Why Are Some People Always Unhappy......

I will be the first to admit it.......I am not a morning person (unless on vacation or at the beach). I used to be but not any more. Now, I get up get ready for work, drive to the office and get set for the day with minimal conversation.  If you work with me chances are you know.....let me get settled, computer up and running before you ask me a question.  I have to give many an apology to the person who shows up at my desk before I have my pocketbook put away........ I give them the look.

Somewhere around 9:00 my personality shows up........

I do understand morning people and night people.  I envy those "I am in a good mood all day people".  What I don't get is those people who are unhappy and mean  from the time they wake up until they go to bed.  They never seem to find something to smile about......they tend to strike out at anyone who gets in their way. We all know someone like that.....and God forbid you ask them what their problem is.....they pounce.

Now. there are some people who have a right to be sad or down for a period of time.  They may have issues that no one knows about and that is what is dragging them down.  I have found being honest with people and telling them what is going on at least gives them a chance to understand why I may not be Susie Sunshine on a day or days.  But even in my darkest hours, I don't lose my sense of humor and someone can usually make me laugh or just listen to me until I feel better.

But unhappy every hour of every day, mean and a bully (yes, there are adult bullies)......I don't get it.  Some of these people that I have met have no reason to be the way they are.......constantly.  You can't win with them and they can bring out the ugly side in me too. I wish they could just be ignored but that usually isn't an option.  Kill them with kindness.......don't let them ruin your day........try to stay positive while they rain on my parade.....yes,...... those are all options.......and I do try to use them.

I will vent and get it off my chest to someone who will understand. Then I try to move on.  I guess I should feel sorry for them but even that is sometimes hard to do.......

But in the end......I have found it best to avoid them if I can because I am not real good at turning the other cheek. No, I am not taking the cowards way out.......I am choosing my battles and I don't see any point in letting them have that much power over me.

I could take the high road........but you know.......sometimes the high road sucks........

Well I feel better now that I got that off my chest.......

See you next week.......the topic will be  ......people who are perpetually happy.......how do they do it and what are they on?????

Doing Some 1st's For Me.......

I have a while to go before the next significant birthday ( even though I am at a point in life where each birthday should be significant and celebrated).  I read a FB post by someone from high school.  She wrote about spending 12 months doing something new every month.......something she had never done before.  I loved that idea and have decided that between now and that next significant birthday I am going to give it a whirl.  I would like to do 12 things in the next 19 months that are 1st's for me......

Jenn was talking about going zip lining with her class next fall.  OK not a chance of me doing that......I can picture myself either breaking the line or getting stuck in the middle or weighing it down so much I just hang in midair.  You can also be sure I will NOT be hang gliding, parachute jumping, running a marathon or be in Spain for the running of the bulls.

I am starting to make a list and if you have any suggestions.......I am willing to listen.  Here are some I have already thought about......none is earth shattering or life endangering.

1.  Get a tattoo.
2.  Get a 3rd hole in my ears.
3.  Learn to eat with chopsticks

see where I am going with this....

4.  Sing kareokee
5.  Go to an Italian Restaurant and try to only use Italian (thanks to Marika and Rosetta Stone).  In order to do this one I will have to complete all the lessons in the Rosetta Stone I bought a year ago and am finally using).
6. Run a half marathon in the pool at the gym

more ideas.....

7.  Submit one really good article to several magazines and get something published (OK I can't guarantee about the publishing part but I have to at least have to write something and get it submitted)
8.  Speak in front of a group of at least 100 (I have a huge fear of speaking in front of large groups)
9.  Maybe officiate at a wedding in SC.  Hey, I am a Notary so I SC I can perform wedding ceremonies.
10.  Make a cheesecake from scratch.

these are all possibilities.......but I am running short on ideas.......that's why I need your help......

I am NOT guaranteeing that I will fulfill all the suggestions but at least it will give me some more ideas. I am not looking for life threatening tasks just things a little out of my comfort zone.

I am also going to try to meet one friend once a month whether it be for dinner, breakfast, lunch or just coffee.  I keep saying I am going to see people and I just don't get around to it.  Do I know that many people that I can do this......well I guess I will find out......

I am already going through changes in my personal life so I don't want any of these tasks to be in relation to that.....

Also no mountain climbing, water skiing, jogging, eating weird foods or anything where I could lose my balance.......

I will write an entry any time I do one of these 1st's and let you know how it went....was it fun....was it terrifying.....would I do it again......or never ever again.....

There will be enough permanent changes heading my way in the next few years.  These 1st's are supposed to push me to try new things but not scar me for life!! (OK except maybe the tattoo)...LOL

I am not including the work at weight loss or setting goals for that......that is a work in progress so no need to put that on the list and it sure as hell isn't new to my life!!

So let the games or suggestions begin.......can't wait to see what you some up with......

Until next week.......see ya.....

PS thank you all for not mentioning my type "O" from last week where I put untied instead of united...LOL...it has been corrected!!

Family Feuds.....Be Honest We All Have Them....

This blog entry is being written as a challenge from my older brother......OK George here goes.....

Anyone who says they don't have fights, disagreements or differences of opinions in their family.....is full of crap!!!

I wish oh how I wish at least once Norman Rockwell would have done a cover for "The Saturday Evening Post" showing a family not with their heads bowed in prayer but in a good old family fight.

While some of us would never admit to quarreling with our families......guess what.....although we all don't know what goes on behind others closed doors......let's be honest.....every has had a family fight.

Being Italian I think means we can take fights to a whole different level.  We yell and scream, we bring up things that happened years ago, we divide up the family and then at some point we make up.

My Dad was not a yeller......he could convey his feelings in a very low voice or with a look over his eyeglasses.  Mom was a yeller....so am I (we have got to get that gene out of the petri dish).

I am super sensitive so I get my feeling hurt a lot!!

Now, it is important to remember we can fight among ourselves but Lord help the person who picks on the family.  Then we become a united group and you don't want to screw with the family.

My Mom had a friend we called Papa John.  I think part of the reason he came to family events was for sheer entertainment.  He was there on an occasion where a family feud broke out.  It was on a holiday.  The argument started at one of the family members houses.  Later that day we were supposed to meet at another family members house.  Much to Papa John's amazement and entertainment, the whole family showed up and acted as if nothing had happened earlier in the day.

This week my brother,George, and I had words. It started over a picture on Facebook and me calling him at almost midnight to tell him what I thought of his comment on FB.  Then the war began.....there were nasty posts back and forth.  I was on the phone with my sister at almost 1:00AM asking her to call another family member in NY to ask her to remove the original post.

I was sure George and I would not speak again for a long time.  I felt I had the advantage since my birthday was before his so he would have to break down and call me first....LOL.

Then I got a call from my cousin, Pat, we talked about a lot of things but none having to do with the FB feud of the two oldest Raboni siblings.  At the end of the conversation he said, "Donna, stop fighting with your brother."  I asked how he knew??? Duh....  He said his wife, April, had seen some of the posts and said to him, "I think Georgie and Donna are fighting".  Thank you FB !!!!!

So I thought about it......and thought....and thought.  I decided to call George on my way from from work.  If he still mad oh well at least I tried and he would have to call me for my birthday in November.

He answered the phone and I said "hi".  Then we both started to explain our side of the story.  Before I knew it we were laughing and making stupid jokes about how asinine we had both been.We then discussed some of the other classic family feuds that have taken place over the years,  DO NOT worry I am sure not bringing them up here!!!!!

We hung up saying "I love you" to each other.....like we always do.  I am sure some shrink would have a field day with us.......we love deeply and are very passionate about almost everything.

My Mom once told me I was a street fighter like my Dad and I would go straight for the jugular any chance I got.....she is right.......I don't like to fight but watch out if you pick on me or Jenn.......especially Jenn......I can get ugly.  I am not proud of it but that's just the way I am.........

Well, the dust has settled and George and I are speaking again.......not too bad......pretty short fight........we have known to go days, weeks and months without speaking.

Maybe it's getting older, maybe it's knowing our time together is precious, maybe its just the need to get things off our chest and move on.......

I blame it on being Italian......even a normal conversation can sound like a fight to outsiders since we tend to yell and talk over each other......

So George this is the blog you challenged me to write.......I hope it meets up to your standards......if it doesn't......kiss off.......oh and AMF!!

Love you big bro........