Thursday, August 16, 2007

You Got Nothin' to Complain About!

The Mister and I decided to have dinner at Domenic's last night. We've been going there for about 5 years because the food is great and we like the people. We both had the Penne alla Aragosta special (penne pasta with sausage and lobster in a light creamy sauce). Delicious! I know I said I wasn't going to make this a food blog, and I'm not. Besides, I didn't have my camera so don't have pictures to post anyway. My belly was full of warm, yummy pasta and garlic bread (I'd describe the bread more but trying to remember this isn't a food post) and I have forgotten all about my day's aggrevation with Mr. Harumph.

As we were finishing up our meal, Don, who's been working at Domenic's for a long time now, stopped by to chat with us. He asked what's new and I gave the usual canned response, "Not much." During our chat (Don usually does the talking and that's okay with us), Don started to tell us about how he called into a radio station to respond to a bunch of callers complaining and whining about their lives, waa waa. It went something like this (my sincere apologies for not being able to capture Don's eloquence):

I told those guys they've got nothin' to complain about! If you've got your family and your health, then what's there to complain about? Think about all those guys who are in Iraq, those people's lives devastated by Hurricane Katrina, all of them have it much worse than you. You live in Southern California! And the radio hosts were saying, 'He's right!" I told those guys that they were an embarrassment to all the men out there. You know, I've got nothin' to complain about. Thinking about all these people, I am just going to keep my mouth shut. I've got no right to complain.
So now I'm starting to feel like a heel about my post about Mr. Harumph. This got us to talking about my new blog and his website. He then asked if we've heard of Eric Volz. No. He said to look him up on the Internet and read his story. He said he felt so bad for this guy. And you know what? Don is right. Reading Volz' story forces you to put some perspective on your own life. I bet anyone who reads his story is glad he is not Volz. Anyone who doesn't is a soulless shell of a turd. Go look up Narcissistic Personality Disorder, I'm sure your picture is right next to the definition.

Now I'm a believer that we should be thankful for what we have, appreciate the good, fret less on the bad. This doesn't mean you can't be mad or sad about something, just don't go on and on about it. Besides, who wants to be with someone who does nothing but complain? I've dumped friends because of that (and family--no, blood is not thicker than water, just ask Fredo). Harsh? Not in my eyes because I want to live my life being happy as much as I can. There's already plenty of horse's behinds being thrusted in our face on a day-to-day basis. Why add to that by choice? That is, unless you like the smell of poop.

I also learned last night that Don volunteers his spare time to help others. He is the Chief of San Diego Volunteers. Mrs. Mason should be proud. So along with a great meal, Don served, compliments of the House, a dessert of self awareness and appreciation, in Don's unique way. It's good to have a reminder every now and then, especially over a nice plate of pasta. His site has a permanent spot now on my meager little blog.

On that note, I will go home tonight, hug my dogs and kiss the Mister like I always do, do some barefoot running and have dinner. These are the things that I appreciate in my life. I will update on my progress of barefoot running next go around. My left calf and quad feel much better now and I'm eager to continue to understand the ball-heel-ball technique. Now go and eat well.

2 comments:

Donald Veen Mason said...

So here I am a second time to type the old reply. I think the first time it was erradicated by the internet gods or goddesses. So, I see I have been immortalized or at least some kind words posted about me, so TY.

So today I am thinking, final paper for graduate school or relax and enjoy the family, hmmm, which shall it be?

I am glad if there was anything that you had a chance to do it was find Eric Voltz's story. Such a story as Eric's makes us realize that we are pretty lucky to live in the country that we live in, regardless of whether we disagree with current political climates. For women and minorities we can only imagine what it is like to live in third world countries that place them in third class societal positions. In some countries like India there are gang rapes of young women who attempt to push the boundaries of equality, and the offenders are found "not guilty". In some African countries people are murdered for protesting against oil companies extending their empires. In other countries, such as in Central and South America, women are legally murdered by their husbands for simply having a better paying job, because of the potential embarrasment to their husband's, so called reputation. In Bosnia and other countries there is racial cleansing. In Iraq there was mass executions for simply existing in the wrong political climate. And in America, although far from perfect we have the oppotunity to explore, debate, and protest oppenly, almost any subject in America, in which afterwords we can all sit down together and have a glass of wine and realize we our all just human beings and must make the best of things, knowing that respect begets respect, and take the moment to watch a beautiful sunset while feeling a cool breeze blow across us. Thus, we are truly lucky. So wiht all of this said, I think I will take a run. Shall I take it barefoot? :<)

CAB said...

Hi Don! Congratulations on being the first to post a comment! Boy, that's deep. But you are right, again. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else other than the good ol' USA!

Enjoy the family and your run (hopefully not barefoot), there's always tomorrow for school (at least that was my motto). :-D See you soon!