Do you have a temper ?

lawandorder

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2011
Messages
3,461
Reaction score
11,173
Location
Arkansas
I struggled a bit with a temper when I was young and have worked hard to keep it in check.
Don't know where it came from, red hair , being bullied when I was real young, Quien Sabe?

Every once in a while it escapes like yesterday when a fellow parked next to me as I was waiting on the wife. He pulled in and did not even look, then slamed his car door open into the side of my truck.

I said a few bad words to him and although they made me feel good at the moment I regretted my actions a short time latter because I know that our Creator does not want us to let anger govern our actions.

I do better each passing year but need to shake that old reaction for good.

Do you keep yours reined in ?
 
Register to hide this ad
I have one as well and understand the red head part though mine has faded to chestnut.

I am well aware that there is a mouth little jerk in my head that stays put mostly due to abstaining from alcohol. When that does happen he jumps to the forefront. Maturity helps, and I have learned that I need to leave early occasionally whether that is physically move or mentally go elsewhere.
 
I'm a really swell, fun loving guy...I don't have any hair of any color. I had some "hot buttons" when I was younger but the older I get the fewer and fewer I have. I'm down to about 3 or 4 now. Some things over which I have no control yet must endure. The worst are the ones which have no person or people I can confront and vent my spleen.
 
I had a terrible temper after my time SE Asia...I had to get a job as an over the road trucker to stay away from the people that set my temper off (no tolerance for stupidity). After twenty or so years of long haul trucking I kind of mellowed. Retired on Teamsters pension

I then took a job in a state Ultra Max prison and after about ten years I got a short fused temper again for the next eleven years....Retired on pension again in 2008 after 21 years and started collecting social security.

Mellowed pretty much in my retirement and now it's very seldom people get me to see red.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I also have the red hair gene thing.

I had a evil temper that didn't take much to set off.

Moving to Florida mellowed me out to the point my ex asked me one day who I was. I left a job in Ohio where I was a supervisor and came to a job in FL where I was just a good old pressman. Honestly kinda liked going to work. Plus it seemed like things were a lot slower and laid back here.

Then I stopped smoking the morning after Thanksgiving last year. It doesn't take much to set me off right now. Hope that passes as time goes on.
 
"...pulled in and did not even look, then slammed his car door open into the side of my truck [car]."

Among the few times I've lost my cool in the past 25 years have been when some rude slob or uncontrolled brat did that to 2 different cars and a truck of mine that had nary a ding anywhere, even after as much as 16 years of my ownership. In each incident, there were plenty of other parking places, I was parked in "center field" in order to avoid just that issue, and the irresponsible jerks whipped right up alongside, in one case a big fat woman who was so slobbular she had to kick the door open with her foot, and the other two were fat little boys with bowl haircuts whose parent did not control them. One of the boys opened the door so hard, my F150 rocked. I lit into each and every one of them, took pictures, called the police after they denied doing the damage or blew it off with "it's only a ding". I collected from their insurance, not mine, and had my body shop fix the damages, not the insurance company's recommendation.
There's no excuse for wanton damage of someone else's property.
Other than those three, I learned a long time ago to ask myself when angered "Will this make any difference five years from now," and most of the time the answer is "no" and I keep my blood pressure low and my teeth intact.
 
Last edited:
Losing my temper embarrasses me. Makes me feel weak and out of control.

Still, like all of us, I’ve failed at times to put my best foot forward. Hardest thing to do is to apologize for it which I’ve done a lot.

It’s been easier though the older I’ve gotten and the closer to God I’ve become.
 
Yes is the short answer. It was easier to control before I quit smoking (10 years ago now). Fortunately my family has never seen me at my worst and would be quite surprised if they saw how enraged I can get.
 
Had a short fuse as a youth, but soon learned after going to work in the real world that it was something I needed to rein in. Now, my cousin Marty never did make the turn, and sometimes I wonder if the relief of regularly blowing off steam has led him to live a more stress-free life than I. I'll have to ask him when he gets out of prison again next month...
 
I had a temper as a young Texas loud-mouth. Fights were not uncommon.

New Mexico Military Institute beat that out of me. I can't even imagine hurting anyone or anything these days. Life is just too precious and short to be a hater. I evolved into a leader and always wanted to know I was leading in the right direction.

I was "Cool Breeze" for a number of years; but business finally started to light my jets. How do you make a successful business; Too many hours, and too many days in a row. I once went three months without a day off. Showered at midnight to relax and get to sleep; and then showered again at 4 AM to wake up enough to get out the door. That life eventually catches up to you.

I thought I had a handle on the temper until about the 5th month of Quarantine. I hit the wall and it feel on me. I could fly off the handle without warning. It shocked me to see myself so upset over nothing. Luckily, my temper is directed at myself for letting go so easily. Aiming it at others just doesn't make any sense.
My lady has been incredibly understanding. Stress has hit us both and we are far worse for it. We both need a break badly !
It takes work every day to just smile and carry on. Still, I'm really a lucky guy.

Good luck to all those so afflicted.

I need a couple of weeks in the backcountry and I should be fine.

Prescut
 
Last edited:
This subject reminds me of an OLD rancher friend that had the most volatile temper I've ever seen. A madman. His ranch was having trouble with poachers leaving gates open, even shooting one of his cows. He discovered the poacher's truck tucked back in the brush and took action, and how. He got his backhoe and pretty much bashed the truck up, then turned it botton side up. Total loss. He locked the gate and waited. The truck was hauled off, but nothing was ever said again. Problem solved. Mid eightys,, and could drink anyone under the table. Lover that old devil.
 
Back
Top