions, and here they are just trying to find their way in an unfamiliar city so they are going really slow so they don't miss the right street sign. And they feel bad that people are lined up for almost a mile behind them, and then this young whipper-snapper on one of those noisy motorcycles that these rude young men seem to like so much now-a-days pass them and if that isn't bad enough that women behind us who has been almost tailgating us for several blocks is now passing us in that center turn lane herself.

Welcome to a little sample of me trying to make excuses for people instead of getting mad at them.

And of course, since I had gotten around them and was able to go my accustomed 40 I wasn't mad anymore. In fact I was feeling quite generous. This led me to start reminiscing on the past month, well I guess maybe this past spring and summer.

Oh who am I kidding the past two years. At least.

And with all this thinking, it occurred, that just maybe, I'm not always as kind, patient and understanding as I should be. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not an ogre, no, no, no, no, no, NO.
No, I don't plan to turn green and sprout horns anytime in the near future. I just have to be honest with myself, well, and to admit that certain people that I am related to (mostly those ones I have given birth to) might be on to something when they tell me that I am just too damn negative. Yes yes, I can see some truth to their accusations. Not that I see myself as someone who can never enjoy life or just be happy and satisfied.

Well, this is all a really long preamble to me stating , right here and now, That starting uh, tomorrow, I will be nice.

I really am nice most the time. I do my share of thanking people. I do my share of being helpful. I smile at small children. I offer helpful suggestions. I tip.

It's just that in between all that niceness I sometimes stumble into curmudgeon territory.

So for this next week I am going to be only nice.

I realize that it will take a little practice. Especially when driving. So I am going to start every journey, whether just up the street to Walmart, or across town to hmm, Richland's Walmart, with a nice smile on my face and a song in my heart.

Hello car full of obnoxious, oops, I mean young and carefree, teenagers. Yes, yes, you silly people I see that you just cut me off and almost caused an accident, but not to worry, I am happy to let you drive in front of me. After all I am NICE!

Why you funny little Taco Bell worker. How considerate of you to ask me three times if I want hot or mild sauce. You little Dickens. And NO, I don't want any sauce but THANK YOU for making absolutely SURE. After all I am so very NICE

Oh my goodness. You funny little children running up and down aisle 10 at Walmart. Look at you having so much fun playing with all those toys that your parents have no intention of buying for you. Ooops, I'm sorry, was my shopping cart in your way? Yes I can see that I should have seen you tearing up this aisle and quickly moved to give you the right of way. Oh you little darlings. Where would the world be without such lovely children???

Do you see how quickly and willingly I can change?

I am so impressed with myself that I can barely wait for tomorrow and the rest of this next week.

Yes, the world is going to see a nicer Susan. A humble, kind, generous and benevolent Susan.

I feel so good about myself right now that I just might go TWO weeks with this being nice thing. And who knows, maybe I will inspire many others with my good attitude and positive outlook on life. Maybe there is someone reading my blog (Someone who NEVER leaves comments) who will be so uplifted by this post that she or possibly he, will also decide to be NICE. Maybe this unknown person will be nice to everyone they come in contact with and all of those people will feel so good from being treated with kindness that they will be motivated to be NICE themselves.

Maybe, even the blankety blank ooops, I mean misunderstood, Oil Speculators, will feel so sorry for being the cause of so much grief by driving up the cost of gas, that they will immediately do whatever an Oil Speculator does to help bring down the cost of gas.

Wouldn't that be just so darn NICE?

Maybe, just Maybe, that Wiley old Bin Laden will be so overcome with remorse for his slightly bullying ways that he will immediately turn himself in along with all of his men.

You know the possibilities are simply ENDLESS. If everyone can try to be nice for just one week, who knows, maybe we can change the World and make it a nice place to live. So I guess this has suddenly become a call for everyone reading this to spend the next week, or even two weeks, being NICE. Be understanding, be open minded. Be forgiving. Show love to all those funny people who really don't deserve it. Lets check back in a week and we will see how we have all done. Shall we?

Well I am signing off for now. I think I will go do something NICE!