What a Difference a Burger Can Make

Today was a rough day. Or was it?

Events are subjectively viewed and things that are considered bad by one person can be considered good by another. Or a viewpoint can change over time.

I learned this evening that a viewpoint can change after the consumption of a hamburger sandwich.

Yesterday I didn't eat a lot of food. I almost never eat breakfast, and I managed to just sneak in a couple of scone portions during the day. I met up with TM2000 and TM2KsGF and Quarter Port for happy hour and TM2000 and I split some nachos. I had some adult beverages, too, but generally I didn't eat a lot.

Today I didn't eat much, either. I'd intended to have lunch, but...

Back in December I went to a birthday party for Stix the night before I left for Wisconsin. I took a cab about a mile and paid with credit card, much to the annoyance of the cab driver. It was a $5.50 fare and because he was being a whiny little bitch I had him run it for $7 (I usually tip more generously).

Somehow, it showed up as $17 on my account. I called a few times and it seemed it was going to be taken care of, but when it was not, I made some calls today (to Orange Cab and Chase) and was not able to receive satisfaction. (Part of the problem is that I did not keep the receipt.)

So I was hungry and grumpy and out $10 when I walked to Subway for lunch. It's about 10 minutes each way, and the rain made it miserable. When I got to the establishment I was looking forward to a black forest ham sanga with chedder cheese (toasted), lettuce, cucumbers, extra black olives, banana peppers and honey mustard dressing... just the sandwich and with a bag.

But, alas, my credit card was sitting on my desk in the office--a result of the frustrating Chase conversation I'd had.

Back into the rain, sans sammich, I went. Another 10 minute walk. Hungry and miserable and grumpy.

The rest of the work day went on. I don't think that my grouchiness was uncovered to my coworkers, but everything I read online seemed to outrage me. I read an article about the DOJ and the Kindle and it reminded me of a Vonnegut dystopic future and pissed me off. I read quotes from Haitians that actually angered me.

Really?

Angered me? One of the poorest countries just got hit by a massive earthquake and I'm getting angry at their frustration?

Wow.

Clearly I needed food. I knew it, intellectually. I chatted with one or two friends and apologized for being calorie-deprived and so mean.

Once I ate, though, the emotions caught up with the intellect... and I saw the day differently. Both moving through the rest of the night, I was in a better mood and it changed how I saw the day that had just happened.

Specifically:

• I became pleased that the cabby "only" ripped me off for $10
• I learned that I need to keep receipts for cab transactions to protect myself in the future
• In some ways, I "only" lost $3.50, since I didn't spend $5.50 plus a buck tip at Subway due to my own incompetence at life.

Life is better when you see the bright side.

Life is better with a hamburger, as it turns out.