I'm rude

Maybe you know. Maybe you don't. But I have the ability and perhaps even tendency to be rude, blunt and exacting especially when I'm irritable and for some reason lately I've been on the irritable side of good-natured.

And as my family duly notes, I go all out when I'm in a bad mood.

For example, mom and I argued about how to make fried rice last night. I had printed off a recipe from the internet and she came into the kitchen saying how there was a much easier way. She started explaining but I, admittedly, was losing interest in the details.

"I just want to know how to make fried rice," I said shortly. And as she's talking, I'm thinking, "When is the last time she's made fried rice? Is she qualified to be giving such detailed instructions?" So I asked her.

Not the best idea. She left the kitchen and I made the rice my way.

Later at dinner, I was sitting next to a young kid who John'd brought to help us load and haul bulls. As the meal progressed and the kid kept talking, he mentioned how he had a "female" in a particular town. I looked sideways at him and sarcastically asked, "Really?" Micah and Elsie were giggling.

Further in the conversation he was talking about how he had a "female" in two or three different towns, blah, blah, blah.

I interrupted him.

"Why are you calling them by gender?" I asked. "Because that's offensive."

Do you see what I mean? Rude!

Today I'm trying to be good; trying to curb my...abrupt harshness with people, my family. Wish me luck! (and everyone else around me too!)