Sometimes it seems like being cranky, whining, complaining, and moping are the glue that holds us together. There are whole television programs devoted to it. And hey, I get it. We have a lot to be cranky about right now. Still gets on my nerves, though. Charlie, too.
Cranky Don’t Cut It
This fella Mel, who’s on my shift
The one who operates the lift?
Of all the guys we’re employing
Mel’s become the most annoying
‘Cause if you need complaining done
Mel’s your fella, he’s the one
Who’ll get the other fellas riled
Me, as well, it put it mild
How he prattles, all day long
‘Bout everything that’s going wrong
The roads, the Town, this Country, brother!
(If) It’s not one thing, it’s another
While! Whine!
Don’t get him going
Whine! It’s all
Hot air he’s blowing
Nut’s too loose, or it’s too tight
For this guy, nothing’s ever right
And whining’s just a way of life
(Heaven help the fella’s wife)
There’s topics you don’t want to touch
And when it gets a little much
Then I, as foreman, must decide
If I should take ol’ Mel aside
Whine! Whine!
Don’t get him going
Whine! It’s all
Hot air he’s blowing
If your mouth’s inclined
To whine, then shut it
Spare us, please!
Cranky don’t cut it
I could tell, my talk with Mel
Did not go over all that well
Now he’s got, without a doubt
Someone new to gripe about
Whine! Whine!
Don’t get him going
Whine! It’s all
Hot air he’s blowing
If your mouth’s inclined
To whine, then shut it
Zip them lips, ‘cause
Cranky don’t cut it!
So, true! I’m with Charlie. I get sick of hearing folks complain. Heck, I even get sick of hearing myself complain. So, I’ve developed a couple of ways to make it manageable.
First, make a whining appointment. I allow myself fifteen minutes in the morning, usually from 8:00 to 8:15. If Charlie’s there, he has to deal with it or join in. I set the timer, roll up my selves and just wallow big time, complaining about the weather, global warming, politics, people at work, you name it. Soon as that timer goes off, though, that’s it. I stop whining, wash my hands to get rid of all that yucky energy, and try to think of at least one thing I’m grateful for. Then, I get on with my day.
I don’t get to complain again until 5:00. Another fifteen minute whine-a-thon about anything that deserves it, usually stuff that happened at work. Then, that’s it. No complaining, being cranky, or moping between whining appointments. And no whining on weekends. I try to keep those a whine-free-zone.
Easier said than done because when you’re zooming with a group of folks and one person starts whining, others are more than happy to pile on. Then you got yourself a complaining free-for-all. If you don’t want your zoom time turning into a massive group grumble, you have to head it off at the pass. I say something like, “Look, I’m going to watch the clock. What do you say we whine about the weather (or politics or whatever) for another twenty minutes, then we move on.” Try it, it works.
But don’t worry, folks. Winter’s almost over, the days are getting longer, vaccines are coming. Before you know it, those the crocuses will be poking their hopeful little green heads out of the ground. Then, we can start whining about mud season, flooding basements and sump pumps!
That’s it for now. Catch you on the flip side!
Hear Ida Tell It: Cranky Don’t Cut It
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