I’m sitting here in my big, comfortable, black leather poppa chair, after a really tough day. Just popped the shoes. Don’t know if I should put these socks in the laundry, or set fire to them. The way they smell may set off the fire alarm without any help from a match. I’m really looking forward to taking a nice, hot, shower in a few minutes. Tough day. But a good day. I got stuff done. Getting things done feels good. It makes you feel like you’re in control. There’s not a lot of that in control feeling around these days.
You get out on the road and people are driving at speeds ranging from sonic boom to car wash…and all you want to do is get to work. You’ve got to be cunning to survive. Of course, Big Louie, his own bad self, the Chief Mustard Cutter of the Louie-Louie Generation has been around long enough to give us advice on surviving in today’s traffic. For example, Louie says, “Never pass a driver who’s on a cell phone. Wait till he creams the truck ahead of him, then pass briskly on whichever side has less debris.” Most of our lives seem like they’re out of our control. It started for me when dad took my comic books, because mom said I was spending too much time checking out Wonder Woman.
When I started dating, my first potential co-necker fell asleep in the back seat of the car. Just as well I guess…we’d probably have gotten our braces locked together. I drove in to a Mac Donald’s for a cup of coffee the other day, and the lid of the coffee cup said something to the effect of, “For God’s sake don’t spill this stuff on your lap any where near a zip code that might contain a lawyer.” It’s my coffee. I should be able to spill it anywhere I like.
Life is out of our control. That’s where we get burnout. And I’m not kidding about that. Working hard doesn’t burn you out. Burn out isn’t in your muscles. It’s in your head. And we’re passing it on to our kids. And we should stop that. “Eat every pea on your plate or no desert.” “Bang that glass one more time and I’ll sell you.” “No singing at the table.” “Shut your mouth and eat.”
I could never figure out why are there lots of perfectly good drinking songs, but no eating dinner songs ? Singing would take your mind off the fact that peas will kill you.
The original designer of genes didn’t plan things this way. He made guys like Tarzan. Tarzan could, and did, sing and holler all he wanted when he ate. He never ate peas. Only lions. And not only did he get desert, Jane served it to him.
Where did we go wrong ? If some guy tried to stop some other guy from singing around the ol’ cave camp fire, pow!…he got a fast face full of fossil fist. If some nasty Neanderthal tried to make a cave lady eat peas, she just said buzz off buster and come back when you’ve evolved a little further.
Now…if an unexpected visitor wearing a mask climbs into your bedroom window at 3AM you don’t call a cop. You call your lawyer. And do you know what your lawyer will say ? “Don’t hurt him. He’ll sue. Give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he’s lost. Discuss his disadvantaged youth with him. If he’s bouncing something that looks suspiciously like a policeman rolled up into a ball, encourage him to join the other youths at the playground for a game of basketball. Tell him he looks like the Lone Ranger in that mask. Say, ‘Have a nice day.”
Not only are we not allowed to sing at the table, we’re not even allowed to peek under that guy’s mask.
Dick’s Details Quiz. All answers are in the current podcast.
1- What do giraffes have in common with many of today’s Rap artists? 2- Why didn’t the astronauts carry matches to the moon ? 3- When you walk into a restaurant in New Mexico, and they say, “Smoking or non smoking,” what are they talking about
Dick’s Details. They take your mind off your mind.
Our lives are out of control. You show up for work, and your boss says, “Don’t bother taking your coat off.” Or maybe you ARE the boss, and as you pull into the parking lot at work, you notice that the Sixty Minutes news team is set up there waiting for you. Or maybe your car horn gets stuck, and you’re following a large group of Hells Angels on the highway. That’s what causes burnout. When we don’t feel like we’re in control. And lots of times that’s our own fault. There’s a story about a woman who all of a sudden realizes that…and decides to do something about it…in the brand new Night Connections 3 personal audio cd. It’s called, “Bad Hands.” It’s in the current podcast.
I’ve had a lot of reaction to her story. Even from members of our group…the Louie-Louie Generation. Some of you told me you feel…far away from everywhere…and anyone. That’s a life out of control. One woman who heard that story said, “The thing that hurts the worst is that I don’t even hurt any more.” I told her, “Your hurt is like that cup of coffee. It’s your hurt. You paid for it. You have a right to feel it…if you want. I don’t know if that helped or not.
If you like “Bad Hands,” you can just keep the current podcast. Or if you want a fresh copy, you can download it from the Night Connections 3 icon on the home page.
I was kidding with you a little about burn out. But it’s really no joke. I know a little about it. Burnout feels like it sounds. Like there’s a patch of slick ice, and you’re a giant tire spinning and smoking, and skidding around…slamming into things…getting hurt. You’re out of control.
My Lady Wonder Wench put my burn out…out…a long time ago. She just said, “Do whatever you want to do. You can do it.” And she meant it. And now what I MOST want to do is to take that long, hot shower…with her. It’s my shower. I should be able to take it any way I want. Right ?
Dick, your post made my day. I was feeling like I am the only one going thru this burnout phase. I know its just a phase. Thanks for picking me up.
I’m glad I checked tonight to see if there was something new. Tonight I’m feeling like a bird turd, splattered on the windshield of life… yup.. burn out. What pushed me over the edge tonight, my daughter forgetting to ask me if I wanted Chinese for dinner. I live with her, her husband, 3 kids, and one more on the way. I help out around the house, most days doing more “maid, nanny, housekeeper, & anything else” than as a grand mother. I ran across this status line on Facebook.. I didn’t post it there because everyone I know is on Facebook and I really didn’t want to deal with the fall out, but here is the quote that struck me very hard, and is exactly how I’m feeling … ” The worst thing about being left out is knowing you weren’t even a simple thought in any of their minds…sad ” It’s not the first time it’s happened, and I know it won’t be the last, and making a big deal isn’t going to change anything. My son-in-law has been at school for 6 months, coming home every other weekend.. we are all burnt out. It will get better, and then we will have a new little miracle in our lives. Thanks for letting me vent… now to listen to my play list of your recordings, drift off to sleep, and hope tomorrow I might get a small thank you for all that I do…..
peas?
“I eat my peas with honey; I’ve done it all my life.
It makes the peas taste funny, but it keeps them on my knife.
Actually I prefer to mix my peas & mashed potatoes together. The peas don’t roll, and the taters chew.
as for desert / dessert ….. we’ll talk about that later ……. hehe hehe!!
I’m with Jean… And all we are saying is give peas a chance.
You both having me thinking of a sticker I saw long time ago…
“Give whirled peas a chance”