Complaint: We're all a little too uptight these days.

Wound up tighter n' a tick, as my aunt says.

I noticed it today when there was a big drama at my husband's workplace over where some non-essential items were to be delivered, and when. Multiple emails with multiple CCs and multiple phone calls and messages were made.

Look, I know business is business, but it's not life or death! Didn't Confucious (or some other totally wise dude) say "The only things that are urgent/emergencies are life and death"? I mean, we all run around like chickens with our heads caught off at the slightest thing. We need to figure out how to calm down.

Lest you think I'm casting aspersions, fear not.

Because I noticed it especially in myself today when I lost it twice over things one shouldn't lose it over in front of kids.

First, the seat belt holding my son's carseat got jammed at the gas station and I started freaking out. What if his seat can't be fixed? How am I going to get him safely home without a carseat? Why do these things happen when my husband has the other car with the other car seats parked at the airport while he is across the country? Argh.

After being bossy, calming down, then apologizing, I got the flippin' thing to work. Man, things really bug me. I'm okay with people, it's objects that drive me batshit.

Then later today my daughter nearly knocked over our energy-saving-depression-banishing-fabulous-but-highly-toxic-mercury-filled light bulbs in a fixture she was playing under. (I told her to stay away from that area. But she's four and has boatloads of moxie.)

Anyway, the emphasis is on nearly knocked over. It's great to be kind to Mother Earth, but why do the good bulbs contain such toxins?

I think I'm breeding fear in my kids. (I was going to say, I'm scared that I'm breeding fear in my kids.) Ugh.

Somehow Mama's gotta find a way to calm the hell down. I know I can be (melo)dramatic and sometimes that can be a positive thing, but I need to figure out how to calm down and not over-react to things. I don't want my kids to be skittish and unsure (though I certainly can be, apparently.)

I don't like it when my dramatic overreactions scare the kids. That's messed up.

The scary thing is (again with the fear), there's probably a pill I could take that would address my anxiety. Oh wait, I'm already on it. Heh.

Guess I'll have to suck it up and change my behavior.

Working on your behavior is SO MUCH WORK.

Where's that quick fix we're all looking for?

It must be in here somewhere.