Anyone who knows me knows that I'm an easy-going guy. I love people, everyone's my friend, and I can find the good in anyone. My wife says that I attract really odd and strange people as a result, because I'm so nice to everyone."It's like all the weirdos and artsy-fartsy types flock to you," she said once. "And you're their king."
(Not quite the fame and notoriety I had in mind, but you take what you can get.)
But on other days, I just get in a mood that can best be described as "frothy." I get my head wrapped around something inane, unjust, unfair, or just plain stupid, and my mental temperature hits 211 degrees.
Just one more stupid thing, and I'll hit 212.
I won't become boiling-over angry, but rather, I'll launch into a foaming-at-the-mouth rant — think Chevy Chase from Christmas Vacation — that makes my wife laugh, which is like taking the pot off the stove. I lose my head of steam, and the boiling water begins cooling off immediately. However, she has learned to hold it as long as she can, because I'm apparently quite entertaining when I get revved up.
When I get rolling, I can go like this for a good two minutes.
Early this morning, when I finished a meeting with my good friend Kyle Lacy, I was frothy. Not because of anything he did or said, but rather, a topic — a shared experience, actually — we had been discussing that remains something of a sore point for me. As I left, I realized that I was one stupid thing away from coming uncorked.
Happily, I had coffee with another friend instead, who made me relax and calm waaaay down. It's hard to stay frothy when talking with someone who is so much more idealistic and sunny than me (even on my good days).
Too bad too, because tonight is column-writing night, and I still need a topic.
Stay frothy, my friends.
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