Constantly Outraged

Peace

Those of you who follow me on Facebook should be aware of how my 9th graders described me this week:

Likes reading and writing editorials
Constantly outraged
Has an opinion about EVERYTHING

This was in class as we were talking about people who write letters to the editor. Some how our discussion drifted (as it often does) and we were talking about writing biographies when one of my students proposed the idea of writing one for me and that's when they all (3 of them) chimed in. I thought this was funny and mildly appropriate. What was more funny was when I was retelling the story later on to my friends...

In the same conversation where I was explaining my surprise of this description, I was also explaining my lack of understanding (outrage, perhaps?) about a fellow teacher who was complaining to me that she didn’t wake up early enough to make a cup of coffee. We were at a meeting, at a school run by Mormons, so there was no coffee. I just looked at her and was like, “What? How long does it take to make a f-ing cup of coffee? Don’t stand here and act like you need coffee when you can’t even get up five minutes early to make it.” I was insulted; it always pisses me off when people don’t appreciate coffee. Any who, I’m explaining this to my friends and there like, "Maybe that’s what they mean about constantly being outraged and having an opinion about everything. I mean, who cares if she didn’t wake up early enough to make coffee?" To be clear, the issue is not that she didn’t wake up early enough, it’s that she was trying to act like she LOVED coffee and really NEEDED it. Give me a break; if you NEED or LOVE something, you wake up five minutes early to make it. Furthermore, who the hell are these people who are walking around un-caffeinated? Even the Mormons drink soda in the morning to get their fix. Some people!?!

Being a Ladenburg, and growing up in the twenty-first century in the Pacific Northwest, I assume that every person is opinionated. As I’ve gotten older and further away from Washington and my family; I realize that this is not the case, and I think that’s unfortunate. It seems so inherent and natural that I can’t even imagine a life without it…..original thought and what not.

For the record, I fully understand how this constantly being outraged flies directly in the face of the peaceful exterior I’ve been trying to foster as an adult. I’m working on it. 

"If you want Peace, teach Peace."  (It's really that simple)